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EP-4408203-B1 - A SUBSTANCE RECOVERY APPARATUS

EP4408203B1EP 4408203 B1EP4408203 B1EP 4408203B1EP-4408203-B1

Inventors

  • PARK, JEONG HWAN
  • LEE, JONG MYUNG
  • KIM, Sungduck
  • JANG, Kyung Soo Jang
  • WONG, Wong Kwee Cheong

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220930

Claims (15)

  1. An apparatus (100) for recovering a substance from rejected delivery systems, the apparatus comprising: a transport system (5) configured to receive a rejected delivery system (2) and convey it along a conveyance path in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a rejected delivery system, the transport system comprising a first transport member (151) and a second transport member (152); at least one retainer (6) comprising an endless flexible belt (51, 161, 162) configured to engage a rejected delivery system received on the transport system over first and second portions of the conveyance path as a rejected delivery system travels along the conveyance path and to retain a rejected delivery system on the transport system; and first and second fluid conduits (171, 172) configured to direct a jet of gas into a first end (3a) of rejected delivery systems to expel a substance from an opposite end (3b) of rejected delivery systems, whilst rejected delivery systems are transported along said portion of the conveyance path and retained on the transport system by the retainer, wherein the first fluid conduit is configured to direct a jet of gas into a rejected delivery system on the first transport member and the second fluid conduit is configured to direct a jet of gas into a rejected delivery system on the second transport member, wherein the first and second fluid conduits are on opposing sides of the first and second transport members such that a rejected delivery system orientated with its first end in a first direction is subjected to a jet of gas from the first fluid conduit on the first transport member and a rejected delivery system orientated with its first end in an opposing second direction is subjected to a jet of gas from the second fluid conduit on the second transport member.
  2. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, further comprising an intermediate transport member (155) located between the first and second transport members (151, 152), the intermediate transport member being configured to transfer a rejected delivery system (2) orientated with its first end (3a) in an opposing second direction from the first transport member to the second transport member, and optionally, wherein a transfer point (158) between the intermediate transport member and the first transport member is located upstream of the first fluid conduit (171).
  3. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a sensor (109) configured to determine the orientation of a rejected delivery system (2), and a controller (110) configured to transfer a rejected delivery system to the second transport member (152) when a rejected delivery system is orientated with its first end (3a) in an opposing second direction.
  4. The apparatus (100) according to any one of claim 1 to claim 3, wherein the retainer (6) comprises a first endless flexible belt (161) configured to engage a rejected delivery system (2) on the first transport member (151) over a first portion of the conveyance path, and a second endless flexible belt (162) configured to engage a rejected delivery system on the second transport member (152) over a second portion of the conveyance path, or wherein the retainer (6) comprises an endless flexible belt (51, 161) configured to engage a rejected delivery system (2) on the first transport member (151) over a first portion of the conveyance path and on the second transport member (152) over a second portion of the conveyance path.
  5. The apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one transport member (151, 152) comprises a plurality of recesses (22), each recess spaced from adjacent recesses and extending parallel to one another, wherein each recess is configured to receive a rejected delivery system (2) for conveyance along the conveyance path, and optionally, wherein at least one endless flexible belt (51, 161, 162) is configured to retain a rejected delivery system in at least one of the plurality of recesses.
  6. The apparatus (100) according to claim 5, wherein at least one endless flexible belt (51, 161, 162) is configured to rotate in a direction opposite to the transport members (151, 152) that the at least one endless flexible belt contacts, such that the at least one endless flexible belt and the transport member it is in contact with move in the same direction over at least one of said first and second portions of the conveyance path, and optionally, wherein at least one endless flexible belt and the at least one transport member in which the at least one endless flexible belt is in contact with are configured to move at the same speed over at least one of said first and second portions of the conveyance path.
  7. The apparatus (100) according to claim 6, wherein a section of at least one of the endless flexible belts (51, 161, 162) contacts at least one transport member (151, 152) to at least partially compress a rejected delivery system (2) into its respective recess (22) on the at least one transport member as the at least one endless flexible belt and the at least one transport member are moved, and optionally, wherein the at least one endless flexible belt is formed from a resiliently deformable material, said section of the at least one endless flexible belt in contact with at least one transport member being configured to deform to assume the contour of a section of the at least one transport member that the at least one endless flexible belt is in contact with and retain a rejected delivery system in its respective recess.
  8. The apparatus (100) according to any one of claim 5 to claim 7, wherein each one of the plurality of recesses (22) has a first end (22a) that is open to a first edge of at least one transport member and a second end (22b) that is open to a second edge of the at least one transport member, and wherein the apparatus comprises at least one end plate (29) positioned against the at least one of the first and second transport members (151, 152) to close the first or second end of the recesses along a portion of the conveyance path.
  9. The apparatus (100) according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the following: - a first end (22a) of the recesses (22) on the first transport member (151) are closed by a first end plate along said first portion of the conveyance path, and wherein the first fluid conduit (171) comprises a first hole (61) extending through the first end plate, the first hole being positioned to be in sequential fluid communication with each recess as the first transport member (151) moves to convey a rejected delivery system (2) along the conveyance path, - a second end (22b) of the recesses on the second transport member (152) are closed by a second end plate along said second portion of the conveyance path, and wherein the second fluid conduit (172) comprises a second hole extending through the second end plate, the second hole being positioned to be in sequential fluid communication with each recess as the second transport member moves to convey a rejected delivery system along the conveyance path, and - further comprising a vacuum arrangement (30) comprising a suction hole (42) extending through the end plate (29) and positioned to sequentially communicate with each recess (22) as the at least one transport member (151, 152) moves to convey a rejected delivery system (2) along the conveyance path, prior to reaching the fluid conduit (171, 172) and engagement of a rejected delivery system on the transport member by the endless flexible belt (51, 616, 162), to pull a rejected delivery system in a longitudinal direction such that the first end (3a) of a rejected delivery system is positioned against the end plate.
  10. The apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a collector (8) is positioned adjacent to the transport member (151, 152) to collect a substance expelled from a rejected delivery system, and optionally, wherein the collector (8) is configured to collect an expelled substance under suction, and optionally, wherein the collector comprises a funnel (71) connected to a conduit (72) and a suction pump to draw an expelled substance into the funnel and along the conduit, and optionally, wherein the first and second collectors both feed an expelled substance into the same sorting section (120).
  11. The apparatus (100) according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the following: the conduit (72) transports an expelled substance into a sorting section (120) configured to separate an expelled substance from contaminants, and the collector (8) comprises a first collector (181) positioned on a second end of the first transport member (151)and a second collector (182) positioned on a first side of the second transport member (152).
  12. The apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a hopper (4) configured to receive a rejected delivery system and feed a rejected delivery systems onto the transport member and optionally, further comprising a rotary feeder (111) configured to receive a rejected delivery system from a rejected delivery system conveyor and feed a rejected delivery system to the hopper.
  13. The apparatus according to any one of claim 9 to claim 12, wherein a rejected delivery system is drawn into each recess in the transport member under vacuum, and optionally, wherein a rejected delivery system is retained in a recess by both vacuum and the endless flexible belt.
  14. A delivery system manufacturing system including an inspection station and a rejection path for delivery systems rejected by the inspection station, and the apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims positioned to receive rejected delivery systems (2) conveyed along the rejection path.
  15. A method of extracting a substance from a rejected delivery system (2), the method comprising: feeding a rejected delivery system onto a first transport member (151) and conveying the rejected delivery system along a conveyance path in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rejected delivery system; engaging the rejected delivery system received on the first transport member with an endless flexible belt (51, 161) to retain the rejected delivery system on the first transport member; directing a jet of gas into a first end (3a) of the rejected delivery system being conveyed along the conveyance path that are in a first orientation, and which is retained on the first transport member by the endless flexible belt, to expel a substance from an opposite end of the rejected delivery system, and transferring rejected delivery systems received on the first transport member in a second orientation to a second transport member (152), engaging the rejected delivery system received on the second transport member with an endless flexible belt (51, 162) to retain the rejected delivery system on the second transport member; directing a jet of gas into a first end (3a) of the rejected delivery system being conveyed along the conveyance path that are in the second orientation, and which is retained on the second transport member by the endless flexible belt, to expel a substance from an opposite end of the rejected delivery system.

Description

Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for recovering a substance from a rejected delivery system, such as those that deliver a substance to a user. Background of the Invention It is known to discard a delivery system from a production line of a delivery system assembly machine if the delivery system is faulty in some way. In some instances, the faulty delivery systems are collected and the filter portions separated from the substance portions. However, it is difficult to separate the substance from the wrapper and so machines designed to carry out this task are often complex. In other instances, the substance in the faulty delivery system is often discarded creating waste. US4117852 discloses an apparatus for reclaiming tobacco and paper from cigarettes. The apparatus comprises a drum for receiving cigarettes, an air jetting means for ejecting tobacco from the surrounding paper tube, and a belt for holding the cigarette against the drum during the jetting process. Summary of the Invention According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for recovering a substance from rejected delivery systems as defined in appended claim 1. The apparatus comprises a transport system configured to receive a rejected delivery system and convey it along a conveyance path in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a rejected delivery system, the transport system comprising at least one transport member; a retainer comprising an endless flexible belt configured to engage a rejected delivery system received on the transport system over a portion of the conveyance path as a rejected delivery system travels along the conveyance path and to retain a rejected delivery system on the transport system; and a fluid conduit configured to direct a jet of gas into a first end of a rejected delivery system from an opposite end of a rejected delivery system, whilst a rejected delivery system is transported along said portion of the conveyance path and retained on the transport system by the retainer. According to the invention, the transport system comprises first and second transport members, and the fluid conduit may comprise a first fluid conduit configured to direct a jet of gas into a rejected delivery system on the first transport member and a second fluid conduit configured to direct a jet of gas into a rejected delivery system on the second transport member. The first and second fluid conduits are on opposing sides of the first and second transport members such that a rejected delivery system orientated with its first end in a first direction is subjected to a jet of gas from the first fluid conduit on the first transport member and a rejected delivery system orientated with its first end in an opposing second direction is subjected to a jet of gas from the second fluid conduit on the second transport member. In some embodiments, the transport system may further comprise an intermediate transport member located between the first and second transport members, the intermediate transport member may be configured to transfer a rejected delivery system orientated with its first end in an opposing second direction from the first transport member to the second transport member. In some embodiments, a transfer point between the intermediate transport member and the first transport member may be located upstream of the first fluid conduit. In some embodiments, the apparatus may further comprise a sensor configured to determine the orientation of a rejected delivery system, and a controller configured to transfer a rejected delivery system to the second transport member when a rejected delivery system is orientated with its first end in an opposing second direction. In some embodiments, the retainer may comprise a first endless flexible belt configured to engage a rejected delivery system on the first transport member over a first portion of the conveyance path, and a second endless flexible belt configured to engage a rejected delivery system on the second transport member over a second portion of the conveyance path. In some embodiments, the retainer may comprise an endless flexible belt configured to engage a rejected delivery system on the first transport member over a first portion of the conveyance path and on the second transport member over a second portion of the conveyance path. In some embodiments, at least one transport member may comprise a plurality of recesses, each recess spaced from adjacent recesses and extending parallel to one another, wherein each recess is configured to receive a rejected delivery system for conveyance along the conveyance path. In some embodiments, at least one endless flexible belt may be configured to retain a rejected delivery system in at least one of the plurality of recesses. In some embodiments, at least one endless flexible belt may be configured to rotate in a direction opposite to the transport member that t