A method of manufacturing a filter that includes providing a tube having a cylindrical wall and a hollow interior. The method forms a first indentation within the tube in which a first portion of the of the cylindrical wall concaves into the hollow interior, and forms a second indentation within the tube in which a second portion of the cylindrical wall concaves into the hollow interior. The first and second indentations create 1) a first chamber and a second chamber in the tube that are separated by both indentations and 2) a path within the hollow interior formed between the first and second indentations that fluidly couples both chambers together.

A smoking article (10) comprises a tobacco rod (12) and a filter (14) connected to the tobacco rod (12). The filter (14) comprises a first filter segment (18, 20) comprising one or more breakable capsules, wherein each breakable capsule comprises an outer shell and an inner core containing an additive. The filter (14) further comprises a hollow tube segment (22) downstream of the first filter segment (18, 20) and positioned between a downstream end of the first filter segment (18, 20) and the mouth end of the filter (14). The hollow tube segment (22) defines a cavity (24) at the mouth end of the filter (14). A plug wrap (23) circumscribes the first filter segment (18, 20) and the hollow tube segment (22), wherein the plug wrap (23) has a basis weight of less than 90 grams per square meter.

A device for moving tubular bodies, includes a conveyor belt for feeding a plurality of tubular pieces, each extending along a respective axis of extension, in such a way as to provide a succession of groups of tubular pieces where each group is defined by a predetermined number of tubular pieces positioned in succession along the respective axis of extension and transversely offset therefrom. The device includes at least one housing for containing at least one tubular piece inside of which an air cushion is produced by which the tubular piece is transferred translationally outside the housing along its respective axis of extension.

There is disclosed a mouth piece, filter element or cooling element for an aerosol generating article comprising: a first section comprising a longitudinally extending core of filtering material having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a channel extending longitudinally from an end of the first section; a second section comprising a longitudinally extending core of filtering material; wherein the first section and the second section are adjacent and integral; wherein the channel has a non-circular transverse cross section which varies in the longitudinal direction by rotating about a longitudinal axis of the first section.

Equipment for forming a tubular rod from a bundle of fibrous material comprising a mandrel constructed to form a space within the bundle of fibres; the mandrel includes a passage for delivering a treatment fluid to facilitate the formation of the fibres into a tubular structure as the fibre bundle as the bundle passes over the mandrel.

A method of producing smoking articles, the method comprising a first step of providing a continuous array of first filter members (42), second filter segments (20) and tubular members (40). A tubular member (40) is provided between each pair of consecutive first filter members (42) and a second filter segment (20) is provided between each first filter member (42) and each tubular member (40). Each second filter segment (20) contains one or more breakable capsules, wherein each breakable capsule comprises an outer shell and an inner core containing an additive. The continuous array of first filter members (42), second filter segments (20) and tubular members (40) is then wrapped with a continuous sheet of plug wrap (44) to form a wrapped filter array, wherein the plug wrap (44) has a basis weight of less than 90 grams per square metre. The wrapped filter array is cut at an intermediate position along each first filter member (42) to provide multiple filter rods, each filter rod comprising two first filter segments (18), a tubular member (40) positioned between the first filter segments (18) and a second filter segment (20) provided between each first filter segment (18) and the tubular member (40). Next, a tobacco rod (12) is provided in axial alignment with and adjacent to each first filter segment (18) of one of the filter rods, and the filter rod and a portion of each tobacco rod (12) are wrapped in a tipping wrapper (50). Finally, the tipping wrapper (50) and the filter rod are cut at an intermediate position along the length of the tubular member (40) to form multiple smoking articles (10), each smoking article (10) comprising a tobacco rod (12) connected to a filter (14), wherein each filter (14) comprises a first filter segment (18) downstream of the tobacco rod (12), a second filter segment (20) downstream of the first filter segment (18), and a hollow tube segment (22) positioned between the second filter segment (20) and the mouth end of the filter (14). The hollow tube segment (22) defines a cavity (24) at the mouth end of the filter (14).

A smoking article (10) comprises: a tobacco rod (12); a filter (14) in axial alignment with the tobacco rod, the filter (14) comprising: a hollow tube segment (22) having a wall thickness of no more than 0.9 mm;and a filtration portion upstream of the hollow tube segment (22), the filtration portion comprising one or more filter segments (18) (20). The hollow tube segment (22) defines a cavity (26) at the mouth end of the filter (14) providing an unrestricted flow channel that extends from the downstream end of the filtration portion to the mouth end of the filter (14). The hollow tube segment (22) is formed from a fibrous filtration material and comprises a filter plasticiser, wherein the amount of filter plasticiser is at least 22 percent by weight of the fibrous filtration material.

A smoking article assembly apparatus is disclosed. It comprises a first cutting station configured to cut a filter rod into filter segments, a tipping station configured to join the filter segments to tobacco rods so as to form a smoking article assembly, and a second cutting station configured to cut the smoking article assembly in the region of the filter segments so as to form two smoking articles.

The present invention relates to composite web for forming a smoking article element wrapper. The composite web comprises a strip of wrapping material and a plurality of thermally conductive patches. The thermally conductive patches are located on a surface of the strip and are spaced along the length of the strip. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a smoking article component.

A method of producing smoking articles, the method comprising a first step of providing a continuous array of first filter members (42), second filter segments (20) and tubular members (40). A tubular member (40) is provided between each pair of consecutive first filter members (42) and a second filter segment (20) is provided between each first filter member (42) and each tubular member (40). Each second filter segment (20) contains one or more breakable capsules, wherein each breakable capsule comprises an outer shell and an inner core containing an additive. The continuous array of first filter members (42), second filter segments (20) and tubular members (40) is then wrapped with a continuous sheet of plug wrap (44) to form a wrapped filter array, wherein the plug wrap (44) has a basis weight of less than 90 grams per square meter. The wrapped filter array is cut at an intermediate position along each first filter member (42) to provide multiple filter rods, each filter rod comprising two first filter segments (18), a tubular member (40) positioned between the first filter segments (18) and a second filter segment (20) provided between each first filter segment (18) and the tubular member (40). Next, a tobacco rod (12) is provided in axial alignment with and adjacent to each first filter segment (18) of one of the filter rods, and the filter rod and a portion of each tobacco rod (12) are wrapped in a tipping wrapper (50). Finally, the tipping wrapper (50) and the filter rod are cut at an intermediate position along the length of the tubular member (40) to form multiple smoking articles (10), each smoking article (10) comprising a tobacco rod (12) connected to a filter (14), wherein each filter (14) comprises a first filter segment (18) downstream of the tobacco rod (12), a second filter segment (20) downstream of the first filter segment (18), and a hollow tube segment (22) positioned between the second filter segment (20) and the mouth end of the filter (14). The hollow tube segment (22) defines a cavity (24) at the mouth end of the filter (14).