WO2019150104A1

WO2019150104A1 - Apparatus for manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material and method of manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material

Info

Publication number: WO2019150104A1
Application number: PCT/GB2019/050254
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gary Fallon; John Richardson; Karl Kaljura
Original assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
Priority date: 2018-01-30
Filing date: 2019-01-30
Publication date: 2019-08-08
Also published as: GB201801516D0

Abstract

Apparatus for manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material is disclosed. The apparatus has a suction belt (11) for conveying aerosolisable material (4, 5). The suction belt has suction holes (16) to retain aerosolisable material on the suction belt, and the apparatus is arranged such that the suction belt receives aerosolisable material at a first region (17) and at a second region (18), the second region being downstream of the first region. The apparatus also has a profile belt (19) arranged to overlap the suction belt (11) in the first region (17). The profile belt is configured to block some of the suction holes in the suction belt such that the aerosolisable material is retained on the suction belt in a profile. The apparatus also has a trimmer (38) arranged to trim the aerosolisable material on the suction belt. The trimmer is disposed between the first region and the second region.

Description

Apparatus for Manufacturing a Rod of Aerosolisable Material and Method of Manufacturing a Rod of Aerosolisable Material

Field

The present invention relates to apparatus for use in manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material, for example a tobacco rod for a tobacco industry product, and to a method of manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material.

Background

Known apparatus for manufacturing a tobacco rod includes a suction conveyor that draws tobacco material from a vertical tobacco feeder onto a moving suction belt. The tobacco material is entrained on the suction belt and then transferred to a garniture for wrapping with a paper wrap to form a wrapped tobacco rod. Summary

According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus for manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material, the apparatus comprising:

a suction belt for conveying aerosolisable material, the suction belt comprising suction holes to retain aerosolisable material on the suction belt, and wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the suction belt receives aerosolisable material at a first region and at a second region, the second region being downstream of the first region; a profile belt arranged to overlap the suction belt in the first region, the profile belt being configured to block some of the suction holes in the suction belt such that said aerosolisable material is retained on the suction belt in a profile; and,

a trimmer arranged to trim said aerosolisable material on the suction belt, the trimmer being disposed between the first region and the second region.

In some examples, a first aerosolisable material is provided to the suction belt in the first region, and a second aerosolisable material is provided to the suction belt in the second region. In this way, a combined stream of first and second aerosolisable materials is created on the suction belt. In this example, the first aerosolisable material is formed into a profile, and the second aerosolisable material fills in the spaces in the profile of first aerosolisable material. The apparatus may further comprise a second trimmer arranged to trim said aerosolisable material on the suction belt downstream of the second region. The trimmer and/or the second trimmer may comprise an ecreteur. The ecreteur may have a pair of counter-rotating disks arranged to trim the aerosolisable material on the suction belt.

The suction belt may be arranged to retain said aerosolisable material on an underside of the suction belt.

The apparatus may further comprise a first feeder arranged to feed aerosolisable material onto the suction belt in the first region. The first feeder may be a vertical feeder. Alternatively or additionally, the apparatus may further comprise a second feeder arranged to feed aerosolisable material onto the suction belt in the second region. The second feeder maybe a vertical feeder. In examples, the first and/or second feeder is disposed below the suction belt.

The apparatus may further comprise rollers, and the suction belt may be arranged to run on the rollers such that the suction belt has an upper run and a lower run. The profile belt may be disposed between the upper run and the lower run of the suction belt.

In one example, the apparatus comprises first, second and third rollers, the third roller being disposed between the first roller and the second roller. The suction belt is arranged to run on the first roller and the second roller, and the profile belt is arranged to run on the first roller and the third roller such that the profile belt overlaps the suction belt between the first roller and the third roller.

In another example, the apparatus further comprises first, second, third and fourth rollers. The third and fourth rollers are disposed between the first and second rollers. The suction belt is arranged to run on the first and second rollers and the profile belt is arranged to run on the third and fourth rollers.

In various examples, the profile belt may comprise a plurality of suction regions and a plurality of blocking regions arranged along the length of the profile belt. The blocking regions are adapted to block the corresponding suction holes in the suction belt, and the suction regions permit suction to act through the corresponding suction holes in the suction belt. In some examples, each suction region comprises a plurality of suction holes.

Alternatively, each suction region comprises a single aperture. In other examples, the profile belt further comprises connecting suction regions disposed between the suction regions. Each of the connecting suction regions may be smaller than the suction regions such that less aerosolisable material is retained on the suction belt in each connecting suction region than in each suction region. In some examples, each connecting suction region comprises a plurality of suction holes. Alternatively, each connecting suction region comprises a single aperture.

In other examples, the profile belt has a higher porosity in the suction regions than in the blocking regions. For examples, the material of the profile belt may have a higher porosity in the suction regions than in the blocking regions.

In other examples, the suction belt has a first width and the profile belt has a second width, and wherein the second width is less than the first width. In this way, the profile belt does not overlap the full width of the suction belt, leaving some suction holes unblocked.

The apparatus may further comprise a garniture arranged to receive said aerosolisable material from the suction belt. The garniture maybe adapted to wrap a ribbon of paper about the aerosolisable material to form a continuous rod of aerosolisable material.

In addition, the apparatus may further comprise a cutter adapted to cut the continuous rod of aerosolisable material.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a method of manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material, the method comprising:

applying suction to a suction belt having suction holes to retain aerosolisable material on the suction belt in a first region and in a second region, the second region being downstream of the first region;

blocking some suction holes of the suction belt in the first region such that the aerosolisable material is retained on the suction belt in a profile; and, trimming the aerosolisable material on the suction belt between the first region and the second region.

The method may further comprise transferring the aerosolisable material to a garniture. The method may further comprise wrapping the aerosolisable material in a ribbon of paper to form a continuous rod of aerosolisable material. The method may further comprise cutting the continuous rod of aerosolisable material.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a tobacco industry product, the method comprising manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material according to the method described above, and further comprising combining the rod of aerosolisable material with a further component.

The method may comprise retaining a first aerosolisable material on the suction belt in a first region and retaining a second aerosolisable material on the suction belt in a second region.

The tobacco industry product may be a cigarette. The aerosolisable material may be a tobacco material.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which:

FIGS. lA to lD show examples of tobacco industiy products that include two different types of tobacco;

FIGS. 2A and 2B show examples of wrapped tobacco rods having two different types of tobacco, the wrapped tobacco rods being formed during the manufacture of the tobacco industry products of FIGS. lAto lD;

FIG. 3 shows a part of apparatus for manufacturing the example wrapped tobacco rods of FIGS. 2A and 2B;

FIG. 4 shows a part of an alternative apparatus for manufacturing the example wrapped tobacco rods of FIGS. 2A and 2B;

FIGS. 5A to 5D show different examples of the profile belt of the apparatus of FIG. 3 or FIG. 4; and,

FIG. 6 shows the suction belt of the apparatus of FIG. 3 or FIG. 4. Detailed Description

FIGS. lA to lD show different examples of tobacco industry products 1. The tobacco industry 1 products include a rod of aerosolisable material that, during use, generates an aerosol for delivery to a user. In the described embodiments, the tobacco industry products are cigarettes, and the rod of aerosolisable material is a tobacco rod 3 that can be combusted or heated to generate an aerosol.

As illustrated, each of the tobacco industry products 1 includes a filter 2 and a tobacco rod 3. The filter 2 may comprise a filtering material and a wrapper, and the tobacco rod

3 comprises tobacco material and a paper wrapper. The filter 2 and the tobacco rod 3 may be joined together by a joining wrapper that circumscribes and at least partially overlaps the filter 2 and the tobacco rod 3. For clarity, these details are omitted from FIGS. lA to lD, which schematically illustrate the arrangement of first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 in the tobacco rod 3.

As illustrated, in these examples the tobacco rods 3 include a first tobacco material 4 and a second tobacco material 5. The first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 are different. The first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 are arranged in distinct areas of the tobacco rod 3, such that a boundary is formed between the first tobacco material 4 and the second tobacco material 5 in the tobacco rod 3, as illustrated.

In the example of FIG. lA, the first tobacco material 4 extends from the end of the tobacco rod 3 adjacent to the filter 2, and the second tobacco material 5 extends from the open end 6 of the tobacco rod 3. The boundary between the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 is angled with respect to the axial direction of the tobacco industry product 1 so that, while using the tobacco industry product 1, there is a gradual transition from the second tobacco material 5 to the first tobacco material 4. The example of FIG. lB is similar to that of FIG. lA, although the first tobacco material

4 extends alongside the second tobacco material 5 to the open end 6 of the tobacco rod 3. In this example, the first tobacco material 4 extends from the filter 2 to the open end 6 of the tobacco rod 3, and overlaps the second tobacco material 5 along a part of the length of the tobacco rod 3. The examples of FIGS. lC and lD are similar to those of FIGS. lA and lB, but the first tobacco material 4 and the second tobacco material 5 are oppositely arranged with respect to the filter 2 and the open end 6 of the tobacco rod 3. In these examples, the second tobacco material 5 is located at the end of the tobacco rod 3 abutting the filter 2, and the first tobacco material 4 is extends to the open end 6 of the tobacco rod 3.

In other examples, the boundary between the first tobacco material 4 and second tobacco material 5 maybe a line that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tobacco industry product 1 at a location along the length of the tobacco rod 3.

During manufacture of the tobacco industry products 1 a continuous wrapped tobacco rod is formed by wrapping a wrapper about a stream of tobacco material. The stream of tobacco material is formed of first tobacco material 4 and second tobacco material 5 arranged in the appropriate manner for forming the tobacco rods 3. The continuous wrapped tobacco rod is subsequently cut into tobacco rods for the individual tobacco industry products 1 shown in FIGS. lAto lD.

FIG. 2A shows an example continuous wrapped rod of aerosolisable material, for example a continuous tobacco industry rod 7. The continuous tobacco industry rod 7 is formed during the manufacture of the tobacco industry products 1 of FIGS. lA and lC.

FIG. 2B shows an example continuous wrapped rod of aerosolisable material, for example a continuous tobacco industry rod 7. The continuous tobacco industry rod 7 is formed during the manufacture of the tobacco industry products 1 of FIGS. lB and lD.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic drawings showing the arrangement of the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 along the length of the continuous tobacco rods 7, and the lengths and widths illustrated are not dimensionally representative of the actual continuous tobacco rod 7. In particular, the length dimension is compressed and the width dimension is exaggerated to provide a clear illustration of the arrangement of the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 along the continuous tobacco rod 7.

As shown, the first tobacco material 4 and second tobacco material 5 are arranged in an alternating pattern along the continuous tobacco rods 7. In particular, the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 are arranged such that it can be cut at regular intervals to form the tobacco rods 3 for the tobacco industry products 1 of FIGS. lA to lD. The first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 are arranged such that after the continuous tobacco rod 7 is cut at lines 8 the individual tobacco rods are arranged in an opposing back-to- back manner (i.e. they are mirror-images of each other about the cut line). Cigarette assembly apparatus can then attach the filters 2 in the manner shown in FIGS. lAto lD.

Apparatus for manufacturing the tobacco industry products 1, in particular the tobacco rods 3, is described hereinafter. However, it will be appreciated that the apparatus may be used to manufacture tobacco industry products that include a rod of aerosolisable material that is free from tobacco material, or that includes a material in addition to tobacco material.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are schematic views of example apparatuses 9 for manufacturing a continuous rod of aerosolisable material, for example the continuous tobacco rod 7 of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the apparatus includes a suction conveyor 10 that includes a suction belt 11. The suction belt 11 is arranged to run on rollers 12, 13 such that it has an upper run 14 and a lower run 15, the lower run 15 moving to the left as illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The lower run 15 of the suction belt 11 receives tobacco material 4, 5 and conveys the tobacco material 4, 5.

The suction belt 11 includes suction holes 16 that draw tobacco material 4, 5 onto the suction belt 11 and retain tobacco material 4, 5 on the suction belt 11 for conveyance. Guides may be provided to guide the tobacco material 4, 5 along the suction conveyor 10 as the suction belt 11 moves.

The suction belt 11 is illustrated in FIG. 6. As shown, the suction holes 16 are arranged in a continuous pattern along the suction belt 11. As explained below, suction is applied through the suction holes 16 in the suction belt 11 to retain tobacco material 4, 5 on the suction belt 11 during use. The suction holes 16 are sized such that the tobacco material 4, 5 is retained on the underside of the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11 by the suction.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the suction belt 11 receives a first tobacco material 4 in a first region 17, and a second tobacco material 5 in a second region 18. The second region 18 is downstream of the first region 17. That is, the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11 pass through the second region 18 after having passed through the first region 17. In this way, the suction belt 11 is provided with a combined stream of first and second tobacco materials 4, 5.

In various examples, described below, the first tobacco material 4 is formed into a profile on the suction belt 11 before the second tobacco material 5 is added to the suction belt 11, such that the combined stream of first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 are arranged in a profile for manufacturing a continuous tobacco rod, such as the continuous tobacco rod 7 illustrated in FIG. 2A or 2B. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a profile belt 19 is arranged to overlap a part of the suction belt 11. The profile belt 19 is disposed between the upper and lower runs 14, 15 of the suction belt 11, and has a lower run 20 that is in contact with a part of the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11. Specifically, the profile belt 19 overlaps the suction belt 11 in the first region 17, where the first tobacco material 4 is received on the suction belt 11.

In the example of FIG. 3, the profile belt 19 runs on roller 12 and roller 21. Both the suction belt 11 and the profile belt 19 run on roller 12 (with the suction belt 11 outermost), and roller 21 is located between the upper and lower runs 14, 15 of the suction belt 11.

In the example of FIG. 4, the profile belt 19 runs on roller 36 and roller 37, which are separate to rollers 12 and 13. Rollers 36, 37 are disposed between the upper and lower runs 14, 15 of the suction belt 11.

In the examples of FIGS. 3 and 4, the profile belt 19 is disposed such that a lower run 20 of the profile belt 19 contacts the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11 and overlaps the suction belt 11 in the first region 17. The profile belt 19 has suction regions 22 arranged in a profile along the profile belt 19. Blocking regions 47 are disposed between the suction regions 22. Different examples of the profile belt 19 are illustrated in FIGS. 5A to 5D. As explained further below, the suction regions 22 and blocking regions 47 are arranged to limit the suction provided to the suction holes 16 on the suction belt 11. In particular, the blocking regions 47 of the profile belt 19 blocks at least some of the suction holes 16 to prevent first tobacco material 4 being retained by those suction holes 16, and the suction regions 22 do not block other suction holes 16 such that first tobacco material 4 is retained by those suction holes 16. In this way, a profile of first tobacco material 4 is provided on the suction belt 11 according to profile of suction regions 22 and blocking regions 47 in the profile belt 19.

In the example of FIG. 5A, a plurality of suction regions 22 are spaced along the length of the profile belt 19. Each suction region 22 comprises a plurality of suction holes 23. Suction holes 16 on the suction belt 11 that are aligned with, or at least partially aligned with, the spaced suction regions 22 on the profile belt 19 will be provided with suction in the first region 17 during use, while the suction holes 16 on the suction belt 11 that are aligned with the blocking regions 47 during use will be blocked, preventing suction from acting through these suction holes 16. In this way, first tobacco material 4 is only retained on the suction belt 11 in the profile of the suction regions 22 on the profile belt 11.

In the example of FIG. 5B, the profile belt 19 includes a plurality of suction regions 22 spaced along the length of the profile belt 19, as per FIG. 5A. Each suction region 22 comprises a plurality of suction holes 23. In this example, the suction belt 19 includes connecting suction regions 25 formed of one or more suction holes 26 disposed between the suction regions 22, in the blocking regions 47. In this way, a lesser amount of first tobacco material 4 is retained on the suction belt 11 in the areas corresponding to the connecting suction regions 25 than in the areas corresponding to the suction regions 22 formed by the spaced groups of suction holes 23 in the profile belt 19. The example profile belts 19 of FIGS. 5C and 5D are similar to those of FIGS. 5A and 5B, respectively, but each suction region 22 is formed of a single aperture 27 in the profile belt 19, rather than as a group of suction holes 23 as per FIGS. 5A and 5B. In the example of FIG. 5D the connecting suction regions 28, between each suction region 22, are formed of a single aperture in the profile belt 19, which are smaller than the apertures 27 forming the suction regions 22.

In an alternative example, the profile belt 19 may have a width that is less than the width of the suction belt 11. In this example, the profile belt 19 may not include any suction regions, or it may have suction regions like those described with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5D. In this way, in the first region 17 the profile belt 19 only blocks some of the suction holes 16 in the suction belt 16, allowing the non-blocked suction holes 16 to retain first tobacco material 4.

In an alternative example, the profile belt 19 has areas of higher porosity and areas of lower porosity. For example, the profile belt 19 may have suction regions corresponding to the suction regions 22 of FIGS. 5A to 5D formed by providing the profile belt 19 with a higher porosity in the suction regions 22 compared to a lower porosity in regions corresponding to the blocking regions 47. The variations in porosity of the profile belt 19 can be achieved by using different materials in different regions of the profile belt 19, or by changing the material of the profile belt 19, for example a thinner material or a looser weave of a woven material will provide a higher porosity. Alternatively or additionally, the profile belt 19 is formed of a laminate, and one of the layers of the laminate has varying porosity, varying thickness, or holes formed in it such that the porosity of the profile belt 19 is higher in the suction regions 22 than in the blocking regions 47.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a first vertical feeder 29 is arranged to feed the first tobacco material 4 onto the suction belt 11 in the first region 17, and a second vertical feeder 30 is arranged to feed the second tobacco material 5 onto the suction belt 11 in the second region 18.

The first and second vertical feeders 29, 30 each have a vertical chimney 31 that receives first and second tobacco materials 4, 5, respectively. The tobacco material 4, 5 is fed into the bottom of the vertical chimney 31 and is urged upwards towards the suction conveyor 10. The first vertical feeder 29 is disposed beneath the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11 in the first region 17. The second vertical feeder 30 is disposed beneath the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11 in the second region 18, downstream of the first region 17. Optionally, air flow is induced within the vertical chimneys 31 of the first and/or second vertical feeders 29, 30 to urge the tobacco material 4, 5 vertically upwards towards the suction belt 11.

Suction is provided to the suction belt 11 by at least one suction chamber 32, which is connected to a vacuum pump via an outlet 33. The suction chamber 32 is located between the upper and lower runs 14, 15 of the suction belt 11. As illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, in some examples a second suction chamber 34 may be provided within the profile belt 19, to provide suction to the suction belt 11 in the first region 17. However, it will be appreciated that a single suction chamber may be arranged to provide suction to the full length of the suction belt 11, in the first and second regions 17, 18.

In the first region 17, suction acts through the suction holes 16 in the suction belt 11 and the suction regions 22 in the profile belt 19 to draw the first tobacco material 4 onto the underside of the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11 as the suction belt 11 passes over the first vertical feeder 29. Subsequently, as the suction belt 11 passes over the second vertical feeder 30 in the second region 18 suction acts through the suction holes 16 in the suction belt 11 to draw the second tobacco material 5 onto the underside of the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11. As briefly described above, the profile of suction regions 22 and blocking regions 47 in the profile belt 19 is adapted to block some of the suction holes 16 in the suction belt 11 in the first region 17. In this way, first tobacco material 4 is retained on the suction belt 11 only where the suction holes 16 are not blocked by the profile belt 19. Therefore, the profile of suction regions 22 on the profile belt 19 determines the profile of first tobacco material 4 retained on the suction belt 11.

As the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11 moves out of the first region 17, all of the suction holes 16 in the suction belt 11 are uncovered. As the suction belt 11 moves over the second vertical feeder 30, the second tobacco material 5 is drawn onto, and retained on, the suction belt 11. The second tobacco material 5 is retained on the suction belt 11 in areas where there is no, or less, first tobacco material 4. In this way, a combined stream of first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 is formed on the suction belt 11.

As shown in FIG. 3 and in FIG. 4, the first tobacco material 4 on the suction belt 11 may be trimmed by a first trimmer unit 38. The first trimmer 38 can include an ecreteur having a pair of counter-rotating blades 39 that are spaced from the suction belt 11 so that they trim the first tobacco material 4 to an appropriate thickness and/or shape. Alternatively or additionally, the first trimmer 38 can include a paddle wheel that rotates and knocks first tobacco material 4 off of the suction belt 11. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the first trimmer 38 is disposed between the first region 17 and the second region 18, i.e. downstream of the first region 17 and upstream of the second region 18, so that the first tobacco material 4 is trimmed to the appropriate thickness before the second tobacco material 5 is added to the suction belt 11. A recycling device 40 may be arranged to collect first tobacco material 4 that is trimmed by the first trimmer 38 and recycle it to the first vertical feeder 29.

In further examples, the combined stream of first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 on the suction belt 11 may be trimmed by a second trimmer 41. The second trimmer 41 can include an ecreteur having a pair of counter-rotating blades 42 that are spaced from the suction belt 11 so that they trim the first and/or second tobacco materials 4, 5 to an appropriate thickness. Alternatively or additionally, the second trimmer 41 can include a paddle wheel that rotates and knocks tobacco material 4, 5 off of the suction belt 11. Depending on the arrangement of the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 on the suction belt 11, one or both of the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 may be trimmed by the second trimmer 41. The second trimmer 41 is disposed downstream of the second region 18, i.e. after the second vertical feeder 30.

The second trimmer 41 may include a recycling device 43 arranged to collect tobacco material 4, 5 that is trimmed by the second trimmer 41. If only one type of the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 is trimmed from the suction belt 11, then that trimmed tobacco material 4, 5 can be recycled to the first or second vertical feeders 29, 30, as appropriate. If the trimmed tobacco is a mix of first and second tobacco materials 4, 5, then the trimmed tobacco material can be recycled for alternative uses, for example in different tobacco industiy products.

At the end of the suction conveyor 10 the combined stream of first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 is transferred to a garniture 44. As illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the suction conveyor 10 is angled at a downwards slope towards the garniture 44. The skilled person will be aware of suitable existing garnitures, but a brief description of the garniture 44 is provided below.

The garniture 44 comprises a continuous garniture belt 45 that drives a ribbon of paper 46 through the garniture 44. The garniture belt 45 is disposed below the ribbon of paper 46, and the combined stream of first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 is transferred from the suction conveyor 10 onto the ribbon of paper 46. In this way, the tobacco material 4, 5 is arranged on the ribbon of paper 46, which is moved through the garniture 44 by the garniture belt 45. At the end of the lower run 15 of the suction belt 11, where the garniture 44 is located, no suction is provided to the suction belt 11 such that the tobacco materials 4, 5 are released from the suction belt 11 for transfer to the garniture 44.

An adhesive applicator (not illustrated) applies adhesive to the top of the ribbon of paper 46 along one side. The garniture 44 includes a wrapping unit (not illustrated) through which the ribbon of paper 46 with the combined stream of first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 is conveyed. The wrapping unit wraps the ribbon of paper 46 about the tobacco materials 4, 5 and the adhesive glues the ribbon of paper 46 in place to form a continuous tobacco rod, for example a continuous tobacco rod 7 as illustrated in one of FIGS. 2A and 2B. The continuous tobacco rod 7 is then cut to the appropriate length for forming tobacco industry products, for example the tobacco industry products 1 shown in FIGS. lA to lD. In various examples, the continuous tobacco rod 7 is cut on the tobacco rod making machine and/or on subsequent assembly apparatus. In various examples, the continuous tobacco rod 7 can be cut into double-length rods, quadruple-length rods, and so on, and transferred to an assembly machine for further cutting and combining with a filter to produce complete tobacco industry products. In examples, this can be referred to as a‘two-up’ or‘four-up’ manufacturing process.

Advantageously, the suction conveyor 10 and the first and second vertical feeders 29, 30 can be produced by modification of conventional apparatuses already used in the tobacco product industry. For example, the Hauni Protos cigarette making machine includes a vertical feeder and suction conveyor arrangement, commonly known as a ‘V.E’. This machine can be modified to be used as the apparatus described with reference to the examples. For example, modification might include replacement of the suction belts, modification of the suction chambers, and/ or addition of trimmers.

As used herein, the term‘aerosolisable material’ includes materials that provide volatilised components upon heating, typically in the form of vapour or an aerosol. In some examples, as described above, the aerosolisable material includes a tobacco material. In other examples, the aerosolisable material consists of a tobacco material, or a blend of different tobacco materials. In other examples, the aerosolisable material is free from tobacco material. The apparatus described herein maybe used to manufacture a rod of any aerosolisable material.

In various examples, the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 are different tobacco materials. For example, the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 may have different types of tobacco leaf (e.g. hurley, oriental, Virginia), or different blends of these different types of tobacco leaf. Alternatively or additionally, the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 may have tobacco that is dried, cured or treated differently (e.g. flue-cured, air-cured etc.). Alternatively or additionally, the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 may have different additives. Additives may include, for example flavourants (e.g. menthol) in the form of granules or liquid additives, burn rate modifiers, smoke modifiers etc. Alternatively or additionally, the first and second tobacco materials 4, 5 may include tobacco substitutes, for example reconstituted tobacco materials, or blends of tobacco substitutes with tobacco materials.

A tobacco industry product refers to any item made in, or sold by the tobacco industry, typically including a) cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own cigarettes, (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes); b) non-smoking products incorporating tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes such as snuff, snus, hard tobacco, and heat-not-burn (HnB) products; and c) other nicotine-delivery systems such as inhalers, aerosol generation devices including e-cigarettes, lozenges and gum. This list is not intended to be exclusive, but merely illustrates a range of products which are made and sold in the tobacco industry. In one example, tobacco industry product is not a conventional cigarette.

As used herein, the term“tobacco industry product” is intended to include smoking articles comprising combustible smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own cigarettes, (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smokable material), electronic smoking articles such as e-cigarettes, heating devices that release compounds from substrate materials without burning such as tobacco heating products, hybrid systems to generate aerosol from a combination of substrate materials, for example hybrid systems containing a liquid or gel or solid substrate; and aerosol-free nicotine delivery articles such as lozenges, gums, patches, articles comprising breathable powders and smokeless tobacco products such as snus and snuff. In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product is a smoking article for combustion, selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo and a cigar. In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product is a non-combustible smoking article.

In one embodiment the tobacco industry product is a heating device which releases compounds by heating, but not burning, an aerosolisable substrate material. The aerosolisable substrate material may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment the heating device is a tobacco heating device. In one embodiment, the apparatus or method is used to manufacture a consumable for a heating device. In another embodiment the tobacco industry product is a hybrid system to generate aerosol by heating, but not burning, a combination of aerosolisable substrate materials. The aerosolisable substrate materials may comprise for example solid, liquid or gel which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel substrate and a solid substrate. The solid substrate may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel substrate and tobacco.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) maybe practiced and provide for superior apparatus for manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material, and a superior method of manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed features. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments maybe utilised and modifications maybe made without departing from the scope and/ or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.

Claims

Claims l. Apparatus for manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material, the apparatus comprising:

2. The apparatus of claim l, further comprising a second trimmer arranged to trim said aerosolisable material on the suction belt downstream of the second region.

3. The apparatus of claim l or claim 2, wherein the trimmer and/ or the second trimmer comprise an ecreteur.

4. The apparatus of any of claims l to 3, wherein the suction belt is arranged to retain said aerosolisable material on an underside of the suction belt.

5. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a first feeder arranged to feed aerosolisable material onto the suction belt in the first region.

6. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a second feeder arranged to feed aerosolisable material onto the suction belt in the second region.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the first and/ or second feeder is disposed below the suction belt.

8. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising rollers, and wherein the suction belt is arranged to run on the rollers such that the suction belt has an upper run and a lower run.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the profile belt is disposed between the upper run and the lower run of the suction belt.

10. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising first, second and third rollers, the third roller being disposed between the first roller and the second roller, and wherein the suction belt is arranged to run on the first roller and the second roller, and wherein the profile belt is arranged to run on the first roller and the third roller such that the profile belt overlaps the suction belt between the first roller and the third roller.

11. The apparatus of any of claims 1 to 9, further comprising first, second, third and fourth rollers, wherein the third and fourth rollers are disposed between the first and second rollers, and wherein the suction belt is arranged to run on the first and second rollers and wherein the profile belt is arranged to run on the third and fourth rollers.

12. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the profile belt comprises a plurality of suction regions and a plurality of blocking regions arranged along the length of the profile belt.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each suction region comprises a plurality of suction holes.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each suction region comprises a single aperture.

15. The apparatus of any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the profile belt further comprises connecting suction regions disposed between the suction regions, each of the connecting suction regions being smaller than the suction regions such that less aerosolisable material is retained on the suction belt in each connecting suction region than in each suction region.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each connecting suction region comprises a plurality of suction holes.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each connecting suction region comprises a single aperture.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 or claim 15, wherein the profile belt has a higher porosity in the suction regions than in the blocking regions.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the material of the profile belt has a higher porosity in the suction regions than in the blocking regions.

20. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the suction belt has a first width and the profile belt has a second width, and wherein the second width is less than the first width.

21. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a garniture arranged to receive said aerosolisable material from the suction belt.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the garniture is adapted to wrap a ribbon of paper about the aerosolisable material to form a continuous rod of aerosolisable material.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a cutter adapted to cut the continuous rod of aerosolisable material.

24. A method of manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material, the method comprising:

blocking some suction holes of the suction belt in the first region such that the aerosolisable material is retained on the suction belt in a profile; and,

trimming the aerosolisable material on the suction belt between the first region and the second region.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising transferring the aerosolisable material to a garniture.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising wrapping the aerosolisable material in a ribbon of paper to form a continuous rod of aerosolisable material.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising cutting the continuous rod of aerosolisable material.

28. A method of manufacturing a tobacco industry product, the method comprising manufacturing a rod of aerosolisable material according to the method of any of claims 24 to 27, and further comprising combining the rod of aerosolisable material with a further component.

29. The method of any of claims 24 to 28, wherein the method comprises retaining a first aerosolisable material on the suction belt in a first region and retaining a second aerosolisable material on the suction belt in a second region.

30. The method of claim 28 or claim 29, wherein the tobacco industry product is a cigarette.

31. The method of any of claims 24 to 30, wherein the aerosolisable material is a tobacco material.