Apparatus and methods for manufacturing cigarette tubes

Abstract

Pre-formed cigarette tubes are provided in an automated fashion. Cigarettes containing a filler material are manufactured according to known methods and transferred to an apparatus for removing the filler material. The filler material within each resulting cigarette is removed therefrom. Optionally, the filler material may be recycled to the beginning of the process. The resulting pre-formed cigarette tubes are collected. At a later time, the hollow regions of those pre-formed tubes can be filled with tobacco cut filler in order to provide finished cigarettes.

1 . A method of manufacturing a pre-formed cigarette tube, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. manufacturing a cigarette using a cigarette making machine, the cigarette comprising filler material;   b. transferring the cigarette to an apparatus for removing the filler material from the cigarette; and,   c. removing the filler material from the cigarette.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 d. collecting the filler material that is removed from the cigarette; and   e. transporting the filler material collected in step (d) to the cigarette making machine.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of:
 f. measuring one or more characteristics of the filler material after the filler material is collected and before it is transported to the cigarette making machine.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
 g. comparing the one or more characteristics of the filler to a pre-determined standard; and   h. discarding any filler that does not meet the pre-determined standard.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the filler material are selected from the group consisting of: density, moisture content, temperature and particle size. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each step of the method is in-line and machine automated. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of:
 f. screening the recovered filler material that is transported to the cigarette making machine.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filler material comprises a non-tobacco material. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cigarette comprises a filter. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filler material is removed from the cigarette with a burst of air. 
   
   
       11 . A machine for manufacturing pre-formed cigarette tubes, the machine comprising:
 a. a cigarette making machine, wherein the cigarette making machine manufactures cigarettes that include filler material;   b. an apparatus for removing the filler material from the cigarettes; and,   c. an apparatus for transporting the cigarettes from the cigarette making machine to the apparatus for removing the filler material.   
   
   
       12 . The machine of  claim 11 , wherein the cigarette making machine manufactures cigarettes that include filler material and a filter. 
   
   
       13 . The machine of  claim 11 , wherein the filler material comprises tobacco. 
   
   
       14 . The machine of  claim 11 , wherein the filler material comprises a non-tobacco material. 
   
   
       15 . The machine of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus for removing the filler material removes filler material from the cigarette with a burst of air. 
   
   
       16 . The machine of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 d. an apparatus for recovering the filler material that is removed from the cigarettes, and   e. an apparatus for transporting the recovered filler material to the cigarette making machine.   
   
   
       17 . The machine of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 f. an apparatus for screening the recovered filler material that is transported to the cigarette making machine.   
   
   
       18 . The machine of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 f. an apparatus for measuring one or more of the following characteristics of the filler material: density, moisture content, temperature and particle size.   
   
   
       19 . The machine of  claim 11  wherein each of the components is in-line and machine automated so that the machine is capable of the continuous and automated manufacture of pre-formed cigarette tubes. 
   
   
       20 . The machine of  claim 16  wherein each of the components is in-line and machine automated so that the machine is capable of the continuous and automated manufacture of pre-formed cigarette tubes.