Molins Plc

Thomas J. Lipton Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.

Glaxo Group Limited

3p Innovation Limited

Lipton, Division of Conopco, Inc.

Lipton, Inc.

Thomas J. Lipson Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.

Thomas William Bailey

Andrew John Cleall

James Goodwin

Geoffrey W Vernon

Robert Howard Taylor

Brian Hill

Michael J Cahill

David Robert Seaward

Paul Davis

Luigi Martini

Robert Glinecke

Steven D Finkelmeier

Ronnie Benditt

Nigel Brewerton

David Seaward

Paul Simmons

James R Stembridge

Stanley V Starkey

Simon Charles Martin

Andrew Cleall

Jeffrey J Patchett

John David Chandler

Graham Richard James

Jeremy Keith Baker

Roger Don Self

Michael Edkins

Raymond Herbert Scherzer

Harvey William Appelbe

There is described apparatus for filling a material into a receptacle, said apparatus comprising: (i) a material; (ii) a receptacle handling unit comprising a pair of axially aligned bushes for collecting a receptacle; and (iii) a bush pair handling system comprising: (a) a means for separating the receptacle into a receptacle body and a receptacle closure; (b) means for temporarily attaching and detaching the one or both of the bushes from the bush pair handling system; (c) means for transporting the receptacle body to the filling station and aligning the receptacle body with a filler nozzle at the filling station; (d) means for transporting the filled receptacle body from the filling station to a closure unit for refitting the receptacle closure; and e) means for segregating compliant receptacles from non-compliant receptacles.

Capsule filler

A mixing apparatus () for a syringe (), the mixing apparatus comprising a dock () configured to receive the syringe and having an agitation component actuator () integral to the dock configured for magnetically coupling to an agitation component () of a magnetic material located within a chamber of said syringe, and configured for manipulation of said agitation component within said chamber when coupled; wherein the actuator is in the form of a drum having a series of magnets attached thereto offset in relation to one another so as to manipulate said actuation component in a reciprocating motion upon rotation of the drum.

Drum agitation actuator having a series of offset magnets

A powder doser for accurately dispensing powder, for example a pharmaceutical substance, into a receptacle, the powder doser comprising a hopper with a tip having an aperture through which powder may flow, a closure to close the aperture and a vibration device configured to agitate the hopper, wherein a first portion of the hopper is formed of flexible material and a second portion proximate the tip is formed of substantially rigid material.

Powder doser

A method and apparatus for assembling a plurality of independently formed solid components is provided thereby forming a single delivery vehicle for a pharmaceutical or pharmaceutical-like product. The solid components can be held and fed to the apparatus via a plurality of magazines. Pusher rods and the like can be used for positioning each of the solid components. Where the components are connected via a bonding liquid, a sprayer is provided and compression pins or the like press the components with the bonding liquid together to form the final project. A rivet or other connection structure can also be used and driven through holes in each of the solid components to form the final product.

Machine and method for pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-like product assembly

A method and apparatus for assembling a plurality of independently formed solid components is provided thereby forming a single delivery vehicle for a pharmaceutical or pharmaceutical-like product. The solid components can be held and fed to the apparatus via a plurality of magazines. Pusher rods and the like can be used for positioning each of the solid components. Where the components are connected via a bonding liquid, a sprayer is provided and compression pins or the like press the components with the bonding liquid together to form the final product. A rivet or other connection structure can also be used and driven through holes in each of the solid components to form the final product.

There is provided a method of loading a container with a defined quantity of product comprising closing off a perforation in a perforated plate; directing powder into the closed-off perforation by the sweeping action of a first director blade spaced from said perforated plate; and transferring the contents of the perforation to said container. The method is characterized by relative rotary motion of the perforated plate and said first director blade. Suitable apparatus is also provided.

Method and apparatus for loading a container with a product

A method of manufacturing an infusion packagecomprising a porous-walled containerfor an infusible substance and a support for the container by means of which the container can be mounted on a rim of a drinking vessel. The method comprises (i) making cuts in at least one web of a semi-rigid material in a direction transverse to the web length to define a plurality of support memberseach cut defining a first endof one support member and a second endof an adjacent support member such that the first end includes a projectionand the second end includes a recessthe cutting of which recess produces the projection; (ii) bringing two such support members into opposed relationship with the first end of one of the support members disposed opposite the second end of the other of the support members; (iii) positioning an end region of the container between the opposed support members; and (iv) securing that end region to the support members.

Infusion packages and corresponding manufacturing methods

In a wrapping apparatus, particularly for enclosing articles consisting of or containing groups of cigarettes in wrapper material, the articles are received in a pocketed drum in which at least one overlapped region of the wrapper material is heat scaled. Preferably opposed side seams and an end flap of the wrapper are sealed, so as substantially to complete the enclosure of the article while on the drum. Side seal heaters carried by the drum may be mounted on respective annular carriers which are rotatably displaceable to remove the heaters from contact with the articles if the drum is stopped for an extended period. End seal heaters may be pivotally mounted on the drum and operated by a cam arrangement to fold an end flap of the wrapper into an overlapped position.

Apparatus for wrapping articles, particularly groups of cigarettes

An apparatus for processing packaging blanks includes an applying device, a first conveyor, and a second conveyor. The first conveyor conveys the blanks at a first velocity arranged to permit the application of an adhesive to the blanks by means of the device. The second conveyor is arranged to receive the blanks from the first conveyor and convey them at a second velocity which is greater than the first velocity resulting in a change in the pitch of the stream of blanks conveyed by the conveyors. Alternatively the applying means may apply an adhering element such as a coupon or hologram such that it adheres to the blank. The adhering element may adhere to the blank by virtue of an adhesive carried on a rear surface of the element or by means of an adhesive carried by the blank.

Processing blanks in the manufacture of packaging

Infusion package

Article wrapping apparatus for wrapping or folding a wrapper blank around an article which may comprise or contain a group of rod-like articles such as cigarettes, includes a wrapper blank former which simultaneously folds sides and ends of a blank ( ) by plunging the former ( ) around an article holder ( ) and subsequently plunging the article from the holder into the former. The apparatus also includes a housing ( ) for supporting a partially-wrapped article which is pivoted relative to an abutment ( ) so that a flap is swept into a closed position; and pivoted holders ( ) which are used to transfer articles between axially-spaced process positions on a process drum ( ). Folding operations may be performed during transfer to or from a pivotable holder ( ), particularly in a radial direction of the drum ( ).

Article wrapping apparatus

A packing machine comprising a rotary assembly ( ) which is adapted to receive articles ( ) travelling along a path which is adjacent one region of the periphery of the assembly, and means ( ) for receiving foil ( ) or other wrapping material, at a different peripheral region, the foil then being oriented in a tangential plane; the assembly further comprising means for reorienting the foil into a plane which is perpendicular to said tangential plane ( ) at a subsequent rotary position, where it is suitably aligned with a cooperating article wrapping means ( ).

Packaging machine with rotary wrapping assembly

Holders ( ) for articles such as newly-formed packets or groups of cigarettes are used to constrain and protect the articles while being conveyed by handling apparatus ( ), e.g. in a packing machine ( ). Holders ( ) of similar external shape, adapted to interface with the handling apparatus, may be provided with differing internal features ( ), adapted for receiving different articles, so that the articles may be readily conveyed by the same apparatus. The apparatus may be employed at the exit end of a cigarette packing machine to maintain the shape of newly-formed packets in a packet stabilising region. This region may comprise a reservoir including a series of compartmented drums ( ) in which each compartment receives a line of abutting holders which is indexed in an axial direction during rotation of the drums.

Article handling apparatus

Blank feeding apparatus, particularly in a hinged-lid cigarette packing machine, includes rotary blank pick-up means (,), and support means (,), rotatable with the pick-up means, for engaging and supporting the base of a blank stack in a magazine (,) between each pick-up operation. The pick-up means (,) may each comprise a pivotable arm (,), movable as it rotates by means of a pivoted follower member (,) engaging a fixed cam track (,). The blanks may be retained in the stack in the magazine (,) by pivotally-mounted support fingers (,) which are successively retracted to release a blank as the pick-up means (,) passes.

Growing community of inventors

Coventry, United Kingdom

Thomas William Bailey