Tube rolling device

• US 20080160123A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Spiers, Steven F., Straight, Jeremy J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,481,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/111
• CPC Class Codes: A24C 5/465 the paper tubes partially containing a filter element

Abstract

Method and apparatus for forming filter tubes comprises delivering a filter element to a flute on a first drum having vacuum for securing the filter element thereto. First and second tube forming rollers axially engage opposite ends of the filter element. A second drum accepts and cuts a continuous paper web with a glue pattern thereon into paper pieces, and a cut paper piece is delivered to the filter element. The paper piece is then rolled around the filter element and the tube forming rollers to form a cylindrical shape. The tube forming rollers are axially disengaged to thereby produce a filter tube with hollow ends and a control positioned filter element.

Claims

1. A method of forming filter tubes comprising:

delivering a filter element to a flute on a first drum, the flute having a vacuum for securing the filter element thereto;

axially engaging opposite ends of the filter element with first and second tube forming rollers;

delivering a continuous web with a glue pattern thereon to a second drum;

cutting the web into discrete pieces;

delivering at least a portion of the web piece to at least a portion of the filter element in the flute of the first drum;

rolling the web piece around the filter element and the tube forming rollers to form a cylindrically shaped structure; and

axially disengaging the tube forming rollers to produce a filter tube with hollow ends and a centrally positioned filter element.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the filter element is delivered to the flute on the first drum from a filter feed drum.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first drum further comprises left and right cowls that circumferentially engage around the filer element with a gap between each of the cowls and the filter element for guiding the web piece during the step of rolling the web piece around the filter element and the tube forming rollers, the step of rolling the web piece around the filter element and the tube forming rollers further comprising engaging the cowls and guiding the web piece through the gap between each of the cowls and the filter element.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of rolling the web piece around the filter element and the tube forming rollers further comprises engaging the filter element with a roller situated within the flute of the first drum, the roller within the flute of the first drum allowing the filter element and web piece to roll easily during the rolling process.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the step of rolling the web piece around the filter element and the tube forming rollers further comprises engaging the web piece with a rolling belt to feed the web piece through the gap between the left cowl and the filter element, along the roller within the flute of the first drum, and then through the gap between the right cowl and the filter element.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a trailing edge of the web piece is provided with glue for attaching the trailing edge of the web piece to a portion of the web piece rolled around the filter element to form a glued tube.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of disengaging the tube forming rollers further comprises contacting the glued tubes in the area of the filter element with a pressure belt for securing the tube in the flute in the first drum while the tube forming rollers are axially withdrawn.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cowls are disengaged after the tube forming rollers are axially disengaged.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cowls are engaged after the tube forming rollers are axially engaged.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing the filter tube from the first drum using a third drum.

11. An apparatus for rolling filter tubes comprising:

a flute on a first drum for accepting a filter element, the flute having a vacuum for securing the filter element thereto;

first and second tube forming rollers for axially engaging opposite ends of the filter element;

a second drum for accepting and cutting a continuous web with a glue pattern into pieces and delivering a cut web piece to the filter element; and

a belt for contacting the web piece to roll the paper piece around the filter element.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the filter element is delivered to the flute on the first drum from a filter feed drum, the filter element being held to the filter feed drum by a vacuum provided at a flute on the feed drum.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first drum further comprises left and right cowls that engage generally circumferentially around the filter element with a gap between each of the cowls and the filter element for guiding the web piece during the step of rolling the web piece around the filter element and the tube forming rollers.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a roller within the flute of the first drum allowing the filter element and web piece to roll easily during the rolling process.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a trailing edge of the web piece is provided with glue for attaching the trailing edge of the web piece to a portion of the web piece rolled around the filter element to form a glued web tube.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a pressure belt for securing the tube in the flute in the first drum so that the tube forming rollers can be axially withdrawn.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a third drum for removing the filter tube from the first drum.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the tube forming rollers each include vacuum holes for applying a vacuum to the web piece to hold the web piece against the surface of the tube forming rollers.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the tube forming rollers each include pins for penetrating into the filter element to ensure that the filter element and tube forming rollers roll together.