Apparatus for recovering tobacco material and related method

A method of recovering material from products, the method comprising:

• receiving the products in a centrifugal object-orienting device that is rotatable about a rotation axis such that the rotating centrifugal object-orienting device imparts centrifugal force to the products to orient along a circumferential portion of the centrifugal object-orienting device, wherein the centrifugal object-orienting device comprises a wall defining a cylindrical container arranged to receive the products and defining a central axis therein, the circumferential portion including a rim arranged adjacent to and extending at least partially about an upper end of the wall, and a perforated disc disposed at an incline within the cylindrical container and so as to interact with the rim;
• rotating the cylindrical container and the disc about a rotation axis so as to impart a centrifugal force to the products within the cylindrical container, the products being responsive to the centrifugal force so as to orient along the wall and be deposited in a on the rim where the disc interacts with the rim;
• conveying the products in a conveyor direction from the rim of the centrifugal object-orienting device by a first conveyor device, the first conveyor device being disposed adjacent to and configured to interact with the rim so as to receive the products;
• slitting each of the products received by the first conveyor using a slitting device operably engaged with the first conveyor device so as to slit a covering containing the material of each of the products conveyed by the first conveyor device;
• diverting the products from the circumferential portion of the centrifugal object-orienting device using at least one diverter device so as to recover material therefrom;
• and
• recovering the material dislodged by the centrifugal force imparted to the product within the cylindrical container and directed through the perforated disc using a recovery system disposed below the perforated disc.

An apparatus for recovering material contained within products, the apparatus comprising:

• a centrifugal object-orienting device being rotatable about a rotation axis such that the rotating centrifugal object-orienting device imparts centrifugal force to the products to orient the products along a circumferential portion of the centrifugal object-orienting device, wherein the centrifugal object-orienting device comprises a wall defining a cylindrical container arranged to receive the products and defining a central axis therein, the circumferential portion including a rim arranged adjacent to and extending at least partially about an upper end of the wall, and a disc disposed at an incline within the cylindrical container and so as to interact with the rim;
• a first conveyor device disposed adjacent to and configured to interact with the rim so as to receive and convey in a conveyor direction the products from the rim;
• a slitting device operably engaged with the first conveyor device and configured to slit a covering containing the material of each of the products conveyed by the first conveyor device;
• and
• at least one diverter device arranged to divert the products from the circumferential portion of the centrifugal object-orienting device so as to recover material therefrom,
• wherein the at least one diverter device comprises a first diverter device engaged between the rim of the cylindrical container and the first conveyor device, the first diverter device being configured to divert the products from the rim to the first conveyor device, and
• wherein the at least one diverter device further comprises a second diverter device arranged about the rim of the cylindrical container, between the interaction of the disc with the rim and the first diverter device, the second diverter device being selectively actuatable to divert products deposited on the rim back into the cylindrical container.

A method of recovering material from products, the method comprising:

• receiving the products in a centrifugal object-orienting device that is rotatable about a rotation axis such that the rotating centrifugal object-orienting device imparts centrifugal force to the products to orient along a circumferential portion of the centrifugal object-orienting device, wherein the centrifugal object-orienting device comprises a wall defining a cylindrical container arranged to receive the products and defining a central axis therein, the circumferential portion including a rim arranged adjacent to and extending at least partially about an upper end of the wall, and a disc disposed at an incline within the cylindrical container and so as to interact with the rim;
• rotating the cylindrical container and the disc about a rotation axis so as to impart a centrifugal force to the products within the cylindrical container, the products being responsive to the centrifugal force so as to orient along the wall and be deposited in a on the rim where the disc interacts with the rim;
• conveying the products in a conveyor direction from the rim of the centrifugal object-orienting device by a first conveyor device including a first diverter device engaged between the rim of the cylindrical container and the first conveyor device, the first conveyor device being disposed adjacent to and configured to interact with the rim so as to receive the products;
• selectively diverting products deposited on the rim back into the cylindrical container using a second diverter device arranged about the rim of the cylindrical container, between the interaction of the disc with the rim and the first diverter device;
• slitting each of the products received by the first conveyor using a slitting device operably engaged with the first conveyor device so as to slit a covering containing the material of each of the products conveyed by the first conveyor device;
• and
• diverting the products from the circumferential portion of the centrifugal object-orienting device using at least one diverter device so as to recover material therefrom.