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.

The present invention relates to a machine for the production of a component for an aerosol generating article, the machine including: —a buffer station, the buffer station including: # fixed sheet guides; # movable sheet guides which are movable in a reciprocating manner in a direction towards the fixed sheet guides and in a direction away from the sheet fixed guides; # an actuator for moving the movable sheet guides, wherein the fixed and movable sheet guides together define a zig-zag trajectory for the sheet having a variable length for varying the total length of the sheet of material in the buffer station; # supports for the sheet, the supports being arranged so that, when the movable sheet guides are moved towards the fixed sheet guides, at least one of the movable sheets guides is interposed between two different supports of the plurality; # an air system; # wherein the each of the supports defines an outer surface, at least one of the outer surfaces having a first portion in which a sucking action is exerted by the air system to attract the sheet towards the outer surface and a second portion in which a blowing action is exerted by the air system to push the sheet away from the outer surface.

The present invention relates to a machine for the production of a component for an aerosol generating article, the machine including: —a buffer station, the buffer station including: # fixed sheet guides; # movable sheet guides which are movable in a reciprocating manner in a direction towards the fixed sheet guides and in a direction away from the sheet fixed guides; # an actuator for moving the movable sheet guides, wherein the fixed and movable sheet guides together define a zig-zag trajectory for the sheet having a variable length for varying the total length of the sheet of material in the buffer station; # supports for the sheet, the supports being arranged so that, when the movable sheet guides are moved towards the fixed sheet guides, at least one of the movable sheets guides is interposed between two different supports of the plurality; # an air system; # wherein the each of the supports defines an outer surface, at least one of the outer surfaces having a first portion in which a sucking action is exerted by the air system to attract the sheet towards the outer surface and a second portion in which a blowing action is exerted by the air system to push the sheet away from the outer surface.

The invention relates to an apparatus (100) and a method to fetch an end portion of a sheet (40) of material wound in a bobbin (152), the apparatus including: a rotatable bobbin holder (150) adapted to be inserted in a bobbin; an articulated arm (180); a suction device (110) having a contact surface (124) including a first portion (130) capable of exerting a first suction power and a second portion (132) capable of exerting a second suction power different from zero, wherein the first suction power is higher than the second suction power, the suction device being attached to the articulated arm; and a control unit (190), adapted to command a movement of the articulated arm so that the first portion of the contact surface of the suction device contacts the bobbin. The invention also relates to a method to fetch an end portion of a sheet of material wound in a bobbin.

The invention relates to an apparatus (100) and a method to fetch an end portion of a sheet (40) of material wound in a bobbin (152), the apparatus including: a rotatable bobbin holder (150) adapted to be inserted in a bobbin; an articulated arm (180); a suction device (110) having a contact surface (124) including a first portion (130) capable of exerting a first suction power and a second portion (132) capable of exerting a second suction power different from zero, wherein the first suction power is higher than the second suction power, the suction device being attached to the articulated arm; and a control unit (190), adapted to command a movement of the articulated arm so that the first portion of the contact surface of the suction device contacts the bobbin. The invention also relates to a method to fetch an end portion of a sheet of material wound in a bobbin.

The invention relates to a method for feeding and splicing sheets of material wound in bobbins (20, 21, 22, 23), the method including: providing a rotating wheel (10) having at least a first, a second, a third and a fourth bobbin holder (103, 104, 105, 106) defining a first, a second, a third and a fourth station; unwinding a first sheet of material (201) wound in a first bobbin (20) provided in the first station; detecting the amount of first sheet of material remaining in the first bobbin (20) in the first station; depending on the amount of first sheet of material (201), splicing the first sheet of material (201) unwound from the first bobbin with a second sheet of material (211) unwound from a second bobbin (21) present in the second station; preparing for splicing a third sheet of material in a third bobbin (22) present in the third station including: reading information about the third bobbin (22) contained in a sticker, label or tag; removing the sticker, label or tag from the third bobbin (22); and rotating the wheel (10) so that the substantially empty first bobbin (20) is moved to the fourth station and the third bobbin is moved to the second station. Further, the invention relates to an apparatus for feeding and splicing materials wound in bobbins (20, 21, 22, 23) for conducting the above method.

The invention relates to a method for feeding and splicing sheets of material wound in bobbins (20, 21, 22, 23), the method including: providing a rotating wheel (10) having at least a first, a second, a third and a fourth bobbin holder (103, 104, 105, 106) defining a first, a second, a third and a fourth station; unwinding a first sheet of material (201) wound in a first bobbin (20) provided in the first station; detecting the amount of first sheet of material remaining in the first bobbin (20) in the first station; depending on the amount of first sheet of material (201), splicing the first sheet of material (201) unwound from the first bobbin with a second sheet of material (211) unwound from a second bobbin (21) present in the second station; preparing for splicing a third sheet of material in a third bobbin (22) present in the third station including: reading information about the third bobbin (22) contained in a sticker, label or tag; removing the sticker, label or tag from the third bobbin (22); and rotating the wheel (10) so that the substantially empty first bobbin (20) is moved to the fourth station and the third bobbin is moved to the second station. Further, the invention relates to an apparatus for feeding and splicing materials wound in bobbins (20, 21, 22, 23) for conducting the above method.

There is provided an apparatus for forming a cigarette, in particular, consumer, home appliance machinery to automate a manual, laboured production of cannabis rod, commonly referred to as joints. The apparatus as herein described may provide an all-in-one solution for cannabis or smokable herbs storage, crushing, packing and rolling of custom sized joints, on command while minimizing maintenance and refill of consumables. In addition, the apparatus has the versatility to use a refillable cartridge as well as a single-use, nitrogen flushed and/or vacuum sealed cartridge, which may extend both shelf-life and the freshness of cannabis flower.

There is provided an apparatus for forming a cigarette, in particular, consumer, home appliance machinery to automate a manual, laboured production of cannabis rod, commonly referred to as joints. The apparatus as herein described may provide an all-in-one solution for cannabis or smokable herbs storage, crushing, packing and rolling of custom sized joints, on command while minimizing maintenance and refill of consumables. In addition, the apparatus has the versatility to use a refillable cartridge as well as a single-use, nitrogen flushed and/or vacuum sealed cartridge, which may extend both shelf-life and the freshness of cannabis flower.

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.