Two part multi-component combiner

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for manufacturing smoking articles. First multi-segment components are formed each comprising a combustible heat source, an aerosol-forming substrate and an airflow directing segment by feeding a stream of combustible heat sources, aerosol-forming substrates and airflow directing segments along a moving delivery path, compacting the segments into groups; wrapping each group; and cutting the web of material between groups to separate the individual first multi-segment components from each other. A stream of first multi-segment components are fed onto a receiving means, and a stream of second multi-segment components, each comprising a mouthpiece and at least one further segment, are also fed onto the receiving means. A first multi-segment component and a second multi-segment component are combined by wrapping the components in a web material to form an individual smoking article having a combustible heat source at a first end and a mouthpiece at a second end.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing smoking articles, comprising: forming first multi-segment components each comprising a combustible heat source, an aerosol-forming substrate and an airflow directing segment by: feeding a stream of combustible heat sources, aerosol-forming substrates and airflow directing segments along a moving delivery path, wherein at least one segment of the first multi-segment component is cut on-line; compacting into groups the combustible heat sources, the aerosol-forming substrates and the airflow directing segments, each group corresponding to a discrete first multi-segment component; wrapping the combustible heat sources, aerosol-forming substrates, and airflow directing segments in a web of material; and cutting the web of material between groups to separate the individual first multi-segment components from each other; feeding a stream of first multi-segment components onto a receiving means; feeding a stream of second multi-segment components, each comprising a mouthpiece and at least one further segment, onto the receiving means; and combining a first multi-segment component and a second multi-segment component by wrapping the first multi-segment component and the second multi-segment component in a web material to form an individual smoking article having a combustible heat source at a first end and a mouthpiece at a second end.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the segments on the moving delivery path have their longitudinal axes substantially aligned with each other and with a direction of movement of the moving delivery path.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in compacting into groups the combustible heat sources, the aerosol-forming substrates and the airflow directing segments, there is a predefined space between a leading group of segments and a trailing group of segments.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein individual combustible heat sources are fed from a hopper.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the combining step further includes: receiving sets of discrete first multi-segment components, each set of discrete first multi-segment components comprising two first multi-segment components; separating, along a longitudinal axis of the first multi-segment components, the first multi-segment components in each set of discrete first multi-segment components; receiving, between the separated first multi-segment components, a set of discrete second multi-segment components, each set of discrete second multi-segment components comprising two second multi-segment components joined such that the mouthpieces of each second multi-segment component are adjacent each other; aligning the longitudinal axes of the first and second multi-segment components on a combining drum; compacting the first and second multi-segment components into a group; wrapping the group in the web material to form a double smoking article; and cutting the double smoking article between the mouthpieces of the two second multi-segment components to form individual smoking articles.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the step of combining the first multi-segment component and the second multi-segment component, the first multi-segment component is further wrapped with a heat conducting element comprising one or more layers of a heat-reflective material.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first multi-segment component further comprises an expansion chamber.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the at least one further segment of the second multi-segment component further comprises a filter segment.

Description

(1) The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a smoking article comprising a combustible heat source manufactured by the method and apparatus according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 show a schematic representation of an apparatus for forming a first multi-segment component;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus for turning alternate first multi-segment components; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus for combining a first multi-segment component and a second multi-segment component to form a smoking article.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional schematic representation of a smoking article 100. The process is described in detail below with reference to the following features of the smoking article. The smoking article 100 comprises a combustible heat source 102, the combustible heat source having a barrier 104. The barrier is a layer of aluminium foil affixed to one end of the combustible heat source utilising an adhesive. Longitudinally adjacent the combustible heat source, an aerosol-forming substrate 106 is provided. The aerosol-forming substrate 106 comprises a tobacco material. The smoking article further comprises an airflow directing segment 108, an expansion chamber 110, an aerosol cooling segment, and a mouthpiece filter 114.

(7) The combustible heat source 102, the aerosol-forming substrate 106 and the airflow directing segment 108 are wrapped in wrapper 116 to form a first multi-segment component of the smoking article 100. The first multi-segment component is wrapped in an inner heat-conductive layer 118, such as an aluminium foil, that overlays both the combustible heat source 102 and the aerosol-forming substrate 106. In addition, the first multi-segment component is wrapped in an outer heat-conductive material comprising a layer of a heat-reflective material, such as aluminium foil. The outer heat-conductive material overlays the wrapper 116, and is positioned adjacent the combustible heat source and the aerosol-forming substrate. The wrapper 116 is provided with perforations 121 disposed circumferentially around the smoking article adjacent the airflow directing segment 108.

(8) The expansion chamber 110, the aerosol cooling segment and the mouthpiece 114 are wrapped in wrapper 122 to form a second multi-segment component of the smoking article 100. The first multi-segment component and the second multi-segment component are further wrapped in wrapper 124 to join the two components together to form the smoking article. The wrapper 124 is a tipping paper.

(9) FIG. 2 show a perspective schematic view of one exemplary embodiment of the apparatus for forming first multi-segment components of the present invention. FIG. 2 show an embodiment of apparatus for combining a plurality of segments for the production of the first multi-segment component. The apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 2 is arranged to combine the combustible heat sources 202, aerosol-generating substrates 204 and airflow directing segments 206 to form first multi-segment components, which may be combined with second multi-segment components, optionally using tipping paper, to form finished smoking articles.

(10) Referring to FIG. 2(a), the apparatus 200 comprises first feeding means 208 for feeding the pre-cut discrete combustible heat sources 202, second feeding means 210 for the aerosol-generating substrates 204, and third feeding means 212 for the airflow directing segments 206. The first feeding means 208 may comprise a vibrating bowl, a belt and an indexing wheel (not shown). The second feeding means 210 may comprise a hopper, primary and secondary supply drums, a vacuum belt and an indexing wheel (not shown). The third feeding means 212 may comprise a hopper primary and secondary supply drums, a vacuum belt and an indexing wheel (not shown). The apparatus 200 further comprises vacuum belt 214 for receiving the components, holding them using the vacuum, and moving them along a delivery path.

(11) Referring now to FIG. 2(b), the apparatus 200 further comprises compacting means 216 for compacting the stream of components into groups of components, in the form of wheels 218, 220, and 222, a garniture region 224 using paper web feed 226 and belt 228, and cutting means in the form of blade 230. The wheels 218, 220 and 220 each comprise a plurality of indexed fingers for holding the segments. The indexed fingers sequentially compact the segments together as they are moved from the first wheel 218 to the third wheel 222.

(12) The general operation of the FIG. 2 apparatus 200 is as follows. The combustible heat sources 202 are introduced from vibrating bowl onto the belt, then via the indexing wheel onto vacuum belt 214. The aerosol-generating substrates 204 are introduced from hopper, via the primary and secondary supply drums onto the vacuum belt of the second feeding means, then via the indexing wheel onto vacuum belt 214. Similarly, the airflow directing segments are introduced from hopper, via primary and secondary supply drums onto the vacuum belt of the third feeding means, then via the indexing wheel onto vacuum belt 214. The various segments 202, 204 and 206 are introduced with appropriate spacing and speed such that their longitudinal axes are substantially axially aligned with each other and with the direction of movement of vacuum belt 214 in the required order.

(13) The various segments pass along the vacuum belt 214 in order, and then pass into the compacting means 216. The function of the compacting means 216 is to compact the stream of segments into groups of segments, each group corresponding to a discrete first multi-segment component, so that the segments within a group abut one another and there is a predefined space between a leading group of segments and a trailing group of segments. In one embodiment the gap between groups of segments may be 1 mm0.5 mm, that is, between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm, or more preferably between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm. Further, the compacting means 216 registers the position of each space so that the blade 230 can cut the web of material in each space between groups of components.

(14) After the compacting means 216, the components are overwrapped with paper web in the garniture region 224. The paper web feed 226 may include pre-applied heat-conducting elements, such as aluminium foil patches, appropriately spaced along the web material. Once the components have been overwrapped with the paper web from feed 226, the web is cut at appropriate junctures, at blade 230 to form discrete first multi-segment components 232.

(15) Referring again to FIG. 2(a), as can be seen, the second feeding means 210 for feeding the aerosol-forming substrates comprises means for cutting discrete aerosol-forming substrates from a continuous supply of aerosol-forming substrate material. Similarly, the third feeding means 212 for feeding the airflow directing segments comprises means for cutting discrete airflow directing segments from a continuous supply of airflow directing segment material.

(16) The discrete first multi-segment components 232 are then provided to a transfer drum 234 from the belt 228. The transfer drum 234 transfers the first multi-segment components from the first multi-segment forming apparatus to the combining apparatus discuss in further detail below. As shown in FIG. 3, a turning drum 300 is provided to receive the first multi-segment components from the transfer drum 234. Alternatively, the turning drum 300 may receive the first multi-segment components directly from the belt 228. The turning drum 300 comprises a plurality of receiving flutes 302, 304 for holding the first multi-segment components. Each alternate flute 304 is rotatable such that the first multi-segment component can be rotated such that it is longitudinally aligned with a corresponding non-rotated flute 302 (shown in the expanded view of turning drum 300). In this way, the first multi-segment components can be aligned such that the combustible heat sources are facing in opposite directions.

(17) Referring now to FIG. 4, the apparatus for combining first multi-segment components with second multi-segment components to form smoking articles is schematically. As described above, the transfer drum 234 transfers the first multi-segment components from the belt 228 to the turning drum 300. The first multi-segments are arranged and oriented, by a first feeding assembly, such that pairs of first multi-segment have their longitudinal axes aligned and the combustible heat sources are facing opposite directions. The pairs of first multi-segment components are then transferred to a separating drum 400. The separating drum is configured to move the pair of first multi-segments along their longitudinal axis to provide a gap between the airflow directing segments of the respective first multi-segment components. The gap is provided to facilitate placing the second multi-segment components between the first multi-segment components.

(18) In one preferred embodiment, the second multi-segment components 402 are supplied in multiple sets of second multi-segment components. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the second multi-segment components 402 may be supplied, for instance, comprising two sets of second multi-segment components, wherein each set comprises two second multi-segment components (e.g., a first second multi-segment component, and a second second multi-segment component). Before the second multi-segment components are provided to the combining apparatus, they are cut to form two sets of second multi-segment components. The set of second multi-segment components is arranged such that the mouthpiece end of the first second multi-segment component is adjacent the mouthpiece end of the second second multi-segment component. The set of second multi-segment components is positioned, by a second feeding assembly, between the two separated first multi-segment components on combining drum 404. The multi-segment components are then transferred to the wrapping drum 406. The wrapping drum is configured to compact the first multi-segment components and the second multi-segment components together such that there is no gap between the components. The wrapping drum may be provided with fingers, or the like, positioned adjacent the combustible heat sources of the first multi-segment components to effect the compaction. The fingers may be mechanically, or electrically, controlled, such as with a cam mechanism.

(19) The compacted first and second multi-segment components are then wrapped in a web material, such as tipping paper 408. This process is effected by rotating the components about their longitudinal axis. The tipping paper is provided with a pre-applied adhesive to ensure that the components are held together securely. The tipping paper is sufficiently wide to combine each of the first multi-segment components in a pair to the set of second multi-segment components in a single wrapping operation. In one preferred embodiment, the tipping paper covers the second multi-segment component, and overlaps with the first multi-segment component by about 5 mm. The wrapping process results in a joined pair of smoking articles, each smoking article comprising a first multi-segment component and a second multi-segment component as described above.

(20) During the wrapping process, an outer heat-conducting layer 410 may be provided on the first multi-segment components. The outer heat-conducting layer is made from a heat-reflective material, such as aluminium. Similarly to the tipping paper, the outer heat-conducting layer may be provided with a pre-applied adhesive to securely affix the heat-conducting layer to the first multi-segment component. The outer-heat-conducting layer 410 is provided in the region adjacent the combustible heat source and the aerosol-forming substrate.

(21) Also during the wrapping process, perforations are cut into the first multi-segment components in the region adjacent the airflow directing segment. The perforations are made utilising a stationary pulsing laser 412 that cuts perforations around the circumference of the first multi-segment component as it rotates. Two such lasers may be provided to enable perforations to be cut into each first multi-segment component in a pair. Alternatively, an optical system of lenses and mirrors may be provided to utilise a single laser to cut two sets of perforations simultaneously.

(22) The joined pair of smoking articles is then transferred to a cutting drum 414. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the cutting drum cuts the joined pair of smoking articles into individual finished smoking articles 100. In this process, the tipping paper is cut between the mouthpieces of the second multi-segment components.

(23) Throughout the above process, it can be seen that the combustible heat sources do not come into contact with any other component. This is important since the combustible heat sources are made from particulate material that may have a tendency to splinter or crumble and leave a residue on any other component that it contacts.

(24) The embodiments and examples described above illustrate but do not limit the invention. Other embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are not limiting.