Abstract: Method to command and control an electric motor of an automation unit. The unit comprises a mechanical member, driven by a drive shaft, a central command and control unit, and a position detection mean. The method provides that the central command and control unit receives the position signals of the shaft of the electric motor and/or of the mechanical member from the position detection mean, divides the operating cycle into a plurality of sub-phases equal with respect to each other, consisting of elementary units and, for each of said sub-phases, or multiple of sub-phases, selects predefined or self-learnt current reference values, and generates a signal consisting of an instantaneous current reference (feed forward) for the electric motor.

Abstract: A packet (1) for smoking articles comprises an external casing, including a containing body (3) and a lid (4) rotatable around a hinge (5) made on a wall of the external casing, and an internal casing (18), slidable with respect to the external casing. In order to provide an ample surface available for communications to the consumer, advertising messages or similar, the external casing comprises a further wall (17) joined to the internal casing (18) so as to be distanced from the containing body (3) when the internal casing (18) is at least partially extracted from the external casing.

Abstract: A device (1) for packaging a product shaped as a set of cigarettes in a corresponding container (A), defining a package for housing the product, comprises means (11) for forming the container (A) and appropriate means (21, 21) to dispense a corresponding adhesive (B1, B2) for joining corresponding panels of the container. Said appropriate means (21) to dispense a corresponding adhesive are provided next to the exit from the forming means (11) and are movable with respect to said container (A).

Abstract: A packaging machine (1) for forming packets (3) of smoking articles (2), in particular cigarettes, comprises movement means for moving groups of smoking articles at least partially wrapped by an inner wrapping sheet (4), along a movement direction, a wrapping wheel (13) to receive the groups of smoking articles wrapped by the inner wrapping sheet (4) and to move them along a substantially circular wrapping path (P), and transfer means (22) to transfer the groups of smoking articles wrapped by the inner wrapping sheet (4) from the movement means to the wrapping wheel. The transfer means (22) transfer the groups of smoking articles wrapped by the inner wrapping sheet (4) along a transfer direction (T) radial with respect to the wrapping path (P), in order to reduce the bulk of the packaging machine (1).

Abstract: A packaging machine (1) to form packets (3) of smoking articles (2), in particular cigarettes, comprising a wrapping wheel (13), in order to wrap, at least partially, products (4) in wrapping sheets (6, 8), comprises a plurality of peripheral pockets (14) to receive the products (4) and the wrapping sheets (6, 8), a first loading station (PSC) to load the products (4) in succession into the peripheral pockets (14), and a second loading station (SSC) to load, in succession, first wrapping sheets (6) of the wrapping sheets (6, 8) into the peripheral pockets (14; 114). The wrapping wheel (13) also comprises a third loading station (TSC) to load, in succession, second wrapping sheets (8) of the wrapping sheets (6, 8) into the peripheral pockets (14), thus reducing the bulk of a packaging machine (11) including said wrapping machine (13).

Abstract: A packet (1) for smoking articles comprises an external casing, including a containing body (3) and a lid (4) rotatable around a hinge (5) made on a wall of the external casing, and an internal casing (18), slidable with respect to the external casing. In order to provide an ample surface available for communications to the consumer, advertising messages or similar, the external casing comprises a further wall (17) joined to the internal casing (18) so as to be distanced from the containing body (3) when the internal casing (18) is at least partially extracted from the external casing.

Abstract: A driving apparatus (70) for driving an operative unit (24) of a packaging machine comprises an electric motor (71) including a rotor (72). The driving apparatus (70) also comprises an articulated quadrilateral (75) interposed between and connecting the rotor (72) and the operative unit (24) in order to transform a rotational motion of the rotor (72) into an alternate motion of the operative unit (24), thus rendering the driving apparatus (70) safer and more reliable.

Abstract: A device (1) is described herein for supplying rough-shaped sheets, made especially of cardboard, for making a corresponding package for housing respective cigarettes or the like. The device comprises means (11) for supporting and conveying sheets (A) along a respective path, which comprise first and second means (111, 112) that still-retain respective ends (A1, A2) of the sheet (A) along the advancement path.

Abstract: There is described a device for winding an envelope (A) around a product (B), in particular defined by a group of cigarettes or the like, to be packaged in a corresponding box-shaped body, or packet, which comprises means (10) for winding said envelope (A) around said product (B) and means (20) that are adapted to supply said product (B) and said envelope (A) to said winding means (10).

Abstract: A system (1) for packaging cigarettes (4) into bent sheets is described, comprising at least one first electric motor adapted to operate means for supplying (3) cigarettes (4); at least one second electric motor (35) adapted to operate means for supplying (5) packaging sheets (6); at least one third electric motor (36) adapted to operate rotary collecting means (7) for cigarettes (4), supplied by the means for supplying (3) cigarettes (4), the means for collecting (7) cigarettes (4) being equipped with a plurality of elongated containers (9) adapted to house the cigarettes (4) supplied, the containers (9) being operatively connected to the means for collecting (7) cigarettes (4) so that a longitudinal axis (LL) thereof is parallel to a rotation axis (RR) and perpendicular to a plane of the collecting means (7); at least one fourth electric motor (37) adapted to operate packaging means (11), located downstream of the collecting means (7), and adapted to receive the sheets (6) from the means for supplying (5) s

Abstract: A device (1) for packaging a product shaped as a set of cigarettes in a corresponding container (A), defining a package for housing the product, comprises means (11) for forming the container (A) and appropriate means (21, 21) to dispense a corresponding adhesive (B1, B2) for joining corresponding panels of the container. Said appropriate means (21) to dispense a corresponding adhesive are provided next to the exit from the forming means (11) and are movable with respect to said container (A).

Abstract: Composite filters are assembled initially by an upstream unit as groups of at least two plugs having different filtration properties. A single flow of the groups is directed from the assembling unit onto a pair of drums and divided into two flows, whereupon these are taken up by two pitch-adapting drums rotating substantially tangential one to another about parallel axes, and released to a rotating member turning on an axis normal to the axes of the drums and equipped with a plurality of carriers by which pairs of the groups are transferred from the drums to the twin channels of a garniture tongue along which two continuous rods of composite filters are formed. The carriers are equipped with an arm presenting a portion angled relative to the axis of the rotating member, so that two groups can be picked up at a time from the drums and deposited simultaneously in the channels.

Abstract: Container obtained by the folding of a single respective foldable blank, is delimited by walls of which at least one is shaped in such a way as to protrude towards the outside of the container, and has at least one flat stiffening wall, which extends between two walls bordering on the shaped wall and is arranged at a distance from the shaped wall in order to make stable the shape of the latter.

Abstract: A centring drum for filter assembly machines, the centring drum having external axial seats movable with the centring drum about a longitudinal axis of rotation, and for receiving respective double filters, at least some of which are offset laterally, along the relative seats, with respect to a central transverse reference plane; each seat housing a respective stop member movable with the relative seat about the longitudinal axis of rotation, and located on a respective side of the reference plane to define a centred position of the relative double filter, and a push device for moving the relative double filter axially onto the relative stop member; the stop members defining a first and a second succession of stop members, which are located on opposite sides of the reference plane and are both connected to a position adjusting device movable about the longitudinal axis of rotation and for moving the two successions equally and oppositely along the longitudinal axis of rotation.

Abstract: A cigarette manufacturing method and machine, whereby a shredded tobacco stream is fed along a channel extending through at least one carding unit and having at least one output portion closed by a suction conveyor belt and for feeding a mat of tobacco onto the suction conveyor belt; and the shredded tobacco stream is cleaned, upstream from the carding unit, to remove relatively heavy parts, such as lumps of tobacco and/or woody tobacco parts and/or any foreign bodies, from the shredded tobacco stream.

Abstract: Packets of cigarettes (2) sold in multiples are wrapped in a rigid carton (1) with a predominating longitudinal axis (L) that extends parallel to the longitudinal axes (7) of the single packets (2) and presents a prismatic shape of polygonal section.

Abstract: Cigarette filters are supplied to the infeed portion (1) of a filter tip attachment machine by a unit (2) comprising rollers (11) which divert the filters (3) into an upstream hopper (8), and a channel (9) carrying the filters (3) from the upstream hopper (8) to a downstream hopper (4) where they are released to the infeed portion (1) of the machine. Located between the infeed rollers (11) and the feed channel (9) is a variable volume storage buffer (16) with a movable wall (28) attached to the top branch (23) of a conveyor belt (24); the Belt is driven by a motor (27) interlocked to sensors (31) which monitor and control the level of the mass of filters (3) occupying the upstream hopper (8), so that the size and capacity of the buffer (16) can be adjusted to accommodate fluctuations in the flow of filters through the hopper (8).

Abstract: In a cigarette maker, shredded tobacco passes through a feed and transport section toward a unit by which divided particles of the tobacco are gathered into at least one stream providing the filler for cigarettes. By positioning one or more sensors either along the feed and transport section or at a point upstream, relative to the feed direction of the tobacco, it becomes possible to identify the type of tobacco being handled at any given moment, so that when production schedules include a changeover from one brand to another, supervisors can be certain that the right type of tobacco has been selected, and ensure that different types of tobacco will not mingle.

Abstract: A filter for a cigarette has an organic filtering portion defined by granules or fibres of active carbon and housed inside a cylindrical shell of plastic material; the shell is located between a portion of cellulose acetate, which is engaged orally by a user, and a cigarette portion, and has a bottom, contacting the portion of cellulose acetate and hermetically supporting a particulate trap for retaining fine particulate, and an end contacting the cigarette portion and closed by a plug of cellulose acetate.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing tobacco products whereby, a number (Pn) that represents a nominal production target for products of a given brand, and a number (Cmax) representing the maximum output capacity of the system, or in practice the maximum quantity of products in process that the system is able to handle, are programmed into master control unit (33). A tally (P) of products is kept, and, at a given moment (t1) following the completion of a number (Pr) of products that matches the target (Pn=Pr+Cmax), a first flash check is run on the quantity (C1) of the product actually turned out by the system; should it emerge from this first flash check that the actual quantity (C1) is equal to the maximum output capacity (Cmax), then a brand changeover procedure will be initiated by the master control unit (33).