Patent Publication Number: US-2015068159-A1

Title: Storage magazine and method for the interim storage of snus bags

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for packaging snus bags. Snus bags are packing units filled with snus tobacco. Snus tobacco is what is referred to as oral tobacco (or tobacco mixtures) which is introduced into the mouth directly or in a suitable packaging, e.g. a bag made of cellulose or the like, wherein the term tobacco not only encompasses exclusively actual tobacco, but also tobacco with additives, aromas or the like. In the case of consumption of unpackaged snus tobacco, this is filled directly into tins, boxes, combination packs or similar packs. Actual consumption-convenient or ready-to-consume portioning is carried out by the consumer himself or herself. Snus tobacco is, however, also offered in a preportioned form. Snus tobacco, which is consumed in a packaged form, namely e.g. in individual sealing edge bags or the like, must be portioned and filled in advance. The tobacco portions, the weight and size of which can vary in each case and is normally in the milligram and gram range, are separated from a continuously or intermittently supplied flow of tobacco by means of metering devices and is normally packaged by what are referred to as sealing edge bag machines into snus bags. Several of these snus bags are packaged in a further machine into a sales pack such as e.g. a box or in particular a tin. 
     This packaging process of the snus bags into a sales pack is conventionally carried out as follows: 
     In a snus bag production machine, two bags are produced in parallel and discharged onto a belt. This belt travels with each discharge process by approximately a bag width so that in each case the next two snus bags produced are placed on the belt behind the previously produced two snus bags. The snus bags are transported to a packaging station at which a predetermined number of bags falls into a sales pack such as, for example, a tin. As a result of the arrangement of the production machine and the transport belt on which two bags are at all times transported next to one another, it is in each case only possible to pack an even number of snus bags in a sales pack. If one were to want to produce even more than two bags in parallel, the restrictions in terms of the number of bags for each packaging unit would increase further. Since in each case the number of snus bags produced simultaneously fall next to one another onto the transport belt, this number is either the smallest unit of which a multiple can be packaged in a sales pack or an additional device is required which regroups or separates out the snus bags before they are discharged to the sales pack. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention was therefore to make available an apparatus and a method which respectively enable easy packaging of snus bags into a sales pack and in particular also allows the packaging of any desired number of bags. 
     This object is achieved on the one hand by a storage hopper which is designed and adapted for interim storage of snus bags between a bag production apparatus and a transport device, comprising two side walls, a rear wall and a front wall, shaft walls running parallel to the side walls and spaced apart from one another, which form at least two shafts in the storage hopper, wherein the storage hopper has, on its side facing towards the transport device, a lower closure element for storing a defined number of snus bags in each shaft and for joint discharge of the defined number of snus bags to the transport device, and wherein the storage hopper has, on the side facing towards the bag production apparatus, an upper closure element which is independent of the lower closure element. Independent means that the position of the upper closure element has no influence on the position of the lower closure element and vice versa the position of the lower closure element has no influence on the position of the upper closure element. Both closure elements can be temporarily closed independently of one another. 
     The bag production apparatus is, for example, a multi-belt sealing edge bag machine in which snus tobacco is filled into bags and sealed in parallel in several belts. Such a machine operates with gravity; compressed air can additionally be introduced and thus, after the end of the sealing process, the filled snus bags fall out of a lower outlet opening out of the bag production apparatus. All of the belts are normally synchronised so that the finished snus bags are discharged from the parallel belts at the same time. 
     The storage hopper according to the invention is fitted at a distance below the bag production apparatus. This expediently has a number of shafts which corresponds to the number of production belts. As long as the lower closure element is closed, snus bags are accumulated in the shafts of the storage hopper. As soon as the desired number of snus bags is reached, the lower closure element is opened and the snus bags fall onto the transport device arranged below the storage hopper. This can occur as a result of gravity; in addition or alternatively, the introduction of compressed air is possible. After discharge of the packs, the lower closure element is closed again so that the next packs up to the desired number can be accumulated. 
     In this manner, a group of snus bags can be formed or a unit of snus bags can be put together, which is jointly packaged in a transport pack, independently of the number of production belts of the bag production apparatus. Packaging in a transport pack is possible in a very simple manner; a subsequent separation of the individual snus bags by means of an accelerator belt or the like is not required. 
     The storage hopper additionally has an upper closure element. This makes it possible to discharge imperfect or faulty snus bags. The upper closure element is controlled on the basis of information of a detection apparatus in the bag production apparatus. If the detection apparatus detects a snus bag to be faulty, the upper closure element is closed and the corresponding bag does not reach the storage hopper. 
     The upper closure element can be formed in such a manner that each shaft of the storage hopper can be individually closed. Each lower closure element of the storage hopper can correspondingly also be formed so as to be individually closable. It is, however, particularly advantageous if the upper and/or the lower closure element are formed in such a manner that all the shafts are formed to be jointly closable. This represents a particularly simple embodiment which can be produced without a great amount of structural outlay. 
     Due to the low structural requirements, a pivotable flap is particularly suitable as a closure element—both as an upper and as a lower closure element. This can advantageously be actuated by means of a pneumatic cylinder. A hydraulic cylinder or a different drive is also possible. 
     The shafts of the storage hopper can advantageously have a constant cross-section over their length. It is particularly advantageous if the cross-section of each shaft increases in the direction of conveyance of the snus bags. In such a formation, the individual snus bags can be distributed across a larger area on the base of the storage hopper. As a result, the height of the stack of accumulated snus bags is smaller and less time is required until all the snus bags have left the storage hopper after opening of the lower closure element. Moreover, in the case of this configuration, the bags cannot tilt in the shaft and no bag remains suspended in the shaft. 
     In order to configure discharge in a particularly simple manner in the case of a faulty snus bag, a sliding plate can be connected to the upper closure element in the direction of conveyance of the snus bags, which sliding plate forms a chute jointly with the upper closure element in its closed state. If a test device present in the bag production apparatus detects an imperfect or faulty bag, the upper closure element is closed. In this closed position, the upper closure element is advantageously inclined. The inclination is sufficiently large that the faulty bag does not remain on the closure element, but rather is discharged immediately. The attached sliding plate ensures that the faulty bag is passed on in the desired manner, for example, into a collecting bin for faulty products. 
     The object of the present invention is furthermore achieved by an arrangement for producing and packaging snus bags, comprising a bag production apparatus, a test device for testing the quality of the produced bags, a storage hopper as described above as well as a device for packaging the snus bags into a transport pack. Here, the device for packaging can be achieved by the storage hopper in combination with the transport device in that, namely on the transport device, the transport packs are already provided which accommodate the snus bags which fall out of the storage hopper during opening of the lower closure element. These transport packs only have still to be closed in a further step. 
     The object is furthermore achieved by a method for packaging snus bags in which the snus bags are stored in a storage hopper between a bag production apparatus and a transport device, wherein the storage hopper has at least two shafts and a lower closure element and an upper closure element for the shafts, comprising the repeating sequence of steps: 
     a) Closing the lower closure element of the storage hopper; 
     b) Accumulating a predetermined number of snus bags in each shaft; 
     c) Opening the lower closure element of the storage hopper when the predetermined number of snus bags is reached; 
     d) Discharging the snus bags to the transport device, 
     wherein the snus bags are tested before leaving the bag production apparatus and the upper closure element is closed when the test device detects a faulty snus bag so that the faulty bag is discharged, whereupon the upper closure element is opened again. 
     With this method, it is possible to collect any desired number of snus bags irrespective of the number of production belts in the bag production apparatus in groups or combine them to form a unit and discharge them with a transport device such as a transport belt without having to assemble the snus bags at a later point in time individually or in other units. Individual sections can be provided on the transport device as transport elements for accommodating the quantity of snus bags discharged by a respective shaft. The transport elements are preferably formed as transport packs, i.e. the transport packs, for example, tins, which accommodate the number of snus bags discharged by a respective shaft, are already located on the transport device. Additional transport of the individual snus bags is thus avoided. 
     In one particularly advantageous embodiment, all those snus bags which leave the snus bag production apparatus from the parallel production belts simultaneously with the faulty snus bag are jointly discharged with the faulty snus bag. This is a solution which is particularly simple in terms of the method and does not require any complicated individual control of the respective channels or shafts and their closure elements. 
     The transport device advantageously comprises individual transport elements, and the discharge of the packs to the transport device is carried out in such a manner that the predetermined number of snus bags of each shaft is emptied directly into a separate empty transport element of the transport device and the transport device transports the transport elements further in such a manner that, the next time the lower closure element is opened according to step c), each shaft is again assigned an empty transport element. This can occur in that the transport belt, after completed filling of the individual transport elements, moves so far in one step that all the filled transport elements leave the region below the storage hopper and empty transport elements are positioned below the storage hopper. The transport belt is, however, particularly suitably synchronised with the bag production apparatus and moves in smaller individual steps. This enables greater variability for further transport or further packaging of the sales packs, for example, in a transport box. 
     The time for emptying the storage hopper can advantageously be configured to be particularly long in that the lower closure element is already open, while the last of a predetermined number of snus bags are still falling through the storage hopper. The last snus bag of the predetermined number thus falls “through”, i.e. it is not temporarily stored in the storage hopper, but rather falls directly into the transport element of the transport belt located below the storage hopper. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention including the principle of the method will be described below by way of example on the basis of a preferred embodiment. The additional features or further developments of the invention described below on the basis of the enclosed drawing represent in each case in themselves or in combination with one another preferred embodiments of the invention. 
       In the drawing: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a storage hopper according to the invention with a closed lower and open upper closure element; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the storage hopper from  FIG. 1  with an open lower and closed upper closure element; 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the storage hopper from  FIG. 1  with a closed lower and closed upper closure element; 
         FIG. 4  shows a right-hand lateral view of the storage hopper in the position shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a right-hand lateral view of the storage hopper in the position shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic view of an arrangement according to the invention for the production and packaging of snus bags. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a storage hopper  1 , designed and adapted for the interim storage of snus bags between a bag production apparatus and a transport device. The storage hopper comprises two side walls, a right-hand side wall  2  and a left-hand side wall  3  as well as a rear wall  4  and a front wall (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The side walls and rear wall are composed of metal, but other materials such as plastic can also be used. The front wall is composed of a Plexiglas® plate, wherein a different transparent material can also be used. As a result, a free view of the interior of the hopper is enabled so that it is possible to detect in a timely manner when the hopper should be cleaned or whether a shaft is blocked. 
     Spaced apart shaft walls  5  which form at least two shafts  6  in the storage hopper run parallel to side walls  2 ,  3 . The spacing of shaft walls  5  from one another is essentially identical. The shaft walls have at their front and their rear edge in each case two projections  7 . These serve as a mounting aid in order to be better able to position the side walls. The front and rear wall have recesses which correspond to the projections and which are formed in a groove shape and into which the projections of the shaft walls engage. In the embodiment shown, the shafts have an essentially identical cross-section across the entire length of the shaft. Alternatively, the cross-section of each shaft can increase in a funnel shape in the direction of conveyance of the snus bags. This can be carried out in such a manner that the front and/or the rear wall open out on the bottom so that it has a trapezoidal lateral cross-section. Such an arrangement is particularly desirable if the time for emptying the hopper is not sufficient. As a result of the cross-section which is increased at the bottom, the accumulated snus bags can be distributed on a larger base area so that, during opening of the lower closure element, all the bags do not fall out consecutively, but rather several bags fall out simultaneously. 
     Hopper accommodation portions  11  serve to attach and fix the storage hopper on a snus bag production apparatus or on a stand. 
     On its side facing towards the transport device, storage hopper  1  has a lower closure element  8  formed as a pivotable flap. In the embodiment shown, the lower closure element is composed of a metal plate which is pivotably mounted in the region of rear wall  4  which has parallel slots of such a configuration that the plate for each of shafts  6  forms a single closure section, wherein all the closure sections are jointly actuated, i.e. simultaneously opened and closed. Alternatively, it is possible that separate closure elements are attached to a pivot axis so that each shaft can be individually opened or closed or that the individual closure elements are separately mounted. The closure element can furthermore also be designed in the form of one or more slide(s) which jointly closes and opens all the shafts or which each close and open one shaft individually. Other configurations of the closure element are also possible. Pivotably mounted metal plate  8  runs obliquely downwards from rear wall  4  to the front wall. In this manner, the time, which is required to open the shaft by downward pivoting of the metal plate, is reduced. An arrangement of the closure element at a right angle to the rear wall in the closed state is also possible.  FIG. 1  shows metal plate  8  in its closed, obliquely downwardly inclined position. 
     At the side facing towards the bag production apparatus, storage hopper  1  has an upper closure element  9  which is independent of lower closure element  8  and which, like the lower closure element, is formed as a pivotable flap, but alternatively can also have the other embodiments described for the lower closure element.  FIG. 1  shows upper closure element  9  in its open position in which the metal plate is pivoted vertically downwards. 
       FIG. 2  shows storage hopper  1  with open lower closure element  8  and closed upper closure element  9 . Metal plate  8  is pivoted vertically downwards and releases the lower outlets of shafts  6 . Metal plate  9  also runs obliquely in its closed position, but falling from the front wall towards rear wall  4 . As a result of the inclination, it is ensured that snus bags, which should be discharged, do not remain on the upper side of metal plate  9 , but rather slide away downwards. A sliding plate  10  is attached to the lower end of the metal plate  9 , which sliding plate  10  forms a shaft jointly with the upper closure element  9  in its closed state to conduct the discharged snus bags away from storage hopper  1  into a collecting bin for faulty products (not shown). 
       FIG. 3  shows storage hopper  1  with a closed lower closure element  8  and closed upper closure element  9 . Both the upper and the lower metal plate are inclined; namely upwards from rear wall  4  to the front wall in the case of upper metal plate  9  and downwards from rear wall  4  to the front wall in the case of lower metal plate  8 . 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of storage hopper  1  in the position shown in  FIG. 1 , i.e. with closed lower closure element  8 . In the case of the embodiment shown, the metal plate is pivoted by means of a pneumatic cylinder  12  via a lever  13 . In the closed position shown in  FIG. 4 , the cylinder piston is located in cylinder  12 .  FIG. 4  furthermore shows transparently formed front wall  19 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a side view of the storage hopper in the position shown in  FIG. 2 , i.e. with open lower closure element  8 . The piston is extended out of cylinder  12  and has moved lever  13  downwards. The movement of lever  13  brings about that lower metal plate  8  pivots downwards and releases the lower opening of the hopper. 
     In accordance with the cylinder/lever arrangement  12 ,  13  shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  on the right-hand side of the storage hopper, which actuates the closure element, the hopper has on the left-hand side a cylinder/lever arrangement  14 ,  15  which actuates the upper closure element. 
     The method according to the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to  FIG. 6 : 
     A bag production apparatus  16  with individual sealing sections  16   a,    16   b  and  16   c  is shown schematically above storage hopper  1 . The device shown in  FIG. 6  has  14  parallel production belts. At the start of a cycle, lower closure element  8  is closed, upper closure element  9  is open. The snus bags of a first cycle fall out of the production belts of the bag production apparatus through its upper opening into storage hopper  1  as a result of gravity. Here, one shaft  6  in the hopper is assigned to each production belt of the bag production apparatus. Since lower closure element  8  is closed, the bags of the first cycle remain in the storage hopper. With the next cycle, once again one bag each falls out of each parallel production belt into the corresponding channel of the storage hopper. In this manner, a specific number of snus bags are collected in each shaft. 
     When a predetermined number of snus bags in each shaft is reached, lower closure element  8  is actuated, and the snus bags fall out. They fall onto a transport belt  17  located below the storage hopper. Transport belt  17  has individual transport portions. If lower closure element  8  is open, each shaft  6  of storage hopper  1  is assigned an empty transport section  18  so that the group of snus bags formed in the respective channel is transported in its entirety but separately from the other groups of snus bags on the transport belt. In the case of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , individual transport belt chambers  18  are formed on transport belt  17 . These can be integral components of the transport belt or separate transport containers. Alternatively, tins or other transport packs which are simultaneously sales packs can already be provided on the belt so that the snus bags fall out of the storage hopper directly into the respective tins in which the bags are later offered for sale. Since any desired number of snus bags can be collected in each channel, any desired number of snus bags can be packaged in a transport pack. 
     In order to make the time span within which the bags fall out of the hopper onto the transport belt as long as possible, the lower closure element can already open while the respective snus bags of a last cycle are still falling through the hopper. They are therefore not accumulated in the hopper, but fall directly onto the transport belt. 
     The transport belt with the filled sections moves in such a manner that, the next time the lower closure element opens, an empty transport belt section is again positioned below each channel and is ready to accommodate the next group of bags. 
     The lower closure element is closed in a timely manner in order to ensure that the snus bags of the next first cycle are collected again in the respective shaft. The process begins again. 
     A detection device (not shown) which tests the produced bags is provided in bag production apparatus  16 . If the detection device detects a faulty snus bag, the upper closure flap of the storage hopper is closed. The faulty bag does not reach the storage hopper, but rather is taken out and discharged as a reject via the sliding plate which is connected to the lower end of the upper closure flap. The upper closure flap is subsequently opened again unless a faulty bag is detected by the detection device in the next cycle as well. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , all those bags which are located in parallel with a faulty bag in the bag production apparatus are discharged together with the faulty bag. It is, however, possible that only that shaft of the storage element is closed which is assigned to the channel with the faulty bag. All the other bags would fall into their respective channels. In this case, as far as it is desirable that the same number of snus bags leave the hopper, the lower closure elements would also have to be controlled separately since at a certain point in time one fewer bag is located in the channel whose upper closure element was closed for a cycle than in the other channels in so far as these have been regularly filled.