Introducing Objects Into Elongate Smoking Articles

Abstract

An apparatus for making an object assembly for use in the manufacture of smoking articles comprises a conveyance path for conveying an elongate member and a delivery mechanism configured to deliver objects onto the elongate member conveyed along the path such that a plurality of rows of objects are formed along the length thereof.

1 . An apparatus for making filter rods for use in the manufacture of smoking articles, the apparatus comprising:
 a conveyance path for conveying an elongate member;   a delivery mechanism configured to deliver objects onto the elongate member conveyed along the path such that first and second rows of objects are formed along the length thereof; and   a filter rod forming mechanism configured to receive the elongate member with the rows of objects thereon and to form filter rods each including objects from both of the rows.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a shaping mechanism configured to shape the elongate member after the objects are delivered thereon. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the shaping mechanism is configured to shape the elongate member such that the objects in one row are brought towards the objects in another row. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the shaping mechanism is configured to shape the elongate member into a trough. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the shaping mechanism is configured to shape the elongate member into a tube. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the objects comprise objects of a first type and objects of a second type and wherein the delivery mechanism is configured to deliver objects such that a plurality of objects of the first type and a plurality of objects of the second type are disposed in each of the filter rods. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the arrangement of each type of objects in each filter rod is generally symmetric with respect to a plane bisecting the filter rod, the plane being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first type of objects are frangible fluid-containing capsules containing a first fluid; and   the second type of objects are frangible fluid-containing capsules containing a second fluid.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter rod forming mechanism is configured to form the filter rods from filter rod material, and further comprises a filter rod material diverting mechanism arranged to divert filter rod material around the delivery mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter rod forming mechanism comprises:
 a splitter configured to split filter material into two paths; and   a combining member configured to receive filter material from each of the two paths and to receive the elongate member with the rows of objects thereon.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the elongate member with the rows of objects thereon follows a generally straight path into the combining member and through the filter rod forming mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the combining member is a stuffer jet. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism is configured to:
 deliver objects of a first type into the first of said rows; and   deliver objects of a second type into the second of said rows.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the delivery mechanism comprises:
 a first transport member configured to transport the objects of the first type from a first storage area to the first row, thereby delivering the objects of the first type into the first row; and   a second transport member configured to transport the objects of the second type from a second storage area to the second row, thereby delivering the objects of the second type into the second row.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the delivery mechanism is further configured to:
 deliver objects of a third type onto a third row such that each object of said third type in said third row is adjacent to an object of the second type in the second row.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the delivery mechanism further comprises:
 a first transport member configured to transport the objects of the first type from a first storage area to the first row, thereby delivering the objects of the first type into the first row;   a second transport member configured to transport the objects of the second type from a second storage area to the second row, thereby delivering the objects of the second type into the second row; and   a third transport member configured to transport objects of the third type from a third storage area to the third row, thereby delivering the objects of the third type into the third row.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the objects are frangible fluid-containing capsules, the different types of objects being frangible fluid-containing capsules containing different flavorants. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the transport members have cavities for receiving objects therein, and wherein the transport members are configured to rotate and thereby transport objects received in the cavities to the plurality of rows of objects, thereby delivering the objects into the rows. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the transport members are configured to rotate around a common axis; and
 wherein the cavities of the transport members are not aligned with one another in the direction of said axis.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the delivery mechanism is configured such that each object of the first type in the first row is adjacent to an object of the second type in the second row. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter rod forming mechanism has a stuffer jet mechanism and wherein the elongate member with the rows of objects thereon is received into the stuffer jet mechanism. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongate member with the rows of objects thereon comprises a fluid-encapsulation. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the objects are disposed centrally within the elongate member. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive applicator mechanism configured to apply a plurality of rows of adhesive to material drawn along said path, wherein the delivery mechanism is configured to deliver the objects into contact with adhesive applied by the adhesive applicator mechanism. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the objects are fluid-containing capsules. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus for an object assembly for use in the manufacture of smoking articles, the apparatus comprising:
 a conveyance path for conveying an elongate member; and   a delivery mechanism configured to deliver objects onto the elongate member conveyed along the path such that first and second rows of objects are formed along the length thereof,   wherein the objects are fluid-containing capsules.   
     
     
         27 . A method for making filter rods for use in the manufacture of smoking articles, the method comprising:
 conveying an elongate member along a path;   delivering objects onto material drawn along said path such that a plurality of rows of objects are formed along the length thereof; and   feeding the elongate member with the rows of objects thereon to a filter rod forming mechanism and thereby form filter rods each including objects from the plurality of rows.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , further comprising shaping the elongate member after the objects are delivered thereon. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus for forming filter rods comprising:
 a filter maker to form a length of filter rod from filter rod material;   an object assembly station to assemble an elongate assembly of objects to be fed to the filter maker to be included in the length of filter rod to make filter rods having one or more of the objects therein; and   a filter material diverting mechanism configured to divert filter material around the object assembly station on its passage to the filter maker past the object assembly station.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the filter material diverting mechanism comprises:
 a splitter configured to split filter material into two paths; and   a combining member configured to receive filter material from each of the two paths and to receive the object assembly.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the object assembly follows a straight path into the combining member and through a filter rod forming mechanism. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the object assembly is received from an assembly station for making an object assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein the assembly station comprises:
 a conveyance path for conveying an elongate member; and   a delivery mechanism configured to deliver objects onto the elongate member drawn along the path such that a plurality of rows of objects are formed along the length thereof.   
     
     
         35 . A method of forming filter rods from filter rod material, comprising:
 using a filter maker to form a length of filter rod from filter rod material;   assembling an elongate assembly of objects at an assembly station;   feeding the assembly to the filter maker to be included in the length of filter rod to make filter rods having one or more of the objects therein; and   diverting the filter material around the object assembly station on its passage to the filter maker past the object assembly station.   
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein diverting filter rod material comprises:
 splitting filter rod material into two paths;   receiving filter material from each of the two paths at a combining member;   wherein the object assembly is also received at the combining member.   
     
     
         37 . A maker for making filter rods, comprising an insert mechanism for inserting a plurality of types of objects into filter rods such that each filter rod comprises a plurality of objects of a first type and a plurality of objects of a second type and such that the objects of each type are arranged with mirror symmetry with respect to a plane bisecting the filter rod, the plane being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod. 
     
     
         38 . The maker according to  claim 37 , wherein:
 the first type of objects are frangible fluid-containing members containing a first flavorant; and   the second type of objects are frangible fluid-containing members containing a second flavorant.   
     
     
         39 . A method of making filter rods, comprising inserting a plurality of types of objects into filter rods such that each filter rod comprises a plurality of objects of a first type and a plurality of objects of a second type and such that the objects of each type are arranged with mirror symmetry with respect to a plane bisecting the filter rod, the plane being at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the rod. 
     
     
         40 . A filter rod having a plurality of objects of a first type and a plurality of objects of a second type, wherein the objects of each type are symmetrically arranged with respect to a plane bisecting the filter rod, the plane being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod. 
     
     
         41 . A filter rod according to  claim 40 , wherein:
 the first type of objects are frangible fluid-containing members containing a first flavorant; and   the second type of objects are frangible fluid-containing members containing a second flavorant.   
     
     
         42 . The apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein the transport members have cavities for receiving objects therein, and wherein the transport members are configured to rotate and thereby transport objects received in the cavities to the plurality of rows of objects, thereby delivering objects into the rows. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus according to  claim 42 , wherein the transport members are configured to rotate around a common axis; and
 wherein the cavities of the transport members are not aligned with one another in the direction of said axis.