Method and apparatus for assembly of multi-segmented cylindrical products, such as tobacco products

Abstract

An apparatus for assembling a multi-segmented cylindrical product is described. The apparatus can include a feeder adapted to supply segments of a pliable material; and a rotating drum having an outer periphery and a plurality of fixtures distributed around the outer periphery, each fixture adapted to support a substantially cylindrical object, and wrap a segment of the pliable material around the substantially cylindrical object and a portion of the fixture to form a fill tube defining a pocket in the pliable material. Other features and related methods are also described.

1 . An apparatus for assembling a multi-segmented cylindrical product, the apparatus comprising:
 a feeder adapted to supply segments of a pliable material; and   a rotating drum having an outer periphery and a plurality of fixtures distributed around the outer periphery, each fixture adapted to support a substantially cylindrical object, and wrap a segment of the pliable material around the substantially cylindrical object and a portion of the fixture to form a fill tube defining a pocket in the pliable material.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each rolling fixture comprises:
 a first mandrel;   a second mandrel oriented substantially coaxially with respect to the first mandrel, the first and second mandrels adapted to receive the cylindrical object therebetween; and   at least one support roller oriented substantially parallel to the first mandrel and the second mandrel, the support roller adapted to wrap the segment of the pliable material around the substantially cylindrical object.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first mandrel and second mandrel are movable with respect to one another along a common axis. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising vacuum holes located in at least one of the first mandrel or the second mandrel, the vacuum holes in communication with a vacuum source. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one support roller comprises a first support roller and a second support roller, the apparatus further comprising vacuum holes located in between the first support roller and the second support roller, the vacuum holes in communication with a vacuum source. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a volumetric metering device adapted to meter granular material into the fill tube. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical object comprises a smoking article, the apparatus further comprising:
 a wrapping station adapted to support the fill tube and a tobacco rod in an end-to-end arrangement, and wrap the fill tube and tobacco rod with paper.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a source of tobacco rods that supplies tobacco rods to the wrapping station. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a tipping machine that adds a filter to the combined fill tube and tobacco rod. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each fixture is adapted to support the substantially cylindrical object in a substantially vertical orientation. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the feeder is adapted to feed the segments of pliable material to the rotating drum in a substantially vertical orientation. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially cylindrical object comprises a heat source. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the heat source comprises a carbon plug. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the segments of pliable material comprise segments of paper, metallic foil, or film. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the granular material comprises pellets. 
     
     
         16 . A method for assembling a multi-segmented cylindrical product, the method comprising wrapping a segment of pliable material around a substantially cylindrical object to form a fill tube with a pocket extending from the substantially cylindrical object. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 metering a predetermined volume of a granular material into the pocket.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising transferring the fill tube from a non-vertical orientation to a substantially vertical orientation prior the step of metering. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising transferring the fill tube to a substantially non-vertical orientation after the step of metering. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of metering comprises dispensing the granular material into the pocket from above the pocket. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of wrapping comprises rotating the substantially cylindrical object with respect to the outer periphery of a rotating drum, and wrapping the pliable material around the substantially cylindrical object while it rotates. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the substantially cylindrical object comprises a heat source. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the heat source comprises a carbon plug. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the segments of pliable material comprise segments of paper, metallic foil, or film. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the granular material comprises at least one of pellets of compressed tobacco, flavor capsules, and flavor impregnated granulates.