Apparatus for manufacturing and packaging cigarettes and arrangement of appropriate apparatuses

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing and packaging cigarettes that includes a cigarette machine including at least one cigarette machine unit, a packaging machine structured and arranged to package the cigarettes one of in packages, in packing units, in cartons, and on pallets; and the packaging machine and the at least one cigarette machine unit being arranged along a substantially straight line. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

1 . An apparatus for manufacturing and packaging cigarettes, comprising: 
 a cigarette machine comprising at least one cigarette machine unit;    a packaging machine structured and arranged to package the cigarettes one of in packages, in packing units, in cartons, and on pallets; and    said packaging machine and said at least one cigarette machine unit being arranged along a substantially straight line.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one cigarette machine unit comprises at least one of a distributing unit, a strand unit, a filter-manufacturing unit, and a filter-tipping unit.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one cigarette machine unit comprises a filter-tipping unit arranged along a substantially straight line with said packaging machine.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said at least one cigarette machine unit further comprises a strand unit arranged along a substantially straight line with said packaging machine and said filter-tipping unit.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one cigarette machine unit further comprises a distributing unit and a filter-manufacturing unit, and said distributing unit, said filter-manufacturing unit, said strand unit, said filter-tipping unit, and said packaging machine are arranged along a substantially straight line.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said cigarette machine and said packaging machine are structured and arranged for operation exclusively from one side of said cigarette machine and said packaging machine; and 
 wherein said packaging machine is structured and arranged for supply of packaging material to said packaging machine exclusively from a second side that is opposite to said first side.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said at least one cigarette machine unit is structured and arranged such that at least one part of the materials required for manufacturing cigarettes is suppliable from said second side.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said at least one cigarette machine unit is structured and arranged such that tobacco is suppliable from above, and said at least one cigarette machine unit comprises a plurality of cigarette machine units, in which each of said plurality of cigarette machine units is suppliable from said second side.  
   
   
       9 . An arrangement composed of a plurality of apparatuses according to  claim 6 , wherein at least two adjacent apparatuses are arranged such that aisles are formed between said at least two adjacent apparatuses, 
 wherein the aisles are formed by said first sides of said two adjacent apparatuses or said second sides of said two adjacent apparatuses.    
   
   
       10 . The arrangement according to  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of apparatuses arranged such that respective adjacent apparatuses are spaced from each other such that aisles are formed by sides of adjacent apparatuses.    
   
   
       11 . The arrangement according to  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 additional apparatuses arranged to continue said aisles formed by the arrangement of apparatuses along said substantially straight line.    
   
   
       12 . A method of arranging an apparatus for manufacturing and packaging cigarettes, the apparatus comprising a cigarette machine having at least one cigarette machine unit and a packaging machine structured and arranged to package the cigarettes one of in packages, in packing units, in cartons, and on pallets, comprising: 
 arranging the packaging machine and the at least one cigarette machine unit along a substantially straight line.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one cigarette machine unit comprises at least one of a distributing unit, a strand unit, a filter-manufacturing unit, and a filter-tipping unit.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one cigarette machine unit comprises a filter-tipping unit arranged along a substantially straight line with the packaging machine.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one cigarette machine unit further comprises a strand unit arranged along a substantially straight line with the packaging machine and the filter-tipping unit.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one cigarette machine unit further comprises a distributing unit and a filter-manufacturing unit, and the distributing unit, the filter-manufacturing unit, the strand unit, the filter-tipping unit, and the packaging machine are arranged along a substantially straight line.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising: 
 arranging the cigarette machine and the packaging machine for operation exclusively from one side of the cigarette machine and the packaging machine; and    arranging the packaging machine for supply of packaging material to the packaging machine exclusively from a second side that is opposite to the first side.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 arranging the at least one cigarette machine unit such that at least one part of the materials required for manufacturing cigarettes is suppliable from the second side.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least one cigarette machine unit is structured and arranged such that tobacco is suppliable from above, and the at least one cigarette machine unit comprises a plurality of cigarette machine units, in which each of the plurality of cigarette machine units is suppliable from the second side.  
   
   
       20 . A method arranging a plurality of apparatuses according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 arranging at least two adjacent apparatuses such that aisles are formed between the at least two adjacent apparatuses,    wherein the aisles are formed by the first sides of the two adjacent apparatuses or the second sides of the two adjacent apparatuses.    
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 arranging the plurality of apparatuses such that respective adjacent apparatuses are spaced from each other such that aisles are formed by sides of adjacent apparatuses.    
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the aisles formed by the arrangement of apparatuses along the substantially straight line are continued by apparatuses adjacent along the direction of the line.  
   
   
       23 . An apparatus for manufacturing and packaging cigarettes arranged according the method of  claim 12 .  
   
   
       24 . An apparatus for manufacturing and packaging cigarettes, comprising: 
 a cigarette machine comprising a plurality of components;    a packaging machine structured and arranged to package the cigarettes in one of packages, packing units, cartons, and on pallets; and    the packaging machine and at least one of the components being arranged along a substantially straight line.    
   
   
       25 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the components comprises at least one of a distributing unit, a strand unit, a filter-manufacturing unit, and a filter-tipping unit.