AEROSOL-GENERATING ROD PRODUCTION USING A CURVED AND TAPERED CONTACT SURFACE

Abstract

A method for producing an aerosol-generating rod is provided, including: conveying a web material over a contact surface of a contact body such that the web material is in contact with the contact surface, the contact surface being curved around an axial direction and tapered along the axial direction, and a continuous portion of the contact surface spanning at least an angle of 90 degrees around the axial direction; dispensing an additive through at least one additive dispensing opening provided in the contact surface; and conveying the web material through a converging device provided downstream of the contact body, the web material being formed into a rod within the converging device. A device for producing an aerosol-generating rod is also provided.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A method for producing an aerosol-generating rod, comprising: conveying a web material over a contact surface of a contact body such that the web material is in contact with the contact surface, wherein the contact surface is curved around an axial direction and tapered along the axial direction, and wherein a continuous portion of the contact surface spans at least an angle of 90 degrees around the axial direction; dispensing an additive through at least one additive dispensing opening provided in the contact surface; and conveying the web material through a converging device provided downstream of the contact body, wherein the web material is formed into a rod within the converging device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein lateral sides of the web material are deformed with respect to a central portion of the web material due to the web material conforming to a shape of the contact surface when the web material is conveyed over the contact surface.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the web material is conveyed over the contact surface such that only one side of the web material is in contact with the contact surface.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the contact body has a conical shape.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the additive is dispensed through multiple additive dispensing openings provided at different angular positions around the axial direction.

21. The method according to claim 16, further comprising conveying a susceptor through the contact body.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the susceptor is conveyed through a susceptor guide, and wherein the susceptor guide extends beyond the contact body along the axial direction.

23. A device for producing an aerosol-generating rod, comprising: an additive application assembly comprising a contact body defining a contact surface, wherein at least one additive dispensing opening is provided in the contact surface; a conveyor system configured to convey a web material over the contact surface such that the web material is in contact with the contact surface; and a converging device provided downstream of the additive application assembly, wherein the contact surface is curved around an axial direction, wherein the contact surface is tapered along the axial direction, wherein the additive application assembly further comprises a susceptor guide configured to guide a susceptor, wherein the susceptor guide extends beyond the contact body towards the converging device, and wherein the conveyor system is further configured to convey the web material through the converging device to form the web material within the converging device around the susceptor into the rod.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the at least one additive dispensing opening comprises multiple additive dispensing openings provided at different angular positions around the axial direction.

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein a continuous portion of the contact surface spans at least an angle of 90 degrees around the axial direction.

26. The device according to claim 23, wherein the susceptor guide extends at least partially through the contact body.

27. The device according to claim 23, wherein the susceptor guide comprises a susceptor exit opening, and wherein the susceptor exit opening is at least one of provided upstream of the converging device and provided downstream of the contact body.

28. A contact surface that has at least one additive dispensing opening provided therein, the contact surface being configured to apply, in a process for manufacturing an aerosol-generating rod, an additive onto a web material and to pre-shape the web material before the web material enters a converging device where the web material is shaped into the rod, wherein the contact surface is curved around an axial direction and tapered along the axial direction, and wherein a continuous portion of the contact surface spans at least an angle of 90 degrees around the axial direction.

Description

[0164] Embodiments will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

[0165] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a device for producing an aerosol-generating rod according to an embodiment with a contact body having a curved contact surface;

[0166] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an additive application assembly according to an embodiment with the contact body having a curved contact surface;

[0167] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of an additive application assembly according to an embodiment with the contact body having a curved contact surface;

[0168] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a device for producing an aerosol-generating rod according to an embodiment with a contact body having a flat contact surface;

[0169] FIG. 5 shows a contact body according to an embodiment with a flat contact surface in a perspective view from above;

[0170] FIG. 6 shows a contact body according to an embodiment with a flat contact surface in a perspective view from below;

[0171] FIG. 7 shows a contact body according to an embodiment with a flat contact surface in a sectional view with the sectional plane perpendicular to the axial direction; and

[0172] FIG. 8 shows a contact body according to an embodiment with a flat contact surface in a side view with a viewing direction along the lateral direction.

[0173] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side of a device 1 for producing an aerosol-generating rod 3. The device 1 comprises a funnel-shaped converging device 5. The converging device 5 comprises a sidewall 7 defining a forming space. The converging device 5 extends from an entry opening 9 of the converging device 5 to an exit opening 11 of the converging device 5.

[0174] The device 1 comprises a conveyor system 13 with a web conveyor 15 and a susceptor conveyor 17. The web conveyor 15 is configured to convey a web material 19 through the converging device 5. The susceptor conveyor is configured to convey a susceptor 21 through the converging device 5. The web material 19 and the susceptor 21 are conveyed through the converging device 5 from the entry opening 9 of the converging device 5 to the exit opening 11 of the converging device 5. Within the forming space of the converging device 5, the web material 19 is compressed into a rod shape around the susceptor 21. At the exit opening 11, a rod 3 in which the web material 19 circumferentially surrounds the susceptor 21 leaves the forming space.

[0175] Upstream of the converging device 5, the web material 19 and the susceptor 21 pass an additive application assembly 23. FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the additive application assembly 23 according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 shows the additive application assembly 23 in a sectional view. The additive application assembly 23 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 may be used in the device 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0176] The additive application assembly 23 comprises a main body 25, a contact body 27, an additional contact body 29, and a susceptor guide 31. The susceptor guide 31 extends through the main body 25, the contact body 27, and the additional contact body 29 along an axial direction 33. The susceptor guide 31 is a sleeve-like element through which the susceptor 21 is conveyed along the axial direction 33. The susceptor 21 enters the susceptor guide 31 through a susceptor entry opening 35 of the susceptor guide 31 and exits the susceptor guide 31 through a susceptor exit opening 37 of the susceptor guide 31. The susceptor exit opening 37 is provided downstream of the main body 25, the contact body 27, and the additional contact body 29.

[0177] The contact body 27 comprises a contact surface 39. The additional contact body 29 comprises an additional contact surface 41. The web material 19 is conveyed over the contact surface 39 and the additional contact surface 41 essentially along the axial direction 33. The web material 19 is contact with the contact surface 39 and the additional contact surface 41.

[0178] Additive dispensing openings 43 are provided in the contact surface 39. Additional additive dispensing openings 45 are provided in the additional contact surface 41. Additive is dispensed through the additive dispensing openings 43 and through the additional additive dispensing openings 45. The additive is dispensed onto the web material 19, while the web material 19 is conveyed over the contact surface 39 and the additional contact surface 41.

[0179] The contact body 27 has a conical shape. The contact surface 39 is formed by an outer surface of the contact body 27. The contact surface 39 is curved around the axial direction 33 and tapers along the axial direction 33.

[0180] The additional contact body 29 has a cylindrical shape. The additional contact surface 41 is formed by an outer surface of the contact body 29. The additional contact surface 41 is curved around the axial direction 33.

[0181] When being conveyed over the contact surface 39 and the additional contact surface 41, the web material 19 is deformed due to contact with the contact surface 39 and the additional contact surface 41. This causes lateral sides of the web material 19 to be deformed downwards with respect to a central portion of the web material 19, so that the web material 19 is at least partially curved around the susceptor 21. Thus, the web material 19 is pre-formed before entering the converging device 5.

[0182] The main body 25 comprises an additive supply opening 47. An external additive supply may be connected to the additive supply opening 47 to provide additive to be dispensed through the additive dispensing openings 43 and the additional additive dispensing openings 45. In particular, the additive supply opening 47 may be connected to an additive tank. A pump may be provided to generate pressure for dispensing the additive through the additive dispensing openings 43 and the additional additive dispensing openings 45.

[0183] The main body 25, the contact body 27, the additional contact body 29, and the susceptor guide 31 may be disassembled for cleaning. For example, threaded connections may be used to connect the main body 25, the contact body 27, the additional contact body 29, and the susceptor guide 31 to each other in a reversible manner.

[0184] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a device 1 for producing aerosol-generating rods 3. The converging device 5 and the transport system 13 may be the same as in the embodiment of FIG. 1. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the susceptor 21 is conveyed by the susceptor conveyor 17 without a susceptor guide. However, a susceptor guide could be provided in the embodiment of FIG. 4 as well. The embodiment of FIG. 4 has an additive application assembly 51 that is different from the additive application assembly 23 of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3. The additive application assembly 51 is provided upstream of the converging device 5 in the path of the web material 19. The additive application assembly 51 comprises a contact body 53. The contact body 53 comprises a contact surface 55. The web material 19 is conveyed over the contact surface 55 along an axial direction 57. The web material 19 is in contact with the contact surface 55.

[0185] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the contact body 53 from above. The contact surface 55 is flat. The contact surface 55 is parallel to the axial direction 57. The contact surface 55 extends in the axial direction 57 and in a lateral direction 59 perpendicular to the axial direction 57.

[0186] Additive dispensing openings 61 are provided in the contact surface 55. Additive is dispensed through additive dispensing openings 55 onto the web material 19. An extension dimension 63 of the contact surface 55 along the axial direction 57 is less than ten millimeters, for example between three and five millimeters.

[0187] The contact body 53 comprises a slanted surface 65 adjoining the contact surface 55 along the axial direction 57. A border between the contact surface 55 and the slanted surface 65 is defined by a lateral axis 67. The slanted surface 65 is a flat surface that is inclined away from the web material 19 by between 10 degrees and 80 degrees around the lateral axis 67. In the illustrated embodiment, the slanted surface 65 is inclined with respect to the contact surface 55 by about 30 degrees around the lateral axis 67. The inclination of the slanted surface 65 may prevent or reduce contact between the web material 19 and the slanted surface 65, thereby reducing undesired contamination of the contact body 53 with additive.

[0188] FIG. 6 shows a bottom perspective view of the contact body 53. The contact body 53 comprises an additive supply opening 69 provided in a lower surface of the contact body 53 opposite the contact surface 55. A cleaning opening 71 is provided in a lateral surface of the contact body 53.

[0189] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view through the contact body 53 with the sectional plane being perpendicular to the axial direction 57. An additive supply path 73 extends within the contact body 53 along the lateral direction 59. The additive supply path 73 has a connection with the additive supply opening 69 allowing the additive supply path 73 to be supplied with additive. The additive supply path 73 is connected to the additive dispensing openings 61 to provide additive to the additive dispensing openings 61. In the illustrated embodiment, the additive dispensing openings 61 directly branch from the additive supply path 73. Alternatively, branch paths could be provided to connect the additive supply path 73 with the additive dispensing openings 61.

[0190] The additive supply path 73 ends in the cleaning opening 71. The additive supply path 73 extends within the contact body 53 in a straight manner along the lateral direction 59. A cleaning device, such as a brush, may enter the additive supply path 73 through the cleaning opening 71 to clean an inside of the contact body 51. In use, the cleaning opening 71 may be closed with a stopper.

[0191] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view through the contact body 53 with the sectional plane being perpendicular to the lateral direction 59.

[0192] As shown in FIG. 4, an additive valve 75 is connected to the additive supply opening 69. The additive valve 75 is connected to a pump supplying the additive from an additive tank.

[0193] As also shown in FIG. 4, the device 1 comprises an adjustment unit 77 for adjusting a position and an orientation of the contact body 53 with respect to the transport path of the web material 19. The adjustment unit 77 comprises a clamp 79 at which the contact body 53 is attached. The clamp 79 is rotatably mounted at a pole 81. The pole 81 is attached to a slider 83 via a lever 85. The lever 85 may be rotated with respect to the slider 83. The slider 83 is slidably mounted on a guide rail 85. The positioning and orientation of the contact body 53 with respect to the path of the web material 19 may be adjusted by any one or more of a rotation of the clamp 79 with respect to the pole 81, a rotation of the lever 85 with respect to the slider 83, and a sliding motion of the slider 83 along the guide rail 85.

[0194] For the purpose of the present description and of the appended claims, except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, quantities, percentages, and so forth, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term about. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein. In this context, therefore, a number A is understood as A{10 percent} of A. Within this context, a number A may be considered to include numerical values that are within general standard error for the measurement of the property that the number A modifies. The number A, in some instances as used in the appended claims, may deviate by the percentages enumerated above provided that the amount by which A deviates does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein.