Device allowing for the individual distribution of small stick-shaped objects

The invention relates to a device (1) for the individual distribution of small stick-shaped objects (7), this device (1) making use of:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention concerns a device allowing for the individual distribution of small stick-shaped objects. This invention relates more specifically but not exclusively, to an automatic distributor allowing for the loading of cigarettes or cigarette filters into a measurement station.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is known that loaders of small stick-shaped objects such as cigarettes or cigarette filters already exist, these loaders generally comprising a conveyor belt that comprises separators on the upper surface thereon making it possible to define compartments wherein the cigarettes or said filters are arranged perpendicularly to the displacement axis of the belt. In this way, a translation of the conveyor belt allows each compartment to be successively carried over or next to a container of a measurement station wherein said cigarettes or said cigarette filters can be transferred.

Moreover, these devices generally make use of pushing mechanisms making it possible to load small stick-shaped objects into said container. It has been shown that this solution has a certain number of drawbacks.

For instance, during the transfer, the small stick-shaped objects tend to tip and to be arranged in random fashion in the container of the measurement device This results in a major risk of jamming in this container and of deteriorating the cigarettes or filters. The use of pushing mechanisms and control circuits suitable to these mechanisms as well as the resulting complexity of the overall device consequently leads to a relatively high cost price, risks of malfunction and difficulties concerning adjustments and maintenance.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of this invention is therefore more particularly to suppress these disadvantages. It proposes a loader making it possible to distribute small stick-shaped objects into a container of a device such as a measurement station without requiring the use of pushing mechanisms, which in particular makes it possible to simplify mechanical adjustments, reduce production and maintenance costs, and to ensure that during the transfer between the compartments and the container the cigarettes or filters are oriented in parallel to one another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To that effect, the invention proposes a device for the individual distribution of small stick-shaped objects, this device making use of:a conveyor comprising an endless conveyor belt circulating around at least two pulleys or rollers respectively upstream and downstream of which at least one is driven by an motor, the outer side of this belt being provided with transversal separators which delimit a succession of compartments wherein the small stick-shaped objects are arranged;a hopper wherein the small stick-shaped objects contained in the compartments are successively dumped;an individual distributor arranged in the base of the hopper and wherein the small stick-shaped objects become engaged via gravity.

According to the invention, this device is characterised in that it comprises:a support and guide easing comprising a semi-cylindrical form, substantially coaxial to the downstream pulley and the radius of which is substantially equal to the sum of the radius of the pulley and of the height of the separators, this casing being oriented in such a way that it maintains small stick-shaped objects inside their respective compartments during the passing of the belt on said pulley;a flexible vertical partition separating the internal space of the hopper into two communicating sub-portions, the vertical axis of this partition and the lower end of said casing being substantially coaxial.

In this way, at each displacement of the conveyor belt corresponding to one step, the small stick-shaped objects contained in the compartment positioned above the hopper are transferred in a controlled way into the corresponding sub-portion of the hopper, before becoming engaged in the individual distributor.

Advantageously, the device according to the invention can comprise at least two sensors, such as photoelectric cells, making it possible on the one hand to ensure that the conveyor belt stops at each advance of one step according to the marks defined and on the other hand, to detect the transfer of the small stick-shaped objects into the hopper.

Advantageously, the conveyor can in particular be arranged according to a substantially horizontal or vertical axis. In this latter case, the support and guide casing is substantially coaxial to the upstream pulley, said separators of the conveyor belt are arranged obliquely and the hopper is arranged laterally in the vicinity of the upper portion of the conveyor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In this example, such as is shown inFIG. 1, the device according to the invention1comprises a conveyor2arranged according to a substantially horizontal axis, this conveyor2comprising an endless conveyor belt3circulating around two pulleys or rollers4,4′ respectively upstream and downstream of which at least one is driven by a motor (not shown).

The outer side of this endless conveyor belt3comprises transversal separators5which delimit a succession of compartments6wherein small stick-shaped objects7are arranged. In this example, endless conveyor belt3circulates in a clockwise direction.

The device according to the invention1also comprises a support and guide casing8comprising a semi-cylindrical form, substantially coaxial to the downstream pulley4′ and of which the radius is substantially equal to the sum of the radius of pulley4′ and of the height of separators5, this casing8being oriented in such a way that it maintains small stick-shaped objects7inside their respective compartments6during the passing of belt3on said pulley4′.

In addition, the device according to the invention1comprises a hopper9wherein the small stick-shaped objects7contained in compartments6are successively dumped. This hopper9comprises:an individual distributor10arranged in the base of hopper9and wherein the small stick-shaped objects7become engaged via gravity, this individual distributor10able to be controlled by a motor (not shown); such as is shown inFIG. 2, this distributor10substantially has the form of a cylindrical and mobile magazine around the axis thereof (here, in the anticlockwise direction), this distributor10comprising on the upper surface thereof coaxial slots15which substantially have a semi-cylindrical form and of which the diameter is substantially equal to that of a small-stick shaped object7;a flexible vertical partition11able to be of metal mesh and which separates the internal space of hopper9into two communicating sub-portions12,12′, the lower portion of this vertical partition11and said individual distributor10being separated by a distance that is substantially equal to the diameter of small-stick shaped object7. In addition, the vertical axis of this partition11and the lower end of said casing8are substantially coaxial,lateral walls13,13′ which are preferably oblique in relation to vertical partition11as such, such as is shown inFIG. 2, the portion12of hopper9located to the left of vertical partition11substantially has the shape of a funnel.

Hopper9can also comprise a cylindrical and mobile device around the axis thereof14(here, in the anticlockwise direction) sealing the space contained between the lower end of the left lateral wall13and the individual distributor10, the minimum distance that separates this device14from vertical partition11being substantially equal to the diameter of small-stick shaped object7.

In this way, after having triggered the start of conveyor belt3(by activating for example the motor driving at least one pulley or one roller4,4′) and filled with small stick-shaped objects7the upper compartments6of conveyor2, the small stick-shaped objects7contained in compartment6located furthest downstream in casing8fall into portion12of hopper9located to the left of vertical partition11inFIG. 2.

As such, at each displacement of conveyor belt3corresponding to a step, the small stick-shaped objects7contained in this compartment6positioned above hopper9are transferred in a controlled way into said portion12of hopper9, before becoming engaged by gravity in the individual distributor10.

Advantageously, the displacement speed of conveyor belt3can be controlled so as to make it possible for said small stick-shaped objects7to fall one by one into said portion12of hopper9. This controlling of the displacement speed of conveyor belt3associated with funnel shape of portion12of hopper9, with the characteristics of flexible vertical partition11and with the presence of the cylindrical and mobile device around the axis thereof14makes it possible to optimally control the transfer and the distribution of the small stick-shaped objects7in hopper9, as well as their engaging in the individual distributor10of which the rotation is controlled.

At the end of displacement of conveyor belt3corresponding to one step, all of the small stick-shaped objects7contained in said compartment6have been transferred into hopper9, the displacement of conveyor belt3able to be suspended until all of these objects7have been evacuated by individual distributor10.

Advantageously, the device according to the invention1can comprise at least two sensors16,16′, such as photoelectric cells, making it possible:to ensure that conveyor belt3stops at each advance of one step according to the marks defined as such, the marks are defined in such a way that at each stopping of conveyor belt3one of said compartments6is located above portion12of hopper9located to the left, in the example shown inFIG. 2, of vertical partition11; andto detect the transfer of the small stick-shaped objects7into hopper9, sensor16′ then being positioned between the lower portion of casing8and hopper9.

Portion12′ of hopper9shown to the right of vertical partition11inFIG. 2can comprise a lid17that when raised makes it possible to fill said portion12′ of hopper9with small stick-shaped objects7. In this way, these small stick-shaped objects7can be distributed by the individual distributor10without having been loaded beforehand into compartments6of conveyor2.

Conveyor2can be contained within an enclosure (not shown) in order to protect it as well as the small stick-shaped objects7. Advantageously, this enclosure can comprise at least on the upper portion thereof, trap doors arranged so as to be in the axis of compartments6when conveyor1is idle, the device according to the invention1able to comprise an inductive sensor (not shown) making it possible to detect the opening of said trap doors.

Advantageously, conveyor2can be controlled by a control station (not shown).

According to an alternative execution such as is shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, conveyor2of the device according to the invention1can be arranged according to a substantially vertical axis and have in this case the following particularities, knowing that in the specific case conveyor belt3moves in the anticlockwise direction:support and guide casing8is substantially coaxial to upstream pulley4;said separators5of conveyor belt3are arranged obliquely in such a way that they are directed upwards when they are on the ascending side of conveyor belt3(inFIG. 3, the side on the right) and downwards when they are on the descending side (inFIG. 3, the side on the left); andhopper9is arranged laterally, in the vicinity of the upper portion of conveyor2and on the side where the descending side of conveyor belt3is located.

In order to allow all of the small stick-shaped objects7contained in compartment6that become engaged in the descent, to be transferred into hopper9, the lateral wall13′ of this hopper9located opposite the descending side of conveyor belt3can be oblique and substantially parallel to separators5located on the descending side of this conveyor belt3.

Hopper9can comprise:an individual distributor10of the aforementioned type which is arranged in the base thereof;two lateral walls13,13′;a cylindrical and mobile device around the axis thereof14of the aforementioned type, sealing the space contained between the lower end of lateral wall13which is shown on the left inFIG. 3and the individual distributor10.

Hopper9as well as conveyor2can each be contained within a distinct enclosure21,21′ so as to protect them. In this case, the device according to the invention1has the following specificities:enclosure21of conveyor2comprises an opening20located in the vicinity of the apex of conveyor2and arranged on the side where the descending side of conveyor belt3is located,hopper9comprises a flip-down lid19which makes it possible to access its inner space via an opening22, this lid19being arranged in such a way as to be in closed position opposite said opening20in order to allow for the passing of the small stick-shaped objects7from compartments6to hopper9when said lid19is raised

Advantageously, in order to prove optimal guiding of the small stick-shaped objects7when they are transferred into hopper9, the device according to the invention1can comprise a baffle18comprising:a first element24fixed on the outer side of enclosure21of conveyor2, at the base of said opening20; this first element24comprises an extension23directed towards opening22of hopper9and of which the slope is preferably less accentuated than that of separators5located on the descending side of conveyor2in order to slow down the travel of the small stick-shaped objects7during their transfer into hopper9;a second element24′ contained in hopper9and comprising:a first sub-element25fixed to enclosure21′ of hopper9;a second sub-element25′ extending in the direction of said lateral wall13′ of hopper9and arranged in such a way that the falling point of the small stick-shaped objects7onto this second sub-element25′ is at a reduced distance from the lower end of extension23of the first element24, and in that the lower end of this second sub-element25′ is in the vicinity of said lateral wall13′ of hopper9.

In this way, thanks to this baffle18, the flow control of the small stick-shaped objects7dumped into hopper9and their falling speed is optimised.

The device according to this alternative execution of the invention1can comprise:a sensor16of the aforementioned type making it possible to ensure that conveyor belt3stops at each advance of one step according to defined marks; anda sensor16′ of the aforementioned type making it possible to detect the transfer of the small stick-shaped objects7into hopper9, sensor16′ then being positioned between the lower portion of casing8and hopper9.

In this way, at each displacement of conveyor belt3corresponding to one step, the small stick-shaped objects7contained in the compartment6which is positioned above hopper9, are transferred in a controlled way into said hopper9, before becoming engaged via gravity in individual distributor10, with guidance for their falling into hopper9being optimised by the presence of said baffle18.