METHOD FOR PRODUCING A PARTICULATE TOBACCO PRODUCT, DEVICE OF THE TOBACCO PROCESSING INDUSTRY AND USE OF THE DEVICE

Abstract

Method and device for producing a particulate tobacco product. The method includes conveying a supplied flat starting material comprising tobacco along a processing plane to a punching station; punching out at least one tobacco particle from the starting material using a punching tool of the punching station; and supplying the at least one punched-out tobacco particles as a particulate tobacco product.

Claims

1. A method for producing a particulate tobacco product, comprising: conveying a supplied flat starting material comprising tobacco along a processing plane to a punching station; punching out at least one tobacco particle from the starting material using a punching tool of the punching station; and supplying the at least one punched-out tobacco particles as a particulate tobacco product.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the punching tool comprises a punching blade with a closed cutting line, wherein a shape of the punched-out tobacco particle is determined by a closed shape of the cutting line.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one tobacco particle is punched out in a single uninterrupted operating step from the starting material.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one tobacco particle is punched out by continuous shearing along the closed cutting line of the punching tool in the single uninterrupted step.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the starting material is supplied in a plurality of individual superimposed layers to the punching station and wherein, the punched-out at least one tobacco particle comprises a plurality of punched-out tobacco particles that are punched out at a same time and superimposed in a congruent manner.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the punching tool comprises a punching blade having a plurality of closed cutting lines arranged in a common punching surface, and wherein the closed cutting lines define a closed tobacco particle punching surface that fills the punching surface without gaps.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the starting material comprises at least one of a tobacco sheet and unpressed tobacco leaves.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the starting material comprises tobacco leaves and the at least one punched-out tobacco particles comprises a plurality of punched-out tobacco particles having at least two weight fractions, wherein tobacco particles of a first weight fraction have a lower weight on average than tobacco particles of a second weight fraction, wherein the tobacco particles of the first fraction substantially exclusively comprise tobacco leaf lamina and the tobacco particles of the second fraction comprise at least one of rib and stem portions of a tobacco leaf, and the method further comprises separating the first and the second weight fractions after the punching-out and separately supplying the first and second weight fractions as the particulate tobacco product.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the punching tool comprises a punching blade having a cutting line arranged in a punching surface, and one of: the punching surface is a plane and the punching tool is a traveling head press, or the punching surface is a cylindrical outer surface and the punching tool is punch roller.

10. A device of the tobacco processing industry for producing a particulate tobacco product comprising: a conveying apparatus configured to convey a supplied flat starting material comprising tobacco in a processing plane, a punching station, which is supplied with the starting material from the conveying apparatus, comprises a punching tool configured to punch out at least one tobacco particle from the starting material; and a supply apparatus configured to supply a plurality of punched-out tobacco particles as a particulate tobacco product.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the punching tool comprises a punching blade with a closed cutting line, and a shape of the punched-out tobacco particle is determined by a closed shape of the cutting line.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the closed cutting lines of the punching blade are arranged in a common punching surface, and wherein the closed cutting lines define a closed tobacco particle punching surface that fills the punching surface without gaps.

13. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the starting material comprises tobacco leaves and the at least one punched-out tobacco particle comprises a plurality of punched-out tobacco particles having at least two weight fractions, wherein tobacco particles of a first weight fraction have a lower weight on average than tobacco particles of a second weight fraction, wherein the tobacco particles of the first fraction substantially exclusively comprise tobacco leaf lamina and the tobacco particles of the second fraction comprise at least one of rib and stem portions of a tobacco leaf, and wherein the device further comprises a separating apparatus configured to separate the first and the second weight fractions after the punching-out and the supply apparatus is designed to supply the two weight fractions separately.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the separating apparatus comprises a sifting apparatus and the supply apparatus comprises first and second supply apparatuses.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the sifting apparatus is configured to supply the first and second weight fractions to the first and second supply apparatuses, respectively.

16. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the punching tool is arranged on a first side of the processing plane and cooperates with a counterpiece arranged on a second side of the processing plane opposite the first side.

17. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the punching tool is arranged entirely on a first side of the processing plane.

18. A method of operating the device as claimed in claim 10, comprising: conveying a supplied flat starting material comprising tobacco along a processing plane to a punching station; punching out at least one tobacco particle from the starting material using a punching tool of the punching station; and supplying the at least one punched-out tobacco particles as a particulate tobacco product.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the punched-out at least one tobacco particle comprises a punched-out plurality of tobacco particles that comprise tobacco particles of a first weight fraction comprising substantially exclusively tobacco leaf lamina and tobacco particles of a second weight fraction comprising at least one of rib and stem portions of a tobacco leaf, and the method further comprises: separating the punched-out plurality of tobacco particles into the first and second weight fractions; and separately supplying the separated first and second weight fractions as the particulate tobacco product.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] The invention is described hereinafter without limiting the general inventive idea using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein relative to all details according to the invention which are not described in more detail in the text reference is expressly made to the drawings, in which:

[0068] FIGS. 1 and 2 show in each case a device of the tobacco processing industry for producing a particulate tobacco product in a schematically simplified view;

[0069] FIGS. 3 to 6 show in each case partially a plan view of different punching tools; and

[0070] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the different tobacco particles punched out of a tobacco leaf.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.

[0072] FIG. 1 shows in a schematically simplified view a device 2 of the tobacco processing industry for producing a punched-out particulate tobacco product 4, 4. The device 2 comprises a conveying apparatus 6, for example, a conveyor belt, a roller punch or roll punch 8 as a punching station, a further conveying apparatus 10 which also may be a conveyor belt and an optional separating apparatus 12, for example, a pneumatic sifter. Pneumatic sifting apparatuses, also called sifters for short, are generally known. One such sifter is disclosed, for example, in DE 10 2005 062 090 B4 of the applicant Hauni Maschinenbau AG, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The device 2 further comprises supply apparatuses 14, 14 which, for example, are containers for receiving bulk goods.

[0073] Tobacco leaves, preferably whole tobacco leaves, whatever the type, are supplied as starting material to the device 2 for producing a particulate tobacco product 4. Preferably, the tobacco leaves are supplied in a plurality of superimposed layers to the device 2.

[0074] It is also provided that a (single layer or preferably multilayer) tobacco sheet from reconstituted tobacco material as the starting material is supplied to the device 2 via the conveying apparatus 6. The starting material including tobacco is supplied to the roller punch or roll punch 8 in a processing plane E defined by the conveying apparatus 6, which is indicated in dashed-dotted lines.

[0075] The roller punch or roll punch 8 comprises a punch roller 16 as the punching tool which is arranged entirely above the processing plane E. The punch roller 16 cooperates with a counter roller 18 which is arranged below the processing plane E. The counter roller 18 is not part of the punching tool. The starting material, for example, the tobacco leaves or the tobacco sheet, is subjected to a pressure in the processing gap between the punch roller 16 and the counter roller 18, so that the punching-out process of the tobacco particles from the starting material takes place. The punched-out tobacco particles pass via the further conveying apparatus 10 either directly to a supply apparatus or, as shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, to the optionally provided separating apparatus 12. In the separating apparatus 12, the punched-out tobacco particles are separated into at least two weight fractions. These fractions are supplied separately in the two supply apparatuses 14, 14.

[0076] FIG. 2 shows a further device 2 of the tobacco processing industry, which is constructed in a similar manner to the device 2 shown in FIG. 1. Instead of the roller punch or roll punch 8 used in the embodiment of FIG. 1, a traveling head press 20 is provided as the punching station in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2. The traveling head press 20 comprises a stamp 22 arranged above the processing plane E which cooperates with a counter-support 24 arranged below the processing plane E. The punch is actuated via a cylinder 26 which, for example, is hydraulic or pneumatic, i.e., moves up and down periodically in the direction of the arrow perpendicular to the processing plane E. The traveling head press 20 includes the stamp 22 as the punching tool.

[0077] The punching tools of the devices 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, i.e., the punch roller 16 or the stamp 22, respectively, include on their outer (lower) faces facing the processing plane E in each case a punching blade, not shown, with which the tobacco particles are punched out of the starting material.

[0078] FIGS. 3 to 6 show in a partially schematic and simplified view in each case a plan view of different punching blades as are employed or respectively used according to features of the invention in a device 2 for producing a particulate tobacco product 4.

[0079] In FIG. 3 a honeycomb pattern of an exemplary punching blade made up of regular and identically sized hexagons is partially shown. A cutting line 28 of the punching blade which is formed by the cutting edge thereof, encloses each of the honeycombs shown and thus defines the shape of the punched-out tobacco particle. A diameter d of such a tobacco particle punching surface 30 is selected such that this is located approximately in a width of a stem or the rib of the tobacco leaves processed as starting material. The value of the diameter d is, e.g., between 2 mm and 20 mm, preferably approximately 12 mm or 15 mm, and more preferably between 5 mm and 15 mm.

[0080] In FIG. 4 a further punching blade is shown partially schematically and simplified in a plan view of its punching surface. In contrast to the punching blade depicted in FIG. 3, the individual tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 are L-shaped, as in FIG. 4, rather than hexagonal. The tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 are in turn in each case entirely surrounded by the cutting line 28 of the punching blade. This predetermines, therefore, the shape of the tobacco particles. The L-shaped tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 have, for example, limb lengths which are the size of the diameter d mentioned in connection with FIG. 3. Thus, they are preferably between 2 mm and 20 mm. The length of the small limb is, e.g., approximately 8 mm, while the length of the large limb is, e.g., approximately 16 mm. The L-shaped surfaces of adjacent tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 are rotated by 180 relative to one another so that in each case two L-shaped surfaces are arranged or added together to form a rectangle.

[0081] The L-shaped tobacco particles are advantageous with regard to the volumetric expansion of the produced tobacco product, since in a subsequent treatment such tobacco particles are warped, twisted and bent and optionally interlock with one another. A good volumetric expansion may be achieved in this manner. The same also applies to tobacco particles which are produced by the punching blades shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0082] In a punching tool which includes a punching blade having a geometry corresponding to those shown in FIG. 3 or 4, the produced tobacco particles are all of identical shape and size. Thus a very uniform particulate tobacco product 4 is able to be supplied.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows a further schematic simplified plan view of a punching blade in partial view. The tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 are rectangular in the case shown. Each of the tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 in turn is entirely surrounded by a cutting line 28 of the punching blade. The rectangular tobacco particles all have an identical height h but three different widths b1, b2 and b3. The size of these dimensions h, b1, b2, b3 in turn is the size of the width of a stem or respectively web of the tobacco leaves, i.e., preferably ranging, e.g., between 2 mm and 20 mm. For example, the width b1, b2 or respectively b3 of the tobacco particles is, e.g., 2 mm, 3 mm or respectively 4 mm. The height h of the tobacco particles is, for example, 12 mm.

[0084] With the partially shown punching blade depicted in FIG. 5, tobacco particles of different sizes are produced in a single punching process. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the tobacco particles having the widths b1, b2 or respectively b3 are present in each case in the same number. By varying the number of the respective tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 with regard to their size and shape, the desired distribution of the produced tobacco particles may be adjusted. If, for example, it is desired to increase narrow tobacco particles having the width b1, the number of these tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 would be increased relative to the other punching surfaces 30 having the widths b2 and b3.

[0085] It is common to the geometries shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 that the tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 fill the entire punching surface of the punching tool without gaps. In other words, no starting material is lost in the punching-out process; this is entirely converted into punched-out tobacco particles.

[0086] FIG. 6 shows in a further partial view a plan view of the punching surface of a further punching tool, wherein the tobacco particle punching surface 30 is now W-shaped. Once again, the individual tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 are entirely surrounded by the cutting line 28. A width b of the W-shaped structure is in turn selected such that it has the same size as the previously cited dimensions d, h, b1, b2 and b3, i.e., in the range, e.g., between 2 mm and 20 mm. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the tobacco particle punching surface 30 is shaped such that it does not entirely fill the punching surface of the punching tool. Small regions of the starting material remain which are not converted into punched-out tobacco particles.

[0087] FIG. 7 shows in a schematic view a plurality of tobacco particles 32 punched out of a tobacco leaf, wherein by way of example, a pattern of regular hexagons has been used for the punching-out. Merely for reasons of clarity, only some of the tobacco particles 32 are provided with reference numerals. In FIG. 7 a stem 34 and ribs 36 of a tobacco leaf are indicated schematically by dashed lines. The remaining regions are intended to be tobacco leaf lamina. If such a tobacco leaf in a punching process is now divided into the tobacco particles 32 shown, tobacco particles 32 are produced which exclusively include the lamina and those which include parts of the stem 34 or parts of the ribs 36. Those tobacco particles 32 which exclusively include the lamina are identified in FIG. 7 by a central dot. The remaining tobacco particles 32 which are not provided with a dot comprise a part of the stem 34 or respectively the ribs 36.

[0088] Thus, tobacco particles 32 are produced in two different weight fractions. The tobacco particles 32 of the first weight fraction have on average a lower weight than the tobacco particles 32 of the second weight fraction. This is due to the tobacco particles 32 of the first weight fraction substantially, i.e., practically exclusively, consisting of tobacco leaf lamina. This is the tobacco particle 32 marked by a dot.

[0089] The tobacco particles 32 of the second fraction which are not provided with a dot, however, comprise rib and/or stem portions (or components) of the tobacco leaf. Both fractions of tobacco particles 32 are present at the outlet of the punching station. These fractions are supplied to the optional separating apparatus 12 which, in particular, is a pneumatic sifting apparatus. Here, the first and the second weight fractions are separated from one another and supplied separately to supply apparatuses 14, 14 for further processing steps.

[0090] For example, the tobacco particles 32 of the first weight fraction are supplied as tobacco product 4 in the supply apparatus 14. The tobacco particles 32 comprising stem components and/or rib components are supplied as tobacco product 4 in the supply apparatus 14. In a generally known and conventional manner, the two fractions are subsequently treated separately from one another and optionally blended again with one another for producing the tobacco strand in the strand formation.

[0091] In a method for producing a particulate tobacco product 4, 4, flat starting material which is initially supplied and consists of tobacco, i.e., for example tobacco leaves or tobacco sheet, is conveyed to a punching station in the processing plane E. The tobacco particles 32 are punched out of the starting material in the punching station, using the punching tool. Subsequently, a plurality of punched-out tobacco particles 32 are supplied as a particulate tobacco product. A punching blade of the punching tool, i.e., the punch roller 16 or the stamp 22, preferably has a closed cutting line 28 which determines the shape of the punched-out tobacco particles 32, for example, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0092] Further preferably, the method for producing the particulate tobacco product 4, 4 is designed such that the tobacco particles 32 are produced from the starting material in a single uninterrupted operating step. This means, in the case of a roller punch 8, that tobacco particles 32 are punched out by the starting material being moved into the roll gap between the punch roller 16 and the counter roller 18 and the tobacco particles 32 are punched out there in a continuous, i.e., uninterrupted process. In the case of a traveling head press 20, as is shown, e.g., in FIG. 2, the continuous punching-out process takes place by the stamp 22 being lowered in the direction of the counter-support 24 and, therefore, a plurality of tobacco particles 32 are punched out at the same time.

[0093] Preferably, a continuous shearing takes place along the closed cutting line 28 of the respective punching tool. In a single operating step, therefore, according to this embodiment the tobacco particle 32 is entirely punched out from the starting material.

[0094] For accelerating the production process, it is also provided that the starting material is supplied in a plurality of individual superimposed layers to the punching station. This relates both to the use of tobacco leaves as starting material and tobacco sheet as starting material. Thus, in each punching-out process a plurality of tobacco particles 32 which are superimposed in a congruent manner are punched out at the same time.

[0095] The punching blades of the punching tools 16, 22 are designed such that these punching blades in each case supply closed cutting lines 28 which define the shape of the tobacco particles. The tobacco particle punching surfaces 30 which are defined by the closed cutting lines 28 are preferably geometrically selected such that they fill the punching surface of the punching tool 16, 22 without gaps. Examples thereof are the geometries depicted in FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0096] If tobacco leaves are used as starting material, at least two weight fractions are present in the punched-out tobacco particles 32. For example, tobacco particles 32 of the first weight fraction on average have a lower weight than the tobacco particles 32 of the second weight fraction since the tobacco particles 32 of the first fraction substantially exclusively consist of tobacco leaf lamina, whilst the tobacco particles 32 of the second fraction comprise rib portions and/or stem portions of the tobacco leaf.

[0097] If a punch roller 16 is used as the punching tool, the punching surface is a cylindrical outer surface (FIG. 1). If, however, as shown in FIG. 2, a traveling head press 20 is used as the punching tool, the punching surface is a plane since the punching blade is located on the flat stamp 22.

[0098] All of the cited features and also the features to be derived individually from the drawings and also individual features which are disclosed in combination with other features, are regarded individually and in combination as essential to the invention. Embodiments according to the invention may be fulfilled by individual features or a combination of a plurality of features. Within the scope of the invention, features which are qualified by in particular or preferably are to be understood as optional features.

[0099] It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0100] 2 Device of the tobacco processing industry [0101] 4, 4 Tobacco product [0102] 6 Conveying apparatus [0103] 8 Roller punch or respectively roll punch [0104] 10 Further conveying apparatus [0105] 12 Separating apparatus [0106] 14, 14 Supply apparatus [0107] 16 Punch roller [0108] 18 Counter roller [0109] 20 Traveling head press [0110] 22 Stamp [0111] 24 Counter-support [0112] 26 Cylinder [0113] 28 Cutting line [0114] 30 Tobacco particle punching surface [0115] 32 Tobacco particle [0116] 34 Stem [0117] 36 Rib [0118] E Processing plane [0119] d Diameter [0120] h Height [0121] b, b1, b2, b3 Width