Apparatus for increasing the permeability of wrapping material for rod-shaped smokers products

• US 4,281,670 A
• Filed: 09/19/1977
• Issued: 08/04/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau AG (Körber-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG
• Inventors: Heitmann, Uwe, Hinz, Werner, Buchegger, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US05/834,645
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 131/20 R, 131/21 R, 131/27 R, 131/27 A, 131/15 B, 131/23 R, 131/21 R, 219/12 EB, 219/384, 219/121 EM, 219/121 L, 219/121 LM, 219/121 LK, 219/121 LQ, 219/121 LR, 219/121 LS, 219/121 LT, 219/121 LU , 219/121 LY
• US Class Current: 131/281
• CPC Class Codes: A24C 5/606 Perforating cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/067 Dividing the beam into multiple beams, e.g. multifocusing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0676 into dependently operating sub-beams, e.g. an array of spots with fixed spatial relationship or for performing simultaneously identical operations
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0823 Devices involving rotation of the workpiece

Abstract

Webs which are to be converted into wrappers for filter rod sections, cigars, cigarillos or cigarettes, or the wrappers of such articles, are perforated by one or more laser beams in the machine wherein the articles are produced. The permeability of wrappers can be changed by increasing or reducing the number of holes and/or by increasing or reducing the size of holes in each wrapper. The permeability of the wrappers of finished articles is monitored and the intensity of laser beam or beams is automatically adjusted when the monitored permeability deviates from a desired value. The perforations are formed for the purpose of admitting cool atmospheric air which influences the quantity of nicotine and condensate in the column of smoke. The perforations are disposed close to or in the filter plugs of filter cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos, or close to one or both ends of each filter rod section or plain cigarette, depending on the length of such articles.

Claims

1. In a machine for the production and/or processing of rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of smokers'"'"' products and wherein a wrapper surrounds a rod-like filler, a combination comprising drive means for moving a succession of wrappers along a predetermined path;

at least one source of coherent radiation operable to emit at least one beam of coherent radiation;

means for directing said beam against successive wrappers in said path whereby the wrappers are perforated at the points of impingement of said beam, said drive means including conveyor means for moving a succession of articles sideways past said beam directing means; and

means for temporarily interrupting the sidewise movement of articles along said path while the articles are in register with said beam directing means and for simultaneously rotating the arrested articles about their respective axes.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said movement interrupting means comprises an endless conveyor adjacent to said path opposite said conveyor means.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said source is a laser.

4. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said source is operable to emit a plurality of laser beams so that each article is provided with several groups of perforations.

5. A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said conveyor means is hollow and said source is disposed in the interior of said conveyor means.

6. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said movement interrupting means comprises at least one endless belt having an outer side provided with alternating raised and recessed portions, said belt being adjacent to said path opposite said conveyor means and said raised portions being sufficiently close to said conveyor means to rotate successive articles in cooperation with said conveyor means upon arrival of such articles at a locus of register with said beam directing means.

7. A combination as defined in claim 6, wherein said conveyor means includes a rotary drum having a peripheral surface provided with alternating first and second article-receiving means, said surface having sections disposed between successive first and second receiving means and further comprising means for delivering articles to successive first receiving means at a station located ahead of said beam directing means, said raised portions of said belt being arranged to expel successive articles from the respective first receiving means and to cooperate with the surface sections following such first receiving means to roll the expelled articles about their respective axes until the articles are accepted by the oncoming second receiving means.

8. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said movement interrupting means comprises at least one endless toothed belt conveyor.

9. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said movement interrupting means comprises at least two spaced apart parallel endless belt conveyors disposed opposite said conveyor means, the articles which move along said path having portions extending transversely across the space between said belt conveyors and said beam directing means being in line with such portions of successive articles.

10. A combination as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising means for operating said source in synchronism with said drive means to cause said beam to perforate selected portions of successive wrappers.

11. A combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said operating means includes means for operating said radiation source a predetermined number of times whenever an article rotates about its axis.

12. In a machine for the production and/or processing of rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of smokers'"'"' products and wherein a wrapper surrounds a rod-like filler, a combination comprising drive means for moving a succession of wrappers along a predetermined path;

at least one source of coherent radiation operable to emit at least one beam of coherent radiation;

means for directing said beam against successive wrappers in said path whereby the wrappers are perforated at the points of impingement of said beam, said drive means including conveyor means for moving a succession of rod-shaped articles sideways past said beam directing means; and

means for temporarily reducing the speed of sidewise movement of successive articles along said path while the articles are in register with said beam directing means and for simultaneously rotating the articles about their respective axes.

13. A combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said speed reducing means comprises an endless conveyor adjacent to said path opposite said conveyor means, said endless conveyor having a periphery provided with article-engaging protuberances and recesses alternating with said protuberances.

14. A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said endless conveyor is a rotary drum.

15. A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said conveyor means comprises pairs of article receiving means, each pair including a first receiving means which transports an article sideways toward the position of register with said beam directing means and second receiving means which is spaced apart from said first receiving means, as considered in the direction of movement of said conveyor means, and transports such article away from the position of register with said beam directing means, said protuberances including article-engaging surfaces having a length, as considered in the direction of movement of said endless conveyor, which at least approximates the distance between said first and second receiving means of a pair of receiving means on said conveyor means.

16. A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said beam directing means includes means for splitting said beam into several beams including first and second beams which are spaced apart from each other, as considered transversely of said path, and said endless conveyor comprises three spaced apart coaxial elements including a median element disposed between the paths of said first and second beams.

17. A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said source of coherent radiation comprises first and second lasers respectively operable to emit first and second beams and said beam directing means includes first and second portions respectively arranged to direct said first and second beams against successive articles along discrete first and second paths, said endless conveyor comprising three spaced apart coaxial elements including a median element disposed between said first and second paths.

18. A combination as defined in claim 12, and further comprising means for operating said source in synchronism with said drive means to cause said beam to perforate selected portions of successive wrappers.

19. A combination as defined in claim 18, wherein said operating means includes means for operating said radiation source a predetermined number of times whenever an article rotates about its axis.

20. In a machine for the production and/or processing of rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of smokers'"'"' products and wherein a wrapper surrounds a rod-like filler, a combination comprising drive means for moving a succession of wrappers along a predetermined path;

at least one source of coherent radiation operable to emit at least one beam of coherent radiation; and

means for directing said beam against successive wrappers in said path whereby the wrappers are perforated at the points of impingement of said beam, said drive means including conveyor means for moving a succession of articles sideways past said beam directing means and said beam directing means including means for changing the orientation of said beam so that the latter impinges against each of said succession of articles at several locations along said path.

21. A combination as defined in claim 20, further comprising means for rolling successive articles about their respective axes during travel at and between said locations.

22. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein said rolling means is stationary.

23. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein said orientation changing means includes means for causing said beam to impinge upon the articles at said locations for intervals which suffice to form holes extending transversely across the articles.

24. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein said source of coherent radiation includes a laser arranged to emit a beam of such intensity that the beam forms holes extending transversely across the articles at said locations.

25. A combination as defined in claim 20, wherein said beam directing means comprises a rotor and said orientation changing means comprises flat mirrors at the periphery of said rotor.

26. A combination as defined in claim 20, further comprising means for rolling successive articles about their respective axes during travel at and between said locations, said orientation changing means including means for directing said beam diametrically against the articles at said locations.

27. A combination as defined in claim 20;

and further comprising means for operating said source in synchronism with said drive means to cause said beam to perforate selected portions of successive wrappers.