R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Brent Walker Carter

John Larkin Nelson

Vernon Brent Barnes

Louis John Read, Jr

Rebecca Anne Rogers

Balager Ademe

Timothy Frederick Thomas

William Robert Collett

Robert William Benford

Calvin Wayne Henderson

Travis Eugene Howard

Gary Lee Wood

Darrell Thomas Dixon

Hung Phan

Larry McCann

Franklin Forrest Brantley

Forrest W Bowling

Raymond A Gardea, Ii

Tim Goodman

Greg Williams

Gregory J Roberts

Martin D Covington, Jr

Larry Dean McCann

Filter rods for use in the manufacture of cigarette filter elements are provided, with each rod having a longitudinal axis and incorporating a generally longitudinally extending filter material and a generally longitudinally extending strand within that filter material. A filter making unit receives a continuous supply of a filter material, and forms the filter material into a gathered composite having a continuous cylindrical shape. A continuous supply of a strand (e.g., colored thread) is provided and is introduced into the filter material gathered composite in the tongue of the filter making unit. The filter material and continuous strand positioned therein are formed into a continuous rod having the strand material laterally positioned within that rod, and the continuous rod is subdivided at pre-determined longitudinal intervals to provide a plurality of rod portions.

Equipment and associated method for insertion of material into cigarette filters

In a supplying system using containers for supplying groups of filter elements to smoking article assembling equipment, each container has a unique source of information that travels with the container. An unloader receives and unloads the containers. An automated data reader is proximate the unloader for reading the source of information for each container before it is unloaded. A computerized controller uses the information read by the automated data reader to obtain information from a database. The information from the database is compared to information from another source to verify that the proper filter elements are being supplied. The computerized controller allows, or instructs, the unloader to unload correctly supplied filter elements, and stops the unloader from unloading incorrectly supplied filter elements.

Verification systems for filter elements of smoking articles, and associated methods

Method for insertion of material into cigarette filters

An apparatus for customizing a cigarette package is provided, wherein the cigarette package is configured to receive a plurality of as-formed cigarettes therein. Such an apparatus comprises a feeder unit configured to feed one of a plurality of cigarette packages to a register position. An imprinting unit is configured to interact with the cigarette package in the register position so as to imprint at least one of an alphanumeric character and a graphical character thereon. An associated method is also provided.

Method and apparatus for customizing cigarette packages

A system and associated method for analyzing a filter element of at least one of a filter rod and a smoking article is provided. At least one sensor element is adapted to interact with the filter element so as to determine an object insertion status with respect thereto and to generate an output signal in response. The object insertion status includes at least one of an object presence within the filter element, an object absence from the filter element, a proper insertion of an object into the filter element, a defective insertion of an object into the filter element, a proper object within the filter element, and a defective object within the filter element. An analysis unit is in communication with the at least one sensor element and responsive to the output signal therefrom to generate an indicia corresponding to the object insertion status.

System for analyzing a filter element associated with a smoking article, and associated method

An apparatus for customizing an as-formed cigarette is provided, wherein the as-formed cigarette has a cylindrical rod configuration defining a longitudinal axis, and includes a filter rod portion and a contiguous tobacco rod portion. Such an apparatus comprises a feeder unit configured to feed an as-formed cigarette, from a plurality of as-formed cigarettes, to a register position. An imprinting unit is configured to interact with the as-formed cigarette in the register position so as to imprint at least one of an alphanumeric character and a graphical character thereon. An associated method is also provided.

Cigarette customization apparatus and associated method

A network bridge between a DEC Ethernet network using LAT protocol and an Allen-Bradley Data Highway/Data Highway Plus (DH/DH+) network eliminates the need to use a DEC terminal server and Allen-Bradley KE/KF2 interface with their low data rates. A terminal server emulator is electrically connected to the DEC Ethernet network for stripping the LAT protocol from the DEC Ethernet network and provide DF1 formatted data. A converter module is electrically connected between the terminal server emulator and the DH/DH+ network for converting the DF1 data into DH/DH+ protocol data and for transmitting this data to the DH/DH+ network. The converter also converts data using DH/DH+ protocol which is received from the DH/DH+ network into DF1 data and transmits this data to the terminal server emulating means. The terminal server emulating means then places the DF1 formatted data into LAT packets and transmits the LAT packets to the Ethernet network. The terminal server preferably includes a commercially available LAT engine. The terminal server emulator and the converter preferably run on a general purpose microcomputer which includes an Ethernet interface board and an Allen-Bradley interface board.

Network bridge method and apparatus

Growing community of inventors

High Point, NC, United States of America

Brent Walker Carter