Apparatus and method for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles

Abstract

The apparatus (10) for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles (20) comprises a containing compartment (11) configured to contain smoking articles (20) and provided with a lower aperture (16), a plurality of conveying channels (30), each one having an upper aperture (34) communicating with the lower aperture (16) of the containing compartment, and a conveying device (40) comprising a support structure (41) on which there are mounted two or more conveying members (42) with an elongated shape, parallel to each other and disposed in correspondence with the upper apertures (34) of the conveying channels (30).

1 . Apparatus for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles comprising a containing compartment configured to contain a plurality of said smoking articles, one or more conveying channels disposed below said containing compartment and communicating therewith, and a conveying device comprising a support structure on which there are mounted two or more conveying members with an elongated shape, parallel to each other and configured to facilitate the descent of said smoking articles from said containing compartment toward said conveying channels, wherein said conveying members each comprise both a first element rotatably mounted on said support structure to be rotatable around its own longitudinal axis, and also a second element coupled to said first element to be rotatable together with the latter, wherein said first element comprises a first coupling end and said second element comprises a second coupling end, said first and second coupling ends being configured to produce a stable, mechanical type coupling between them, without the aid of auxiliary attachment means. 
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said mechanical coupling is produced in such a way that it constrains the integral rotation of the first and of the second element around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said mechanical coupling is of the morse cone type. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , that wherein said first and second coupling ends are configured to produce a magnetic coupling between them. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said first coupling end comprises a magnetic member and said second coupling end is made of magnetic or ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said first coupling end comprises a seating and said second coupling end comprises an appendix configured to be inserted into said seating. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as in  claim 6 , wherein said first coupling end comprises an inlet mouth for entry into the seating, with a cross-section different from that of said seating and configured to produce a same-shape coupling with said second element. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein both said first element and also said first coupling end substantially have a cylindrical shape, and in that said first coupling end has an external diameter greater than the remaining part of said first element, and in that between said first coupling end and the remaining part of said first element there is an abutment surface which is transverse with respect to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said containing compartment comprises a rear wall in which there is a plurality of through holes, each one coaxial to a corresponding longitudinal axis of a first element, and in that the coupling end of each first element of a conveying member is rotatably inserted in a respective one of said through holes, while each corresponding second element protrudes within said containing compartment. 
     
     
         10 . Method for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles, comprising a first step in which an apparatus is made available, which has a containing compartment configured to contain a plurality of said smoking articles, one or more conveying channels disposed below said containing compartment and communicating therewith, and a conveying device comprising a support structure on which there are mounted two or more conveying members with an elongated shape, parallel to each other and configured to facilitate the descent of said smoking articles from said containing compartment toward said conveying channels, and a second step in which it is provided to manufacture said conveying members so that each of them comprises both a first element rotatably mounted on said support structure to be rotatable around its own longitudinal axis, and also a second element coupled to said first element to be rotatable together with the latter, said method being characterized in that it provides to produce a stable, mechanical type coupling, without the aid of auxiliary attachment means, between a first coupling end of said first element and a second coupling end of said second element. 
     
     
         11 . Method as in  claim 10 , that wherein it also comprises a third step in which said second element is extracted from said first element while the latter remains rotatably mounted on said support structure. 
     
     
         12 . Use of a conveying member in an apparatus for feeding and forming organized groups of smoking articles as in  claim 1 , wherein said conveying member comprises both a first element configured to be rotatably mounted on a support structure of said apparatus so as to rotate around its own longitudinal axis, and also a second element coupled to said first element in order to rotate together with the latter around the longitudinal axis, and configured to interact with the smoking articles, so as to facilitate their flow toward at least one containing compartment of said apparatus.