A modular apparatus is configured to cause received rods of smokable material to undergo a first sequence of operations. The modular apparatus can be reconfigured so as to cause received rods of smokable 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 smokable 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 smokable material and one of said parts from a second group comprising a rod of smokable material and another of said parts and a second inserter configured to insert a second rod article between the first and second groups.

A web of tipping paper and a smoking article manufacturing machine that cuts the web of tipping paper into individual patches and wraps each patch about a respective dual length filter rod to attach a rod of smokable material to opposite ends of each dual length filter rod before the dual length filter rod is cut to form a first and second type of smoking article having first and second filter rod segments, respectively, and in which the first filter rod segment of the first type of smoking article differs from the second filter rod segment of the second type of smoking article, the web of tipping paper including a first lateral portion, and a second lateral portion that differs from the first lateral portion, where the smoking article manufacturing machine is configured to cut the tipping paper web so that each patch is partly formed from the first lateral portion, and partly formed from the second lateral portion, the machine also being configured to wrap the patch about the dual length filter rod such that the part of the patch formed from the first lateral portion is wrapped about a part of the dual length filter rod which, when cut, forms the first filter rod segment, and the part of the patch formed from the second lateral portion is wrapped about a part of the dual length filter rod which, when cut, forms the second filter rod segment.

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.

An aerosol-generating article comprising an outer wrapping sheet to form an outer tubular element of an aerosol-generating article that when rolled about a longitudinal axis, the outer wrapping sheet comprising a first edge comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the proximal portion includes a glued section, and wherein the distal portion extends from the proximal portion at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis.

A method for making a sub-unit of a smoking article, specifically an HNB smoking article, includes preparing a rod segment, of the tobacco industry and wrapping a connecting strip of wrapping material round that rod segment, about a wrapping axis, in such a way that a first portion of the connecting strip is superposed on a first end of the rod segment and a second portion of it is axially protruding from the first end of the rod segment thereby defining a tubular wrapping which encloses a containment chamber. Then a filling material of the tobacco industry is placed inside the containment chamber. The method also includes a step of making a wall, transverse to the wrapping axis, defining an at least partial closure of the containment chamber, specifically by folding an end portion of the second portion the connecting strip.

The method and apparatus for manufacturing aerosol-generating semi-finished products comprise the steps of combining substantially cylindrical segments along a longitudinal first motion path. The following steps are performed along the first motion path: feeding a stream of at least three different segments along the first motion path, thereby arranging the at least three segments in alternating order, wrapping the stream of at least three segments in a sheet material to form an endless rod of segments, and cutting the endless rod of segments, thereby separating the endless rod of segments into wrapped segment rods. The method also comprises the step of processing wrapped segment rods along a second motion path, wherein the following step is performed along the second motion path: receiving the wrapped segment rods in flutes of a fluted receiving drum, wherein an end of the first motion path is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the flutes of the fluted receiving drum.

In the method and system for wrapping an assembly (5) of segments, an outer periphery of the assembly is affixed longitudinally to an edge portion of a piece of wrapping material (50) and at least one of the segments of the assembly is a rigid segment with a compressibility higher than about 10 Newton per 1.5 mm. The assembly of segments is provided to a rolling seat (10) arranged in the peripheral surface of a wrapping conveyor (1). A retaining surface (202) is arranged at a distance and opposite the peripheral surface of the wrapping conveyor, such as to contact the assembly supplied to the rolling seat with the retaining surface. The assembly of segments are wrapped by moving the wrapping conveyor relative to the retaining surface thereby creating a relative movement between the wrapping conveyor and the retaining surface such as to cause rotation of the assembly in the rolling seat along a longitudinal axis of the assembly and by providing the assembly of segments with a three-point guiding contact while moving the assembly of segments along the retaining surface.

An apparatus for wrapping a sheet of wrapping material (5) around a rod-shaped article (4) or a plurality of linearly arranged substantially cylindrical segments, either of which comprises a fragile segment (40), comprising: a rotatable drum (2) having a circumferential drum surface (20) comprising a plurality of flutes (21) adapted to hold a rod-shaped article (4) or a plurality of linearly arranged substantially cylindrical segments, and comprising attachment portions (22) arranged between the flutes (21) adapted to hold a sheet of wrapping material (5) having an adhesive on an outer surface, a rolling device (1) comprising a contact surface (10) arranged at a predetermined distance from the drum surface (20), to contact a periphery of the rod-shaped article (4) or plurality of linearly arranged substantially cylindrical segments to make the rod-shaped article (4) or plurality of linearly arranged substantially cylindrical segments move out of the flute (21) and roll over the outer surface having the adhesive thereon to wrap the sheet of wrapping material (5) around the rod-shaped article (4) or plurality of linearly arranged substantially cylindrical segments. At least a portion (101) of the contact surface (10) is resiliently displaceable away from the circumferential drum surface (20).

A modular apparatus is configured to cause received rods of smokable material to undergo a first sequence of operations. The modular apparatus can be reconfigured so as to cause received rods of smokable 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 smokable 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 smokable material and one of said parts from a second group comprising a rod of smokable material and another of said parts and a second inserter configured to insert a second rod article between the first and second groups.

A feeding system (1) for feeding groups (7) of rod-like elements (2) for a tobacco industry machine, wherein the group (7) includes at least two rod-like elements (2) arranged coaxially next to each other, the feeding system including: a container (3) for the rod-like elements (2); a single element feeder (4) for feeding individual rod-like elements (2) from the container (3); an intermediate storage (5) for transferring the rod-like elements (2) from the single element feeder (4) along a storage duct (20) to an elements group feeder (6), wherein an outlet (24) of the storage duct (20) has a tilting track (21) forming a recess (36) for stopping the rod-like elements (2); wherein the elements group feeder (6) includes: a transporting duct (25) connected to the storage duct (20); and a transporter (26) including shovels (27), wherein the shovels (27) are configured to transport the groups (7) of the rod-like elements (2) one after the other along the transporting duct (25) from the storage duct (20) to an outlet duct (37); and a pushing unit (8) including a reciprocally movable pusher (33), configured to eject the group (7) of the rod-like elements (2) from the outlet duct (37).