Patents by Inventor Gianni Caprini

Gianni Caprini has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230147675
    Abstract: The invention relates to a filter manufacturing apparatus including a feed path adapted to continuously feed a filter material along a longitudinal transport direction, and a forming device connected to a terminating end of the feed path and adapted to form the filter material into a rod-shaped continuous filter body and deliver the formed continuous filter body. The forming device includes: a tubular element adapted to allow the filter material to pass therethrough to form the filter material into the continuous filter body; a heat source adapted to heat the filter material passing in the tubular element. A diameter measuring device is positioned at the outlet of the forming device and adapted to measure a diameter of the continuous filter body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventor: Gianni Caprini
  • Patent number: 11559078
    Abstract: The invention relates to a filter manufacturing apparatus including: —a feed path adapted to continuously feed a filter material along a longitudinal transport direction; —a forming device connected to a terminating end of the feed path and adapted to form the filter material into a rod-shaped continuous filter body and deliver the formed continuous filter body, the forming device including: a tubular element adapted to allow the filter material to pass therethrough to form the filter material into the continuous filter body; a heat source adapted to heat the filter material passing in the tubular element; —a diameter measuring device positioned at the outlet of the forming device and adapted to measure a diameter of the continuous filter body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Caprini
  • Patent number: 11540559
    Abstract: The method for drying filter rods comprises the steps of providing a filter rod, providing a support surface for receiving the filter rod and guiding the filter rod on the support surface by a guide element arranged above the support surface. The method further comprises the step of supplying a gas stream of compressed gas having a pressure between 0 and 6 bar to the filter rod through the guide element when the filter rod is transported along the support surface, before wrapping the filter rod with a wrapping material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Caprini
  • Publication number: 20210386113
    Abstract: The method for drying filter rods comprises the steps of providing a filter rod, providing a support surface for receiving the filter rod and guiding the filter rod on the support surface by a guide element arranged above the support surface. The method further comprises the step of supplying a gas stream of compressed gas having a pressure between 0 and 6 bar to the filter rod through the guide element when the filter rod is transported along the support surface, before wrapping the filter rod with a wrapping material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventor: Gianni Caprini
  • Patent number: 11166488
    Abstract: The apparatus for shaping substantially flat continuous material comprises a shaping device for gathering substantially flat continuous material transverse to a longitudinal direction of the continuous material to form a gathered continuous material. The apparatus further comprises a cooling device for cooling the gathered continuous material. The shaping device and the cooling device are combined such as to immediately cool the gathered continuous material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Zappoli, Gianni Caprini, Michele Pagnoni
  • Patent number: 11147306
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming filter rods for aerosol-generating articles is provided, including a first source and a second source, the first source being configured to supply filter material in a form of a first tow, and the second source being configured to supply filter material in a form of a second tow; a single driven delivery roller configured to advance the first tow and the second tow; and an extrusion tool configured to process the first tow and the second tow, the delivery roller being arranged such that the first and the second tows are advanced from the first and the second sources toward the extrusion tool only by the delivery roller, and the extrusion tool is further configured to process several sources of filter material simultaneously to create one filter rod. A method for forming filter rods for aerosol-generating articles is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Caprini
  • Patent number: 11122834
    Abstract: The method for drying filter rods comprises the steps of providing a filter rod, providing a support surface (2) for receiving the filter rod (4) and guiding the filter rod on the support surface by a guide element (1) arranged above the support surface. The method further comprises the step of supplying a gas stream of compressed gas having a pressure between 0 and 6 bar to the filter rod through the guide element when the filter rod is transported along the support surface, before wrapping the filter rod with a wrapping material (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Caprini
  • Publication number: 20210282452
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming filter rods for aerosol-generating articles is provided, including a first source and a second source, the first source being configured to supply filter material in a form of a first tow, and the second source being configured to supply filter material in a form of a second tow; a single driven delivery roller configured to advance the first tow and the second tow; and an extrusion tool configured to process the first tow and the second tow, the delivery roller being arranged such that the first and the second tows are advanced from the first and the second sources toward the extrusion tool only by the delivery roller, and the extrusion tool is further configured to process several sources of filter material simultaneously to create one filter rod. A method for forming filter rods for aerosol-generating articles is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Gianni CAPRINI
  • Patent number: 10779565
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a filter manufacturing apparatus comprising: • a feed path adapted to continuously feed a filter material along a longitudinal transport direction; • a forming device connected to a terminating end of the feed path and adapted to form the filter material into a continuous filter body and to deliver the formed continuous filter body, the forming device including: • a tubular element (8) adapted to allow the filter material to pass therethrough to form the filter tow material into the continuous filter body; and • a steam generator (9) adapted to produce steam, the steam generator being in fluid communication with the tubular element to supply steam to the filter material; • a drain channel (10) in fluid communication with the tubular element adapted to drain fluid from the tubular element; • a valve adapted to open and close the drain channel so as to allow or block discharge of fluid from the tubular element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Gianni Caprini, Pietro Davide La Porta
  • Patent number: 10645969
    Abstract: The invention relates to a filter manufacturing apparatus (1) to form a hollow filter body, the filter manufacturing apparatus comprising: —a feed path adapted to continuously feed a filter material along a longitudinal transport direction (30); —a forming device (4) connected to a terminating end of the feed path and adapted to form the filter material into a hollow rod-shaped filter body and deliver the formed filter body, the forming device including: ? a tubular forming element (8) adapted to allow the filter material to pass therethrough, ? a pin (34) extending longitudinally within the tubular forming element, the pin having a pin diameter;—a diameter changing device (40), adapted to vary the pin diameter of the pin, so as to obtain a filter body having a through hole of variable diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Caprini
  • Publication number: 20200113226
    Abstract: The apparatus for shaping substantially flat continuous material comprises a shaping device for gathering substantially flat continuous material transverse to a longitudinal direction of the continuous material to form a gathered continuous material. The apparatus further comprises a cooling device for cooling the gathered continuous material. The shaping device and the cooling device are combined such as to immediately cool the gathered continuous material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Stefano Zappoli, Gianni Caprini, Michele Pagnoni
  • Patent number: 10512280
    Abstract: The apparatus for shaping substantially flat continuous material comprises a shaping device (500) for gathering substantially flat continuous material transverse to a longitudinal direction of the continuous material to form a gathered continuous material. The apparatus further comprises a cooling device (75) for cooling the gathered continuous material. The shaping device and the cooling device are combined such as to immediately cool the gathered continuous material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Stefano Zappoli, Gianni Caprini, Michele Pagnoni
  • Publication number: 20190014814
    Abstract: The invention relates to a filter manufacturing apparatus (1) comprising:—a feed path (3) adapted to continuously feed a filter material along a longitudinal transport direction;—a forming device (4) connected to a terminating end of the feed path and adapted to form the filter material into a rod-shaped continuous filter body and deliver the formed continuous filter body, the forming device including: a tubular element (8) adapted to allow the filter material to pass therethrough to form the filter material into the continuous filter body; a heat source (6) adapted to heat the filter material passing in the tubular element;—a diameter measuring device (10) positioned at the outlet of the forming device and adapted to measure a diameter of the continuous filter body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventor: Gianni Caprini
  • Publication number: 20180343918
    Abstract: The invention relates to a filter manufacturing apparatus (1) to form a hollow filter body, the filter manufacturing apparatus comprising: —a feed path adapted to continuously feed a filter material along a longitudinal transport direction (30); —a forming device (4) connected to a terminating end of the feed path and adapted to form the filter material into a hollow rod-shaped filter body and deliver the formed filter body, the forming device including: ? a tubular forming element (8) adapted to allow the filter material to pass therethrough, ? a pin (34) extending longitudinally within the tubular forming element, the pin having a pin diameter;—a diameter changing device (40), adapted to vary the pin diameter of the pin, so as to obtain a filter body having a through hole of variable diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Gianni CAPRINI
  • Publication number: 20180338524
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a filter manufacturing apparatus comprising: • a feed path adapted to continuously feed a filter material along a longitudinal transport direction; • a forming device connected to a terminating end of the feed path and adapted to form the filter material into a continuous filter body and to deliver the formed continuous filter body, the forming device including: • a tubular element (8) adapted to allow the filter material to pass therethrough to form the filter tow material into the continuous filter body; and • a steam generator (9) adapted to produce steam, the steam generator being in fluid communication with the tubular element to supply steam to the filter material; • a drain channel (10) in fluid communication with the tubular element adapted to drain fluid from the tubular element; • a valve adapted to open and close the drain channel so as to allow or block discharge of fluid from the tubular element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Gianni Caprini, Pietro Davide La Porta
  • Publication number: 20180255830
    Abstract: The method for drying filter rods comprises the steps of providing a filter rod, providing a support surface (2) for receiving the filter rod (4) and guiding the filter rod on the support surface by a guide element (1) arranged above the support surface. The method further comprises the step of supplying a gas stream of compressed gas having a pressure between 0 and 6 bar to the filter rod through the guide element when the filter rod is transported along the support surface, before wrapping the filter rod with a wrapping material (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventor: Gianni Caprini
  • Publication number: 20170332695
    Abstract: The apparatus for shaping substantially flat continuous material comprises a shaping device (500) for gathering substantially flat continuous material transverse to a longitudinal direction of the continuous material to form a gathered continuous material. The apparatus further comprises a cooling device (75) for cooling the gathered continuous material. The shaping device and the cooling device are combined such as to immediately cool the gathered continuous material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Stefano Zappoli, Gianni Caprini, Michele Pagnoni