Method and a continuous rod machine arrangement for producing nonwoven filters

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a nonwoven fiber composite for the manufacture of filters in the tobacco industry, wherein the method feeds separated fiber materials to a fluidized bed and the separated filter material inside the fluidized bed are transported to a rod-forming device, essentially by a transport air flow flowing in the direction of the rod-forming device and the filter material is compiled on the rod-forming device prior to forming the compacted fiber filter elements.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for producing a nonwoven fiber composite for the manufacture of filters in the tobacco industry, the method comprising: 
 feeding separated fiber materials to a fluidized bed;    transporting the separated filter material inside the fluidized bed to a rod-forming device essentially by a transport air flow flowing in the direction of the rod-forming device; and    compiling the filter material on the rod-forming device.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter material comprises fibers.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising providing fibers of different compositions.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibers in the fluidized bed further comprises at least one additive.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the separated fibers have a length of from about 2 to about 100 mm.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the average fiber diameter of the separated fibers is in the range of from about 10 to about 40 μm.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the average fiber diameter of the separated fibers is in the range of from about 20 to about 38 μm.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the separated fibers are synthetic fibers.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the fiber strength of the synthetic fibers is from about 1 to about 20 dtex.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the fiber strength of the synthetic fibers is from about 2 to about 6 dtex.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising successively feeding separated fiber materials of differing composition to the fluidized bed.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the feeding step further comprises the separating of fibers.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises forming a continuous fiber filter rod from the compiled fibers, and dividing the continuous rod into individual filter sections.  
     
     
         14 . An arrangement of a continuous rod machine for use in the tobacco industry, comprising: 
 at least one filter-material feeding device comprising a metering element for dispensing metered amounts of separated filter material;    a continuous-rod forming device; and    a fluidized bed for transporting the filter material from the filter material feeding device to the continuous rod-forming device.    
     
     
         15 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the filter material feeding device further comprises at least one conveying element.  
     
     
         16 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one conveying element comprises at least one roller.  
     
     
         17 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the filter material feeding device supplies the separated fibers to the metering element.  
     
     
         18 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluidized bed comprises a filter material directing channel.  
     
     
         19 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluidized bed is a filter material directing channel.  
     
     
         20 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluidized bed comprises a curved portion, initially transporting the fluidized filter material in a downward direction then transitioning to a horizontal position before subsequently directing the fluidized filter material in an upward direction.  
     
     
         21 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 20 , wherein the curve comprises an elliptical shape increasing in radius in the transporting direction.  
     
     
         22 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the filter material feeding device further comprises a filter material separating device.  
     
     
         23 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 22 , wherein the filter feeding device separating device comprises a fiber crusher.  
     
     
         24 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 23 , wherein the fiber crusher comprises an element selected from the group consisting of at least one cutting drum and at least one hammer crusher and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to claims  22 , wherein the filter material feeding device meters the filter material to the separating device.  
     
     
         26 . The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the arrangement further comprises at least two filter material feeding devices.