US3847162A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for injecting a fluid into a package of cigarettes
Assignee: Liberty Tool and Die Co
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Filing: 1973-10-29
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Granted: 1974-11-12
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Expires: 1993-10-29
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for injecting a fluid simultaneously into each of the plurality of cigarettes in a package of cigarettes includes, means for positioning the package of cigarettes in a predetermined position, a fluid supply, and a plurality of hypodermic needles arranged to penetrate each cigarette in the package insitu when the package is positioned in its predetermined position. A pump means interconnects the fluid supply and the needles and measures a predetermined amount of fluid from the fluid reservoir and directs the predetermined amount of fluid through the needles to the interior of the cigarettes. The plurality of needles are commonly supported for movement between a first position in which the needles are spaced apart from a positioned package of cigarettes and a second position in which the needles penetrate the package and engage each individual cigarette to inject the fluid therein. A solenoid is provided to effect movement of the needles from the first to the second position. After the package has been positioned the solenoid is engaged to move the needles into their penetrating second position and inject the fluid into the positioned package of cigarettes. The solenoid is then deenergized and the needles removed from the package after the fluid has been injected. The injection of the fluid into the cigarettes provides a cigarette in which a major portion of the harmful constituents in the cigarette smoke are rendered non-toxic to the smoker.
Inventors
- 👤 H Seil
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:42
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/60; A24C5/608
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
An apparatus for simultaneously injecting a fluid into a plurality of positioned articles comprising means for positioning the plurality of articles in a predetermined position, a fluid supply, penetrating meanS for simultaneously penetrating each of the plurality of positioned articles and directing the flow of fluid from said fluid supply to the interior of the articles, pump means interconnecting said fluid supply and said penetrating means for measuring a predetermined amount of fluid and directing said predetermined amount of fluid to said penetrating means, and actuating means providing for relative movement of said penetrating means and said plurality of positioned articles having a first condition in which said penetrating means is spaced apart from said plurality of positioned articles and a second condition in which said penetrating means penetrates each of the plurality of positioned articles and directs said predetermined amount of fluid to an interior portion of each of the plurality of articles, said pump means measuring a predetermined amount of fluid from said fluid supply and storing said predetermined amount of fluid therein when said fluid actuating means is in said first condition and exhausting the predetermined amount of fluid therefrom and directing said predetermined amount of fluid to said penetrating means when said actuating means is in said second condition.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
213 words
An apparatus for simultaneously injecting a fluid into a plurality of positioned articles comprising means for positioning the plurality of articles in a predetermined position, a fluid supply, penetrating meanS for simultaneously penetrating each of the plurality of positioned articles and directing the flow of fluid from said fluid supply to the interior of the articles, pump means interconnecting said fluid supply and said penetrating means for measuring a predetermined amount of fluid and directing said predetermined amount of fluid to said penetrating means, and actuating means providing for relative movement of said penetrating means and said plurality of positioned articles having a first condition in which said penetrating means is spaced apart from said plurality of positioned articles and a second condition in which said penetrating means penetrates each of the plurality of positioned articles and directs said predetermined amount of fluid to an interior portion of each of the plurality of articles, said pump means measuring a predetermined amount of fluid from said fluid supply and storing said predetermined amount of fluid therein when said fluid actuating means is in said first condition and exhausting the predetermined amount of fluid therefrom and directing said predetermined amount of fluid to said penetrating means when said actuating means is in said second condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus for simultaneously injecting a fluid into a plurality of positioned articles as defined in claim 1, wherein said penetrating means includes a plurality of hollow needles in fluid communication with said pump means for directing said predetermined amount of fluid to the interior of said plurality of positioned articles when said needles have penetrated said positioned articles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
114 words
An apparatus for simultaneously injecting a fluid into a plurality of positioned articles as defined in claim 2 wherein said penetrating means further includes a movable manifold block for supporting said plurality of needles for movement therewith, a movable slide block for supporting said manifold block for movement therewith, said slide block and said manifold block being movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surfaces to be penetrated of the positioned articles by said needles between a first position in which said needles are spaced from the positioned articles and a second position in which said needles penetrate the positioned articles and spring means for biasing said slide block toward said first position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
77 words
An apparatus for simultaneously injecting a fluid into a plurality of positioned articles as defined in claim 3 wherein said manifold block includes a manifold therein which provides fluid communication between said pump means and said plurality of needles, and further including a needle guide block interposed between said manifold block and the positioned articles for guiding the movement of said needles as said slide block and said manifold block moves between said first and second position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus for simultaneously injecting a fluid into a plurality of positioned articles as defined in claim 3 wherein said actuating means includes a solenoid having a plunger, said plunger being in engagement with said manifold block and effecting movement of said manifold block and said slide block to said second position upon energization of said solenoid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus for simultaneously injecting a fluid into a plurality of positioned articles as defined in claim 4 wherein said pump means includes a pump block connected to said manifold block for movement therewith, said pump block having a chamber therein, said chamber having a fluid inlet for receiving fluid from said fluid supply and a fluid outlet for directing fluid to said manifold and a piston assembly mounted for movement into said chamber to force fluid accumulated therein through said fluid outlet to said manifold.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
126 words
An apparatus for simultaneously injecting a fluid into a plurality of positioned articles as defined in claim 6 wherein said piston assembly includes a piston rod having one end disposed in said chamber and the opposite end slidably supported in said needle guide block, a stop member slidably fixed to said piston rod between said needle guide block and said chamber, spring means for engaging said stop member for biasing said piston rod outwardly from said chamber, said piston rod being movable relative to said needle guide block in response to initial movement of said pump block toward said positioned article and being movable relative to said pump block to force fluid from said chamber upon further movement of said pump block toward said positioned articles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
209 words
An apparatus for simultaneously injecting a fluid into a plurality of positioned articles as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for positioning a plurality of articles includes a tray for receiving articles to be positioned therein and a plurality of stop members for positioning articles placed in said tray relative to said tray and to said penetrating means, at least one of said plurality of stop members being movable between an operative position in which said stop members engage with and position the articles placed in said tray and an inoperative position in which said stop members are ineffective to position the articles in said tray, said stop members being movable between said operative and inoperative position upon movement of said tray to effect engagement of said stop members with articles placed in said tray toward said stop members, said stop members engaging with said articles as said articles are moved by said tray to enable some of said stop members to be positioned in said inoperative position and one of said stop members to be positioned in said operative position depending upon the size of the articles placed in said tray to enable said stop members to position articles of various sizes relative to said penetrating means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
179 words
An apparatus for injecting a predetermined amount of fluid into a plurality of cigarettes which have a predetermined positional relationship relative to each other comprising, a source of fluid, penetrating means for simultaneously penetrating said plurality of cigarettes and injecting said predetermined amount of fluid therein, pump means for interconnecting said source of fluid and said penetrating means, means for positioning said plurality of cigarettes relative to said penetrating means, and actuating means for moving said penetrating means from a first position in which said penetrating means are spaced apart from said plurality of cigarettes to a second position in which said penetrating means engages and penetrates said plurality of cigarettes, said pump means measuring said predetermined amount of fluid from said fluid supply and storing said predetermined amount of fluid therein when said penetrating means is in said first position and exhausting said predetermined amount of fluid therefrom when said penetrating means is moved to said second position to direct the measured predetermined amount of fluid through the penetrating means to the interior of the plurality of cigarettes.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
179 words
An apparatus for injecting a predetermined amount of fluid into a plurality of cigarettes which have a predetermined positional relationship relative to each other comprising, a source of fluid, penetrating means for simultaneously penetrating said plurality of cigarettes and injecting said predetermined amount of fluid therein, pump means for interconnecting said source of fluid and said penetrating means, means for positioning said plurality of cigarettes relative to said penetrating means, and actuating means for moving said penetrating means from a first position in which said penetrating means are spaced apart from said plurality of cigarettes to a second position in which said penetrating means engages and penetrates said plurality of cigarettes, said pump means measuring said predetermined amount of fluid from said fluid supply and storing said predetermined amount of fluid therein when said penetrating means is in said first position and exhausting said predetermined amount of fluid therefrom when said penetrating means is moved to said second position to direct the measured predetermined amount of fluid through the penetrating means to the interior of the plurality of cigarettes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
159 words
An apparatus for injecting a predetermined amount of fluid into a plurality of cigarettes as defined in claim 9 wherein said penetrating means includes a plurality of hollow needles in fluid communication with said pump means for directing said predetermined amount of fluid to the interior of the plurality of positioned cigarettes when said needles have penetrated said positioned cigarettes, a movable manifold block supporting said plurality of needles for movement therewith, a movable slide block for supporting said manifold block for movement therewith, said slide block, said manifold block and said pump block being movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the cigarettes to be penetrated by said needles between said first position in which said needles are spaced apart from said positioned cigarettes and said second postion in which said needles penetrate said positioned cigarettes and spring means for biasing said slide block, said manifold block and said pump block toward said first position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus for injecting a predEtermined amount of fluid into a plurality of cigarettes as defined in claim 10 further including a needle guide block interposed between said manifold block and the positioned cigarettes for guiding the movement of said needles as said slide block moves between said first and second positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
94 words
An apparatus for injecting a predetermined amount of fluid into a plurality of cigarettes as defined in claim 9 wherein said pump means includes a pump block operatively associated with said penetrating means for movement therewith between said first and second positions, said pump block having a chamber therein having a fluid inlet for receiving fluid from said fluid supply and a fluid outlet for directing fluid to said penetrating means and a piston assembly mounted for movement into said chamber to force fluid accumulated therein through said fluid outlet to said penetrating means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
179 words
An apparatus for injecting a predetermined amount of fluid into a plurality of cigarettes as defined in claim 12 wherein said piston assembly includes a support member, a piston rod having one end disposed in said chamber and the opposite end slidably supported in said support member, a stop member slidably fixed to said piston rod between said support member and said chamber, and spring means engaging said stop member for biasing said piston rod outwardly from said chamber, said pump block and said piston rod being movable relative to said support member in response to initial movement of said pump block toward the positioned cigarettes, said spring means biasing said piston rod to prevent relative movement between said piston rod and said chamber in response to initial movement of said pump block toward said cigarettes, said piston rod being movable relative to said pump block into said chamber to force fluid from said chamber to said penetrating means upon further movement of said pump block toward said cigarettes and engagement of said stop member with said support member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
171 words
An apparatus for injecting a predetermined amount of fluid into a plurality of cigarettes as defined in claim 9 further including a tray for receiving cigarettes to be positioned relative to the penetrating means, said tray having a cigarette receiving position and a penetrating position in which the cigarettes are positioned in their predetermined position relative to said penetrating means and a plurality of stop members for positioning the cigarettes placed in said tray relative to the penetrating means, said stop members being movable between an operative position in which said stop members engage with and position the cigarettes placed in said tray and an inoperative position in which said stop members are ineffective to position the cigarettes placed in said tray, said stop members being engaged by the cigarettes placed in said tray as said tray is moved from said cigarette receiving position to said penetrating position with the cigarettes disposed therein and enabling said tray to receive and position cigarettes of various sizes therein relative to said penetrating means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-11 | 1978-05-13 | 1978-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-11 | 1982-05-13 | 1982-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-11 | 1986-05-13 | 1986-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |