Method and a device for managing the supply of wrapping and/or additional and/or auxiliary materials in a system for the manufacture of tobacco products

• US 20030178037A1
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G D SPA
• Original Assignee: G D SPA
• Inventors: Romagnoli, Stefano, De pietra, Gaetano, Draghetti, Fiorenzo, Berti, Danilo, Pareschi, Cristina
• Granted Patent: US 7,117,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/280
• CPC Class Codes: A24C 5/00 Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 19/28 Control devices for cigarette or cigar packaging machines
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 65/003 Packaging lines, e.g. general layout
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 131/91 Sensing or detecting malfunction in cigar or cigarette maker

Abstract

The supply of consumables and other materials to production machines in a system for the manufacture of tobacco products is managed using a method whereby, once a nominal target number of products has been programmed at a master control unit, a tally is kept of the number of products emerging from the machine located farthest downstream, and a corresponding signal relayed back to the master control unit, together with a signal indicating the consumption of the various types of material. On the basis of the information received, the master control unit will process an output message indicating the requirement for at least one given type of consumable or wrapping or other auxiliary material to be supplied, whereupon the message is sent to an operator entrusted with the task of replacing the depleted material.

Claims

1. ) a method for managing the supply of wrapping and/or additional and/or auxiliary materials in a system for the manufacture of tobacco products including at least one production machine, comprising the steps of:

programming a nominal target number of products to be turned out by the machine during the course of the relative production run, by way of a master control unit;

counting the number of products emerging from the production machine and relaying a corresponding input to the master control unit;

presenting inputs to the master control unit indicating the consumption of each type of wrapping and/or additional and/or auxiliary material;

processing an output message based at least on the three inputs received and indicating at least the requirement for at least one predetermined type of wrapping and/or additional and/or auxiliary material to be supplied;

sending the processed message to an operator entrusted with the task of replacing the depleted material.

2. ) A method as in claim 1, comprising the steps of

comparing the nominal target number of products with the number of products emerging from the production machine;

causing the master control unit to output a message indicating a condition of parity between the nominal target number of products and the number of products emerging from the machine;

sending the message to a control module connected to the master control unit in such a way as to bring about a programmed step of shutting down the machine.

3. ) A method as in claim 2, wherein the control module operates by piloting the master control unit to shut down the machine automatically.

4. ) A method as in claim 2, wherein the control module operates by instructing a production line operator to shut down the machine.

5. ) A method as in claims 2, 3 and 4, comprising the step of removing the wrapping and/or additional and/or auxiliary materials as appropriate for the changeover to another brand of product.

6. ) A method as in claim 5, comprising the step of labeling the removed materials with information indicating the residual quantity, in anticipation of their subsequent utilization.

7. ) A method as in claims 1 to 6, comprising the steps of:

programming a nominal target number of products to be manufactured, by way of the master control unit;

programming a critical number representing a given percentage value of the nominal target number, by way of the master control unit;

counting the number of products emerging from the production machine and relaying a corresponding input to the master control unit;

comparing the number of products emerging from the machine with the critical number;

presenting inputs to the master control unit at least when a condition of parity is established between the number of products emerging from the machine and the critical number, indicating the consumption of each type of wrapping and/or additional and/or auxiliary material;

processing an output message indicating at least the requirement for a given type of wrapping and/or additional and/or auxiliary material to be supplied in order to reach the nominal target number of products;

sending the processed message to an operator entrusted with the task of replacing the depleted material.

8. ) A method as in claims 1 to 7, applicable to a system comprising a plurality of production machines, wherein the step of counting the number of emerging products is implemented at least at the outfeed of the final machine in the system, and the programmed nominal target number represents the number of products turned out by the selfsame final machine.

9. ) A method as in claim 8, further comprising the steps, implemented in conjunction with the step of indicating the consumption of each type of material by the relative machine, of:

determining the time required by each machine to complete the production run;

determining the quantity of material needed to complete the production run;

determining the number of products that must be turned out to match the programmed nominal target number.

10. ) A method as in claim 9, comprising the step of comparing a signal indicating the quantity of material needed to complete the production run with a signal indicating the quantity of the selfsame material contained in a relative buffer.

11. ) A method as in claim 10, comprising a step, dictated by the result of the comparison, of not supplying material, or supplying material of the type used in the current production run, or supplying material of a type used in a different and predetermined production run.

12. ) A method as in claims 4 to 11, wherein the step of sending the message to the operator is implemented utilizing visual and/or acoustic information means.

13. ) A method as in claims 4 to 10, wherein the step of sending the message to the operator is implemented utilizing telephone and/or radio communication.

14. ) A method as in claims 4 to 10, wherein the step of sending the message to the operator is implemented by selectively illuminating areas of the machine where replacement of the depleted material is required.

15. ) A method as in claims 1 to 14, further comprising an acquisition step whereby data relative to the consumption of materials and messages relative to the replacement of depleted materials are routed to a central monitoring station manned by a production line operator.

20. ) A device as in claims 16 to 17 implementing a method as in claims 1 to 15, wherein information is passed to the operator by way of means using optical and/or acoustic and/or radio telephone communication and/or by selectively illuminating areas of the machine where replacement of the depleted material is required.

16. ) A device for managing the supply of wrapping and/or additional or auxiliary materials in a system for the manufacture of tobacco products including at least one production machine, characterized in that it comprises a master control unit, a terminal by way of which to preset a nominal target number of products to be turned out by the machine during the course of the relative production run, connected on the output side to the input side of the master control unit, a counter registering the number of products emerging from the production machine, connected on the output side to the input side of the master control unit, also sensor means monitoring the consumption of each type of wrapping and/or additional and/or auxiliary material used by the production machine, connected on the output side to the input side of the master control unit;

in that the master control unit is able to produce an output message processed at least on the basis of the received input data and indicating at least the requirement for at least one given type of wrapping and/or additional and/or auxiliary material to be supplied, and in that the selfsame master control unit is connected on the output side to the input of means by which information is passed to an operator entrusted with the task of replacing the depleted material.

17. ) A device as in claim 16, comprising a second terminal by way of which to preset a critical number consisting in a given percentage value of the nominal target number, connected on the output side to the input side of the master control unit.

18. ) A device as in claim 16 or 17, wherein the system comprises a plurality of production machines, and the number of products emerging at least from the final machine in the system is recorded by a counter associated with the outfeed of the selfsame machine.

19. ) A device as in claims 16 to 18, wherein each production machine is equipped with at least one buffer containing a respective material, further comprising sensor means associated with the buffer and serving to monitor the quantity of material contained therein, also means by which to compare a signal indicating the quantity of material contained in the buffer with a signal indicating the quantity of the selfsame material needed by the machine to complete the respective production run.