A method and an apparatus (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E) for axial centering of a rod-like article (3) or a group of rod-like articles wherein the rod-like article (3) or the group of rod-like articles is conveyed in a flute (4) situated on the circumference of a drum conveyor (5), moreover, the rod-like article (3) or the group of rod-like articles in the successive flutes (4) have the same or varying length, with the apparatus (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E) being provided with pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) of a shifting mechanism axially acting on the rod-like article (3) or the group of rod-like articles so as to change the position of the rod-like article (3) or the groups of articles in the flute (4), characterized in that the coupled pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) make swinging movements having opposite senses, moreover, the pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) have contact surfaces (10A, 13A, 20A, 23A, 30A, 33A, 40A, 43A) adapted to axially act on the rod-like article (3) or the group of rod-like articles, the contact surfaces (10A, 13A, 20A, 23A, 30A, 33A, 40A, 43A) of the pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) being convergently positioned in the direction of movement (T) of the rod-like articles, at least one pusher element (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) being connected with a dynamic element (6, 26, 37, 47) placing the pusher elements (10, 13, 20, 23, 30, 33, 40, 43) in a position enabling them to axially act on the rod-like articles (3, 3L, 3R) or the groups of rod-like articles conveyed on the drum conveyor (5) so that the centers of the rod-like articles (3) or the groups of rod-like articles are positioned principally in a common plane (S, SL, SR).

A modular apparatus is configured to cause received rods of smokeable material to undergo a first sequence of operations. The modular apparatus can be reconfigured so as to cause received rods of smokeable material to undergo a second sequence of operations, different to the first sequence of operations. The first and second sequences of operations respectively form at least part of first and second processes for assembling smoking articles, each smoking article comprising one of said rods of smokeable material, which is smoked in use. The modular apparatus comprises a first inserter configured to insert a first rod article between two tobacco rods, a first rod divider configured to divide the first rod article into at least two parts, a separator configured to separate a first group comprising a rod of smokeable material and one of said parts from a second group comprising a rod of smokeable material and another of said parts and a second inserter configured to insert a second rod article between the first and second groups.

A compacting unit for the tobacco industry includes a conveyor drum configured to convey groups of segments disposed perpendicularly to the feed direction. A first compactor and a second compactor have a first contact portion and a second contact portion, respectively. The first contact portion and the second contact portion are respectively adapted to be placed in contact with a first axial end and a second axial end of a group of segments in transit in the compacting station. The first contact portion is compliant, preferably elastically compliant, along a longitudinal direction of extension of the groups of segments upon interaction with the first axial end. The second contact portion defines a rigid abutment along the longitudinal direction of extension of the groups of segments suitable for setting a predetermined position for the second axial end.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a rolling drum for use in a tobacco industry product manufacturing apparatus. The rolling drum has a peripheral surface configured to carry a collation of rod-shaped articles. The rolling drum comprises a plurality of ridges on the peripheral surface, each ridge comprising a trailing face and a leading face. The rolling drum comprises a plurality of suction holes for retaining the collation of rod-shaped articles. The plurality of suction holes are disposed at the trailing face and the leading face of each of the ridges. Also disclosed is a rolling apparatus comprising such a rolling drum, and a machine for assembling tobacco industry products comprising such an apparatus. Also disclosed is a method of assembling tobacco industry products using such a rolling apparatus or machine.

Embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus for cutting and arranging rods for use in a tobacco industry product assembly machine. The apparatus comprises a first cutting mechanism for cutting a four-length rod into first and second axially-aligned double-length rods. Each double-length rod has respective remote ends. A positioning mechanism for moving at least one of the first and second double-length rods such that said first and second double-length rods are moved from a first configuration in axial-alignment, to a second configuration in which the first and second double-length rods are out of axial alignment and the axes of the first and second double-length rods are parallel and spaced apart, and the remote ends of said first and second double-length rods are substantially aligned with each other. Also disclosed is a method of cutting and arranging rods for tobacco industry product assembly, and a method of tobacco industry product assembly.

An aerosol-generating article (10) comprising a rod (20) comprising an aerosol-generating substrate (22); a filter (30) in axial alignment with the rod (20); a bridging element (40) comprising a first wrapper (42), the first wrapper circumscribing the rod (20) and the filter and securing the filter to the rod; and a cavity (44) located between the rod and the filter, the cavity (44) being partially delimited by the inner surface of the first wrapper (42) in a first portion of the bridging element (40), wherein the first portion of the bridging element has a reflectance factor of 85 percent or higher.

An apparatus and associated methods for cutting and arranging rods for use in a tobacco industry product assembly machine, the apparatus including a first cutting mechanism for cutting a four-length rod into first and second axially-aligned double-length rods where each double-length rod has respective remote ends, a positioning mechanism for moving at least one of the first and second double-length rods such that said first and second double-length rods are moved from a first configuration in axial-alignment, to a second configuration in which the first and second double-length rods are out of axial alignment and the axes of the first and second double-length rods are parallel and spaced apart, and the remote ends of said first and second double-length rods are substantially aligned with each other.

A rolling paper has a rectangular region being one side surface of the rolling paper, the rectangular region having a first and a second long edge of a first length and a first and a second short edge of second length, a first adhesive strip having a first width less than one-fourth of the second length along the full length of the first long edge, and a second adhesive strip of a third length less than one-half the first length of the first long edge, and a second width less than one-fourth of the second length, the second adhesive strip along the second long edge, one end of the second adhesive strip abutting the first short edge.

A method of manufacturing smoking articles in a smoking article manufacturing machine, including supplying the smoking article manufacturing machine with dual length filter rods, each dual length filter rod containing a capsule of a first type and a capsule of a second type, using the smoking article manufacturing machine to cut patches of tipping paper from a web of tipping paper, using the smoking article manufacturing machine to wrap one of said patches of tipping paper about each dual length filter rod to attach a rod of smokable material to opposite ends thereof, and using the smoking article manufacturing machine to cut each wrapped dual length filter rod to form a first and a second smoking article, the first smoking article having a first filter rod segment formed from the dual length filter rod and the second smoking article having a second filter rod segment formed from the dual length filter rod, and in which the first filter rod segment includes the first type of capsule and the second filter rod segment includes the second type of capsule, where the web of tipping paper includes a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion, the first lateral portion having different visual or tactile mark or indicia than the second lateral portion.

A non-sticking lip tipping paper is disclosed that includes a base paper, a color layer and a surface coating. The color layer is formed by printing and drying a color ink on the base paper; the surface coating includes a water-based glue and is coated thereon after drying the color layer. The water-based glue includes the following components by weight: 30-65 parts of a modified water-based resin solution, 10-20 parts of water, 8-15 parts of ethanol, and 5-12 parts of a water-based additive. The water-based additive is a mixture of a wax emulsion and magnesium silicate in a weight ratio of 1:5. A preparation method and a method of applying the non-sticking lip tipping paper are also disclosed.