Ventilated smoking material perforation apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus to make ventilated cigars is disclosed. The apparatus includes a perforating means along a first wrapper paper section and arranged before the first wrapper paper section and the second wrapper paper section are joined together. A roller member rotates the first wrapper paper section. In one embodiment, the roller member includes a set of pins that cooperate with the roller member to perforate the first wrapper paper section proximal to an outer edge surface of the first wrapper paper section.

1 . An apparatus to make ventilated cigars comprising smoking material wherein wrapper paper sections are joined together and overlap with one another and are secured along a first and a second edge, comprising components wherein a first wrapper paper section and a second wrapper paper section are arranged to roll along a machine path, the improvement comprising:
 a perforating means along a first wrapper paper section and arranged before the first wrapper paper section and the second wrapper paper section are joined together, the components comprising a roller member to rotate the first wrapper paper section, the roller member comprises a set of pins mounted along a rotating surface of the roller member, the set of pins cooperating with the roller member to press the first wrapper paper section along a rotation direction of the roller member to facilitate movement of the first wrapper paper section toward the second wrapper paper section.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the set of pins comprise a row of pins, the row of pins are rolled several revolutions through the first wrapper paper section to form perforations encompassing an area situated proximal to the rotation direction of the roller member and proximal to an outer edge of the first wrapper paper section. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the roller member comprises a first roller drum and a second roller drum, the second roller drum maintains a desired tension level of the first wrapper paper section while the first roller drum comprising the set of pins revolves about the first wrapper paper section to create indentations along the rotation direction of the roller member to maximize air flow exposure of the smoking material to increase smoking drag by a user. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the components further comprise a wrapper paper alignment guide to fold the first wrapper paper section and the second wrapper paper section to join opposite edges to create a cylindrical shape of the ventilated cigars subsequent to addition of the smoking material. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the set of pins comprises a series of drilling bits that are arranged substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of the roller member to create indentations as the first wrapper paper section is being rolled, wherein the drilling bits are interchangeable with other indentation apparatus to form a custom set of slits or cuts into the first wrapper paper section. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the components further comprise a gluing mechanism to secure the first wrapping paper section to the second wrapping paper section; and wherein the smoking material comprises a tobacco based or herb based substance. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the set of pins create a perforation along an outer edge of the first wrapper paper section and orthogonal to an axial direction of the first roller drum. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the perforation means further comprises guide pins before and after the roller member to align the first wrapper paper section and the second wrapper paper section prior to joining. 
     
     
         9 . A machine to make a ventilated cigar comprising tobacco material wherein wrapper paper sections are joined together and overlap with one another to secure to one another, comprising machine parts wherein a first wrapper paper section and a second wrapper paper section are arranged to roll along at least one machine path, the improvement comprising:
 a perforating means along a first wrapper paper section and arranged before the first wrapper paper section and the second wrapper paper section are joined together, the components comprising a first roller member and a second roller member mounted so that at least an outer portion of a rotating surface of the first roller member is not aligned with at least a portion of the rotating surface of the second roller member, the first roller member comprises pins rotationally mounted along an outer surface of the first roller member, pins cooperating with the first roller member to create indentations in the first wrapper paper section along a rotational direction of the first wrapper paper to improve air flow ventilation of the smoking material.   
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the pins comprise a row of pins, the row of pins are rolled several revolutions through the first wrapper paper section to form the indentations encompassing an area proximal to an outer edge surface of the first wrapper paper section. 
     
     
         11 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the second roller member maintains a desired tension level of the first wrapper paper section while the first roller member comprising the pins revolves about the first wrapper paper section to create the indentations orthogonal to an axial direction of a roll supply mechanism along the direction of rotation of the first wrapping paper section to maximize air flow exposure of the smoking material and to increase smoking drag by a user. 
     
     
         12 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the machine parts comprise a smoking material application apparatus and a wrapper paper alignment guide; wherein the wrapper paper alignment guide comprises at least one shaped, tapered surface to join the first wrapper paper section and the second wrapper paper section along opposite edges to form a cylindrical shape of the ventilated cigar. 
     
     
         13 . The machine of  claim 9 , wherein the pins comprise a series of drilling bits that are arranged substantially perpendicular to the rotation direction of the first roller member to create the indentations as the first wrapper paper section is being rolled, wherein the drilling bits are interchangeable with other indentation apparatus to form a custom set of slits or cuts within the first wrapper paper section. 
     
     
         14 . The machine of  claim 10 , wherein the components further comprise a gluing mechanism to apply an adhesive component along at least one joined edge of the first wrapping paper section; wherein the smoking material comprises a tobacco based or herb based substance; and wherein the gluing mechanism is mounted substantially perpendicular to the rotation direction of the first wrapping paper section and the second wrapping paper section. 
     
     
         15 . The machine of  claim 10 , wherein the pins create a series of perforations covering a predetermined area along an outer edge of the first wrapper paper section along the rotation direction of the first roller member. 
     
     
         16 . The machine of  claim 10 , wherein the perforation means further comprises at least one guide pin before or after the first roller member or the second roller member to align the first wrapper paper section and the second wrapper paper section prior to joining together at a location proximal to a perforated edge of the ventilated cigar. 
     
     
         17 . Aftermarket cigar machine retrofit components to perforate along a longitudinal direction of a tobacco rod to increase aeration capability of smoking material contained therein, the cigar machine retrofit components comprising:
 a perforating apparatus disposed along a first wrapper paper section from a roller supply, wherein the perforating apparatus is positioned before the first wrapper paper section and the second wrapper paper section are joined together; wherein the components comprise:   a first roller member; and   a second roller member mounted so that at least an outer portion of a rotating surface of the first roller member is not aligned with at least a portion of the rotating surface of the second roller member;   wherein the first roller member comprises pins rotationally mounted along an outer surface of the first roller member, the pins cooperate with the first roller member to create indentations in the first wrapper paper section along an outer edge surface of the first wrapper paper to improve air flow ventilation of the smoking material.   
     
     
         18 . The machine of  claim 17 , wherein the pins comprise a series of drilling bits that are arranged substantially perpendicular to a direction of motion of the first roller member to create the indentations as the first wrapper paper section is being rolled, wherein the drilling bits are interchangeable with other indentation apparatus to form a custom set of slits or cuts within the first wrapper paper section. 
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 17 , wherein the pins comprise a row of pins, the row of pins are rolled several revolutions through the first wrapper paper section to form perforations encompassing an area about a rotational direction of the first roller member proximal to the outer edge surface of the first wrapper paper section.