Cone closure apparatus and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11129406-B2
Application number	US-201916391505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2019
Priority date	Apr 23, 2018
Publication date	Sep 28, 2021
Grant date	Sep 28, 2021

Abstract

A cone closure apparatus for production of smoking articles includes: (a) a frame; and (b) at least one cone holder supported by the frame and extending along an axis. The cone holder has a lower grip surface for applying a rotational force about the axis to an outer surface of a lower filled portion of a cone received in the cone holder. The cone having an upper empty portion disposed above the lower filled portion and protruding clear of the lower grip surface to receive a counter-rotational force about the axis, in a direction opposite the rotational force. The closure apparatus further includes (c) a drive supported by the frame for applying at least one of the rotational force and the counter-rotational force to twist the upper empty portion closed when the drive is energized.

First claim

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A cone closure apparatus for production of smoking articles, comprising:
a) a frame;
b) at least one cone holder supported by the frame and extending along an axis, the cone holder having a lower grip surface for applying a rotational force about the axis to an outer surface of a lower filled portion of a cone received in the cone holder, the cone having an upper empty portion disposed above the lower filled portion and protruding clear of the lower grip surface to receive a counter-rotational force about the axis, in a direction opposite the rotational force; and
c) a drive supported by the frame for applying at least one of the rotational force and the counter-rotational force to twist the upper empty portion closed when the drive is energized.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive comprises a lower drive coupled to the cone holder, the lower drive, when energized, urging rotation of the lower grip surface and the lower filled portion of the cone engaged thereby.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the counter-rotational force comprises generally inhibiting rotation of the upper empty portion of the cone about the axis during rotation of the lower filled portion of the cone.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the lower drive comprises a torque limiter to limit the rotational force to an amount no greater than that necessary to complete the twist closure, thereby inhibiting over twisting the cone.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the torque limiter comprises a clutch.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the torque limiter comprises an electronic sensor coupled to the drive, the sensor detecting an increase in torque required to rotate the lower grip surface as the upper empty portion becomes fully twisted about the axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a speed at which the lower grip surface rotates is adjustable.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the upper empty portion is accessible by a hand of an operator for applying the counter-rotational force.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising an upper gripper supported by the frame, the upper gripper movable between a retracted position in which the upper gripper is clear of the upper empty portion of the cone, and an advanced position in which the upper gripper engages the upper empty portion of the cone to apply the counter-rotational force.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the upper gripper comprises at least two jaws, the jaws having opposed upper grip surfaces, and the jaws movable between open and closed positions, wherein moving the upper gripper to the advanced position comprises moving the jaws from the open position, in which the upper grip surfaces are spaced apart to receive the upper empty portion of the cone therebetween in a generally uncollapsed condition, to the closed position, in which the upper grip surfaces are drawn together to collapse the upper empty portion of the cone toward the axis and apply the counter-rotational force.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the upper gripper is vertically translatable between a raised position and a lowered position, and wherein moving the gripper to the advanced position comprises moving the gripper to the lowered position.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an upper gripper supported by the frame, the upper gripper movable between a retracted position in which the upper gripper is clear of the upper empty portion of the cone, and an advanced position in which the upper gripper engages the upper empty portion of the cone to apply the counter-rotational force.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the drive comprises an upper drive coupled to the upper gripper, the upper drive, when energized, urging counter-rotation of the upper gripper about the axis and the upper filled portion of the cone engaged thereby.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the rotational force comprises generally inhibiting rotation of the lower filled portion of the cone relative to the frame during counter-rotation of the upper empty portion of the cone.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower grip surface is generally conical, having a taper angle that matches a taper angle of the cone.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the lower grip surface has an axial extent that extends between a bottom end and a top end, wherein the top end is at an elevation below a fill level of the cone, and the bottom end is below the top end.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the cone holder is a selected cone holder from a group of interchangeable cone holders, the group of interchangeable cone holders including the selected cone holder and one or more other cone holders, the one or more other cone holders having respective other grip surfaces with at least one of a different taper angle and a different axial extent suitable for use with a different cone having different geometrical dimensions than the cone received in the selected cone holder.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a trimming device supported by the frame, the trimming device including a cutter movable from a retracted position spaced apart from the twisted upper end of the cone to an advanced position in which the cutter engages the twisted upper end of the cone axially above the filled lower portion of the cone to trim the twisted upper end to a desired length.

19. A method of closing a cone containing smokeable product in production of smoking articles, the method comprising:
a) inserting the cone into a cone holder having an axis, the cone holder having a lower grip surface for gripping an outer surface of a lower filled portion of the cone, the cone having an upper empty portion disposed above the lower filled portion and protruding clear of the lower grip surface;
b) energizing a drive coupled to the cone holder, the drive applying a rotational force about the axis to the lower filled portion of the cone via the lower grip surface;
c) during step (b), applying a counter-rotational force about the axis to the upper empty portion of the cone to twist the upper empty portion closed.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the counter-rotational force includes inhibiting rotation of the upper empty portion of the cone about the axis.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the counter-rotational force is applied by a hand of an operator.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the counter-rotational force is applied by opposed upper grip surfaces of a mechanical gripper moved from a retracted position to an advanced position.

23. A method of closing a cone containing smokeable product in production of smoking articles, the method comprising:
a) gripping a lower filled portion of a cone with a lower grip surface of a cone holder, the cone having an upper empty portion disposed above the lower filled portion and protruding clear of the lower grip surface;
b) gripping the upper empty portion with an upper grip surface; and
c) counter-rotating the upper empty portion relative to the lower filled portion by energizing a drive to rotate one of the upper grip surface and the lower grip surface about an axis and inhibiting rotation of the other of the upper grip surface and the lower grip surface about the axis to twist the upper empty portion closed.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein step (b) comprises gripping the upper empty portion with a han

Assignees

• Canopy Growth Corp

Inventors

• Sirois Mike
• Tutton John
• Watters Robert

Classifications

• A24C5/44

  Pocket cigarette-rollers · CPC title

• A24C5/54

  Folding the ends of cigarette paper tubes after filling them with tobacco · CPC title

• A24C5/12

  Cutting the ends of filled and rolled cigarettes · CPC title

• A24C5/06 Primary

  with pressing-chamber · CPC title