A method of determining the density of an elongate rod of material as it travels in a longitudinal direction through an inspection zone of apparatus for determining the density of an elongate rod of material is disclosed. The method comprises: positioning an X-ray generator of said apparatus to transmit X-rays in a direction across the elongate rod and towards a detector of said apparatus, as the elongate rod travels in a longitudinal direction through said inspection zone of said apparatus; supplying a voltage to the X-ray generator of between 20 to 80 kV to transmit the X-rays at a predetermined intensity; detecting the intensity of the X-rays transmitted through the elongate rod using the detector, and determining a density of the elongate rod based on a comparison of the predetermined and detected intensities. A method of manufacturing tobacco industry products that includes the above inspection method is also disclosed, together with apparatus for determining the density of an elongate rod of material.

A reconfigurable wrapping mechanism (100) for forming a substantially cylindrical wrapped element by wrapping a core (160) within a web material (162), comprising a reconfigurable garniture bed (110) having an elongate formation channel (112) for supporting a conveying belt (120) extending along the length of the elongate formation channel (112) for entraining the web material (162), and wherein the elongate formation channel (112) has an elongate open side.

A machine for making sub-units of smoking articles includes a conveyor, a feed unit and an applicator. The conveyor conveys a succession of tubular segments transversely along a conveying direction. The feed unit feeds and conveys a continuous web and advances the web along a feed direction parallel to the conveying direction of the tubular segments so that the web faces respective application ends of the tubular segments. The applicator is movable along an application direction parallel to an axis of predominant extension of the succession of tubular segments and is configured to engage the web so as to separate respective closing elements from it. The applicator is also configured to apply the closing element internally or externally on an application end of a respective tubular segment in such a way as to form a closing wall to at least partly close the application end.

An apparatus arranged to form a continuous tobacco rod of a smoking article, comprises a conveyor conveying a tobacco material stream in a conveyance direction, and a wrapping material supply arrangement advancing a web of wrapping material in the conveyance direction adjacent to the tobacco material stream. A constriction member receives the tobacco material stream at an inlet end and reduces a cross-sectional area of the tobacco material stream. The reduced-area tobacco material stream exits the constriction member at an exit end, and the wrapping material web wraps about the reduced-area tobacco material stream exiting the exit end. An additive source supplies an additive material to the reduced-area tobacco material stream through a dispensing port disposed about the exit end of the constriction member, prior to the reduced-area tobacco material stream being wrapped by the wrapping material web to form the continuous tobacco rod.

A rod for use in a smoking article comprises a gathered sheet of homogenised tobacco material circumscribed by a wrapper. The sheet of homogenised tobacco material may comprises one or more aerosol-formers and have an aerosol former content of greater than 5% on a dry weight basis or of between 5% and 30% by weight on a dry weight basis. The rod may comprise a continuous element to which one or more additives have been applied, which is incorporated into the gathered continuous sheet of homogenised tobacco material. A method of forming the rod comprises the steps of: providing a continuous sheet of homogenised tobacco material; gathering the continuous sheet of homogenised tobacco material transversely relative to the longitudinal axis thereof; circumscribing the gathered continuous sheet of homogenised tobacco material with a wrapper to form a continuous rod; and severing the continuous rod into a plurality of discrete rods. The sheet of homogenised tobacco material is preferably crimped or otherwise textured.

A rod for use in a smoking article comprises a gathered sheet of homogenised tobacco material circumscribed by a wrapper. The sheet of homogenised tobacco material may comprises one or more aerosol-formers and have an aerosol former content of greater than 5% on a dry weight basis or of between 5% and 30% by weight on a dry weight basis. The rod may comprise a continuous element to which one or more additives have been applied, which is incorporated into the gathered continuous sheet of homogenised tobacco material. A method of forming the rod comprises the steps of: providing a continuous sheet of homogenised tobacco material; gathering the continuous sheet of homogenised tobacco material transversely relative to the longitudinal axis thereof; circumscribing the gathered continuous sheet of homogenised tobacco material with a wrapper to form a continuous rod; and severing the continuous rod into a plurality of discrete rods. The sheet of homogenised tobacco material is preferably crimped or otherwise textured.

A method for manufacturing a vapour generating article includes: (i) extruding a plurality of elongate vapour generating components; (ii) aligning the plurality of extruded vapour generating components; (iii) assembling the plurality of aligned vapour generating components to form a band; (iv) binding the band of assembled vapour generating components; (v) cutting the bound band of assembled vapour generating components to form the vapour generating article; (vi) after step (i), drying the plurality of vapour generating components. A vapour generating article and a vapour generating system are also disclosed.

An apparatus for manufacturing a component of an aerosol-generating article is provided, the apparatus including: a conveyor configured to convey a band of material through the apparatus along a first path; and a device disposed along the first path, the device including: one or more nozzles configured to apply additive to the band of material, when the band of material passes the device, and a device body including a contact surface configured to contact the conveyed band of material as the band of material passes the device, the contact surface having a convex profile as viewed in a direction of the first path at the device; and a funnel having a first open end configured to receive the band of material and a second open end providing an exit point for the band of material, the first open end being positioned downstream of the device.

A laminate for a wrapped bundle of tobacco industry products is disclosed. The laminate comprises an outer layer (3) having a first cut (5) that defines an outer layer region bounded by said first cut, and an inner layer (4) having a second cut (6) that defines an inner layer region bounded by said second cut. The inner layer region lies within the outer layer region. The outer layer region comprises a tab (17) having a remote edge, the tab being for lifting the outer layer region to cause the inner and outer layers to delaminate in a peripheral region between the first and second cuts (5,6) to create an opening in the laminate. The laminate is configured such that said remote edge is exposed. A wrapped bundle (22) of tobacco industry products, and a pack (27), comprising the laminate is also disclosed, together with a method of manufacturing a laminate for a wrapped bundle of tobacco industry products.

The present invention is related to a method of manufacturing an aerosol-generating article component, the method comprising the steps of: •providing a web (210) of a material containing alkaloids; •feeding the web (210) of a material containing alkaloids to an embossing device (310) in a transport direction; •embossing the web (210) of a material containing alkaloids to form embossed web (220) of a material containing alkaloids by feeding the web (210) between a first and a second embossing rollers (350,360) so that the first and second embossing rollers (350,360) apply an embossing pattern to the web (210), wherein the embossing pattern includes ridges (240) or troughs (350) extending in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction; •gathering the embossed web (220) of a material containing alkaloids, and •forming a continuous rod using the embossed web (220) of a material containing alkaloids.