Tobacco feed and transport unit in a machine for manufacturing tobacco products

Abstract

Shredded tobacco is fed into and transported through a cigarette maker by a unit that includes at least one transport roller, driven in rotation about a longitudinal axis and equipped with a plurality of radial pins projecting radially from a peripheral surface, by which the flow of tobacco is taken up and directed along a predetermined feed path toward a unit that forms it ultimately into at least one continuous stream; the feed and transport unit is also equipped with at least one sensing device, offered to the peripheral surface of the roller and serving to detect any points where pins may be missing or damaged.

1 . A tobacco feed and transport unit in a machine for manufacturing tobacco products, comprising: 
 at least one transport roller set in rotation about a respective longitudinal axis, presenting a plurality of pins positioned on a peripheral surface of revolution and oriented radially away from the longitudinal axis in such a way that tobacco can be taken up and advanced along a predetermined path toward a unit by which it is formed into at least one continuous stream;    at least one sensing device associated with the at least one transport roller, serving to verify the presence and/or the integrity of the pins.    
   
   
       2 . A unit as in  claim 1 , wherein the pins are fashioned from ferromagnetic material and the at least one sensing device comprises at least one inductive sensor able to detect a change in magnetic field, placed in close proximity to the pins.  
   
   
       3 . A unit as in  claim 1 , wherein the sensing device includes at least one sensing unit that presents a plurality of sensors arrayed in close order one alongside another and facing the pins of the at least one roller.  
   
   
       4 . A unit as in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensing unit occupies a fixed position, with the pins riding under the sensors during the rotation of the at least one roller.  
   
   
       5 . A unit as in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensing unit extends partially around the at least one roller.  
   
   
       6 . A unit as in  claim 3 , wherein the pins are arranged as a plurality of single rows, extending each around the circumference of the roller and ordered one beside another along the axis of the selfsame roller, and each sensor of the at least one sensing unit is positioned over one of the rows of pins.  
   
   
       7 . A unit as in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensing unit presents a face directed toward the pins and furnished with a plurality of grooves, each circumferential row of pins riding within a respective groove when set in rotation.  
   
   
       8 . A unit as in  claim 3 , comprising a plurality of sensing units arranged one beside another along the longitudinal dimension of the at least one roller.  
   
   
       9 . A unit as in  claim 8 , wherein the single units of the plurality of sensing units are staggered along the circumferential dimension of the at least one roller.  
   
   
       10 . A unit as in  claim 2 , wherein the sensing device includes at least one sensing unit that presents a plurality of sensors arrayed in close order one alongside another and facing the pins of the at least one roller.  
   
   
       11 . A unit as in  claim 4 , wherein the pins are arranged as a plurality of single rows, extending each around the circumference of the roller and ordered one beside another along the axis of the selfsame roller, and each sensor of the at least one sensing unit is positioned over one of the rows of pins.  
   
   
       12 . A unit as in  claim 4 , wherein the at least one sensing unit presents a face directed toward the pins and furnished with a plurality of grooves, each circumferential row of pins riding within a respective groove when set in rotation.  
   
   
       13 . A unit as in  claim 5 , wherein the at least one sensing unit presents a face directed toward the pins and furnished with a plurality of grooves, each circumferential row of pins riding within a respective groove when set in rotation.  
   
   
       14 . A unit as in  claim 6 , wherein the at least one sensing unit presents a face directed toward the pins and furnished with a plurality of grooves, each circumferential row of pins riding within a respective groove when set in rotation.  
   
   
       15 . A unit as in  claim 4 , comprising a plurality of sensing units arranged one beside another along the longitudinal dimension of the at least one roller.  
   
   
       16 . A unit as in  claim 5 , comprising a plurality of sensing units arranged one beside another along the longitudinal dimension of the at least one roller.  
   
   
       17 . A unit as in  claim 6 , comprising a plurality of sensing units arranged one beside another along the longitudinal dimension of the at least one roller.  
   
   
       18 . A unit as in  claim 7 , comprising a plurality of sensing units arranged one beside another along the longitudinal dimension of the at least one roller.