Machine for the tobacco processing industry, in particular, a filter tipping machine

Abstract

Machine of tobacco processing industry including a machine frame structured to support conveying arrangements for rod-like articles and/or components for conveying such rod-like articles; at least one laser device for processing rod-like articles and/or components of rod-like articles; and a laser supply unit for the at least one laser device having a supply frame to receive one or more supply devices for at least one laser device. Further, machine frame has adapter device so at least one laser device is positionable in/on the machine frame, supply frame has adapter device structured so at least one laser device is positionable on/in the supply frame, the at least one laser device is positionable in co-operation with adapter device of machine frame on/in machine frame, and/or the at least one laser device is positionable in co-operation with adapter device supply frame on/in the supply frame.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A machine of the tobacco processing industry comprising:
 a machine frame structured to support at least one of conveying arrangements for rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry and components for conveying rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry;   at least one laser device structured and arranged for processing at least one of rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry and components of the rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry; and   a laser supply unit for the at least one laser device that includes a supply frame structured to receive one or more supply devices for at least one laser device,   wherein at least one of:
 the machine frame has an adapter device structured so that that at least one laser device is positionable one of on or in the machine frame, 
 the supply frame has an adapter device structured so that at least one laser device is positionable one of on or in the supply frame, 
 the at least one laser device is structured to be positionable in co-operation with the adapter device of the machine frame one of on or in the machine frame, and 
 the at least one laser device is positionable in co-operation with the adapter device of the supply frame one of on or in the supply frame. 
   
     
     
         2 . The machine according to  claim 1  being structured as a filter tipping machine. 
     
     
         3 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the supply frame is structured and arranged to receive at least one of a control device for the laser device, a cooling device for the laser device, a voltage supply device for the laser device and a compressed air supply device for processing the at least one of the rod-like articles and the components of the rod-like articles via the at least one laser device. 
     
     
         4 . The machine according to  claim 3 , wherein an interior of the supply frame comprises: at least one separating wall structured and arranged to substantially completely separate a device for the laser device that includes at least one of a control device, cooling device, a voltage supply device for the laser device, and a compressed air supply device from another device for the laser device that includes another control device, another cooling device, another voltage supply device for the laser device and another compressed air supply device. 
     
     
         5 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the supply frame for the laser device has a receiving area for at least one laser device, and
 one of:   via the adapter device for the laser device, the at least one laser device is arrangeable in the receiving area, or   via the adapter devices of the supply frame, the at least one laser device is arrangeable in the receiving area of the supply frame.   
     
     
         6 . The machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the receiving area comprises at least two separate receiving areas and the at least one laser device comprises at least two laser device. 
     
     
         7 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the supply frame of the laser supply unit has a housing with at least one of flaps and doors. 
     
     
         8 . The machine according to  claim 7 , wherein the housing is closable on all sides. 
     
     
         9 . The machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a beam guidance system, wherein with the arrangement of the at least one laser device one of in or on the supply frame of the laser supply unit, the laser supply unit is operatively connected via the at least one laser beam guidance system to the conveying arrangements of the machine, wherein at least one laser beam guidance system is structured and arranged so that laser beams of the at least one laser device are guidable from the laser supply unit to a processing site on the machine for processing at least one of the rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry and the components of the rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry. 
     
     
         10 . The machine according to  claim 9 , wherein the processing comprises perforating at least one of the rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry and the components of the rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry. 
     
     
         11 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one laser device comprises a CO2 laser having a resonator housing structured to be at least one of positionable one of in or on the machine frame and positionable one of in or on the supply frame. 
     
     
         12 . An arrangement comprising:
 a machine of the tobacco processing industry having a machine frame;   an external laser supply unit;   one or more laser devices positionable one of in or on the machine frame of the machine;   a supply connection system being structured to connect the external laser supply unit to the one or more laser devices; and   the supply connection system being structured to connect at least one of a control device, a cooling device and a voltage supply device to the one or more laser devices so that the one or more laser devices are operable for processing at least one of rod-like articles and components of the rod-like articles.   
     
     
         13 . The arrangement according to  claim 12 , wherein the external laser supply unit has at least one of a plurality of plugs and a plurality of plug receptacles for further devices, and that the laser supply unit has at least one of a display unit and an input unit. 
     
     
         14 . The arrangement according to  claim 13 , wherein the display unit comprises a touch-sensitive display unit and the input unit comprises a touch-sensitive input unit. 
     
     
         15 . A laser supply unit for at least one laser device for processing at least one of rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry and components of rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry, comprising:
 a supply frame structured to receive one or more supply devices for the at least one laser device; and   at least one of:   an adapter device structured to position the at least one laser device one of on or in the supply frame,   at least one laser device structured to be positionable in operative connection with an adapter device of a machine of the tobacco processing industry,   the at least one laser device being positionable in co-operation with the adapter device of the supply frame one of on or in the supply frame.   
     
     
         16 . The laser supply unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the supply frame is structured and arranged to receive a control device for the laser device, a cooling device for the laser device, a control supply device for the laser device and a compressed air supply device. 
     
     
         17 . The laser supply unit according to  claim 16 , wherein an interior of the supply frame comprises at least one separating wall structured and arranged to separate a device for the laser device selected from the group consisting of: a control device, a cooling device, a voltage supply device for the laser device and a compressed air supply device from another device selected from the same group consisting of: another control device, another cooling device, another voltage supply device for the laser device and another compressed air supply device. 
     
     
         18 . The laser supply unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the supply frame for the at least one laser device has separate receiving areas for the at least one laser device, and at least one of: via the adapter device for the at least one laser device, the at least one laser device is positionable in the receiving area, or via the adapter device of the supply frame, the laser devices are positionable in the receiving area of the supply frame. 
     
     
         19 . The laser supply unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the supply frame of the laser supply unit has a housing closable on a top and at sides with at least one of flaps and doors, and that the laser supply unit has at least one of a display unit and an input unit. 
     
     
         20 . The laser supply unit according to  claim 19 , wherein the display unit comprises a touch screen display unit and the input unit comprises a touch screen input unit. 
     
     
         21 . The laser supply unit according to  claim 15 , wherein, with the at least one laser device positioned one of in or on the supply frame of the laser supply unit, the at least one laser supply unit is connectable, via a laser beam guidance system, to a machine of the tobacco processing industry, and wherein the laser guidance system is structured and arranged to guide the laser beams of the at least one laser device from the laser supply unit to a processing site on a machine for processing, in particular perforating, the at least one of rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry and the components of rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry. 
     
     
         22 . The laser supply unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one laser device comprises at least two laser devices, and, with separate arrangements for the at least two laser devices, the laser supply unit is connectable, via a supply connection system, to the at least two separate laser devices, and the supply connection system is structured and arranged to connect a control device and a cooling device and a voltage supply device to the at least two separate laser devices so that the at least two separate laser devices are operable for processing, in particular for perforating, the at least one of rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry and the components of rod-like articles of the tobacco processing industry. 
     
     
         23 . The laser supply unit according to  claim 15 , further comprising at least one of a plurality of plugs and a plurality of plug receptacles for at least one of: at least two machines of the tobacco processing industry; and a connection to at least one of a local network, a factory network, an internet connection, a central compressed air supply and a central cooling unit supply.