A device and method for preparing a fully granular cigarette/filter rod, and a prepared fully granular cigarette/filter rod are disclosed. In certain embodiments, negative pressure is used to adhere granular material onto a mesh-type conveyor belt. The granular material is preliminarily formed into fully granular cigarette/filter rod material by means of a pre-forming apparatus; the fully granular cigarette/filter rod material, traveling with the mesh-type conveyor belt, enters into a forming cavity, and undergoes heating and humidifying treatment, and a continuous solid porous substance is formed; the continuous solid porous substance is moved into the cooling/drying cavity, drying and cooling treatment are performed under the action of negative pressure, and a fully granular cigarette/filter rod with strong adhesion, porosity, permeability, and appropriate moisture is obtained.

A method for manufacturing cigarette filter rods comprises providing a continuous supply of filter material in a direction of travel; forming the filter material into a continuous rod; and rotating a wheel in a vertical plane, in operable communication with the filter material such that a portion of the wheel contacts the filter material at a predetermined location, and such that general direction of travel of the rotating wheel and the filter material, when in contact, are in generally the same direction. The method also comprises providing a lower hopper in operable communication with the rotatable wheel; providing an upper hopper in operable communication with the lower hopper; and wrapping an overwrap material around the filter material. The method further comprises controlling speed of rotation of the wheel relative to feedback from an inspection system; and subdividing the continuous rod at pre-determined intervals.

An apparatus and method for forming a rod member used to manufacture cigarette filter elements, involve an insertion device for inserting objects into and along the rod member formed from a continuous filter material supply. The insertion device includes an insertion member adjacent to the filter material supply and defining a series of receptacles about a periphery thereof. The insertion member rotates in a first rotational direction to receive the objects in the receptacles at a first rotational position and to insert the objects from the receptacles into the rod member at a second rotational position. A cleaning element is adjacent to the insertion member between the second and first rotational positions in the first rotational direction, and engages each of the receptacles upon rotation of the insertion member between the second and first rotational positions to remove residual material from the receptacles prior to the first rotational position.

The present apparatus relates to an electronic cigarette manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to an electronic cigarette manufacturing apparatus with which electronic cigarettes each composed of a plurality of segments can be easily and quickly manufactured without defects and thus productivity improvement and cost reduction can be achieved. The electronic cigarette manufacturing apparatus includes: a supply means configured to accommodate a plurality of segments that form an electronic cigarette and cut and supply the segments in a set length; a delivery means formed on one lower portion of the supply means and configured to deliver the plurality of supplied segments; a transport means including a conveyor configured to divide and transport the plurality of segments delivered from the delivery means so as to prevent defects in an arrangement sequence and a conveyor for integrally transport the plurality of segments; and a finishing means configured to remove spaces between the segments transported through the transport means and cut the segments into specified lengths of the electronic cigarette.

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 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.

The invention discloses a starch-based multi-channel airflow unit and a preparation method and an application thereof. The preparation method of the present invention comprises the following steps: melting a polylactic acid, wherein a temperature of a first temperature control zone is 135° C. to 145° C., a temperature of a second temperature control zone is 175° C. to 185° C., a temperature of a third temperature control zone is 190° C. to 200° C., and a temperature of a fourth temperature control zone is 175° C. to 185° C.; gelatinizing a starch-based material, adding the starch-based material in the third temperature control zone and fully mixing the mixture; adding a polyol in the third temperature control zone, and fully mixing the mixture; and extruding out the mixed material through twin screws, sizing in vacuum, cooling and sizing, and winding and cutting to obtain the starch-based multi-channel airflow unit.

An apparatus for forming filter rods for aerosol-generating articles is provided, including a first source and a second source, the first source being configured to supply filter material in a form of a first tow, and the second source being configured to supply filter material in a form of a second tow; a single driven delivery roller configured to advance the first tow and the second tow; and an extrusion tool configured to process the first tow and the second tow, the delivery roller being arranged such that the first and the second tows are advanced from the first and the second sources toward the extrusion tool only by the delivery roller, and the extrusion tool is further configured to process several sources of filter material simultaneously to create one filter rod. A method for forming filter rods for aerosol-generating articles is also provided.

An apparatus for forming filter rods for aerosol-generating articles is provided, including a first source and a second source, the first source being configured to supply filter material in a form of a first tow, and the second source being configured to supply filter material in a form of a second tow; a single driven delivery roller configured to advance the first tow and the second tow; and an extrusion tool configured to process the first tow and the second tow, the delivery roller being arranged such that the first and the second tows are advanced from the first and the second sources toward the extrusion tool only by the delivery roller, and the extrusion tool is further configured to process several sources of filter material simultaneously to create one filter rod. A method for forming filter rods for aerosol-generating articles is also provided.

A web of tipping paper and a smoking article manufacturing machine that cuts the web of tipping paper into individual patches and wraps each patch about a respective dual length filter rod to attach a rod of smokable material to opposite ends of each dual length filter rod before the dual length filter rod is cut to form a first and second type of smoking article having first and second filter rod segments, respectively, and in which the first filter rod segment of the first type of smoking article differs from the second filter rod segment of the second type of smoking article, the web of tipping paper including a first lateral portion, and a second lateral portion that differs from the first lateral portion, where the smoking article manufacturing machine is configured to cut the tipping paper web so that each patch is partly formed from the first lateral portion, and partly formed from the second lateral portion, the machine also being configured to wrap the patch about the dual length filter rod such that the part of the patch formed from the first lateral portion is wrapped about a part of the dual length filter rod which, when cut, forms the first filter rod segment, and the part of the patch formed from the second lateral portion is wrapped about a part of the dual length filter rod which, when cut, forms the second filter rod segment.

A mechanism for a momentary compression of a filter material used in the tobacco industry, wrapped into a wrapper and glued with an adhesive delivered from an adhesive applying apparatus, adapted to being placed on a machine for manufacturing filter rods before the adhesive applying apparatus is characterised in that it comprises at least one rotary compressing member for pressing the filter material linearly moving underneath it. A method of a momentary compression of a filter material used in the tobacco industry, wrapped into a wrapper and glued with an adhesive delivered from an adhesive applying apparatus on a machine for manufacturing filter rods is characterised in that before wrapping the filter material into the wrapper the filter material is compressed by exerting a force on the filter material by at least one rotary compressing member.