Abstract: A cleaning station for a capsule filling and closing machine has a number of segment blocks each having receptacles which carry some product residue that needs to be removed for the machine to operate efficiently and productively. A brush is placed in each receptacle to engage its interior wall, and compressed air is directed toward the interior wall just behind the brush. The moving brush and compressed air blast remove the product residue on the interior wall, and the dislodged residue, with assistance from a vacuum source, is moved out of the receptacle.

Abstract: The present invention is a capsule that has a perforated outer shell that is substantially filled with a filtering media which has been pressurized to remove air pockets resulting in more effective and consistent filtration. The media may be activated carbon or other filtering media and may include other flavorants, aromatic substances, or a combination thereof. The present invention, thus, also provides an insert for a smoking article. The insert is the capsule of the present invention, namely, a perforated shell with media filling the cavity (without “air pockets”) formed by the shell. The capsule is placed within the smoking article at a point between the tobacco and the point of inhalation (the mouthpiece) such that, upon inhalation, the tobacco smoke is drawn completely and consistently through the media. Alternatively, the capsule may be integrated into a cigarette holder, pipe, or the like at a point in-line between the tobacco charge and the smoker.