Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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19731EU - F/L
System for the self-production of cigarettes by consumers
The invention relates to a system for the self-production of cigarettes by
consumers, to
tobacco portion packs as industrially prefabricated products, and to a device
that is used
in the system.
In recent years, several systems have become known which make available to
consumers a prefabricated product which in itself is non-smokable, taking the
form of
an industrially prefabricated, wrapped or enveloped tobacco string to
facilitate the self-
production of cigarettes, comparable with the usual conventional methods of
self-rolling
or self-stuffing cigarettes. For tax reasons, it was usually demanded that the
prefabricated product be (at least functionally) non-smokable. In most of
these known
systems, the prefabricated, wrapped tobacco string ("cigarette tobacco
cartridge") had to
be inserted and pushed in axial direction into the conventional (filter)
cigarette paper
tube used for completing the cigarette.
Fig. 11 of the present application shows an example of such a basic form known
as
prior art from European Patent 0 123 150 (LIEBICH). It shows an arrangement
consisting of the entire tobacco cartridge (identified as number 61)
consisting of the
tobacco string or filling 63 and the tobacco wrapper or envelope 62, the
associated filter
cigarette paper tube 64, 65, and a sliding piston 66. A perforation 68 in the
tobacco
wrapper and/or suitable material in tobacco wrapper 62 guaranteed that the
prefabricated product (the tobacco cartridge) was non-smokable. To produce the
cigarettes, tobacco cartridge 61 was first inserted into the tobacco
receptacle 64 of the
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cigarette paper tube, and then the transfer piston 66, which was guided by
hand was
inserted into tobacco wrapper 62 from the free front end, and the tobacco
string or
tobacco filling 63 was pushed out of tobacco wrapper 62 while holding the
tobacco
wrapper by pressing the tobacco wrapper end against the surface of transfer
piston 66
while successively pushing the cigarette tube away, which was filled
successively. To
facilitate the insertion of the piston and its guidance during the initial
phase of the
transfer process, a tobacco-free section 67 could be provided at one end of
the tobacco
cartridge inside tobacco wrapper 62. That system has the advantage that in
terms of
the material composition of components and in terms of smoking behaviour, the
resulting finished cigarette is the complete equivalent of a conventional
industrially
made cigarette. However, a certain manual dexterity and practice is required
to transfer
the tobacco filling from the tobacco wrapper into the cigarette paper tube by
means of
the hand-guided piston. Since the tobacco string has to be transferred against
the
frictional resistance of the wrapping, the tight wrapping considerably hampers
the
transfer of the tobacco string. This can have the effect that the tobacco
string does not
move evenly. Over the length of the filter tube, sections of the tobacco
filling may
become either compressed or too loose. The tobacco can become so densely
packed
that in extreme cases the wrapping and the filter tube may break. Due to
fluctuations
in density of the transferred tobacco string, it can happen that the
transferred tobacco is
not cut off evenly at the end of the filter tube, which means that either an
empty space
remains at the end of the filter tube, or the tobacco projects beyond the end
of the
filter tube. Also a certain disadvantage is the basic requirement that the
cigarette
tobacco cartridge must be inserted into the cigarette paper tube in axial
direction,
although with this system, it is not absolutely necessary to have an extremely
close fit
between the tobacco cartridge and the cigarette paper tube. However, to ensure
that
the tobacco filling can fill the cigarette paper tube properly and that it
adheres to it
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without compressing the tobacco filling too much during the transfer process,
it is
preferable to have a relatively close fit between the external diameter of the
tobacco
cartridge and the internal diameter of the cigarette paper tube, which on the
one hand
requires an appropriate dimensional stability and closer tolerances during the
manufacturing process and which on the other hand can make it difficult to
insert the
tobacco cartridge into the cigarette paper tube.
These complications are far more critical with the system known from European
patents 0 155 514 (EFKA) and 0 178 605 (LIEBICH), the so-called
"Steckzigarette"
[plug-in cigarette] system. Here the tobacco wrapper of the tobacco cartridge
consists
of a combustible and smokable material; it remains inside the finished
cigarette and is
smoked as well. In this case, the non-smokability of the cartridge must be
guaranteed
only by means of the appropriately porous or perforated design of the tobacco
wrapper, while the smokability of the finished cigarette is to be ensured by
sealing this
porosity or perforation of the tobacco wrapper when the cigarette paper tube
is
inserted. This requires an extremely close fit between the tobacco cartridge
and the
cigarette paper tube, with equally close, critical manufacturing tolerances
between the
cigarette paper tube and the tobacco cartridge. On the other hand, it becomes
particularly difficult to insert the tobacco cartridge, especially when the
outer cigarette
paper tube is made of particularly thin cigarette paper - to keep the total
paper
component at a minimum. When in practice a compromise is accepted between a
close
fit and the practicability of inserting the cartridge into the cigarette paper
tube, this
results in increased second-hand smoke problems, something which clearly
distinguishes
the smoking behaviour of such cigarettes from that of a conventional factory-
made
finished cigarette. That disadvantage is intensified by the fact that in this
system, due
to the increase in the finished cigarette's total paper content (the tobacco
wrapper
CA 02182651 2006-05-19
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remaining inside the cigarette must be smoked as well), the smoking behaviour
and the
taste of the cigarette clearly differ from those of ordinary cigarettes.
In the German patent No. 44 04 274.4 it is suggested to first
insert the wrapped tobacco strings into a tube inside an arrangement and then
to
transfer the tobacco filling from the tobacco wrappers in axial direction
through a
piston in a cigarette tube carrier which is coaxially aligned with the first
tube, whereby
the tobacco filling is transferred by means of a further advance of the piston
into
cigarette paper tubes pulled over the cigarette tube carrier. This avoids the
direct
insertion of the wrapped tobacco strings into the cigarette paper tube, and
the final
transfer of the tobacco string is made after the tobacco wrapper is removed
from a
metal tube offering only a minimum of friction to the tobacco filling on the
interior
wall of the tobacco tube. However, the initial insertion of the wrapped
tobacco
portion into a tube and the subsequent transfer into a tube carrier not only
complicates
the cigarette production process as such, but also necessitates a certain
sophistication
and size of the required arrangement. That (unpublished) German patent
application P
44 04 274 already recommends an industrially prefabricated product which
unites two
or more tobacco portion units in the form of cigarette tobacco strings wrapped
by
means of a tobacco wrapper into a multi-portion pack, which does not allow the
direct
insertion of a tobacco portion into the cigarette receptacle of a cigarette
paper tube, and
which excludes the use of single portions as in the case of the above
mentioned "plug-in
cigarettes".
From European patent 0 178 605 (LIEBICH), Fig. 12, a system is known in which
the
tobacco wrapper of the prefabricated, wrapped or enveloped tobacco string is
provided
with a grip-tab that radially extends from the closed circumference and with
an axial
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predetermined tear-off line; as an associated device it has a tube made of
resilient and
flexible material with a slot over part of its length in which a short piston
attached to
the tube is moved up and down. To self-produce the cigarette, the wrapped
tobacco
string is inserted into the slotted tube in such a way that the pull-off tab
overlaps
laterally through the slot. Then, the tab is pulled off laterally while the
predetermined
tear-off line is broken, and the tobacco wrapper is pulled sideways from the
slotted
tube. Then another cigarette paper tube is pulled over the outside of the
slotted tube,
and the tobacco string now without its tobacco wrapper is transferred by the
short
piston into the tobacco receptacle of the cigarette paper tube while the
cigarette paper
tube is successively pushed from the tube. However, the combination of a
resilient and
flexible tube with a short piston guided in the tube along a slot has not
proven to be an
optimal solution.
The present invention is to create a system for the self-production of
cigarettes by
consumers, which avoids the imperfections and detrimental features of the
known
systems and with which it is possible by using a simple technique and a simple
device
requiring little room to produce completely evenly filled cigarettes without
requiring
special manual dexterity or practice.
Starting with a system for the self-production of cigarettes by consumers,
comprising a
conventional filter cigarette paper tube, an industrially prefabricated
tobacco portion
pack which is not itself smokable and takes the form of a string-like tobacco
filling
which is wrapped in a tobacco wrapper and is the equivalent of a tobacco
portion for
filling the tobacco receptacle of an associated filter cigarette paper tube,
and a device for
making the cigarette by transferring the string-like tobacco portion into the
tobacco
receptacle of the filter cigarette paper tube, the invention provides that the
device has a
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transfer tube in the form of a thin, rigid metal or plastic tube with first
and second
ends in which the tobacco portion pack can be inserted from one end and on
which the
cigarette paper tube is slideable from the first end, that means are provided
to remove
the tobacco wrapper after the portion pack is inserted into the transfer tube,
and that
after removal of the tobacco wrapper the string-like tobacco filling is
transferred in the
transfer tube through a piston, which is guided in the rigid tube at the
second end of
the tube into this tube, into the cigarette receptacle of the filter cigarette
paper tube
which is pushed over the transfer tube.
In accordance with preferred embodiments it can be provided that the means for
removing the tobacco wrapper from the tobacco portion pack inserted into the
transfer
tube are provided on the device with an axially parallel slot extending at
least over part
of the transfer tube which accommodates the tobacco portion, and on the
tobacco
portion pack with a lateral pull-off tab that projects from the periphery of
the tobacco
wrapper and if need be a predetermined tear-off line that extends across the
axial length
of the tobacco wrapper.
The self-production of a cigarette by means of the system according to the
invention is
free from the imperfections or detrimental features of the known systems; it
is
completely simple, requires no special manual dexterity or practice and
results in a
cigarette which in terms of the evenness of its filling, external appearance
and especially
its smoking behaviour is completely the equivalent of an ordinary industrially
manufactured cigarette. To make the cigarette, the user only needs to insert
the
tobacco portion pack available as an industrially prefabricated product into
the transfer
tube, remove it from its tobacco wrapper, pull a filter cigarette paper tube
over the
outside of the transfer tube and then transfer the tobacco string exposed in
the transfer
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tube to the cigarette paper tube by simply pushing the long piston through the
transfer
tube. Since in the system according to the invention the tobacco portion
stripped of
the tobacco wrapper is transferred from the transfer tube directly into the
filter tube,
which is filled successively, there is friction only between the tobacco
filling and the
smooth exterior wall of the transfer tube, so that no great and especially no
fluctuating
frictional resistance must be overcome, and no relative compression or
blockage can
occur, especially since the filter cigarette paper tube pulled over the
transfer tube is easy
to slide without much friction in succession with the transfer of the tobacco
portion
from the smooth exterior wall of the transfer tube. Thanks to this
unobstructed
transfer of the tobacco portion, the completely even filling of the cigarette
over its
entire axial length is ensured, and after completion of the transfer process,
the tobacco
string is cut off smoothly at the end of the filter tube, as with an
industrially
manufactured cigarette.
The ease of the transfer process is also ensured particularly by the use of a
long piston
inserted from the other end of the transfer tube, which is guided from the
beginning of
the transfer process in the section of the transfer tube without tobacco, and
which is
also reliably guided during the further advance in the transfer tube as the
transfer
process continues.
The device required for the system according to the invention is of extremely
simple
design, easy to manufacture and providing trouble-free service; it is of small
design,
hardly larger than a cigarette lighter, so that the device can be carried by
the user
without difficulty.
According to preferred embodiments, the device can be provided with an
elongated
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housing body that also serves to hold the device, at one end of which the
transfer tube
is mounted and fastened in such a way that it contains a first end sector of
the transfer
tube for accommodating the filter cigarette paper tube; said end sector is
cantilevered
along the elongated housing body at some slight distance above same. According
to a
particularly advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the elongated
housing body
extends in axial direction across the cantilevered end of this first end
sector of the
transfer tube in such a way that the cigarette is supported at the end of the
transfer
tube and does not have to be especially captured.
In two other embodiments, the transfer tube can also be provided with a second
end
sector which projects from the fastening point in the direction opposite to
the first end
sector; this second end sector serves to accommodate the tobacco portion pack,
and it
may be slotted, in which case the tobacco filling can be transferred by means
of the
piston from the second end sector into the first end sector which forms the
actual
transfer sector, and into the filter cigarette paper tube. In this embodiment,
the filter
cigarette paper tube and the tobacco portion pack are pushed onto or into the
transfer
tube from opposite ends. In that case, the first end sector can be slotted.
In this case, the second end sector can also be slotted, but may also be
designed only as
an open trough of approximately semi-circular cross-section in which the
tobacco
portion pack is only laid. This is particularly practical when a number of
tobacco
portion packs are fastened on a belt-shaped carrier.
In the case of embodiments in which at least one end sector of the transfer
tube is
slotted and the tobacco wrapper is to be removed before the tobacco portion is
transferred into the filter cigarette paper tube, it can also be provided, for
example, that
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a knife element extends radially through a slot in the transfer tube, wherein
this knife-
shaped element slits the tobacco wrapper when the tobacco portion pack is
inserted, so
that the wrapper is easy to pull out. In that case the tobacco wrapper needs
no
predetermined tear-off line.
The non-smokability of industrially prefabricated tobacco portion packs, which
is
required to qualify for preferential tax treatment, can be ensured in several
ways, if 9
need be also cumulatively: the material used for wrapping the tobacco string
can be
non-smokable or non-combustible; the axial predetermined pull-off line which
is
sometimes provided can be designed in the form of perforations which precludes
the
independent smoking of the wrapped tobacco portion; according to an
advantageous
embodiment it can be provided that the outside of the tobacco wrapper of the
tobacco
portion pack is provided with a coating of preferably striped or lined
material made of
a substance that would impair smoking enjoyment but would not be detrimental
to
health (such as bitter tea); the portion pack can be designed with a diameter
that is
smaller than the interior diameter of the transfer tube so that when the
wrapped
tobacco portion pack is inserted (contrary to its purpose) directly into a
cigarette paper
tube, a secondary airway would exist which prevents normal smoking; as an
alternative, the portion pack could also have a diameter that is slightly
larger than the
interior diameter of the filter tube, so that it cannot be inserted directly
in a filter tube
for direct smoking. By using an appropriately greater length or thickness for
the
tobacco portion pack than for the filter cigarette tube, it can be ensured
that the tube is
completely filled eventually.
According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the tobacco
portion
pack is arranged as double packs or dual portion packs made of two individual
portions
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connected with each other by means of a connector. In addition, the connector
prevents that the individual tobacco portions can be directly inserted in a
cigarette
paper tube.
In all embodiments it can also be provided that the length of a tobacco
portion pack
corresponds substantially to a multiple of the length of the filter cigarette
tube, so that
only the transfer of tobacco fillings of several tobacco portion packs into
the filter
cigarette paper tube fills the tube completely. The tobacco strings from an
appropriate
number of tobacco portion packs are transferred in succession into a filter
cigarette
10 paper tube to fill same completely. The shorter length of the tobacco
portion packs
also facilitates the process of transferring into the filter cigarette tube.
On the whole, the system according to the invention constitutes an optimal
solution of
the problem in the self-production of cigarettes by consumers by using
industrially
prefabricated tobacco portion packs.
The invention is described below by way of examples and with reference to the
drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 and 2 show a lateral and top view (in approximately natural size) of
the device of the system according to the invention and according to a
preferred
embodiment;
Fig, 3 shows a lateral view of the long piston which forms part of the device;
Fig. 4A shows a cross-section at an enlarged scale through the device along
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11
the line IV - IV in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4B shows a sectional view of a modified embodiment, analogous to
Fig. 4A;
Fig. 5 and 6 show cross-sectional views of two embodiments of an
industrially prefabricated wrapped tobacco portion pack;
Fig. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of an industrially prefabricated
tobacco portion pack according to Fig. 5 or Fig. 6 with an additional
transverse
perforation about in the centre;
Fig. 8 shows a schematic perspective view of a conventional filter cigarette
paper tube as part of the system according to the invention;
Fig. 9 shows a view analogous to the cross-sectional views in Fig. 4A or
Fig. 4B of a device designed as a two-channel arrangement with an inserted
double or
dual portion pack;
Fig. 10 shows a schematic lateral view of a fabrication or packing unit
containing several single-portion packs;
Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of a basic form of tobacco cartridge system
known from European patent 0 123 150, as prior art;
Fig. 12 shows a view, analogous to Fig. 2, of a modified embodiment of the
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device;
Fig. 13, 14, 15 show a top view of the embodiment according to Fig. 12
together with the cut-out view of the piston; Fig. 14 and 15 beside Fig. 13
show the
overall system together with tobacco portion packs which are connected in
pairs;
Fig. 16 shows a lateral view analogous to Fig. 1 of a further embodiment of
the device in which the tobacco portion pack is provided with a material strip
which
facilitates the pulling-out of the tobacco portion pack after the tobacco
portion is
transferred into the transfer tube;
Fig. 17 shows a top view of the embodiment according to Fig. 16;
Fig. 18 shows the piston for the embodiment according to Fig. 16 and 17;
Fig. 19 shows a detailed representation of the tobacco wrapper with the
material strip;
Fig. 20 shows a further embodiment of the device, in which a housing body
is arranged between the end sectors of two transfer tubes, holding these
parallel to each
other;
Fig. 21 shows a partial view of Fig. 20 which shows the insertion of two
tobacco portion packs into the slotted second end sectors of the transfer
tubes according
to Fig. 20;
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Fig. 22 shows a piston for the embodiment of the device according to
Fig. 20;
Fig. 23 shows a further embodiment of the device in which the second end
sector is designed in the shape of a trough;
Fig. 24 shows a section along line A-B according to Fig. 23;
Fig. 25 shows a top view of a belt-shaped carrier to which a tobacco portion
pack is mounted, to be used with the device according to Fig. 23 and 24;
Fig. 26 shows a belt-shaped material strip to which several tobacco portion
packs are fastened;
Fig. 27 shows a representation analogous to Fig. 25 with the length of the
tobacco portion packs shortened;
Fig. 28 shows a view analogous to Fig. 26 of tobacco portion packs shortened
in length;
Fig. 29 shows a schematic view of three portion packs which are glued to a
rigid core;
Fig. 30 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of Fig. 29;
Fig. 31 shows views of individual tobacco portion packs with one third and
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14
one half the length of the receptacle of the filter cigarette paper tube.
Described first is the device which forms a substantial part of the system
according to
the invention, as shown in Fig. 1 to 3, showing the device in lateral view
(Fig. 1), in
top view (Fig. 2) and the transfer piston which forms part of the device (Fig.
3). The
whole device, which is designated as 1, has a housing 2 which serves as
mounting; it
consists of an approximately prismatic elongated body 2 provided at its top
side with a
longitudinal trough 4 extending substantially across the entire length. At one
end (in
the drawing shown on the left) of housing body 2, a mounting ring 3 is
fastened in the
trough, for example by means of glue. Recessed into mounting ring 3 - as a
substantial part of the invention - is a relatively rigid, thin-walled
transfer tube 5 made
of metal or plastic (in the following, reference is made only to a metal tube,
although
both materials as well as other materials, such as wood, could be used as
well), which
extends parallel to trough part 4 and completely penetrates mounting ring 3,
ending
open at its outer (in the drawing shown on the left) front side 6. Transfer
tube 5 is
recessed in mounting ring 3 across its entire axial extent and is thus solidly
anchored; at
front side 7, which is opposite the outer front side 6 of mounting ring 3,
tube 5 is
cantilevered with its main length and extends parallel to trough 4 of housing
body 2
with which the transfer tube 5 is aligned along its projecting, cantilevered
length.
Transfer tube 5 and housing body 2 are arranged in such a way in reference to
longitudinal trough 4 that across the cantilevered length of transfer tube 5
between its
underside facing trough 4 and the trough surface adapted to the bend of the
tube, a
substantially constant distance d (of about 2 to 3 mm, see cross-sectional
views in
Fig. 4) remains across the length, which in the example shown for the
embodiment is
practically the equivalent of the material thickness of mounting ring 3.
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The axial extension of housing 2 is somewhat larger than that of tube 5, so
that
housing body 2 projects by about 1 to 2 cm beyond the free end 10 of transfer
tube 5 at end 9 opposite mounting ring 3 in axial direction.
According to a substantial characteristic of a preferred embodiment of the
device
according to the invention, transfer tube 5 is provided at its top side with
an axial
longitudinal slot 11 which extends across the entire cantilevered length of
transfer tube
5 (and which if need be can also extend into the end of transfer tube 5 that
is recessed
in mounting ring 3 if this is to be preferred for technical reasons).
Preferably slot 11 is
10 about 1 mm wide. At its free end 5A, transfer tube 5 is tapered at 12 (in
lateral view),
and at 13 (top view in Fig. 2) rounded at the transition to slot 11, to
facilitate the
insertion (described below) of the tobacco portion pack and to facilitate the
pulling-on
(also described below) of the cigarette paper tube when the device is used for
the self-
production of cigarettes. Near its termination, slot 11 is provided with a
nose 14 whose
function will be explained below when the function of the device is described.
Another substantial characteristic of the device according to the invention is
the sliding
or transfer piston shown in Fig. 3 which in total is denoted as 15. The piston
consists
mainly of a cylindrical piston part 16, taking up the main length, and at one
end it is
provided with a flange part 17 of greater diameter, which serves as actuator
and stop.
When the device is used, piston 15 with its piston sector 16 is inserted in
the opening
which leads into the outer front side 6 of tube 5 (as indicated by arrow I)
and
successively pushed forward into the tube, for the transfer (described below)
of the
tobacco portion from tube 5 into the cigarette receptacle of the cigarette
paper tube.
The piston is pushed through until stop flange 17 comes to rest at front side
6 of
mounting ring 3. This completes the transfer of the tobacco portion. When the
piston
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16
is not in use, it is pulled out of the tube and inserted at the opposite end
according to
arrow II, into the free end 12 of transfer tube 5. As soon as actuator and
stop knob 17
approaches the area of trough 4, a slight jamming causes the piston to stop in
its
retaining position in the device.
Housing 2 and piston 15 can be made of any sufficiently rigid material, in
particular of
plastic. In the latter case, the housing and the piston can be simply made in
the form
of injection-moulded parts. As an alternative, the housing and/or the piston
can also be
made of wood.
Tube 5 should have walls as thin as possible, but high rigidity and torsional
strength.
For that reason, tube 5 should be made of metal, for example of high-grade
steel or
hard brass. The wall thickness can be in the range of 0.2 to 0.3 mm. For
example, the
outer diameter of the tube, which should be adapted to the interior diameter
of the
cigarette paper tube which must be pulled over the tube can measure 6.8 mm.
For
example, transfer tube 5 can be made of drawn seamless tubing with
subsequently
applied longitudinal slotting; alternatively and preferably it can be rolled
from suitable
sheet metal; in the latter case, slot 11 extends over the entire length of
transfer tube 5,
i.e. also in the sector recessed in mounting ring 3. To ensure proper
functioning, the
interior (and exterior) surface of the metal tube should be as smooth as
possible to
ensure that the tobacco portion can be pushed out easily and without hindrance
on the
inside and that the cigarette paper tube can be pushed on and pulled off just
as easily on
the outside of the tube.
The axial extent of the device is determined by the length of the industrially
prefabricated tobacco portion pack, which in turn is determined by the usual
length of
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17
the cigarette receptacle of a filter cigarette paper tube. The overall length
of the piston
can be about 11 cm, and its effective piston length, roughly the equivalent of
the
cantilevered length of transfer tube 5, can be about 95 mm. This results in an
overall
length of 12 to 13 cm for the device (which is shown in the drawing roughly in
natural
size) at a width of about 2 cm (top view) and a height (lateral view) of about
2 cm. As
is shown, the device according to the invention has extremely small
dimensions, hardly
bigger than a cigarette lighter, so that users can easily carry it with them
if they do not
prefer to produce a larger quantity of cigarettes, such as a day's supply, in
advance.
Following is a description of the other substantial component of the system
for the self-
production of cigarettes, namely the industrially prefabricated tobacco
portion pack,
two embodiments of which are shown in Fig. 5 and 6, in cross-sectional view at
a right
angle to the longitudinal axis. The entire tobacco portion pack, which is
identified as
20, consists of the inner tobacco string 21 and a tobacco wrapper or envelope
22 which
encloses same. 23 designates a predetermined tear-off line according to the
invention,
which is provided parallel to the axis, for example in the form of a
longitudinal
perforation or other weakening-seam. According to the invention, the tobacco
wrapper
is provided with a pull-off tab 24 that projects outwardly from the periphery.
In the
embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the pull-off tab 24 is shown as a separately made
part
which - as indicated at 25 - is glued, at some distance from the predetermined
tear-off
perforation 23, to a part of the periphery of tobacco wrapper 22 by a bond of
high
tensile strength and with a relatively wide surface.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that
pull-off
tab 24 is provided at its free end 26 with a contact adhesive coating 27 and
turned over
onto the periphery of the portion pack in the direction of arrow 28 into the
position
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18
shown by the dotted line, and glued to the tobacco wrapper at 26, 27 with an
easily
soluble adhesive. The result is that the pull-off tab does not interfere with
machine
handling and packing in the manufacturing process, but adheres to the wrapper,
while
later, during use as intended, it can be easily removed by the user from
wrapper 22 at
its free end 26, and it is accessible for the pulling-off process. That is why
contact
adhesive bond 27 should be of limited adhesive strength.
Indicated at 29 is a material coating applied in a longitudinal track, which
would impair
smoking enjoyment if an attempt is made (contrary to intended use) to burn or
smoke
the wrapped tobacco portion as such. This represents an additional measure to
ensure
the non-smokability of the industrially prefabricated wrapped tobacco portion
as such,
in addition to the already mentioned measures (eventual non-smokability of the
tobacco
wrapper material; porous design of the tobacco wrapper material; perforation
of the
tobacco wrapper, and if need be a larger or smaller diameter of the portion
pack in
relation to the interior diameter of the filter cigarette paper tube). Coating
29 should
be made of a material that would spoil smoking enjoyment when burned (contrary
to
intended use), but would not present a health hazard and would not impair the
odour
or other qualities of the tobacco string when the tobacco portions must be
stored for
some time. For example, this material can consist of a bitter tea in a
suitable carrier.
Fig. 6 shows a modified embodiment of the industrially prefabricated tobacco
portion
pack. Identical or equivalent parts are given the same reference numbers as in
Fig. 5.
The substantial difference from the embodiment in Fig. 5 is that here, pull-
off tab 24A
is designed in one piece with wrapper 22 and simply constitutes a continuation
of the
tobacco wrapper beyond the adhesion area 25A in which the two tobacco wrapper
ends
are glued to each other. At 23, the predetermined tear-off line of the wrapper
is visible,
,'-. .
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19
and at 29 the material coating to impair the enjoyment of smoking the
prefabricated
product (contrary to the intended purpose) is visible.
Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a schematic representation of a
prefabricated tobacco
portion pack of the kind described. At 23A, another predetermined tear-off
line 23A is
provided at about half the length of the portion pack; this line runs in a
vertical plane
in reference to the string axis, and it extends over the entire circumference
of tobacco
wrapper 22 including pull-off tab 24. It may be practical for this transverse
predetermined tear-off line 23A to be again designed as a perforation. This
facilitates
the removal of the wrapper if the tobacco portion pack is used as intended in
the device
according to the invention, as described below. Thanks to this transverse
perforation
23A it is possible to divide tobacco wrapper 22 in two axial sectors 22A, 22B
at about
half its length; the lateral pull-off through the slot of transfer tube 5 of
the device is
even simpler and easier to accomplish than the pull-off of tobacco wrapper 22
over its
entire length in a single operation.
Explained below is the self-production of a cigarette by the consumer from the
cigarette
tobacco portion pack described by means of Fig. 5 to 7 with the help of the
device
according to the invention shown in Fig. 1 to 4. An additional element for
producing
the cigarette is a conventional filter cigarette paper tube, as illustrated in
Fig. 8. The tube, identified in its totality as 30, consists of the actual
tube sector 31
made of conventional cigarette paper and the filter sector 32 attached to
same. The
finished cigarette is produced as follows: First sliding piston 15 is pulled
out of its
(assumed) retaining position in transfer tube 5 (against the direction of
arrow 11 in
Fig. 2). Then the wrapped tobacco portion 20 (or 20A), after its pull-off tab
24 (24A)
at the free end 26 is removed from the periphery of tobacco wrapper 22 by
breaking
2182651
the weak contact adhesive 27 and is brought into the laterally projecting
actuator
position shown in Fig. 5 as fully extended, is inserted into transfer tube 5
in such a way
that the laterally projecting pull-off tab 24 (24A) overlaps outside through
slot 11. In
this process of inserting the portion pack into slot 11, the above mentioned
nose 14
provided in the initial part of the slot causes the stripping of adhesive 25
that might
have been applied overly wide so that tab 24 is clearly lifted from the
periphery of the
tobacco wrapper along a straight line. Tobacco portion pack 20 is fully
inserted in
transfer tube 5, i.e. to the stop of the portion pack with its inner end
against front wall
7 of mounting ring 3 of the device. Now a lateral pull of tab 24 (24A) causes
the
10 wrapping of the portion pack to be torn open at longitudinal perforation 23
forming a
predetermined pull-off line, and to be pulled off toward the outside. As
already
mentioned above with reference to Fig. 7, this process of pulling-off the
tobacco
wrapper can be made considerably easier through transverse perforation 23A.
This
allows the tobacco wrapper to be divided for practical purposes in two halves
22A, 22B
which can be more easily pulled off separately in succession than the tobacco
wrapper
can be pulled off over the whole length.
Now the tobacco portion, with the tobacco wrapper removed, lies in the smooth-
walled transfer tube 5 for transfer into the cigarette paper tube - the last
step of the
20 production process.
For this, filter tube 30 (Fig. 8) with its tube sector 31 is pushed or pulled
over the
outside of tube 5. Through the slight slot d (Fig. 4) between the outer wall
of tube 5
and trough 4, a certain linear guidance of the filter tube is ensured when it
is pulled
over tube 5, and the deformation of the thin paper of the filter tube is
avoided. Filter
tube 30 is pulled to a stop over transfer tube 5, i.e. to the stop of filter
sector 32 against
2'182s51
21
the outer free end 12 of transfer tube 5. Now - from the opposite side (front
side 6 of
mounting ring 3) of the housing - sliding piston 15, 16 (in the direction of
arrow I) is
inserted and pushed through to the stop of flange 17 on front side 6. Since
the tobacco
abuts only to the smooth inner surface of tube 5, the tobacco, when subjected
to slight
piston pressure, slides easily into the filter tube which is successively
stripped off the
smooth outer tube just as easily. After completing the transfer process, the
tobacco
string is cut off cleanly at the end of the filter tube, as in the case of a
factory cigarette.
A particular advantage is that due to a certain overlap of housing body 2 over
tube end
of tube 5, the cigarette being produced is supported during the last stage and
no
10 longer has to be protected from dropping down. Handling the device is
extremely
easy. During the transfer process, the device is held with one hand by housing
2, while
the other hand pushes piston 15, 17 through tube 5.
Since with the system according to the invention, the tobacco portion, from
which the
tobacco wrapper has already been removed, is transferred from the (smooth-
walled)
transfer tube 5 directly into the filter tube which is successively filled,
there is friction
only between the tobacco filling and the smooth interior wall of the transfer
tube, so
that no great and especially no fluctuating frictional resistance must be
overcome, and
no relative compression or blockage can occur; this ensures a completely even
filling of
the entire cigarette over its entire length and prevents empty or hollow
sections to be
formed on the inside or compressed or blocked sections which would place
stress on
the cigarette paper tube, which could lead to the tearing of the tube in known
designs.
According to an especially advantageous embodiment of the invention, the
industrially
prefabricated tobacco portion pack can combine several, preferably two tobacco
portions with each other. Such an embodiment is illustrated in Fig. 9, which
shows
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22
such a double portion pack in an intermediate processing stage in an
appropriately
adapted two-channel design of the device, namely in cross-section in a plane
that
corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the tobacco portions and the
transfer tubes
of the device. The double or dual portion pack, identified in its entirety as
number 40,
consists of two individual portions 41 and 42, in the illustrated example
shown as a
design according to Fig. 5, although it could also match the design in Fig. 6.
Individual
portions 41, 42 are connected with each other by a connector 43, which in fact
consists
of the lateral pull-off tabs 24 (Fig. 5) of the individual portions, which are
either
connected to each other at their free ends or which are designed in one piece.
At 44, in
the middle section of connector 43, a predetermined tear-off line 44 is
provided which
extends in longitudinal direction, with which connector 43 can be ripped open,
and
with which the two individual portion packs 41, 42 can be separated from each
other.
Fig. 9 illustrates the preferred processing of such a double tobacco portion
pack that
corresponds to the device shown and described in Fig. 1 to 4, but adapted as a
two-
channel arrangement, i.e. each with two parallel troughs 4A on the top side of
the
mutual housing body 2A, and two slotted tubes 5A fastened by means of mounting
rings 3A. To process the dual pack in such a two-channel arrangement, it is
practical to
insert dual pack 40 in unseparated condition into the two parallel slotted
tubes through
the associated slots 11A, by which connecting section 43 is ripped open along
predetermined tear-off line 44, which can be done by means of simple lifting,
for
example with the piston situated under it. The two half sections of connector
43 form
lateral pull-off tabs 24A, the free ends of which can be used to pull off the
tobacco
wrappers laterally. As an alternative, dual pack 40 can also be ripped open by
ripping
open predetermined tear-off line 44 prior to insertion, and the separated
individual
portion packs can then be inserted as described above in the two tubes 5A.
After
laterally pulling off the tobacco wrappers and pulling a cigarette paper tube
30, 31 over
'-' 2182651
23
the respective slotted tube 5A, the tobacco portions are then transferred into
the
cigarette paper tubes by means of piston 15 (Fig. 3). According to a preferred
embodiment, a dual piston assembly can be provided which can consist of two
parallel
pistons 15, 16 according to Fig. 3, which can be connected with each other,
for example
at actuator end 17, at the predetermined distance. As an alternative, the
transfer can
also take place by means of two separate individual pistons which are pushed
through
either simultaneously or successively.
Of course, the advantageous multiple portion pack, in particular the double
portion
pack illustrated as dual pack 40 in Fig. 9, can also be processed in a simple
one-channel
device according to Fig. 1 to 3, namely either simply - after the double
portion pack is
ripped open along predetermined tear-off line 44 - as single portion packs
according to
Fig. 5 or 6, or as an alternative without first ripping the pack open , so
that at first a
single portion, for example portion 41, is inserted into the slotted tube,
namely by
means of the initially unseparated connector tab 43; then the tobacco wrapper
of this
inserted tobacco portion is pulled out laterally and is then further processed
into the
finished cigarette, while the remaining tobacco portion 42 of the double
portion pack is
inserted into the one-channel device and processed.
Designing the industrially prefabricated product as a multiple tobacco portion
pack has
the further advantage that it provides an additional safeguard against using
the
industrially prefabricated product contrary to the intended purpose, namely as
a "plug-
in cigarette" known from the above-mentioned patents, and this supports the
desired
favourable tax designation of the product as fine cut tobacco.
Various possibilities exist for the production of the industrially
prefabricated tobacco
~.. .
2182651
24
portion packs under the system according to the invention. For example, the
single
portion packs as shown in Fig. 5 or 6, in particular the preferred embodiment
shown,
can be manufactured with the pull-off tab turned over onto the periphery of
the
tobacco wrapper, in a manner resembling the production of regular industrially
finished
cigarettes. In a similar manner, double portion packs such as pack 40 in Fig.
9 can also
be fabricated in a manner resembling the production of conventional cigarettes
in
appropriate packages (cigarette packs).
According to an advantageous embodiment, a multiple number of single portions
can
be arranged for fabrication on a common carrier. Such an embodiment is shown
in
Fig. 10. As can be seen, a number of single portion packs can be combined in a
fabrication unit identified as number 50 consisting, for example, of 10 single
portions
combined into a fabrication and packaging unit 50 on a common belt- or tape-
like
carrier 52. Individual portions 51 can be of the kind shown in Fig. 5 or 6,
and they are
only indicated schematically in Fig. 10, while pull-off tabs 24, 24A (Fig. 5
and 6) are
not shown for the sake of clarity. As can be seen, individual portions 51 are
temporarily fastened parallel to each other on carrier belt 52 by means of
adhesion
areas 53 indicated at number 53. The arrangement can be such that carrier belt
52 can
be folded (and if need be separated) about in the middle at 54, so that the
resulting belt
halves are folded back (indicated by arrow 55 in Fig. 10) until they come to
lie back to
back. In that form, the multiple portion pack can be fabricated, for example
in a
package similar to a regular cigarette pack, or if need be also in a large
round pack.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the multiple portion pack as in Fig.
10 can
be made not only as a fabrication and packaging unit, but also as a processing
unit,
analogous to and as a further development of the double or dual pack shown in
Fig. 9
2182651
and described above. For example, the multiple pack shown in Fig. 10 can be
designed
as a six-pack, with three single portions 51 on each of the two legs of the
belt-like
carrier 52, connected to each other through the fold or kink 54. Such a
multiple pack
could be processed in an appropriate multi-channel design of the device
analogous to
the dual-channel design in Fig. 9. For example, the three single portions 51
on each of
the two belt legs could be processed in a three-channel device, whereby belt
52 assumes
the function of connector 43 in Fig. 9, i.e. it would accomplish the insertion
and
function as pull-off tab. Of course, as an alternative, such a six-pack could
also be
processed according to Fig. 1 to 4 in a simple one-channel device, whereby the
10 individual portions of the multiple pack could be inserted in succession
into the device.
Above, the invention was described by means of preferred embodiments, but of
course,
these can be modified in many different details, and such modifications are
not meant
to limit the scope of the invention. For example, it is possible that the
device, instead
of the simple mounting of the slotted transfer tube 5 shown in Fig. 1 and 2 by
means
of a mounting ring 3 glued into trough 4, is provided with other types of
cantilevered
mounting of the slotted transfer tubes 5 via and in line with trough 4 of
housing body
2. For example, as shown in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 4B, at the point
where
mounting ring 3 would be, a mounting block 3B made of solid material could be
20 provided into which transfer tube 5 would be recessed by its anchoring end
and which
could be somehow connected with housing body 2, for example by adhesion, or
preferably by a one-piece design. Analogously, other modifications are
possible for the
industrially prefabricated tobacco portion packs, apart from the embodiments
shown as
examples in Fig. 5 and 6, in particular in terms of the design and attachment
of the
pull-off tabs to be pulled off laterally.
2182651
26
Furthermore, a predetermined tear-off line or perforation 22 of filter
cigarette paper
tube 22, as shown in Fig. 5 and 6, is not necessary if the embodiment of the
device
according to Fig. 12 to 15 is used. To make it easier to pull the tobacco
wrapper out,
the non-smokable wrapper 41, 42, 43 of the tobacco string can be cut open with
a knife
element 70 while the string is inserted into transfer tube 5. Knife element 70
can be
elastically moved into the interior of the transfer tube via a leaf spring 71
through
another short slot in the transfer tube. The other end of leaf spring 71 can
be fastened
at housing body 2. Otherwise, this embodiment is the equivalent to the
embodiment
according to Fig. 1 and 2.
The embodiment of the tobacco portion pack shown in Fig. 14 and 15 is
substantially
the same as the embodiment according to Fig. 9, but without a predetermined
tear-off
line in the form of a perforation. This longitudinal perforation must run at a
precisely
determined distance from the adhesive seam of the tab when the packs are
manufactured according to Fig. 5, 6 and 9. This is not necessary with the
embodiment
according to Fig. 12 to 15. Cutting the wrapper makes it considerably easier
to pull
out the emptied pack without the effort of having to provide a predetermined
tear-off
line.
Knife element 70 is rigidly connected with leaf spring 71. In rest position,
the tip of
the knife element is outside transfer tube 5, so that the piston is not
touched when the
tobacco is transferred. Before double pack 41, 42 is inserted into transfer
tube 5, leaf
spring 71 must be pressed together with the knife element, and it remains in
that
position until the cutting process is completed.
Double pack 41, 42 can be chosen to have a length that is sufficient for the
filling of a
2182651
27
filter tube.
However, when the double pack is ripped open and pulled out, a design that has
only
half the length is considerably easier to handle. Of course, the tobacco from
two half
packs would have to be transferred in two steps.
The embodiment according to Fig. 16 to 18 is largely the equivalent of the
embodiment
according to Fig. 1 to 3, whereby the device according to Fig. 12 and 13 can
be used as
well. The difference lies in the embodiment of portion pack 22 according to
Fig. 19,
which is provided with a non-smokable, tear-proof material strip 75 extending
over its
entire length and about 15 mm beyond.
After inserting portion pack 22 in transfer tube 5 of the device, the
projecting material
strip 75 is folded over and pressed against transfer tube holder 3 while the
tobacco
string is transferred. Thus the portion pack remains in stable position when
the
tobacco string is subsequently transferred according to Fig. 18 by means of
piston 16.
After the filter tube is pulled on and the tobacco is transferred, the empty
wrapper is
pulled out at the projecting material end 75.
When a portion pack is used, transfer tube 5 does not have to be slotted. In
that case it
is also possible to fasten two or more transfer tubes parallel to each other
to a common
housing body and to connect an appropriate number of portion packs with each
other
via their material strips 75.
Fig. 20 to 22 show an embodiment of the device with which the consumer can
produce
2182651
28
two cigarettes simultaneously. With that embodiment, first end sectors 105A
and
second end sectors 105B project in opposite directions from housing body 102.
In that case, the first end sectors 105 have the purpose of pushing on filter
cigarette
paper tubes 30, while the second end sections have the purpose of
accommodating
portion packs 41, 42. With this embodiment, the first end sectors 105A are not
slotted,
while the second end sectors 105B are slotted similar to the embodiments
according to
Fig. 1 and 2 and serve the purpose of accommodating a double portion pack
according
to Fig. 9. Of course, in this case, too, portion packs according to Fig. 19 or
portion
packs without a predetermined tear-off line can be used if the knife element
according
to Fig. 12 is used in the second end sectors 105B.
The length of end sectors 105B is determined by the length of portion packs
41, 42, 43
which together with filter cigarette paper tubes 30 are shown in an elongated
view in
Fig. 20, in relation to device 101. When portion packs with only half or one
third the
length of the filter cigarette paper tubes are used, the transfer process may
become
considerably easier.
With the help of the double piston, especially that shown in Fig. 22, the
tobacco strings
are transferred from the second end sectors 105B to the first end sectors 105A
and thus
to the filter cigarette paper tubes pushed onto those. This transfer process,
too, is
facilitated by using double portion packs which are half or one third the
length of the
filter cigarette paper tube.
One embodiment of the device, which is particularly well suited for portion
packs and
2182651
29
which is ...1 on a belt-shaped carrier, for example according to Fig. 25, 26,
27 and 28,
is shown in Fig. 23 and 24. With this device, too, the end sectors 205A, 205B
of
transfer tube 205, similar as with the device according to Fig. 20 to 22,
extend in
opposite direction from a mounting 203 of the device's base structure 2,
whereby the
first end sector 205A serves the purpose of accommodating the filter cigarette
paper
tubes, while end sector 205B is designed to accommodate the portion packs
fastened on
the belt-shaped carrier. For that purpose, the second end sector 205B can be
designed
not only in slotted form, but preferably trough-shaped with an essentially
semi-circular
cross-section, so that the tobacco portion packs fastened on the belt-shaped
carrier can
be inserted into this trough and then transferred by means of a piston into
the first end
sector 205A.
To align the belt-shaped carrier or the tobacco portion pack, mounting 203 can
be
provided with appropriately formed projections 207 which grasp the notches or
tapers
on both sides of tobacco portion pack 22 as shown in Fig. 25 to 28. The belt-
shaped
carrier 252 further aligns the height of tobacco portion or partial portion
packs 22 as
shown in Fig. 24 in relation to transfer tube 205.
As a comparison of Fig. 25, 26 or 27, 28 shows, it is also feasible here to
have portion
packs with half or whole length of the filter cigarette paper tube, or with
other integral
portions of this length. The belt-shaped carrier can consist, for example, of
cardboard
or relatively stiff paper, whereby this material is not smokable as such,
although this is
impossible at any rate, especially with the embodiment shown in Fig. 27 and
28, due to
the short length of the tobacco portion packs.
Translator's note: The German word is "geeignet" = suited, but this is
probably an error, and perhaps the
word should read "angeordnet" = arranged.
2182651
As shown in Fig. 31, individual portion packs can be designed as well with
half or one
third the length of the filter cigarette paper tubes, which makes them non-
smokable due
to their short length. These indications, the full length, the half length, as
well as a
third of the length of the filter cigarette paper tube, are of course only
general
indications, since at least the portion pack with the full length of the
cigarette paper
tube is slightly longer than its tobacco receptacle, and the same applies of
course to the
partial tobacco portion packs with an integral portion of the length of the
filter
cigarette paper tube, since a certain compression occurs during stuffing.
10 Another embodiment is shown in Fig. 29 and 30, in which three portion or
partial
portion packs are glued to a rigid core 253 in the middle. This embodiment is
particularly well-suited for the device according to Fig. 23, but also for any
other
devices. As the enlarged cross-sectional view of Fig. 30 shows especially, the
portion or
partial portion packs are not glued to each other, but only connected with
rigid
material core 253 via adhesive layers 254.
A substantial basic idea of the invention is the use of an industrially
prefabricated
product in the form of a tobacco portion string enveloped in a tobacco wrapper
in a
special design, in connection with an arrangement that is provided with a
transfer tube
20 - if need be slotted, cantilever-mounted to a housing body - into which the
prefabricated product is inserted in such a way that the tobacco wrapper of
the
prefabricated product can be pulled off laterally or toward the back, in such
a way that
the tobacco portion, which now abuts in the transfer tube against the smooth
inner
wall without the wrapper, can be transferred with a long piston inserted from
one end
of the tube to a cigarette paper tube pulled over the slotted transfer tube.
