Multi-component smoking article, in particular "heat-not burn" article, and relative assembling method

Abstract

A multi-component smoking article (1) is described, in particular of the "heat-not-burn" type, comprising a plurality of pieces which are provided with a central axis and are subdivided into an active assembly (2) defined by a first number of pieces (3, 4) comprising a piece (3) made of an aerosol generating material, and a filtering assembly (5) defined by a second number of pieces (6, 7, 8) comprising at least one piece (6) of filtering material designed to come into contact with a user' s mouth and arranged at a first end of the smoking article (1). The smoking article (1) is also provided with a first wrapping sheet (9) wound around the second number of lengths (6, 7, 8) so as to establish a mechanical connection between the pieces of said second number of pieces (6, 7, 8); and a second sheet (10) of wrapping material wound around the first number of pieces (3, 4) so as to establish a mechanical connection between the pieces of said first number of pieces (3, 4). The second wrapping sheet (10) at least partially overlaps with the first wrapping sheet (9) to establish a mechanical connection between the active assembly (2) and the filtering assembly (5).

Description

[0001] Multi-component smoking article, in particular “heat-not burn” article, and relative assembling method"

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This Patent Application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102023000008982 filed on May 5, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] FIELD OF THE ART

[0005] The present invention relates to a multi-component smoking article, in particular a “heat- not-bum article”; the present invention also relates to a method of assembling a multicomponent smoking article.

[0006] PRIOR ART

[0007] Multi-component “heat-not-bum” smoking articles, i.e. smoking articles suitable for being heated and not burnt to generate aerosols, are now widely known.

[0008] In more detail, a multi-component smoking article 1* of this type is illustrated in Figure 1 and comprises an active assembly with two pieces 3*, 4*. In more detail, the active assembly comprises a piece 3* made of an aerosol generating material (e.g. chopped tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or another type of vegetable fibre such as cellulose, cotton, rapeseed, hemp) suitable for heating and not burning, and a covering piece 4* arranged at one end of the smoking article 1* to act as a cap so that the piece 3* made of an aerosol generating material is not exposed. The smoking article 1* is made to be at least partially accommodated inside a heating device (not illustrated) comprising a hollow body which externally has a shape suitable to be firmly held by a user and inside which a housing is defined to at least partially accommodate the piece 3* made of an aerosol generating material and the covering piece 4*.

[0009] In addition, the smoking article 1* comprises a filtering assembly provided in turn with a filtering material piece 6* designed to come into contact with a user’s mouth, a piece 7* defined by a tubular element, and a further piece 8* (which could advantageously be defined by a cavity) interposed between the filtering material piece 6* and the tubular piece 7*. Preferably, the tubular piece 7* is facing and in contact, with its head, with the piece 3* made of an aerosol generating material.

[0010] Each smoking article 1* then comprises a wrapping sheet TP wound around the active assembly and partially wound around the filtering assembly in such a way as to establish a mechanical connection between the piece 3* made of an aerosol generating material, the covering piece 4*, the tubular piece 7*and the piece 8*; in other words, the filtering material piece 6* intended for contact with the user's mouth is exposed and is not wound with the wrapping sheet TP.

[0011] Finally, each smoking article 1* also comprises a wrapping sheet CP wound around the filtering material piece 6* and partially overlaps the wrapping sheet TP in order to establish a mechanical connection with the assembly of pieces 4*, 3*, 7* and 8*.

[0012] WO2013164124 and EP3861868 describe respective smoking articles of a known type. The smoking articles 1* of the type described so far, however, have certain drawbacks. Firstly, in the case where the piece 8* is defined by a cavity, both winding steps (with either the wrapping sheet CP or the wrapping sheet TP) are particularly delicate and must be carried out at a rather low speed with significant consequences in terms of reduced productivity.

[0013] In addition, the smoking articles 1* of the type described above are normally housed inside rigid packets, e.g. of the hinged lid type, with the filtering assembly in view so that they can be removed by a user wishing to consume the smoking article 1* itself. In more detail, the overlapping area of the wrapping sheet CP on the wrapping sheet TP is normally visible to the user when the smoking articles 1* are housed inside the packets; therefore, the step of winding the wrapping sheet CP must be carried out extremely precisely in order for the smoking articles 1* to present an attractive final appearance inside the packet and, also in this case, at a rather reduced speed with significant consequences in terms of reduced productivity.

[0014] DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a multi-component smoking article, in particular of the “heat-not-bum type”, which is free from the drawbacks of the state of the art and is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

[0016] A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for the assembly of a multi-component smoking article, in particular of the “heat-not-burn” type, which method is free from the drawbacks of the state of the art and is easy and inexpensive to implement. According to the present invention, a multi-component smoking article, in particular of the “heat-not-bum” type, and an assembly method thereof are provided in accordance with the appended claims.

[0017] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, which show a non-limiting embodiment thereof, wherein: figure 1 illustrates a multi-component smoking article made according to the state of the art; figure 2 illustrates a multi-component smoking article made in accordance with the present invention; and figure 3 illustrates schematically and in sequence the steps of the assembly method of the multi-component smoking article in figure 1 carried out in accordance with the present invention.

[0019] PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0020] In Figure 2, the number 1 is used to denote a multi-component smoking article as a whole. Each multi-component smoking article 1 is made up of a number of pieces having a central axis. Preferably, each multi-component smoking article 1 comprises five or four pieces.

[0021] Advantageously, the multi-component smoking article 1 is of the “heat-not-burn” type. A “heat-not-burn” type smoking article 1 is defined as a smoking article 1 comprising aerosol generating material (shredded or reconstituted tobacco or another type of plant fibre such as cellulose, cotton, rapeseed, hemp or a combination of the above) of a type suitable for heating and not burning. The smoking article 1 is designed to be at least partially enclosed within a heating device comprising a hollow body (not illustrated) which externally presents a shape suitable for being held firmly by a user wishing to consume the smoking article 1 itself.

[0022] In more detail, each smoking item 1 comprises an active assembly 2 provided in turn with at least one piece. Preferably, the active assembly 2 comprises two pieces 3, 4. More specifically, at least one piece of the active assembly 2 consists of a piece 3 made of an aerosol generating material suitable for heating and not burning. According to a preferred embodiment, the active assembly 2 comprises a covering piece 4 arranged at one end of the smoking article 1 acting as a cap so that the piece 3 made of an aerosol generating material is not exposed. In more detail, a seat is defined within the hollow body to at least partially accommodate the aerosol generating material 3, and the presence of the covering piece 4 prevents direct contact between aerosol generating material 3 and the inside of the seat.

[0023] In addition, each smoking article 1 comprises a filtering assembly 5, provided in turn with a number of pieces 6, 7, 8; preferably two or three pieces 6, 7, 8. At least one piece 6 of the filtering assembly 5 consists of a filtering element designed to come into contact with the user’s mouth. Preferably, the filtering assembly 5 comprises a filtering piece 7 defined by a tubular element; and an additional filtering piece 8 interposed between the filtering material piece 6 and the tubular piece 7. Preferably, the tubular piece 7 is facing and is in contact, with its head, with the active assembly 2; more specifically, the tubular piece 7 is facing and is in contact, with its head, with the tobacco piece 3.

[0024] Each smoking article 1 then includes a wrapping sheet 9 wound around the filtering assembly 5. The wrapping sheet 9 is wound around the pieces 6, 7, 8 in order to establish a mechanical connection between the pieces 6, 7, 8 of the filtering assembly 5 itself. The wrapping sheet 9 is arranged flush with the end of the filtering material piece 6. Preferably, the wrapping sheet 9 is wrapped partially around the filtering assembly 5; in other words, one end of the filtering assembly 5 is exposed and is not wound in the wrapping sheet 9. Preferably, the end of the filtering assembly 5 that faces the active assembly 2 is exposed and not wound in the wrapping sheet 9. Advantageously, the end of tubular element 7 facing the active assembly 2 is exposed and not wound with the wrapping sheet 9.

[0025] In addition, each smoking article 1 also comprises a wrapping sheet 10 wound around the active assembly 2. The wrapping sheet 10 is wound around the pieces 3, 4 in order to establish a mechanical connection between the pieces 3, 4 of the active assembly 2 itself; furthermore, the wrapping sheet 10 is wound around the piece 7 in order to establish a mechanical connection with the filtering assembly 5. The wrapping sheet 10 is arranged flush with the end of covering sheet 4. Advantageously, the wrapping sheet 10 at least partially overlaps with the wrapping sheet 9, preferably at the tubular element 7, to establish a mechanical connection between the active assembly 2 and the filtering assembly 5. The wrapping sheet 10 is at least partially wound around the filtering assembly 5; in other words, the tubular section 7 of the filtering assembly 5 facing the active assembly 2 is at least partially wound in the wrapping sheet 10.

[0026] Alternatively, the wrapping sheet 10 completely overlaps the wrapping sheet 9 to establish a mechanical connection between the active assembly 2 and the filtering assembly 5.

[0027] Preferably, an overlapping area where the wrapping sheet 10 overlaps the wrapping sheet 9 has a length (along the central axis of the pieces) greater than or equal to 1 mm. Advantageously, the overlapping area where the wrapping sheet 10 overlaps the wrapping sheet 9 has a length (along the central axis of the pieces) comprised between 1 and 40 mm; in particular, the said overlapping area has a length (along the central axis of the pieces) comprised between 2 and 25 mm. According to a further preferred example, the length (along the central axis of the pieces) of the overlapping area where the wrapping sheet 10 overlaps the wrapping sheet 9 is comprised between 2.5 and 20 mm, even more preferably between 3 and 12 mm.

[0028] Figure 3 illustrates in sequence the steps of the assembly method for the smoking article 1 illustrated in figure 2.

[0029] The step indicated with A involves feeding and aligning the pieces of the filtering assembly 5 arranged in axial alignment. In particular, step A is to make an assembly 11 of pieces comprising a central filtering material piece 6A preferably of double length, two (single-length) pieces 8 arranged with one of their ends facing and contact, head-to-head, with respective ends of the double length central filtering material piece 6A, and two (single length) tubular sections 7 arranged with one of their ends facing and in contact, head-to-head, with a respective piece 8. Step A also involves winding a wrapping sheet 9A, preferably of double length, around the assembly 11 of pieces.

[0030] The next step indicated with B is to make a transverse cut in the assembly 11 of pieces at the central piece 6A to obtain two mutually identical filtering assemblies 5, coaxial and in contact, head-to-head, with the respective filtering material pieces 6. The two filtering assemblies 5 are subsequently separated by rotation; the two filtering assemblies 5 are either rotated by 180° so that they are arranged with their respective tubular sections 7 facing each other or separated axially (i.e. along their central axis) to accommodate an additional group 12 of pieces.

[0031] The next step indicated with C is to feed between the two filtering assemblies 5 the group 12 of pieces comprising a covering piece 4 A, preferably of double length, and two pieces 3 made of an aerosol generating material (of single length) arranged with one of their ends facing and in head-to-head contact with respective ends of the covering piece 4A. The said group 12 of pieces is interposed between the two filtering assemblies 5; in particular, the two pieces 3 made of an aerosol generating material are arranged with one of their free ends facing and in contact, with its head, with a respective tubular piece 7. When the said group 12 of pieces is interposed between the two filtering assemblies 5, the pieces of the group 12 are not wound, i.e., the said group 12 of pieces is interposed between the two filtering assemblies 5 without wrapping / winding sheets. Step C further involves winding a wrapping sheet 10A around the group 12 of pieces and around the tubular pieces 7 to obtain a (double length) article 1 A. The (double length) wrapping sheet 10A is applied so that its ends partially overlap with the two tubular pieces 7 at the two wrapping sheets 9.

[0032] The next step indicated with D is to make a transverse cut in the (double length) article 1A at the covering piece 4 A in such a way as to obtain two identical, coaxial smoking items 1 in head-to-head contact with the respective covering pieces 4. Finally, the smoking items 1 are “tip-turned” to switch from a discordant orientation between adjacent smoking articles 1 to a mutually concordant orientation (i.e. to shift from two adjacent rows of smoking articles 1 to a single row

[0033] According to a possible embodiment not shown, the smoking article 1 (in particular the filtering assembly 5) is not provided with the piece 8.

[0034] According to a possible embodiment not illustrated, the smoking article 1 (in particular the active assembly 2) is not provided with the covering section 4.

[0035] According to a possible embodiment not illustrated, the piece 8 is defined by (comprises) a cavity.

[0036] The smoking article 1 described so far is simple and inexpensive to produce and, similarly, the method for its assembly is simple and inexpensive to implement. Furthermore, in the case where the piece 8 is defined by a cavity, the assembly method described in the foregoing discussion is particularly advantageous as it allows for the winding of the wrapping sheet 9 when the cavity 8 is interposed between two solid pieces 6, 7. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0037] 1, 1* smoking article

[0038] 1A double length smoking article

[0039] 2 active assembly

[0040] 3, 3* aerosol generating material

[0041] 4, 4* covering piece

[0042] 4A double length covering piece

[0043] 5 filtering assembly

[0044] 6, 6* filtering material piece

[0045] 6A double-length filtering material piece

[0046] 7, 7* tubular piece

[0047] 8, 8* piece

[0048] 9 wrapping sheet

[0049] 9A double-length wrapping sheet

[0050] 10 wrapping sheet

[0051] 10A double-length wrapping sheet

[0052] 11 group of pieces

[0053] 12 group of pieces

[0054] TP wrapping sheet

[0055] CP wrapping sheet

Claims

C L A I M S1. A multi-component smoking article (1), in particular a “heat-not-burn” article, comprising a plurality of pieces, which are provided with a central axis and are divided into an active assembly (2) defined by a first number of pieces (3, 4) comprising a piece (3) made of an aerosol generating material and into a filtering assembly (5) defined by a second number of pieces (6, 7, 8) comprising at least one filtering material piece (6) designed to come into contact with a user’s mouth and arranged at a first end of the smoking article (1); a first wrapping sheet (9) wound around the second number of pieces (6, 7, 8) so as to establish a mechanical connection between the pieces of said second number of pieces (6, 7, 8); and a second wrapping sheet (10) wound around the first number of pieces (3, 4) so as to establish a mechanical connection between the pieces of said first number of pieces (3, 4); the article (1) is characterized in that the second wrapping sheet (10) at least partially overlaps the first wrapping sheet (9) so as to establish a mechanical connection between the active assembly (2) and the filtering assembly (5).

2. The article according to claim 1, wherein the filtering assembly (5) comprises a first piece (7), preferably with a tubular shape, facing and in contact, with its head, with the active assembly (2); wherein the second wrapping sheet (10) at least partially overlaps the first wrapping sheet (9) in the area of the first piece (7).

3. The article according to claim 2, wherein an end of the first piece (7) facing and in contact, with its head, with the active assembly (2) is exposed and is not wound in the first wrapping sheet (9).

4. The article according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the filtering assembly (5) comprises a cavity (8), preferably interposed between the first piece (7) and the filtering material piece (6) designed to come into contact with a user’s mouth.

5. The article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the active assembly (2) comprises a covering piece (4) arranged at a second end of the smoking article (1) and in contact with the piece (3) made of an aerosol generating material.

6. The article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the piece (3) made of an aerosol generating material is of the kind suited to be heated and not burnt.

7. A method for assembling a multi-component smoking article (1), in particular a “heat- not bum” article, according to any one of the claims from 1 to 6; the method comprises:- creating a first group (11) of pieces, which is symmetrical relative to a central filtering material piece (6A);- winding a first wrapping sheet (9 A) with a double length around the first group (11) of pieces;- dividing, by means of a transverse cut, the first group (11) of pieces in the area of the central piece (6A) so as to obtain two filtering assemblies (5), which are identical to one another, are coaxial and are in contact with one another, head-to head, with the respective filtering material pieces (6);- axially separating the two filtering assemblies (5);- feeding, between the two filtering assemblies (5), a second group (12) of pieces comprising two pieces (3) made of an aerosol generating material arranged with a first end of theirs facing a respective filtering assembly (5);- winding a second wrapping sheet (10A) around the second group (12) of pieces and, at least partially, around the two filtering assemblies (5), causing it to overlap the first wrapping sheets (9) in the area of its ends; and- dividing the second group (12) of pieces by means of a transverse cut so as to obtain two multi-component smoking articles (1), which are identical and coaxial to one another.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first group (11) of pieces comprises two first pieces (7) arranged with an end of theirs facing a respective end of said central filtering material piece (6A); the method comprises: rotating the two filtering assemblies (5) by 180° so that they are arranged with the respective first pieces (7) facing one another; and feeding the second group (12) of pieces between the two filtering assemblies (5) so that the two pieces (3) made of an aerosol generating material are arranged with an end of theirs facing and in contact, with its head, with a respective first piece (7).

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the second group (12) of pieces comprises a covering piece (4A), and wherein the two pieces (3) made of an aerosol generating pieces are arranged with a second end of theirs facing and in contact, with its head, with a respective end of the covering piece (4A); the method comprising dividing the second group (12) of pieces by means of a transverse cut in the area of the covering piece (4 A) so as to obtain two multi-component smoking articles (1), which are identicaland coaxial to one another.

10. The method according to claim 7 or 8 or 9 and comprising the further step of tip-turning a row of multi-component smoking articles (1) so as to shift to an orientation that is concordant with the other row of multi-component smoking articles (1).

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