Forming apparatus and method for forming a continuous tubular rod

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022152883-A1
Application number	US-202017599278-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 24, 2020
Priority date	Mar 28, 2019
Publication date	May 19, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The forming apparatus comprises a feed path for continuously feeding a continuous tow material along a transport direction, a forming device connected to a downstream end of the feed path and adapted to form the continuous tow material into a continuous tubular rod. The forming device comprises a tubular element adapted to allow the continuous tow material to pass through the tubular element to form the continuous tubular rod and a steam generator adapted to generate overheated steam. The steam generator is in fluid connection with the tubular element to provide overheated steam to the continuous tow material. The forming device further comprises several fluid conduits to provide overheated steam from the steam generator to several injection sites arranged along a length of the tubular element, wherein at least one fluid conduit of the several fluid conduits comprises a temperature control unit including a temperature sensor and a temperature influencer.

First claim

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . A forming apparatus comprising:
a feed path for continuously feeding a continuous tow material along a transport direction; a forming device connected to a downstream end of the feed path and adapted to form the continuous tow material into a continuous tubular rod, the forming device comprising: a tubular element adapted to allow the continuous tow material to pass through the tubular element to form the continuous tubular rod; a steam generator adapted to generate overheated steam, the steam generator being in fluid connection with the tubular element to provide overheated steam to the continuous tow material, wherein the forming device further comprises several fluid conduits to provide overheated steam from the steam generator to several injection sites arranged along a length of the tubular element, and wherein more than one fluid conduit of the several fluid conduits comprises a temperature control unit including a temperature sensor and a temperature influencer.

17 . The forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein one of the more than one temperature control unit is arranged in an end section of a fluid conduit at the injection site.

18 . The forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein an injection end of the at least one fluid conduit, which fluid conduit comprises the temperature control unit comprises a nozzle.

19 . The forming apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the temperature sensor is arranged in the nozzle.

20 . The forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the temperature influencer is a heating device, preferably a heating and cooling device.

21 . The forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein each fluid conduit of the several fluid conduits, comprises a temperature control unit.

22 . The forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein at least one fluid conduit of the several fluid conduits comprises a pressure control unit comprising a pressure sensor and a pressure influencer.

23 . The forming apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the pressure influencer is a pressure regulator capable to diminish a pressure, preferably to diminish and enhance a pressure, in the fluid conduit.

24 . The forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the tubular element comprises a plurality of tubular element segments, wherein each tubular element segment of the plurality of tubular element segments comprises an injection site.

25 . The forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the tubular element comprises a mandrel for forming a continuous hollow tubular rod from the continuous tow material.

26 . A manufacturing line for manufacturing a continuous tubular rod, the manufacturing line comprising a forming apparatus according to claim 16 and comprising a plasticiser application device arranged upstream of the forming apparatus for applying plasticiser to the continuous tow material.

27 . A method for forming a continuous tubular rod from a continuous tow material, the method comprising:
providing a continuous tow material; forming the continuous tow material to a continuous tubular rod; heating the continuous tow material during forming by providing overheated steam from a steam generator via a steam distribution system to the continuous tubular rod, thereby measuring the temperature of the overheated steam in the steam distribution system at several injection sites of the overheated steam to the continuous tubular rod along a forming path of the continuous tow material, and providing a temperature influencer in the steam distribution system downstream of the steam generator, the temperature influencer capable of changing a temperature of the overheated steam delivered from the steam generator to the continuous tow material during forming.

28 . The method according to claim 27 , comprising heating or cooling the overheated steam delivered from the steam generator before delivering the overheated steam to the continuous tow material.

29 . The method according to claim 27 , comprising measuring the pressure of the overheated steam at least one of the injection sites and providing a pressure influencer in the distribution system, the pressure influencer being capable of changing the pressure, preferably diminish the pressure, of the overheated steam delivered to the continuous tow material.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Products Sa

Inventors

• Bertoldo Massimiliano
• Cantieri Fabio
• Prestia Ivan

Classifications

• B29D99/0046

  Producing rods (connecting-rods formed from fiber-reinforced resins F16C7/026) · CPC title

• A24D3/022

  with liquid additives, e.g. application of plasticisers · CPC title

• A24D3/0233

  by means of a garniture · CPC title

• B29C35/049 Primary

  using steam or damp · CPC title

• A24D3/0295

  Process control means · CPC title