Device and method for providing a material web

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for wrapping a rod-shaped article and for providing a material web for the tobacco processing industry, comprising a material web provision device providing a material web comprising a first feed roller pair and a second feed roller pair for conveying the material web along a conveying path. To guarantee the wrapping process even when using thick wrapping papers or hydrophobic papers, the material provision device comprises a first restoring force reduction unit, wherein the first restoring force reduction unit is located downstream of the first feed roller pair along the conveying path and is located upstream of the second feed roller pair along the conveying path.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for wrapping rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry including multi-segment articles, multi-segment smoking articles, or multi-segment intermediate products, and/or for providing a material web for the tobacco processing industry, comprising:
 a material web provision device providing a material web, the material web provision device comprising a first feed roller pair and a second feed roller pair conveying a material web along a conveying path;   a cutting assembly comprising a cutting drum cutting the material web into material web sections;   a tacking device comprising:
 a conveying drum comprising a suction roller conveying the cut material web sections, and 
 a conveying device conveying a segment group of article rod segments, the conveying device having a holding fixture comprising a trough; and 
   a rolling drum comprising a rolling hand, a rolling belt, or a rolling cam,   wherein the tacking device connects the material web sections and the segment group to provide a tacked segment group; and   wherein the material provision device has a first restoring force reduction unit comprising a crusher for crushing the material web wherein the first restoring force reduction unit is located downstream of the first feed roller pair along the conveying path and is located upstream of the second feed roller pair along the conveying path.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first restoring force reduction unit is a laser processing unit, a mechanical processing unit comprising a crimping roller pair producing crimp lines transversely to the conveying path, a brush device, an embossing device, or a plasma treatment unit. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the material provision device comprises a second restoring force reduction unit or surface treatment unit comprising a crusher for crushing the material web, wherein the second restoring force reduction unit or surface treatment unit is located downstream of the first feed roller pair along the conveying path and is located upstream of the second feed roller pair along the conveying path and the second restoring force reduction unit or surface treatment unit is arranged downstream of the first restoring force reduction unit along the conveying path. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the second restoring force reduction unit or surface treatment unit is a laser processing unit, a mechanical processing unit comprising a crimping roller pair producing crimp lines transversely to the conveying path, a brush device, or embossing device, or a plasma treatment unit. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the material web provision device comprises a first gluing device having a tank for applying an adhesive to provide the material web with cold glue, wherein the first gluing device is located downstream of the second feed roller pair along the conveying path. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the material web provision device comprises a second gluing device for applying an adhesive to provide the material web with hot glue, wherein the second gluing device is located downstream of the second feed roller pair and downstream of the first gluing device along the conveying path. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the material web provision device comprises an activation and curing unit which by heating, cooling, UV lighting, or application of auxiliary substances, activates the adhesive applied using the first or second gluing device and accelerates the curing. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second restoring force reduction unit or surface treatment unit process the material web exclusively on one side, such that the material web is only processed or altered on one side. 
     
     
         9 . A method for processing a material web and for wrapping a segment group of article rod segments of the tobacco processing industry using an apparatus for wrapping a rod-shaped article and/or for providing a material web for the tobacco processing industry according to  claim 1 , comprising
 providing a material web on a bobbin,   pulling the material web along a conveying path,   changing the restoring forces or treating the surface of the material web using one-sided mechanical processing of the material web or using a one-sided alteration of the surface structure of the material web,   cutting the web material into material web sections having a rectangular shape,   providing a segment group,   conveying the material web sections into a connection region for connecting the material web sections to the segment group,   conveying the segment group into a connection region for connecting the material web sections to the segment group,   connecting the material web sections to the segment group at a planar contact region,   rolling the tacked segment group in order to wrap the tacked segment group with the material web section.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein depressions are made in the material web, wherein the material web has a thickness and the depressions in the material web are made to a depth of at most 5%, 10%, 30%, or 50% of the thickness of the material web to change the restoring forces of the material web transverse to a longitudinal direction of the material web. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the depressions are at equal distances in the longitudinal direction of the material web or at least 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, or more than 12, depressions are at equal distances. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the material web has a width and the depressions extend at least over 80% or 90% or 95% or 100% of the width of the material web. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to at least one of  claim 9 , wherein the material web sections comprise hydrophobic paper, wherein the contact angle of water is between 100° and 140°. 
     
     
         14 . A rod-shaped smoking product or rod-shaped intermediate product of the tobacco processing industry having at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more than 6 rod-shaped article rod segments, wherein the rod-shaped smoking product or the rod-shaped intermediate product is an aerosol-forming segment wrapped at least partially with a wrapping material, wherein the wrapping material, on the inner face, comprises depressions in the direction of the longitudinal axis LA of the smoking product or intermediate product, preferably at least or exactly 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20 and wherein the two longitudinal edges of the wrapping material are connected to one another so as to overlap, wherein the wrapping material is located at least in sections on an outer face of a lateral surface of the smoking product or intermediate product and is not covered by a further wrapping material. 
     
     
         15 . The rod-shaped smoking product or rod-shaped intermediate product according to  claim 14 , wherein the wrapping material has a thickness and the depressions are made to a depth of at most 5%, 10%, 30%, or 50% of the thickness of the wrapping material, and the depressions are at equal distances and the wrapping material has a width in the direction of the longitudinal axis LA of the smoking product or intermediate product and the depressions extend at least over 80% or 90% or 95% or 100% of the width and the wrapping material comprises hydrophobic paper, wherein the contact angle of water is between 100° and 140°.