Device and method for producing portion packets of a smokeless tobacco product or non-tobacco snuff product

Abstract

The invention concerns a device ( 1 ) for producing portion packets ( 2 ) of a smokeless tobacco product or non-tobacco snuff product, comprising a forming arrangement ( 3 ) configured to form portion packets of the product from a supply of product material, a packaging arrangement ( 4 ) configured to fold and seal a packaging material ( 5 ) around the portion packets and comprising a unit for transversal sealing ( 11 ), a sensor member ( 12, 13 ) configured to generate information useful for identifying defect portion packets during operation of the device, a rejection system ( 7 ) configured to reject selected portion packets during operation of the device, and a control system ( 8 ) configured to receive the information generated by the sensor member and to control the rejection system. The sensor member is capable of generating data of at least a part of an individual portion packet during operation of the device, and the control system is configured to i) carry out a comparison between a) the data received from the sensor member and b) reference data and to ii) control the rejection system depending on a result of the comparison. The sensor member is arranged in association with the unit for transversal sealing, such as to be capable of generating data of portion packets that have been folded into the longitudinally folded strip of packaging material. The control system is provided with information on where on the strip of packaging material transversal seals ( 9 ) generated by the transversal sealing unit will be or have been placed. The invention also concerns a method for producing portion packets of a smokeless tobacco product or non-tobacco snuff product.

1 . A device for producing portion packets of a smokeless tobacco product or non-tobacco snuff product, said device comprising:
 a forming arrangement configured to form portions of the product from a supply of product material on to a longitudinally extending strip of a packaging material;   a packaging arrangement located downstream of the forming arrangement, the packing arrangement configured to fold and seal the packaging material around the portions, the packaging arrangement comprising a transversal sealing unit configured to form a transverse seal in between the portions to form portion packets;   a sensor located upstream or downstream of the unit for transversal sealing, the sensor configured to generate information useful for identifying defective portion packets during operation of the device, wherein the information comprises data indicative of a property of at least a part of a portion packet;   a rejection system configured to reject selected portion packets during operation of the device; and   a control system configured to receive the information generated by the sensor and to control the rejection system, the control system configured   to compare the data received from the sensor to reference data and   to control the rejection system depending on a result of said comparison.   
     
     
         2 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the property of at least a part of a portion packet comprises one or more properties selected from the group consisting of: a length of the portion packet, a width of the portion packet, a position of the portion packet in relation to an existing or intended position of the transverse seal, a length of the transversal seal, an appearance of a longitudinal seal, an appearance of the packaging material, and an appearance of the product material placed on an outside of the packaging material. 
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to classify a first individual portion packet defective if the data received by the control system from the sensor differs from the reference data by at least a certain threshold value. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a vision sensor and wherein the data indicative of a property of at least a part of an individual portion packet comprises image data. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a radiation emitter located on a side of an intended feeding path for said strip of packaging material that is opposite of the sensor. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 24 , further comprising an additional sensor configured to detect reflected radiation. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 25 , wherein one of the sensors is positioned upstream of the transversal sealing unit and the other one of the sensor is positioned downstream of the transversal sealing unit. 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the packaging arrangement comprises a unit for longitudinal sealing of said strip of said packaging material, said unit for longitudinal sealing being positioned upstream of the unit for transversal sealing. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a cutter for transversally cutting a strip of said packaging material. 
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises at least one product outlet for non-rejected portion packets, wherein the rejection system is configured to direct selected portion packets to at least one other outlet that is separate from the product outlet. 
     
     
         30 . The device according to  claim 29 , wherein the rejection system comprises at least one channel configured to lead pressurized gas towards an intended feeding path of the portion packets in a position corresponding to at least one of said outlet(s). 
     
     
         31 . The device according to  claim 30 , wherein the at least one channel is integrated in a supporting member comprising a perforated periphery and capable of holding a vacuum or low pressure applied inside of the supporting member for holding a strip of the packaging material and the portion packets in place when transported in the feeding path along the supporting member. 
     
     
         32 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein said supporting member is provided with transversally arranged flanges at its periphery for transversal sealing of said packaging material around the portion packets. 
     
     
         33 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to identify whether there is product material properly positioned in relation to an intended position or an existing position of the transversal seal. 
     
     
         34 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein the control system is configured to use information about whether there is product material properly positioned in relation to an intended position or an existing position of the transversal seal to adjust said forming arrangement as regards to how or where a portion packet is placed on said packaging material in relation to an intended position of a transverse seal. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is located upstream of the unit for transversal sealing and the data indicative of a property of at least a part of an individual portion packet is data indicative of a location of product material in relation to an intended location of a transverse seal. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is located downstream of the unit for transversal sealing and the data indicative of a property of at least a part of an individual portion packet is data indicative of a location of a transverse seal. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a first sensor is located upstream of the unit for transversal sealing and a second sensor is located downstream of the unit for transversal sealing, wherein the first and second sensors are capable of generating data indicative of portion packets that have been folded into the longitudinally folded strip of packaging material and wherein said control system is adapted to be provided with information on where on the strip of packaging material transversal seals generated by the transversal sealing unit will be or have been placed. 
     
     
         38 . A method for producing portion packets of a smokeless tobacco product or non-tobacco snuff product, using the device of  claim 1 , said method comprising:
 forming portion packets of said product;   placing the portion packets in a row on a strip of packaging material;   folding and sealing the strip of packaging material longitudinally around the portion packets;   transversally sealing the strip of packaging material between the portion packets;   generating information useful for identifying defective portion packets; and   rejecting selected portion packets, wherein generating information includes generating data indicative of a physical property of at least a part of an individual portion packet using the sensor and comparing the data generated by the sensor to reference data, and the rejecting selected portions packets is based on a result of said comparison.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the sensor is arranged in association with the unit for transversal sealing such as to be capable of generating data of portion packets that have been folded into the longitudinally folded strip of packaging material, said data comprising information on where on the strip of packaging material transversal seals generated by the transversal sealing unit will be or have been placed. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein comparing comprises comparing data indicative of one or several portion packet properties, said properties selected from the group consisting of: a length of portion packet, a width of portion packet, a position of portion packet in relation to an existing or intended position of the transversal seal of the packaging material, a length of the transversal seal, an appearance of a longitudinal seal of the packaging material, and an appearance of product material placed on an outside of the packaging material. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 38 , further comprising providing individual portion packets packaged in the packaging material. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein rejecting selected portion packets comprises guiding pressurized gas towards a feeding path of the portion packets in a position corresponding to an outlet that is separated from a product outlet intended for non-rejected portion packets. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 38 , wherein data indicative of a physical property of at least a part of an individual portion packet includes data indicative of the position of a transverse seal, and the method further comprises using the data to adjust the placing of the product material on the packaging material.