(19)
(11) EP 1 366 679 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
16.06.2004 Bulletin 2004/25

(43) Date of publication A2:
03.12.2003 Bulletin 2003/49

(21) Application number: 03425341.9

(22) Date of filing: 26.05.2003
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7A24C 5/32, A24C 5/47
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK

(30) Priority: 30.05.2002 IT BO20020331

(71) Applicant: G.D S.p.A.
40133 Bologna (IT)

(72) Inventor:
  • Gherardi, Gian Luigi
    40059 Medicina (IT)

(74) Representative: Lanzoni, Luciano 
c/o BUGNION S.p.A. Via Goito, 18
40126 Bologna
40126 Bologna (IT)

   


(54) A method and a machine for making filter cigarettes


(57) Cigarettes are manufactured on a machine that includes a filter tip attachment comprising a train of rollers (R) with peripheral suction grooves (8), each proportioned to hold a single cigarette (26). The grooves (8) are set parallel to the axis of rotation of the relative rollers (R) and combine to establish a feed path along which the cigarettes are attracted and released, passing from one roller to the next and advancing through a succession of processing stations. To optimize the attraction and release steps, the cigarettes (26) themselves are exploited in such a way as to create a chamber (35, 35a, 47) in each groove, compassed between the cylindrical surface of the cigarette and the bottom surface (31, 36, 39) of the groove (8) it occupies, and connected to the pneumatic circuits generating the suction.







Search report