Self-Fabrication Device for Customized Cigarettes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing homemade cigarettes often result in inferior quality due to lack of user control over tobacco and filter tube quality, limiting the ability to consistently produce high-quality cigarettes with desired taste and properties.

Innovation Solution

A smoking article self-production device that allows users to select from multiple types of tobacco and filter tubes, combining them through a user-controlled selection system to produce customized cigarettes without changing operating parameters, enabling consistent production of high-quality cigarettes with desired taste and smoking properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If users manually roll cigarettes or stuff tobacco into prefabricated tubes, then the production process is simple and accessible, but the quality of the cigarettes is inferior and inconsistent

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of production processVSAvoidquality consistency of cigarettes
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The device segments the cigarette production process into distinct functional modules: tobacco storage compartments, filter tube storage compartments, assembly mechanism, and packing section. Each module handles a specific aspect of cigarette manufacturing, allowing users to independently select and combine different tobacco types and filter tubes while maintaining consistent assembly quality through mechanical precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If complex electric and motor-driven systems are used for cigarette self-assembly, then higher quality cigarettes can be produced, but the device complexity increases and user control over cigarette properties is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequality of cigarettes producedVSAvoidcomplexity of self-assembly device
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The device incorporates a manual cranking mechanism that allows the user to directly power the assembly process. The crank shaft connects to the assembly mechanism, enabling the user to control the stuffing density and assembly speed themselves. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex electric motors while maintaining manufacturing precision through user-adjustable mechanical parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If users select specific tobacco types to achieve desired taste, then the taste can be customized, but the operating parameters such as stuffing density must be changed which affects cigarette quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to customize cigarette tasteVSAvoidconsistency of cigarette quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The device provides multiple storage compartments for different tobacco types (e.g., light, medium, dark, aromatic, menthol) and different filter tube types, allowing users to select specific combinations for desired taste. The assembly mechanism maintains consistent stuffing density through mechanical design features such as a standardized tamper tool and fixed packing pressure, ensuring that quality consistency is maintained regardless of which tobacco type is selected.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Adaptability or versatility

If operating parameters like stuffing density are adjusted to change cigarette properties, then the taste and firmness can be modified, but the cigarette quality becomes unfavorable and inconsistent

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to modify cigarette propertiesVSAvoidconsistency of cigarette quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device allows parameter changes within a controlled range through the manual cranking mechanism, which enables adjustment of stuffing density while maintaining quality standards. The mechanical design includes a standardized tamper tool with fixed dimensions and a packing mechanism that applies consistent pressure, ensuring that even when users adjust parameters for different taste preferences, the cigarette quality remains reliable and consistent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2667736B1Self-fabrication of personalised smoking articles, in particular cigarettes
Publication Date: 2017.03.08 BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (GERMANY) GMBH
  • EP2667736B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2667736B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2667736B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to device for self-fabricating smoking articles, in particular a device for self-fabricating cigarettes (1) comprising: a tobacco receiving chamber (2); a smoking article sleeve receiving chamber (3); a smoking article production unit (4) for producing smoking articles using tobacco contained in the tobacco receiving chamber (2) and using sleeves (110) contained in the smoking article sleeve receiving chamber (3); and a transport unit (5) or a transport system for transporting tobacco and/or smoking article sleeves from the tobacco receiving chamber (2) and/or the smoking article sleeve receiving chamber (3) to the smoking article production unit (4), said tobacco receiving chamber (2) and/or the smoking article sleeve receiving chamber (3) comprising receiving elements (14) for at least two different types of tobacco and/or types of sleeve; and comprising a selection system (7) for selecting the desired characteristics of the cigarettes which are to be fabricated, said system being controlled by the entries made by a user; and a control unit (6) for controlling operating processes and/or the components of the cigarette self-fabrication device (1) according to the user entries. The invention also relates to a method for the self-fabrication of smoking articles, in particular cigarettes.