Abstract:
A thin film layer (30) of primarily platinum is deposited onto a ceramic substrate (20) and electrical connections are applied to the platinum layer to form a heater. In a preferred embodiment, the electrical connections include two electrically conductive posts (60) fixed to the ceramic substrate (20) at a first end and electrically connecting the platinum heater layer (30) near this first end. Preferably, the heater layer (30) forms mounds at each post (60) and a thinner region (35) therebetween, resulting in a resistance profile which concentrates heating in the thinner region (35) and reduces undesired heating of the post area. Such heaters can be employed individually or in conjunction with other similar heaters.
Abstract:
A box-like cigarette pack includes a lid (20a) with a tab (60) that extends below the bottom of the lid. All or part of the tab may be made readily removable by providing a line of weakness between the removable tab (60) and the remainder of the lid. The tab may be printed or embossed with any desired information and may form a coupon or coupon-like article when removed. Until removed, the tab may be somewhat of an impediment to easy removal of cigarettes or reclosure of the pack, thereby prompting the consumer to remove the tab as intended.
Abstract:
Feed rollers (30) advance the textile fibres (20) into a stuffer box (10). The width (w) of the entry aperture (8) of the stuffer box (10) is one millimetre for each fibre bundle having a linear density in the range of 200 to 750 denier and the height (h) is between 2 and 20 mm. A lid (12) is held down by a pneumatic cylinder (40) until the pressure of the material accumulating in the stuffer box forces up the lid and the crimped material (22) then escapes from the stuffer box.
Abstract:
The present invention provides an apparatus and method of embossing a sheet (18) of material with a background pattern together with additional selectable indicia (80), wherein the method comprises the steps of removably securing an indicia bearing element (80) to a first one (34) of embossing rollers (34, 36), and removably securing a yielding element (142) to a second one (36) of embossing rollers (34, 36) passing the sheet material (18) through the nip (38) of rigid embossing rollers (34, 36) while synchronously moving the embossing rollers (34, 36), so as to impart a background embossed pattern to a first portion of the sheet material (18), and secondly imparting additional indicia to second portions of the sheet material by repetitively bringing into opposing relationship at the nip (38) the indicia bearing element (80), and the yielding element (142).
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing cigarettes comprising the steps of establishing a succession of 2-up hollow plugs (74) in alternating relation to 2-up tobacco plugs (80) and wrapping same in a tobacco web (66) and overwrap (71), severing the resultant continuous rod at mid points of preselected 2-up tobacco plugs and severing again to establish associated pairs of singular tobacco rod plugs (60), separating the members of associated pairs of tobacco rod plugs and placing 2-up filter tipping plugs (240) therebetween, and subsequently wrapping the interposed 2-up filter tipping plug together with adjacent portions of the singular tobacco rod plugs and severing the resultant tipped structure into individual cigarettes. Also provided are cigarettes constructed in accordance with the novel method.
Abstract:
An ejection system is provided comprising a mechanism such as a plunger (230) which is positioned to eject at least a portion of a cigarette from the lighter cavity upon actuation by a smoker. The plunger is also positionable to occlude the lighter opening to protect the lighter cavity from dust, moisture, etc. The plunger is shaped, located and arranged to apply a force on the cigarette end inserted into the lighter. Further, an icon based indicator (51) is provided to inform the smoker of the status of a cigarette inserted into the lighter.
Abstract:
An electrically powered functionally graded ceramic composite heater (20') useful for cigarette lighters. The electrical resistance heater (20') includes discrete heating zones (22') wherein each zone of the heater can be activated using an electric control module, and is capable of heating to a temperature in the range of 600 DEG C to 900 DEG C using portable energy devices. The ceramic heater can be made by pressing together layers of differing amounts of constituents of the ceramic precursor material followed by secondary processing steps to obtain discrete heating elements. The heater design can include a hub (104) on one end to provide structural integrity, and functions as a common for the heating zones.
Abstract:
A tobacco expansion apparatus and method comprising a source of tower gas, an obloid transport duct (20), in communication with the gas source, a tobacco feeder (18) at a location along the obloid transport duct (20) and a separator (22) for recovering tobacco from the expansion apparatus. The tobacco feeder (18) is adapted to introduce tobacco uniformly across the width of the obloid transport duct (20). The apparatus improves the filling power of the processed tobacco and can be operated at higher production rates with less tobacco breakage, thereby improving tobacco yield.
Abstract:
Polyolefin film is slit (13), molecularly oriented (14), fibrillated (15) and crimped (17). To improve the crimping, and thus the yield and variability as a filter, the fibrillated film is heated (16) before crimping. The fibrillated tow is crimped while still hot from the heating step. The resulting fibers have more uniform crimping at higher levels than those not subject to heating.
Abstract:
Roller (10) has a cylindrical surface (12) from which project pins (16) inclined at an angle (A) between 20° and 80° to the tangent to the roller. The pins have a projection length of 0.5 to 2.0 mm and a diameter of 0.2 to 0.8 mm. They are arranged in double rows (14) with 25 to 34 pins to the inch arranged in a spaced staggered relationship in two adjacent lines. Each row is either inclined to a line parallel to the axis of the roller or of sinusoidal form. A film to be fibrillated is advanced over the surface of the rotating roller for an arc length of contact of 30° to 37° with the ratio of the surface speed of the roller to that of the advancing film being between 1.8 to 1 and 2.2 to 1.