EP0574205B1 - Anlage für die Herstellung von Zigaretten - Google Patents

Anlage für die Herstellung von Zigaretten Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0574205B1
EP0574205B1 EP93304379A EP93304379A EP0574205B1 EP 0574205 B1 EP0574205 B1 EP 0574205B1 EP 93304379 A EP93304379 A EP 93304379A EP 93304379 A EP93304379 A EP 93304379A EP 0574205 B1 EP0574205 B1 EP 0574205B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
machines
cigarette making
cigarette
machine
output
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Revoked
Application number
EP93304379A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0574205A1 (de
Inventor
Roger Kenneth Beck
Martin Anthony Hennessy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
Original Assignee
British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
British American Tobacco Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=26301048&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP0574205(B1) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Priority claimed from GB929212323A external-priority patent/GB9212323D0/en
Priority claimed from GB929219880A external-priority patent/GB9219880D0/en
Application filed by British American Tobacco Investments Ltd, British American Tobacco Co Ltd filed Critical British American Tobacco Investments Ltd
Publication of EP0574205A1 publication Critical patent/EP0574205A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0574205B1 publication Critical patent/EP0574205B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Revoked legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/35—Adaptations of conveying apparatus for transporting cigarettes from making machine to packaging machine
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/47—Attaching filters or mouthpieces to cigars or cigarettes, e.g. inserting filters into cigarettes or their mouthpieces

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the manufacture of cigarettes.
  • the cigarettes may be plain cigarettes or filter tipped cigarettes.
  • Plain cigarettes or tobacco rods are produced by forming a shower of tobacco particles in a chimney, the shower of tobacco particles commonly being upwardly directed, depositing the shower of tobacco particles on a rod-forming surface through which vacuum is applied by a suction box.
  • the wrapping mechanism of a cigarette rod making machine employs a first endless belt conveyor (known as a garniture) which co-operates with stationery guide means to convert a continuously supplied web of cigarette paper or other suitable wrapping material into a tube and to simultaneously drape the web around a tobacco rod of filler material which is deposited onto the web from the rod-forming surface after suction is withdrawn therefrom.
  • This basic principle is utilised in most cigarette making machines, such as the Protos cigarette maker manufactured by Korber A.G. and the Mark IX cigarette maker manufactured by Molins, for example. Descriptions, in part, of these machines and modifications thereto can be found in US Patent No. 4,867,180, and European Patent Application, Publication No. 0 202 874.
  • the continuous tobacco rod produced by cigarette making machines is severed to produce rod lengths of wrapped tobacco filler material. These lengths are usually double a unit length of tobacco rod utilised in a filter tipped cigarette.
  • the longitudinally provided rods are supplied to a filter tip attacher, such as the Max 100S produced by Korber A.G. Reference to Max filter tipping machines can be found in UK Patent Specification Nos. 1 499 881 and 2 199 799A and US Patent No. 4,051,947.
  • the double unit length tobacco rods are severed in their centre and a double unit length filter element is introduced between the now unit length tobacco rods and interattached thereto by tipping paper.
  • the interattached double length filter element and tobacco rod lengths are severed at the mid-point of the double length filter element to produce two filter tipped cigarettes.
  • cigarette making machines have been able to produce up to about 10,000 cigarettes (tobacco rods) per minute. Recently, however cigarette making machine manufacturers have been able to provide machines which can produce about 14,000 cigarettes per minute (c.p.m.) and there are expectations of machines which will be able to provide 16,000 and possibly 20,000 c.p.m. These machines run at incredibly fast speeds to produce such high output.
  • EP 0 426 069 A2 describes an apparatus designed to split the output of a filter tip attaching machine into two streams of filter tipped cigarettes and feed each separate stream of cigarettes to one of a pair of perforating discs operable to provide the cigarettes with ventilation perforations, each stream of cigarettes being provided with the same level of ventilation.
  • This apparatus is designed to overcome technical problems experienced when perforating discs such as those described in JP 63-139375 are run at the speed that the making machines produce the filter tipped cigarettes.
  • the present invention seeks to provide a solution to this problem whereby a high cigarette production rate can be achieved whilst keeping the number of brand changeovers, when running a particular tobacco blend, to a minimum.
  • the present invention provides cigarette making apparatus comprising a cigarette making machine, said making machine being provided with means to divide the output of said machine, thereby to supply tobacco rods to at least two further machines, wherein the further machines comprise at least one or more filter tip assembly machines.
  • the term 'high speed' defines a machine, such as a cigarette making machine, capable of producing an output of tobacco rods, for example, of at least 9,000 cigarettes per minute.
  • the output of the machine may be as high as about 14,000 cigarettes per minute and may even be as high as about 20,000 cigarettes per minute.
  • the phrase 'cigarettes per minute' means lengths of tobacco rod, i.e. tobacco filler wrapped in a wrapper material, which may also be known as plain cigarettes.
  • the term 'low speed' defines a machine capable of handling, for example, at least 4,000 cigarettes per minute.
  • the machine may be capable of handling at least about 7,000 cigarettes per minute.
  • the cigarette making machine is a high speed cigarette making machine.
  • the cigarette making machine has an output of at least 9,000 cigarettes per minute, and more advantageously, at least about 14,000 cigarettes per minute, a Protos 100 cigarette maker, for example, or a GD 1-2-1 cigarette maker.
  • the cigarette making machine may be a single rod maker or a twin rod maker.
  • all of the further machines are filter tip assembling machines, although this is not essential.
  • these machines are capable of handling at least 4,000 cigarettes per minute, such as the Hauni Max 100S filter tip assembling machines.
  • the further machines have an output lower than the cigarette making machine.
  • the output of each machine is half that of the output of the cigarette making machine. If three further machines are used, suitably the output of each machine is one third that of the output of the cigarette making machine.
  • one or more of the further machines may be provided with a laser perforator for perforating the tipping wrapper to the required degree of ventilation for a particular brand.
  • the further machines which are filter tip assembling machines may be provided with pre-printed tipping paper which negates the need for printing onto the tipping paper on the filter tip assembling machine itself.
  • pre-printed tipping paper which negates the need for printing onto the tipping paper on the filter tip assembling machine itself.
  • the print head for the cigarette paper is advantageously adapted for use according to the present invention.
  • the filter elements supplied to the filter tip assembling machines have the specification appropriate for a particular cigarette brand.
  • the specification of filter elements provided to each of the further machines may suitably be different.
  • the pressure drop of the filter elements supplied to each machine may be different or the filter elements provided to one or more of the further filter assembling machines may be grooved at the circumference thereof.
  • the output of the making machine may be run into a buffer store, which then feeds the further machines at a supply speed suited to their output.
  • the output speed of each of the further machines may be different.
  • Supply means may be provided for each further machine to supply cigarettes at the desired matched speed.
  • the further machines may comprise mouthpiece attaching machines, the mouthpiece being a device other than a filter element, for example, a flow impedance device or hollow tube.
  • the remaining output from the filter tip assembly machine may be fed to a store or to another machine for further treatment, such as printing of a brand name, or the like, or to a packing machine, for example.
  • Figure 1 shows a filter tipped cigarette making apparatus 1 comprising a GD twin rod cigarette making machine capable of supplying up to about 14,000 cigarettes per minute.
  • the cigarette paper 3 supplied to the making machine 2 from the supply bobbin 4 is of a double width.
  • the cigarette paper 3 passes a printing head (not shown), which head is provided with two print indicia of two different brand names.
  • the cigarette paper 3 is printed upon with the two different brand names and then passed by a cutter to divide the cigarette paper 3 longitudinally into two single widths, each suitable for wrapping around a tobacco column.
  • the output end of the cigarette making machine 2 is provided with means 5 to divide the output thereof.
  • the means 5 may be a spider modified to provide cut rod to two separate sources, or the means 5 may be two spiders arranged to accept cut rod from each rod line.
  • the output of the making machine 2 is thus divided to supply lines 6 and 7.
  • Supply line 6 supplies cut tobacco rods, the cigarette paper of which bears one brand name, to a Max 100S filter tip assembling machine 8 made by Korber A.G.
  • the Max 100S machine 8 is supplied with conventional non-printed tipping wrapper from a supply bobbin 9.
  • Supply line 7 supplies cut tobacco rod, the cigarette paper of which bears a different brand name from the cut tobacco rod supplied by supply line 6, to a further Max 100S filter tip assembling machine 10.
  • the Max 100S machine 10 is supplied with conventional non-printed wrapper from a supply bobbin 11.
  • the tipping wrapper supplied from supply bobbin 11 may be perforated, if desired, by a laser perforator 12.
  • Each of the filter tip assembling machines 8 and 10 operate to interattach the required filter element to a tobacco rod supplied from the same making machine 2 to provide tipped cigarettes of two different brands.
  • one of the supply lines may supply a hopper, should the brand to be produced be a plain cigarette.
  • the tipping paper supplied by supply bobbins 9 and 11 may be printed upon with further brand details. It is furthermore, to be understood that such printing may be effected on-line as the tipping wrapper is supplied from one of the supply bobbins to one of the filter tip assembling machines.
  • Figure 2 shows a filter tipped cigarette making apparatus 1 comprising a Protos 100 cigarette making machine 2 capable of supplying up to about 14,000 cigarettes per minute.
  • the cigarette making machine 2 is provided with means to divide the output of the making machine 2.
  • the means is a spider 3 such as described in US Patent Specification 4,051,947 which has been modified to divide the output of the making machine into two further supply lines 4 and 5.
  • Supply line 4 supplies cut tobacco rods to a Max 100S filter tip assembling machine 6 made by Korber A.G.
  • the Max 100S machine 6 is supplied with pre-printed paper tipping wrapper from a supply bobbin 7.
  • the supply bobbin has paper tipping wrapper printed with the insignia of the cigarette brand.
  • Supply line 5 supplies cut tobacco rods to a further Max 100S filter tip assembling machine 8.
  • the Max 100S machine 8 is supplied with pre-printed paper tipping wrapper from a supply bobbin 9.
  • the Max 100S machine 8 is also supplied with a laser perforator 10 which perforates the tipping wrapper supplied from supply bobbin 9.
  • the brand produced from the Max 100S machine 8 is a ventilated product.
  • Each of the filter tip assembling machines 6 and 8 operate to interattach the required filter element to a tobacco rod supplied by making machine 2 with the appropriate brand tipping wrapper to provide whole cigarettes. Both machines 6 and 8 can handle about 7,000 cigarettes per minute. Such an arrangement reduces the number of down times required for changing a cigarette making and filter tip assembly combination to a new cigarette brand.

Landscapes

  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Tobacco Products (AREA)
  • Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)

Claims (8)

  1. Anlage für die Herstellung von Cigaretten mit einer Cigarettenherstellmaschine (2), wobei die Herstellmaschine (2) mit Mitteln (5; 3) versehen ist, um den Ausstoß der Maschine zu teilen, wodurch mindestens zwei weitere Maschinen (8, 10; 6, 8) mit Tabaksträngen beliefert werden, wobei die weiteren Maschinen (8, 10; 6, 8) zumindest eine oder mehrere Filteransetzmaschinen aufweisen.
  2. Anlage für die Herstellung von Cigaretten nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Cigarettenherstellmaschine (2) eine Hochgeschwindigkeitscigarettenherstellmaschine ist.
  3. Anlage für die Herstellung von Cigaretten nach einem der Ansprüche 1 oder 2, wobei die weiteren Maschinen (8, 10; 6, 8) einen Ausstoß haben, der geringer als der der Cigarettenherstellmaschine (2) ist.
  4. Anlage für die Herstellung von Cigaretten nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei eine oder mehr der zumindest zwei weiteren Maschinen (8, 10; 6, 8) mit einer Laserperforationseinrichtung (12; 10) versehen ist.
  5. Anlage für die Herstellung von Cigaretten nach Anspruch 4, wobei die Specifikation der Filterelemente, die irgendeiner der genannten weiteren Maschinen (8, 10; 6, 8) zugeführt werden, von den Spezifikationen der Filterelemente, die einer anderen der genannten weiteren Maschinen (8, 10; 6, 8) zugeführt werden, verschieden ist.
  6. Anlage für die Herstellung von Cigaretten nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Ausstoß der Cigarettenherstellmaschine (2) in ein Pufferlager geleitet wird.
  7. Anlage für die Herstellung von Cigaretten nach Anspruch 6, wobei das Pufferlager die genannten weiteren Maschinen (8, 10; 6, 8) mit einer Versorgungsgeschwindigkeit beliefert, die an deren Ausstoß angepaßt ist.
  8. Anlage für die Herstellung von Cigaretten nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei die weiteren Maschinen (8, 10; 6, 8) Mundstück-Ansatzmaschinen aufweisen.
EP93304379A 1992-06-10 1993-06-04 Anlage für die Herstellung von Zigaretten Revoked EP0574205B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB929212323A GB9212323D0 (en) 1992-06-10 1992-06-10 Improvements relating to the manufacture of filter tipped cigarettes
GB9212323 1992-06-10
GB929219880A GB9219880D0 (en) 1992-09-19 1992-09-19 Improvements relating to the manufacture of cigarettes
GB9219880 1992-09-19

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0574205A1 EP0574205A1 (de) 1993-12-15
EP0574205B1 true EP0574205B1 (de) 1997-01-08

Family

ID=26301048

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93304379A Revoked EP0574205B1 (de) 1992-06-10 1993-06-04 Anlage für die Herstellung von Zigaretten

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0574205B1 (de)
AT (1) ATE147239T1 (de)
DE (1) DE69307191T2 (de)
DK (1) DK0574205T3 (de)
ES (1) ES2096209T3 (de)
GR (1) GR3022241T3 (de)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102004017324B4 (de) 2004-04-06 2009-10-22 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Filteransetzmaschine
JP6676857B2 (ja) * 2015-09-29 2020-04-08 ブリティッシュ アメリカン タバコ メキシコ， エス．エー． ディーイー シー．ヴィー．Ｂｒｉｔｉｓｈ Ａｍｅｒｉｃａｎ Ｔｏｂａｃｃｏ Ｍｅｘｉｃｏ， Ｓ．Ａ． Ｄｅ Ｃ．Ｖ． 異なる種類の喫煙品を製造するための方法
JP6554693B2 (ja) * 2015-09-29 2019-08-07 ブリティッシュ アメリカン タバコ メキシコ， エス．エー． ディーイー シー．ヴィー．Ｂｒｉｔｉｓｈ Ａｍｅｒｉｃａｎ Ｔｏｂａｃｃｏ Ｍｅｘｉｃｏ， Ｓ．Ａ． Ｄｅ Ｃ．Ｖ． チップペーパーウェブ

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1211001A (en) * 1966-11-25 1970-11-04 Molins Machine Co Ltd Improvements in article transfer devices
DE1960632A1 (de) * 1969-12-03 1971-06-16 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Behandeln von Zigaretten
GB1519777A (en) * 1974-11-27 1978-08-02 Molins Ltd Systems for making and packing cigarettes
IT1135247B (it) * 1980-02-02 1986-08-20 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Mezzi per integrare una scorta di bastoncini di filtri in un magazzino di una macchina dell'industria lavorante il tabacco
DE3335955A1 (de) * 1982-10-21 1984-04-26 Hauni-Werke Körber & Co KG, 2050 Hamburg Anordnung zum ergaenzen von vorraeten von stabfoermigen artikeln der tabakverarbeitenden industrie in magazinen von verarbeitungsmaschinen
JPH0753099B2 (ja) * 1989-10-31 1995-06-07 日本たばこ産業株式会社 棒状物品の穿孔装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69307191D1 (de) 1997-02-20
DE69307191T2 (de) 1997-05-07
ATE147239T1 (de) 1997-01-15
DK0574205T3 (da) 1997-06-16
ES2096209T3 (es) 1997-03-01
GR3022241T3 (en) 1997-04-30
EP0574205A1 (de) 1993-12-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4727888A (en) Smoking articles
EP0118984B1 (de) Umhüllung für Rauchstränge
CA2746517C (en) Apparatus and method for combining components for smoking articles
US7578777B2 (en) Equipment for manufacturing composite filters
US20060027065A1 (en) Unit for feeding and cutting into lengths a strip of wrapping material
JP2008503231A (ja) 複合タバコフィルタの製造装置及び方法
JP2006187288A (ja) フィルタープラグ、もしくはフィルターシガレットの製造
CA2032911C (en) Cigarette paper
US20040200486A1 (en) Method for combining smoking article components
EP0574205B1 (de) Anlage für die Herstellung von Zigaretten
GB1576212A (en) Apparatus for feeding wrapper material
GB1590696A (en) Apparatus for perforating the wrappings of rod-like smokeable articles
US4648409A (en) Paper web feed device in a cigarette production machine
KR200474002Y1 (ko) 팁페이퍼 및 그의 제조 장치
GB2259847A (en) Filter cigarette manufacture
JP2006254911A (ja) フィルターシガレットを製造するための方法
EP1791446B1 (de) Verfahren und maschine zur herstellung von filterzigaretten
GB2159386A (en) Cigarette manufacture
US20050000527A1 (en) Rotating printing unit for a machine of the tobacco processing industry
JPH0777551B2 (ja) 連続した流れの紙巻煙草を生産する方法
JP2006129806A (ja) フィルタロッドの製造機
JP2006191815A (ja) 喫煙物品の製造方法及び該方法に用いる装置
GB2170692A (en) Making cigarette rod comprising wrapper, filler and an axial pre-formed rod
CN110022701A (zh) 在烟草业棒状元件制造机中将连续条送入连续纤维带的送料装置以及棒状元件制造机
JPS62166874A (ja) フィルタ付きシガレット及びその製造機

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19930612

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19950424

GRAG Despatch of communication of intention to grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

ITF It: translation for a ep patent filed

Owner name: BARZANO' E ZANARDO MILANO S.P.A.

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 147239

Country of ref document: AT

Date of ref document: 19970115

Kind code of ref document: T

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: NV

Representative=s name: KIRKER & CIE SA

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: EP

ET Fr: translation filed
REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 69307191

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19970220

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: FG2A

Ref document number: 2096209

Country of ref document: ES

Kind code of ref document: T3

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: FG4D

Free format text: 71424

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GR

Ref legal event code: FG4A

Free format text: 3022241

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DK

Ref legal event code: T3

PLBQ Unpublished change to opponent data

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS OPPO

PLBI Opposition filed

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009260

PLBF Reply of patent proprietor to notice(s) of opposition

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS OBSO

26 Opposition filed

Opponent name: H.F. & PH.F. REEMTSMA GMBH & CO

Effective date: 19971007

NLR1 Nl: opposition has been filed with the epo

Opponent name: H.F. & PH.F. REEMTSMA GMBH & CO

PLBF Reply of patent proprietor to notice(s) of opposition

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS OBSO

RAP2 Party data changed (patent owner data changed or rights of a patent transferred)

Owner name: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 19990506

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DK

Payment date: 19990511

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: AT

Payment date: 19990512

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SE

Payment date: 19990517

Year of fee payment: 7

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 19990517

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: MC

Payment date: 19990518

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CH

Payment date: 19990519

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: PT

Payment date: 19990520

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IE

Payment date: 19990525

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 19990526

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Payment date: 19990531

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Payment date: 19990604

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BE

Payment date: 19990607

Year of fee payment: 7

RAP4 Party data changed (patent owner data changed or rights of a patent transferred)

Owner name: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LU

Payment date: 19990617

Year of fee payment: 7

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GR

Payment date: 19990621

Year of fee payment: 7

NLT2 Nl: modifications (of names), taken from the european patent patent bulletin

Owner name: BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED

RDAH Patent revoked

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS REVO

RDAG Patent revoked

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009271

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: PATENT REVOKED

27W Patent revoked

Effective date: 20000415

GBPR Gb: patent revoked under art. 102 of the ep convention designating the uk as contracting state

Free format text: 20000415

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

NLR2 Nl: decision of opposition
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: PT

Ref legal event code: MF4A

Effective date: 20000830

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: MM4A