1. Method for combining segments of a smoking article, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a group of segments, the group of segments comprising a heat source and an aerosol-forming substrate which are coaxially arranged in that sequence along a common central longitudinal axis, the aerosol-forming substrate being arranged such that a remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate faces away from the heat source while a near end of the aerosol-forming substrate abuts the heat source
feeding an airflow directing truncated hollow cone having a widest end and a truncated narrowest end towards the group of segments in a manner such that the truncated narrowest end of the truncated hollow cone is arranged to face the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate, with a central longitudinal axis of the truncated hollow cone being aligned with the common central longitudinal axis of the group of segments, and
moving the truncated hollow cone towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate to abut the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate or to extend into an indentation in the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate.
2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an air-intake tube around the truncated hollow cone, the air-intake tube having an inner diameter which essentially corresponds to an outer diameter of the widest end of the truncated hollow cone.
3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the air-intake tube either abuts the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate or extends over the aerosol-forming substrate, and wherein the step of moving the truncated hollow cone towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate comprises pushing the truncated hollow cone through a remote end of the air-intake tube towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate into a final position.
4. Method according to claim 3, wherein in the final position the truncated narrowest end of the truncated hollow cone abuts the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate.
5. Method according to claim 3, wherein in the final position the truncated narrowest end of the truncated hollow cone extends into an indentation formed in the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate.
6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of moving the truncated hollow cone towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate comprises providing a transfer tool having a tip, inserting the transfer tool into the truncated hollow cone to an extent that the tip of the transfer tool projects from the truncated hollow cone through the narrowest end of the truncated hollow cone, and moving the transfer tool together with the truncated hollow cone towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate until the tip of the transfer tool forms the indentation in the aerosol-forming substrate and the narrowest end of the truncated hollow cone extends into the indentation formed in the aerosol-forming substrate.
7. Method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of attaching the truncated hollow cone to the air-intake tube in an air-tight manner such that an air flow between the truncated hollow cone and the air-intake tube is prevented.
8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of feeding an airflow directing truncated hollow cone towards the group of segments comprises feeding a continuous strand of truncated hollow cones, with adjacent truncated hollow cones of the strand being connected to each other, towards the group of segments and separating the foremost truncated hollow cone from the continuous strand of truncated hollow cones.
9. Method according to claim 2, wherein the group of segments is provided as a jointly wrapped component, the jointly wrapped component comprising a wrapper extending beyond the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate, wherein either the wrapper extending beyond the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate forms the air-intake tube or the air-intake tube is a separate individual segment wrapped by that portion of the wrapper extending beyond the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate, and wherein the truncated hollow cone is inserted into the air-intake tube through the remote end of the air-intake tube.
10. Method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of transferring the jointly wrapped component comprising the group of segments together with the truncated hollow cone inserted into the air-intake tube to an assembler for assembly of the jointly wrapped component with additional components of a smoking article.
11. Method according to claim 2, wherein the air-intake tube is an individual segment which is not connected to the other segments of the group, and wherein the truncated hollow cone is inserted into the air-intake tube through the remote end of the air-intake tube while the air-intake tube is not connected to the other segments of the group.
12. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of arranging the common central longitudinal axis of the group of segments to extend perpendicular to a direction of transport of the group of segments, prior to aligning the central longitudinal axis of the truncated hollow cone to be moved towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate with the common central longitudinal axis of the group of segments.
13. Combiner for combining segments of smoking articles, the combiner comprising
a plurality of flutes arranged in parallel, each flute being adapted to receive and transport a group of segments comprising a heat source and an aerosol-forming substrate coaxially arranged in that sequence along a common central longitudinal axis, the aerosol-forming substrate being arranged such that a remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate faces away from the heat source while a near end of the aerosol-forming substrate abuts the heat source,
a feeder arranged to feed a respective individual airflow directing truncated hollow cone having a widest end and a truncated narrowest end towards the respective flute, the feeder being adapted to feed the respective truncated hollow cone in a manner such that the truncated narrowest end of the respective truncated hollow cone is arranged to face the remote end of the respective aerosol-forming substrate, with a central longitudinal axis of the respective truncated hollow cone and the common central longitudinal axis of the respective group of segments in the respective flute being aligned with each other, the combiner further comprising
a transfer tool which is arranged to be movable in the direction of the common central longitudinal axis of the group of segments in the respective flute towards and away from the remote end of the respective aerosol-forming substrate in the respective flute, the transfer tool being adapted to push the respective truncated hollow cone towards the remote end of the respective aerosol-forming substrate to abut the remote end of the respective aerosol-forming substrate or to extend into an indentation in the remote end of the respective aerosol-forming substrate.
14. Combiner according to claim 13, wherein the transfer tool comprises an abutment flange at a proximal end of the transfer tool for abutting the widest end of the respective truncated hollow cone for pushing the respective truncated hollow cone during movement of the transfer tool towards the respective aerosol-forming substrate, and wherein the transfer tool further comprises a cone-shaped support portion for supporting the truncated hollow cone during movement of the transfer tool towards the respective aerosol-forming substrate.
15. Combiner according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of flutes is arranged on the outer surface of a rotatable drum, and wherein an individual transfer tool is arranged in each of the flutes arranged on the outer surface of the rotatable drum.
16. (canceled)
17. Method according to claim 2, wherein the step of moving the truncated hollow cone towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate comprises providing a transfer tool having a tip, inserting the transfer tool into the truncated hollow cone to an extent that the tip of the transfer tool projects from the truncated hollow cone through the narrowest end of the truncated hollow cone, and moving the transfer tool together with the truncated hollow cone towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate until the tip of the transfer tool forms the indentation in the aerosol-forming substrate and the narrowest end of the truncated hollow cone extends into the indentation formed in the aerosol-forming substrate.
18. Method according to claim 4, wherein the step of moving the truncated hollow cone towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate comprises providing a transfer tool having a tip, inserting the transfer tool into the truncated hollow cone to an extent that the tip of the transfer tool projects from the truncated hollow cone through the narrowest end of the truncated hollow cone, and moving the transfer tool together with the truncated hollow cone towards the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate until the tip of the transfer tool forms the indentation in the aerosol-forming substrate and the narrowest end of the truncated hollow cone extends into the indentation formed in the aerosol-forming substrate.
19. Method according to claim 4, wherein the step of feeding an airflow directing truncated hollow cone towards the group of segments comprises feeding a continuous strand of truncated hollow cones, with adjacent truncated hollow cones of the strand being connected to each other, towards the group of segments and separating the foremost truncated hollow cone from the continuous strand of truncated hollow cones.
20. Method according to claim 4, wherein the group of segments is provided as a jointly wrapped component, the jointly wrapped component comprising a wrapper extending beyond the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate, wherein either the wrapper extending beyond the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate forms the air-intake tube or the air-intake tube is a separate individual segment wrapped by that portion of the wrapper extending beyond the remote end of the aerosol-forming substrate, and wherein the truncated hollow cone is inserted into the air-intake tube through the remote end of the air-intake tube.
21. Combiner according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of flutes is arranged on the outer surface of a rotatable drum, and wherein an individual transfer tool is arranged in each of the flutes arranged on the outer surface of the rotatable drum.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A development device, comprising: a development vessel for accommodating toner to be supplied to an electrostatic latent image; a toner box for replenishing toner into the development vessel; a toner amount detection sensor for detecting an amount of toner accommodated in the development vessel; and a control section configured to determine an amount per unit of time for replenishing toner from the toner box to the development vessel based on an amount of toner to be used during image formation calculated based on density information of an image to be formed and the amount of toner accommodated detected by the toner amount detection sensor.
2. The development device according to claim 1, wherein the control section is configured to determine a commencement timing for replenishing toner based on the amount of toner accommodated and the amount of toner to be used.
3. The development device according to claim 1, wherein the control section is configured to determine a timing for finishing toner replenishment based on the amount of toner accommodated and the amount of toner to be used.
4. The development device according to claim 2, wherein the control section is configured to determine a timing for finishing toner replenishment based on the amount of toner accommodated and the amount of toner to be used.
5. The development device according to claim 1, wherein the toner box comprises a replenishment roller for replenishing toner to the development vessel and the control section determines a rotational speed of the replenishment roller as the amount per unit of time for replenishing toner.
6. The development device according to claim 5, further comprising a pulse motor for rotating the replenishment roller, wherein the control section is configured to vary the rotational speed of the pulse motor by controlling a drive frequency.
7. A toner replenishment method wherein the following steps are executed prior to commencement of image formation processing: a toner amount detection step of detecting an amount of toner accommodated in a development vessel, a toner usage amount calculation step of calculating an amount of toner to be used during image formation corresponding to density information of an image to be formed, and a toner replenishment amount determination step of determining an amount per unit of time for replenishing toner from a toner box to the development vessel based on the amount of toner accommodated in the development vessel and the amount of toner to be used during image formation.
8. A toner replenishment method wherein the following steps are executed prior to commencement of image formation processing: a toner amount detection step of detecting an amount of toner accommodated in a development vessel, a toner usage amount calculation step of calculating an amount of toner to be used during image formation corresponding to density information of an image to be formed, and a toner replenishment condition determination step of determining an amount per unit of time for replenishing toner from a toner box to the development vessel and a timing for commencing toner replenishment based on the amount of toner accommodated in the development vessel and the amount of toner to be used during image formation.
9. A toner replenishment method wherein the following steps are executed prior to commencement of image formation processing: a toner amount detection step of detecting an amount of toner accommodated in a development vessel, a toner usage amount calculation step of calculating an amount of toner to be used during image formation corresponding to density information of an image to be formed, and a toner replenishment condition determination step of determining an amount per unit of time for replenishing toner from a toner box to the development vessel and a timing for finishing toner replenishment based on the amount of toner accommodated in the development vessel and the amount of toner to be used during image formation.