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:
Nov. 24, 2009
Filed:
Jul. 03, 2006
Luca Borderi, Sasso Marconi, IT;
Gianluca Parisini, Bologna, IT;
Valerio Soli, Bologna, IT;
G.D. S.p.A., Bologna, IT;
Abstract
In a manufacturing system utilizing a cigarette maker linked to a packer, cigarettes temporarily surplus to requirements are stored in containers, each provided with an opening by way of which it can be filled and emptied. A full container is picked up by a first pivoting arm from a magazine and overturned above a bearing surface advancing along a feed direction parallel to this same surface, so as to direct the opening downwards and allow the cigarettes to drop onto the surface. During the step of unloading the cigarettes, the container rests on a hopper and is traversed from a first station toward a second station along a direction parallel and opposite to the feed direction of the bearing surface, so that the cigarettes can be released more quickly from the container. After being emptied, the container is picked up from the second station by a second pivoting arm and put into a magazine with other empty containers.