A cleaning unit, a tobacco industry machine for producing multi-segment filter rods and a method for cleaning a train of rod-like elements

Abstract

A cleaning unit for tobacco industry machines, wherein the tobacco industry machine is configured to process a moving train (ST 2 ) of rod-like elements (S 1, S 2 ) separated by compartments ( 105 ) and partially wrapped with a wrapper ( 101 ), wherein the compartments ( 105 ) are filled with a loose material ( 102 ) forming segments of the loose material (SC). The cleaning unit ( 104 ) includes an outlet partition ( 34 ) at an outlet from a cleaning zone (Z 2 ) for limiting an uncontrolled displacement of contaminations from the cleaning zone (Z 2 ) to a garniture zone (Z 3 ), located above the train (ST 2 ) of the rod-like elements and having a passage ( 35 ) through which the covering elements ( 10 ) pass.

1 . A cleaning unit for a tobacco industry machine, wherein the tobacco industry machine is configured to process a moving train of rod-like elements separated by compartments and partially wrapped with a wrapper, wherein the compartments are filled with a loose material to form segments of the loose material, comprising:
 a cleaning zone, wherein the cleaning unit is positioned in the tobacco industry machine in the cleaning zone, the cleaning zone being located between a filling zone for filling the loose material into the compartments between the rod-like elements and a garniture zone for forming the train of the rod-like elements to a continuous filter rod,   wherein the cleaning unit is configured to remove contaminations of the loose material from the rod-like elements, the segments of the loose material and the wrapper and wherein the cleaning unit further comprises:
 at least one cleaning element, located in the cleaning zone, for removing the contaminations of the loose material from the rod-like elements; 
 at least one suction element for removing the contaminations of the loose material from the rod-like elements; 
 a shifting mechanism configured to move covering elements to positions in which the covering elements at least partially cover the compartments filled with the loose material between the rod-like elements during movement of the train in a vicinity of the at least one suction element and wherein the covering elements, at a portion of their track of movement, are configured to move in parallel to a direction of movement of the rod-like elements; and 
   an outlet partition at an outlet from the cleaning zone for limiting an uncontrolled displacement of contaminations from the cleaning zone to the garniture zone, located above the train of the rod-like elements and having a passage through which the covering elements pass.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 an inlet partition located at an inlet to the cleaning zone for limiting the uncontrolled displacement of contaminations from the filling zone to the cleaning zone. 
 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an end partition located at the inlet of the garniture zone, for limiting uncontrolled dislocation of the contaminations from the cleaning zone to the garniture zone located above the train of the rod-like elements and having a notch, through which an edge of the wrapper passes.   
     
     
         4 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 3 , further comprising: a shield partition having a surface which is in parallel to the direction of movement, located in front of the end partition with respect to the direction of movement, for limiting the uncontrolled dislocation of the contaminations from the cleaning zone on to the rod-like elements of the train. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an initial partition located at the outlet of the filling zone, for limiting uncontrolled dislocation of the contaminations from the filling zone to the cleaning zone.   
     
     
         6 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one partition is positioned in a direction transverse to the direction of movement.   
     
     
         7 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one partition, positioned in a direction transverse to the direction of movement, having a form of a flat plate.   
     
     
         8 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one partition, positioned in a direction transverse to the direction of movement, having a form of an arched shaped plate.   
     
     
         9 . The cleaning unit according  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one partition having a main surface directed at an acute angle with respect to the direction of movement.   
     
     
         10 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the covering element comprises a thin-walled covering element. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one suction element comprises a suction nozzle having longitudinal suction opening. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cleaning element comprises a scraping element in a form of a brush. 
     
     
         13 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cleaning element comprises a scraping element in a form of a compressed air nozzle. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a feeding unit for arranging, in a spaced relationship, rod-like elements in a train on a wrapper placed on a garniture belt;   a supplying unit for supplying a loose material into compartments between the rod-like elements;   a garniture unit for wrapping the wrapper around the rod-like elements and the loose material to form a continuous filter rod; and   a cutting head for cutting the continuous rod into multi-segment filter rods.   
     
     
         15 . A method for cleaning a train of rod-like elements during production of filter rods in a tobacco industry machine, wherein the tobacco industry machine is configured to process a moving train of rod-like elements separated by compartments and partially wrapped with a wrapper, wherein the compartments are filled with a loose material forming segments of the loose material, the method comprising:
 removing contaminations of the loose material in a cleaning zone by moving covering elements to positions in which the covering elements at least partially cover the compartments filled with the loose material between the rod-like elements during the movement of the train in a vicinity of a cleaning element, wherein the covering elements in part of their track of movement are moved in parallel to the direction of movement of the rod-like elements; and   limiting uncontrolled displacement of the contaminations from the cleaning zone by providing an outlet partition at an outlet of the cleaning zone, above the train of rod-like elements, the outlet partition comprising a passage, through which the covering elements pass.