Method and unit for supplying rod segments - Patents.com

Abstract

A method for supplying rod-shaped segments, comprising the steps of: supplying a series of rod-shaped articles (A) laterally; cutting each of the series of rod-shaped articles (A) into a plurality of segments (B, C); drawing out one or more first segments (B) from each cut article (A) and supplying the one or more first segments (B) along a first supply direction (D1); supplying one or more remaining second segments (C) of the same article (A) along a second supply direction (D2) different from the first supply direction (D1); and reassembling the one or more first segments (B) and one or more second segments (C) with each other to form a series of segments (B, C) moving along a third supply direction (D3).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a unit for feeding rod-shaped segments. More particularly, the invention applies preferably, but not necessarily, to assembly machines or, more generally, to machines for manufacturing rod-shaped goods (filter tip attachment machines, assembly machines) in which segments of unit length or multiple lengths are fed to another station for processing or joining to other segments. [Background technology]

[0002] In practice, typically in this context, such segments are formed by cutting a long rod, which is drawn from a feed hopper and then cut into segments on a cutting drum using transverse parallel blades operating while the article moves along a feed direction transverse to its axis.

[0003] Since the cut segments need to be arranged in a configuration that is aligned in a row along the feed direction, the segments obtained from the cut article are typically shifted laterally relative to one another with their axes parallel and spaced apart, and then moved axially to obtain a row of segments.

[0004] Such a situation is described, for example, in document DE102011107330, where FIG. 2 shows segments which are cut transversely when they start to be fed, then shifted transversely and finally moved axially to form a row of articles.

[0005] The shifting is accomplished using a particular shift drum in which the segments are shifted laterally by individual amounts so that they transition from a configuration in which they are coaxial as the segments are fed into the drum to a shifted configuration as the segments leave the drum.

[0006] By shift, we mean that the segments move laterally with respect to each other enough so that each segment can be inserted laterally between two adjacent segments, the degree of this lateral movement being equal to the pitch between the two segments that are positioned one behind the other in line as they leave the drum.

[0007] It should be noted that this kind of solution provides a compact arrangement, but does not allow performing other operations on the segments, such as checking the integrity of the segments (e.g., of their ends), since the segments remain very close to each other. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention therefore aims to provide a method and a unit for feeding rod-shaped segments that offer a high degree of freedom of use, in particular making it possible to carry out other operations on the segments while they are moving.

[0009] The specified object is substantially achieved by a method and a unit for supplying rod-shaped segments comprising the technical features set out in claims 1 and 11, respectively, and / or in one or more claims dependent thereon.

[0010] The method according to the invention comprises a first step of feeding a series of rod-shaped articles transversely to their longitudinal axis, the series having a length which is a multiple of the length of the final segment to be produced, this step being carried out by means of an accumulation container, for example a hopper, provided with at least one outlet opening, associated with at least one device for removing the single articles, preferably a drum provided with a peripheral seat adapted to contain and transport the articles.

[0011] The method includes a subsequent step of cutting each article into a plurality of segments using transverse blades, preferably transverse blades that are parallel to one another, the cutting operation being carried out on the same drum used to remove the individual articles from the storage bin, configured as a cutting drum, or on one or more subsequent drums.

[0012] The cut articles (hereinafter cut articles) are then fed onto a transfer drum arranged downstream of the cutting drum, or the transfer drum and the cutting drum may be integral and identical.

[0013] Next, while the cut articles are being fed laterally, the method includes the step of withdrawing one or more first segments from each cut article and feeding said first segments along a first feed direction and moving them away from one or more remaining second segments of the same cut articles that are fed along a second feed direction different from the first feed direction (defined in particular by the transport drum), preferably deviating from the first feed direction.

[0014] The first segment is withdrawn from each article by a withdrawal drum which defines a transfer line of the article to a transfer drum and / or a cutting drum. The first and second feed directions have an end at the moment of withdrawal and run parallel to each other.

[0015] The first and second segments are then reassembled to form a series of segments moving along a third feed direction, the third feed direction therefore being common to the first and second segments.

[0016] In other words, the invention is based on the idea of ​​diverting one or more first segments along a first feed direction away from the normal feed flow of articles along a second feed direction, processing the first segments independently and at a distance from the second segment (e.g. by shifting them) to obtain two parallel partial flows in order to increase the available space around the first and second segments, in particular to make it possible to perform other operations (e.g. optical inspection, etc.), and then returning the two parallel partial flows to a single flow.

[0017] Preferably, the method comprises the steps of laterally shifting the first segments relative to one another along the first feed direction and laterally shifting the second segments relative to one another along the second feed direction. The shifting is produced, for example, by respective shift drums of known type. In a first embodiment, the laterally shifted first and second segments are reassembled with one another (on at least one reassembly drum) so as to define a single series of laterally shifted segments moving along a third feed direction (common to the first and second segments). The series of laterally shifted segments is then aligned in a single row parallel to the third feed direction. The alignment is performed with specific diverting means, for example at least one alignment drum equipped with fixed (converging) diverting guides.

[0018] The segments are laterally shifted by the same amount, which corresponds in particular to the pitch of the reassembly drum.

[0019] Preferably, this result is obtained by setting, during a step prior to generating the lateral shift, a shift that is twice or a multiple of the final lateral shift (between the segments of the reassembly drum, which corresponds to the pitch of the reassembly drum).

[0020] In another embodiment, the laterally shifted first and second segments are aligned in rows parallel to the first feed direction and / or in rows parallel to the second feed direction, respectively, before being reassembled with each other. The rows of first segments and the rows of second segments are then assembled into a single row parallel to the third feed direction. This operation is performed in at least one assembly drum.

[0021] Alternatively, in a further embodiment, the first row of segments and the second row of segments (pre-aligned in respective rows parallel to the feed direction) are assembled by juxtaposing them into two parallel rows along a third feed direction.

[0022] In one embodiment, each article is divided into four or more segments, and the step of extracting a first segment is performed by extracting two first segments and feeding them along a first feed direction while moving a second segment in a second feed direction.

[0023] In another embodiment, each article is divided into three segments, the first of which is oriented along either the first or second feed direction and the remaining two are oriented along the other feed direction.

[0024] Preferably, within each article, the first and second segments are interposed between each other, preferably alternating, in this configuration, the first segments (as well as the second segments) are axially spaced from each other to define further working spaces to enable inspection procedures and other operations to be performed.

[0025] Also preferably, the step of generating a lateral shift between the first and / or second segments is accomplished while keeping the longitudinal distance between the first and / or second segments unchanged, more specifically, the longitudinal distance being equal to the original distance existing between identical first and / or second segments, respectively, in the cut article.

[0026] More preferably, the segments do not undergo any displacement along their axis (at least relative to each other) from the moment the article is cut until it reaches the alignment drum.

[0027] Thus, the unit according to the invention comprises: - supply means for supplying a series of rod-shaped articles, preferably in the form of an accumulation bin (hopper) and associated drum for extracting the individual articles; - cutting means for cutting each rod-shaped article into a plurality of segments, thereby generating a flow of articles cut into segments, e.g. in the form of a cutting drum (coincident with or positioned downstream of the extraction drum) receiving the articles successively from the supply means; an extraction drum arranged downstream of the feeding means and configured to extract a first segment from each of the cut articles and transport the first segment along a first feed direction, the extraction drum being directly associated with a transfer drum arranged downstream of the cutting drum, the transfer drum transporting a remaining second segment of the same cut article along a second transport direction away from the first transport direction; and an assembly drum arranged downstream of the extraction drum and the transfer drum along a convergent section between the first and second feed directions and configured to reassemble the first and second segments with one another to form a series of segments moving along a third feed direction, the third feed direction being therefore common to both the first and second segments.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the unit comprises a first and / or a second shift drum arranged downstream of the withdrawal drum and the transfer drum, respectively, and configured to generate a lateral shift between the first segments along the first feed direction and / or a lateral shift between the second segments along the second feed direction.

[0029] Preferably, the separate shift drums are rotatable about parallel axes of rotation that are spaced apart from one another, preferably by a distance that is greater than the average diameter of the shift drums.

[0030] Further, each shift drum has an outer circumferential surface that faces and is spaced apart from each other so as not to interfere with each other.

[0031] In one embodiment, the shift drum is comprised of a monolithic mantle with a shifting means.

[0032] In another embodiment, the shift drum is embodied in the form of a disk rotatable about closely spaced parallel axes.

[0033] In yet another embodiment, the shift drum is embodied in the form of a drum with a seat for containing the articles and which is moved by a cam.

[0034] According to a further aspect of the invention, each initial article may be divided into a first segment, a second segment and a third segment respectively fed along three diverging feed directions, which comprises two withdrawal operations performed in two different angular regions of a transfer drum or on two consecutive transfer drums (said withdrawal drums being associated with, i.e. tangent to, a further withdrawal drum of a third shift line). [Brief description of the drawings]

[0035] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the illustrative, and therefore non-limiting, description of preferred but non-exclusive embodiments of a method and unit for feeding rod-like goods, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a unit for feeding rod-shaped goods according to a first embodiment of the invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an operation flow diagram of the unit in FIG. [Diagram 3]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a unit for feeding rod-shaped goods according to a second embodiment of the invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an operational flow diagram of the unit in FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a unit for feeding rod-shaped goods according to a third embodiment of the invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an operational flow diagram of the unit in FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] With reference to the attached drawings, the numeral 1 indicates as a whole a unit for supplying rod segments according to a possible embodiment of the invention.

[0037] The term "rod-shaped segment" is used in the context of the present invention to denote a cylindrical segment (preferably having a circular cross section) extending around an axis of symmetry and having a main direction of development preferably coinciding with the axis of symmetry. In particular, but not necessarily, the segment may be a filter segment, a cigarette rod segment, a hollow tube made of a hard or brittle material, or other products of the tobacco industry, etc. (smoking articles or aerosol-generating articles).

[0038] Additionally, the terms "longitudinal" and "lateral" as used in this disclosure refer to the axis of symmetry of said article or segment. Thus, longitudinal movement is understood to be movement along (or having at least one component along) the longitudinal axis of the article or segment, and lateral movement is understood to be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the article or segment.

[0039] Furthermore, the term "contacting" as used in this disclosure in relation to the positioning of two drums relative to one another means that the two drums are positioned relative to one another in a manner that allows for the transfer of articles from one drum to the other drum.

[0040] With reference to a first embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, a unit 1 comprises a supply means for supplying a series of rod-shaped articles A. The supply means comprises a hopper-like container 10 for containing a large number of articles A arranged with their axes parallel and horizontal (step F0).

[0041] The container 10 is associated with a drum 20 configured to extract the individual articles A from the container 10, in the embodiment shown, in the form of a cutting drum generating a transverse flow of articles cut into segments. For this purpose, the cutting drum 20 is associated with a number of blades 21 (preferably, but not necessarily, parallel to one another) to subdivide (step F1) each article A into a series of segments B, C, preferably identical in length and characteristics. To achieve this, each article A has a length that is a multiple of the length of each segment B, C. In the particular example of the attached drawings, said length is five times the length of the segments B, C.

[0042] In an embodiment not shown, an extraction drum is arranged between the container 10 and the cutting drum 20, the extraction drum having the function of extracting the individual articles A from the container 10 and feeding them in turn to the cutting drum 20.

[0043] A transfer drum 30 for transferring the cut articles A is disposed downstream of the cutting drum 20.

[0044] In an embodiment not shown, the transfer drum 30 and the cutting drum 20 may be one and the same. In other words, with reference to Figure 1, one of the transfer drum 30 or the cutting drum 20 may not be present (it is understood that the blade 21 is nevertheless required to cut the article A). In other words, the transfer drum 30 and the cutting drum 20 may be one and the same.

[0045] The transfer drum 30 has a first angular region acted upon by the pull-out drum 40, which is arranged to contact the transfer drum 30 and to pull out a first segment B from each cut article A and to convey the first segment B along a first feed direction D1 (step F2). The pulling-out of the first segment B by the transfer drum 30 can be achieved by suction of the first segment B. The first segment B was preferably held on the pull-out drum 40 by suction.

[0046] The other, second segment C, remains on the transport drum 30 and moves along a second feed direction D2 defined by the transport drum 30 itself and different from and deviating from the first feed direction D1 (step F3).

[0047] Thus, the two feed directions D1, D2 define parallel paths for the first segment B and the second segment C, respectively.

[0048] Moreover, as can be seen in the attached drawings, the illustrated solution involves drawing out two first segments B that were originally interleaved between three second segments C. Thus, the first segments B are spaced apart by a space whose length is equal to the second segments C (and therefore also equal to the length of the first segments B), and similarly, the second segments C are spaced apart by a space whose length is equal to the first segments B.

[0049] In the illustrated embodiment, the first shift drum 50 and the second shift drum 60 are arranged along the aforementioned feeding directions D1, D2, respectively. The shift drums 50, 60 are arranged downstream of the draw-off drum 40 and the transfer drum 30, respectively, and are configured to generate a lateral shift between the first segments B along the first feeding direction D1 and to generate a lateral shift between the second segments C along the second feeding direction D2, respectively (steps F4 and F5).

[0050] The shift drums 50, 60 may be of conventional type, for example having a structure consisting of disks with parallel axes, of the type described in application ITBO20060330 (BO2006A000330) in the name of the applicant, which is incorporated herein by reference as far as it concerns the disk configuration of the shifting means 20. However, other solutions for generating the shift are also conceivable, for example a solution using auxiliary disks of the type described in US3712162. The term "shift drum" is therefore used to denote any type of carousel, whether strictly a drum or defined by disks forming a substantially drum-like outer structure.

[0051] Furthermore, the expression "lateral shift" is used to mean spacing between the first segment B and the second segment C in a direction perpendicular to their axes. Preferably, the shift is accomplished while keeping the longitudinal spacing between the first segment B and the second segment C unchanged, the longitudinal spacing being equal to the original spacing existing between the first segment B and the second segment C, respectively, in the article A.

[0052] Advantageously, but not necessarily, the lateral shift applied between the first segment B and the second segment C belonging to the same initial article A is generated at an interval (or pitch) whose value is twice the final value obtained (this concept will be explained below).

[0053] The shift drums 50, 60 are rotatable about respective axes of rotation (or groups of respective axes of rotation in the case of a disk structure) that are parallel to one another and spaced apart such that the two shift drums 50, 60 do not overlap or interfere with one another. Preferably, the two shift drums 50, 60 have respective outer circumferential surfaces that face one another and are spaced apart (FIG. 1).

[0054] Downstream of the shift drums 50, 60, in the convergence section of the feed directions D1, D2, there is an assembly drum 70 configured to reassemble the shifted first and second segments B, C with one another to form a single series of segments laterally shifted with respect to one another (step F6).

[0055] On the assembly drum 70, the first segments B and the second segments C are reassembled in the same order that they originally had on the same article A from which they started. It therefore follows that, since on the initial article A the first articles B alternate with the second articles C, the shift (or pitch) defined between successive segments B, C on the assembly drum 70 (step F6) is equal to half the shift (or pitch) generated between the first segments B and the second segments C on the first shift drum 50 and the second shift drum 60, respectively (steps F4 and F5).

[0056] In the embodiment shown, the assembly drum 70 is in direct contact with the second shift drum 60 and is connected to the first shift drum 50 via an intervening auxiliary drum 80. However, alternative embodiments using other intermediate drums are also conceivable.

[0057] Downstream of the assembly drum 70 is an alignment drum 90 on which the laterally shifted segments B, C (or at least some of them) reassembled into a single group are moved longitudinally, preferably by using fixed diverting guides 91, in order to align them along a single row parallel to the common feed direction (step F7).

[0058] Once segments B, C are aligned, they are fed onto a further drum or conveyor, for example to an assembly unit of an assembly machine.

[0059] In an embodiment not shown, at least one of the two shift drums 50, 60 may be absent.

[0060] The second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that the unit comprises a first alignment drum 90 arranged downstream of the first shift drum 50 (preferably in contact with the first shift drum) and configured to align the first segments B in a row parallel to the first feed direction D1, and a second alignment drum 100 arranged downstream of the second shift drum 60 (preferably in contact with the second shift drum) and configured to align the second segments C in a row parallel to the second feed direction D2. In this embodiment, an assembly drum 70 is arranged downstream of the first alignment drum 90 and the second alignment drum 100 to assemble the row of first segments B and the row of second segments C in a single row parallel to the third feed direction (FIG. 4). More specifically, the segments B and C of the two aligned rows are reassembled, preferably in an alternating configuration, thanks to being shifted by a double pitch by the respective shift drums 50, 60.

[0061] It is also understood that in a further embodiment, where the unit comprises a single shift drum, it comprises only one of the first alignment drum and the second alignment drum.

[0062] 3, the cutting drum 20 also directly contacts the extraction drum 40, thus defining the aforementioned transfer drum, although this only constitutes an optional variant that does not depart from the concept of the invention. In addition, with the particular arrangement shown, a (completely optional) auxiliary drum 80 is provided between the cutting drum 20 and the second shift drum 60, for the sole purpose of balancing the positions of the drums in the unit.

[0063] A third embodiment, shown in Figure 5, differs from the embodiment of Figure 3 in that the unit does not reassemble the two rows of segments B and C into a single row, but on the contrary the two rows of segments B and C (with segments B and C of each row aligned with each other one after the other along the feed direction) are juxtaposed in an outfeed section of the unit, such outfeed section being preferably defined by an assembly drum 70 forming part of the lower drum row, such drum row forming, for example, part of a common feed line of a feed module of an assembly machine. These two juxtaposed rows of segments (Figure 6) are on either side of a midplane M that defines, for example, a central reference for the subsequent step of assembling further segments.

[0064] In the third embodiment, since the two rows in the first direction D1 and the second direction D2, respectively, are not intended to be assembled with each other, as in the first and second embodiments, the lateral shift applied by the shift drums 50, 60 does not have to be twice or a multiple of the final lateral shift between segments B and C of each row, but may be equal to the resulting final lateral shift from the start (hence a unit shift).

[0065] Also, in the third embodiment, each of the articles A is preferably cut into an even number of segments B, C, and even more preferably, the number of first segments drawn from each article A is equal to the number of second segments C drawn from said article A. Again, the first segments B and second segments C are alternating segments along said article A.

[0066] The third embodiment also uses an additional auxiliary drum 80 (also entirely optional) downstream of the alignment drums 90, 100. In use, a series of rod-shaped articles A are fed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the articles (step F0) and each of the articles A is cut into a plurality of end-to-end segments B, C which are longitudinally aligned (step F1).

[0067] Next, one or more first segments B are withdrawn from each article A and moved away from a second remaining segment C of that article A. The first segments B are fed along a first feed direction D1 and the second segments C are fed along a second feed direction D2 that is different from and preferably deviates from the first feed direction D1 (steps F2, F3).

[0068] Advantageously, this allows other tasks to be performed on the first segment B and / or the second segment C (eg, optical inspection).

[0069] The first segment B and / or the second segment C are then reassembled with each other to form a series of segments B, C moving along a third feed direction.

[0070] In the first illustrated embodiment (Figures 1 and 2), the first segment B is shifted laterally as it moves along the first feed direction D1, and the second segment C is shifted laterally as it moves along the second feed direction D2 (steps F4, F5).

[0071] The shifted first segment B and second segment C forming part of the same initial article A are then reassembled (step F6) to form a series of laterally shifted segments in a number corresponding to the number of segments of the initial article (five in the embodiment shown). This reassembly step carried out on the reassembly drum 70 produces a series of segments B, C arranged along a line inclined with respect to the common feed direction defined by the assembly drum 70. The assembly drum 70 then carries a plurality of inclined, shifted series of segments B, C of the described type which follow one another along the common feed direction defined by the assembly drum 70.

[0072] Each series of five segments B, C then undergoes an alignment step (step F7), which is carried out by longitudinally displacing at least some of the first segments B and the second segments C so as to align them in a single row parallel to the feed direction.

[0073] In the second embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the shifted first and second segments B and C are aligned in rows parallel to the first and second feed directions D1 and D2, respectively (steps F6 and F7). The rows of the first and second segments B and C are then combined with each other to form a single row parallel to the third feed direction D3 (step F8).

[0074] In a third embodiment shown in Figures 7 and 8, a row of first segments B and a row of second segments C, already aligned, are assembled on an assembly drum 70 so as to define a series of pairs of segments B, C aligned side by side, in particular coaxially with respect to one another (step F8, Figure 6).

[0075] The term "drum" is used in this specification of the invention to mean any element used to transport rod-shaped articles and / or rod-shaped segments. Thus, the term "drum" is not limited to the illustrated example.

[0076] The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and achieves its intended objectives.

[0077] Creating two separate feeding paths makes it possible to increase the free space longitudinally between the segments. More space means that checking or inspection devices (e.g. optical or electromagnetic devices) can be installed facing or adjacent to the drum of the unit in order to improve the quality of the segment feeding process. Moreover, shifting the segments also makes it possible to create more space laterally, since the pitch of the shift for each path is larger than the final pitch obtained. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0078] [Patent Document 1] DE102011107330 [Patent Document 2] ITBO20060330 [Patent Document 3] US3712162

Claims

1. 1. A method for providing rod segments, comprising the steps of: feeding a series of rod-shaped articles (A) transversely to a longitudinal axis of said series of rod-shaped articles (A); cutting each of said series of rod-shaped articles (A) into a plurality of segments (B, C); - drawing one or more first segments (B) from each cut article (A) and feeding said first segments (B) along a first feeding direction (D1); - feeding one or more remaining second segments (C) of the same article (A) along a second feed direction (D2) different from the first feed direction (D1) and preferably deviating from the first feed direction (D1); reassembling said first segment (B) and said second segment (C) with one another to form at least one series of segments (B, C) moving along a third feed direction (D3), said method comprising: creating a lateral shift between the first segments (B) along the first feed direction (D1) and / or creating a lateral shift between the second segments (C) along the second feed direction.

2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of generating a lateral shift is achieved while keeping unchanged the longitudinal distance between the first segments (B) and / or the second segments (C), said longitudinal distance being in particular equal to the original distance between the first segments (B) and / or the second segments (C), respectively, of the article (A).

3. The step of reassembling the first segment (B) and the second segment (C) together comprises: reassembling said first segment (B) and said second segment (C) laterally shifted relative to one another to form a single series of segments (B, C) laterally shifted relative to one another and moving along said third feed direction (D3); and then aligning the shifted first segments (B) and the second segments (C) in a single row parallel to the third feed direction (D3).

4. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of reassembling the shifted first and second segments (B) with each other is accomplished while the first and second segments (B) and (C) are moving, whereby the first and second segments (B) and (C) are arranged along a direction inclined with respect to the third feeding direction (D3) of the first and second segments (B) and (C), and are preferably uniformly shifted laterally.

5. 5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the step of generating a lateral shift is achieved by setting a lateral shift which is twice or a multiple of the lateral shift between the first segments (B) and the second segments (C) after the step of reassembling the shifted first segments (B) and second segments (C).

6. The step of reassembling the first segment (B) and the second segment (C) together comprises: aligning the shifted first segments (B) in a row parallel to the first feed direction (D1) and / or aligning the shifted second segments (C) in a row parallel to the second feed direction (D2); and then assembling the row of the first segments (B) and the row of the second segments (C) into at least one row aligned along the third feed direction (D3).

7. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of assembling the rows of the first segments (B) and the rows of the second segments (C) into at least one row is performed by assembling the first segments (B) and the second segments (C) into a single row aligned along the third feed direction (D3).

8. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of assembling the rows of the first segments (B) and the rows of the second segments (C) into at least one row is performed by juxtaposing the rows of the first segments (B) and the rows of the second segments (C) with each other along the third feed direction (D3).

9. 9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the step of cutting each of the series of articles (A) into a plurality of segments (B, C) is carried out by cutting each article (A) into an even number of segments (B, C).

10. 10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the number of first segments (B) drawn from each item (A) is equal to the number of second segments (C) drawn from said item (A).

11. 11. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the step of generating a lateral shift is performed by applying a lateral shift that is identical to the final lateral shift existing between the segments (B, C) along the third feed direction (D3).

12. 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the step of extracting one or more first segments (B) from each cut article (A) is accomplished by an extracting drum (40) such that the cut article (A) is disposed on a transfer drum (30) while the remaining second segments (C) of said article (A) continue to move on said transfer drum (30).

13. 13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the step of generating a lateral shift between the first segments (B) along the first feeding direction (D1) and / or a lateral shift between the second segments (C) along the second feeding direction (D2) is achieved by a first shift drum (50) and / or a second shift drum (60), respectively.

14. 14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the first segments (B) and the second segments (C) are arranged in series, preferably alternating, with one another in the same article (A).

15. A unit for supplying rod segments, comprising: a supply means (10) for supplying a series of rod-shaped articles (A); cutting means for cutting each rod-shaped article (A) into a plurality of segments (B, C), thereby generating a flow of articles (A) cut into segments; a withdrawal drum (40) arranged downstream of the supply means (10) and configured to withdraw a first segment (B) from each of the series of cut rod-like articles (A) and to transport the first segment (B) along a first supply direction (D1); a transfer drum (30) arranged downstream of the supply means (10) and adapted to transport the remaining second segments (C) of the cut rod-shaped goods (A) along a second supply direction (D2) different from the first supply direction (D1) and preferably deviating from the first supply direction (D1); and an assembly drum (70) arranged downstream of the withdrawal drum (40) and the transfer drum (30) and configured to reassemble the first segment (B) and the second segment (C) with one another to form at least one series of segments (B, C) moving along a third feed direction (D3), the unit comprising: a first shift drum (50) and / or a second shift drum (60) arranged downstream of the withdrawal drum (40) along the first feed direction (D1) and downstream of the transfer drum (30) along the second feed direction (D2), respectively, configured to generate a lateral shift between the first segments (B) along the first feed direction (D1) and a lateral shift between the second segments (C) along the second feed direction (D2), respectively.

16. said assembly drum (70) is configured to reassemble said laterally shifted first and second segments (B) with one another to form a single series of segments (B, C) laterally shifted with respect to one another; 16. The unit according to claim 15, comprising an alignment drum (90) arranged downstream of the assembly drum (70) and configured to align the first segment (B) and the second segment (C) in a single row parallel to the third feed direction (D3).

17. a first alignment drum (90) arranged downstream of the first shift drum (50) and configured to align the first segments (B) in a first row parallel to the first feed direction (D1); a second alignment drum (100) arranged downstream of the second shift drum (60) and configured to align the second segments (C) in a second row parallel to the second feed direction (D2), 16. The unit according to claim 15, wherein the assembly drum (70) is arranged downstream of the first alignment drum (90) and the second alignment drum (100) and assembles the row of the first segments (B) and the row of the second segments (C) into at least one row parallel to the third feed direction (D3).

18. 18. A unit according to claim 17, wherein the unit is configured to assemble the row of first segments (B) and the row of second segments (C) in a single row on the assembly drum (70), in particular to supply the row of first segments (B) and the row of second segments (C) in a single row on the assembly drum (70).

19. 18. The unit according to claim 17, wherein the unit is configured to juxtapose rows of the first segments (B) and rows of the second segments on the assembly drum (70) along the third feed direction (D3).

20. A unit according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein the cutting means are arranged on the transfer drum (30) or on a drum (20) arranged upstream of the transfer drum (30).

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