A method and assembly machine for producing multicomponent cigarettes, each having a number of portions. The assembly machine has a combining unit for forming groups of portions, each having at least two different first portions which are fed perpendicularly to their central axis; a first wrapping unit, which receives a succession of groups of portions from the combining unit, feeds them perpendicularly to their central axis, and winds a first sheet of wrapping material around each group of portions; and a second wrapping unit, which receives a succession of groups of portions from the first wrapping unit, feeds them perpendicularly to their central axis, and winds a second sheet of wrapping material around each group of portions.

A web of tipping paper (20) for supplying a smoking article manufacturing machine (17) which cuts the web into individual patches and wraps each patch about a respective dual length filter rod (1) to attach rods of smokable material (4) to the ends of each dual length filter rod is disclosed. A first lateral portion (25a) of the tipping paper web comprises a first longitudinal series of first indicators (26), and a second lateral portion (25b) of the tipping paper web comprises a second longitudinal series of indicators (27), the first and second indicators being different to each other so that a first indicator is indicative of a first type of smoking article and a second indicator is indicative of a second type of smoking article which is different to the first type of smoking article, wherein the tipping paper web is configured to be loaded onto a smoking article manufacturing machine so that the machine wraps a first part of a patch of tipping paper which is formed from the first lateral portion of the tipping paper web around a first portion of the dual length filter rod in the formation of a smoking article of the first type and so that a first indicator on the first part of the patch denotes that said first portion of the dual length filter rod is a part of a smoking article of the first type and, so that the machine wraps a second part of the patch which is formed from the second lateral portion of the tipping paper web around a second portion of the dual length filter rod in the formation of a smoking article of the second type and so that a second indicator on the second part of the patch denotes that said second portion of the dual length filter rod is a part of a smoking article of the second type, prior to cutting the dual length filter rod and the patch into a first filter rod segment that is wrapped in said first part of the patch and which forms, together with the rod of smokable material attached thereto, a smoking article of the first type, and into a second filter rod segment that is wrapped in said second part of the patch and which forms, together with the rod of smokable attached thereto, a smoking article of the second type.

A method and device for detection of rotated segments in a continuous multi-segment rod transferred in a machine used in tobacco industry. A signal of an error of the shape of said continuous multi-segment rod is generated, the rod including a plurality of segments arranged one after another in a common wrapping, in which the rod that is transferred in a direction along its axis is simultaneously scanned by optical sensors, the directions of scanning of the optical sensors being oriented at an angle other than 90? to each other. The rod diameter is measured by repeated scans such that the shortest segment of the rod is scanned at least once, the results of the scans being compared with a predetermined reference value, and each difference between the results of the scans and the predetermined value is converted into the signal of the error of shape.

A biodegradable bi-component fiber may include a polyhydroxyalkanoate and/or polylactic acid with cellulose acetate and/or plasticized cellulose acetate for use in a filter material configured for use in a filter of a smoking article. The bi-component fiber may have a sheath-core construction where one component of the bi-component forms the core, and the other component forms the sheath of each fiber. A filter made in accordance with this design may also include non-biodegradable material.

The present application is directed to an apparatus for inserting objects into a filter rod. The apparatus can include: a first conduit adapted to convey a plurality of the objects in series; a first escapement having a first inlet and a first outlet connected by a first channel, wherein the first inlet is connected to the first conduit; a first singulation drum having an outer periphery defining a first row of first pockets adapted to hold the objects, wherein the first singulation drum is adapted to rotate about a first axis to successively move the first pockets into registry with the first outlet; and at least one first source of air that conveys the objects from the first inlet to the first outlet, and successively into the first pockets of the first singulation drum. Other details and methods of inserting objects into a filter rod are also discussed.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for manufacturing smoking articles. First multi-segment components are formed each comprising a combustible heat source, an aerosol-forming substrate and an airflow directing segment by feeding a stream of combustible heat sources, aerosol-forming substrates and airflow directing segments along a moving delivery path, compacting the segments into groups; wrapping each group; and cutting the web of material between groups to separate the individual first multi-segment components from each other. A stream of first multi-segment components are fed onto a receiving means, and a stream of second multi-segment components, each comprising a mouthpiece and at least one further segment, are also fed onto the receiving means. A first multi-segment component and a second multi-segment component are combined by wrapping the components in a web material to form an individual smoking article having a combustible heat source at a first end and a mouthpiece at a second end.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing multi-component aerosol forming articles, each aerosol forming article defining a longitudinal axis and comprising N components serially juxtaposed along the longitudinal axis, where N is an integer ?2, the method comprising: providing transporting means for transporting components of aerosol forming articles in a transporting direction, said transporting means defining seats along said transporting direction; supplying seats of said transporting means with a first component for each aerosol forming article by positioning said first components one after the other along the transporting direction with their longitudinal axis parallel one to the others; checking each seat for the presence of said first component; adjoining a second component to the first component in a lengthwise axial manner in a given seat only if the first component is present in said given seat.

An aerosol generating article includes: a first portion comprising an aerosol generating material; a second portion comprising a tobacco material including a moisturizing agent; a third portion configured to cool airflow that has passed through the first portion and the second portion; a fourth portion comprising a filter material; and a wrapper that surrounds the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, wherein the second portion includes the moisturizing agent in an amount of 10 wt % or less based on a total weight of the tobacco material such that heat conductivity in the second portion is improved.

A feed unit, for example for feeding components to smoking article assembly apparatus, includes a rotary device having one or more channels (7) adapted to receive components, one on top of another, and one or more pushers (21) associated with each channel. The feed unit also has a track (14) to receive components from outlets of the one or more channels (7) and the rotary device is configured to rotate with respect to the track (14) so that components pass through the channels (7) and are pushed along the track by the pushers (21) for output from the feed unit.

Improved delivery of additive materials to cigarettes is provided through the use of one or more capsules containing additive materials, such as flavor components, in the filter section of a cigarette. The capsule or capsules are provided between first and second absorbent members and the capsules are subjected to an external force, such as squeezing, by a smoker prior to or during smoking of the cigarette in order to release at least a portion of the additive material and expose the additive material to mainstream smoke passing through the filter. The capsules provide a barrier between the additive materials and other cigarettes components, such as sorbents or filter materials, in order to reduce additive material migration into the other cigarette components prior to desired use. An outer cover which is impermeable to the fluid within the capsules is provided about the capsule or capsules and the first and second absorbent members.