APPARATUS FOR INSERTING OBJECTS INTO A FILTER COMPONENT OF A SMOKING ARTICLE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for manufacturing a rod member for a cigarette filter element.SOLUTION: Each rod member defines a longitudinal axis and includes a generally longitudinally-extending filter material 40 and a plurality of objects disposed therein along the longitudinal axis. Such an apparatus comprises a rod-forming unit 212 configured to form a continuous supply of a filter material 40 into a continuous cylindrical rod member. An object insertion unit 214 is configured to introduce a plurality of objects into engagement with the rod member. A rod-dividing unit is configured to divide the rod member into a plurality of rod portions 205 such that each rod portion 205 includes a plurality of the objects. Associated method are also provided.