Cigarette Tobacco Filler Device

Abstract

A cigarette tobacco filler device includes a cigarette tobacco loader for loading tobacco leaves into a tobacco receiving cavity, wherein the cigarette tobacco loader includes a loader body and a loader arrangement. The loader body has a loading cavity and a loading opening aligned with the tobacco receiving cavity. The loader arrangement includes a loading pusher movably supported by the loader body to move between first and second positions, and a loader handle pivotally coupled at the loader body to move the loading pusher between said first and second positions. At the first position, a loading gap is formed between the pusher end of the loading pusher and the loading opening for receiving the tobacco leaves within the loading gap. At the second position, the pusher end of the loading pusher is driven for pushing the tobacco leaves within the loading gap into the tobacco receiving cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cigarette tobacco loader for the cigarette tobacco filler device having a tobacco receiving cavity, comprising:
 a loader body having a loading cavity for receiving a predetermined amount of tobacco leaves, and a loading opening arranged for aligned with the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device;   a loader arrangement which comprises:   a loading pusher movably supported by said loader body to move between a first position that a pusher end of said loading pusher is positioned above said loading opening and a second position that said pusher end of said loading pusher is moved to pass through said loading opening; and   a loader handle pivotally coupled at said loader body to move said loading pusher between said first and second positions, such that when said loading pusher is retained at said first position, a loading gap is formed between said pusher end of said loading pusher and said loading opening of said loader body for receiving the tobacco leaves within said loading gap, and when said loading pusher is moved at said second position, said pusher end of said loading pusher is driven for pushing the tobacco leaves within said loading gap into the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device.   
     
     
         2 . The cigarette tobacco loader, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said loading cavity has an inclined bottom wall for guiding the tobacco leaves dropping at said loading opening. 
     
     
         3 . The cigarette tobacco loader, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said loader arrangement further comprises a feeder platform movably supported on said inclined bottom wall of said loading cavity, wherein said feeder platform has a top stepping surface for pushing the tobacco leaves toward said loading opening. 
     
     
         4 . The cigarette tobacco loader, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said loader arrangement further comprises a driving mechanism operatively linked between said loader handle and said feeder platform, and arranged in such a manner that when said loader handle is pivotally moved to drive said loading pusher at said first position, said feeder platform is driven to slide toward said loading opening for pushing tobacco leaves to said loading gap, and when said loader handle is pivotally moved to drive said loading pusher at said second position, said feeder platform is driven to slide away from said to loading opening for enabling said pusher end of said loading pusher to push said tobacco leaves within said loading gap into the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device. 
     
     
         5 . The cigarette tobacco loader, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said driving mechanism comprises a teething cog formed at said loader handle and a teething gear which is formed at a side edge of said feeder platform and is engaged with said teething cog, such that when said loader handle is pivotally moved, said feeder platform is driven to slide. 
     
     
         6 . The cigarette tobacco loader, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said loader arrangement further comprises a guiding slot formed at a sidewall of said loading cavity and a guiding axle sidewardly extended from said loading pusher to engage with said guiding slot, such that when said loader handle is pivotally moved, said guiding axle is driven to slide along said guiding slot so as to drive said loading pusher between said first and second positions. 
     
     
         7 . The cigarette tobacco loader, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said loader arrangement further comprises a retention slot formed at said sidewall of said loading cavity and a driving axle sidewardly extended from a driving end of said loading pusher to said loader handle through said retention slot, such that when said loader handle is pivotally moved, said driving axle is driven to slide along said retention slot so as to drive said loading pusher between said first and second positions, wherein said guiding axle is concurrently slid along said guiding slot to guide said loading pusher being moved between said first and second positions, wherein said retention slot is an arc-shaped through slot and said guiding slot is an inclined through slot, such that said loading pusher is inclinedly supported at said first position and is vertically retained at said second position. 
     
     
         8 . The cigarette tobacco loader, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said loader arrangement further comprises a resilient element coupled between said loader handle and said loader body for pulling said loader handle back so as to move said loading pusher back to said first position from said second position. 
     
     
         9 . The cigarette tobacco loader, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said loader arrangement further comprises a pressuring sensor module supported at said loader body for detecting a pressure applied by said pusher end of said loading pusher on the tobacco leaves when the tobacco leaves are pushed into the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device. 
     
     
         10 . The cigarette tobacco loader, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a detachable arm extended from said loader body for detachably coupling with the cigarette tobacco filler device so as to ensure said loading opening to be aligned with the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device. 
     
     
         11 . A method of loading tobacco leaves into a tobacco receiving cavity of a cigarette tobacco filler device by a cigarette tobacco loader which comprises a loader body and a loader arrangement, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 (a) disposing the tobacco leaves in a loading cavity of said loader body, wherein a loading opening of said loader body is aligned with the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device;   (b) remaining a loading pusher of said loader arrangement at a first position that a pusher end of said loading pusher is positioned above said loading opening, such that a loading gap is formed between said pusher end of said loading pusher and said loading opening of said loader body for receiving said tobacco leaves within said loading gap;   (c) moving said loading pusher from said first position to a second position that said pusher end of said loading pusher is moved to pass through said loading opening for pushing said tobacco leaves within said loading gap into the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device;   (d) moving said loading pusher back to said first position from said second position, such that said tobacco leaves within said loading cavity are dropped to said loading gap; and   (e) repeating the steps (c) and (d) until the tobacco leaves are filled in the tobacco receiving cavity.   
     
     
         12 . The method, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said loading pusher is moved between said first and second positions by a pivotal movement of a loader handle of said loader arrangement. 
     
     
         13 . The method, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said loading cavity has an inclined bottom wall for guiding said tobacco leaves dropping at said loading opening. 
     
     
         14 . The method, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the step (d) further comprises a step of pushing the tobacco leaves toward said loading opening by a feeder platform which has a top stepping surface, wherein said feeder platform is movably supported on said inclined bottom wall of said loading cavity, such that when said feeder platform is slid toward said loading opening, said top stepping surface of said feeder platform pushes the tobacco leaves toward said loading opening. 
     
     
         15 . The method, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said loading pusher and said feeder platform are concurrently moved by a pivotal movement of a loader handle of said loader arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The method, as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the step (c) further comprises a step of driving said feeder platform to slide away from said loading opening when said loading pusher is moved from said first position to said second position for enabling said pusher end of said loading pusher to push said tobacco leaves within said loading gap into the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device, wherein the step (d) further comprises a step of driving said feeder platform to slide toward said loading to opening for pushing tobacco leaves to said loading gap when said loading pusher is moved back to said first position from said second position. 
     
     
         17 . The method, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said feeder platform is driven to slide toward said loading opening by a spring force. 
     
     
         18 . The method, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said loading pusher is driven to move from said second position back to said first position by a spring force. 
     
     
         19 . The method, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a step of detecting a pressure applied by said pusher end of said loading pusher on the tobacco leaves when the tobacco leaves are pushed into the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device. 
     
     
         20 . The method, as recited in  claim 11 , before the step (a), further comprising a step of detachably coupling said cigarette tobacco loader on the cigarette tobacco filler device to ensure said loading opening to be aligned with the tobacco receiving cavity of the cigarette tobacco filler device.