Patent ID: 8381736

Claim:
A method of preparing a rod for use in the preparation of a smoking article; wherein said rod has a first end and a second end; wherein said rod has located therein a solid support; wherein the solid support extends in a linear fashion from the first end of said rod to the second end of said rod; wherein at least a portion of said solid support is coated and/or impregnated with an additive; wherein said rod is prepared using rod forming means, wherein said rod forming means comprises a channel ending in an open exit, wherein material may pass through at least part of the channel and leave via the open exit in the form of a rod; wherein said rod is prepared by: providing starting material for forming said rod; providing the solid support for location within said formed rod; providing an additive for coating and/or impregnating at least a portion of said solid support; allowing said starting material to travel through at least part of said channel of said rod forming means; coating and/or impregnating at least a portion of said solid support with said additive within said channel; allowing said solid support coated and/or impregnated with said additive to travel through at least part of channel of said rod forming means; wherein said method comprises: contacting a section of said starting material with a section of said solid support; wherein the initial contact of said section of starting material with said section of said solid support occurs in said rod forming means; allowing the contacted sections of starting material and solid support to travel through at least part of said channel of said rod forming means in the direction of said open exit; allowing the remainder of the starting material and the remainder of the solid support to contact in the rod forming means; allowing the contacted remainder of the starting material and the solid support to travel through at least part of said channel of said rod forming means; forming said rod by said rod forming means, such that on forming said rod said solid support extends within said rod from the first end of said rod to the second end of said rod; and allowing said formed rod to exit from said open exit.