Abstract: An apparatus and associated methods for cutting and arranging rods for use in a tobacco industry product assembly machine, the apparatus including a first cutting mechanism for cutting a four-length rod into first and second axially-aligned double-length rods where each double-length rod has respective remote ends, a positioning mechanism for moving at least one of the first and second double-length rods such that said first and second double-length rods are moved from a first configuration in axial-alignment, to a second configuration in which the first and second double-length rods are out of axial alignment and the axes of the first and second double-length rods are parallel and spaced apart, and the remote ends of said first and second double-length rods are substantially aligned with each other.

Abstract: The invention discloses a heating device and an electronic cigarette applying the heating device. The electronic cigarette comprises a battery component, the battery component is provided with a installing chamber having an opening, the heating device comprises a heating base and a hollow sleeve, the sleeve is detachably mounted on the heating base and encircles receiving space for receiving the tobacco product together with the heating base, when the heating device is mounted in the installing chamber, the heating base is electrically connected to the battery component, and the battery component drives the heating base to heat the tobacco product received in the receiving space. The technical solution of the invention is effective for facilitating the user to clean the heating device.

Abstract: An e-vapor apparatus may include a pod assembly including a pre-vapor formulation compartment, a first electrical connector, a vapor channel traversing the pre-vapor formulation compartment, and a vaporizer, the pre-vapor formulation compartment configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation therein and in fluidic communication with the vaporizer during an operation of the e-vapor apparatus, the first electrical connector including first and second power electrodes, the first power electrode including a first contact portion on an exterior of the first electrical connector and a first extended portion configured to contact an anode portion of the vaporizer, the second power electrode including a second contact portion on the exterior of the first electrical connector and a second extended portion configured to contact a cathode portion of the vaporizer. The e-vapor apparatus may further include a dispensing body including a second electrical connector configured to connect to the first electrical connector.

Abstract: An e-vapor apparatus may include a pod assembly including a pre-vapor formulation compartment, a first electrical connector, a vapor channel traversing the pre-vapor formulation compartment, and a vaporizer, the pre-vapor formulation compartment configured to hold a pre-vapor formulation therein and in fluidic communication with the vaporizer during an operation of the e-vapor apparatus, the first electrical connector including first and second power electrodes, the first power electrode including a first contact portion on an exterior of the first electrical connector and a first extended portion configured to contact an anode portion of the vaporizer, the second power electrode including a second contact portion on the exterior of the first electrical connector and a second extended portion configured to contact a cathode portion of the vaporizer. The e-vapor apparatus may further include a dispensing body including a second electrical connector configured to connect to the first electrical connector.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for making a cigarette filter assembly for potentially reducing particle breakthrough. The method includes forming a lofty porous network of charge retaining polymer fibers by mechanical, chemical or thermal bonding of the fibers, wrapping the lofty porous network in a cylindrical or tubular shape with optional mediating filter fibers in a filter paper to form a filter plug while maintaining the lofty structure. The charge retaining fibers can be charged to attract and hold particles from such sources as particulate matter from sorbents (preventing break-through), and smoke constituents while having a suitable pressure drop. The apparatus handles the lofty media with minimal crushing, for example, by spacing apart delivery rolls equipped with protrusions to punch, push, and/or pull the lofty media ahead for high speed operation.

Abstract: A contamination barrier for protecting heat exchanger units, for example, condensers of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The contamination barrier includes a filtration media which allows particles small enough to pass through a condenser assembly to pass through the contamination barrier, while preventing larger particles from passing therethrough. The contamination barrier inhibits the buildup of debris and other contamination within the condenser assembly while reducing or eliminating the need to clean the barrier, and without significantly reducing airflow through the condenser assembly, thereby promoting the ability of the condenser assembly to maintain operational efficiency. The contamination barrier is adaptable to be applied to a variety of heat exchanger units.

Abstract: In one disclosed embodiment, the present method for semiconductor fabrication utilizing a cleaning substrate comprises loading a cleaning substrate capable of removing an undesirable particle from a semiconductor processing tool onto the tool, causing the undesirable particle to be attracted to the cleaning substrate, and unloading the cleaning substrate from the semiconductor processing tool. Following cleaning, the processing tool can be used for producing a lithographic pattern on a semiconductor wafer. In one embodiment, the cleaning substrate comprises an electret. In another embodiment, the cleaning substrate comprises an adhesive layer. The present method can be used without breaking vacuum, or otherwise altering the operational state of a processing tool. In one embodiment, the present method is used in conjunction with an exposure tool utilized for high resolution lithography, for example, an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithographic exposure tool.

Abstract: Supported catalyst particles, which can be incorporated in the tobacco cut filler, cigarette wrapper and/or cigarette filter of a cigarette, are useful for low-temperature and near-ambient temperature catalysis of carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide. The supported catalyst comprises catalyst particles that are supported on particles of an electrically conductive support selected from the group consisting of graphitic carbon and a partially reduced oxide.

Abstract: A method of forming a filter for a smoking article which includes exposing cellulose acetate fibers to an electron beam process, wherein electron beam process deacetylates the cellulose acetate fibers to render the cellulose acetate fibers water-permeable; and forming a cellulose acetate rod from a tow of the cellulose acetate fibers. Filter plugs of the cellulose acetate fibers are water-permeable and allow discarded filtered smoking articles to rapidly degrade and expose the components to the environment.

Abstract: Provided is a cigarette filter and method for potentially reducing particle breakthrough. The filter includes an adsorbent including adsorbent particles dispersed within the filter and a plug of electrostatically charged fibers. Preferably, the adsorbent is activated carbon. In a preferred embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material is located downstream of the activated carbon. Preferably, the electrostatically charged fiber material has permanent electrostatic charges that electrostatically capture the carbon particles to reduce carbon particle breakthrough. In an embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material is randomly-oriented so as to mechanically capture particles entrained in mainstream smoke.

Abstract: Packs of rod-shaped smokers' products comprise containers of a material which permits monitoring of their contents by a suitable detector serving to generate signals which indicate the presence of characteristic indicia on one or more packed smokers' products. Such signals are encoded and the encoded information is applied to the respective containers. The information can be decoded and compared with signals furnished by the detector in order to ascertain whether or not the smokers' products are genuine, i.e., made by the manufacurer whose trademark(s) and/or other identifying information appear or appears on the containers.

Abstract: A tobacco smoke filter comprising a porous substrate comprising dry water and a porphyrin dispersed therein. The porous substrate can further comprise microcapsules. The microcapsules can comprise one or more substances selected from the group consisting of chlorophyllin, methylcellulose, sodium pyroglutamate and a vegetable oil. The porous substrate can further comprise sodium pyroglutamate.

Abstract: A purification system for preventing secondhand tobacco smoke from reaching an ambient environment thereabout. Two components of the system include a smoke entrapment intake hood for aggregating the secondhand smoke and an electrostatic suction filter assembly in communication with the entrapment hood for extracting aggregated smoke from the hood, removing untoward particulate from the smoke, and releasing resulting clean air to the environment. The filter assembly includes at least one particulate filter for collecting smoke-borne particulate and at least one appropriately charged or grounded plate for electrostatically collecting charged smoke-borne particulate. An exit port from the filter assembly permits the release of so-cleaned air to the environment as a negative-ion emitter, positioned immediately inside the exit port, introduces charged ions into the cleansed air.

Abstract: An integrated lamp air purification and cleansing system is disclosed which includes a lamp body which supports a lamp and contains an air purification system. The lamp body includes an air inlet for drawing in air and an air outlet for blowing out the air. An air purification system is enclosed in the lamp body for filtering and cleaning the air flow drawn in from the air inlet whereby the air flow blown out from the air outlet is filtered and purified. The air purification system includes an activated charcoal filter and an electrostatic filter for filtering particles from the air flow. The electrostatic filtering device further includes many elongated channels each surrounded by conductive channel walls which allow the air flow to pass through. Each of the elongated channels includes a discharging needle located in a center portion of the channel which induces an electrical discharge and ionization in the air flow passing through.

Abstract: A smoking article comprising tubular support means to carry a supply of smoking material therein and to provide first and second ends thereof, said first end being located for ignition and said second end being directed towards filter means attached to said tubular support, said filter means including a transversely extending barrier located in a collection zone and on which particulate matter in the smoke from the smoking material is deposited when said second end is ignited and smoke is drawn through the smoking material to the filter means, and heating means for raising the temperature of said collection zone above that which would exist in the absence of said temperature raising means to raise the temperature of said smoke from said smoking material entering said zone and particulate material deposited on said transversely extending barrier, to release semi-volatile compounds therefrom.

Abstract: A filter cigarette is provided which has a cigarette section formed by wrapping shredded tobacco in a cigarette paper sheet and a filter section having a filter chip integrally joined to the cigarette section. The filter chip is formed by combining in a bundle at least one absorptive synthetic fiber selected from the group consisting of (1) graft polymer fibers produced from irradiated polypropylene reacted with vapor phase styrene and containing adsorptive functional groups, (2) activated carbon fibers, (3) charged electret fibers, and (4) magnetic plastic fibers and then chopping the combined fiber bundle to a predetermined length. Since the filter section does not contain adsorptive grains or particles (i.e., activated charcoal grains or particles), the integrated cigarette manufacturing plant for such filter cigarettes does not required a process or equipment for preventing the scattering of the adsorptive grains or the collection of such grains when they do escape.

Abstract: There is provided a smoking article comprising a heating unit, aerosol generation section in flow communication at a first end thereof with said heating unit, nicotine source in flow communication at a first end thereof with the heating unit, a mixing space with which said aerosol generation section and nicotine source means are in flow communication at or via respective second ends thereof, and a velocity accelerating orifice in flow communication with the mixing space.

Abstract: A filter comprising kaolin fibers useful for removing deleterious materials from tobacco smoke and reducing the temperature thereof.

Abstract: A filter for tobacco smoke comprises a porous substrate which has a deposit thereon of particles which are crystalline, positively charged at the pH of tobacco smoke, water-insoluble, hydrophobic, and oleophilic to provide a coalescing agent which acts to attract and neutralize the negatively charged particles which are dispersed in tobacco smoke. To increase the effectiveness of the filter, the tobacco has mixed therewith and deposited thereon particles of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic, moisture-laden, negative charge-imparting substance. Cigarettes made with tobacco thus treated furnish a number of advantages without being associated with the filter of the invention.

Abstract: Magnetized active carbon composition consisting of active carbon and a magnetized ferromagnetic material mixed therewith has enhanced properties of active carbon, and may be used in order to remove carbon monoxide, hydrogen and nicotine from tobacco smoke and to control reactions in soil. The above properties are enhanced by applying a magnetic field and/or an electrostatic field to the magnetized active carbon.