System, apparatus and method of manufacturing a tubular element for use with an aerosol generating article

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method of manufacturing a tubular element for use in an aerosol generating article. The tubular element may comprise gel, or comprise a porous medium loaded with gel, or comprise thread loaded with gel, or comprise a combination thereof.

1 . A method of manufacturing a tubular element comprising gel,
 the method of manufacturing comprising the steps of:
 feeding a first web of wrapping material on a feed means; 
 dispensing gel onto the first web of wrapping material; wherein the gel comprises water; 
 dispensing a porous medium onto the first web of wrapping material such that the porous medium is loaded with gel, before wrapping the first wrapping material to form a continuous length of tubular elements. 
 wrapping the first wrapping material to wrap the gel and form a continuous length of tubular element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of manufacture a tubular element according to  claim 1 , wherein the method of manufacture further comprises the step of:
 dispensing gel onto the porous medium on the first web of wrapping material.   
     
     
         3 . The method of manufacturing a tubular element according to  claim 1 , in which the method of manufacturing further comprises the step of:
 feeding a second web of wrapping material on a second feed means; and,   wrapping the second web of wrapping material to form a second tubular element; and,   feeding the second tubular element of wrapped second web of wrapping material onto the first web of wrapping material before wrapping the first wrapping material.   
     
     
         4 . The method of manufacturing a tubular element according to  claim 3  in which the method of manufacturing further comprises the step of:
 dispensing gel onto the second web of wrapping material before wrapping the second web of wrapping material to form a second tubular element and feeding the wrapped second web of wrapping material onto the first web of wrapping material. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of manufacturing a tubular element according to  claim 3  in which the method of manufacturing further comprises the step of:
 dispensing porous medium onto the second web of wrapping material before wrapping the second web of wrapping material to form a second tubular element and feeding the wrapped second web of wrapping material onto the first web of wrapping material. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of manufacturing a tubular element according to  claim 1  in which the method of manufacturing further comprises the step of:
 dispensing a preformed second tubular element, longitudinally, onto the first web of wrapping material before wrapping the first web of wrapping material. 
 
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing a tubular element,
 the method of manufacturing comprising the steps of:   feeding a first web of wrapping material on a feed means;   dispensing porous medium onto the first web of wrapping material;   feeding a second web of wrapping material on a second feed path; and, dispensing gel onto the second web of wrapping material, wherein the gel comprises water; and   wrapping the gel with the second web of wrapping material, to form a tubular shape; and,   feeding the second tubular element of wrapped gel and second web of wrapping material onto the first web of wrapping material before wrapping the first wrapping material   wrapping the first wrapping material to wrap, the second tubular element of wrapped gel and second web of wrapping material, and form a continuous length of tubular element.   
     
     
         8 . The method of manufacturing a tubular element according to  claim 7 , wherein the method of manufacturing further comprising the step of:
 dispensing porous medium onto the second web of wrapping material before wrapping the second web of wrapping material to form a tubular shape.   
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing a tubular element,
 the method of manufacturing comprising the steps of:   feeding a first web of wrapping material on a feed means;   dispensing a porous medium onto the first web of wrapping material;   dispensing a preformed second tubular element comprising gel, longitudinally, onto the first web of wrapping material before wrapping the first web of wrapping material, wherein the gel comprises water;   feeding the preformed second tubular element comprising gel onto the first web of wrapping material before wrapping the first wrapping material   wrapping the first wrapping material to wrap the porous medium and preformed second tubular element to form a continuous length of tubular element.   
     
     
         10 . The method of manufacturing according to  claim 1  in which further comprises the step of: cutting the continuous length of tubular element into lengths to form a plurality of tubular elements.