Plug Inserting Patents (Class 131/72)
  • Patent number: 11969008
    Abstract: A device for burning smoking material and inhaling the resulting smoke is disclosed. The device can include an truncated conical member formed from a material having an internal elongated cavity extending from an open end to a closed end. The elongated cavity can be configured to receive a smoking material. The smoking accessory can include a filter disposed within the truncated conical member and defining the closed end. The filter can have a recess formed in a surface of the body along a curved face extending from the first end to the second end, the recess extending radially into the body. The smoking accessory can include a capsule containing a flavoring agent disposed within the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Good Tree International, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunal Shoor, Brandon Puett
  • Patent number: 11785980
    Abstract: In one embodiment is provided an apparatus which forms conically shaped smoking shells having blocking tips, the apparatus including: (i) a conical form mandrel having an exterior surface, an interior section, and a vacuum opening fluidly connecting the interior section with the exterior surface; (ii) a motor operably connected to the conical form mandrel which can rotate the conical form mandrel; (iii) a conical form mandrel vacuum system operably connected to the interior section of conical form mandrel; (iv) a vacuum table having an upper surface, a vertical elevation system operably connected to the upper surface, which vertical elevation system vertically positions the upper surface, and table heater supported by the vacuum table, and a table vacuum system operably connected to the upper surface; and (v) a garage system located next to the conical form mandrel, the garage system including a base and a garage carriage slidingly connected to the base, the garage carriage including first and second ends wit
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: LSR HC LLC
    Inventors: Michael Niehaus, Randall Bachtel, John Hersman, Trent Warncke, Joseph Bullard
  • Patent number: 11661296
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method to unwind a sheet of material wound in a bobbin, the method comprising: providing a bobbin of a coiled sheet, the bobbin defining an outer surface and comprising a free portion of the sheet unwound from the bobbin; arranging a compressing element on the outer surface of the bobbin, so as to define a contact line, the contact line being the line separating the free portion of the sheet from the rest of the bobbin; pressing by means of the compressing element the outer surface of the coiled sheet at the contact line with a force comprised between about (4) Newton and about (16) Newton; and unwinding the sheet from the bobbin pulling the sheet in the unwinding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Yorick Klipfel, Marc Perrinjaquet
  • Patent number: 8607801
    Abstract: A tool that includes a handle and a head extending from the handle. A stationary shoe portion of the head levels tobacco as the tool pulls the tobacco down a chute of a cigarette-packing device and into a chamber of the cigarette-packing device. A pair of movable arm portions of the head eliminate dust of the tobacco from being pulled into the chamber of the cigarette-packing device by skipping over the dust of the tobacco being pulled down the chute of the cigarette-packing device, and packs the ends of the tobacco in the chamber of the cigarette-packing device more densely so as to form end plugs that prevent the tobacco from leaving a paper tube to thereby prevent collapsing of a finished cigarette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Inventors: Jacques Mardirosoglu, Edwige M. Kruglick
  • Patent number: 8079369
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for forming a filter rod member of a smoking article, such as a cigarette, is provided. The apparatus comprises a rod-forming unit configured to form a continuous supply of a filter material into a continuous cylindrical rod member. An insertion unit is configured to insert an adsorbent material carried by a carrier material into the rod member. The method comprises forming a continuous supply of a filter material into a continuous cylindrical rod member, and inserting an adsorbent material carried by a carrier material into the rod member such that the adsorbent material is disposed within the rod member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Norman Philip Andresen, Michael Francis Dube, Barbara Walker Arzonico
  • Patent number: 7597105
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing small quantities of cigarettes in a substantially simultaneous fashion while maintaining consistent quality between the cigarettes. The apparatus provides for arranging loose tobacco into tobacco charges and simultaneously inserting the charges into pre-formed tubular cigarette wrappers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
    Inventors: Vernon Brent Barnes, John Larkin Nelson, Timothy Frederick Thomas
  • Patent number: 6913022
    Abstract: Devices for filling a cigarette tube with tobacco are disclosed. In one aspect, the devices contain separate metering, compression, and injection mechanisms, which may be manual, partially automatic, or fully automatic. The metering mechanisms move a proper amount of tobacco to a compression chamber, where the tobacco is thereafter compressed for eventual injection. In some embodiments, means are provided for assessing whether a sufficient quantity of tobacco has been metered into the compression chamber, and if not, further metering is accomplished prior to injection. In another aspect, the metering and compression mechanisms are combined into a single mechanism to the same effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Cousins Distributing, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry E. Moser, Robert J. Daily
  • Publication number: 20040255962
    Abstract: Devices for filling a cigarette tube with tobacco are disclosed. In one aspect, the devices contain separate metering, compression, and injection mechanisms, which may be manual, partially automatic, or fully automatic. The metering mechanisms move a proper amount of tobacco to a compression chamber, where the tobacco is thereafter compressed for eventual injection. In some embodiments, means are provided for assessing whether a sufficient quantity of tobacco has been metered into the compression chamber, and if not, further metering is accomplished prior to injection. In another aspect, the metering and compression mechanisms are combined into a single mechanism to the same effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Cousins Distributing, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry E. Moser, Robert J. Daily
  • Patent number: 6206006
    Abstract: Hand filling device for cigarette tubes, particularly for filter cigarette tubes, with a tobacco press chamber extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, which is formed by a casing (12) located in the base portion (14), a press head (16) provided on a lid (18) covering the casing (12) and hinged to the casing (12), an ejector slide (22) for ejecting a tobacco skein pressed in a tobacco chamber via an opening (24) provided in the casing (12) into a (filter) cigarette tube, of a clamp device (59), which holds the (filter) cigarette tube in a clamping manner on a socket (50) located at the outlet of the tobacco press chamber, and of a resiliently-engaging, snap-in or the like device (60) for detachable connection of casing (12) and lid (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: EFKA-Werke Fritz Kiehn GmbH
    Inventors: Gunter Schütze, Klaus Gätschmann
  • Patent number: 5769095
    Abstract: Successive tubular wrappers of cigarette paper, which are conveyed sideways in the peripheral flutes of ail indelible rotary conveyor, receive elongated batches of smokable material during intervals of dwell at a filling station. The batches are introduced by an elongated channel-shaped implement which is reciprocable with a batch into, and without a batch out of, a wrapper at the filling station. The wrappers are propped by the concave surface of a pivotable holder during introduction of batches and the batch-receiving open ends of the wrappers are calibrated by causing them to move axially into a cylindrical portion of a passage in a mouthpiece at the filling station immediately prior to introduction of the batches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Chilinov s.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Christian Schramm
  • Patent number: 5749378
    Abstract: A tobacco product for self-preparing a cigarette, especially a filter-tipped cigarette, includes a tobacco portion (14) matched with the tobacco filling of a finished cigarette and having an air-permeable outer surface so that it cannot be smoked per se. The outer surface of the tobacco portion is completely smokeable or consumable by smoking, is dimensionally stable and its cross-section and length match the tobacco receiving space (13) of a cigarette paper tube (11) so that the outer surface of the tobacco portion engages the cigarette paper of a cigarette paper tube with the tobacco portion shape retained. An outer bar wrap (15) over the tobacco portion, open at either end, is made of non-smokeable material and transferred from the bar wrap (15) into the paper tube (11). The bar wrap (15) is formed of poorly or non-combustible material such as aluminum-laminate, synthetic plastic film, tin foil, aluminum foil or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: EFKA-Werke Fritz Kiehn GmbH
    Inventors: Heinrich W. Ruppert, Klaus G. Gatschmann
  • Patent number: 5687747
    Abstract: Particles of comminuted smokable material are loosened in a downwardly converging compartment defined by a funnel-shaped array of intermittently driven endless flexible belts. The outlet at the lower end of the compartment delivers flows of loosened material into a receptacle wherein the level of the material is monitored and a motor for the belts is started to admit additional material into the receptacle when the level of material descends below a predetermined minimum level. The bottom portion of the reservoir can be expanded and contracted to convert the lowermost part of material in the receptacle into a succession of properly compacted batches each of which can constitute a rod-like filler, and such batches are thereupon evacuated longitudinally of the bottom portion of the receptacle into successive empty tubular envelopes which can be made of cigarette paper or other wrapping material for rod-shaped smokers' products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Chilinov s.a.r.l.
    Inventor: Christian Schramm
  • Patent number: 5657768
    Abstract: The cigarette tube filling device (100) comprises a housing bottom part (1), consisting of a base part (2) and of a cover part (3), as well as a housing top part (6). There is formed a press chamber (8), the lower half of which is formed by a tongue (12) and the upper half (11) of which is formed by a part-cylindrical recess (11) of the top part (6). The housing top part (6) is mounted on the housing bottom part (1) pivotably about an axis (7) extending parallel to the press chamber (8). In the housing bottom part (1), a straight guide (27, 28) parallel to the press chamber (8) is provided for the slide (20) comprising the tongue (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Gizeh-Werk GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Neumann, Josef Lier
  • Patent number: 5450861
    Abstract: A manual filling device for cigarette tubes, comprising a tobacco compression chamber extending in longitudinal direction of said device and being defined by a housing (12) disposed in a bottom part (14). A pressing bar (16) is provided on a lid (18) which is hinged to the housing (12) and covers said housing (12). A spoon (20) and an ejector slide (22) is provided for ejecting a compressed tobacco bar from the tobacco compression chamber through an opening (24) formed in said housing (12) into a cigarette (filter) tube. A clamping member (59) clampingly retains the cigarette tube on a socket piece disposed at the exit from the tobacco compression chamber. A locking or snap-in unit (60) releasably connects said housing (12) and said lid (18), and includes a substantially hook-shaped detent (62) provided on an elastic web (78) joined to the free end (64) of the lid (18) opposite the hinged connection (34) between lid (18) and housing (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: EFKA-Werke Fritz Kiehn GmbH
    Inventor: Luigi Colani
  • Patent number: 5398701
    Abstract: A device for filling prefabricated cigarette tubes, having a housing (1), a tobacco chamber (17), a trough-shaped tobacco holder (7), a compression bar (23), a stop (31) for one end of the plug of tobacco, a finger or bushing (14) on which one end of a cigarette tube can be placed and a sliding cover (11). The length of the plug of tobacco formed can be adjusted to fit cigarette tubes of different lengths by adjusting the length of the tobacco chamber (17) and the length of the compression bar (23). The invention does this by virtue of the fact that the stop (31) defining one end of the tobacco chamber is adjustable in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tobacco holder (7) and that at least two movable sections (41, 42, 43) of the compression bar, each of different length and each capable of acting as an extension to a stationary part (30) of the bar, are mounted on a rotatable component (40) whose axis of rotation (45) is parallel to the surface (44) of the compression bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Gizeh-Werk GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Neumann, Josef Lier, Wolfgang Rosner
  • Patent number: 5105830
    Abstract: Individual assembly of cigarettes from cut tobacco and preformed cigarette paper tubes is facilitated by providing charges of cut tobacco in cartridges. An extension in the form of a hollow tube is provided at one end of the cartridge to enable the sheath enclosing the tobacco to be removed and the tobacco discharged into the paper tube. Specific equipment to effect the assembly also is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc.
    Inventors: Warren A. Brackmann, Kenneth P. Davidson, Hans Klotz, Michael H. Sheahan, Stanislav M. Snaidr
  • Patent number: 5088506
    Abstract: This invention relates to portable manually operable cigarette making machines, one problem is the number of moving parts any reduction of these parts reduces the cost of the machine and the wearing of these parts. These machines have two basic functions controlled by a single drive handle, the first controls compaction of tobacco, the second ejection of tobacco. The compaction function is improved by two alternative cam arrangements interacting with the compactor. In one embodiment, a stud moving in an internal cam raceway controls all cam motion, this greatly simplifies backward and forward motion of the compactor, preferably the stud is a roller stud. In the other embodiment, an internal cam cooperates with an internal cavity of the compactor. In both embodiments movement of the handle drive, first moves the compactor forward, then the compactor remains stationary, while further motion of the handle ejects the tobacco.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Inventor: Arnold Kastner
  • Patent number: 5088507
    Abstract: Apparatus is described for inserting a component comprising an elongate cartridge containing an aerosol forming material, at one end of which there is a fuel element, within a jacket component comprising a rod, a sleeve of insulating material, or a combination thereof, the apparatus preferably providing for forming a passage in the jacket component and inserting the elongate cartridge therein. Preferably, the apparatus comprises a plurality of movably mounted stations for high speed manufacture of smoking articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Max N. Baker, Douglas C. Clark
  • Patent number: 3933159
    Abstract: Using a hot melt adhesive on the strip of material uniting a mouthpiece to a cigarette, and hardening the adhesive while the strip is rolled around the assemblage by heat lost to a surface along which the assemblage is rolled. The rolling takes place between a rolling plate and a drum which is heated to reactivate the adhesive prior to rolling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1976
    Assignee: Molins Limited
    Inventor: Desmond Walter Molins