Cleaner assemblies, apparatuses including a cleaner assembly, methods of making the same, and/or methods of operating the same

US11891204B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Altria Client Services LLC · US

Inventors

• Jarrod W. Chalkley · Mechanicsville, US
• Robert V. Powell, Jr. · Richmond, US
• Christopher R. NEWCOMB · Richmond, US
• Jeremy J. Straight · Midlothian, US
• Isaac J. McGill · Richmond, US
• James D. Evans · Austin, US
• Patrick S. McElhinney · Swift Creek Farms, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 17, 2022
• Grant date: Feb 6, 2024
• Expiry date: Feb 17, 2042

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B65B2210/08
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A cleaner assembly for an apparatus for making pouch products includes a cleaner roller and a poker roller. The cleaner roller may counter rotate with a rotatable drum of the apparatus, in contact with an upper surface of a first elastic layer on the rotatable drum, and at a greater tangential speed than at least one surface of an outer circumferential surface of the rotatable drum or an upper surface of the first elastic layer. The poker roller includes projections that are each configured to extend into one or more divots of the rotatable drum. The poker roller may counter rotate with the rotatable drum and at a same tangential speed as the at least one surface such that the projections extend into and out of separate, respective divots of the rotatable drum based on the counter rotation of the poker roller and the rotatable drum.