Philip Morris Products S.a.

Christopher John Grant

Oleg Mironov

Pierre-Yves Gindrat

Andrea Carraro

Gerard Zuber

Daniele Sanna

Judith Waller

Alexis Louvet

Ana Carolina Borges De Couraca

Gianluca Sechi

Niki Meloncelli

An inhaler article includes a body extending along a longitudinal axis from a mouthpiece end to a distal end and a capsule cavity defined within the body. A mouthpiece air channel extends from the capsule cavity to the mouthpiece end. An end cap is disposed within the distal end and extends to the capsule cavity. The end cap extends from an end cap distal end to an end cap inner end. The end cap includes an air channel extending from the end cap distal end to the end cap inner end. The air channel is non-parallel with the longitudinal axis.

Inhaler with swirl end plug

The method for intermediately storing double-length substantially cylindrical semi-finished products comprises the step of providing a tipping apparatus and forming double-length substantially cylindrical semi-finished products in the tipping apparatus. The method further comprises the steps of providing a cutting device and cutting the double-length semi-finished product into single products with the cutting device and providing a packer and packing single products in the packer. The method yet further comprises the steps of transporting the double-length semi-finished products from the tipping apparatus to the cutting device and transporting the single products from the cutting device to the packer, and intermediately buffering double-length substantially cylindrical semi-finished products in a buffer arranged between the tipping apparatus and the cutting device.

Method and apparatus for intermediately storing double-length semi-finished products

The present invention relates to a multicomponent aerosol-forming article defining a longitudinal axis, the article comprising: &#x2014;a first rod-shaped component comprising a first longitudinal surface having a first and a second axially opposed ends, said first longitudinal surface being at least partially wrapped around the longitudinal axis in a first wrapping sheet; &#x2014;a second rod-shaped component comprising a second longitudinal surface having a first and a second axially opposed ends, said second longitudinal surface being at least partially wrapped around the longitudinal axis in a second wrapping sheet, the first end of the second component being in direct abutment to the second end of the first component along said longitudinal axis; &#x2014;wherein a portion of said second longitudinal surface at said first end of said second component is free of said second wrapping sheet; and&#x2014;wherein said first wrapping sheet is wrapped for at least an overlapping length along the longitudinal axis on the second wrapping sheet.

Multicomponent aerosol-forming article

The method and apparatus for manufacturing aerosol-generating semi-finished products comprise the steps of combining substantially cylindrical segments along a longitudinal first motion path. The following steps are performed along the first motion path: feeding a stream of at least three different segments along the first motion path, thereby arranging the at least three segments in alternating order, wrapping the stream of at least three segments in a sheet material to form an endless rod of segments, and cutting the endless rod of segments, thereby separating the endless rod of segments into wrapped segment rods. The method also comprises the step of processing wrapped segment rods along a second motion path, wherein the following step is performed along the second motion path: receiving the wrapped segment rods in flutes of a fluted receiving drum, wherein an end of the first motion path is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the flutes of the fluted receiving drum.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing aerosol-generating semi-finished products

A smoking article is provided, including a combustible heat source having opposed front and rear end faces; an aerosol-forming substrate having opposed front and rear end faces, wherein the front end face of the aerosol-forming substrate is downstream of the rear end face of the combustible heat source; and a non-combustible holder configured to hold the combustible heat source. The holder includes a barrier between the rear end face of the combustible heat source and the front end face of the aerosol-forming substrate, and a plurality of first retention fingers connected to the barrier. The first retention fingers extend from the barrier along the exterior of the combustible heat source.

Smoking article comprising a combustible heat source and holder and method of manufacture thereof

A method for combining segments of a smoking article, comprises the steps of: &#x2014;providing a group of segments having a heat source () and an aerosol-forming substrate () the aerosol-forming substrate () being arranged such that a remote end () thereof faces away from the heat source () while a near end () thereof abuts the heat source (), &#x2014;feeding an airflow directing truncated hollow cone () having a widest end () and a truncated narrowest end () such that the truncated narrowest end () is arranged to face the remote end () of the aerosol-forming substrate (), and &#x2014;moving the truncated hollow cone () towards the remote end () of the aerosol-forming substrate () to abut the remote end () thereof or to extend into an indentation () in the remote end () thereof.

Method for combining segments of a smoking article and combiner for combining such segments

A method and apparatus are provided for manufacturing multi-component segments for smoking articles, each having a removable wrap. The method includes feeding a stream of heat sources and aerosol-forming substrates along a moving delivery path; compacting into groups at least one heat source and an aerosol-forming substrate, each group corresponding to at least one multi-segment component, each multi-segment component having a first end adjacent the heat source and a second end adjacent the aerosol-forming substrate; wrapping the heat sources and aerosol-forming substrates in a web of material, said web having spaced apart lines of weakness; aligning each line of weakness proximate to a respective heat source; and cutting said web at a position proximate to the first end of the at least one multi-segment component, wherein at least a portion of said web forms a removable wrap being removable by breaking the wrapper at the respective line of weakness.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing smoking article components having a removable wrap

A smoking article is formed from two component parts. These parts are a rod comprising an aerosol-forming substrate and a removable cap. The removable cap can be coupled to the rod in two configurations. In a first configuration, the removable cap is coupled to a first end of the rod and a heat source located at or near a second end of the rod heats the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an inhalable aerosol. In a second configuration, the removable cap is coupled to the second end of the rod and at least substantially covers the heat source. The smoking article is arranged in the second configuration for disposal.

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Neuchatel, Switzerland

Christopher John Grant