The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 16, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2000
Hans-Herbert Schmidt, Hamburg, DE;
Hauni Maschinenbau AG, , DE;
Abstract
Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped tobacco smoke filters which contain and/or carry particles of charcoal and/or other solid particulate tobacco smoke filtering and/or flavoring material. A sender directs a series of successive filters lengthwise into a pneumatic conduit wherein the filters advance toward a receiving station. A section of the conduit has an arcuate shape and advances successive filters from a lower level to a higher level. The underside of the section has an elongated arcuate opening which is overlapped by a cover in such a way that any solid particles which became separated from the filters can be expelled into a neighboring chamber due to fluid pressure in the section as well as under the action of gravity and/or centrifugal force. Such particles are evacuated by way of an outlet at the lower end of the chamber, either by manually operated valves which control the admission of particles from the chamber into a compartment and from the compartment, or by automatically operated valves which open at close at predetermined intervals.