Packing tools and systems and methods for using a packing tool to hand-make smoking products are disclosed. In some embodiments, the packing tool may include an elongate body having a first tamping end and a second tamping end opposite the first tamping end, and a handle attached to, or formed with, the elongate body. The handle may be disposed between the first and second tamping ends. The first tamping end may have a first width sized to fit within a filter end of a smoking product. The second tamping end may have a second width sized to fit within an ignition end of a smoking product. The packing tool may additionally include a single row of troughs configured to distribute material of a smoking product, a set of ruler markings proximate the first tamping end, and a paper curling portion disposed between the handle portion and second tamping end.

A component for an article for use in an aerosol provision system includes a body of material, wherein the body has a longitudinal axis and includes one or more sheets extending through the body, said one or more sheets having a permeability of between about 1,000 and about 50,000 Coresta Units and the component having an average bulk density across the body of between about 0.05 and about 0.5 gms/cm.sup.3. An article including the component and a method of manufacture are also described.

Shown is a filter material for manufacturing a segment for a smoking article, wherein the filter material is hydroentangled and contains at least 50% and at most 100% cellulose fibers, each with respect to the mass of the filter material, wherein the filter material has a basis weight of at least 15 g/m.sup.2 and at most 60 g/m.sup.2, wherein the thickness of one layer of the filter material, measured in accordance with ISO 534:2011, is at least 25 ?m and at most 400 ?m, and wherein the filter material has a creep tendency in the thickness direction of at most 10%, wherein the creep tendency is the relative decrease in the thickness of 5 layers of the filter material, measured in accordance with ISO 534:2011, within 20 s after the start of the thickness measurement.

The invention relates to a filter manufacturing apparatus (1) to form a hollow filter body, the filter manufacturing apparatus comprising: a feed path adapted to continuously feed a filter material along a longitudinal transport direction (30); a forming device (4) connected to a terminating end of the feed path and adapted to form the filter material into a hollow rod-shaped filter body and deliver the formed filter body, the forming device including: .square-solid. a tubular forming element (8) adapted to allow the filter material to pass therethrough, .square-solid. a pin (34) extending longitudinally within the tubular forming element, the pin having a pin diameter;a diameter changing device (40), adapted to vary the pin diameter of the pin, so as to obtain a filter body having a through hole of variable diameter.

An apparatus for providing rods for use in the manufacture of cigarette filter elements, each rod having individual objects placed at predetermined spaced intervals along the length thereof, comprises means for providing a continuous supply of rod filter material, a first hopper means for providing a reservoir for objects, and a second hopper means for providing a plurality of individual objects. The second hopper means is positioned to receive objects from the first hopper means. The apparatus also comprises a reciprocating screen means between the first hopper means and the second hopper means, means for positioning individual objects from the second hopper to within the supply of filter material at pre-determined spaced intervals, means for forming the filter material into a continuous rod having individual objects positioned at pre-determined spaced intervals within that rod, and means for subdividing the continuous rod at pre-determined intervals.

Filter rods for use in the manufacture of cigarette filter elements are provided, with each rod having a longitudinal axis and incorporating a generally longitudinally extending filter material and a generally longitudinally extending strand within that filter material. A filter making unit receives a continuous supply of a filter material, and forms the filter material into a gathered composite having a continuous cylindrical shape. A continuous supply of a strand (e.g., colored thread) is provided and is introduced into the filter material gathered composite in the tongue of the filter making unit. The filter material and continuous strand positioned therein are formed into a continuous rod having the strand material laterally positioned within that rod, and the continuous rod is subdivided at pre-determined longitudinal intervals to provide a plurality of rod portions.

The invention relates to a method for adjusting the diameter of an elongated rod, said method comprising: providing an elongated rod having a preliminary diameter; selecting a desired final diameter of the elongated rod; providing a diameter adjusting device including a first tubular element having an inlet and an outlet and a channel connecting the inlet and the outlet; adjusting the diameter of the outlet as a function of the desired final diameter of the elongated rod, wherein the diameter of the inlet is bigger than the diameter of the outlet when adjusted; and inserting the elongated rod in the diameter adjusting device from the inlet and outputting it from the outlet so that said elongated rod is compressed to the desired final diameter when outputted from the outlet of the first tubular element.

A component for an article for use in an aerosol provision system includes a body of material, wherein the body has a longitudinal axis and includes one or more sheets extending through the body, said one or more sheets having an aerosol modifying additive and having a total width of between about 100 mm and about 350 mm. An article and a method of manufacture are also provided.

This filler element 6 is used in a flavor inhaler 1, and comprises: a folded part 36 in which one sheet 34 composed of a nonwoven fabric has been folded in the width direction Z intersecting the longitudinal direction X thereof, and the diameter thereof has been reduced to a size not greater than the diameter of the filler element 6; and wrapping paper 18 that is wrapped on the folded part 36. The sheet 34 is subjected to a drawing process in the longitudinal direction X.

A manufacturing device for a filler element includes a sheet processing section forms a crimped part on a sheet and a feed portion that continuously feeds an additive dropwise onto an upper face of the sheet having the crimped part. The feed portion includes a multiple nozzle in which a large number of feed outlets feeding the additive are arranged in the width direction.