Apportioning apparatus for a machine in the tobacco processing industry

Abstract

Apportioning apparatus for apportioning moist cut or ground tobacco material with moisture content of at least 35%. Apportioning apparatus includes metering unit; weighing cell; and control unit coupled via a first data link to the metering unit and via a second data link to weighing cell. Metering unit is configured to add a predetermined portion of tobacco material to a receptacle, and metering unit and weighing cell are arranged relative to each other such that, while receptacle is being filled by metering unit, a weight of the added tobacco material is detected by weighing cell, and data relative to the detected weight is communicated via first data link to the control unit. Control unit is configured to control metering unit via second data link on the basis of received data relative to weight of added tobacco material such that a predetermined portion of tobacco material is added to receptacle.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apportioning apparatus for a machine in the tobacco processing industry for apportioning moist cut or ground tobacco material with a moisture content of at least 35% that is structured and arranged to apportion tobacco material received from a conveying apparatus into receptacles comprising:
 a metering unit;   a weighing cell; and   a control unit coupled via a first data link to the metering unit and via a second data link to the weighing cell,   wherein the metering unit is configured to add a predetermined portion of tobacco material to a receptacle, and the metering unit and the weighing cell are arranged relative to each other such that, while the receptacle is being filled by the metering unit, a weight of the added tobacco material is detected by the weighing cell, and data relative to the detected weight is communicated via the first data link to the control unit, and   wherein the control unit is configured to control the metering unit via the second data link on the basis of the received data relative to the weight of the added tobacco material such that a predetermined portion of tobacco material is added to the receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an extendable weighing cell platform, which comprises the weighing cell, that is movable between a conveying level at which the receptacles are transportable toward the weighing cell platform and a filling level at which the receptacle is located when tobacco material is added. 
     
     
         3 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at the conveying level, the receptacles are transportable toward the weighing cell platform on a continuously movable conveyor belt. 
     
     
         4 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the metering unit comprises a filling sleeve and a slide bottom, such that the filling sleeve is configured to receive tobacco material from the conveying apparatus, and the slide bottom comprises a solid part and a part provided with an opening. 
     
     
         5 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the slide bottom is movable between a first and a second position via a drive, and
 wherein in a first position, the opening of the slide bottom is flush with the filling sleeve so that the tobacco material can be added to the receptacle, and in a second position, the filling sleeve is closed by the solid part of the slide bottom on one side so that the filling sleeve forms and intermediate store for receiving tobacco material together with at least one section of the solid part of the slide bottom.   
     
     
         6 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a compression unit configured to compress the tobacco material added to the receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 6 , the compression unit comprises an extendable and rotatable compression plunger that, in an extended position, exerts a pressure on the tobacco material added to the receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the compression unit comprises an extendable plunger platform that is movable between a conveying level at which receptacles are conveyable on a continuously movable conveyor belt and a filling level at which the receptacle is arranged when tobacco material is added to the receptacle. 
     
     
         9 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the compression plunger is structured and arranged to exert pressure on the tobacco material in the extended position when the receptacle is arranged on the plunger platform, and the extendable plunger platform is arranged downstream, relative to the continuously movable conveyor belt, from a weighing cell platform. 
     
     
         10 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a centering sleeve movable via a drive into the filling level, the centering sleeve being configured to at least partially accommodate the receptacle. 
     
     
         11 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the drive of the centering sleeve is configured to move the receptacle, which is at least partially accommodated by the centering sleeve in the filling plane, between the weighing cell platform and a plunger platform. 
     
     
         12 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising retaining elements structured and positionable to stop or let pass receptacles conveyable on a continuously movable conveyor belt. 
     
     
         13 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the retaining elements are structured as extendable retaining pins that substantially oppose each other in pairs with reference to a conveying direction of the conveyor belt, wherein the retaining elements form a separating unit that is arranged upstream from the weighing cell platform, and wherein the separating unit comprises retaining pins which alternately operate pair wise. 
     
     
         14 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a conveying apparatus with a homogenization module that includes a combination of a needle roller and a picker roller, wherein the needle roller and picker roller are arranged so that the needle roller receives tobacco material and conveys it to the picker roller, and the picker roller is configured to beat tobacco material out of the needle roller towards the metering unit. 
     
     
         15 . The apportioning apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the picker roller is configured to beat tobacco material out of the needle roller towards a filling sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . A machine of the tobacco processing industry for processing moist cut or ground tobacco material with a moisture content of at least 35%, comprising at least one apportioning apparatus according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A method for apportioning moist cut or ground tobacco material with a moisture content of at least 35% in an apportioning apparatus that includes a weighing cell and a metering unit, the method comprising:
 a) receiving moist cut or ground tobacco material with a moisture content of at least 35% from a conveying apparatus by the metering unit;   b) positioning a receptacle on a weighing cell;   c) locating the receptacle relative to the metering unit;   d) filling in the receptacle with tobacco material via the metering unit;   e) detecting, with the weighing cell, a current weight of an amount of tobacco material added to the receptacle;   f) comparing the current weight of the amount of tobacco material added to the receptacle to a specified threshold; and   g) operating the metering unit such that, upon reaching the specified threshold, the filling of the receptacle with tobacco material is interrupted so that a predetermined portion of tobacco material is added to the receptacle.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising intermediately storing the tobacco material in an intermediate store of the metering unit before it is added to the receptacle. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising compressing the tobacco material added to the receptacle while additional tobacco material is intermediately stored in the intermediate store. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein, after the receptacle has been positioned on the weighing cell, the method further comprises at least partially inserting the receptacle in the centering sleeve. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the receptacle is at least partially inserted in the centering sleeve before the tobacco material is added to the receptacle. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein, after the tobacco material has been added to the receptacle, the method further comprises moving the receptacle together with the centering sleeve from the metering unit to a compression unit. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising moving the centering sleeve at a filling level from a weighing cell platform arranged below the metering unit to a plunger platform arranged below the compression unit. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising supplying a plurality of receptacles at a transport level to the apportioning apparatus with the assistance of a continuously moving conveyor belt; separating the receptacles; lifting the receptacles with a weighing cell platform, which includes the weighing cell, into a filling level at a distance from the transport level; moving the receptacles, after the tobacco material is added in the filling level, from the weighing cell platform below the metering unit to a plunger platform below the compression unit; and, after the tobacco material is compressed, lowering the receptacles to the transport level by the plunger platform. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising homogenizing the tobacco material in a homogenization module before supplying it to the apportioning apparatus, wherein the homogenization module comprises a needle roller and a picker roller structured and arranged to capture the tobacco material with needles of the needle roller and to convey the captured tobacco material to the picker roller. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the picker roller beats the tobacco material out of the needle roller toward at least one of the metering unit and a filling sleeve. 
     
     
         27 . A method of operating the apportioning apparatus according to  claim 1  in a machine in the tobacco processing industry for apportioning moist cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35%, comprising:
 apportioning tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% into receptacles lifted from a conveyor to a metering unit.