The apparatus for shaping substantially flat continuous material comprises a shaping device (500) for gathering substantially flat continuous material transverse to a longitudinal direction of the continuous material to form a gathered continuous material. The apparatus further comprises a cooling device (75) for cooling the gathered continuous material. The shaping device and the cooling device are combined such as to immediately cool the gathered continuous material.

A filter rod for a smoking article comprising an extruded hardened tubular element formed from a filter material with entrained cured plasticiser, and a continuous core of filler material provided within the tubular element. Also disclosed is an apparatus for manufacturing such a filter rod, the apparatus comprising a duct having an inlet to receive filter tow material and plasticiser, and an outlet. The duct tapers between the inlet and the outlet. A mandrel is disposed at least partially within the duct and is fixed relative to the duct. The mandrel is hollow and includes an internal passage extending though the mandrel through which a filler material may be conveyed. The passage includes an outlet at a distal end of the mandrel though which the filler material may be expelled. A heating zone is configured to heat filter material. The apparatus is configured such that filter tow material and plasticiser conveyed through the duct is compressed around the mandrel into a tubular rod, and filler material fed though the internal passage of the mandrel is expelled out of the passage outlet to fill the bore of the tubular rod. The tubular rod is heated in the heating zone to at least partially cure the plasticiser, to produce a continuous filter rod comprising a tubular rod of hardened filter material with a continuous core of filler material. Also disclosed is a method of manufacture of such a filter rod.

Filters and cigarettes include an activated carbon sorbent capable of selectively removing nitric oxide from mainstream tobacco smoke. Methods for making cigarette filters and cigarettes using the activated carbon sorbent and methods for treating mainstream tobacco smoke produced by smoking a cigarette comprising the sorbent are also provided.

The method includes forming a filter material sheet, containing the filter material sheet to form a contained filter material, the containing including, folding the filter material sheet to create a plurality of folds along a width of the filter material sheet, gathering the filter material sheet to form the contained filter material, the plurality of folds in the filter material sheet forming interstices running through a longitudinal length of the contained filter material, the interstices being configured to allow an airflow to pass through the longitudinal length of the contained filter material, and infusing the filter material sheet with at least one first consumable substance, the at least one first consumable substance being one of nicotine, at least one first flavorant, a pre-vapor formulation, a combination thereof, or a sub-combination thereof.

A smoking article comprises a tobacco rod and a filter component. The filter component comprises a first filter segment of filtration material having a diameter measured perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the filter, and a flow restrictor embedded in the filter segment. At least one cross sectional dimension of the flow restrictor, measured in a transverse direction of the filter segment, is at least about 50 percent of the diameter of the filter segment. The flow restrictor is made from an air-impermeable, non-compressible and water-soluble or water-dissolvable material. Further, the flow restrictor comprises a composition that promotes degradation of the filtration material.

A cellulose acetate particle aggregate, a preparation method therefor and an application thereof, which relate to the field of harm reduction additives in cigarettes. The cellulose acetate particle aggregate includes 49-99.5 wt % of cellulose acetate particles, 0-50 wt % of a second kind of particles, and 0.5-20 wt % of a binder. The preparation method involves selecting cellulose acetate particles and a second kind of particles in a certain ratio, or cellulose acetate particles alone, preparing particle aggregates by using an air fluidized granulation method while adding a binder thereto, and sieving the particle aggregates to obtain a cellulose acetate particle aggregate having a required particle size. The cellulose acetate particle aggregate has a porous structure, an irregular shape, and a rough and uneven surface, which help to improve the efficiency of filtering out particulate matters or one or more harmful ingredients in cigarette smoke.

A cellulose acetate particle aggregate, a preparation method therefor and an application thereof, which relate to the field of harm reduction additives in cigarettes. The cellulose acetate particle aggregate includes 49-99.5 wt % of cellulose acetate particles, 0-50 wt % of a second kind of particles, and 0.5-20 wt % of a binder. The preparation method involves selecting cellulose acetate particles and a second kind of particles in a certain ratio, or cellulose acetate particles alone, preparing particle aggregates by using an air fluidized granulation method while adding a binder thereto, and sieving the particle aggregates to obtain a cellulose acetate particle aggregate having a required particle size. The cellulose acetate particle aggregate has a porous structure, an irregular shape, and a rough and uneven surface, which help to improve the efficiency of filtering out particulate matters or one or more harmful ingredients in cigarette smoke.

The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for crimping a sheet (40) of material, the apparatus comprising a first and second facing crimping roller (11, 21) defining a first and second rotation axis, respectively, the first roller including: •a first plurality of circumferential ridges (16), each ridge defining a ridge amplitude; •wherein each of said first plurality of ridges is interrupted along its circumferential extension forming an interruption gap where for a given interruption angle an amplitude of the ridge differs from the ridge amplitude in the remaining circumferential extension of the ridge; •wherein said plurality of interruption gaps forms an interruption band defining a direction of extension, said direction of extension being angled with respect to a direction defined by the first rotation axis of an angle comprised between about 2° to about 25°. The invention also relates to a method for crimping a sheet of material as well as a crimped sheet of material and a rod made of a crimped sheet.

The invention relates to a method or apparatus (10) for crimping a sheet (70) of material The apparatus comprises a transport device to transport the sheet of material along a transport direction (1), and a set of crimping rollers (11, 21). The set comprises a first (11) and a second (21) main crimping roller, defining a first (18) and a second (28) rotational axis and being faced one in front of the other, the first roller including a first plurality of ridges (17) across a portion of its width (16), and the second roller having a second plurality of ridges (27) across a portion of its width; and a pre-crimping roller facing the first roller and having a third plurality of ridges across a portion of its width, the pre-crimping roller having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the first and second main roller.

Provided are a method and apparatus for making a cigarette filter assembly for potentially reducing particle breakthrough. The method includes forming a lofty porous network of charge retaining polymer fibers by mechanical, chemical or thermal bonding of the fibers, wrapping the lofty porous network in a cylindrical or tubular shape with optional mediating filter fibers in a filter paper to form a filter plug while maintaining the lofty structure. The charge retaining fibers can be charged to attract and hold particles from such sources as particulate matter from sorbents (preventing break-through), and smoke constituents while having a suitable pressure drop. The apparatus handles the lofty media with minimal crushing, for example, by spacing apart delivery rolls equipped with protrusions to punch, push, and/or pull the lofty media ahead for high speed operation.