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.

Provided herein is a device for measuring puff topography generated by a human user of a smoking device and methods for using the same. The device may be used for research on puffing behavior of tobacco product users in both clinical and non-clinical settings.

An apparatus and method for automatically preparing a mixture of particles of two or more substances such as but not limited to raw tobacco and raw medical cannabis flowers in one or more receptacle where the mixture proportion is predefined, is disclosed. The apparatus of the invention can be used for mixing any types of herbal substances. Moreover, the apparatus of the invention can be used for mixing one or more kinds of the same substance, for example mixing two or more kinds of marijuana strains. The apparatus includes one or more compartments for inserting each of the substances separately, In some variations of the present invention the size of at least one of the compartments is smaller for predefined smaller quantities of raw herbal material for example, a single marijuana flower.

Device for grinding and mixing of herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, preparing and dispensing of cigarettes and method for the application thereof The subject of the invention is a device for grinding and mixing of herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, preparing and dispensing of cigarettes, the device comprising a grinding chamber (2) for holding and grinding the herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, wherein the grinding chamber (2) has a plurality of tubes (9) for holding pre-rolled cigarette papers (17) and receiving ground herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, a carousel (10), which is rotatable around a central axis (16). The device further comprises a mixing chamber (5) for mixing the herbs and/or tobacco and/or spices, which is located below the grinding chamber (2), a mixing unit (4) located in the mixing chamber (5), at least one door (7) on the carousel cover (8) for dispensing one tube (9) or a plurality of tubes (9) with the filled pre-rolled cigarette paper (17), wherein the carousel (10) comprises a plurality of tube holders (14) for holding the tubes (9). The subject of the invention is also the method for the application of the device.

The present disclosure has provided an automatic multichannel apparatus for assessing hot coal fallout propensity of burning cigarettes and an assessing method thereof. The apparatus comprises a multichannel rotary plate unit, an automatic supplying unit for cigarette samples, an automatic ignition and burning line detection unit for cigarette samples, a cigarette holding and force applying unit, an automatic hot coal fallout detection and removal unit, a smoke collecting unit during suction, a suction unit, a gas exhaust unit arranged in a main frame, and an electric circuit and air path control unit for controlling actions and processes of the above units. The apparatus operates based on certain steps and performs automatic ignition and burning line detection on cigarette samples inserted into a rotary plate in sequence. A controllable external force is applied to the cigarettes during burning and suction, and hot coal fallout propensity of this kind of cigarette is detected by hot coal fallout occurrence of multiple cigarettes. The apparatus according to the present disclosure can improve test repeatability and working efficiency.

The present disclosure has provided an automatic multichannel apparatus for assessing hot coal fallout propensity of burning cigarettes and an assessing method thereof. The apparatus comprises a multichannel rotary plate unit, an automatic supplying unit for cigarette samples, an automatic ignition and burning line detection unit for cigarette samples, a cigarette holding and force applying unit, an automatic hot coal fallout detection and removal unit, a smoke collecting unit during suction, a suction unit, a gas exhaust unit arranged in a main frame, and an electric circuit and air path control unit for controlling actions and processes of the above units. The apparatus operates based on certain steps and performs automatic ignition and burning line detection on cigarette samples inserted into a rotary plate in sequence. A controllable external force is applied to the cigarettes during burning and suction, and hot coal fallout propensity of this kind of cigarette is detected by hot coal fallout occurrence of multiple cigarettes. The apparatus according to the present disclosure can improve test repeatability and working efficiency.

A method for reducing stress of a garniture belt in a tobacco industry machine for manufacturing rods from a continuous rod comprising a filling material wrapped by a wrapper, the continuous rod being formed on the garniture belt being driven in a garniture channel of a garniture device, wherein the garniture device comprises a filling material receiving section, a rod diameter setting section and a rod stabilizing section, wherein the machine comprises at least one feeding unit for feeding the filling material onto the wrapper being transported on the garniture belt, a glue feeding unit, a cutting head for cutting the continuous rod into the rods, the method comprising adjusting a resistance of motion of the garniture belt by: reducing the resistance of motion of the garniture belt in the filling material receiving section by adjusting positions of guiding bars for guiding the garniture belt so that a width of the garniture channel in the filling material receiving section is greater than a width of the garniture channel in the rod diameter setting section, and/or reducing the resistance of motion of the garniture belt in the rod stabilizing section by adjusting positions of guiding bars for guiding the garniture belt so that a width of the garniture channel in the rod stabilizing section is greater than the width of the garniture channel in the rod diameter setting section.

A method for reducing stress of a garniture belt in a tobacco industry machine for manufacturing rods from a continuous rod comprising a filling material wrapped by a wrapper, the continuous rod being formed on the garniture belt being driven in a garniture channel of a garniture device, wherein the garniture device comprises a filling material receiving section, a rod diameter setting section and a rod stabilizing section, wherein the machine comprises at least one feeding unit for feeding the filling material onto the wrapper being transported on the garniture belt, a glue feeding unit, a cutting head for cutting the continuous rod into the rods, the method comprising adjusting a resistance of motion of the garniture belt by: reducing the resistance of motion of the garniture belt in the filling material receiving section by adjusting positions of guiding bars for guiding the garniture belt so that a width of the garniture channel in the filling material receiving section is greater than a width of the garniture channel in the rod diameter setting section, and/or reducing the resistance of motion of the garniture belt in the rod stabilizing section by adjusting positions of guiding bars for guiding the garniture belt so that a width of the garniture channel in the rod stabilizing section is greater than the width of the garniture channel in the rod diameter setting section.

A cigarette filter inspection method of inspecting a solid flavor element to be disposed in a void between two filter plugs placed in outer filter wrapper, and the cigarette filter inspection method includes an illumination step of irradiating the void with illumination light, an imaging step of obtaining an inspection image of a region containing the void, a filler detection step of detecting the flavor element based on contrast between the void and the flavor element in the inspection image, and an inspection step of inspecting the flavor element detected in the inspection image.

A cigarette filter inspection method of inspecting a solid flavor element to be disposed in a void between two filter plugs placed in outer filter wrapper, and the cigarette filter inspection method includes an illumination step of irradiating the void with illumination light, an imaging step of obtaining an inspection image of a region containing the void, a filler detection step of detecting the flavor element based on contrast between the void and the flavor element in the inspection image, and an inspection step of inspecting the flavor element detected in the inspection image.