Hopper for rod shaped articles and method for distributing rod shaped articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10709168-B2
Application number	US-201716470628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2017
Priority date	Dec 29, 2016
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

The invention relates to a hopper (10) for rod shaped articles (100) defining a longitudinal axis, the hopper (10) including: a chamber (20) to hold the rod shaped articles (100); a distributor device (30) to align the rod shaped articles (100) with substantially parallel longitudinal axes, the distributor device (30) including a plurality of walls (50) defining adjacent channels (40), at least one of said walls (50) including a stationary part (51) and a movable part (52) connected to the stationary part (51); and a vibrating device (70) adapted to oscillate the movable part (52) with respect to the stationary part (51).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hopper for rod shaped articles defining a longitudinal axis, the hopper including:
a chamber to hold the rod shaped articles;
a distributor device to align the rod shaped articles with substantially parallel longitudinal axes, the distributor device including a plurality of walls defining adjacent channels, at least one of said walls including a stationary part and a movable part hinged to the stationary part; and
a vibrating device adapted to oscillate the movable part with respect to the stationary part.

2. Hopper according to claim 1 , wherein several walls of the plurality include a stationary part and a movable part connected to the stationary part.

3. Hopper according to claim 2 , wherein said vibrating device is adapted to oscillate the movable parts synchronously.

4. Hopper according to claim 1 , wherein the channels are substantially parallel one to the other.

5. Hopper according to claim 1 , wherein said stationary part is substantially vertical.

6. Hopper according to claim 1 , wherein the movable part is adapted to span an angle of about 1° to about 30° in its movement.

7. Hopper according to claim 1 , wherein the vibrating device is adapted to oscillate the movable part at a frequency of about 1 cycle per second to about 25 cycles per second.

8. Hopper according to claim 1 , wherein a breadth of the channel is defined by the distance between two adjacent walls, and a width of the channel is defined as a width of a wall delimiting it, and wherein the breadth is smaller than the width so that the rod shaped articles travel into the channels in a direction substantially perpendicular to their longitudinal axes.

9. Hopper according to claim 1 , wherein the movable part defines a first end connected to the stationary part and an opposite free end extending into the chamber.

10. Hopper according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of channels channels the rod shaped article along a first direction of travel and several of the walls of the plurality include a movable part, the movable parts having a width which increases from a free end facing the chamber to an end connected to the stationary part, so that they form an auxiliary channel channelling misplaced rod shaped articles along a second direction of travel.

11. A method to distribute a plurality of rod shaped articles in a plurality of channels, said method including:
placing a plurality of rod shaped articles in a chamber;
distributing the plurality of rod shaped article within a plurality of channels, wherein the channels are defined by a plurality of adjacent walls, at least one of said walls including a stationary part and a movable part hinged to the stationary part; wherein the step of distributing includes:
vibrating the movable part with respect to the stationary part so as to push the rod shaped articles within the channels.

12. The method according to claim 11 , including the steps of:
providing the movable part with a first and a second opposite surfaces, at least one of which faces a channel, and a connecting border surface, connecting the first and the second surface and substantially perpendicular to the first and second surface, the connecting border surface facing said chamber and including an inclined portion forming a slope leading away from said chamber; and
rejecting rod shaped articles rolling down the slope.

13. The method according to claim 11 , comprising:
vibrating the movable part with respect to the stationary part at a frequency of about 1 cycle per second to about 25 cycles per second.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Products Sa

Inventors

• Vezzani Marcello

Classifications

• A24C5/32

  Separating, ordering, counting or examining cigarettes (in relation to packaging B65B19/00); Regulating the feeding of tobacco according to rod or cigarette condition · CPC title

• A24C5/325 Primary

  from a hopper · CPC title

• B65G11/203

  for articles · CPC title

• B65B19/04

  Arranging, feeding, or orientating the cigarettes · CPC title

• B65G47/44

  Arrangements or applications of hoppers or chutes · CPC title