Abstract: A method and apparatus of manufacturing a web which is striped with add-on material, comprising: a first arrangement which establishes a sheet of base web from a first slurry and moves the established sheet along a first path; a second arrangement for preparing a second slurry; a moving orifice applicator operative so as to repetitively discharge the second slurry upon the moving sheet of base web, the moving orifice applicator comprising: a chamber box arranged to establish a reservoir of the second slurry across the first path; an endless belt having an orifice, the endless belt received through the chamber box; a drive arrangement operative upon the endless belt to continuously move the orifice along an endless path and repetitively through the chamber box, the orifice when communicated with the reservoir being operative to discharge the second slurry from the reservoir through the orifice; a flow distribution system for introducing the second slurry into the chamber box at spaced-apart feed locations alon

Abstract: A novel cigarette adapted for use in an electrical cigarette system comprising a tobacco rod having filled and unfilled tobacco rod portions and being arranged so that electrical heater elements may overlap the filled and unfilled tobacco rod portions. The tobacco rod includes a tobacco web rolled into tubular form. The tobacco web is constructed in accordance with a novel process comprising the steps of converting tobacco feedstock into a continuous sheet of tobacco web and converting the continuous sheet of tobacco web into one or more bobbins of tobacco web suitable for automated manufacture of cigarettes.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to aluminum containing iron-base alloys useful as electrical resistance heating elements. The aluminum containing iron-base alloys have improved room temperature ductility, electrical resistivity, cyclic fatigue resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, low and high temperature strength, and/or resistance to high temperature sagging. The alloy has an entirely ferritic microstructure which is free of austenite and includes, in weight %, over 4% Al, .ltoreq.1% Cr and either .gtoreq.0.05% Zr or ZrO.sub.2 stringers extending perpendicular to an exposed surface of the heating element or .gtoreq.0.1% oxide dispersoid particles. The alloy can contain 14-32% Al, .ltoreq.2% Ti, .ltoreq.2% Mo, .ltoreq.1% Zr, .ltoreq.1% C, .ltoreq.0.1% B, .ltoreq.30% oxide dispersoid and/or electrically insulating or electrically conductive covalent ceramic particles, .ltoreq.1% rare earth metal, .ltoreq.1% oxygen, .ltoreq.3% Cu, balance Fe.

Abstract: A cigarette identifier system comprising an infrared emitter and an infrared detector located across an opening of a cigarette receiver, wherein the sensor registers changes in the transmission of the infrared beam across the opening so as to detect the differences in transmissivity of dense and less dense and portions of an inserted cigarette.

Abstract: A rewinder machine optically inspects banded paper unwound from a first bobbin by directing an elongated beam of light laterally across the paper. The elongated beam impinges the surface of the paper and forms reflections. A line scan camera containing a linear CCD array receives the reflections and generates output signals. A line scan processor processes the output signals to generate data indicative of the spacing between bands, the width of the bands, and the contrast of the bands. These calculations may be periodically transferred to a separate computer workstation over a network. The workstation generates statistical reports on the basis of the calculations, such as the band width, band spacing and band contrast as a function of lane number, and as a function of time. After being inspected by the camera, the paper is rewound on a rewind bobbin. Various mechanical features of the rewind machine allow rapid mounting and removal of bobbins of paper, and provide for high speed operation.

Abstract: A tobacco treatment system comprising a rotatable cylinder and a plurality of axially directed flights, with each flight having a forward side and a back side relative to the rotational motion of the cylinder, with both the forward and back sides being concave-open in a direction toward the interior of the cylinder.

Abstract: A novel electrical smoking system and method of establishing resistance to draw upon a cigarette while smoking a cigarette in an electrical smoking system comprising the step of operatively interposing a frit between a source of ambient air and the cigarette.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing, capturing and disposing of the waste start up web of paper in high-speed manufacturing procedures which involve a converting step, e.g. laser perforation or the like. Specifically, the converting apparatus and the web speed are carefully and precisely controlled by a programmable logic controller to result in a rapid production of converted web with a minimum of waste. The apparatus and method are tuned by sampling the waste and web for conversion quality, and using that information to adjust the converting apparatus and bias that adjustment for maximum reduction in waste.

Abstract: A method for forming an aluminum cigarette package includes the step of cutting elliptical blanks from an aluminum sheet and shaping the blanks by progressive drawing operations into a lid and a body. The lid and body are joined by a flexible label that serves as a hinge that allows the lid to be pivoted relative to the body to open and close the pack. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a drawn aluminum body is provided with a flat cap member having an aperture and a resealable closure. The invention includes a metal package made by the method of the invention.

Abstract: A novel photonic-electronic smoking system comprising a cigarette and a photonic operated electronic lighter, together with methodologies of smoking a cigarette, the lighter comprising a receptacle for removably receiving a cigarette; a photonic source; an optical train establishing a plurality of optical pathways from said photonic source to a plurality of locations at the received cigarette; a source of electrical power; a puff sensor responsive to a drawing action upon a cigarette received by said receptacle; and a controller responsive to said puff sensor for controllably communicating said source of electrical power with said photonic source so that upon drawing action upon the received cigarette, the photonic source discharges along said optical pathway to heat a region of said cigarette adjacent at least one of said locations.

Abstract: Hydromagnesite-magnesium hydroxide compositions are prepared which, when used as fillers in smoking article wrappers, significantly reduce the amount of sidestream smoke produced by the burning smoking article while providing the smoking article with good subjective characteristics.

Abstract: A packaging blank is scored with several substantially parallel laterally spaced apart score lines adjacent the intended location of a rounded edge on the container produced from the blank. The score lines are formed on the inside surface of the blank which places the score lines inside the container formed from the blank. When the blank is bent into shape at the rounded edges, a portion of the total deflection is absorbed by each score line whereby the resulting container edge is a gradual curve rather than a single sharp crease. Placing the score lines on the inside of the formed container results in opposing faces of the container being planar and parallel to one another.

Abstract: A sales apparatus for packages having at least one storage shelf having a bottom surface including a plurality of peripheral edges and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom surface. The plurality of side walls define an interior area of the storage shelf. An upper element defines a top surface. The at least one storage shelf includes a peripheral storage row adjacent to at least one of the side walls for displaying packages and at least one dispensing row disposed within the interior area of the storage shelf for dispensing packages. The side walls may be either transparent or opaque. A plurality of storage shelves may be stacked in order to increase the capacity of the sales apparatus.

Abstract: A novel cigarette adapted for use in an electrical cigarette system comprising a tobacco rod having filled and unfilled tobacco rod portions and being arranged so that electrical heater elements may overlap the filled and unfilled tobacco rod portions. The tobacco rod includes a tobacco web rolled into tubular form. The tobacco web is constructed in accordance with a novel process comprising the steps of converting tobacco feedstock into a continuous sheet of tobacco web and converting the continuous sheet of tobacco web into one or more bobbins of tobacco web suitable for automated manufacture of cigarettes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cigarette identifier system comprising a coil at a location along the cigarette-receiving receptacle of the lighter, an oscillation circuit in communication with the coil and a controller configured to activate or deactivate the lighter responsively to output of the oscillator circuit.

Abstract: An electrically powered functionally graded ceramic composite heater and a functionally stepped ceramic composite heater useful for cigarette lighters. The electrical resistance heater includes discrete heating zones wherein each zone of the heater can be activated using an electric control module, and is capable of heating to a temperature in the range of 600.degree. C. to 900.degree. C. using portable energy devices. The ceramic heater can be made by pressing together layers of differing amounts of constituents of the ceramic precursor material followed by secondary processing steps to obtain discrete heating elements. The heater design can include a hub on one end to provide structural integrity, and function as a common for the heating zones.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for cleaning an electrical lighter are provided. A sleeve, e.g., ceramic or metal, surrounds the heater fixture, and a resistive heating element is in thermal proximity with the sleeve. The resistive heating element is either a dedicated element or the cigarette heating elements. The sleeve serves as a aerosol barrier and condensate accumulator to protect other components. Periodically, e.g., substantially contemporaneously with a battery recharge, the heating element is activated to thermally liberate condensates deposited on the sleeve during smoking and also heats, and thereby cleans, other components. Also, a cleaning element is optionally inserted into the cigarette receptacle of the electrical lighter or placed at the exit thereof to absorb, attract and/or catalytically break down the thermally liberated condensates. The sleeve also directs a desired flow path for drawn air within an electrical lighter toward the cigarette.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for preparing discrete blanks from a wound strip comprising a plurality of connected blanks. Each blank has a determined separation point and a marker at a determined distance from the determined separation point for making soft-type wrappers. First, the wound strip is unwound under tension. Next, at least a section of a particular blank of the unwound strip is cut and any other milling and preparatory steps are performed by appropriate rollers and mechanisms. The tension of the unwound strip is slackened periodically, e.g., via chocking these rollers, and the unwound strip is realigned relative to the marker of the particular blank during this slackening, e.g, by identifying the marker via a sensor and driving the strip via rollers. The particular blank of the realigned strip is separated at the determined separation point of the particular blank to separate the particular blank from the realigned strip.