A method of forming a wrapped article, comprising the steps of: forming a continuous stream of material such as an agricultural product; moving the continuous stream of material along an elongated path; compressing the continuous stream of material to reduce the cross-sectional area thereof until a predetermined cross-sectional dimension is achieved; drawing the compressed continuous stream of material through a rod-forming arrangement, the rod-forming arrangement having a non-contact displacement transducer associated therewith; folding at least one web longitudinally around the compressed continuous stream of material to form a continuous rod of material; and detecting variations in rod density within the rod-forming arrangement from a signal obtained from the non-contact displacement transducer.

A device (1) for producing an aerosol-generating rod (2) includes a converging device (3), a conveyor system (13), a susceptor guide (15), and an additive dispensing pipe (21). The conveyor system is configured to convey sheet material (11) through the converging device. The susceptor guide is configured to guide a susceptor (9). The susceptor guide extends into the converging device along an axial direction and comprises an exit opening (19) for the susceptor within the converging device. The additive dispensing pipe has an end section (29) extending within the converging device in parallel with the susceptor guide. The end section comprises a dispensing opening (31) to dispense an additive through the dispensing opening.

A method for producing a rod (3) containing herbaceous material comprises the steps of: providing a sheet material (5) containing herbaceous material; shaping the sheet material into a rod-shape by conveying the sheet material along a conveying direction (7) through a funnel-shaped converging device (13); and dispensing an additive (21) onto the sheet material within the converging device.

The invention relates to a smoking article with a distal end and a mouth end, that extends in a circumferential direction and a longitudinal direction to form a cylindrical shape. Along the longitudinal direction from the distal to the mouth end at least one heated segment comprising tobacco or reconstituted tobacco binder (RTB), at least one cooling segment comprising a cylindrically shaped cooler material and a filter segment are arranged. The three sections create a flow path from the distal to the mouth end, wherein the heated segment, the cooling segment and the filter segment are at least in part enclosed by a first wrapper. The heated segment comprises at least one second wrapper. A smoking article is characterized in that the second wrapper is coated with a tobacco product comprising tobacco particles having an average particle size of 30 μm and a dispersion medium for dispersing the tobacco particles.

An assembly to facilitate removal of a susceptor heating element from an aerosol generating article includes a cutting tool comprising (i) a body defining a passageway through which the aerosol generating article may be passed, and (ii) a cutting element extending into the passageway. The cutting element comprises a cutting edge arranged to cut the aerosol generating article as the aerosol generating article passes through the passageway. The assembly may include a heating element removal tool comprising a tip configured to magnetically attract the susceptor heating element. Alternatively, the cutting element may comprise a magnet to attract the susceptor heating element as the aerosol generating article passes the cutting element as the aerosol generating article passes through the passageway.

An apparatus for the formation of machine-made tobacco rods for use in the production of smoking articles, such as cigars, from tobacco comprising a tacky material. The apparatus includes a pair of transfer and compression belts for receiving and compressing the stream of tobacco, the transfer and compression; a pair of squeeze bars for compressing the tobacco in a direction perpendicular to the pair of transfer and compression belts, the pair of squeeze bars produced from a material comprising a poly(aryl ether ketone); a tongue for receiving the compressed tobacco, the tongue produced from a material comprising a poly(aryl ether ketone); and a folder for folding a wrapper material around the compressed tobacco so as to form a continuous rod of tobacco, the wrapper material provided from a source of wrapper material, the folder produced from a material comprising a poly(aryl ether ketone).

The present invention relates to a method to form a rod for an aerosol generating article from a sheet of material (11), the method comprising the steps of: crimping the sheet of material (11); flattening the crimped sheet of material (11) by forcing it to contact a sliding edge, transversally arranged with respect to a feed direction of the sheet of material (11); giving a substantially tubular shape to the flattened sheet of material (11); and forming the rod with the so-shaped sheet of material (11). The present invention also relates to an apparatus to form a rod for an aerosol generating article from a sheet of material (11).

The present invention relates to a method to form a rod for an aerosol generating article from a sheet of material (11), the method comprising the steps of: crimping the sheet of material (11); flattening the crimped sheet of material (11) by forcing it to contact a sliding edge, transversally arranged with respect to a feed direction of the sheet of material (11); giving a substantially tubular shape to the flattened sheet of material (11); and forming the rod with the so-shaped sheet of material (11). The present invention also relates to an apparatus to form a rod for an aerosol generating article from a sheet of material (11).

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 system for portioning a beaded substrate in a rod. The system includes a suction conveyor belt. The suction conveyor belt includes a belt suction chamber, a first belt end, and a second belt end, the second belt end opposite and downstream of the first belt end. The system also includes a metering device configured to provide the beaded substrate to the suction conveyor belt, and more specifically to the first belt end. The metering device includes a reach and a hopper. The metering device may provide the beaded substrate to the first belt end prior to the suction conveyor belt biasing a filler material onto the first belt end. The system may further includes a cutting mechanism that cooperates with the metering device to position the beaded substrate a first distance away from a first cut end.