U.S. patent application number 10/493317 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-16 for multisegment filter of the tobacco processing industry and method for the production thereof.
Invention is credited to Gosebruch, Harald.
Application Number | 20040250824 10/493317 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7704381 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040250824 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gosebruch, Harald |
December 16, 2004 |
Multisegment filter of the tobacco processing industry and method
for the production thereof
Abstract
The invention relates to a multi-segment filter (70) of the
tobacco processing industry with at least two filter segments
(60-62) arranged one behind the other in a longitudinally axial
manner, and to a method for producing a multi-segment filter (70)
of the tobacco processing industry, whereby a group of filter
segments (60-62) is assembled and whereby the group of filter
segments (60-62) is wrapped with a first wrapping material (65) to
form a multi-segment filter (70). The multi-segment filter
according to the invention is characterized in that a compressible
and/or elastic first wrapping material (65) is arranged outside
around the filter segments (60-62). The method according to the
invention is characterized in that the first wrapping material (65)
is compressible and/or elastic.
Inventors: |
Gosebruch, Harald; (Verden,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C.
1950 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
US
|
Family ID: |
7704381 |
Appl. No.: |
10/493317 |
Filed: |
May 4, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
October 23, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP02/11823 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/341 ;
131/331 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24D 3/0287 20130101;
A24D 3/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/341 ;
131/331 |
International
Class: |
A24D 003/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 5, 2001 |
DE |
101 53 821.9 |
Claims
1. Multi-segment filter (70) of the tobacco processing industry
with at least two filter segments (60-62) arranged one behind the
other in a longitudinally axial manner, characterized in that a
compressible and/or elastic first wrapping material (65) is
arranged outside around the filter segments (60-62).
2. Multi-segment filter according to claim 1, characterized in that
the first wrapping material (65) is essentially impermeable to
smoke or completely impermeable to smoke.
3. Multi-segment filter according to claim 1, characterized in that
ventilation holes are provided in the first wrapping material
(65).
4. Multi-segment filter according to claim 1, characterized in that
the first wrapping material (65) is the outermost layer of the
multi-segment filter (70).
5. Multi-segment filter according to claim 1, characterized in that
a second wrapping material (66) is arranged outside around the
first wrapping material (65).
6. Multi-segment filter according to claim 1, characterized in that
the first wrapping material (65) comprises a closed-pore foam.
7. Multi-segment filter according to claim 6, characterized in that
the closed-pore foam comprises a foamed ethylene vinyl acetate
copolymer.
8. Method for producing a multi-segment filter (70) of the tobacco
processing industry, whereby a group of filter segments (60-62) is
assembled and whereby the group of filter segments (60-62) is
wrapped with a first wrapping material (65) to form a multi-segment
filter (70), characterized in that the first wrapping material (65)
is compressible and/or elastic.
9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the first
wrapping material (65) is impermeable to smoke or essentially
impermeable to smoke.
10. Method according to claim 8 and/or 9, characterized in that
moreover in a further process step the first wrapping material (65)
is wrapped with a second wrapping material (66).
11. Use of a compressible and/or elastic first wrapping material
(65) for wrapping a group of filter segments (60-62) of the tobacco
processing industry to form a multi-segment filter (70).
12. Use of a compressible and/or elastic first wrapping material
(65) that is impermeable to smoke or essentially impermeable to
smoke for wrapping a group of filter segments (60-62) of the
tobacco processing industry to form a multi-segment filter (70).
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a multi-segment filter of the
tobacco processing industry with at least two filter segments
arranged one behind the other in a longitudinally axial manner, and
to a method for producing a multi-segment filter of the tobacco
processing industry, whereby a group of filter segments is
assembled and whereby the group of filter segments is wrapped with
a first wrapping material to form a multi-segment filter.
[0002] Corresponding multi-segment filters are used, e.g., to
filter the smoke of cigarettes accordingly with various substances
or materials. Thus a multi-segment filter can, e.g., be composed of
segments such as, e.g., conventional cellulose acetate that is made
of a cellulose acetate tow with a softener and is permeable to
smoke, filter segments with activated carbon particles, sintered
pellets, empty casings or casings filled with granulate, fibrous
web, etc.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,306 describes a three-fold filter
(cavity/plug/cavity) that is wrapped with a cellulose acetate tow,
whereby the acetate is used as a filter medium and the plug is used
to deflect the smoke through the filter material.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 3,492,998 shows a filter that is made of
filter material disks and that is encased by two jackets, whereby
the jackets are made of paper, cork or a plastic material such as
polyethylene.
[0005] Corresponding multi-segment filters are produced, e.g., with
a so-called Mulfi-E of the applicant. This is a production line for
producing double filter rods from different basic filter rods. The
Mulfi-E production line comprises the so-called GC-E for cutting
and grouping the basic filter rods and a KDF 2E filter rod-making
machine for wrapping the double filter segments and for cutting the
4-fold or 6-fold double filter rods. These machines are known to
the specialist trade and the specialist public. In principle a
corresponding device with which a process for producing
multi-segment filters can be carried out is described in DE-OS 15
34 666. Of course, it is also possible to provide not just two
filter segments, but a plurality of filter segments, as described,
e.g., in DE 101 46 917.9 of the applicant with the title "Device
for Assembling Groups of Filter Segments for Producing
Multi-segment Filters of the Tobacco Processing Industry and Fluted
Drum." The disclosure of the cited documents is expressly
incorporated in this patent application in its entirety.
[0006] Due to the production tolerances of the diameters of the
filter segments, in particular with hard filter segments, such as,
e.g., extruded filter segments or filter segments produced in an
injection molding process, in the production of multi-segment
filters it can lead to filter segments featuring different
diameters being arranged next to one another. If these filter
segments, as is usual, are wrapped with a wrapping material of
paper, or, as in U.S. Pat No. 3,492,998, with a polyethylene, an
undesired effect can occur that a cavity develops between the
wrapping material and at least one filter segment, which can mean
that smoke can be drawn through this hollow space, avoiding the
filter effect of the corresponding filter element with smaller
diameter. This means that the filter properties of the
multi-segment filter can be undesirably changed or in part
completely neutralized. Another difficulty is that, in the case of
filters with hard segments, during the wrapping of the
cigarette/filter/cigarette group with wrapping paper damage can
occur to the hard segments or the wrapping paper can be damaged due
to the incompressibility of the hard segments and the
compressibility of the cigarettes and the soft segments of the
filters.
[0007] Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to
avoid these disadvantages and to disclose a multi-segment filter
and a method for producing a multi-segment filter of the tobacco
processing industry, by means of which corresponding production
tolerances of filter segments can be equalized so that no cavities
can develop by means of which the smoke can be guided past the
filter segments.
[0008] This object is attained through a multi-segment filter of
the tobacco processing industry with at least two filter segments
arranged one behind the other in a longitudinally axial manner,
that is further developed in that a compressible and/or elastic
first wrapping material is arranged outside around the filter
segments.
[0009] By providing a compressible and/or elastic wrapping
material, differences in diameter of the filter segments can be
compensated for in a very elegant way.
[0010] The compressible and/or elastic first wrapping material is
arranged around the filter segments in particular in a
longitudinally axial manner. By using a compressible first wrapping
material there is the further advantage that from the outside a
multi-segment filter can be produced that is very uniform in terms
of diameter, which would not be the case if, e.g., only an elastic
material were used as first wrapping material.
[0011] A particularly preferred embodiment of a multi-segment
filter according to the invention is given if the first wrapping
material is essentially impermeable to smoke or completely
impermeable to smoke. Through this preferred embodiment of the
multi-segment filter according to the invention no smoke at all
gets past the desired filter materials, even in the case of
differences in diameter. Ventilation holes are preferably provided
in the first wrapping material, as otherwise with normal wrapping
material. If the first wrapping material is the outermost layer of
the multi-segment filter, a particularly simple and quick
production of the multi-segment filter is possible which is also
cost-effective.
[0012] If a second wrapping material is arranged outside around the
first wrapping material, customary outermost wrapping materials can
be used which hitherto have also been used in the production of
multi-segment filters.
[0013] The first wrapping material preferably comprises a
closed-pore foam. A correspondingly closed-pore foam is on the one
hand essentially impermeable to smoke and on the other hand can be
embodied such that a compressibility is rendered possible even in
the case of low acting forces. Preferably, the first wrapping
material consists of a closed-pore foam.
[0014] If the closed-pore foam comprises foamed cellulose acetate,
a material can be used that is very well known regarding its
composition in the tobacco processing industry for producing
filters. In contrast to the cellulose acetate produced from a tow
with softener, the foamed cellulose acetate is hereby also
essentially impermeable to smoke. The closed-pore foam is
preferably composed of foamed cellulose acetate. The closed-pore
foam is preferably a hot melt foam such as, e.g., ethylene vinyl
acetate copolymer.
[0015] The first wrapping material preferably comprises or is
composed of hot melt adhesive such as, e.g., an ethylene vinyl
acetate copolymer. Alternatively, the first wrapping material can
comprise and/or be composed of a cellulose acetate tow with marked
rippling and without a softener such as, e.g., triacetin.
Furthermore, the first wrapping material can be an air-layed
fibrous web that is produced according to a process that is
described in EP 003 20 44 B1.
[0016] The object is further attained through a method for
producing a multi-segment filter of the tobacco processing
industry, whereby a group of filter segments is assembled and
whereby the group of filter segments is wrapped with a first
wrapping material to form a multi-segment filter, whereby the first
wrapping material is compressible and/or elastic. Multi-segment
filters can thus be produced that on the one hand render possible
an equalization according to the invention of differences in
diameter of the filter segments and in the case of decompressible
material on the other hand feature an outside diameter that is
uniform. It is also advantageous with the method according to the
invention that conventional multi-segment filter production devices
can be used, such as, e.g., the Mulfi-E of the applicant. Only the
wrapping material customarily used, comprising a paper strip, needs
to be replaced by a wrapping material that is compressible and/or
elastic. Care should be taken here to ensure that the compressible
wrapping material is not compressed on the way to the multi-segment
filter. The first wrapping material is preferably essentially
impermeable to smoke or completely impermeable to smoke.
[0017] If in a further process step the first wrapping material is
wrapped with a second wrapping material, the subsequent handling of
the multi-segment filters is simplified.
[0018] The object is further attained by the use of a compressible
and/or elastic wrapping material for wrapping a group of filter
segments of the tobacco processing industry for forming a
multi-segment filter. Furthermore, a first wrapping material that
is impermeable to smoke or essentially impermeable to smoke is
preferably used for wrapping a group of filter segments of the
tobacco processing industry to form a multi-segment filter.
[0019] The invention is described below without restriction of the
general inventive concept on the basis of exemplary embodiments
with reference to the drawings, whereby reference is expressly made
to the drawings for all details of the invention not explained in
further detail in the text. They show:
[0020] FIG. 1A diagrammatic side view of a multi-segment filter
production device, comprising a rod forming device and a group
forming device according to DE-OS 24 52 749,
[0021] FIG. 2A diagrammatic cross section view of a multi-segment
filter, and
[0022] FIG. 3 An enlarged representation of a section from FIG.
2.
[0023] In the following description of the figures, in part the
same elements are labeled with the same reference numbers, so that
a repeated introduction has been omitted.
[0024] The multi-segment filter production device according to the
prior art shown in FIG. 1 is constructed as follows:
[0025] A group forming device 2 working in transverse operation is
assigned to the rod making machine 1, which group forming device
features two storage containers 3 and 4 in which filter rods 6 and
7 of a first or second type are located. Removal drums 8 or 9 are
located at the lower, outlet-side ends of the storage containers 3
and 4, to which removal drums respectively a cutting device 11 or
12 is assigned which severs the filter rods 6 or 7 removed from the
storage containers 3 and 4. These are followed respectively by a
staggering drum 13 or 14 on which the filter sections formed from
the severed filter rods 6 or 7 are brought into a staggered
formation and subsequently pushed through a sliding drum 16 or 17
respectively such that they form a row one after the other in a
transverse axial manner. The rows of filter sections thus formed
are subsequently spread apart through respectively an accelerator
drum 18 or 19 so that greater spaces result between the individual
filter sections.
[0026] Subsequently, the filter sections are again severed on
cutting drums 21 or 22 to which likewise a cutting device 23 or 24
is respectively assigned. The again severed filter sections are at
the same time spread apart again on the cutting drums 21 or 22 so
that larger gaps occur between the individual elements.
Subsequently elements of filter rods of the respectively other type
are respectively inserted into these gaps on an assembly drum 26
and in this manner filter rod groups 27 are formed that are
composed of several elements of the different filter types. The
filter rod groups 27 are subsequently aligned in a longitudinally
axial manner to the conveyor direction through an output means in
the form of a transfer device or turning drum 28 and continuously
transferred to the rod forming device 1 in a formation without gaps
on a wrapping strip 31 pulled off from a bobbin 29. The transfer
takes place, e.g., in accordance with DE-OS 25 34 666.
[0027] Before the filter rod groups 27 are placed on the wrapping
strip 31, the latter is glued. To this end a first gluing device
32, indicated by a glue supply container 33 and two application
nozzles 34 and 36, is provided which applies an interior gluing in
the form of two adjacent parallel glue strips on the wrapping strip
31. A second gluing device 37, indicated by a glue storage
container 38 and a glue application nozzle 39, provides the
wrapping strip 31 in the area of one edge with a strip of glue for
the seam gluing. Naturally, for the interior gluing also only one
glue strip or also more than two glue strips can be provided if
necessary.
[0028] With an application according to which the glue supply
container 33 of the first gluing device 32 contains a cold glue and
the supply container 38 of the second gluing device 37 contains a
hot melt glue, a means 42 for bonding the interior gluing in the
form of a heating device 43 is provided in the deposit area 41 of
the turning drum 28 beneath the wrapping strip 31, which ensures
that the interior gluing applied by the glue application nozzles 34
and 36 bonds immediately after the deposit of the filter rod groups
27, and in this manner the filter rod groups 27 are fixed on the
wrapping strip 31 immediately after being deposited, so that they
can no longer be displaced by outside influences, such as, e.g., by
subsequent filter rod groups.
[0029] At the same time the heating device 43 activates the hot
melt glue for the seam gluing. The filter rod groups 27 fixed in
this manner into a row without gaps subsequently pass through a
mold part in the form of a garniture chamber 44 in which the
wrapping strip 31 is placed around the filter rod groups 27, so
that a continuous filter rod is formed, whereby the hot melt glue
for the seam gluing applied by the glue application nozzle 39 is
bonded within a glue chamber 46 that is embodied to this end as a
cooling device 47. The filter rod closed and sealed in this manner
subsequently reaches a cutting device 48 in which combination
filter rods 49 of preferably multiple unit lengths are cut off
which contain respectively filter elements of the different types
of filter rods 6 and 7.
[0030] Within the scope of the invention a compressible and/or
elastic material is used as a wrapping strip. If a material that is
only elastic is used that is provided to be wrapped around the
filter segments with a corresponding pressure or under a
corresponding tension or to wrap them with a corresponding tension,
corresponding differences in the diameters of the filter segments
can be compensated for so that the cavities occurring there are
filled. However, with a material that is only elastic, this leads
to the multi-segment filter ultimately formed also being embodied
differently in terms of outside diameter. When a compressible
wrapping material is used, there is the further advantage that the
outer diameter of the multi-segment filter being formed can be
correspondingly uniform. If the wrapping material is not
compressible, but only elastic, there is the advantage that the
processing method can be designed in a relatively uncomplicated
way, since no great efforts need to be taken to ensure the wrapping
material is not unintentionally compressed before the wrapping.
With an exclusively compressible material, care needs to be taken
to ensure the most careful possible handling of the wrapping
material.
[0031] The device for producing the multi-segment filters, which
has been described above, can be supplemented by a further unit
that is arranged between the gluing chamber 46 or the cooling
device 47 and the cutting device 48 and wraps the already closed
and sealed filter rod by means of the one further wrapping
strip.
[0032] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic cross section through a produced
multi-segment filter 70 that is composed of three different filter
segments 60-62 and features a first wrapping material 65 and a
second wrapping material 66. In this exemplary embodiment the first
wrapping material 65 is a compressible wrapping material and the
second wrapping material 66 is paper. In FIG. 2, A represents the
part that is shown as enlarged section in FIG. 3. In this enlarged
section the diameter differences of the filter segment 61 and the
filter segment 60 are shown more precisely and the equalization of
these diameter differences by the compressible wrapping material
65. In this exemplary embodiment the first wrapping material 65 is
an air layed fibrous web that was produced according to a method
according to EP 0 032 044 B1.
[0033] A closed pore foam, such as, e.g., foam from a conventional
hot melt, can also be used as the wrapping material 65. However,
other compressible and/or elastic materials can also be used that
are preferably impermeable to smoke or essentially impermeable to
smoke. If in the simplest embodiment of the invention the first
wrapping material is not impermeable to smoke, it is still very
difficult for smoke to permeate it and it is much more difficult
for smoke to pass through it compared with the actual filter
material of the filter segments.
List of Reference Numbers
[0034] 1 Rod making device 38 Supply container
[0035] 2 Group forming device 41 Deposit area
[0036] 3 Storage container 42 Bonding means
[0037] 4 Storage container 43 Heating device
[0038] 6 Filter rod 44 Garniture chamber
[0039] 7 Filter rod 46 Glue chamber
[0040] 8 Removal drum 47 Cooling device
[0041] 9 Removal drum 48 Cutting device
[0042] 11 Cutting device 49 Combination filter rods
[0043] 12 Cutting device 50 Rod cutter
[0044] 13 Staggering drum 60 Filter segment
[0045] 14 Staggering drum -62 Filter segment
[0046] 16 Sliding drum 65 Compressible wrapping material
[0047] 17 Sliding drum 66 Paper
[0048] 18 Accelerator drum 70 Multi-segment filter
[0049] 19 Accelerator drum
[0050] 21 Cutting drum
[0051] 22 Cutting drum
[0052] 23 Cutting device
[0053] 24 Cutting device
[0054] 26 Assembly drum
[0055] 27 Filter rod groups
[0056] 28 Turning drum
[0057] 29 Bobbin
[0058] 30 Bobbin mounting
[0059] 31 Wrapping strip
[0060] 32 Gluing device
[0061] 33 Glue supply container
[0062] 34 Application nozzle
[0063] 36 Application nozzle
[0064] 37 Gluing device
* * * * *