GB2537349A

GB2537349A - Apparatus and method for applying adhesive to a wrapper for a smoking article

Info

Publication number: GB2537349A
Application number: GB1505511.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fallon Gary; Seon Park Kie
Original assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
Current assignee: British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
Priority date: 2015-03-31
Filing date: 2015-03-31
Publication date: 2016-10-19
Also published as: GB201505511D0

Abstract

An apparatus for applying adhesive to a continuous flat web of wrapper material 27 in the manufacture of smoking articles or components for smoking articles. The apparatus comprises a supply of adhesive 12, an adhesive applicator 13 to receive adhesive from the adhesive supply, and a support member 20. The apparatus is configured to apply adhesive from the adhesive applicator onto a continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member with the continuous flat web of wrapper material oriented in a vertical plane. Alternatively the adhesive could be placed by spraying it on to the applicator from nozzles (44, Fig. 4); or by having an adhesive roller (63, Fig. 6) partially immersed in adhesive container 61 (Fig. 6).

Description

Apparatus and Method for Applying Adhesive to a Wrapper for a Smoking Article

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for applying adhesive to a wrapping material and, particularly but not exclusively, for applying adhesive to a wrapping material, such as a tipping paper or a plug wrap, for manufacture of a smoking article.

Background

Smoking articles may comprise a number of components enveloped or connected together by wrapping material. For example, a filter may comprise one or more filter dements circumscribed by a plug wrap, and a filter may be connected to a rod of smokable material by a tipping paper. Also, in non-combustible tobacco-heating products, heating elements may include an outer wrapping material to retain their integrity and may be attached to a rod of tobacco or other aerosol-generating material by a tipping paper. Smoking articles are manufactured using high-speed, high output machinery, and the wrapping material is secured around the respective component(s) using adhesive applied to the wrapping material during the smoking article manufacture. In the manufacturing process, it is desirable to reduce the time between the adhesive being applied to the wrapping material and the wrapping material being secured in place on or around the smoking article component(s) by means of the adhesive.

or Summary

According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for applying adhesive to a continuous flat web of wrapper material in the manufacture of smoking articles or components for smoking articles, the apparatus comprising a supply of adhesive, an adhesive applicator to receive adhesive from the adhesive supply, and a support member, wherein the apparatus is configured to apply adhesive from the adhesive applicator onto a continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member with the continuous flat web of wrapper material oriented in a vertical plane.

The support member may be configured to receive the continuous flat web of wrapper material passing over it travelling in a horizontal direction.

The adhesive applicator may comprise a transfer member disposed adjacent the support member and configured to receive adhesive and to transfer the adhesive onto a continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member.

The transfer member may comprise a transfer roller rotatable about a central axis, and the central axis may be disposed in a vertical orientation.

The transfer roller may include a plurality of recesses formed in its outer curved surface to receive and retain adhesive to be transferred onto the continuous flat web of wrapper material.

The apparatus may further comprise a vertically-aligned blade in contact with the curved surface of the transfer roller and may be configured to scrape excess adhesive from the curved surface of the transfer roller as the transfer roller rotates.

The adhesive applicator may further comprise a loading member configured to receive 20 adhesive from the adhesive supply and to load the transfer member with adhesive.

The loading member may comprise a loading roller rotatable about its axis and in contact with the transfer member.

The loading roller may be in contact with the supply of adhesive and may be at least partially conical in shape. The axis of the loading roller may be inclined relative to the horizontal.

The supply of adhesive may comprise a reservoir of liquid adhesive and the loading roller may be partially immersed in the liquid adhesive.

The supply of adhesive may comprise a supply of liquid adhesive and the adhesive applicator may comprise at least one nozzle for spraying the liquid adhesive. -3 -

The loading member may comprise the or each nozzle which is configured to spray liquid adhesive onto the transfer member.

The or each nozzle may comprise the transfer member and may be arranged to receive 5 liquid adhesive from the supply of adhesive and to spray the liquid adhesive directly onto the continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member.

The or each nozzle may be fluidly connected to the supply of liquid adhesive. The ro apparatus may comprise a pump to deliver liquid adhesive from the reservoir to the or each nozzle. At least one valve may be disposed between the supply of liquid adhesive and the or each nozzle to control the flow of liquid adhesive.

The apparatus may further comprise a controller connected to the pump and/or the at least one valve to control operation thereof.

The supply of adhesive may be held within a container including at least one side wall having an aperture therein, and the transfer roller may be mounted to the container within the aperture such that a portion of the transfer roller is disposed within the container and in contact with the adhesive, and a portion of the transfer roller may be exposed on the outside of the container.

The container may include a seal around the perimeter of the aperture and in contact with the transfer roller to prevent leakage of adhesive from the container through the or aperture.

The support member may comprise a support roller rotatable about a central axis, and the central axis may be disposed in a vertical orientation. The support member may be in contact with the adhesive applicator.

The support member may be moveably mounted in the apparatus and the apparatus may include a biasing element which biases the support member into contact with the adhesive applicator.

The apparatus may further comprise a controller connected to the adhesive applicator to control operation thereof, and a sensor may be connected to the controller to detect a -4 -conveyance speed of a continuous flat web of wrapper material over the support member, and the controller may be configured to control operation of the adhesive applicator in dependence upon the signal received from the sensor.

The present invention also provides a method of applying adhesive to a continuous flat web of wrapper material in the manufacture of smoking articles or components for smoking articles using an apparatus comprising a supply of adhesive, an adhesive applicator, and a support member, the method comprising the adhesive applicator receiving adhesive from the adhesive supply, conveying a continuous flat web of rri wrapper material over the support member, the web of wrapper material being oriented in a vertical plane, and applying adhesive from the adhesive applicator onto the continuous web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member.

The continuous web of wrapper material may be conveyed over the support member in a horizontal direction.

The adhesive applicator may comprise a transfer member disposed adjacent the support member, and the method may comprise the transfer member receiving adhesive and transferring the adhesive onto a continuous flat web of wrapper material 20 as it is conveyed over the support member.

The transfer member may comprise a transfer roller rotatable about a central axis disposed in a vertical orientation, and the method may comprise transferring adhesive onto the continuous flat web of wrapper material from a plurality of recesses formed in the outer curved surface of the transfer roller.

The method may comprise scraping excess adhesive from the curved surface of the transfer roller as the transfer roller rotates using a vertically-aligned blade in contact with the curved surface of the transfer roller.

The adhesive applicator may further comprise a loading member, and the method may comprise the loading member receiving adhesive from the adhesive supply and loading the transfer member with adhesive.

The loading member may comprise a loading roller which is at least partially conical, is rotatable about its axis which is inclined relative to the horizontal, and is in contact -5 -with the transfer member and is partially immersed in the adhesive which is a liquid.

The loading member may comprise at least one nozzle which is configured to spray liquid adhesive onto the transfer member.

The transfer member may comprise at least one nozzle which is configured to spray liquid adhesive, and the method may comprise the at least one nozzle receiving liquid adhesive from the supply of adhesive and spraying the liquid adhesive directly onto the continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member.

The method may comprise controlling the flow of liquid adhesive using at least one valve disposed between the supply of liquid adhesive and the or each nozzle.

The method may comprise controlling operation of the at least one valve using a controller connected to the at least one valve.

The method may comprise detecting a conveyance speed of a continuous flat web of wrapper material over the support member using a sensor connected to a controller, the controller connected to the adhesive applicator to control operation thereof, and controlling operation of the adhesive applicator in dependence upon the signal received from the sensor.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with or reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an apparatus of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a control system of the apparatus of Figures iand 2; Figure 4 shows a schematic view of an apparatus of a second embodiment of the invention; Figures shows a schematic view of an apparatus of a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 shows a schematic perspective view of an apparatus of a fourth embodiment of the invention; -6 -Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view along the line X-X of the apparatus shown in Figure 6; and Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view along the line Y-Y of the apparatus shown in Figure 6.

Detailed Description

Figures 1 and 2 show an apparatus 10 of a first embodiment of the invention which comprises an adhesive applicator apparatus. The apparatus 10 may comprise a standalone adhesive applicator machine, or may comprise part of a larger smoking article manufacturing machine, either as an integral part of a single machine, or as a module of a modular smoking article manufacturing machine.

The apparatus 10 includes a bath it containing liquid adhesive 12. An angled loading roller 13 (referred to hereafter as "angled roller 13") is positioned partially submerged within the liquid adhesive 12 in the bath ii. The angled roller 13 is frusto-conical in shape and includes a circular bottom face 14, a circular top face 15 and a side face 16. The angled roller 13 is rotatable about a central axis of rotation 17 which is angled at around 45 degrees to the horizontal. The angled roller 13 is configured such that the side face 16 is angled at 45 degrees to the axis of rotation 17. Therefore, the angled roller 13 is configured such that a portion of the side face 16 extends vertically, indicated at point V in Figures 1 and 2.

The apparatus includes a transfer member comprising a transfer roller 18 which is rotatable about a central axis 19 and is in contact with the vertical portion V of the or angled roller 13. The apparatus also includes a support roller 20 which is rotatable about a central axis 21 and is in contact with the transfer roller 18. The support roller 20 may be mounted on a moveable bracket (not shown) that is moveable towards and away from the transfer roller 18, and may include a biasing member (not shown), such as a spring, to bias the support roller 20 into contact with the transfer roller 18. The angled roller 13, transfer roller 18 and support roller 20 are rotatable about their respective axes 17, 19, 21 in the direction shown by respective arrows 22, 23, 24.

A scraper or blade 25 is provided in contact with the transfer roller 18 and extends in an axial direction of the transfer roller 18. -7 -

At least one of the angled roller 13 and the transfer roller 18 are driven by a drive motor, and both may be driven by a drive motor (as shown in Figure 3). The support roller 20 may be driven by a drive motor (not shown) or may be an idle roller which is rotatable by contact with the transfer roller 18. Alternatively, the support roller may be driven by being mechanically coupled to the transfer roller 18, for example by engaging gears on the transfer and support rollers 18, 20 (as shown in Figure 3), or by a drive belt extending between the transfer and support rollers 18, 20.

The transfer roller 18 includes a plurality of shallow recesses 26 formed on its outer curved surface. Tn use, these recesses 26 retain adhesive 12 conveyed from the bath 11 to the transfer roller 18 by the angled roller 13.

A continuous flat web of wrapper material 27 is fed from a spool (not shown) to the nip 29 between the transfer roller 18 and the support roller 20, and is conveyed in the direction shown by arrows 28, namely in a horizontal or substantially horizontal direction, between the transfer and support rollers 18, 20. The flat planar web 27 is therefore oriented such that it lies in a vertical or substantially vertical plane. The wrapper material 27 may comprise a plug wrap, a tipping paper, or other sheet material suitable for use in the manufacture of smoking articles. The wrapper material 27 may comprise any suitable material, for example paper, thin card or plastic such as polyethylene. Also, the wrapper material 27 may comprise a laminated material, such as paper laminated with plastic or metal foil, such as aluminium foil.

In operation of the apparatus ro of the first embodiment, the angled loading roller 13 or rotates about its axis 17 in the direction shown by arrow 22. A lower portion of the angled roller 13 is submerged in the adhesive 12 and so adhesive 12 is picked up onto the side face 16 of the angled roller 13 and loaded onto the transfer roller 18 at point V where the angled and transfer rollers 13, 18 are in contact. In particular, the adhesive 12 is retained in the shallow recesses 26 of the transfer roller 18, due to the viscosity and surface tension of the liquid adhesive 12.

As the transfer roller 18 rotates, excess adhesive 12 is scraped from the surface of the transfer roller 18 by the blade 25. This removes all adhesive 12 from the outermost surface of the transfer roller 18 but leaves the adhesive 12 within the shallow recesses 35 26. The removed excess adhesive 12 falls back into the bath 11 for re-use. -8 -

The continuous web of wrapper material 27 is conveyed between the nip 29 of the transfer and support rollers 18, 20. The support roller 20 presses the wrapper material 27 against the surface of the transfer roller 18. The adhesive 12 within the shallow recesses 26 is retained on the wrapper material 27 as discrete patches of adhesive 30.

The wrapper material 27 is then conveyed away from the apparatus 10 in the direction of arrow 28 for use in a subsequent step of a smoking article manufacture or smoking article component manufacture.

The rotation of the angled roller 13, transfer roller 18 and support roller 20 is preferably synchronised. This may be achieved by a roller that is driven by a drive motor being coupled to the or each other roller by gears so as to rotate simultaneously and synchronously. In order to achieve and maintain correct synchronous rotation of the angled roller 13, transfer roller 18 and support roller zo, a control system 31 is preferably employed. The control system 31 is shown schematically in Figure 3 which illustrates one exemplary arrangement of the apparatus 10 of the first embodiment of the invention.

The angled roller 13 is driven by a first motor 33a and the transfer roller 18 is driven by a second motor 33b. The support roller 20 is rotated by engaging gears 34a, 34b fixed on the transfer and support rollers 18, 20 respectively. Rotation of the support roller is thereby driven by, and synchronised with, rotation of the transfer roller 18.

A controller 32 is provided to control operation of the first and second drive motors 33a, 33b. A plurality of sensors are provided to monitor and enable control of the speed or and relative movement of the angled, transfer and support rollers 13, 18, zo and of the web of wrapper material 27. A first sensor 35 is provided to monitor rotation of the angled roller 13. A second sensor 36 is provided to monitor rotation of the transfer roller 18. A third sensor 37 is provided to monitor rotation of the support roller 18. A fourth sensor 38 is provided to monitor conveyance movement of the web of wrapper material 27. The wrapper material 27 may be provided with eye marks 39 or other markings at regularly spaced intervals which are detectable by the fourth sensor 38 to determine the conveyance speed of the wrapper material 27.

The four sensors 35, 36, 37, 38 are connected to the controller 32 so that control signals 35 from each sensor can be communicated to the controller. The controller 32 is able to control the first and second drive motors 33a, 33b in dependence on the received -9 -control signals from the sensors 35, 36, 37, 38 to ensure the angled, transfer and support rollers 13, 18, 20 rotate at the correct speed and synchronous with each other. That is, the web of wrapper material 27 is conveyed at the correct speed for regions of adhesive 30 to be formed with the required quantity of adhesive. Also, the angled, transfer and support rollers 13, 18, 20 are rotated at the correct speed for desired rate and quantity of adhesive transfer, in register with the controlled conveyance speed of the web of wrapper material 27.

The four sensors 35, 36, 37, 38 may comprise any suitable sensor for determining /c) rotational/movement speed, and may comprise a photographic or laser sensor, which may be configured to detect markings on the rollers 13, 18, 20 or web of wrapper material 27. The first, second and third sensors 35, 36, 37 may comprise rotary encoders embedded within, or connected to the respective roller 13, 18, 20, and each electrically connected to the controller 32 to provide control signals thereto.

An apparatus 40 of a second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 4 and, similarly to the apparatus of Figures ito 3, is configured to apply an adhesive 12 to a continuous flat planar web of wrapper material 27 whilst the wrapper material 27 is oriented in a vertical or substantially vertical plane.

The apparatus 40 of the second embodiment comprises an adhesive reservoir 41 fluidly connected to a pump 43 which in turn is fluidly connected to two adhesive spray nozzles 44 (hereafter referred to as "nozzles 44"). The nozzles 44 are disposed in a vertical array arrangement in order to be able to spray an adhesive 12 in a vertical or substantially linear or vertically-aligned pattern. (Although two nozzles 44 are shown in Figure 4, the invention is not limited to this particular configuration and one or more than two nozzles may be used within the scope of the invention). Herein, the fluid connection between the various components of the apparatus 40 may comprise pipes, hoses, ducts, or other means capable of conducting a fluid between the components.

A control valve 45 is provided in the fluid connection between the pump 43 and each nozzle 44. The apparatus 40 comprises a controller 46 electrically connected to the pump and to the control valves 45. Although not shown in Figure 4, a pressure regulator may be disposed downstream of the pump 43 to provide a constant pressure at the control valves 45 and nozzles 44. Also, although two control valves 45 are shown in Figure 4, one connected to each nozzle 44, the invention is not limited to such a -10 -configuration and any other suitable configuration of control valves 45 and nozzles 44 may be provided. For example, one single control valve 45 may be provided on fluid communication with both nozzles 44, or two control valves 45 may be provided in fluid communication with each nozzle 44.

A support roller 20 is disposed proximate the nozzles 44 and is rotatable about a central axis 21. The support roller 20 is oriented with its axis 21 vertical or substantially vertical and is aligned with the nozzles 44 so that the linear spray of adhesive 12 from the nozzles is aimed to be positioned on the surface of the support jo roller 20. A continuous flat web of wrapper material 27 is fed from a spool (not shown) to and over the support roller 20, and is conveyed in the direction shown by arrows 28. The flat planar web 27 is therefore oriented such that it lies in a vertical or substantially vertical plane. The wrapper material 27 may comprise any of the types and constructions of material as described previously.

The support roller may be driven by a drive motor (not shown) and is rotatable in the direction shown by arrow 24. Alternatively, the support roller 20 may comprise an idle roller and may rotate as the web of wrapper material 27 is conveyed over it. The conveyance speed of the web of wrapper material 27 is preferably in register with operation of the nozzles 44 to ensure the correct pattern of adhesive 30 is formed on the wrapper material 27. As with the apparatus 10 of the first embodiment described above, a sensor 37 may be provided to determine the rotational speed of the support roller 20 and is connected to the controller 46 to provide a control signal thereto. (Consistent with the terminology used above to describe the apparatus 10 of the first or embodiment, the sensor 37 associated with the support roller 20 will hereinafter be referred to as the "third sensor 37", notwithstanding the fact that the apparatus 40 of the second embodiment does not include an angled roller 13 or a transfer roller 18, and so does not include "first" or "second" sensors 35,36 as per the apparatus 10 of the first embodiment). The controller 46 can thereby actuate the nozzles 44 in dependence on the signal received from the third sensor 37. The third sensor 37 may take any appropriate form as described previously. Alternatively, or in addition, a fourth sensor 38 may be provided to monitor conveyance movement of the web of wrapper material 27 and the wrapper material 27 may be provided with eye marks 39 or other markings at regularly spaced intervals which are detectable by the fourth sensor 38. The fourth sensor is thereby able to determine conveyance speed of the web of wrapper material 27 and is connected to the controller 46 to provide a control signal thereto representative of the web conveyance speed. The controller 46 can thereby actuate the nozzles 44 in dependence on the signal received from the fourth sensor 38.

In operation of the apparatus 40, the continuous flat web of wrapper material 27 is conveyed in the direction shown by arrows 28 over the support roller 20. The controller 46 controls the pump 43 to pump adhesive 12 from the reservoir 41 towards the nozzles 44. The controller 46 also controls the valves 45 to open and close to regulate the adhesive 12 being sprayed out of the nozzles 44 onto the wrapper material 27 as it passes over the support roller 20. The wrapper material 27 is thereby provided /0 with discrete regions of adhesive 30. The nozzles 44 thereby act as transfer members to transfer adhesive from the reservoir 41 onto the wrapper material 27.

An apparatus 50 of a third embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 5 and is configured to apply an adhesive to a continuous flat planar web of wrapper material 27 whilst the wrapper material 27 is oriented in a vertical or substantially vertical plane.

The apparatus 50 of the third embodiment is similar to the apparatus 40 of the second embodiment, and so like features retain the same reference numerals and a detailed description of such like features will not be repeated.

A difference in the apparatus 50 of the third embodiment is that a single nozzle 44 and single control valve 45 are provided, and the nozzle 44 is not configured as a transfer member to spray adhesive 12 directly onto the wrapper material 27. Instead, a transfer member in the form of a transfer roller 51 is provided between the support roller 20 and the nozzle 44. The transfer roller 51 is rotatable about a central axis 52 in the or direction shown by arrow 53. The central axis 52 of the transfer roller 51 is oriented vertically or substantially vertically, and is parallel with the axis 21 of the support roller 20. The support roller 20 is in contact with the transfer roller 51 and their surfaces contact at nip 54. The support roller 20 may be mounted on a moveable bracket (not shown) that is moveable towards and away from the transfer roller 51, and may include a biasing member (not shown), such as a spring, to bias the support roller 20 into contact with the transfer roller 51. The nozzle 44 is aligned in a vertical orientation in order to be able to spray an adhesive 12 in a vertical or substantially line or vertically-aligned pattern onto the surface of the transfer roller 51. The nozzle 44 thereby acts a loading member to load adhesive onto the transfer roller 51. It should be noted that the apparatus 50 of the third embodiment is not limited to a single nozzle 44 and a par of nozzles 44, or any other plurality of nozzles may be provided. Although not shown in -12 -Figure 5, a pressure regulator may be disposed downstream of the pump 43 to provide a constant pressure at the control valve 45 and nozzle 44.

A scraper blade 55 is provided in contact with the transfer roller 51 and extends in an axial direction of the transfer roller 51. A collection funnel 56 is disposed below the transfer roller 51 and is fluidly connected to the adhesive reservoir 41 by a connecting pipe 57. The transfer roller 51 includes a plurality of shallow recesses 58 formed on its outer curved surface. In use, these recesses 58 retain adhesive 12 received from the nozzle 44.

At least one of the transfer roller 51 and the support roller 20 are driven by a drive motor (not shown), and both may be driven by a drive motor. One of the transfer roller 51 and the support roller 20 may be an idle roller which is rotatable by contact with the other of the transfer roller 51 and support roller 20. Alternatively, one of the transfer roller 51 and the support roller 20 may be driven by a drive motor and the other may be driven by engaging gears respectively mounted on each of the transfer and support rollers 51, 20, as with the engaging gears 34a, 34h shown and described above in connection with the apparatus to of the first embodiment of the invention.

The conveyance speed of the web of wrapper material 27 may be in register with operation of the nozzle 44 to ensure the correct pattern of adhesive 30 is formed on the wrapper material 27. As with the apparatuses 10, 40 of the first and second embodiments described above, a third sensor 37 may be provided to determine the rotational speed of the support roller 20 and is connected to the controller 46 to -0 or provide a control signal thereto. The controller 46 can thereby actuate the nozzle 44 in dependence on the signal received from the third sensor 37. In addition, or alternatively, the apparatus so of the third embodiment may include a second sensor 36 to determine the rotational speed of the transfer roller 51, and the second sensor 36 may be connected to the controller 46 to provide a control signal thereto. The controller 46 may thereby also be configured to control the speed of rotation of the support roller 20 and/or the transfer roller 51 by controlling the relevant drive motor (not shown) in dependence on the signal received from the third sensor 37 and/or the second sensor. This may therefore ensure that the correct pattern of adhesive 30 is formed on the wrapper material 27.

-13 -The third sensor 37 and/or the second sensor 36 may take any appropriate form as described previously. Alternatively, or in addition, a fourth sensor 38 may be provided to monitor conveyance movement of the web of wrapper material 27 and the wrapper material 27 may be provided with eye marks 39 or other markings at regularly spaced intervals which are detectable by the fourth sensor 38. The fourth sensor 38 is thereby able to determine conveyance speed of the web of wrapper material 27 and is connected to the controller 46 to provide a control signal thereto representative of the web conveyance speed. The controller 46 can thereby actuate the nozzle 44 and/or control rotation of the transfer roller 51 in dependence on the signal received from the fourth Jo sensor 38. Notwithstanding the above, it will be appreciated that since the transfer roller 51 includes a scraper blade 55 to remove excess adhesive from the transfer roller 51 and leave only adhesive in the shallow recesses 58, it is not essential that the conveyance speed of the web of wrapper material 27 is in register with operation of the nozzle 44 to ensure the correct pattern of adhesive 30 is formed on the wrapper material 27.

A continuous flat web of wrapper material 27 is fed from a spool (not shown) to the nip 54 between the transfer roller 51 and the support roller 20, and is conveyed in the direction shown by arrows 28 between the transfer and support rollers 51, 20. The flat planar web 27 is therefore oriented such that it lies in a vertical or substantially vertical plane. The wrapper material 27 may comprise a plug wrap, a tipping paper, or other sheet material suitable for use in the manufacture of smoking articles. The wrapper material 27 may comprise any of the types and constructions of material as described previously. -0or

In operation of the apparatus 50 of the third embodiment, the continuous flat web of wrapper material 27 is conveyed in the direction shown by arrows 28 over the support roller 20. The controller 46 controls the pump 43 to pump adhesive 12 from the reservoir 41 towards the nozzle 44. The controller also controls the valve 45 to open and close to regulate the adhesive 12 being sprayed out of the nozzle 44 onto the transfer roller 51. In particular, the adhesive 12 is retained in the shallow recesses 58 of the transfer roller 51, due to the viscosity and surface tension of the liquid adhesive 12.

As the transfer roller 51 rotates, excess adhesive 12 is scraped from the surface of the 35 transfer roller 51 by the blade 55. This removes all adhesive 12 from the outermost surface of the transfer roller 51 but leaves the adhesive 12 within the shallow recesses 58. The removed excess adhesive 12 falls into the collection funnel 56 and returns to the adhesive reservoir 41 for re-use.

The continuous web of wrapper material 27 is conveyed between the nip 54 of the transfer and support rollers 51, 20. The support roller 20 presses the wrapper material 27 against the surface of the transfer roller 51. The adhesive 12 within the shallow recesses 58 is retained on the wrapper material 27 as discrete patches of adhesive 30. The wrapper material 27 is then conveyed away from the apparatus 50 in the direction of arrow 28 for use in a subsequent step of a smoking article manufacture or smoking /0 article component manufacture.

An apparatus 6o of a fourth embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 6 to 8, and comprises a container 61 of liquid adhesive 12. An adhesive transfer roller 63 (referred to hereafter as "adhesive roller 62") is disposed partially within the container 61 and is rotatable about a central axis 64. The central axis 64 is oriented vertically or substantially vertically. The container 61 includes a plurality of side walls 65, a top wall 66 and a bottom wall 67. A rectangular aperture 68 is formed in one side wall 65. The adhesive roller 63 is positioned within the container 61 such that a portion of the adhesive roller 63 projects out of the container 61 through the aperture 68. A peripheral seal 69 is provided around the perimeter of the aperture 68 and is in contact with the perimeter of the adhesive roller 63 which extends through the aperture 68. A fluid-tight seal is thereby formed between the container 61 and the adhesive roller 63 such that the liquid adhesive 12 within the container 61 is unable to escape from the container 61 by flowing out of the aperture 68 past the seal 69.

The adhesive roller 63 is coupled to a drive motor 70 to drive the rotation of the adhesive roller 63 in the direction shown by arrow 71.

The apparatus 60 also includes a support roller 20 which is rotatable about a central axis 21 and is in contact with the adhesive roller 63. The support roller 20 may be mounted on a moveable bracket (not shown) that is moveable towards and away from the adhesive roller 63, and may include a biasing member (not shown), such as a spring, to bias the support roller 20 into contact with the adhesive roller 63. The support roller 20 is rotatable about the central axis 21 in the direction shown by arrow 24. The support roller 20 may be driven by a drive motor (not shown) or may be an idle roller which is rotatable by contact with the adhesive roller 63. Alternatively, the -15 -support roller 20 may be driven by engaging gears (not shown) respectively mounted on the drive shaft of the adhesive roller 63 and the support rollers 20, or the drive motor 70 and the support roller 20, as with the engaging gears 34a, 34b shown and described above in connection with the apparatus to of the first embodiment of the invention. These engaging gears thereby ensure synchronous rotation of the adhesive roller 63 and the support roller 20.

The adhesive roller 63 is preferably rotated in register with the conveyance speed of the web of wrapper material 27 and/or the rotational speed of the support roller zo. As with the embodiments described above, a third sensor 37 (see Figure 7) may be provided to determine the rotational speed of the support roller 20 and connected to a controller 46 to provide a control signal thereto. The controller 46 is connected to the drive motor 70 and can thereby control the speed of rotation of the adhesive roller 63 in dependence on the signal received from the third sensor 37. The third sensor 37 may take any appropriate form as described previously. Alternatively, or in addition, a fourth sensor 38 may be provided to monitor conveyance movement of the web of wrapper material 27 as described previously, although not shown in Figures 6 to 8. That is, the wrapper material 27 may be provided with eye marks 39 or other markings at regularly spaced intervals which are detectable by the fourth sensor 38. The fourth sensor 38 may thereby be able to determine conveyance speed of the web of wrapper material 27 and is connected to the controller 46 to provide a control signal thereto representative of the web conveyance speed. The controller 46 can thereby control the rotational speed of the adhesive roller 63 by controlling the drive motor 70 in dependence on the signal received from the fourth sensor 38.

The adhesive roller 63 includes a plurality of shallow recesses 72 formed on its outer curved surface. In use, these recesses 72 retain adhesive 12 from within the container 61.

A continuous flat web of wrapper material 27 is fed from a spool (not shown) to the nip 73 between the adhesive roller 63 and the support roller 20, and is conveyed in the direction shown by arrows 28 between the adhesive and support rollers 63, 20 (the web 27 is omitted from Figure 7 for the sake of clarity). The flat planar web 27 is therefore oriented such that it lies in a vertical or substantially vertical plane. The wrapper material 27 may comprise any of the types and constructions of material as described previously.

-16 -The apparatus 60 includes an adhesive supply tank 74 which is fluidly connected to the container 61 by a supply pipe 75 and a valve 76. If the level of adhesive 12 within the container 61 becomes too low, more adhesive 12 can be added from the supply tank 74 5 by opening the valve 76 until the container 61 has been refilled.

In operation of the apparatus 6o of the fourth embodiment, the adhesive roller 63 rotates about its axis 64 in the direction shown by arrow 71. As the adhesive roller 63 is submerged within the adhesive 12, adhesive 12 fills shallow recesses 72.

As the adhesive roller 63 rotates, the outer curved surface of the adhesive roller 63 moves past the peripheral seal 69 to the outside of the container 61. Adhesive 12 remains within the shallow recesses 72 as the peripheral seal does not extend into the shallow recesses 72. However, the peripheral seal 69 scrapes adhesive from the rest of the surface of the adhesive roller 63 and prevents any adhesive 12 from escaping out of the container 61 except that conveyed out within the shallow recesses 72. The liquid adhesive remains within the shallow recesses 72 by virtue of its viscosity and surface tension.

The continuous web of wrapper material 27 is conveyed between the nip 73 of the adhesive and support rollers 63, 20. The support roller 20 presses the wrapper material 27 against the surface of the adhesive roller 63. The adhesive 12 within the shallow recesses 72 is retained on the wrapper material 27 as discrete patches of adhesive 30. The adhesive roller 62 thereby acts as a transfer member to transfer or adhesive from the container 61 to the web of wrapper material 27. The wrapper material 27 is then conveyed away from the apparatus 6o in the direction of arrow 28 for use in a subsequent step of a smoking article manufacture or smoking article component manufacture.

Although the embodiments of the invention shown and described show adhesive 12 being applied to the wrapper material 27 in rectangular discrete patches 30 arranged in two parallel rows, this is an exemplary configuration only and it will be appreciated that the invention is not intended to be limited to such configuration of apparatus.

Although the embodiments of the invention shown and described show a support roller 20 over which the continuous web of wrapper material 27 is conveyed, this is an -17 -exemplary configuration only and it will be appreciated that the invention is not intended to be limited to such configuration of support member. Alternative support members intended within the scope of the invention may include static supports such as rods, bars or support surfaces over which the web of wrapper material may pass, such as a flat plat or curved plate.

Although the embodiments of the invention shown and described show transfer members as transfer rollers or nozzles, alternative transfer members are intended to fall within the scope of the invention, such as a continuous belt.

As used herein, the term "smoking article" includes smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products and other nicotine delivery product such as aerosol generation devices including e-cigarettes. The smoking article may be provided with a filter for the gaseous flow drawn by the smoker.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) may be practiced and provide for superior apparatus and method of manufacture of applying adhesive to a wrapper for a smoking article. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed features. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, or examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

Claims

-18 -Claims 1. An apparatus for applying adhesive to a continuous flat web of wrapper material in the manufacture of smoking articles or components for smoking articles, the apparatus comprising a supply of adhesive, an adhesive applicator to receive adhesive from the adhesive supply, and a support member, wherein the apparatus is configured to apply adhesive from the adhesive applicator onto a continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member with the continuous flat web of wrapper material oriented in a vertical plane.
2.
3.
4. -0or
5.
6.
7.

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the support member is configured to receive the continuous flat web of wrapper material passing over it travelling in a horizontal direction.

An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the adhesive applicator comprises a transfer member disposed adjacent the support member and configured to receive adhesive and to transfer the adhesive onto a continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member.

An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the transfer member comprises a transfer roller rotatable about a central axis, and wherein the central axis is disposed in a vertical orientation.

An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the transfer roller includes a plurality of recesses formed in its outer curved surface to receive and retain adhesive to be transferred onto the continuous flat web of wrapper material.

An apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5 further comprising a vertically-aligned blade in contact with the curved surface of the transfer roller and configured to scrape excess adhesive from the curved surface of the transfer roller as the transfer roller rotates.

An apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 6 wherein the adhesive applicator further comprises a loading member configured to receive -19 -adhesive from the adhesive supply and to load the transfer member with adhesive.
8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the loading member comprises a loading roller rotatable about its axis and in contact with the transfer member.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the loading roller is in contact with the supply of adhesive and is at least partially conical in shape, and wherein the axis of the loading roller is inclined relative to the horizontal.
10.
11.
12.
13. -0or

An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the supply of adhesive comprises a reservoir of liquid adhesive and the loading roller is partially immersed in the liquid adhesive.

An apparatus according to any of claims ito 7 wherein the supply of adhesive comprises a supply of liquid adhesive and the adhesive applicator comprises at least one nozzle for spraying the liquid adhesive.

An apparatus according to claim n when dependent on claim 7 wherein the loading member comprises the or each nozzle which is configured to spray liquid adhesive onto the transfer member.

An apparatus according to claim n when dependent on claim 3 wherein the or each nozzle comprises the transfer member and is arranged to receive liquid adhesive from the supply of adhesive and to spray the liquid adhesive directly onto the continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member.
14. An apparatus according to any of claims 11 to 13 wherein the or each nozzle is fluidly connected to the supply of liquid adhesive.
15. An apparatus according to claim 14 comprising a pump to deliver liquid adhesive from the reservoir to the or each nozzle.
16. An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein at least one valve is disposed between the supply of liquid adhesive and the or each nozzle to control the flow of liquid adhesive.
17. An apparatus according to claim 14 or claim 15 further comprising a controller connected to the pump and/or the at least one valve to control operation thereof.
18. An apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the supply of adhesive is held within a container including at least one side wall having an aperture therein, and wherein the transfer roller is mounted to the container within the aperture such that a portion of the transfer roller is disposed within the container and in contact with the adhesive, and a portion of the transfer roller is exposed on the outside of the container.
19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the container includes a seal around the perimeter of the aperture and in contact with the transfer roller to prevent leakage of adhesive from the container through the aperture.
20. An apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the support member comprises a support roller rotatable about a central axis, and wherein the central axis is disposed in a vertical orientation.
21. An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the support member is in contact with the adhesive applicator.
22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the support member is moveably mounted in the apparatus and the apparatus includes a biasing element which biases the support member into contact with the adhesive applicator.
23. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a controller connected to the adhesive applicator to control operation thereof, and a sensor connected to the controller to detect a conveyance speed of a continuous flat web of wrapper material over the support member, wherein controller is configured to control operation of the adhesive applicator in -21 -dependence upon the signal received from the sensor.
24. A method of applying adhesive to a continuous flat web of wrapper material in the manufacture of smoking articles or components for smoking articles using an apparatus comprising a supply of adhesive, an adhesive applicator, and a support member, the method comprising the adhesive applicator receiving adhesive from the adhesive supply, conveying a continuous flat web of wrapper material over the support member, the web of wrapper material being oriented in a vertical plane, and applying adhesive from the adhesive applicator onto the continuous web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member.
25. A method according to claim 24 comprising conveying the continuous web of wrapper material over the support member in a horizontal direction.
26. A method according to claim 24 or claim 25 wherein the adhesive applicator comprises a transfer member disposed adjacent the support member, the method comprising the transfer member receiving adhesive and transferring the adhesive onto a continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member.
27. A method according to claim 26 wherein the transfer member comprises a transfer roller rotatable about a central axis disposed in a vertical orientation, the method comprising transferring adhesive onto the continuous flat web of wrapper material from a plurality of recesses formed in the outer curved surface of the transfer roller.
28. A method according to claim 27 comprising scraping excess adhesive from the curved surface of the transfer roller as the transfer roller rotates using a vertically-aligned blade in contact with the curved surface of the transfer roller.
29. A method according to any of claims 26 to 28 wherein the adhesive applicator further comprises a loading member, the method comprising the loading member receiving adhesive from the adhesive supply and loading -22 -the transfer member with adhesive.
30. A method according to claim 29 wherein the loading member comprises a loading roller which is at least partially conical, is rotatable about its axis which is inclined relative to the horizontal, and is in contact with the transfer member and is partially immersed in the adhesive which is a liquid.
31. A method according to any of claims 24 to 29 when dependent on claim 29 wherein the loading member comprises at least one nozzle which is configured to spray liquid adhesive onto the transfer member.
32. A method according to claim 26 the transfer member comprises at least one nozzle which is configured to spray liquid adhesive, the method comprising the at least one nozzle receiving liquid adhesive from the supply of adhesive and spraying the liquid adhesive directly onto the continuous flat web of wrapper material as it is conveyed over the support member.
33. A method according to claim 32 comprising controlling the flow of liquid adhesive using at least one valve disposed between the supply of liquid adhesive and the or each nozzle.
34. A method according to claim 33 comprising controlling operation of the at least one valve using a controller connected to the at least one valve.
35. A method according to any of claims 24 to 34 comprising detecting a conveyance speed of a continuous flat web of wrapper material over the support member using a sensor connected to a controller, the controller connected to the adhesive applicator to control operation thereof, and controlling operation of the adhesive applicator in dependence upon the signal received from the sensor.