Abstract:
Method and system for arranging rod-like elements, in which an unordered portion of rod-like elements, composed each of at least one part selected from cigarette parts being filter parts and tobacco parts, is delivered to a conveyor enabling arrangement of the elements on the conveyor in a plurality of compartments, longitudinally in each compartment and transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor. The compartments have a length adapted to receive at least one filter part and at least one tobacco part of a cigarette. The type, number and location of parts of the element received in each compartment is defined by at least a single scanning of each successive compartment of the conveyor. The result of the scanning is transmitted to a control unit and the elements are subsequently sorted based on information received from the control unit.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to a method and a system for arranging rod-like elements constituting production waste in tobacco industry. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Devices for cutting cigarette tobacco parts off their filter parts are known in the art. Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,404,688 discloses a device for cutting open the elements of so called “double cigarettes” containing a double filter part and two tobacco parts. Such elements are cut open if their tobacco parts have been filled with the tobacco in a faulty manner. 
         [0003]    Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,613 discloses a device for cutting open both double and regular cigarettes not fulfilling quality requirements. 
         [0004]    The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,291 enables cutting open defective regular cigarettes that are not arranged in any orderly manner, i.e. having their filter parts oriented in both possible directions. 
         [0005]    Document DE 1106227 presents a device for cutting cigarette tobacco parts off their filter parts, the device requiring an orderly arrangement of the cigarettes with their filters oriented in one direction according to the position of a disc knife used for cutting the cigarette parts. 
         [0006]    Devices for arranging rod-like waste elements constituting a mixture of various types of elements, i.e. a mixture of both single and double cigarettes as well as separate filter and tobacco parts, are not known in the art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The object of the invention is to provide a system and a method for arranging rod-like waste elements produced at various stages of a cigarette production process. 
         [0008]    According to the invention a method of arranging rod-like elements is provided, in which an unordered portion of rod-like elements composed each of at least one part selected from a group including cigarette parts being filter parts and tobacco parts, is delivered to a conveyor enabling arrangement of the elements on the said conveyor in a plurality of compartments, longitudinally in each compartment and transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor, the compartments having a length adapted to receive at least one filter part and at least one tobacco part of a cigarette. 
         [0009]    The method is characterized in that the type, the number and the location of parts of the element received in each successive compartment is defined by at least a single scanning of each successive compartment of the conveyor, the result of the scanning being transmitted to a control unit in which each compartment is assigned information about its contents, the elements being subsequently sorted out, basing on the information received from the control unit, by the type and the number of parts each element is composed of, as well as by the location of these parts in the compartment, by transferring the elements contained in successive compartments to suitable receiving means selected according to the information received from the control unit. 
         [0010]    Preferably, each compartment of the conveyor has a length which comprises a multiple of a sum of the length of the filter part and the tobacco part of an element. 
         [0011]    The scanning is preferably performed by means of a longitudinal scanning head located immovably above the conveyor and extending in a direction along the compartments. 
         [0012]    The scanning of each compartment may be effected by separate scanning of its individual adjoining sectors, each sector having a length equal at most to the length of the filter part of a cigarette. 
         [0013]    Preferably, each compartment is scanned more than once by means of a sliding scanning head moving above the conveyor and along it. 
         [0014]    Preferably, a scanning head is used enabling detecting at least one of the features selected from a group containing: presence or absence of an element in a compartment, external color of the element, density of the contents of the element, contrast of the scanned elements, presence of a detectable indicator on the element. 
         [0015]    The successive elements are preferably sorted out and transferred to a suitable receiving means by locating them in separate chambers of the receiving means, the chambers collecting the elements selected from the groups containing: elements composed of two tobacco parts combined with two filter parts, elements composed of one tobacco part combined with two filter parts, the tobacco part of which being located on a first side of the compartment, elements composed of one tobacco part combined with two filter parts, the tobacco part of which being located on an opposite side of the compartment, elements composed exclusively of filter parts, elements composed of a tobacco part combined with a filter part, the tobacco part of which being located on a first side of the compartment, elements composed of a tobacco part combined with a filter part, the tobacco part of which being located on a second side of the compartment, elements composed exclusively of tobacco parts, the elements from the compartments in which more than one element is detected being returned and placed back on the conveyor. 
         [0016]    The rod-like elements are preferably transferred to the receiving means by feeding means comprising compressed air nozzles or pushers, 
         [0017]    According to another aspect of the invention a system is provided for arranging rod-like elements composed each of at least one part selected from a group including cigarette parts being filter parts and tobacco parts, comprising a conveyor on which an unordered portion of the rod-like elements is delivered, the conveyor enabling arrangement of the elements in a plurality of compartments, longitudinally in each compartment and transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor, the compartments having a length adapted to receive at least one filter part and at least one tobacco part of a cigarette. 
         [0018]    The system is characterized in that a scanning means is located above the conveyor enabling at least a single scanning of each successive compartment of the conveyor and definition of the type, the number and the location of the parts of an element received in each successive compartment, the system being further provided with a control unit assigning each compartment the information about its contents, and in that the system is further provided with feeding means and receiving means for the elements which are sorted out basing on the information received from the control unit, by the type and the number of the parts an element is composed of, as well as by the location of these component parts within the compartment, the feeding means and the receiving cooperating with the control unit. 
         [0019]    The conveyor is preferably a belt conveyor or a drum conveyor. The control unit is preferably a programmable controller or an industrial computer. 
         [0020]    The scanning means may be constituted by a longitudinal scanning head located immovably above the conveyor and extending in a direction along the compartments. 
         [0021]    Each compartment of the conveyor has preferably a length able to receive at most one filter part and one tobacco part of an element. 
         [0022]    Each compartment of the conveyor may have a length that comprises a multiple of a sum of the length of the filter part and the tobacco part of an element. 
         [0023]    The scanning means may have a form of a sliding scanning head movable above the conveyor and along it. 
         [0024]    The scanning head preferably comprises a plurality of scanning sections, each scanning section comprising a sensor adapted to detect at least one of the features selected from a group containing: presence or absence of an element in a compartment, external color of the element, density of the contents of the element, contrast of the scanned elements, presence of a detectable indicator on the element. 
         [0025]    The receiving means preferably comprise preferably containers, receiving channels or conveyors into which the elements are fed from the individual compartments of the conveyor via the channels. 
         [0026]    The receiving means preferably comprise separate chambers collecting the elements selected from the groups containing: elements composed of two tobacco parts combined with two filter parts, elements composed of one tobacco part combined with two filter parts, the tobacco part of which being located on a first side of the compartment, elements composed of one tobacco part combined with two filter parts, the tobacco part of which being located on an opposite side of the compartment, elements composed exclusively of filter parts, elements composed of a tobacco part combined with a filter part, the tobacco part of which being located on a first side of the compartment, elements composed of a tobacco part combined with a filter part, the tobacco part of which being located on a second side of the compartment, elements composed exclusively of tobacco parts. 
         [0027]    The feeding means may comprise compressed air nozzles or pushers. The system according to the invention may be associated with a cutting unit for separating the tobacco parts from the filter parts. 
         [0028]    The invention provides an advantageous possibility of arranging in an orderly way any waste coming from a cigarette production process as well as any other rod-like products of tobacco industry in such a way that the individual elements are sorted out in separate containers, conveyors, channels etc. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]    An exemplary embodiment of the system and the method of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which: 
           [0030]      FIGS. 1   a - 1   b  show exemplary conveyors of an exemplary system according to the invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  shows various types of rod-like waste elements; 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of an exemplary scanning head of the shown exemplary system according to the invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  shows a top view of the scanning head; 
           [0034]      FIGS. 5-8  show examples of rod-like waste elements scanned by the scanning head; 
           [0035]      FIG. 9  schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention; 
           [0036]      FIGS. 10-13  show examples of conveyor compartments; 
           [0037]      FIG. 14  shows another exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention; 
           [0038]      FIGS. 15-19  show some other exemplary embodiments of the system according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0039]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  illustrate exemplary conveyors that may constitute a part of an exemplary system according to the invention.  FIG. 1   a  shows an example of a belt conveyor  1 , while  FIG. 1   b  shows an example of a drum conveyor  1 ′. Both types of the conveyors are provided with compartments  2 ,  2 ′ into which rod-like elements, in particular cigarette production waste rod-like elements  3 , are fed. Waste elements  3  are placed in a chute  4  from which they are fed to the compartments  2 ,  2 ′ of the conveyor  1 ,  1 ′. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  illustrates examples of rod-like elements  3  being waste products of the cigarette production process, the elements including:
       elements  3 A consisting of two tobacco parts  3 ′ combined with two filter parts  3 ″ constituting two cigarettes connected with each other, i.e. non-separated;   elements  3 B consisting of one tobacco part  3 ′ combined with two filter parts  3 ″;   elements  3 C consisting of two filter parts  3 ″ connected with each other, i.e. non-separated;   elements  3 D consisting of one tobacco part  3 ′ combined with one filter part  3 ″ constituting a complete cigarette;   elements  3 E consisting of just one tobacco part  3 ′;   elements  3 F consisting of just one filter part  3 ′.       
 
         [0047]      FIG. 3  presents an exemplary scanning head  5  belonging to the system according to the invention. The scanning head  5  comprises a plurality of scanning sections  5 ′, e.g. sections P 1  to P 10 , each scanning section  5 ′ may be provided with various types of sensors adapted to detect, among others, the presence or absence of an object in the scanned area, the external color of the scanned object, the contrast of the scanned objects, the density of the contents of the object, or to read special indicators provided on the object. 
         [0048]      FIG. 4  shows a top view of the scanning head  5  located above the conveyor  1 , the scanning head  5  being positioned along successive moving compartments  2  in which waste elements  3  are received. The scanning head  5  may be stationary or slidable and may be adapted to be movable in order to perform the scanning in the direction of the conveyor movement. Additionally it may be movable along the compartments  2 . 
         [0049]      FIGS. 5-8  show examples of waste elements  3  scanned by the scanning head  5 .  FIG. 5  shows an element  3 A consisting of two tobacco parts  3 ′ combined with two filter parts  3 ″, the scanning head being adapted to scan, among others, the indicators  6  that have been intentionally applied onto the surface of the element e.g. close to the connection of the tobacco part  3 ′ with the filter part  3 ″. All the scanning sections will detect the presence of the element  3 A, while the scanning sections  5 ′, P 4  to P 7  will detect the presence of the filter parts  3 ″, the sections P 4  and P 7  will detect the presence of the indicators, and the sections P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , P 8 , P 9  and P 10  will detect the presence of the tobacco parts  3 ′. The result of the scanning is transmitted to a control unit S shown in  FIG. 9 , and the scanned compartment is assigned the information about its contents. The control unit S may be a programmable controller or an industrial computer. 
         [0050]    As shown in  FIG. 6  a waste element  3 B and a waste element  3 C are received in another exemplary compartment  2  of the conveyor  1 . The scanning sections  5 ′, P 1 , P 2  and P 3  will detect the presence of the filter parts  3 ″, and the sections P 1  and P 3  will detect the presence of the indicators  6 . The section P 4  will detect the presence of a fragment of the filter part  3 ″ and the presence of the indicator  6 , the sections P 4 , P 5 , P 6  and P 7  will detect the presence of the filter parts  3 ″, the section P 7  will detect the presence of the indicator  6 , while the sections P 7 , P 8 , P 9  and P 10  will detect the presence of the tobacco part  3 ′. In another exemplary compartment  2  of the conveyor  1 , shown in  FIG. 7 , there is a waste element  3 C, The sections P 1  to P 6  will detect the presence of the waste element, the sections P 1  to P 4  will detect the presence of the tobacco part  3 ′, the sections P 5  and P 6  will detect the presence of the tobacco part  3 ′, while the section P 5  will detect the presence of the indicator  6 . The scanning sections  5 ′, P 6  to P 9  in  FIG. 8  will detect the presence of the filter part  3 ″ of the waste element  3 F, and the remaining scanning sections  5 ′ will detect the absence of elements. In each of the above described examples, the control unit receives the information about the type(s) of the waste element  3  and about its position in the compartment. 
         [0051]      FIG. 9  schematically illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention.  FIG. 9  shows how the waste elements  3  of various types that are transferred to the respective receiving means. In the example shown, the elements  3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  3 D,  3 E and  3 F are transported on the conveyor  1  in their compartments  2 . After having been scanned by the scanning head  5 , the elements are transferred to a feeding zone  10  comprising as shown in this example, the compartments  2 - 7 ,  2 - 8 ,  2 - 9 ,  2 - 10 ,  2 - 11  and  2 - 12 . Conventional feeding means are provided in the feeding zone  10  which feed the waste elements from the successive compartments into the receiving means  12 A,  12 B,  12 CF,  12 D,  12 D′,  12 E. The receiving means may have a form of containers, channels, conveyors etc. The means feeding the elements are controlled basing on the signals coming from the control unit. The waste elements  3 A are fed to the conveyor  12 A and may be transferred on in order to separate their tobacco parts from the filter parts, and the elements  38  are placed on the conveyor  12 B. On the other hand, the elements  3 D scanned to be positioned with their filter parts on the left or the right side as seen on the figure, are fed to the conveyors  12 D and  12 D′. Due to the uniform orientation of the elements  3 D, they may be fed directly to a cutting assembly in order to have their tobacco parts separated from their filter parts. The elements  3 C and  3 F are fed to the container  12 CF, while the elements  3 E are fed to the container  12 E, From the compartments where different types of waste elements  3  are detected in one compartment, as e.g. in the compartments  2 - 4  and  2 - 6  on the figure, the elements are not removed but they are returned into the chute in order to be placed back on the conveyor  1  upstream the scanning head. 
         [0052]      FIGS. 10 to 13  show the compartments  2 ″ according to another embodiment, in which the rod-like elements of the type  3 D,  3 E and  3 F are sorted out. In the situation as shown in  FIG. 10  all the scanning sections  5 ′ of the scanning head  5 , namely the sections P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , P 4  and P 5  will detect the presence of the element  3 D, the section P 4  will detect the presence of the indicator  6 , the sections P 4  and P 5  will detect the presence of the filter part. The position of the element  3 D in  FIG. 11  is opposite to the one of  FIG. 10 . The indicator  6  is detected by the section P 2 , and the filter part by the sections P 1  and P 2 . The scanning head  5  of the  FIG. 12  detects two filter parts, while the sections P 2  and P 5  of  FIG. 13  detect the presence of the element  3 E. In the zone  10  ( FIG. 14 ), conventional feeding means are provided, for feeding the waste elements from the successive compartments into the conveyors or channels  11 C,  11 D,  11 D′,  11 E feeding the elements into the receiving means  12 A,  12 B,  12 CF,  12 D,  12 D′,  12 E. The elements  3 D on the conveyor  1 ″, scanned to be positioned with their filter parts on the left or the right side as seen in the figure, are fed to the conveyors  13 D and  13 D′. Due to the uniform orientation of the elements  3 D, they may be fed directly to a cutting assembly in order to have their tobacco parts separated from their filter parts. The elements  3 C are fed to the container  13 C, while the elements  3 E are fed to the container  13 E. 
         [0053]      FIG. 14  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention, in which the elements  3 D,  3 E i  3 F are transported on the conveyor  1 ″ in the compartments  2 ″. After having been scanned by the scanning head  5 , the elements are transferred to the feeding zone  10  comprising as shown in this example, the compartments  2 ″- 7 .  2 ″- 8 ,  2 ″- 9  i  2 ″- 10 . This example shows the sorting out of the waste elements  3  consisting at most of one filter part and one tobacco part. Conventional feeding means are provided in the feeding zone  10  which feed the waste elements from the successive compartments  11 C,  11 D,  11 D′,  11 E into the receiving means  12 C,  12 D,  12 D′,  12 E. The elements  3 D scanned to be positioned on the conveyor  1 ″ with their filter parts on the left or the right side as seen in the figure, are fed to the conveyors  12 D and  12 D′. Due to the uniform orientation of the elements  3 D, they may be fed directly to a cutting assembly in order to have their tobacco parts separated from their filter parts. The waste elements  3 F are fed to the container  12 C, while the elements  3 E are fed to the container  12 E. 
         [0054]      FIG. 15  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the system for performing the method for arranging the rod-like waste elements  3  placed on the conveyor  101  provided with the compartments  102 . This example shows the sorting out of the waste elements  3  consisting at most of one filter part and one tobacco part. 
         [0055]    The scanning head  5  comprising a plurality of scanning sections  5 ′ is oriented along the compartments  102 , the area of scanning of the scanning head being indicated by the reference  105 X. In this exemplary embodiment the scanning head is equipped with additional sections  105 R and  105 L directed towards the endings of the waste elements  3 , the function of the additional scanning section being to analyze the color or the density of the waste elements  3 . Basing on the scanning, the data informing of the number and contents of the successive compartments is assigned to the respective compartments and stored in the control unit in order to sort out the waste elements by feeding them into suitable receiving means. The conveyor  101  is moving upwards (in the figure) transferring the successive compartments  102  through the zones of operation of the means feeding the elements from the successive compartments into the suitable receiving means. The elements are led in the compartments between the lateral guides  117  and  118 . The feeding means constituted of compressed air nozzles  10 FX provided in the feeding zone  10 F, transfer the waste elements  3 F from the successive compartments into the conveyor or channel  11 F, from which the elements  3 F are delivered to the receiving means  12 F (not shown); the receiving means may have a form of containers, channels or conveyors etc.. The flow direction of the compressed air from the nozzle located in the lateral guide wall is shown by the arrows directed towards the conveyor or channel  11 F. In the feeding zone  10 E feeding means constituted of the compressed air nozzles are located, that deliver the waste elements  3 E from the successive compartments into the conveyor or channel  11 E feeding the elements  3 E into the receiving means  12 F (not shown), the receiving means may have a form of containers, channels or conveyors etc. As in the case of the elements  3 F, the flow direction of the compressed air moving the elements  3 E is shown by the arrows. The signals used for controlling the nozzles  10 FX and  10 EX come, as in the above described examples, from the control unit (not shown). The feeding zone  10 D constitutes the area of operation of the means in the form of pushers  10 DY, feeding the rod-like waste elements  3 D. Depending on the information concerning the waste elements  3 D and stored during the scanning, namely the positioning of their filter parts, the elements are transferred to the left or to the right (on the figure) into the suitable lateral guides  119  and  120 . The operation of the pushers results in locating the elements  3 D in two channels  11 D and  11 D′ which may be overlapping each other so that the elements  3 D are partially supported by the elements  121 , and may also be spaced so as not to overlap. The supporting elements  121  may also have a form of conveyors moving with a speed equal to the speed of the conveyor  101 . The receiving means  12 D and  12 D′ may be located so that they form extensions of the channels  11 D i  11 D′ and within the receiving means cutting means may be provided for separating the tobacco parts from the filter parts by cutting the elements  3 D along the line  122 . Disc cutting knives, straight line knives, laser or water stream knives etc. may be used. 
         [0056]      FIG. 16  shows an example similar to that of  FIG. 15 , the elements  3 D being transferred in the zone  10 D to the left or to the right by the feeding means in the form of the compressed air nozzles  10 DX. In order to increase the effectiveness of the transfer of the elements  3 F,  3 E and  3 D in the zones  10 F,  10 E and  10 D, the elements  123 F,  123 E and  123 D are used covering the compartments  102  and causing the compressed air to be delivered to the channels formed by the walls  124  and the bottom  125  of the compartments  102  and the respective element  123 F,  123 E or  123 D. 
         [0057]      FIG. 17  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the system for for arranging the rod-like waste elements  3 , adapted for sorting out the elements consisting at most of two tobacco parts and two filter parts. The waste elements  3  are transported on the conveyor  201  provided with compartments  202 , The scanning head  5  comprising a plurality of scanning sections  5 ′ is located along the compartments  202 , the area of scanning of the scanning head is indicated by the reference  205 X. In this exemplary embodiment the scanning head is also equipped with additional sections  205 R and  205 L directed towards the endings of the waste elements  3 , the function of the additional sections being the analysis of the color and the density of the waste elements  3 . Basing on the scanning, the data informing of the number and contents of the successive compartments is assigned to the respective compartments and stored in the control unit in order to sort out the waste elements by feeding them into suitable receiving means. The conveyor  201  is moving upwards (in the figure) transferring the successive compartments  202  through the zones of operation of the means feeding the elements from the successive compartments into the suitable receiving means. The elements are led in the compartments between the lateral guides  217  and  218 , Feeding means in the form of compressed air nozzles  10 EX located in the side guide  218  are provided in the feeding zone  10 E, feeding the waste elements  3 E from the successive compartments into the conveyor or channel  11 E, from which the elements  3 E are delivered to the receiving means  12 E (not shown), the receiving means may have a form of containers, channels or conveyors etc. Feeding means in the form of compressed air nozzles  10 BX located in the side guide  218  are provided in the feeding zone  10 B, feeding the waste elements  3 B from the successive compartments into the conveyor or channel  11 B, from which the elements  3 B are delivered to the receiving means  12 B (not shown). Similarly, feeding means in the form of compressed air nozzles  10 DX located in the side guide  218  are provided in the feeding zone  10 D, feeding the waste elements  3 D from the successive compartments into the conveyor or channel  11 D, from which the elements  3 D are delivered to the receiving means  12 D (not shown). In the last feeding zone  10 C feeding means in the form of compressed air nozzles  10 CX located in the side guide  218  are provided in the feeding zone  10 C, feeding the waste elements  3 C from the successive compartments into the conveyor or channel  11 C, from which the elements  3 C are delivered to the receiving means  12 C (not shown). The signals used for controlling the feeding means in the form of the nozzles  10 EX,  10 BX,  10 DX and  10 CX come from the control unit (not shown) and are generated basing on the information gathered by the scanning head  205 . The zones  10 E,  10 B,  10 D and  10 C are provided with the covering elements  223 E,  223 B,  223 D i  223 C for increasing the effectiveness of rejecting the elements by means of the compressed air. The waste elements  3 A, positioned so that they may undergo cutting by the cutting assembly along the line  222  in order to separate their tobacco parts from their filter parts, are transferred on to the receiving means  12 A. 
         [0058]    A similar example is shown in  FIG. 18 . Feeding means in the form of nozzles  10 EX and  10 CX are provided in the feeding zones  10 E and  10 C, feeding the elements  3 E,  3 C and  3 F to the channels or conveyors  11 E and  11 C. On the other hand, the waste elements  3 B and  3 D, having their filter parts directed to the right in the figure, are shifted as far as the lateral guide  217 ′ by means of the compressed air nozzle  240 . The waste elements  3 B and  3 D, having their filter parts directed to the left in the figure, are shifted as far as the lateral guide  218 ′ by means of the compressed air nozzle  241 . The waste elements  3 D oriented uniformly are rejected in the zone  10 G; other elements of various types located in one compartments may also be rejected in this zone. The elements rejected in this zone are placed back on the conveyor  201 , upstream the scanning area  205 X. The conveyor  201  transfers the elements remaining in its compartments as far as the area  12 A where the tobacco parts may be separated from the filter parts along the line  222 . Precision of the cutting may be improved by reducing the distance between the endings of the guides  217 A and  218 A in relation to the distance between the endings of the guides  217 ′ and  218 ′ which results in reduction of the play within which the elements may be positioned in the compartments. 
         [0059]    In the example shown in  FIG. 19  the elements  3 E are not transferred by the channel or conveyor  11 E, but they are shifted as far as the guide  218 ′ by the nozzle  242 .