U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,517,480 and 3,603,058 illustrate and describe machines for the production of composite cigarette filters by directly flowing granular filter material from a storage hopper into a vertically oriented filter tube made of paper. Similarly, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0119874A1 describes another machine for producing compound cigarette filters that includes a series of rotating plates with cavities therein into which the granular filter material is deposited. The cavities ultimately are aligned with an open paper ended filter tube to facilitate deposit of the granular material into the tube. These machines have the disadvantage of often destroying the integrity of the paper filter tubes into which filter materials are deposited. They also deposit imprecise amounts of granular material and produce undesired amounts of fine dust and the like.
Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is a vertical filter filling machine and process for producing multiple cavity cigarette filters in a highly efficient and economical manner at high rates of production.
Another object of the present invention is a vertical filter filling machine and process having the ability to assemble very small filter components less than three millimeters in length.
Another object of the present invention is a vertical filter filling machine and process for producing multiple cavity cigarette filters which includes precise dosing of reduced smoking constituent materials and/or flavoring materials.
Still another object of the present invention is a vertical filter filling machine and process for producing compound cigarette filters with minimal or no cross contamination of filter material whereby extremely clean filters are produced.
Another object of the present invention is a vertical filter filling machine and process for producing compound cigarette filters with precise dosing of granular material while eliminating granular material scatter on the filters being produced at extremely high production rates.
Another important object of the present invention is maintaining the integrity of the paper filter tubes when filling the tubes with granular materials and discrete solid filter segments.
In accordance with the present invention a preformed filter tube of paper with hollow ends and a solid center of cellulose acetate or similar material is formed into two multiple cavity cigarette filters. The filter tube is vertically oriented and moves along a generally circular path where metered amounts of granular filter material are precisely deposited in the tubes after which a plug of cellulose acetate or similar material is placed in the tube to thereby seal the granular material. A second deposit of different granular material may also be placed in the tube as well as a second plug to seal that material. Subsequently, the tube is inverted and the remaining half is filled with granular material and sealed in the same manner. Cutting the tube midway through the solid center thereof produces two individual multiple cavity cigarette filters.
Specifically, the process of producing compound cigarette filters according to the present invention comprises the steps of placing a filter tube with hollow ends and a solid filter center in a substantially vertical position. A predetermined amount of granular material is withdrawn by suction from a source of such material, and the predetermined amount of material is deposited into an upper open end of the filter tube directly against the solid center. Next, a solid filter segment is placed into the upper open end of the filter tube directly against the granular material to thereby seal the material in place.
Throughout the entire filling process, the integrity of filter tube, usually made of thin easily crumpled paper, is maintained by initially depositing the filter materials into an internal alignment tube placed within the filter tube and then pushing the filter materials directly into the filter tube without any significant relative movement between the filter materials and the interior walls of the filter tube. Moreover, as the solid filter segment exits the internal alignment tube into the filter tube, the filter tube moves in a downward direction at a speed that matches the downward speed of the segment. This coordinated movement prevents sliding of the segment against the inside surface of the filter tube which might otherwise cause the filter tube to wrinkle or buckle.
Additionally, a predetermined amount of a second granular material may be deposited into the upper open end of the filter tube directly against the solid filter segment already in place. A second solid filter segment may then be placed into the upper open end of the filter tube directly against the second granular material to thereby seal the second material in place.
The process of the present invention also includes inverting the filter tube and filling the other end of the tube with granular material and solid filter segments in the same manner as the first end.
Moreover, the solid filter segments placed against the granular material may be produced from an extended solid filter segment which is sliced into two pieces during the process to thereby produce each of the two solid filter segments. Both the solid filter center and solid filter segments may comprise cellulose acetate tow.
In accordance with the present invention, apparatus for producing compound cigarette filters comprises a rotating tube flute plate for holding and transporting a plurality of filter tubes along a circular path. Each filter tube has opposite hollow ends and a solid filter center, and the tubes are held by suction in vertically orientation flutes on the tube flute plate. A plurality of vertically orientated fill tubes with suction applied thereto withdraw predetermined amounts of granular material from a rotating bin of such material and deposit one predetermined amount into the upper open end of each filter tube directly against the solid filter center upon termination of the suction on the fill tubes. A rotating segment plate holds a plurality of solid filter segments, and a plurality of rotating plungers vertically push the solid filter segments out of the plate into the upper open ends of the filter tubes directly against the granular material in each filter tube to thereby seal the material in the tube.
The integrity of the filter tube is maintained throughout the filling process by initially placing the filter materials into an internal alignment tube and then pushing those materials out of the alignment tube after the filter tube is placed over the alignment tube, and in doing so using the aforementioned coordinated movement to avoid relative motion between the materials being pushed and the paper tube which receives the pushed material.
Preferably, a second plurality of vertically oriented fill tubes with suction applied thereto withdraw predetermined amounts of a second granular material from the rotating bin. One predetermined amount of the second granular material is deposited into the open upper end of each filter tube directly against the solid filter segment already in place upon termination of the suction on the second fill tubes. A rotating second segment filter plate holds a plurality of second solid filter segments and the plurality of plungers vertically push the second solid filter segments out of the second filter segment plate into the upper open ends of the filter tubes directly against the second granular material in each filter tube to thereby seal the second material in the tubes.
The rotating bin of granular material preferably includes several compartments with each compartment containing a different granular material.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rotating tube flute plate, the rotating bin of granular material, the plurality of vertically orientated fill tubes and second fill tubes, the rotating filter segment plate and second filter segment plate, and the plurality of rotating plungers collectively comprise an upper wheel assembly rotating about a central vertical axis. A substantially identical lower wheel assembly also rotates about the same central vertical axis. A conveyor system removes half filled filter tubes from the upper wheel assembly, inverts the tubes and places them on the rotating tube flute plate of the lower wheel assembly. The other ends of the filter tubes are then filled with granular material and solid filter segments on the lower wheel assembly.
In the apparatus of the present invention a segment flute plate holds a plurality of extended length solid filter segments. A rotating cutter moveable between the solid filter segment plate and the second solid filter segment plate cuts the extended length solid filter segment after positioning thereof in the solid segment plate and the second solid segment plate to thereby form the solid filter segments and the second solid filter segments.
In accordance with the present invention, the multiple cavity dual filters may be removed and directly delivered to a tipping machine where wrapped tobacco rods at both ends of the filter are attached with tipping paper. Cutting the filter in half produces two cigarettes. This arrangement eliminates the need to store and deliver the dual filters to a distant tipping machine.
Novel features and advantages of the present invention in addition to those noted above will be become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:
Referring in more particularity to the drawings,
Referring now also to
Another key component of the vertical filter filling machine 10 comprises a rotating bin 26 of granular material having inner and outer troughs 28, 30 of different granular material 32, 34. The granular bin rotates off center during filter formation so that the bin is outside of several fill tubes 36, 38 which allows these tubes to move axially down for deposit of granular material into the filter tubes 20.
All machine elements that are shown in
The rotational speeds of the material bin 26 and the feed tubes 36, 38 differ to ensure that the feed tubes 36, 38 pick up material from the material bin 26 at different locations along the material bin 26 from cycle-to-cycle.
The fill tubes 36, 38 together with a vacuum wheel 40 and a fill tube support 42 cooperate with the granular bin 26 for withdrawing and depositing granular material 32, 34 into the upper open end of the vertical filter tubes 20. The vacuum wheel 40 rotates about central axis 18 and functions to supply vacuum to the inner and outer fill tubes 36, 38. The fill tubes 36, 38 rotate with the vacuum wheel 40 about the axis 18, and the fill tubes are attached to the fill tube support 42 for axial movement with the tube support. The internal volume of the fill tubes controls the volume of granular material withdrawn into the tube. Each tube may include an adjustable internal stop for varying the volume by moving the stop closer to or further away from the open end of the tube. The stop is constructed to allow vacuum to pass therethrough, but does not allow the granular material to pass. The stop may comprise an internal, adjustable rod having slight clearance between it and the inner diameter of the fill tube.
An additional key element of the vertical filter filling machine 10 includes a segment flute plate 44 that rotates about the central axis 18. The segment flute plate functions to hold extended length solid filter segments 46 before these segments are cut into two pieces and deposited into the filter tube 20 to seal the granular material in the tubes, as explained more fully below.
Another key element is a first segment plate 48 which also rotates about central axis 18. The first segment plate has a single opening 50 for receiving a first filter segment 51, explained more fully below.
The first segment plate 48 cooperates with a second segment plate 52 which also rotates about the central axis 18. The second segment plate 52 has inner and outer openings 54, 56, and this segment plate moves in a radial direction during filling of the filter tube 20. The outer opening 56 holds a second filter segment 57 while the inner opening allows a plunger 58 to pass there-through when inserting the first filter segment 51 into the filter tube 20. The plunger 58 also rotates about the vertical axis 18 and moves in an axial direction for pushing the solid filter segments 51, 57 into the filter tube 20.
The vertical filter filling machine 10 further includes an alignment plate 60 which also rotates about the vertical central axis 18. The function of the alignment plate is to receive the upper end of the filter tube 20 and thereby align the tube with the segment receiving openings in the first and second segment plates 48, 52. Within the alignment plate is an internal alignment tube or horn 70 which protects the inner walls of the filter tube 20 and maintains the integrity of the tube which is usually made of thin rather flimsy paper. The alignment tube or horn 70 prevents the filter tube 20 from wrinkling and/or buckling during the filling operation.
Preferably, the upper and lower wheel assemblies 12, 14 each include 15 subassemblies and each subassembly includes 12 filter tubes 20 thereby producing 180 half filled filters upon each revolution of the upper wheel assembly. The half-filled filters then transfer to the lower wheel assembly which functions to fill the other half of the filter tube. At production speeds of 30 revolutions per minute approximately 5,400 filters are produced each minute by the machine 10.
As noted above,
At the next plane of operation shown in
In the next sequence of operation shown in
In the next sequence shown in
Next, as shown in
At the next location illustrated in
The filling of the upper half of the filter tube is now complete and at the next station the tube flute plate 16 and filter tube move axially down to the home position of the tube flute plate. Simultaneous therewith the plunger 58 retracts to its home position and internal vacuum on the tube flute plate is turned off which allows the filter tube to be removed from the upper wheel assembly 12 and transferred to the lower wheel assembly 14 for filling of the other end of the filter tube.
In the preferred embodiment, each complete assembly wheel 12, 14 comprises 15 wheel assembly stations each with an arcuate extent of 24 degrees and centered about axis 18. Other embodiments may be constructed with different numbers of assembly wheel stations and different numbers of fill tubes, flutes and holes at each wheel assembly station.
Preferably, each wheel assembly 12, 14 includes a tube flute plate 16 which in the preferred embodiment has twelve (12) flutes along its arcuate perimeter. A same number of flutes are provided along the arcuate perimeter of the segment flute plate 44. Each wheel assembly further includes twelve (12) alignment tubes 70, twelve (12) fill tubes 38, twelve (12) fill tubes 36 and twelve (12) plungers 58. Holes in first and second segment plates 48 and 52, through which the filling materials pass, are through which the filling materials pass are also twelve (12)-count each for each assembly wheel station.
Each wheel assembly station includes twelve fill tubes 36 and 38, which for a given wheel assembly station are all supported by an independent slide system that is driven by an internal cam and lever system which imparts a predescribed axial (up and down) motion of the full tubes 36 and 38 as the wheel assembly is rotated through a complete cycle. Preferably, the fill tubes 36 and 38 do not move radially during a cycle.
Likewise, each wheel assembly station includes 12 plungers 58 that are similarly supported and controlled to execute their prescribed up and down motion per cycle.
Each wheel assembly station 12, 14 includes a second segment plate 52 which has an independent slide system that is driven by an internal cam which imparts a predescribed radial motion (in and out) as the respective wheel assembly is rotated through a complete cycle.
Preferably, the first segment plate 48 rotates about axis 18 without either radial or axial motion.
The tube flute plate 16 of each wheel assembly station is on an independent slide system and driven by a cam and lever to impart the prescribed axial motion (up and down) for the tube plate 16 as the respective assembly wheel station rotates through a complete cycle. The axial motion slide of the tube flute plate 16 and the alignment plate 60 are mounted on an independent slide system that is driven by an internal cam which imparts a predescribed concurrent radial motion (in and out) of tube flute plate 16 and the alignment plate 60 as the wheel assembly is rotated through a complete cycle.
As an alternative to filter storage, a tipping machine may be positioned to receive the finished filters as they are removed from the vertical fill machine 10. Wrapped tobacco rods are positioned at both ends of the finished filter and tipping paper is used to secure the rods to the filter. Cutting the filter in half produces two complete cigarettes.
As described above,
The upper end of plunger 58A is secured to a plunger support plate 202 between an upper plunger stop bracket 204 and a lower plunger guide bracket 206. The plunger 58A includes a collar 208 secured thereto, and the compression spring 200 extends between the plunger stop bracket 204 and the collar 206 urging the plunger in a downward direction. The arrangement is such that the vertical movement of the plunger 58A relative to the plunger support plate 202 is limited to the distance 210.
In order for a multiple filled cavity filter to function properly, it is important that each granular dose be packed tightly, and that each solid filter segment be tight against the granular dose. The compression spring 200 of each plunger 58A functions to ensure that the solid filter segments 51, 57 and the granular materials 32, 34 are tightly packed.
After the filter tube 20 has received the first granular material 32 and the second segment plate 52 has moved the second segment 57 to the left, the plunger 58A is ready to force the first filter segment 51 into the filter tube. These positions are shown in
As the plunger support plate 202 continues its downward movement shown in
As shown in
A similar sequence of movement occurs when the second granular material 34 and the second solid filter segment 57 are deposited in the filter tube 20.
It should be understood that the above detailed description while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention are given by way of illustration only since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description. For example, an alternative embodiment may comprise a linear and/or endless belt configuration that is arranged to execute assembly steps that are equivalent to those of the rotary configuration of the preferred embodiment.
The present application is a Division of Application Ser. No. 12/341,051 filed on Dec. 22, 2008, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,713,184 on May 11, 2010, which is a Division of Application Ser. No. 11/268,291 filed on Nov. 4, 2005, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,099, on Jan. 20, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/625,747 filed on Nov. 5, 2004.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20100210437 A1 | Aug 2010 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60625747 | Nov 2004 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12341051 | Dec 2008 | US |
Child | 12772555 | US | |
Parent | 11268291 | Nov 2005 | US |
Child | 12341051 | US |