Cigarette manufacturing assembly machine, and relative assembly method

Abstract

A method and assembly machine for producing multicomponent cigarettes, each having a number of portions, which have a central axis, and of which at least one portion is defined by a filtering element, and at least one portion is defined by an aromatic element; the assembly machine has a combining unit for forming groups of portions travelling perpendicularly to their central axis; a first wrapping unit, which receives a succession of groups of portions from the combining unit and feeds them parallel to their central axis; and a second wrapping unit, which receives a succession of groups of portions from the first wrapping unit, feeds them perpendicularly to their central axis, and winds a sheet of wrapping material about each group of portions.

1 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) for producing multicomponent cigarettes ( 2 ), each comprising a number of portions ( 3 ), which have a central axis (X) and comprise at least one portion ( 3 ) defined by a filtering element, and at least another portion ( 3 ) defined by an aromatic, preferably tobacco-based, element; the assembly machine ( 1 ) comprising:
 a combining unit (CU) for forming groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ), each comprising at least two different first portions ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C) aligned axially and contacting end to end, and in which the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) travel perpendicularly to their central axis (X);   a first wrapping unit (WU 1 ), which receives a succession of groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) from the combining unit (CU), successively feeds the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) parallel to their central axis (X), and winds a strip of wrapping material ( 20 ) about the succession of groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) to form at least one continuous rod ( 21 ) of portions ( 3 ); the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ) comprising a cutting device ( 26 ) for cyclically and transversely cutting groups ( 4 ) of portions in respective tubular wraps ( 27 ) off the continuous rod ( 21 ) of portions ( 3 ); and   a second wrapping unit (WU 2 ), which receives the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) in respective tubular wraps ( 27 ) from the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ), feeds the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) in respective tubular wraps ( 27 ) perpendicularly to their central axis (X), and winds a sheet of wrapping material ( 44 ) about each group ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) in a respective tubular wrap ( 27 );   the assembly machine ( 1 ) being characterized by having a U-shaped layout, so that the combining unit (CU) is positioned facing the second wrapping unit (WU 2 ).   
     
     
         2 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , and comprising a first transfer unit (TU 1 ) interposed between the combining unit (CU) and the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ); the combining unit (CU) and the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ) being arranged at a 90° angle. 
     
     
         3 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the first transfer unit (TU 1 ) has a spider ( 13 ), which receives the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ), travelling perpendicularly to their central axis (X), from the combining unit (CU), and feeds them, successively and parallel to their central axis (X), to the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ). 
     
     
         4 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in one of the foregoing claims, and comprising a second transfer unit (TU 2 ) interposed between the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ) and the second wrapping unit (WU 2 ); the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ) and the second wrapping unit (WU 2 ) being arranged at a 90° angle. 
     
     
         5 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the second wrapping unit (WU 2 ) has a spider ( 13 ), which receives the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ), travelling parallel to their central axis (X), from the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ), and feeds them, perpendicularly to their central axis (X), to the second wrapping unit (WU 2 ). 
     
     
         6 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in one of the foregoing claims, wherein the second wrapping unit (WU 2 ) comprises:
 a wrap feed unit ( 45 ) for supplying the sheets of wrapping material ( 44 ); and   a portion feed unit ( 38 ) located upstream from the wrap feed unit ( 45 ) to insert second portions ( 3 D) into the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ).   
     
     
         7 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each sheet of wrapping material ( 44 ) is wound about a corresponding group ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) in a respective tubular wrap ( 27 ) to mechanically connect the second portion ( 3 D) to the rest of the group ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ). 
     
     
         8 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in one of the foregoing claims, wherein the second wrapping unit (WU 2 ) comprises a cutting device ( 50 ), which cuts each group ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) transversely into two cigarettes ( 2 ). 
     
     
         9 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in one of the foregoing claims, wherein:
 the combining unit (CU) comprises a number of structurally similar feed stations ( 6 ), each for supplying a respective first portion ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C) to form the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ); and   each feed station ( 6 ) upstream from a preceding feed station ( 6 ) comprises an insertion drum ( 11 ), which receives the groups ( 4 ) of portions from the preceding feed station ( 6 ), receives respective first portions ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C), and inserts the respective first portions ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C) into the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ).   
     
     
         10 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein each feed station ( 6 ) comprises a hopper ( 7 ) containing a mass of respective first portions ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C); a cutting drum ( 9 ) for cutting the first portions ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C) transversely to the desired length; and a pickup drum ( 8 ), which withdraws the first portions ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C) successively from the bottom of the hopper ( 7 ), cooperates with the cutting drum ( 9 ), and feeds the first portions ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C) of desired length to the insertion drum ( 11 ). 
     
     
         11 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in one of the foregoing claims, wherein the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ) comprises a forming beam ( 19 ), which receives the succession of groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) travelling parallel to their central axis (X), and the strip of wrapping material ( 20 ) from a feed unit ( 22 ); the forming beam ( 19 ) being designed to wind the strip of wrapping material ( 20 ) about the succession of groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) to form said at least one continuous rod ( 21 ) of portions ( 3 ). 
     
     
         12 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in one of  claims 6  to  11 , wherein the wrap feed unit ( 45 ) supplying the sheets of wrapping material ( 44 ) comprises a reel-off station ( 46 ) for unwinding a continuous strip; and a transverse cutting station ( 47 ) for cutting the continuous strip transversely into individual sheets of wrapping material ( 44 );
 and wherein the second wrapping unit (WU 2 ) comprises: 
 an application drum ( 43 ), which receives the groups ( 4 ) of portions and the sheets of wrapping material ( 44 ), which are wound about the groups ( 4 ) of portions; and 
 a rolling drum ( 48 ), which receives the groups ( 4 ) of portions from the application drum ( 43 ) and completes winding the sheets of wrapping material ( 44 ) about the groups ( 4 ) of portions. 
 
     
     
         13 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the second wrapping unit (WU 2 ) comprises a combining drum ( 35 ), which receives the groups ( 4 ) of portions from the first wrapping unit (WU 1 ) and the second portions ( 3 D) of desired length from the portion feed unit ( 38 ), inserts the second portions ( 3 D) of desired length into the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ), and feeds the groups ( 4 ) of portions to the application drum ( 43 ). 
     
     
         14 ) An assembly machine ( 1 ) as claimed in one of  claims 6  to  13 , wherein the portion feed unit ( 38 ) comprises a hopper ( 39 ) containing a mass of second portions ( 3 D); a cutting drum ( 41 ) for cutting the second portions ( 3 D) transversely to the desired length; and a pickup drum ( 40 ), which withdraws the second portions ( 3 D) successively from the hopper ( 39 ) and cooperates with the cutting drum ( 41 ). 
     
     
         15 ) A method of producing multicomponent cigarettes ( 2 ), each comprising a number of portions ( 3 ), which have a central axis (X) and comprise at least one portion ( 3 ) defined by a filtering element, and at least another portion ( 3 ) defined by an aromatic, preferably tobacco-based, element; the method being implemented by an assembly machine ( 1 ) for producing multicomponent cigarettes ( 2 ), as claimed in one or more of  claims 1  to  14 , and the method comprising the steps of:
 forming groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ), each comprising at least two different first portions ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C) aligned axially, contacting end to end, and travelling perpendicularly to their central axis (X); 
 winding a strip of wrapping material ( 20 ) about the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) travelling successively and parallel to their central axis (X), to form at least one continuous rod ( 21 ) of portions ( 3 ); and 
 cutting groups ( 4 ) of portions in respective tubular wraps ( 27 ) off the continuous rod ( 21 ) of portions ( 3 ) by cyclically cutting the continuous rod ( 21 ) of portions ( 3 ) transversely; 
 the method being characterized by comprising the further step of winding a sheet of wrapping material ( 44 ) about the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ), in respective tubular wraps ( 27 ), travelling perpendicularly to their central axis (X). 
 
     
     
         16 ) A method as claimed in  claim 15 , and comprising the further step of inserting second portions ( 3 D) into the groups ( 4 ) of portions ( 3 ) in respective tubular wraps ( 27 ), prior to winding the sheet of wrapping material ( 44 ).