Cigarette production and packaging unit and method and device for control thereof

• US 7,684,889 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Focke & Company
• Original Assignee: Focke & Company
• Inventors: Meyer, Kurt, Focke, legal representative, Jürgen, Focke, Heinz, Tengen, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez; Paul L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laughlin; Nathan
• Application Number:
  US10/505,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20050145259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,575 Days
• Field of Search: 700115-117, 53/55, 531/68, 532/01, 535/07, 534/51, 131/283
• US Class Current: 700/116
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 19/228 Preparing and feeding blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 19/28 Control devices for cigarette or cigar packaging machines
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/001 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/003 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/02 Arrangements to enable adjustments to be made while the machine is running
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/025 for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 65/003 Packaging lines, e.g. general layout
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/0003 Use of RFID labels

Abstract

A production and packaging installation with a control arrangement (33) and production units having respectively adjustable mechanisms, such as, a (cigarette-) production machine (maker 10), a packaging machine (packer 11), possibly a film-wrapping machine (12), possibly a multipacker (13) and possibly a carton packer (cartoner 14), for the production and ready-to-dispatch packaging of, in the first instance, products—cigarettes and cigarette packs—of a first type and, thereafter, products of a second type each comprising starting materials, such as paper blanks, film and the like, and also specifies the control arrangement itself and a method of controlling the line, it being the case that at least a first set of parameters (61) associated with products of the first type and a second set of parameters (62) associated with products of the second type are stored in a selectable manner in a memory of the control arrangement (33) and, upon selection of a set of parameters (61, 62), a manipulated variable for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism can be transmitted to the or each production unit by the control arrangement (33), by way of the selected parameters.

Claims

1. A production and packaging installation having a control arrangement (33) and production units having adjustable mechanisms for the production and packaging of, first, cigarette products of a first type and, thereafter, cigarette products of a second type, with the control arrangement (33) having a communications interlace, the installation further comprising:

a) at least a first set (61) of parameters associated with the products of the first type and a second set (62) of parameters associated with the products of the second type, wherein the sets (61, 62) of parameters are stored in a selectable manner in a memory of the control arrangement (33),

with each of the sets of (61, 62) of parameters containing a number of necessary starting materials;

b) at least one product-type-related set of parameters (74) also stored in the memory of the control arrangement (33) for each of the product types,

the at least one product-type-related set of parameters (74) comprising at least one manipulated variable for adjusting an adjustable mechanism, said variable being dependent on at least two types of starting materials,

with a first value of the at least one manipulated variable relating to a first combination of certain starting materials of said at least two types of starting materials being stored in the product-type-related set of parameters (74),

with a second value of the at least one manipulated variable, differing from the first value of the at least one manipulated variable, relating to a second combination of certain starting materials of said at least two types of starting materials being stored in the product-type-related set of parameters (74), and

with all starting materials of the first combination differing in each case from the starting materials of the second combination;

c) upon selection of one of the sets (61, 62) of parameters, a manipulated variable for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism is transmitted to at least one of the production units by the control arrangement (33) by way of the communications interface of the control arrangement; and

d) the manipulated variable is transmitted as determined by the selected parameters of the set (61, 62) of parameters and/or as determined by the product-type-related set of parameters.

2. The production and packaging installation according to claim 1, wherein:

a) the production units have at least one cigarette production machine (10), a packaging machine (11), and at least one additional machine selected from the group consisting of a film-wrapping machine (12), a multipacker (13), and a carton packer (14), for the production and packaging of, first, cigarettes and cigarette packs of a first type and, thereafter, cigarettes and cigarette packs of a second type, and

b) the mechanisms adjustable in accordance with the selected set (61, 62) of parameters are selected from the group consisting of a label apparatus for the application of revenue strips to cigarette packs, folding members of the packer (11), heating and/or pressure-exerting elements of the film-wrapping machine (12), a CCD, and an optic transmitter.

3. The production and packaging installation according to claim 1, wherein:

a) the first and second sets (61, 62) of parameters stored in the memory of the control arrangement (33) encompass at least one code (65) for each necessary starting material,

b) the starting material supplied at the production units is assigned an individual, ascertainable material code, and

c) in the selection of the set (61, 62) of parameters the material code of the starting material provided at the production units concerned is compared with the corresponding code taken from the selected set (61, 62) of parameters.

4. The production and packaging installation according to claim 3, wherein an error signal is generated if at least one of the material code does not correspond to the corresponding one of the at least one code (65) from the selected set (61, 62) of parameters.

5. The production and packaging installation according to claim 3, wherein each of the sets (61, 62) of parameters contains a number of necessary starting materials and the at least one code (65) for the or each necessary starting material.

6. The production and packaging installation according to claim 3, wherein:

a) each production unit has electronic transponders (46) and readers (47) associated therewith for the purpose of recording in each case a material code of the or each respectively fed starting material, and

b) upon determination of the at least one code (65) from the set (61, 62) of parameters that matches the material code, the manipulated variable, for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism, which is associated with this code (65) or this material code is transmitted to the respective production unit by the control arrangement (33).

7. The production and packaging installation according to claim 3, wherein:

a) the or each necessary starting material provided with the material code is fed to each of the production units, with account being taken of a comparison between the code (65) and the material code, and

b) the manipulated variable for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism and which is associated with this code (65) or this material code is transmitted by the control arrangement (33).

8. The production and packaging installation according to claim 3, wherein:

a) at least one of the product-type-related set of parameters for taking account of dependencies between individual starting materials is provided for each of the product types, and

b) instead of the manipulated variable which is associated with a starting material which is dependent on another starting material, a manipulated variable which is associated with a corresponding parameter of the product-type-related set of parameters is transmitted to the respective production unit.

9. The production and packaging installation according to claim 3, wherein a relative position of the adjustable mechanism is changeable in relation to a reference position.

10. The production and packaging installation according to claim 3, wherein, as determined by the selected set (61) of parameters, rotatable elements with projections (57) are adjusted with respect to at least one of the members of the group consisting of the relative position, the folding elements, the heating members relating to temperature, the pressure-exerting members relating to pressure, and optical and optoelectronic sensors relating to response behavior.

11. The production and packaging installation according to claim 3, wherein prior to the adjustment of the or each adjustable mechanism, the hitherto valid settings of the or each production unit and/or of the or each adjustable mechanism are stored for possible subsequent re-use.

12. The production and packaging installation according to claim 2, wherein:

a) the first and second sets (61, 62) of parameters stored in the memory of the control arrangement (33) encompasses at least one code (65) for each necessary starting material,

b) the starting material supplied at the production units is assigned an individual, ascertainable material code, and

c) in the selection of the set (61, 62) of parameters the material code of the starting material provided at the production units concerned is compared with the corresponding code taken from the selected parameter set (61, 62).

13. The production and packaging installation according to claim 12, wherein an error signal is generated if at least one identified of the material code does not correspond to the corresponding code (65) from the selected set of parameters (61, 62).

14. The production and packaging installation according to claim 12, wherein each of the sets (61, 62) of parameters contains a number of necessary starting materials and the at least one code (65) for the or each necessary starting material.

15. The production and packaging installation according to claim 12, wherein:

a) each of the production units has electronic transponders (46) and readers (47) associated therewith for the purpose of recording in each case the material code of the or each respectively fed starting material, and

b) upon determination of the code (65) from the set (61, 62) of parameters that matches the material code, a manipulated variable, for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism, which is associated with this code (65) or thus material code is transmitted to the respective production unit by the control arrangement (33).

16. The production and packaging installation according to claim 12, wherein:

a) the or each necessary starting material provided with the material code is fed to each of the production units, with account being taken of a comparison between the code (65) and the material code, and

b) a manipulated variable for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism and which is associated with this code (65) or this material code is transmitted by the control arrangement (33).

17. The production and packaging installation according to claim 12, wherein:

a) at least one of the product-type-related set of parameters for taking account of dependencies between the individual starting materials is provided for each of the product types, and

b) instead of the manipulated variable which is associated with the starting material which is dependent on another starting material, a manipulated variable which is associated with a corresponding parameter of the product-type-related set of parameters is transmitted to the respective production unit.

18. The production and packaging installation according to claim 12, wherein a relative position of the adjustable mechanism is changeable in relation to a reference position.

19. The production and packaging installation according to claim 12, wherein, as determined by the selected set (61) of parameters, rotatable elements with projections (57) are adjusted with respect to at least one of the members of the group consisting of the relative position, the folding elements, the heating members relating to temperature, the pressure-exerting members relating to pressure, and optical and optoelectronic sensors relating to response behavior.

20. The production and packaging installation according to claim 12, wherein prior to the adjustment of the or each adjustable mechanism, the hitherto valid settings of the or each production unit and/or of the or each adjustable mechanism are stored for possible subsequent re-use.

21. The production and packaging installation according to claim 1, wherein:

a) the first and second sets (61, 62) of parameters stored in the memory of the control arrangement (33) encompasses a code (65) for each necessary starting material,

b) the starting material supplied at the production units concerned has an ascertainable material code, and

c) upon selection of the set (61, 62) of parameters the appropriate starting material is fed to the production units associated with the code (65) of the selected set (61, 62) of parameters.

22. The production and packaging installation according to claim 21, wherein an error signal is generated if at least one identified of the material code does not correspond to the corresponding code (65) from the selected set (61, 62) of parameters.

23. The production and packaging installation according to claim 21, wherein each of the sets (61, 62) of parameters contains a number of necessary starting materials and at least one of the code (65) for the or each necessary starting material.

24. The production and packaging installation according to claim 21, wherein:

a) each of the production units has electronic transponders (46) and readers (47) associated therewith for the purpose of recording in each case the material code of the or each respectively fed starting material, and

b) upon determination of the code (65) from the set (61, 62) of parameters which matches the material code, a manipulated variable, for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism, which is associated with this code (65) or this material code is transmitted to the respective production unit by the control arrangement (33).

25. The production and packaging installation according to claim 21, wherein:

a) the or each necessary starting material provided with the material code is fed to each of the production units, with account being taken of a comparison between the code (65) and the material code, and

b) a manipulated variable for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism and which is associated with this code (65) or this material code is transmitted by the control arrangement (33).

26. The production and packaging installation according to claim 21, wherein:

a) at least one of the product-type-related set of parameters for taking account of dependencies between the individual starting materials is provided for each of the product types, and

b) instead of the manipulated variable which is associated with the starting material which is dependent on another starting material, a manipulated variable which is associated with a corresponding parameter of the product-type-related set of parameters is transmitted to the respective production unit.

27. The production and packaging installation according to claim 21, wherein a relative position of the adjustable mechanism is changeable in relation to a reference position.

28. The production and packaging installation according to claim 21, wherein, as determined by the selected set (61) of parameters, rotatable elements with projections (57) are adjusted with respect to at least one of the members of the group consisting of the relative position, the folding elements, the heating members relating to temperature, the pressure-exerting members relating to pressure, and optical and optoelectronic sensors relating to response behavior.

29. The production and packaging installation according to claim 21, wherein prior to the adjustment of the or each adjustable mechanism, the hitherto valid settings of the or each production unit and/or of the or each adjustable mechanism are stored for possible subsequent re-use.

30. The production and packaging installation according to claim 2, wherein:

a) the first and second sets (61, 62) of parameters stored in the memory of the control arrangement (33) encompasses a code (65) for each necessary starting material,

b) the starting material supplied at the production units concerned has an ascertainable material code, and

c) upon selection of the set (61, 62) set of parameters the appropriate starting material is fed to the production units associated with the code (65) of the selected set (61, 62) of parameters.

31. The production and packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein an error signal is generated if at least one identified of the material code does not correspond to the corresponding code (65) from the selected set (61, 62) of parameters.

32. The production and packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein each set (61, 62) of parameters contains a number of necessary starting materials and at least one of the code (65) for the or each necessary starting material.

33. The production and packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein:

a) each of the production units has electronic transponders (46) and readers (47) associated therewith for the purpose of recording in each case the material code of the or each respectively fed starting material, and

b) upon determination of the code (65) from the set (61, 62) of parameters that matches the material code, a manipulated variable, for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism, which is associated with this code (65) or this material code is transmitted to the respective production unit by the control arrangement (33).

34. The production and packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein:

a) the or each necessary starting material provided with the material code is fed to each of the production units, with account being taken of a comparison between the code (65) and the material code, and

b) a manipulated variable for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism and which is associated with this code (65) or this material code is transmitted by the control arrangement (33).

35. The production and packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein:

a) at least one of the product-type-related set of parameters for taking account of dependencies between individual starting materials is provided for each of the product types, and

b) instead of the manipulated variable which is associated with the starting material which is dependent on another starting material, a manipulated variable which is associated with a corresponding parameter of the product-type-related set of parameters is transmitted to the respective production unit.

36. The production and packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein a relative position of the adjustable mechanism is changeable in relation to a reference position.

37. The production and packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein, as determined by the selected set (61) of parameters, rotatable elements with projections (57) are adjusted with respect to at least one of the members of the group consisting of the relative position, the folding elements, the heating members relating to temperature, the pressure-exerting members relating to pressure, and optical and optoelectronic sensors relating to response behavior.

38. The production and packaging installation according to claim 30, wherein prior to the adjustment of the or each adjustable mechanism, the hitherto valid settings of the or each production unit and/or of the or each adjustable mechanism are stored for possible subsequent re-use.

39. A production and packaging installation having a control arrangement (33) and production units having adjustable mechanisms for the production and packaging of cigarette products of at least two types, with the control arrangement (33) having a communications interface, the installation further comprising:

a) at least a first set (61) of parameters associated with the products of a first type and a second set (62) of parameters associated with the products of a second type, wherein the sets (61, 62) of parameters are stored in a selectable manner in a memory of the control arrangement (33), with each of the sets (61, 62) of parameters containing a number of necessary starting materials;

b) at least one product-type-related set of parameters (74) also stored in the memory of the control arrangement (33) for each of the product types, the at least one product-type-related set of parameters (74) comprising at least one manipulated variable for adjusting an adjustable mechanism, said variable being dependent on at least two types of starting materials,

with a first value of the at least one manipulated variable relating to a first combination of certain starting materials of said at least two types of starting materials being stored in the product-type-related set of parameters (74),

with a second value of the at least one manipulated variable, differing from the first value of the at least one manipulated variable, relating to a second combination of certain starting materials of said at least two types of starting materials being stored in the product-type-related set of parameters (74), and

with the starting materials of the first combination differing in each case from the starting materials of the second combination;

c) upon selection of one of the sets (61, 62) of parameters, a manipulated variable for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism is transmitted to at least one of the production units by the control arrangement (33) by way of the communications interface of the control arrangement; and

d) the manipulated variable is transmitted as determined by the selected parameters of the set (61, 62) of parameters and/or as determined by the product-type-related set of parameters,

wherein the installation can switch or be switched between the production and packaging of the at least two types of cigarette products.