A system and method for closing and sealing a cone filled with a smokable material provides a cone filler control system, a plurality of cone inserts each including a tapered inner wall defining a taper lock area for holding a cone filled with smokable material, and an insert ring provided at a lower end of each cone insert, each of the plurality of cone inserts removably inserted in corresponding cone receptacles residing in a cone carousel, a cone tamper actuator for compacting smokable material in a filled cone, a cone closer system including a gripper actuator for closing the cone top of the filled cone, and a cone sealing drive system including a motor with a drive wheel operated to impart a rotational force on the insert ring of each cone insert to rotate both the cone insert and a filled cone to form a wick seal at the end of the filled cone.

Methods and apparatuses for detecting the fill height of a pre-filled cone and closing the cone are disclosed. A height detector, such as a laser rangefinder, detects the height of a pre-filled cone. A gripper then grips the pre-filled cone at the height plus a predetermined offset, the offset calculated to result in an optimum packing of cone fill material. The gripper then closes the cone by rotating to form a twist, which is then trimmed to the height plus the predetermined offset. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

A transferring and inspection unit for transferring and inspecting a group of elongated elements that are rod-shaped for smoking articles that includes a forming pocket, having a longitudinal axis, which is provided with a hollow housing suitable for housing a group of elongated elements to be inspected; a transporting conveyor of the forming pocket which is configured to advance the pocket along an advancing path through a first inspection position; a first tridimensional inspecting optical assembly configured to perform in respective successive scanning instants a plurality of first tridimensional optical scans by projecting a first light blade over a first head face of the group, during advancing of the forming pocket through the first inspection position; a processing device configured to obtain, for each first tridimensional scan, a respective first scanning line associated with the respective scanning instant and to reconstruct a first tridimensional profile of the first head face on the basis of the plurality of the first scanning lines, positioned in respective first reference positions. The forming pocket includes a first front face that in turn includes a first shaped surface be the first optical assembly is configured to perform simultaneously with each first tridimensional scan of the first head face also a respective first tridimensional scan of the first shaped surface to obtain a respective further scanning line; the processing device is in addition configured to calculate the reference position of each first scanning line analyzing the respective further scanning line.

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.

An enclosed cannabis cigarette preparation system that includes an indexing module configured to accept a plurality of pre-rolled cones, each having a sealed end and an open end, and to move the pre-rolled cones through a plurality of stations. The system further includes a filling module configured to dispense, at a first station, a portion of cannabis shake material into the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form loosely filled cones; a tamping module configured to compress, at a second station, the cannabis shake material in each of the loosely filled cones to form tamped cones; a de-clogging module; and a pinching module configured to pinch-twist, at a third station, the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form rolled cigarettes.

An enclosed cannabis cigarette preparation system that includes an indexing module configured to accept a plurality of pre-rolled cones, each having a sealed end and an open end, and to move the pre-rolled cones through a plurality of stations. The system further includes a filling module configured to dispense, at a first station, a portion of cannabis shake material into the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form loosely filled cones; a tamping module configured to compress, at a second station, the cannabis shake material in each of the loosely filled cones to form tamped cones; a de-clogging module; and a pinching module configured to pinch-twist, at a third station, the open end of each of the pre-rolled cones to form rolled cigarettes.

The technology described herein generally relates to an automated packaging apparatus and system that packages loose particles into a conical container as well as the final packed containers. More specifically, loose plant matter, such as crumbled dried leaves, are supplied to successive paper cones. The apparatus provides a system for reliably and accurately depositing or injecting a fluid into a cone packed with loose particulate.

A smoking path simulation system includes a case, the robotic arm fixedly provided in the case and a cigarette holder mounted at a working end of the robotic arm, and further includes a feeding device, a cigarette tapping device and a cigarette lighting device provided in the case and located at a periphery of the robotic arm, as well as an image acquisition device mounted at the working end of the robotic arm. With the smoking path simulation system, an action path of smoking a cigarette by a consumer may be simulated, and consistency of the simulated action paths may be guaranteed, thus effectively improving precision of test of indexes of a cigarette-combustion performance, such as cigarette-combustion ash integration characteristics, or the like.

A filling device has a base that retains a sleeve in which a pre-roll cone is placed. A scale is located below the sleeve to weigh the contents of the pre-roll cone as it is filled. A filling hopper is placed above the sleeve to introduce ingredients, such as smoking material, into the pre-roll cone. An integrated automatic lighter is included in the base and is triggered by a physical switch or by a motion and/or proximity sensor. An electronics-enabled cover includes an air pump, fan, UV-C sanitizing light, and other features to add in the filling process and in sanitation. An ashtray accessory with an odor or flavor additive and a fan may also be provided. The functions of the filling device can be controlled by external devices, like a smartphone, through a software application.

A carousel magazine that hold stacked paper or hemp smokable cones. The carousel is indexed with a home position sensor to a set of actuators that is controlled by air or electric to open and close two different tapped holders. For example, the top and bottom gripping actuators can open and close to hand off one cone from a stack of one or more cone one at a time. The top actuator with a tapered cone split holder housing grips the top of the upper most stacked cones while the bottom gripper moves up using a second linear actuator the grab the bottom semi-hard filter assemble to pull the bottom cone from the stack with the top gripper applies presser or friction to the top cone allowing to hand off one cone at a time from top gripper to bottom gripper. The second bottom gripper that has captured the bottom filter assemble of the cone moves in a downward position to place the single cone in a rotating turret assemble that will rotate to a filling station and then rotate to a twisting station for final processing and packaging. The cones can be pulled from a rotating stack or linear stack.