Method and apparatus for manufacturing aerosol-generating semi-finished products

Abstract

The method and apparatus for manufacturing aerosol-generating semi-finished products comprise the steps of combining substantially cylindrical segments along a longitudinal first motion path. The following steps are performed along the first motion path: feeding a stream of at least three different segments along the first motion path, thereby arranging the at least three segments in alternating order, wrapping the stream of at least three segments in a sheet material to form an endless rod of segments, and cutting the endless rod of segments, thereby separating the endless rod of segments into wrapped segment rods. The method also comprises the step of processing wrapped segment rods along a second motion path, wherein the following step is performed along the second motion path: receiving the wrapped segment rods in flutes of a fluted receiving drum, wherein an end of the first motion path is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the flutes of the fluted receiving drum.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing aerosol-generating substantially cylindrical semi-finished products, the method comprising: combining substantially cylindrical segments having a longitudinal axis in an end-to-end relationship along a longitudinal first motion path, thereby performing along the first motion path: feeding a stream of at least three different segments along the first motion path, thereby arranging the at least three different segments in end-to-end relationship and in alternating order comprising a serial and inverse serial order, wherein one of the at least three different segments is an aerosol-forming substrate containing tobacco; wrapping the stream of at least three different segments in a sheet material to form an endless rod of segments; cutting the endless rod of segments, thereby separating the endless rod of segments into wrapped segment rods; processing wrapped segment rods along a second motion path, thereby performing along the second motion path: receiving the wrapped segment rods in flutes of a fluted receiving drum, wherein an end of the first motion path is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the flutes of the fluted receiving drum; wherein the longitudinal axis of segments in the endless rod of segments is arranged parallel to a moving direction of the first motion path and wherein the longitudinal axis of segments in the wrapped segment rods are arranged perpendicular to a moving direction of the second motion path; cutting the wrapped segment rod thereby dividing the wrapped segment rod in two parts; separating the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod along the longitudinal axis of segments of the cut wrapped segment rod.

2. Method according to claim 1, further performing along the second motion path: feeding and inserting an additional segment in between the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod; forming a double product by combining the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod and the inserted additional segment by wrapping the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod and the inserted additional segment in a tipping material.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein cutting the endless rod of segments comprises cutting a first one of the at least three different segments.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein cutting the wrapped segment rod comprises cutting a second one of the at least three different segments.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein at least one segment is a rigid segment and at least one other segment is a compressible segment.

6. Method according to claim 2, further comprising the cutting the additional segment arranged in the double product, thereby dividing the additional segment and forming single products.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein one of the at least three different segments is an aerosol-cooling segment.

8. Method according to claim 2, wherein the additional segment is a mouthpiece.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein two of the at least three different segments are double-length segments.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the endless rod of segments comprises sequences of aerosol-forming substrate, support element and aerosol-cooling segment, wherein the support element is arranged between the aerosol-forming substrate and the aerosol-cooling segment.

11. Method according to claim 2, further comprising cooling at least one of the at least three different or the additional segment.

12. Apparatus for manufacturing aerosol-generating semi-finished products, wherein the semi-finished products are substantially cylindrical, the apparatus comprising: a combiner for combining substantially cylindrical segments having a longitudinal axis in an end-to-end relationship along a longitudinal first motion path; and a tipping device for processing wrapped segment rods along a second motion path, wherein the longitudinal axis of segments is arranged parallel to the first motion path and wherein the longitudinal axis of segments in the wrapped segment rods are arranged perpendicular to a moving direction of the second motion path; the combiner comprising: at least a first, a second and a third combiner hopper arranged in sequence along the first motion path for feeding a stream of at least first, second and third segments along the first motion path, wherein one of the at least first, second and third segments is an aerosol-forming substrate comprising tobacco, wherein the at least first, second and third segments are different segments, are arranged in an end-to-end relationship and are combined in an alternating order comprising a serial and inverse serial order in the stream of at least first, second and third segments; a wrapper arranged downstream of at least the first, the second, and the third combiner hopper and arranged along the first motion path, the wrapper for wrapping the stream of at least first, second and third segments in a sheet material to form an endless rod of segments; a rod cutting device arranged downstream of the wrapper along the first motion path for cutting the endless rod of segments to separate the endless rod of segments into wrapped segment rods; the tipping device comprising: a fluted receiving drum for receiving wrapped segment rods in flutes of the fluted receiving drum, wherein an end of the first motion path extends into a longitudinal axis of the flutes of the fluted receiving drum; a product cutting device for cutting the wrapped segment rod to divide the wrapped segment rod in two parts; a separating device for separating the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod along the longitudinal axis of segments of the cut wrapped segment rod, wherein the product cutting device is arranged upstream of the separating device.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the tipping device further comprises: a tipping hopper for feeding and inserting an additional segment in between the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod; a rolling device for combining the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod and the inserted additional segment by wrapping the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod and the inserted additional segment in a tipping material to form a double product.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the tipping device further comprises a final cutting device for cutting the additional segment arranged in the double product to divide the additional segment to form single products.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the combiner and the tipping device are arranged perpendicular to each other such that the second motion path is arranged perpendicular to the first motion path.

16. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the combiner further comprises a fourth hopper or further hopper for feeding a fourth segment or further segment, preferably a single-length segment, along the first motion path.

17. Apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a cooling gas flow or a cooled cutting blade for cooling at least one of the rod cutting device, the product cutting device, and the final cutting device.

Description

(1) The invention is further described with regard to an embodiment, which is illustrated by means of the following drawings, wherein

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows a manufacturing process;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a section of a rod of segments manufactured in a combiner;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a double product manufactured in the apparatus according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the single product manufactured from the double product as shown in FIG. 4;

(6) FIG. 5 schematically shows another embodiment of a manufacturing process.

(7) In FIG. 1 the process steps in the combiner 5 and in the adjacently arranged tipping device 6 are shown.

(8) First rod 10, second rod 20 and third rod 30 of materials used in the manufacture of aerosol-generating articles are supplied and cut with respective cutting devices 15,25,35. The so cut first, second and third segments are supplied in an end-to-end relationship on a longitudinal motion path in the combiner 5.

(9) As shown in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, first and third rod 10, 30 are cut to double segments 11,33 having a length twice the length of the final plugs 1,3 before being fed to the longitudinal motion path in the combiner 5. Second rod 20 is cut to single segments 2 directly having the length of the plug 2 in the single product 777 before being fed to the longitudinal motion path.

(10) The segments 11,2,33 form a stream of segments, wherein the segments are arranged in alternating manner such as 11,2,33,2,11,2,33,2,11 . . . . The axis of the segments are arranged parallel to the longitudinal motion path. A sheet of wrapping material 51, for example cigarette paper, is provided with an adhesive with glue provider 52. The sheet of wrapping material 51 is supplied to and guided along the longitudinal motion path in the combiner 5. The stream of segment is wrapped with the wrapping material 51, for example in a respective garniture provided along the longitudinal motion path. An additional glue provider 53 adds a seam of glue to the wrapping material 51 before the wrapping material is entirely wrapped around the stream of segments. The so formed rod of segments is now cut at the end of the longitudinal motion path in the combiner 5. Thereto, a rod cutting device is provided (not shown) that cuts the rod of segments by cutting the first segment 11 at cutting line 100 (see FIG. 2). The first segment 11 is cut in half such that the two cut parts of the first segments correspond to plugs 1. By this cutting of the endless rod of segments wrapped segment rods 555 are manufactured. Plugs 1 each form end segments of the wrapped segment rods 555. The wrapped segment rods 555 are now transferred from the longitudinal motion path in the combiner 5 to a perpendicular motion path in the tipping device 6.

(11) This may be done by moving the wrapped segment rods further along the longitudinal motion path, for example with a linear movement, into flutes of a fluted receiving drum in the tipping device. Therein, a longitudinal axis of the flute is aligned with the longitudinal first motion path. A transfer from the combiner into flutes of a receiving drum may also be performed by a spider mechanism, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,803 for cigarettes. A wrapped segment rod is then gripped by a spider arm from the combiner and transferred by the spider arm into a flute of the receiving drum in the tipping device. Since the axis of the segments substantially keep their orientation while being processed in the combiner and in the tipping device, the axis of the segments are parallel to the moving direction of the longitudinal motion path of the combiner 5 but perpendicular to the moving direction of the perpendicular motion path of the tipping device 6. Preferably, the tipping device 6 is arranged perpendicular to the combiner 5 such that the respective motion paths are also perpendicular to each other. By this, the axis of the segments are always oriented in a same direction. Such an embodiment is shown in more detail in FIG. 5 below.

(12) In the tipping device 6 the wrapped segment rods 555 are divided by cutting the second segment 33 at cutting line 200. Thereby, the second segment 33 is cut in half such that the two cut parts of the segments correspond to plugs 3. The so cut wrapped segment rod 555 is separated by a separating device (not shown) along the longitudinal axis of the wrapped segment rod 555. In the space between to so cut and separated wrapped segment rod 555 a fourth segment 44 is inserted. The fourth segment is also a double length segment and is cut in a respective cutting device 45 from a fourth rod 40 supplied to the tipping device 6. A continuous sheet of tipping paper is provided and cut in cutting device 65 to individual tipping paper pieces 64. The piece of tipping paper 64 is wrapped around the fourth segment 44 as well as around portions of the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod 555. Thus, these elements are combined with each other forming a double product 666 as shown in FIG. 3.

(13) In an additional manufacturing process step 7, the double product 666 is cut in half by cutting the fourth segment 44 at cutting line 300. By this, two single and final products 777 as shown in FIG. 4 are manufactured. Every other single product is then turned such that all products have a same orientation. The so aligned and oriented products are transported to a packer 71 for packing the products, for example directly into smoking article packs or onto trays for storage and future packaging.

(14) In FIG. 5 a manufacturing process for single products is shown in an arrangement of combiner 5 and tipping device 6, where combiner 5 and tipping device 6 are arranged adjacent and perpendicular to each other. The straight longitudinal motion path 500 in the combiner 5 and the perpendicular motion path 600 in the tipping device are also arranged perpendicular to each other. The perpendicular motion path 600 starts where the longitudinal motion path 500 ends.

(15) The combiner 5 comprises three hoppers 55,56,57 for feeding three different segments in alternating manner to the longitudinal motion path 500 to form a stream of segments. The stream of segments is then wrapped in the wrapper 58 forming an endless rod of segments. The endless rod of segments is controlled in controller 59 and then cut into wrapped segment rods by rod cutting device 101. Preferably, the rod cutting device 101 is a rotating knife arranged next to the longitudinal motion path 500. The controller 59 may be provided for controlling a position of the segments in the endless rod of segments. For example to determine an exact position where the rod has to be cut, for example to secure that the rod is cut exactly between segments or at a position dividing a segment into smaller segments. The wrapped segment rods are then transferred each into a flute of a fluted receiving drum 65 of the tipping device 6. The longitudinal motion path 500 is a substantially straight path, where the segments or the stream of segments, respectively, are guided along in a substantially straight line. The first motion path 500 extends into the fluted receiving drum 65 of the tipping device. Preferably, the longitudinal motion path is arranged parallel to and in line with a flute of the fluted receiving drum 65, such that a wrapped segment rod cut by rod cutting device 101 may be transferred with a continuing straight movement into a flute of the fluted receiving drum longitudinally along the longitudinal motion path.

(16) The wrapped segment rod is then cut on the fluted receiving drum 65 by product cutting device 201, for example comprising a rotating knife. The two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod are then separated while being arranged in flutes of separating drum 66. Hopper 41 inserts an additional segment, preferably a segment different to the segments of the endless rod of segments, in between the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod. Preferably, the additional segment is a double-length mouthpiece. The two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod and the inserted additional segment are tipped on tipper 67 with a tipping material, for example a piece of paper. The so combined segments form a double product. In a final cutting device 301, the double product is cut into two single products.

(17) Exemplary data for the process and product as described in FIGS. 1 to 4 are:

(18) Tobacco rod 10 having a length of 120 mm is cut into double segments 11 of 24 mm length. The double length segments 11 are then cut into final plugs 1 of 12 mm length.

(19) Hollow acetate tube rod 20 having a length of 96 mm is cut into plugs 2 of 8 mm length.

(20) Rod 30 of gathered polylactic acid sheet having a length of 144 mm is cut into double segments 33 of 36 mm length. The double length segments 33 are then cut into final plugs 3 of 18 mm length.

(21) Filter rod 40 is cut into double length segments 44 of 14 mm length. The double length segments 44 are then cut into final plugs 4 of 7 mm length.

(22) The length of the wrapped segment rod 555 is 76 mm. The length of the double product 66 is 90 mm. The final product 77 has a length of 45 mm with a tolerance of less than plus or minus 1 mm, preferable less or equal to plus or minus 0.5 mm. The diameter of the final products is about 7.2 mm.

(23) The final product is made of a series of tobacco plug 1, hollow acetate tube 2, plug of gathered polylactic acid (PLA) 3 and mouthpiece plug 4. A tipping paper 64 has a length of 20 mm and covers the entire length of the mouthpiece plug 4 and part of the PLA plug 3.

(24) A production speed for the wrapped segment rod 555 may be about 5000 per minute at a movement speed of the stream of segments along the longitudinal motion path of 380 meters per minute. A production speed of the double product 666 may also be about 5000 per minute such that about 10000 final products 777 may be produced per minute.