Embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus for cutting and arranging rods for use in a tobacco industry product assembly machine. The apparatus comprises a first cutting mechanism for cutting a four-length rod into first and second axially-aligned double-length rods. Each double-length rod has respective remote ends. A positioning mechanism for moving at least one of the first and second double-length rods such that said first and second double-length rods are moved from a first configuration in axial-alignment, to a second configuration in which the first and second double-length rods are out of axial alignment and the axes of the first and second double-length rods are parallel and spaced apart, and the remote ends of said first and second double-length rods are substantially aligned with each other. Also disclosed is a method of cutting and arranging rods for tobacco industry product assembly, and a method of tobacco industry product assembly.

The invention relates to aqueous polymer dispersions obtained by emulsion polymerization in the presence of a stabilizing 4system containing polyvinyl alcohols (PVOH). More specifically, the invention relates to adhesive formulations containing aqueous polymer dispersions, and to the use of said adhesive formulations as adhesives for cigarette making and packaging.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an apparatus (1) for use in the manufacture of tobacco industry products. The apparatus (1) comprises a rolling unit (9) comprising: a rotatable drum (14) having a plurality of flutes (18) formed in a curved outer surface (17) of the drum (14) to receive axially-aligned components (5,6) of a tobacco industry product; a roll hand (15) having a contact surface (34) facing and spaced from the outer surface (17) of the drum (14) to define a space, between the contact surface (34) and the outer surface (17), within which space components of a tobacco industry product are rollable upon rotation of the drum (14); and a kicker bar (16) disposed adjacent to the roll hand (15) and having a contact edge (36) facing and spaced from the outer surface (17) of the drum (17). At least one of the roll hand contact surface (34), kicker bar contact edge (36) and drum outer surface (17) includes a groove (31,32,33) extending in a substantially circumferential direction of the drum (14) and configured to least partially receive one or more of the tobacco industry product components as the drum (14) rotates.

An apparatus for use in the manufacture of tobacco industry products (TIPs), including a rotatable drum having a plurality of flutes formed in a curved outer surface of the drum to receive axially-aligned components of a TIP, a roll hand having a contact surface facing and spaced from the outer surface of the drum to define a space, between the contact surface and the outer surface, within which space components of a TIP are rollable upon rotation of the drum, and a kicker bar disposed adjacent to the roll hand and having a contact edge facing and spaced from the outer surface of the drum, where at least one of the roll hand contact surface, kicker bar contact edge and drum outer surface includes a groove extending in a substantially circumferential direction of the drum and configured to least partially receive one or more of the TIP components as the drum rotates.

A device for combining filter segments with cigarette rod segments includes a first feed device for feeding a succession of gummed connecting strips and a second feed device for feeding a succession of groups, each including at least one cigarette rod segment and one filter segment, abutted end to end. A combining conveyor receives the groups in a first receiving station and the succession of strips in a second receiving station downstream of the first receiving station so that each gummed connecting strip is applied in flag-like manner on a respective group to connect the cigarette rod segment to the filter segment. A rolling drum receives the group with strip and rolls the strip round the group. A compression device downstream of the second receiving station and upstream of the release station produces compression between each group and the respective strip.

Immobilized diluents in a smoking article are provided, wherein diluents can be immobilized through absorption and/or adsorption of the diluents into immobilizing materials, such as sorbents like silica gels. By immobilizing diluents, the diluents can be available for vaporization, while still being protected from migration and/or loss of the diluents in a smoking article.

The present application relates to a smoking article assembly machine. The smoking article assembly machine has a filter rod receiving section configured to receive filter rods (9) containing an inserted object (36, 36) and an assembled smoking article discharge section. The smoking article assembly machine also has a smoking article assembly path between the filter rod receiving section and the assembled smoking article discharge section along which filter rods (9) pass in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis of filter rods, and a microwave sensor unit (51) through which filter rods (9) pass in a transverse direction, the microwave sensor unit (51) being disposed along the assembly path. The microwave sensor unit (51) is configured to provide an indication of one or more properties of an inserted object (36, 36) in each filter rod (9) passing transversely along the smoking article assembly path. The present application also relates to a method of assembling a smoking article on a smoking article assembly machine.

Immobilized diluents in a smoking article are provided, wherein diluents can be immobilized through absorption and/or adsorption of the diluents into immobilizing materials, such as sorbents like silica gels. By immobilizing diluents, the diluents can be available for vaporization, while still being protected from migration and/or loss of the diluents in a smoking article.