A feeding system, a feeding unit, a feeder and a method for feeding rod-like elements

Abstract

A feeding system (1) for feeding groups (7) of rod-like elements (2) for a tobacco industry machine, wherein the group (7) includes at least two rod-like elements (2) arranged coaxially next to each other, the feeding system including: a container (3) for the rod-like elements (2); a single element feeder (4) for feeding individual rod-like elements (2) from the container (3); an intermediate storage (5) for transferring the rod-like elements (2) from the single element feeder (4) along a storage duct (20) to an elements group feeder (6), wherein an outlet (24) of the storage duct (20) has a tilting track (21) forming a recess (36) for stopping the rod-like elements (2); wherein the elements group feeder (6) includes: a transporting duct (25) connected to the storage duct (20); and a transporter (26) including shovels (27), wherein the shovels (27) are configured to transport the groups (7) of the rod-like elements (2) one after the other along the transporting duct (25) from the storage duct (20) to an outlet duct (37); and a pushing unit (8) including a reciprocally movable pusher (33), configured to eject the group (7) of the rod-like elements (2) from the outlet duct (37).

1 . A feeding system for feeding groups of rod-like elements for a tobacco industry machine, wherein the group comprises at least two rod-like elements arranged coaxially next to each other, the feeding system comprising:
 a container for the rod-like elements;   a single element feeder for feeding individual rod-like elements from the container and comprising:
 a single-layer duct and 
 an outlet formed by a feeding groove of a feeding wheel and a circumferential surface of a shoving away wheel; 
   an intermediate storage for transferring the rod-like elements from the single element feeder along a storage duct to an elements group feeder, wherein an outlet of the storage duct has a tilting track forming a recess for stopping the rod-like elements;   wherein the elements group feeder comprises:
 a transporting duct connected to the storage duct; and 
 a transporter comprising shovels, wherein the shovels are configured to transport the group of the rod-like elements one after the other along the transporting duct from the storage duct to an outlet duct; and 
   a pushing unit comprising a reciprocally movable pusher, configured to eject the group of the rod-like elements from the outlet duct.   
     
     
         2 . The feeding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the feeding groove of the feeding wheel has openings for supplying negative pressure to the surface of the feeding groove. 
     
     
         3 . The feeding system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one portion of a bottom of the single-layer duct of the single element feeder is movable to force agitation of the rod-like elements accumulated in the single-layer duct of the single element feeder. 
     
     
         4 . The feeding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the recess is configured to receive at least one rod-like element. 
     
     
         5 . The feeding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the shovels of the transporter have a length corresponding to a length of the tilting track of the storage duct. 
     
     
         6 . The feeding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tilting track of the storage duct is configured to be lowered and raised by means of an actuator. 
     
     
         7 . The feeding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the transporter is a chain transporter. 
     
     
         8 . The feeding system according to  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate storage is a gravitational feeder. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A single element feeder for feeding individual rod-like elements for a tobacco industry machine, wherein the single element feeder comprises:
 a single-layer duct formed by at least two sidewalls distanced from each other by a distance from 1.05 to 1.5 of a diameter of the rod-like element and walls connecting the at least two sidewalls;   a feeding wheel having a circumferential feeding groove for feeding individual rod-like elements to an outlet of the single element feeder wherein the feeding groove constitutes at least a portion of a bottom of the single-layer duct; and   a shoving away wheel for pushing an excess of the rod-like elements away from the outlet of the single element feeder, wherein the shoving away wheel rotates in a direction opposite with respect to a direction of rotation of the feeding wheel;   characterized in that:   the shoving away wheel for pushing away the excess of the rod-like elements has at its circumference multiple inclined surfaces, wherein a distance of the surface from an axis of the shoving away wheel decreases in the direction of the rotation of the shoving away wheel.   
     
     
         15 . The single element feeder according to  claim 14 , wherein the feeding groove of the feeding wheel comprises openings for supplying negative pressure to the surface of the feeding groove. 
     
     
         16 . The single element feeder according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one wall of the single-layer duct or a portion of the bottom of the single-layer duct is displaceable and movable to force agitation of the rod-like elements accumulated in the single-layer duct. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An elements group feeder for a tobacco industry machine, wherein the group comprises at least two rod-like elements arranged coaxially next to each other, the elements group feeder comprising:
 an intermediate storage, configured to feed a train of the rod-like elements along a storage duct;   a transporting duct configured to receive the rod-like elements from the storage duct; and   a transporter with shovels configured to transport the groups of the rod-like elements in the transporting duct from the storage duct to an outlet duct, wherein the shovels are movable in the transporting duct in equal distances from each other, such that the first rod-like element of the group comes into contact with one shovel and the last rod-like element of the group comes into contact with a subsequent shovel;   characterized in that   a tilting track is provided at an outlet of the storage duct to the transporting duct, the tilting track configured such that after lowering of the tilting track, a recess is formed, into which at least one element of the train of the rod-like elements fed via the storage duct can slide to stop the train/string.   
     
     
         21 . The elements group feeder according to  claim 20 , wherein the shovels have a length corresponding to a length of the tilting track of the storage duct. 
     
     
         22 . The elements group feeder according to  claim 20 , wherein the tilting track is configured to be lowered and raised by means of an actuator. 
     
     
         23 . The elements group feeder according to  claim 20 , wherein the transporter is a chain transporter. 
     
     
         24 . The elements group feeder according to  claim 20 , wherein the intermediate storage ( 5 ) is a gravitational feeder. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A feeding system for feeding groups of rod-like elements for a tobacco industry machine, wherein the group comprises at least two rod-like elements arranged coaxially next to each other, the feeding system comprising:
 a container for the rod-like elements;   a single element feeder for feeding individual rod-like elements comprising a single-layer duct, wherein an outlet of the single element feeder is formed by a feeding groove of a feeding wheel and a circumferential surface of a shoving away wheel; and   an intermediate storage for transferring the rod-like elements from the single element feeder along the storage duct to an elements group feeder, wherein an outlet of the storage duct has a tilting track configured to form a recess for stopping the rod-like elements;   wherein the elements group feeder comprises a transporting duct, configured to receive the rod-like elements from the storage duct, a transporter having shovels, wherein the shovels are configured to transport the groups of the rod-like elements one after the other along the transporting duct from the storage duct to an outlet duct;   a pushing unit comprising a reciprocally movable pusher for ejecting the group of the rod-like elements from the outlet duct;   characterized in that:   an upper surface of the pusher is inclined with respect to a bottom of the outlet duct.   
     
     
         28 . The feeding system according to  claim 27 , wherein the upper surface of the pusher is inclined at an angle from 0.5° to 5°, preferably from 3° to 4°, with respect to the bottom of the outlet duct. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled)