Reservoir system for rod-like articles
US6016904A · kind A · utility
16Cited by
4References
19Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 3, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 25, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 3, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G2207/24
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A variable capacity reservoir for cigarettes or similar rod-like articles comprises a pair of fixed upwardly extending helical guides located above the normal plane of conveyance of a laterally-flexible mass flow conveyor, and a drive carriage carrying wheels engageable with the conveyor and rotatable about the axis of the helical guides so as to reversibly deflect a variable length of conveyor around said guides. As the conveyor is advanced into or retracted from the helical guides, it is correspondingly transferred from or to a store arranged below the guides.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.