TOBACCO PRODUCT COMPONENT RECOVERY SYSTEM

Abstract

A smoking article production apparatus and method for producing smoking articles is provided, each smoking article including serially engaged filter rod and tobacco rod sections. A rotatable drum includes a longitudinally-extending receiving surface defining a plurality of channels for receiving smoking articles arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum. An inspection device is arranged to inspect each smoking article in the channels of the drum and to determine whether any of the smoking articles are defective. Any defective smoking articles are directed away from the drum. A rotatable sampling drum is in communication with the drum and is configured to receive defective smoking articles therefrom. A severing device is disposed adjacent the sampling drum to sever each defective smoking article to separate a portion of the tobacco rod section from the remainder of the defective smoking article including the filter section. An associated method is also provided.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to products made or derived from tobacco, or that otherwise incorporate tobacco, and are intended for human consumption; and more particularly, to a component recovery system and method for components of produced smoking articles and/or portions thereof.

2. Disclosure of Related Art

Popular smoking articles, such as cigarettes, have a substantially cylindrical rod-shaped structure and include a charge, roll or column of smokable material, such as shredded tobacco (e.g., in cut filler form), surrounded by a paper wrapper, thereby forming a so-called “smokable rod”, “tobacco rod” or “cigarette rod.” Normally, a cigarette has a cylindrical filter element aligned in an end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod. Preferably, a filter element comprises plasticized cellulose acetate tow circumscribed by a paper material known as “plug wrap.” Preferably, the filter element is attached to one end of the tobacco rod using a circumscribing wrapping material known as “tipping paper.” It also has become desirable to perforate the tipping material and plug wrap, in order to provide dilution of drawn mainstream smoke with ambient air. Descriptions of cigarettes and the various components thereof are set forth in Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology, Davis et al. (Eds.) (1999); which is incorporated herein by reference. A traditional type of cigarettes is employed by a smoker by lighting one end thereof and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker then receives mainstream smoke into his/her mouth by drawing on the opposite end (e.g., the filter end or mouth end) of the cigarette.

Certain types of smoking articles can possess filter elements that incorporate objects, such as pellets, beads and breakable capsules. Various components of such filter elements, as well as equipment and techniques for manufacturing such filter elements, are set forth and referenced, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,905 to Green, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,098 to Thomas et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,833,146 to Deal; U.S. Pat. No. 7,984,719 to Dube et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,972,254 to Stokes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,262,550 to Barnes et al.;U.S. Pat. No. 8,303,474 to Iliev et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,353,810 to Garthaffner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,381,947 to Garthaffner et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 8,459,272 to Karles et al.; and US Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2010/0184576 to Prestia et al.; 2012/0245007 to Henley et al. and 2014/0053855 to Hartmann et al.; which are incorporated herein by reference. Representative cigarette products that possess filter elements incorporating breakable capsules have been marketed throughout the world under the brand names such as, for example, “Marlboro W-Burst 5,” “Camel Crush,” “Kent iSwitch,” and “Kool Boost.”

During manufacture of such smoking articles as cigarettes, certain defects may be encountered. For example, the cigarette may be missing the filter section; the tipping paper may be torn or improperly/incompletely applied; the air dilution perforations may be incompletely or improperly formed; the wrapping paper for the tobacco rod section may be torn or improperly formed; the tobacco rod section may have a low weight/density, a high weight/density, a soft spot, a hard spot, loose tobacco about the lighting end of the tobacco rod section, an improper density profile along the tobacco rod section; and/or wherein the cigarette may include a visible defect. In instances of such defects, it may be impractical to “re-work” the defective cigarette. As such, cigarettes with detected defects are often rejected as scrap or waste. However, disposing of such defective cigarettes may represent a significant monetary loss in terms of the valuable tobacco within the tobacco rod section thereof. It may be difficult or impractical to recover the tobacco from such defective cigarettes, as the recovered tobacco must desirably be free of contaminants (i.e., the filter section, the tipping paper, the wrapping paper, etc.), and the recovered tobacco must be of the same blend, so as to be “re-usable” for manufacturing other non-defective cigarettes.

It would be highly desirable to provide a manner or method, and associated apparatus, for inspecting smoking articles and identifying any defective smoking articles such as cigarettes, at various points during the manufacture of a certain type of cigarette, and then for consolidating such defective cigarettes in a particular manner such that the defective cigarettes may be subject to a tobacco recovery process. Further, it would be desirable for the defective cigarette consolidation process and/or the tobacco recovery process to be automated and capable of recovering the tobacco from the certain type of cigarette, without contaminating the recovered tobacco.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The above and other needs are met by aspects of the present disclosure which, in one aspect, provides a smoking article production apparatus for producing smoking articles, wherein each smoking article includes a filter section serially engaged with a tobacco rod section. Such an apparatus comprises at least one rotatable drum defining a longitudinal axis and a receiving surface extending along the longitudinal axis. The receiving surface defines a plurality of channels, wherein each channel is configured to receive a smoking article such that the smoking article is arranged in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. An inspection device is arranged to inspect each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum and to determine whether any of the smoking articles are defective. Any defective smoking articles are directed away from the at least one drum. A rotatable sampling drum is in communication with the at least one drum and is configured to receive the defective smoking articles therefrom. A severing device is disposed adjacent to the sampling drum and is configured to sever each of the defective smoking articles received by the sampling drum so as to separate at least a portion of the tobacco rod section from a remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of producing smoking articles, wherein each smoking article includes a filter section serially engaged with a tobacco rod section. Such a method comprises receiving a smoking article in each of a plurality of channels defined by a receiving surface of at least one rotatable drum, wherein the receiving surface extends along a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum, such that the smoking article is arranged in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. Each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum is inspected using an inspection device and it is determined whether any of the smoking articles are defective. Any defective smoking articles from the at least one drum are received with a rotatable sampling drum in communication with the at least one drum. Each of the defective smoking articles received by the sampling drum is severed using a severing device disposed adjacent to the sampling drum, so as to separate at least a portion of the tobacco rod section from a remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section.

Embodiments of the present disclosure thus relate to smoking article productions apparatuses and methods, in particular, for rod-shaped smoking articles, such as cigarettes, wherein the smoking article includes a lighting end (i.e., an upstream end) associated with a tobacco rod section and a mouth end (i.e., a downstream end) associated with a filter section. In a general aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure may broadly implement apparatuses and methods for inspecting cigarettes and identifying any defective smoking cigarettes therein, at various points during the manufacture of a certain type of cigarette. Such defects may include, for example, instances wherein the cigarette may be missing the filter section; the tipping paper may be torn or improperly/incompletely applied; the air dilution perforations may be incompletely or improperly formed; the wrapping paper for the tobacco rod section may be torn or improperly formed; the tobacco rod section may have a low weight/density, a high weight/density, a soft spot, a hard spot, loose tobacco about the lighting end of the tobacco rod section, an improper density profile along the tobacco rod section; and/or wherein the cigarette may include a visible defect. Such an apparatus and method may then be configured for consolidating such defective cigarettes in a particular manner such that the defective cigarettes may be subject to a tobacco recovery process. Aspects of the present disclosure may further allow the defective cigarette consolidation process and/or the tobacco recovery process to be automated, and to be capable of recovering the tobacco from the certain type of cigarette, without contaminating the recovered tobacco.

Further features and advantages of the present disclosure are set forth in more detail in the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described the disclosure in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a representative smoking article, such as a cigarette, possessing certain representative components of a smoking article;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a smoking article production apparatus for producing smoking articles such as, for example, cigarettes, according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates at least one inspection device arranged in relation to the smoking articles/cigarettes in the channels of at least one drum of a smoking article production apparatus for producing smoking articles, according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a rotatable sampling drum in communication with the at least one drum of a smoking article production apparatus for producing smoking articles, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, and configured to receive the defective smoking articles therefrom;

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a severing device disposed adjacent to the sampling drum, and arranged and configured to sever each of the defective smoking articles received by the sampling drum, according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6A schematically illustrates an exemplary model density profile of the tobacco rod portion of a smoking article, such as a cigarette;

FIGS. 6B and 6C schematically illustrate determined density profiles of the tobacco rod portions of certain defective smoking articles;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates an inspection device of a smoking article production apparatus for producing smoking articles, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, comprising one of a pressure-related sensor arrangement and a flow-related sensor arrangement;

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a severing device disposed adjacent to the sampling drum of a smoking article production apparatus for producing smoking articles, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, with the severing device arranged and configured to sever each of the defective smoking articles received by the sampling drum;

FIG. 9 schematically illustrates a slitting device configured to lengthwise slit the wrapping paper of each tobacco rod segment/section portion of a defective smoking article so as to render the tobacco therein recoverable; and

FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a continuously operable tobacco product component recovery system, according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all aspects of the disclosure are shown. Indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein; rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure may relate, for example, to smoking article productions apparatuses and methods, in particular, for rod-shaped smoking articles, such as cigarettes, wherein the smoking article includes a lighting end (i.e., an upstream end) associated with a tobacco rod section and a mouth end (i.e., a downstream end) associated with a filter section. In a general aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure may broadly implement apparatuses and methods for inspecting cigarettes and identifying any defective smoking cigarettes therein, at various points during the manufacture of a certain type of cigarette. Such an apparatus and method may then be configured for consolidating such defective cigarettes in a particular manner such that the defective cigarettes may be subject to a tobacco recovery process. Aspects of the present disclosure may further allow the defective cigarette consolidation process and/or the tobacco recovery process to be automated, and to be capable of recovering the tobacco from the certain type of cigarette, without contaminating the recovered tobacco.

FIG. 1 illustrates a representative smoking article 10, such as a cigarette, possessing certain representative components of a smoking article. The cigarette 10 includes a generally cylindrical rod 15 of a charge or roll of smokable filler material 16, such as tobacco, contained in a circumscribing wrapping material 20. The rod 15 is conventionally referred to as a “tobacco rod.” The ends of the tobacco rod are open to expose the smokable filler material. The cigarette 10 is shown as having one optional band 25 (e.g., a printed coating including a film-forming agent, such as starch, ethylcellulose, or sodium alginate) applied to the wrapping material 20, and that band circumscribes the cigarette rod in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette. That is, the band provides a cross-directional region relative to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette. The band can be printed on the inner surface of the wrapping material (i.e., facing the smokable filler material) as shown, or less preferably, on the outer surface of the wrapping material. Although the cigarette can possess a wrapping material having one optional band, the cigarette also can possess wrapping material having further optional spaced bands numbering two, three, or more.

The wrapping material 20 of the tobacco rod 15 can have a wide range of compositions and properties. The selection of a particular wrapping material will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art of cigarette design and manufacture. Tobacco rods can have one layer of wrapping material; or tobacco rods can have more than one layer of circumscribing wrapping material, such as is the case for the so-called “double wrap” tobacco rods. Exemplary types of wrapping materials, wrapping material components and treated wrapping materials are described in U.S. Pat, No. 5,220,930 to Gentry; U.S. Pat. No. 7,275,548 to Hancock et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,281,540 to Barnes et al.; and PCT Application Pub. Nos. WO 2004/057986 to Hancock et al.; and WO 2004/047572 to Ashcraft et al.; which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

At one end of the tobacco rod 15 is the lighting end 28, and at the other end is positioned a filter element 30. The filter element 30 positioned adjacent one end of the tobacco rod 15 such that the filter element and tobacco rod are axially aligned in a serial or end-to-end relationship, preferably abutting one another. Filter element 30 may have a generally cylindrical shape, and the diameter thereof may be essentially equal to the diameter of the tobacco rod. The ends of the filter element permit the passage of air and smoke therethrough. The filter element 30 includes filter material 40 (e.g., cellulose acetate tow impregnated with triacetin plasticizer) that is over-wrapped along the longitudinally extending surface thereof with circumscribing plug wrap material 45. That is, the filter element 30 is circumscribed along its outer circumference or longitudinal periphery by a layer of plug wrap 45, and each end is open to expose the filter material 40.

Within the filter element 30 may be positioned at least one object 50 (including, for example, capsules, pellets, strands), or various combinations of different objects 50. The number of objects within each filter element is often a pre-determined number, and that number can be 1, 2, 3, or more (i.e., at least one). In some aspects, each filter element may contain a plurality of objects disposed within the filter material 40 of the filter element, in some instances, particularly towards the central radial region of the filter element. In particular aspects, the nature of the filter material 40 is such that the objects 50 are secured or lodged in place within the filter element 30.

In some instances, some of the at least one object 50 (or plurality of objects 50) may be hollow, such as a breakable capsule, that may carry a payload incorporating a compound that is intended to introduce some change to the nature or character of mainstream smoke drawn through that filter element (e.g., a flavoring agent). That is, the shell of some hollow objects 50 may be ruptured at the discretion of the smoker to release the object payload. Alternatively, some objects 50 may be a solid, porous material with a high surface area capable of altering the smoke and/or air drawn through the filter element. Some objects may be a solid material, such as a polyethylene bead, acting as a substrate or matrix support for a flavoring agent. Some objects are capable of releasing the agent at the command of the user. For example, a breakable hollow object containing a liquid payload is resistant to the release of the payload until the time that the smoker applies a purposeful application of physical force to the filter element sufficient to rupture the hollow object. Typically, a filter material, such as cellulose acetate tow, or an inserted strand, is generally absorbent of liquid materials of the type that comprise the payload, and hence the released payload components are capable of undergoing wicking (or otherwise experiencing movement or transfer) throughout the filter element. Since at least one object, and preferably a plurality of objects, is included in each filter element, the filter element may include combinations of various types of objects, as appropriate or desired.

The filter element 30 is attached to the tobacco rod 15 using tipping material 58 (e.g., essentially air impermeable tipping paper), that circumscribes both the entire length of the filter element 30 and an adjacent region of the tobacco rod 15. The inner surface of the tipping material 58 is fixedly secured to the outer surface of the plug wrap 45 and the outer surface of the wrapping material 20 of the tobacco rod, using a suitable adhesive; and hence, the filter element and the tobacco rod are connected to one another.

The tipping material 58 connecting the filter element 30 to the tobacco rod 15 can have indicia (not shown) printed thereon. For example, a band on the filter end of a cigarette (not shown) can visually indicate to a smoker the general locations or positions of the objects 50 within the filter element 30. These indicia may help the smoker to locate some objects 50 so that they can, for example, be more easily ruptured by squeezing the filter element 30 directly outside the position of any such rupturable object. The indicia on the tipping material 58 may also indicate the nature of the payload carried by each object. For example, the indicia may indicate that the particular payload is a spearmint flavoring by having a particular color, shape, or design. If desired, the inner surface (i.e., the surface facing the plug wrap) of the tipping material can be coated with a material that can act to retard the propensity of rupturable object contents from migration, wicking or bleeding from the filter material 40 into the tipping material, and hence causing what might be perceived as unsightly visible staining of the tipping material. Such a coating can be provided using a suitable film-forming agent (e.g., ethylcellulose, or a so-called lip release coating composition of the type commonly employed for cigarette manufacture).

A ventilated or air diluted smoking article can be provided with an optional air dilution means, such as a series of perforations 62, each of which extend through the tipping material and plug wrap. The optional perforations 62 can be made by various techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as laser perforation techniques. As these techniques are carried out after insertion of any objects 50 into the filter element 30, care is taken to avoid damaging the objects during the formation of the perforations 62. One way to avoid damage from air dilution techniques, such as those employing laser perforation technologies, involves locating the perforations at a position adjacent to the positions of the objects 50. In such a manner, radiation, heat or physical forces acting upon the filter element during perforation processes do not have such a great propensity to damage the objects. Alternatively, so-called off-line air dilution techniques can be used (e.g., through the use of porous paper plug wrap and pre-perforated tipping paper). The perforated region can be positioned upstream of any object (as shown), or the perforated region can be positioned downstream of any object (i.e., towards the extreme mouth-end of the filter element).

The plug wrap 45 can vary. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,719 to Martin. Typically, the plug wrap is a porous or non-porous paper material. Plug wrap materials are commercially available. Exemplary plug wrap papers are available from Schweitzer-Maudit International as Porowrap Plug Wrap 17-M1, 33-M1, 45-M1, 65-M9, 95-M9, 150-M4, 260-M4 and 260-M4T. Preferred plug wrap materials are non-porous in nature. Non-porous plug wraps exhibit porosities of less than about 10 CORESTA units, and preferably less than about 5 CORESTA units. Exemplary non-porous plug wrap papers are available as Ref. No. 646 Grade from Olsany Facility (OP Paprina) of the Czech Republic (Trierendberg Holding). Plug wrap paper can be coated, particularly on the surface that faces the filter material, with a layer of a film-forming material. Such a coating can be provided using a suitable polymeric film-forming agent (e.g., ethylcellulose, ethylcellulose mixed with calcium carbonate, or a so-called lip release coating composition of the type commonly employed for cigarette manufacture). Alternatively, a plastic film (e.g., a polypropylene film) can be used as a plug wrap material. For example, non-porous polypropylene materials that are available as ZNA-20 and ZNA-25 from Treofan Germany GmbH & Co. KG can be employed as plug wrap materials.

The use of non-porous plug wrap materials is desirable in order to avoid the contents of rupturable objects within filter elements from causing what might be perceived as unsightly visible staining of the tipping material 58. For example, highly non-porous plug wrap materials can act to retard or block the propensity of liquid contents of the rupturable objects from migration, wicking or bleeding from the filter material 40 into the tipping material.

Tobacco materials 16 useful for forming a smoking article can vary. Tobacco materials can be derived from various types of tobacco, such as flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco or Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark-fired tobacco and Rustica tobaccos, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos, or blends thereof. Descriptions of various types of tobaccos, growing practices, harvesting practices and curing practices are set for in Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology, Davis et al. (Eds.) (1999). Most preferably, the tobaccos are those that have been appropriately cured and aged.

Typically, tobacco materials for cigarette manufacture are used in a so called “blended” form. For example, certain popular tobacco blends, commonly referred to as “American blends,” comprise mixtures of flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco and Oriental tobacco. Such blends, in many cases, contain tobacco materials that have a processed form, such as processed tobacco stems (e.g., cut-rolled or cut-puffed stems), volume expanded tobacco (e.g., puffed tobacco, such as dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET), preferably in cut filler form). Tobacco materials also can have the form of reconstituted tobaccos (e.g., reconstituted tobaccos manufactured using paper-making type or cast sheet type processes). The precise amount of each type of tobacco within a tobacco blend used for the manufacture of a particular cigarette brand varies from brand to brand. See, for example, Tobacco Encyclopedia, Voges (Ed.) p. 44-45 (1984), Browne, The Design of Cigarettes, 3rd Ed., p. 43 (1990) and Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology, Davis et al. (Eds.) p. 346 (1999). Other representative tobacco types and types of tobacco blends also are set forth in US Pat. No. 4,836,224 to Lawson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,888 to Perfetti et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,537 to Brown et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,930 to Gentry; U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,023 to Blakley et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,936 to Shafer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,066 to Lawson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,678 to Crooks et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,836,895 to Dube et al.; US Pat. Application Pub. Nos. 2004/0255965 to Perfetti et al; and 2005/0066986 to Nestor et al.; PCT Application Pub. No. WO 02/37990; and Bombick et al., Fund. Appl. Toxicol., 39, p. 11-17 (1997).

Tobacco materials typically are used in forms, and in manners, that are traditional for the manufacture of smoking articles, such as cigarettes. The tobacco normally is used in cut filler form (e.g., shreds or strands of tobacco filler cut into widths of about 1/10 inch to about 1/60 inch, preferably about 1/20 inch to about 1/35 inch, and in lengths of about ¼ inch to about 3 inches). The amount of tobacco filler normally used within the tobacco rod of a cigarette ranges from about 0.6 g to about 1 g. The tobacco filler normally is employed so as to fill the tobacco rod at a packing density of about 100 mg/cm3 to about 300 mg/cm3, and often about 150 mg/cm3 to about 275 mg/cm3.

If desired, the tobacco materials of the tobacco rod can further include other components. Other components include casing materials (e.g., sugars, glycerin, cocoa and licorice) and top dressing materials (e.g., flavoring materials, such as menthol). The selection of particular casing and top dressing components is dependent upon factors such as the sensory characteristics that are desired, and the selection of those components will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art of cigarette design and manufacture. See, Gutcho, Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes Data Corp. (1972) and Leffingwell et al., Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products (1972).

The dimensions of a representative cigarette 10 can vary. Preferred cigarettes are rod shaped, and can have diameters of about 7.5 mm (e.g., circumferences of about 22.5 mm to about 25 mm); and can have total lengths of about 80 mm to about 100 mm. The length of the filter element 30 can vary. Typical filter elements can have lengths of about 20 mm to about 40 mm. In some instances, the length of the filter element 30 is about 27 mm, and the length of the tobacco rod 15 is about 56 mm to about 57 mm. In other instances, the length of the filter element is about 31 mm, and the length of the tobacco rod is about 67 mm to about 68 mm. The tipping paper 58 can circumscribe the entire filter element and about 4 mm of the length of the tobacco rod in the region adjacent to the filter element.

Preferred cigarettes exhibit desirable resistance to draw, whether or not any hollow objects within their filter elements are broken. For example, an exemplary cigarette exhibits a pressure drop of between about 50 mm and about 200 mm water pressure drop at 17.5 cc/sec. air flow. Preferred cigarettes exhibit pressure drop values of between about 70 mm and about 180 mm, more preferably between about 80 mm to about 150 mm water pressure drop at 17.5 cc/sec. air flow. Typically, pressure drop values of cigarettes are measured using a Filtrona Filter Test Station (CTS Series) available from Filtrona Instruments and Automation Ltd.

In use, the smoker lights the lighting end 28 of the cigarette 10 and draws smoke into his/her mouth through the filter element 30 at the opposite end of the cigarette. The smoker can smoke all or a portion of the cigarette with the objects 50 intact. During the portion of the smoking experience that any objects 50 remain intact, smoke generated in the tobacco rod 15 is drawn to the smoker through the filter material 40 of the filter element. Generally, the overall character or nature of the drawn smoke is virtually unaffected to any significant degree as a result of the presence of the intact object(s) within the filter element, unless particular objects are configured to be activated by or otherwise affect the drawn smoke. If desired, the smoker may rupture any or all of the rupturable objects 50 at any time before, during, or even after, the smoking experience. Breakage of any rupturable object acts to release the contents that are contained and sealed therewithin. Release of the contents of any rupturable object into the filter element thus enables the smoker to achieve the intended benefit of action of certain of those contents, whether that benefit results from flavoring or scenting the smoke, cooling or moistening the smoke, freshening the scent of the cigarette butt, or achieving some other goal associated with modifying the overall composition of the smoke or altering the performance characteristics of the cigarette. That is, the contents of any rupturable object are not released into the filter element until the particular object is purposefully physically broken; but when a rupturable object is ruptured, a portion of component contained within the rupturable object (e.g., portions of a flavoring agent) that is consequently released into the filter element is incorporated into each subsequent puff of mainstream smoke that is received through that filter element. In this manner, any rupturable object can be ruptured by the smoker at their discretion. Multiple flavors or scents in or otherwise associated with the individual objects allows for different taste in each puff of the cigarette, or an increased amplitude of sensory response in each puff may be experienced by the smoker, if the flavor is the same in all objects. In some instances, relatively small objects may be incorporated in each filter element, due to the different manners in, and the different extent to, which the sensory responses may be affected when smoking the cigarette.

Cigarette rods and cigarette assemblies are manufactured using a cigarette making machine, such as a conventional automated cigarette rod making machine. Exemplary cigarette rod making machines are of the type commercially available from Molins PLC or Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG. For example, cigarette rod making machines of the type known as MkX (commercially available from Molins PLC) or PROTOS (commercially available from Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG) can be employed. A description of a PROTOS cigarette making machine is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,190 to Brand, at col. 5, line 48 through col. 8, line 3, which is incorporated herein by reference. Types of equipment suitable for the manufacture of cigarettes also are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,203 to La Hue; U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,100 to Holznagel; U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,169 to Holmes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,906 to Myracle, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,870 to Blau et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,449 to Kitao et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,917 to Kitao et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,486 to Hartmann; U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,471 to Fitzgerald et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,275,548 to Hancock et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,281,540 to Barnes et al.; each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Filter rods can be manufactured using a rod-making apparatus, and an exemplary rod-making apparatus includes a rod-forming unit. Representative rod-forming units are available as KDF-2 and KDF-3E from Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG; and as Polaris-ITM Filter Maker from International Tobacco Machinery. Filter material, such as cellulose acetate filamentary tow, typically is processed using a conventional filter tow processing unit. For example, filter tow can be bloomed using bussel jet methodologies or threaded roll methodologies. An exemplary tow processing unit has been commercially available as E-60 supplied by Arjay Equipment Corp., Winston-Salem, N.C. Other exemplary tow processing units have been commercially available as AF-2, AF-3 and AF-4 from Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG. and as Candor-ITM Tow Processor from International Tobacco Machinery. Other types of commercially available tow processing equipment, as are known to those of ordinary skill in the art, can be employed. Multi-segment cigarette filter rods can be manufactured using a cigarette filter rod making device available under the brand name Mulfi from Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG.

Six-up rods, four-up filter rods and two-up rods that are conventionally used for the manufacture of filtered cigarettes can be handled using conventional-type or suitably modified cigarette rod handling devices, such as tipping devices available as Lab MAX, MAX, MAX S or MAX 80 from Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG. See, for example, the types of devices set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,600 to Erdmann et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,670 to Heitmann et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,187 to Reuland et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,115 to Vos et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,578 to Read, Jr.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,585 to Holmes; each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The operation of those types of devices will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art of automated cigarette manufacture.

The components and operation of conventional automated cigarette making machines will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art of cigarette making machinery design and operation, given the exemplary equipment disclosed herein. For example, descriptions of the components and operation of several types of chimneys, tobacco filler supply equipment, suction conveyor systems and garniture systems are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,288,147 to Molins et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,176 to Heitmann et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,713 to Frank; U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,816 to Rudszinat; U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,754 to Heitmann et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,506 to Pinck et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,665 to Heitmann; U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,823 to Keritsis et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,751 to Fagg et al.; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0136419 to Muller; each of which is incorporated herein by reference. The automated cigarette making machines of the type set forth herein provide a formed continuous cigarette rod or smokable rod that can be subdivided into formed smokable rods of desired lengths.

Various types of cigarette components, including tobacco types, tobacco blends, top dressing and casing materials, blend packing densities; types of paper wrapping materials for tobacco rods, types of tipping materials, and levels of air dilution, can be employed for making cigarettes with such automated cigarette making machines. See, for example, the various representative types of cigarette components, as well as the various cigarette designs, formats, configurations and characteristics, which are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,930 to Gentry; U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,530 to Kraker; U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,559 to Ashcraft et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,565,818 to Thomas et al.; and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2005/0066986 to Nestor et al.; and 2007/0246055 to Oglesby; each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

With such mass-production processes, there may be instances in which at least some of the produced cigarettes may exhibit defects that may render those cigarettes unsaleable. For example, the cigarette may be missing the filter section; the tipping paper may be torn or improperly/incompletely applied; the air dilution perforations may be incompletely or improperly formed; the wrapping paper for the tobacco rod section may be torn or improperly formed; the tobacco rod section may have a low weight/density, a high weight/density, a soft spot, a hard spot, loose tobacco about the lighting end of the tobacco rod section, an improper density profile along the tobacco rod section; and/or wherein the cigarette may include a visible defect. In such instances, the defective cigarettes may be directed to re-work or otherwise discarded. In some cases, attempts may be made to recover the valuable tobacco from the defective/discarded cigarettes. Various tobacco reclamation schemes are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,100 to Thatcher; U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,199 to Sullivan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,035 to Thatcher; U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,673 to Barnes et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,179 to Leonard; U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,196 to Stewart et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,951 to Eisenlohr et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,843 to Holmes et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,855 to Korte et al. However, such tobacco reclamation schemes may have some drawbacks such as, for example, lack of automation and the inability to recover tobacco from cigarettes having different defects.

Aspects of the present disclosure this provide, in one such aspect as schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, a smoking article production apparatus 100 for producing smoking articles 10 such as, for example, cigarettes. As shown in FIG. 1, each smoking article 10 generally includes a filter section or segment 30 serially engaged with a tobacco rod section or segment 15, with the segments serially joined together by a tipping paper 58. Such an apparatus 100 may, in some instances, comprise at least one rotatable drum 350 defining a longitudinal axis 375 and a receiving surface 400 extending along the longitudinal axis 375. The receiving surface 400 may be further configured to define a plurality of channels 450, each being configured to receive a smoking article 10 such that the smoking article 10 in a channel 450 is arranged in parallel with the longitudinal axis 375 of the at least one drum 350.

As schematically shown in FIG. 3, at least one inspection device 500 may be arranged in relation to the smoking articles/cigarettes 10 in the channels 450 of the at least one drum 350. In such a relation, the inspection device 500 may be further configured to inspect each of the smoking articles 10 in the channels 450 of the at least one drum 350 and/or to determine whether any of the smoking articles 10 are defective. The inspection device 500 may be further configured to direct any defective smoking articles 550 away from the at least one drum 350.

In some aspects, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 4, a rotatable sampling drum 600 may be in communication with the at least one drum 350 and configured to receive the defective smoking articles 550 therefrom. That is, the sampling drum 600 may be disposed and arranged to interact directly with the at least one drum 350 to receive the defective smoking articles 550 directly therefrom. In other instances, one or more intermediate rotatable drums (not shown) may be disposed between the sampling drum 600 and the at least one drum 350, wherein the defective smoking articles 550 are conveyed from the at least one drum 350, to one or more of the intermediate drums, and then to the sampling drum 600. In yet other aspects, the defective smoking articles 550 may be directed to the sampling drum 600 from the at least one drum 350 by another suitable mechanism, device, or arrangement that may or may not include the intermediate drum(s). For example, a transfer arrangement (not shown) may be configured to direct defective smoking articles 550, following determination thereof, from the at least one drum 350 to the sampling drum 600

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 5, a severing device 650 may be disposed adjacent to the sampling drum 600, with the severing device 650 being arranged and configured to sever each of the defective smoking articles 550 received by the sampling drum 600, along the length of the respective defective smoking article 10, so as to separate at least a portion 225 of the tobacco rod segment/section 15 from a remaining portion 250 of the defective smoking article 550 including the filter segment/section 30.

The at least one rotatable drum 350 may be associated with one or more different processes in the overall smoking article production procedure and/or with one or more different pieces of production equipment associated with the production apparatus 100. For example, the at least one rotatable drum 350 may be a final cutting drum associated with equipment for cutting a two-up cigarette assembly into individual cigarettes. In other instances, the at least,one rotatable drum 350 may be an inspection drum for visually inspecting, or otherwise inspecting, assembled cigarettes or components thereof. In still further instances, the at least one rotatable drum 350 may be a weight-related analysis drum configured or arranged to determine a weight or density of the tobacco rod segment 15, the filter segment 30, and/or the assembled smoking article 10.

More particularly, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one drum 350 may comprise a weight-related analysis drum and the inspection device 500 may comprise a weight-related sensor arrangement associated therewith. In such instances, the weight-related sensor arrangement may be configured to determine a density of at least one of the filter section/segment 30 and the tobacco rod section/segment 15 of the smoking article 10 received by the weight-related analysis drum, and to compare the determined density to a predetermined density range, such that each smoking article 10 received by the weight-related analysis drum, and having the determined density outside the predetermined density range, is one of the defective smoking articles 550.

The weight-related sensor arrangement may be configured in different manners, according to various aspects of the present disclosure. For example, the weight-related sensor arrangement may be configured to determine a density profile (see, e.g., FIGS. 6B and 6C) along a length of the tobacco rod section/segment 15 of the smoking article 10 received by the weight-related analysis drum, and to compare the determined density profile to a model density profile (see, e.g., FIG, 6A), such that each smoking article 10 received by the weight-related analysis drum, and having the determined density profile deviating from the model density profile, is one of the defective smoking articles 550. For example, FIG. 6B schematically illustrates a determined density profile of a tobacco rod section/segment 15 demonstrating a “hard spot” 700 indicated by an increase in density compared to the model density profile, while FIG. 6C schematically illustrates a determined density profile of a tobacco rod section/segment 15 demonstrating a “soft spot” 750 indicated by a decrease in density compared to the model density profile. In some particular aspects, the weight-related sensor arrangement may comprise, for example, a microwave density transducer arrangement.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one drum 350 may comprise a final cutting drum configured to interact with a cutting device so to cut the smoking articles 10 to a selected length. In such instances, the inspection device 500 may comprise, for example, a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith. The length-related sensor arrangement may be configured to determine an actual length of at least one of the filter section/segment 30 of the smoking article 10, the tobacco rod section/segment 15 of the smoking article 10, and/or the entire smoking article 10, received by the final cutting drum, and to compare the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, such that each smoking article 10 received by the final cutting drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles 550.

In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one drum 350 may comprise a final cutting drum configured to interact with a cutting device to cut the smoking articles 10 to a selected length. In such instances, the inspection device 500 may comprise a counting arrangement associated therewith. The counting arrangement may be configured to count a predetermined amount of the smoking articles 10 received by the final cutting drum and to designate the predetermined amount of the smoking articles 10 received by the final cutting drum as the defective smoking articles 550.

In a further aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one drum 350 may comprise an inspection drum. In such instances, the inspection device 500 may comprise a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith. The length-related sensor arrangement may be configured to determine an actual length of at least one of the filter section/segment 30 of the smoking article 10, the tobacco rod section/segment 15 of the smoking article 10, and the entire smoking article 10, received by the inspection drum, and to compare the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, such that each smoking article 10 received by the inspection drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles 550.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one drum 350 may comprise an integrity inspection drum. In such instances, the inspection device 500 may comprise one of a pressure-related sensor arrangement and a flow-related sensor arrangement (see, e.g., FIG. 7, element 800) associated therewith. The one of the pressure-related sensor arrangement and the flow-related sensor arrangement 800 may be configured to determine a pressure drop and a flow loss, respectively, along the smoking article 10 received by the integrity inspection drum from an air flow (e.g., from air flow supply element 850 in FIG. 7) directed through and along a length of the smoking article 10, and to compare one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article 10 to a predetermined one of a pressure drop range and a flow loss range along the smoking article. As such, each smoking article 10 received by the integrity inspection drum and having the one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article 10 outside the predetermined one of the pressure drop range and the flow loss range along the smoking article 10, is one of the defective smoking articles 550. The pressure-related sensor arrangement may, in some instances, comprise a pressure transducer arrangement, and/or the flow-related sensor arrangement may, in some instances, comprise a flow transducer arrangement.

In still another aspect, the at least one drum 350 may comprise an integrity inspection drum. In such instances, the inspection device 500 may be configured to determine a condition of the smoking article 10, wherein such a condition may be, for example, whether the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a loose fill of the tobacco about an end of the tobacco rod section opposite to the filter section; whether the filter section is missing from the smoking article; whether a wrapping paper lengthwise-wrapping tobacco to form the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a tear; whether the wrapping paper is improperly wrapped about the tobacco whether the filter section includes improperly formed air dilution perforations; and/or whether a tipping paper is improperly wrapped about an interface between the filter section and the tobacco rod section. In some instances, the inspection device 500 may comprise, for example, an optical sensor arrangement configured to optically inspect the smoking articles 10, and wherein any smoking article 10 determined to affirmatively have at least one of the conditions, from the optical inspection thereof, is one of the defective smoking articles 550.

As previously disclosed, the inspection device 500 may be arranged in relation to the smoking articles/cigarettes 10 in the channels 450 of the at least one drum 350. In being so arranged, the inspection device 500 may be further configured to inspect or otherwise interact with each of the smoking articles 10 in the channels 450 of the at least one drum 350 and/or to determine whether any of the smoking articles 10 are defective. The inspection device 500 may be further configured to direct any defective smoking articles 550 away from the at least one drum 350. That is, the inspection device 500 may be, for example, in communication with a rejection device (not shown, but e.g., a mechanical plunger engaged with a channel and configured to mechanically extend and urge the defective cigarette 550 out of the channel 450, or an air valve engaged with a channel 450 and configured to release pressurized air to urge the defective cigarette 550 out of the channel 450) operably engaged with the at least one drum 350, in some instances, by way of an appropriate controller 300. In the event that the inspection device 500 determines that a smoking article 10 is to be removed from the at least one drum 350 (i.e., in accordance with any one of the exemplary arrangements disclosed herein), the inspection device 500 may be configured to direct an appropriate signal to the rejection device, via the controller 300 as appropriate, to actuate the rejection device to eject the indicated smoking article 10 (i.e., a “defective” smoking article 550) from the corresponding channel 450 of the at least one drum 350.

In some particular aspects, the rotatable sampling drum 600 may be in communication with the at least one drum 350 and configured to receive the defective smoking articles 550 therefrom. As with the at least one drum 350, the sampling drum 600 may be configured to define a longitudinal axis 375 and a receiving surface 400 extending along the longitudinal axis 375. The receiving surface 400 may be further configured to define a plurality of channels 450, each being configured to receive a smoking article 10 (i.e., a “defective” smoking article 550), such that the smoking article in a channel 450 is arranged in parallel with the longitudinal axis 375 of the sampling drum 600.

The sampling drum 600 may be disposed and arranged to interact directly with the at least one drum 350 to receive the defective smoking articles 550 directly therefrom into the channels 450 defined by the receiving surface 400 of the sampling drum 600. In other instances, one or more intermediate rotatable drums (not shown) may be disposed between the sampling drum 600 and the at least one drum 350, wherein the defective smoking articles 550 are conveyed from the at least one drum 350, to one or more of the intermediate drums, and then to the sampling drum 600. In yet other aspects, the defective smoking articles 550 may be directed to the sampling drum 600 from the at least one drum 350 by another suitable mechanism, device, or arrangement that may or may not include the intermediate drum(s) (i.e., the rejection device associated with the at least one drum 350). For example, a transfer arrangement (not shown) may be configured to direct defective smoking articles 550, following determination thereof, from the at least one drum 350 to the sampling drum 600.

Once the defective smoking articles 550, or any other smoking article 10 directed from the at least one drum 350, are received by the sampling drum 600, such smoking articles are generally not readily re-worked and, as such, are not returned to the production process. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, these smoking articles received by the sampling drum 600 include valuable tobacco, which is usually not the origin of the defect or other reason for transferring the smoking article to the sampling drum 600. As such, in some instances, it may be advantageous to recover as much of the tobacco as possible from the smoking articles received by the sampling drum 600. Further, in some instances, it would also be advantageous to recover the tobacco from the smoking articles in a manner that the recovered tobacco is free from contaminants. Contaminant-free tobacco, in certain instances, may be returned to the smoking article/tobacco rod production process and used to produce further smoking articles. In those instances, however, the same type and/or blend of tobacco must be recovered to be returned to the smoking article production process, as a mix of types and/or blends of tobacco may be seen as “contaminated” tobacco in itself.

As such, once the identified smoking articles 550 have been received by the sampling drum 600, the production apparatus 100 may further include a severing device 650 disposed adjacent to the sampling drum 600 (see, .e.g., FIG. 8). Such a severing device 650 may be arranged and configured to sever each of the defective smoking articles 550 received by the sampling drum 600, at a location along the length of the respective defective smoking article 550, so as to separate at least a portion 225 of the tobacco rod segment/section 15 from a remaining portion of the defective smoking article 550, wherein the remaining portion 250 includes the filter segment/section 30. For example, the receiving surface 400 of the sampling drum 600 may define a groove 625 extending about a circumference thereof, perpendicularly to the channels 450, with the groove 625 extending to at least the depth of the channels 450. The groove 625 may be longitudinally disposed so as to correspond to a longitudinal location along the tobacco rod segment/section 15 of a smoking article received in the channels 450. The severing device 650, such as severing blade, may be disposed adjacent to the groove 625 of the sampling drum 600 and configured/arranged to be movable into and out of the groove 625. In this manner, the severing device 650 can be actuated, as necessary (i.e., when each of the channels 450 of the sampling drum 600 includes a smoking article received therein), to sever/separate at least a portion 225 of the tobacco rod segment/section 15 from a remaining portion of the defective smoking article 550, wherein the remaining portion 250 includes the filter segment/section 30. In other instances, the severing device 650 may be disposed in a fixed position with respect to the sampling drum 600 and the groove 625 defined thereby, such that any smoking article received by the sampling drum 600 will be severed as the sampling drum 600 is rotated with respect to the severing device 650. In some instances, for example, the severing device 650 may be configured and arranged to sever a smoking article approximately 2 mm along the tobacco rod segment/ section 15 away from the filter rod segment/section 30. That is, the severed portion 250 of the smoking article including the filter rod segment/section 30 may also include approximately 2 mm in length of the tobacco rod segment/section 15.

Once the smoking articles received by the sampling drum 600 are severed by the severing device 650, the severed smoking articles may be released or otherwise directed outwardly of the channels 450 of the sampling drum 600. In such instances, at least one of the severing device 650 and the sampling drum 600 may be configured to direct the severed portion 225 of the tobacco rod segment/section 15 away from the remaining portion 250 of the defective smoking article including the filter segment/section 30. That is, a possible source of contamination of the recovered tobacco (i.e., the filter segment/section 30) is removed and separated from the remaining portion 225 of the tobacco rod segment/section 15, following severance by the severing device 650. In some instances, the severing device 650, itself, may be configured and arranged to provide the required separation of the severed portions of the smoking article. In some instances, a partition device 900 may be provided in addition to, or instead of the severing device 650. In still other examples, separate gravity-fed chute arrangements (not shown) may be provided to collect the respective severed portions of the smoking articles. That is, one chute arrangement may be provided to collect the severed portion 250 of the smoking article including the filter segment/section 30, while the other chute arrangement may be provided to collect the remaining portion 225 including the severed tobacco rod segment/section 15 of the smoking article. One skilled in the art, however, will appreciate that many different arrangements may be provided for separating and segregating the respective severed portions of the smoking articles such that at least the severed portions 225 of the tobacco rod segments/sections 15 (not including the filter rod segments/sections 30) can be separately collected.

The collected severed portions 225 of the tobacco rod segments/sections 15 (not including the filter rod segments/sections 30) each includes tobacco lengthwise-wrapped with a wrapping paper. As such, in some instances, the production apparatus 100 may further comprise a slitting device 975 (see, e.g., FIG. 9) configured to lengthwise slit the wrapping paper of each tobacco rod segment/section 15 portion so as to render the tobacco therein recoverable. In this regard, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the production apparatus 100 may also include, for example, a collection/orienting device (not shown) operably disposed between the severing device 650 and the slitting device 975. Such a collection/orienting device may be configured and arranged, for example, to collect the portions of the severed portions 225 of the tobacco rod segments/sections 15 (not including the filter rod segments/sections 30) in a particular orientation (i.e., with the longitudinal axes thereof arranged in parallel with each other), and to then feed the severed portions 225 of the tobacco rod segments/sections 15 (not including the filter rod segments/sections 30) individually in a direction along the respective longitudinal axes thereof, toward the slitting device 975 for lengthwise slitting the wrapping paper. Following lengthwise slitting of the wrapping paper, the production apparatus 100 may also include, for example, a recovery device (not shown) configured and arranged to recover the tobacco from the respective portions 225 of the tobacco rod segment/section 15 of each smoking article. Such lengthwise slitting of the wrapping paper and recovery of the tobacco may be accomplished, in some instances, by implementing a commercially available machine such as, for example, a Delphini tobacco reclaimer device from the ITM Group. The received tobacco may subsequently be re-directed at least back to the tobacco rod forming portion of the production apparatus 100 so as to be used in the further production of new smoking articles, which may then be subjected to the inspection processes disclosed herein.

In some aspects of the present disclosure, the process for recovery of the tobacco material, as disclosed herein, may be accomplished in a continuous process, with the associated apparatus being appropriately configured and arranged for performing such a continuous process, as shown, for example, in FIG. 10. For example, such a continuous process may involve an online production system comprised of a plurality of cooperating and interacting machines or devices. In other instances, the continuous process may be incorporated into a single online production machine or device (i.e., by suitably modifying a production device such as a Protos device commercially available from Hauni). In such aspects, the smoking article manufacturing process and inspection provisions, as well as the identification and segregation of “defective” smoking articles and deconstruction of the defective smoking articles for the recovery of the tobacco material, may be accomplished in an automated manner and at normal production rate of the device/system (i.e., at speeds normally associated with the operating device/system for producing such smoking articles).

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 10, one such implementation of the methods and apparatuses disclosed herein may implement at least one rotatable drum 350 (in this instance, a series of drums 350) between which the smoking articles 10 are transferred during the production or handling process. Upon being inspected/identified by at least one inspection device (not shown), any “defective” or otherwise designated smoking articles may be transferred to a sampling drum 600. The smoking articles received by the sampling drum 600 may subsequently be severed by a severing device 650 arranged adjacent to the sampling drum 600 and arranged to sever the smoking article along the tobacco rod portion 15 thereof. Once severed, the portion of the tobacco rod 15 without the filter 30 attached thereto is directed in one direction away from the sampling drum 600, for example, merely by way of gravity or by way of a gravity-fed chute 1000. The portion of the tobacco rod 15 with the filter 30 attached thereto is directed in another direction away from the sampling drum 600, for example, by a partition device 900.

As shown, the gravity-fed chute 1000 may be configured and arranged to collect the portions of the tobacco rod 15 without the filter 30 attached thereto, such that those rod-like portions are arranged with the longitudinal axes thereof generally parallel to each other. In some instances, those portions of the tobacco rod 15 (without the filter 30 attached thereto) may be directed individually (i.e., one at a time) to receiving channel 1050 arranged adjacent to the chute 1000 and aligned to receive the tobacco rod 15 along the longitudinal axis thereof. The individual tobacco rod 15 portions may be serially fed into the receiving channel 1050, for example, by way of a conveyor device or a pneumatic nozzle (i.e., air pulse nozzle). A slitting device 975 may be arranged lengthwise along the receiving channel 1050 so as to slit or cut at least one surface of the wrapping paper portion of the tobacco rod 15 enclosing the tobacco material. In some instances, the tobacco rod 15 may be fed along the receiving channel 1050, for example, by rotatable feed members 1100A, 1100B arranged on opposing sides of the receiving channel 1050. More particularly, the rotatable feed members 1100A, 1100B may each be rotated in the feed direction of the receiving channel 1050, and sufficiently spaced apart on either side of the receiving channel 1050, so as to grip each tobacco rod 15 and move the tobacco rod 15 into engagement with the slitting device 975.

Following engagement with the slitting device 975, the slit tobacco rod 15 may be further directed along the receiving channel 1050 and collected by a collection device 1200. The collection device 1200 may be further arranged and configured to direct the slit tobacco rods 15 to a separator device 1250. The separator device 1250 may comprise, for example, a grate or sieve disposed over a collection box. The grate/sieve may be configured, arranged, and sized so as to allow the tobacco material to pass therethrough into the collection box, while preventing the wrapping paper from passing therethrough into the collection box. In order to facilitate the tobacco material/wrapping paper separation process, the grate/sieve and/or the collection box may be vibrated, for example, by a vibrating device 1300. Once the wrapping paper is separated from the tobacco material, the wrapping paper waste may be collected from the grate/sieve and discarded. The tobacco material collected by the collection box may be re-directed at least back to the tobacco rod forming portion of the production apparatus 100 so as to be used in the further production of new smoking articles. Such re-direction may be accomplished, for example, through physical transportation of the collection box, or by way of a chute or channel leading from the collection box back to the tobacco rod forming portion of the production apparatus 100.

In light of possible interrelationships between aspects of the present disclosure in providing the noted benefits and advantages associated therewith, the present disclosure thus particularly and explicitly includes, without limitation, embodiments representing various combinations of the disclosed aspects. Thus, the present disclosure includes any combination of two, three, four, or more features or elements set forth in this disclosure, regardless of whether such features or elements are expressly combined or otherwise recited in a specific embodiment description herein. This disclosure is intended to be read holistically such that any separable features or elements of the disclosure, in any of its aspects and embodiments, should be viewed as intended, namely to be combinable, unless the context of the disclosure clearly dictates otherwise.

Many modifications and other aspects of the disclosures set forth herein will thus come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these disclosures pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. For example, those of skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments not expressly illustrated herein may be practiced within the scope of the present disclosure, including that features described herein for different embodiments may be combined with each other and/or with currently-known or future-developed technologies while remaining within the scope of the claims presented here. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosures are not to be limited to the specific aspects disclosed and that equivalents, modifications, and other aspects are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. A smoking article production apparatus for producing smoking articles, each smoking article including a filter section serially engaged with a tobacco rod section, said apparatus comprising:

at least one rotatable drum defining a longitudinal axis and a receiving surface extending along the longitudinal axis, the receiving surface defining a plurality of channels each being configured to receive a smoking article such that the smoking article is arranged in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the at least one drum;

an inspection device arranged to inspect each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum and to determine whether any of the smoking articles are defective, and to direct any defective smoking articles away from the at least one drum;

a rotatable sampling drum in communication with the at least one drum and configured to receive the defective smoking articles therefrom; and

a severing device disposed adjacent to the sampling drum and configured to sever each of the defective smoking articles received by the sampling drum so as to separate at least a portion of the tobacco rod section from a remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drum includes one of a final cutting drum, an inspection drum, and a weight-related analysis drum.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drum comprises a weight-related analysis drum and the inspection device comprises a weight-related sensor arrangement associated therewith.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the weight-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine a density of at least one of the filter section and the tobacco rod section of the smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum, and to compare the determined density to a predetermined density range, such that each smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum and having the determined density outside the predetermined density range is one of the defective smoking articles.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the weight-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine a density profile along a length of the tobacco rod section of the smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum, and to compare the determined density profile to a model density profile, such that each smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum and having the determined density profile deviating from the model density profile is one of the defective smoking articles.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the weight-related sensor arrangement comprises a microwave density transducer arrangement.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drum comprises a final cutting drum interacting with a cutting device to cut the smoking articles to a selected length and the inspection device comprises a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the length-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine an actual length of at least one of the filter section of the smoking article, the tobacco rod section of the smoking article, and the entire smoking article, received by the final cutting drum and to compare the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, such that each smoking article received by the final cutting drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drum comprises a final cutting drum interacting with a cutting device to cut the smoking articles to a selected length and the inspection device comprises a counting arrangement associated therewith.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the counting arrangement is configured to count a predetermined amount of the smoking articles received by the final cutting drum and to designate the predetermined amount of the smoking articles received by the final cutting drum as the defective smoking articles.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drum comprises an inspection drum and the inspection device comprises a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the length-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine an actual length of at least one of the filter section of the smoking article, the tobacco rod section of the smoking article, and the entire smoking article, received by the inspection drum and to compare the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, such that each smoking article received by the inspection drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drum comprises an integrity inspection drum and the inspection device comprises one of a pressure-related sensor arrangement and a flow-related sensor arrangement associated therewith.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the one of the pressure-related sensor arrangement and the flow-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine a pressure drop and a flow loss, respectively, along the smoking article received by the integrity inspection drum from an air flow directed through and along a length of the smoking article, and to compare one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article to a predetermined one of a pressure drop range and a flow loss range along the smoking article, such that each smoking article received by the integrity inspection drum and having the one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article outside the predetermined one of the pressure drop range and the flow loss range along the smoking article is one of the defective smoking articles.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the pressure-related sensor arrangement comprises a pressure transducer arrangement.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the flow-related sensor arrangement comprises a flow transducer arrangement.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transfer arrangement configured to direct defective smoking articles, following determination thereof, from the at least one drum to the sampling drum.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the severing device and the sampling drum is configured to direct the severed portion of the tobacco rod section away from the remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the tobacco rod section of each defective smoking article comprises tobacco lengthwise-wrapped with a wrapping paper, and the apparatus further comprises a slitting device configured to lengthwise slit the wrapping paper.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a recovery device configured to recover the tobacco from the portion of the tobacco rod section of each defective smoking article following slitting of the wrapping paper.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one drum comprises an integrity inspection drum and wherein the inspection device is configured to determine a condition of the smoking article selected from the group consisting of:

whether the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a loose fill of the tobacco about an end of the tobacco rod section opposite to the filter section;

whether the filter section is missing from the smoking article;

whether a wrapping paper lengthwise-wrapping tobacco to form the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a tear;

whether the wrapping paper is improperly wrapped about the tobacco

whether the filter section includes improperly formed air dilution perforations; and

whether a tipping paper is improperly wrapped about an interface between the filter section and the tobacco rod section.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the inspection device comprises an optical sensor arrangement configured to optically inspect the smoking articles, and wherein any smoking article determined to affirmatively have one of the conditions is one of the defective smoking articles.

23. A method of producing smoking articles, each smoking article including a filter section serially engaged with a tobacco rod section, said method comprising:

receiving a smoking article in each of a plurality of channels defined by a receiving surface of at least one rotatable drum, the receiving surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum, such that the smoking article is arranged in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the at least one drum;

inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum using an inspection device and determining whether any of the smoking articles are defective;

receiving any defective smoking articles from the at least one drum with a rotatable sampling drum in communication with the at least one drum; and

severing each of the defective smoking articles received by the sampling drum using a severing device disposed adjacent to the sampling drum, so as to separate at least a portion of the tobacco rod section from a remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein receiving the smoking article comprises receiving the smoking article in each of the plurality of channels defined by the receiving surface of the at least one rotatable drum selected from the group consisting of a final cutting drum, an inspection drum, and a weight-related analysis drum.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one drum comprises a weight-related analysis drum and the inspection device comprises a weight-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining a density of at least one of the filter section and the tobacco rod section of the smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum, using the weight-related sensor arrangement, and comparing the determined density to a predetermined density range, and wherein each smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum and having the determined density outside the predetermined density range is one of the defective smoking articles.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one drum comprises a weight-related analysis drum and the inspection device comprises a weight-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining a density profile along a length of the tobacco rod section of the smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum, using the weight-related sensor arrangement, and comparing the determined density profile to a model density profile, and wherein each smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum and having the determined density profile deviating from the model density profile is one of the defective smoking articles.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum using a weight-related sensor arrangement including a microwave density transducer arrangement.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one drum comprises a final cutting drum interacting with a cutting device to cut the smoking articles to a selected length and the inspection device comprises a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining an actual length, using the length-related sensor arrangement, of at least one of the filter section of the smoking article, the tobacco rod section of the smoking article, and the entire smoking article, received by the final cutting drum, and comparing the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, and wherein each smoking article received by the final cutting drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one drum comprises a final cutting drum interacting with a cutting device to cut the smoking articles to a selected length and the inspection device comprises a counting arrangement associated therewith, and wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises counting a predetermined amount of the smoking articles received by the final cutting drum, using the counting arrangement, and designating the predetermined amount of the smoking articles received by the final cutting drum as the defective smoking articles.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one drum comprises an inspection drum and the inspection device comprises a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining an actual length, using the length-related sensor arrangement, of at least one of the filter section of the smoking article, the tobacco rod section of the smoking article, and the entire smoking article, received by the inspection drum, and comparing the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, and wherein each smoking article received by the inspection drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles.

31. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one drum comprises an integrity inspection drum and the inspection device comprises one of a pressure-related sensor arrangement and a flow-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining a pressure drop and a flow loss, using the one of the pressure-related sensor arrangement and the flow-related sensor arrangement, respectively, along the smoking article received by the integrity inspection drum from an air flow directed through and along a length of the smoking article, and comparing one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article to a predetermined one of a pressure drop range and a flow loss range along the smoking article, and wherein each smoking article received by the integrity inspection drum and having the one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article outside the predetermined one of the pressure drop range and the flow loss range along the smoking article is one of the defective smoking articles.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining a pressure drop and a flow loss, using the one of a pressure transducer arrangement and a flow transducer arrangement, respectively.

33. The method according to claim 23, further comprising directing defective smoking articles, following determination thereof, from the at least one drum to the sampling drum, using a transfer arrangement.

34. The method according to claim 23, further comprising directing the severed portion of the tobacco rod section away from the remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section, using at least one of the severing device and the sampling drum.

35. The method according to claim 23, wherein the portion of the tobacco rod section of each defective smoking article comprises tobacco lengthwise-wrapped with a wrapping paper, and the method further comprises lengthwise slitting the wrapping paper using a slitting device.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising recovering the tobacco from the portion of the tobacco rod section of each defective smoking article, using a recovery device, following slitting of the wrapping paper.

37. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one drum comprises an integrity inspection drum, and wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum further comprises inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the integrity inspection drum using an inspection device configured to determine a condition of the smoking article selected from the group consisting of:

whether the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a loose fill of the tobacco about an end of the tobacco rod section opposite to the filter section;

whether the filter section is missing from the smoking article;

whether a wrapping paper lengthwise-wrapping tobacco to form the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a tear;

whether the wrapping paper is improperly wrapped about the tobacco

whether the filter section includes improperly formed air dilution perforations; and

whether a tipping paper is improperly wrapped about an interface between the filter section and the tobacco rod section.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the integrity inspection drum using an inspection device further comprises inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the integrity inspection drum using an an optical sensor arrangement configured to optically inspect the smoking articles, and wherein any smoking article determined to affirmatively have one of the conditions is one of the defective smoking articles.