Device and method for metering tobacco in portions suitable for packaging

[0001] The invention relates to a device for dispensing tobacco into portions corresponding to a package, including a tobacco delivery element and a device for creating and dispensing at least one corresponding portion of tobacco. In addition, the invention relates to a method of dispensing tobacco, especially wet tobacco, into portions corresponding to packaging.

[0002] Such devices and methods are used in the tobacco processing industry for the processing of so-called Snus tobacco, and in particular for its dispensing. In the case of Snus tobacco, we refer to so-called oral tobacco (or tobacco mixtures) which are introduced directly or in a suitable packaging, e.g. a bag of cellulose and the like from the mouth, the concept of tobacco not only covers only the actual tobacco, but also tobacco with admixtures, aromas and the like. If you take unpackaged Snus tobacco, it is directly filled into cans, boxes, combined packaging and the like. The correct portion, compatible with the use or ready to use, is then made by the consumer himself. Snus tobacco, which is used from its packaged form, e.g. individual pouches with welds and the like, must be portioned and filled beforehand. Portions of tobacco, the weight and size of which may vary and are usually in the range of milligrams and grams, are separated from the uninterrupted or interrupted supply of tobacco by means of dispensing devices and usually packaged using the so-called welded bag machines known from DE 10 2005 017 474 Al.

[0003] In practice, dosing devices are known in which the delivery element is a funnel, through which tobacco is transported to the area of ​​the device for forming and dispensing a portion of tobacco corresponding to the packaging. Known devices for forming and dispensing tobacco portions usually include a pre-portioning chamber, or expansion chamber, which is connected to the funnel via a hose and the like. Inside the expansion chamber, the tobacco inflow from the funnel is indirectly stored. Below the expansion chamber is usually a microcylinder. By pulling the piston, the tobacco is somehow withdrawn from the expansion chamber into the cylinder, the volume of the portion chamber formed by the withdrawn piston corresponds to the tobacco portion corresponding to the packaging. When the batch chamber is filled, the expansion chamber is displaced relative to the micro cylinder (or vice versa) so that the contents of the batch chamber, namely a portion of tobacco, can be returned to e.g. a transport chamber and the like. This transport chamber can e.g. form a whole with the expansion chamber. After filling the transport chamber with a dispensed portion of tobacco, the transport chamber is moved to the dispensing position through the outlet opening, whereby the portion of tobacco falls down into the further connected device, namely the machine for welding pouches. While the transport chamber is above the outlet, the microcylinder is refilled with another portion of tobacco. Such dispensing devices are suitable for single-band and multi-band machines for welded bags.

[0004] Such dispensing devices, however, have the disadvantage that only loose tobacco, i.e. tobacco with a low final moisture content, can be processed. In other words, only tobacco that has a final moisture content of less than about 20% can be processed reliably. Also, tobacco with a final moisture content of less than about 20%, to which admixtures have been mixed in, is only difficult or not possible to process, because the additive substances, flavors and the like increase the final humidity by e.g. oils and the like. During the processing of such moist tobacco, tobacco sticks or sticks especially in the area of ​​(partially bent) hoses and micro cylinders and leads after a short time to clogging of the device and therefore to downtime of the connected machine for welded bags. [0005] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a simple and reliable device for dispensing tobacco, especially moist tobacco with a final moisture content of more than about 20%. In addition, the object of the invention is to propose a suitable method.

[0006] This object is achieved by a device with the features mentioned at the beginning according to claim 1. Due to the fact that the tobacco is already compressed by scraping and is finally compacted by changing the volume of the portioning chamber, a kind of tobacco rod is formed as a tobacco portion corresponding to the packaging which intentionally and - in relation to the device - it can be output almost without residue. In other words, the embodiment according to the invention ensures that the tobacco portion formed in the portioning chamber can be discharged entirely via a means for discharging the final thickened portion of tobacco from the device e.g. into a downstream welded pouch. By compacting the tobacco portion on the one hand and actively discharging the tobacco portion on the other, moist tobacco or moist tobacco mixtures can especially reliably be dispensed, so that such a device can be included in the uninterrupted packaging process. By turning the side of the element particularly reliably to turn the two side, the tobacco can be swept into the chamber by turning the portioning element through the back and forth, which ensures precise filling / dispensing. Rotating back and forth can be done in the form of a fast oscillating movement, which as such can also have different speeds for each rotation.

[0007] The purposeful improvement of the invention is characterized in that the portioning chamber is made of two slide elements, which are spaced apart and routed inside one base plate, both slide elements being made in a linearly sliding manner towards each other and from each other . By means of these slider elements, tobacco compaction and release of concentrated tobacco can be carried out in a particularly effective manner.

[0008] Preferably, both slide elements at their facing ends have semicircular contours in a top view, respectively, so that the portion chamber in the case of slid slide elements is in top view in the shape of an elongated hole, and in the case of slid slide elements it is cylindrical to forming a cylindrical portion of tobacco. This creates a volume that corresponds to the desired portion of tobacco, and on the other hand obtains the shape of the portion of tobacco particularly suitable for handling or further processing, i.e., for transporting a portion of tobacco from the dispensing device to the packaging machine and the like, which leads to the fact that impeding pollution in dispensing or clogging with tobacco residues can be avoided.

[0009] A preferred improvement of the invention is characterized in that a detection means has been associated with a detection means for the process of the filling level monitoring device. By this improvement of the invention, excessive tobacco supply that could lead to clogging as well as insufficient tobacco supply that could lead to downtime of the following connected device are effectively prevented.

[0010] The object of the invention is also achieved by the method mentioned at the outset according to claim

12. The resulting benefits have already been described in connection with the device according to the invention, whereby in order to avoid repetition, reference is here made to the corresponding parts of the text.

[0011] Further intentional and / or preferred examples of the features and improvements of the invention result from the dependent claims and the description. Particularly preferred embodiments and the principle of using the method according to the invention are explained in more detail on the basis of the attached drawing. The figure shows:

in Fig. 1 a side view of a schematic illustration of the device according to the invention for dispensing tobacco in partial section, in Fig. 2 a top view of the device according to FIG. 1, in FIG. 3 a view of the invention with top elements of the tobacco dispensing device with pushers in various positions, in fig. 4 a side view of the device in section along the intersection axis AA, BB, CC and

DD, in Fig. 5 a top view of the rotary star as a harrow element, and in Fig. 6 a side view of the rotary star in cross section along the cut line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

[0012] The devices illustrated are for dispensing moist tobacco into portions corresponding to packaging. Of course, the devices are also suitable for dispensing tobacco with a residual moisture content below 20% and tobacco mixtures.

[0013] The device 10 for dispensing tobacco into portions corresponding to the packaging illustrated in Figure 1 includes a tobacco delivery member 12 and a device 13 for creating and outputting at least one portion corresponding to the package. Of course, the device 13 for forming and dispensing a portion of tobacco can also be filled manually. However, as part of the automation, the delivery element 12 is obvious. The device 13 has a harrow element 14 to harness tobacco 11 into a portioning chamber 15. The harrow member 14 can in further embodiments (see figure 3) be shaped and also made to harrow tobacco 11 into a plurality of portioning chambers 15. The given or each portion chamber 15 is made with a variable volume, namely for thickening tobacco 11 and on the other hand for releasing a concentrated portion of tobacco.

In addition, the given or each batch chamber 15 is movable relative to the harrow element 14. The relative movement is preferably directed linearly. By relative movement between the harrow element 14 and the portion chamber 15, the portion chamber 15 or the tobacco portion contained therein can be moved from filling position B to dispensing position Ά and vice versa. In addition, the device 10 in the area of ​​dispensing position A has an element 16 for dispensing a concentrated portion of tobacco.

[0014] The given or each portion chamber 15 in the illustrated embodiment is formed of two slide elements 17, 18. These slide elements 17, 18 are routed in the base plate 19. This means that inside the base plate 19 e.g. a groove 20 is formed, in which both bar slide elements 17, 18 are routed. The two spaced apart slide elements 17, 18 are made in a displaceable manner to each other and from each other by suitable driving means, e.g. hydraulically, pneumatically, mechanically and / or via setting motors. The slide elements 17, 18 are preferably arranged in the same continuously shaped groove 20. The slide elements 17, 18 moveable back and forth in the groove 20 have, on their facing ends 21, 22, respectively semicircular contours in plan view (see e.g. figure 3). In other words, the ends 21, 22 are appropriately shaped concave, i.e. bulging inwardly. This leads to the fact that the portioning chamber 15 is shaped with the slide elements 17, 18 extended in a top view like an elongated opening (see e.g. figure 2), with the sliding elements 17, 18 sliding in a circular view from above to form a cylindrical body (see e.g. figure 3 below). In this way, the portion of tobacco introduced or taken into the portioning chamber 15 can be shaped into a cylindrical tobacco rod, the size of the portioning chamber 15 in the slid state of the slide members 17, 18 is variable or adjustable and e.g. can be selected e.g. to form a tobacco rod about 14 mm long and about 6 mm in diameter. Of course, the dimensions of the tobacco rod may also change, and the ends 21, 22 may also have other contours. Also the guiding of the slide elements 17, 18 or other compaction elements can be carried out in a way not explicitly shown, e.g. through guide rails, profiles and the like.

[0015] In the described embodiment, the portioning chamber 15 is bounded on the sides by the slide elements 17, 18 pushed together and from below by the base plate 19. The slide means in this context that the ends 21, 22 of the slide elements 17, 18 are in contact with each other, whereby the concave structures of the slide elements 17, 18 form a circle in plan view. With the slide elements 17, 18 extended, the portioning chamber 15 is on one side limited by the slide elements 17, 18, and additionally by the base plate 19, more precisely by the side walls of the groove 20. From below, the portioning chamber 15 is limited by the base plate. 19. Towards the harrow element 15, and in this case upwards, the portioning chamber 15 is openly shaped in the area of ​​filling position B and dispensing position A. The structural configuration of the portion chamber 15 can also take place in other ways, for example by limiting the portion chamber 15 from below by a separate plate and the like or by additional deflecting and sliding means.

As already mentioned, the portioning chamber 15 is movable from the filling position B to the dispensing position A. More precisely, the tobacco portion in the portioning chamber 15 is movable linearly and preferably horizontally by sliding the slide elements 17, 18 from the filling position B from under the element the harrow 14 to the dispensing position A above the outlet opening 23. The outlet opening 23 is formed inside the base plate 19. The outlet opening 23 lies inside the guide, namely the groove 20 for the slide members 17, 18. In other words, the outlet hole lies on the slide line 17, 18.

The diameter of the outlet opening 23 corresponds at least to the cylindrical diameter in the dispensing position of the portion chamber 15 and is preferably slightly larger than the diameter of the finally compacted cylindrical tobacco portion.

[0017] As described above, a scraper element 14 is arranged on the base plate 19. In the filling position B of the portion chamber 15 it is placed directly under the scraper element 14. In the dispensing position A of the portion chamber 15 the scraper element 14 is limited or closed from below by the plate base 19 or slide elements 17, 18 routed in the groove 20, so that tobacco 11 cannot be discharged downwards from the harrow element 13. The harrow element 14 is shaped in a movable manner relative to the base plate 19. This relative movement can be made by moving the harrow element relative to the fixed base plate 19, by the movement of the base plate 19 relative to the harrow element 14, or by the overlapping movement of the harrow element 14 and base plate. 19. Preferably, the harrow element 14 is rotatably driven around the M axis in both directions to exert an oscillating movement. The M axis is substantially perpendicular to the base plate 19. In other embodiments, the scraper element 14 can also be moved in a circular direction in one direction or linearly back and forth. The harrow element 14 or its central axis M can also be arranged in an inclination with respect to the base plate 19.

[0018] The harrow element 14 is shaped as a turnstile 24. Turnstile 24 is made of a cylindrical hollow body 25 as part of the cover. The interior of the hollow body 25 is divided by partitions 16 and the like. The hollow body 25 may have one or two chambers 27 (see, e.g., figure 3}. Preferably, however, the turnstile 24 has four chambers 27 (see, e.g., figure 5). Each chamber 27 serves to contain the supplied tobacco 11. As already mentioned, the chambers 27 are separated from each other by partitions 26. To unify the tobacco 11 inside the turnstile 24, the partitions 26 can only extend over a part of the height of the cylindrical part of the cover, as also follows from Figure 6. The partitions 26 can also extend over the entire height. Other forms of execution are also possible, in particular the division of the interior and the design and arrangement of partitions 26. [0019] To the harrow element 14, and in the embodiment described, turnstile 24 has been assigned a non-explicit detection means for monitoring the filling level. The detection means can operate optically, mechanically or in another typical way and is preferably connected to a (also not explicitly shown) controller. Via the controller, the detection means is in active connection with the feeding element 12. The feed element 12 is preferably a vibrating chute, but it can also be a simple chute, a shaking element and the like. The controller can also be connected to drives for the slide elements 17, 18 and for the scraping element 14. The element 16 for discharging the finally concentrated tobacco portion from the portioning chamber 15 can e.g. be a discharge nozzle via compressed air. Element 16 may also be a mechanical pusher and the like. Other elements 16 for pressing, pushing, sucking etc. can also be used.

[0020] Such devices 10 according to the invention can be used as a separate unit, e.g. as a kit for extending existing machines or installations. The described devices 10 can, however, also be a component e.g. of a welded pouch machine for the production of welded pouches filled with tobacco. In addition, the tobacco dispensing device 10 described may be made into a single-lane bagged machine, but also suited to a multi-lane bag.

[0021] The principle of operation is explained in more detail below based on the figures:

Tobacco 11 regardless of its final humidity, and especially tobacco 11 with final moisture content above 20%, is fed into the device 10. This is done manually or by means of the supplying element 12. Tobacco 11 falls into the collecting element 14 or more precisely to the chambers 27 of the turnstile 24. The turnstile 24 is rotatably driven, namely preferably oscillating (also at different speeds), so that the tobacco 11 is pulled into the underlying turnstile 24 in the filling position B of the portion chamber 15 (see Figures 3 and 4a). As a result, a portion of tobacco collects in the portioning chamber 15 and is (slightly) squeezed. As soon as the portion chamber 15 contains a full portion of tobacco, i.e. when the portion chamber 15 is filled, the slide elements 17, 18 move together (without changing the volume) from the filling position area B towards the dispensing position A (see e.g. Figures 3 and 4b) . In this way, the portioning chamber 15, which is essentially defined by the slide elements 17, 18, is moved linearly and horizontally relative to the turnstile 24, whereby the tobacco portion is somehow cut off from the incoming tobacco 11.

[0022] As soon as the portioning chamber 15 is outside the operating range of the turnstile 24, the volume of the portioning chamber 15 changes, namely, in particular, its reduction for densification of the tobacco portion. This change in volume is obtained by sliders 17, 18 (see e.g.

the slide element 17 moved relative to the slide 18 or 17 or both slide elements 17, 18 can be moved towards each other. The sliding elements 17, 18 are guided inside the groove 20 of the base plate 19. During the final compaction, the portioning chamber 15 is closed until the elements of figures 3 and 4c) are pushed together. At or 18 there may be a second top element by a suitable device. It may be e.g. a cover device covering the groove 20 in this area. As soon as the tobacco portion is finally compacted, i.e. when the slide elements 17, 18 are slid as far as possible and form tobacco 11 a cylindrical (or, depending on the contours of the slide elements 17, 18 also differently shaped) tobacco rod, the tobacco rod is further moved in the direction dispensing position A through the outlet 23, by jointly driving or moving the slide members

17, 18. As soon as the tobacco rod is above the outlet 23 (see, e.g., Figures 3 and 4d), the tobacco rod extends. This extension can take place through the element 16 by blowing out the tobacco rod. The tobacco rod can also be squeezed out or otherwise removed from the portioning chamber 15. To facilitate or assist the ejection, the slide elements 17, 18 may open slightly when ejecting or briefly before ejecting by slightly sliding the elements 17 apart from each other,

18. The tobacco portions dispensed and ejected in the manner described correspond to the portion corresponding to the packaging and form the content of a single bag with a seal. [0023] In further optional method steps that improve the invention, the final concentration of the pre-compressed tobacco portions and the shifting of the finally concentrated tobacco portions can be moved to dispensing position A to reduce the duration of the process. The displacement of the portion chamber 15 or the slide elements 17, 18 relative to the harrow element 14 from the filling position B towards the dispensing position A takes place preferably first while maintaining the volume of the portion chamber 15. That is, the portion of tobacco before the actual final density is moved from the area of ​​filling position B , thereby avoiding squeezing a portion of tobacco from the portioning chamber 15 back into the chambers 27 of the turnstile 24 during final compaction.

[0024] As already mentioned, it is preferred to carry the tobacco 11 to the portion chamber 15 by oscillating movement. This avoids the formation of so-called dump cones in the area of ​​the turnstile 24. By turning, preferably twice in one direction and once the other, from rotation, the potential tobacco cone 11 is immediately smoothed. Of course, you can also make an even or circular or linear scraping movement.

[0025] Optionally, tobacco '11 may be screened before feeding. Tobacco 11 can be screened as desired directly to the turnstile 24. Alternatively, tobacco 11 can also be screened into the vibrating chute as a feed element 12. In any case, the invention optionally provides that the fill height of turnstile 24 is monitored to control the flow of tobacco 11 to turnstile 24 .

[0026] To align the device 10 and the subsequent machine with each other, it may make sense to match the connecting element, for example the pipe in diameter, to the diameter of the cylindrical portion of tobacco or the outlet 23. Preferably, the internal diameter of the pipe is slightly larger than the diameter of the outlet 23 This is especially true for the variant of ejecting a cylindrical portion of tobacco (tobacco rod) via compressed air. When ejecting a portion of tobacco via compressed air, it may be beneficial to provide additional air volume to achieve a surface impact of the tobacco portion.

Hauni Maschinenbau AG

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