MX2008010207A - Gamma cyclodextrin flavoring-release additives - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrically heated cigarette (23) used in an electrical smoking system includes a flavoring-release additive and sorbent effective to remove one or more gas-phase constituents of mainstream tobacco smoke. The flavoring-release additive includes&ggr,--cyclodextrin and at least one flavoring. Flavoring is released in a cigarette upon the flavoring-release additive reaching at least a minimum temperature during smoking. The flavoring- release additive can have various forms including, for example, powder and films.

Description

ADDITIVES OF LI BERACION OF SAVORIZING OF GAMMA CICLODEXTRI NA BACKGROUND Traditional cigarettes are smoked by lighting one end of a wrapped tobacco rod and dragging predominantly through the burning end by suction at one end of the cigarette die. Traditional cigarettes are smoked as a result of combustion, during which the tobacco is burned at temperatures that normally exceed 800 ° C during a puff. The combustion heat releases several gaseous combustion and distillate products from tobacco. As these gaseous products are entrained through the cigarette, they are cooled and condensed to form an aerosol, which provides the flavors and aromas associated with smoking. An alternative to the more traditional cigarette is an electrically heated cigarette used in electrical systems for smoking. As compared to traditional cigarettes, electric smoking systems significantly reduce sidestream smoke, and also allow smokers to stop and restart smoking as they wish. Exemplary electrical smoke systems are described in commonly owned US 6 026 820; US 5 988 1 76; US 5 91 5 387; US 5 692 526; US 5 692 525; US 5 666 976; US 5 499 636; and US 5 388 594, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Electrical systems for smoking include an electrically ignited lighter and an electrically heated cigarette, which is constructed to cooperate with the lighter. It is desirable that electrical systems for smoking be capable of delivering smoke in a manner similar to the smoker's experiences with traditional cigarettes, such as by providing an immediate response (delivery of smoke that occurs immediately upon entrainment), a level of delivery desired (which correlates with the FTC tar level), a desired drag resistance (RTD), as well as puff-to-puff and cigarette-to-cigarette consistency. Volatile flavors have been incorporated into traditional erg mills to add flavors and aromas to mainstream and sidestream tobacco smoke. See, for example, US 3,006,347; US 3 236 244; US 3 344 796; US 3 426 01 1; US 3,972 335; US 4 71 5 390; US 5 137 034; US 5144 964; and US 6 325 859, commonly owned WO 01/80671. The added flavors are desirably volatilized when the cigarette is smoked. However, the volatile flavorings have to migrate in the cigarette to other components and possibly through the complete cigarette. Volatile flavors can be lost from cigarettes during storage and distribution under ordinary conditions before smoking cigarettes. The degree of migration of volatile flavors in cigarettes depends on different factors, including the vapor pressure of the flavoring, the solubility of the flavoring in other components of the cigarette and conditions of temperature and humidity.

The flavors can also deteriorate chemically and / or physically by contacting and / or reacting with other components of the cigarette, as well as with the environment. For example, activated carbon has been incorporated into cigarettes to remove the gaseous phase constituents of mainstream smoke. However, the flavors that have been incorporated into the cigarettes along with the activated carbon can be adsorbed by the activated carbon, which can clog the pores of the activated carbon and consequently deactivate the activated carbon, thereby decreasing its ability to filter tobacco smoke. For the above reasons, the flavors that have been incorporated in cigarettes have not been completely delivered in a satisfactory manner to the smoker. Due to the loss of flavor, the uniformity of flavored cigarettes has not been totally satisfactory. In addition, the sorption of flavorings by sorbents in the cigarettes can deactivate the sorbents and thereby reduce the ability of the sorbent to remove the gas phase constituents of tobacco smoke.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION In view of the problems described above, a flavor release additive including? -cyclodextrin (gamma cyclodextrin) and flavoring is provided. By providing flavoring within β-cyclodextrin, the flavor can be protected from loss during storage and distribution, and the flavor can be released through thermal degradation upon heating of β-cyclodextrin. In an exemplary embodiment, an electrically heated cigarette for an electrical system for smoking comprises at least one sorbent; and a flavoring release additive comprising? -cyclodextrin and at least one flavor is provided. In another exemplary embodiment, a method for making an electrically heated cigarette, comprising incorporating into an electrically heated cigarette (a) the at least one sorbent, (b) the flavor releasing additive comprising? -cyclodextrin and at least one flavor is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAMETERS FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an electrically heated cigarette for use in an electrical system for smoking with the cigarette in a partially unassembled condition. FIG. 2 illustrates the electrically heated cigarette shown in FIG. 1 in the assembled condition with one end of the cigarette contacting a stop piece in an electrically operated lighter of the smoking electrical system. FIG. 3 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of an electrically heated cigarette for use in an electrical system for smoking with the cigarette in a partially-assembled condition. FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an electrical system for smoking with an electrically heated cigarette inserted into the electrically operated lighter. FIG. 5 illustrates the electrical system for smoking shown in FIG. 4 with the cigarette removed from the lighter. FIG. 6 illustrates a heater attachment of the electrical system for smoking. FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 illustrate exemplary flavor release comparisons for different flavorant delivery encapsulants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The α-cyclodextrins, as used herein, are provided with flavor to protect the flavor from exposure to the atmosphere (e.g., ambient air, within a package) and cigarette components (e.g., sorbents) . The? -cyclodextrin can reduce flavor migration in a cigarette before smoking. In addition, the flavor can be thermally released from the β-cyclodextrin flavoring additive in the cigarette in a controlled manner during smoking. Accordingly, through the inclusion of a flavoring guest molecule within an? -cyclodextrin inclusion complex host molecule, substantially can be prevented that the flavor migrates in the cigarette, reacting with other substances in the cigarette or with the environment, and deactivating the sorbent present in the cigarette. Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligosaccharides including glucopyranose subunits, as described, for example, in commonly owned US 3 426 01 1 and US 5 144 964, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Alpha-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin (beta-cyclodextrin) and β-cyclodextrin include six, seven and eight glucopyranose subunits, respectively. As discussed herein, a β-cyclodextrin flavoring additive comprises a β-cyclodextrin and at least one flavor. The? -cyclodextrin comprises a "host molecule" of? -cyclodextrin inclusion complex and a "guest molecule" of flavor. In an exemplary embodiment, the flavor is a lipophilic organic flavor, which can be maintained within the hydrophobic cavity or inclusion hole in the β-cyclodextrin formed by the eight glucopyranose subunits. In US 2004/0129280 commonly owned for Woodson et al (hereinafter "Woodson") and US 2005/0172976 commonly owned for Newman et al (hereinafter "Newman"), which are incorporated into the presene in its entirety for all purposes, Woodson and Newman describe electrically heated cigarettes, which include β-cyclodextrin and flavoring. Although the use of β-cyclodextrin can protect flavorings, such as menthol, β-cyclodextrin only delivers low levels of flavor (ie, 10% delivery compared to a control menthol cigarette). However, unexpectedly, the β-cyclodextrin can deliver flavor levels disproportionately greater than β-cyclodextrin when the flavor is provided in equal amounts to equal amounts of β-cyclodextrin and β-cyclodextrin. Although not wishing to be bound by one theory, it is believed that β-cyclodextrin with its additional glucopyranose subunit creates a larger ring and therefore has a greater inclusion hydrophobic cavity or "orifice" than an alpha or β-cyclodextrin. It is believed that this larger orifice allows the sustained? -cyclodextrin to be more flavoring within the ring (ie, more of the flavoring is loaded onto the? -cyclodextrin rings on saturation, than that loaded on? -cyclodextrin rings over saturation of the rings). In this way, it is believed that it is due to the additional glucopiranose subunit that the β-cyclodextrin can deliver higher levels of flavoring than the β-cyclodextrin. This is illustrated in the Example below. In this Example, the effectiveness of β-cyclodextrin in flavor release additives is compared with other flavor release additives. For comparison purposes, the flavoring used is menthol, where the menthol deliveries compared are menthol-containing cigarettes, which include: 1) cigarettes electrically heated with β-cyclodextrin with menthol flavor from 20 wt% to 33 wt% (Samples (e), (f), (g) and (h) of Figures 7 and 8); 2) cigarettes electrically heated with β-cyclodextrin with 23 to 33% by weight (Samples (c) and (d) of Figures 7 and 8); 3) cigarettes electrically heated with menthol containing microcapsules (Sample (b) of Figure 7); and 4) cigarette the traditional menthol or control lit extreme (Sample (a) of Figure 7) (that is, traditional cigarettes not containing sorbent with menthol diffused in the cigarette). The menthol containing cigarettes listed above are compared later in Table 1. It is noted that as used herein, the β- and β-cyclodextrin materials can be purchased commercially, for example, from Cargill, Inc. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, then combined with flavoring to form flavor containing electrically heated cigarettes. Additionally, the microcapsules can be purchased commercially, for example, from V Mane Fils SA, Le Bar Sud Loup, France and then inserted into a cavity of an electrically heated cigarette. In addition, traditional control menthol lit cigarettes can be purchased commercially, for example, as MARLBORO Menthol Lights cigarettes from Phil ip Morris USA of Richmond, Virginia. The inclusion complexes of β- and β-cyclodextrin / menthol can be formed according to the compositions listed in Table 1 by: 1) dissolving the cyclodextrin in water to form an aqueous solution of cyclodextrin; 2) mix menthol and ethanol to form a menthol mixture; 3) Mix the aqueous solution of cyclodextrin with the menthol mixture to form a clear solution; 4) are to remove the clear solution for about 1 to about 15 minutes, in order to precipitate the cyclodextrin flavor release additives thereof; and 5) spray drying the cyclodextrin flavor release additives precipitated at 200 ° C or less under high vacuum to remove the water.

Table 1 . Samples of cyclodextrin (CD) inclusion complexes / menthol Figure 7 Type (s)% loading Inclusion complex system 10 CD (c) ß-CD 20 40 g p-CD / 12 g menthol / 20 g ethanol / 1 00 g water (d) ß-CD 33 40 g p-CD / 20 g menthol / 20 g ethanol / 100 g water 15 (e)? -CD 20 40 g y-CD / 1 0 g menthol / 20 g ethanol / 150 g water (f)? -CD 23 40 g y-CD / 1 7 g menthol / 20 g ethanol / 100 g water (g)? -CD 30 80 g y-CD / 40 g menthol / 40 g ethanol / 200 twenty? g water (h)? -CD 33 40 g y-CD / 12 g menthol / 20 g ethanol / 100 g water The% load is based on the amount of menthol included in the inclusion complex system. After loading the inclusion complex systems, the inclusion complexes can be incorporated into tobacco of electrically heated cigarettes, ie, the mats of the electrically heated cigarettes. The menthol delivery can then be calculated by the amount of menthol released from the inclusion complexes that is delivered, that is, the amount released that is not adsorbed by current sorbent below the tobacco portion of the cigarette. The four types of menthol-containing cigarettes (including those of the above preparations) are compared in Figures 7-9. It is noted that the "menthol delivery" illustrated in Figures 7-9 is the delivery amount of menthol (current below any sorbent) for each of the menthol-containing cigarette based on a maximum or 100% defined menthol delivery as the amount of menthol that can be delivered to a smoker from the traditional control lit extreme menthol cigarette (sample (a) in Figure 7). In other words, the% menthol delivery is the amount of menthol delivered by one of the four types of menthol-containing cigarettes (ie, the electrically heated ß-cyclodextrin-menthol cigarette, the? -ciclodextrin-menthol cigarette electrically heated, the electrically heated micro-capsule menthol cigarette or the traditional control ignition end-menthol cigarette) divided by the amount of menthol delivered by a traditional control-fired menthol cigarette. In this example, 20% menthol delivery corresponds to a delivery of about 0.01 25 mg menthol per puff (with eight puffs per cigarette) or at least about 0.1 mg menthol per cigarette (compared to about 0.5 mg menthol per cigarette of menthol end traditional control ignition). However, it is noted that menthol amounts of at least 0.02 mg menthol per puff or at least about 0.15 mg menthol per cigarette (ie, at least about 30% menthol delivery) may give a more desirable flavor. In Figures 7-9, as mentioned above, the "menthol delivery" or "% menthol delivery" is calculated based on the amount of menthol per cigarette delivered (after any sorption by sorbents) to a smoker. each of the menthol containing cigarettes divided by the amount of menthol per cigarette delivered to a smoker from the traditional control menthol lit cigarette end to provide the% delivery of menthol. In other words, 20% menthol delivery for an electrically heated? -cyclodextrin-menthol cigarette can be delivered if the traditional control menthol-lit cigarette delivers 0.1 g of menthol and the electrically heated? -cyclodextrin-menthol cigarette delivery 0.02 g. In addition, the amount of "menthol load" or "% menthol load" is calculated based on the total amount of additive when initially mixed. In other words, as shown in Table 1, sample (c), 20% menthol loading can be formed by loading 12 g of menthol into 40 g of β-cyclodextrin and 20 g of ethanol (ie 12 g of menthol / (40 g ß-CD + 20 g ethanol), where the water can also be added in a variant amount It is noted that the% listed herein is each on a weight basis (and not an atomic base). In other words, 20% menthol loading is intended to indicate 20% menthol loading by weight.In Figure 8, which is an enlarged view of samples (c) - (h), together with Figure 9, which is a comparison of β-cyclodextrin and β-cyclodextrin loading levels compared to delivery levels, the% menthol delivery of β-cyclodextrin compared to the% menthol delivery of β-cyclodextrin is illustrated As shown in Figures 7-9, ß-cyclodextrin provides low levels of menthol delivery even with higher load levels as compared to any of the other samples. For example, samples of ß-cyclodextrin with 20% menthol loading (sample (c) in Figures 7-9 and Table 1 with 40 g of β-cyclodextrin, 12 g of menthol, 20 g of ethanol and 100 g of water) and 33% menthol load (sample (d) in Figures 7-9 and Table 1) provide only about 7% menthol delivery and 1 1% menthol delivery, respectively. Additionally, as shown in Figures 7-9, the β-cyclodextrin with 20% menthol loading (sample (e) in Figure 7 and Table 1) provided only about 15% menthol delivery. However, unexpectedly, as illustrated in Figures 7-9, menthol loading greater than 20% in β-cyclodextrin entails a disproportionate% increase in menthol delivery compared to the increase in% menthol load. One would expect, based on the change in% menthol delivery of 20% ß-cyclodextrin loaded with menthol to 30% ß-cyclodextrin loaded with menthol, that the% delivery of menthol would proportionally increase approximately (see Figure 9 comparing β-cyclodextrin at 20% menthol loading and 30% menthol loading). For example, 20% menthol loading in a β-cyclodextrin provides only about 7% menthol delivery, and 33% menthol loading provides only about 1% menthol delivery. However, the change in% menthol delivery of 20%? -cyclodextrin loaded with menthol at 30%? -cyclodextrin loaded with menthol, showed a noticeable increase in% menthol delivery. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, although a 20% menthol load in β-cyclodextrin leads to 15% menthol delivery, 23% menthol loading in β-cyclodextrin (sample (f) in Figure 7) and Table 1) leads to approximately 25% menthol delivery. Additionally, as illustrated in Figure 9, again 20% menthol loading in β-cyclodextrin leads to 1 5% menthol delivery, however, 33% menthol loading in α-cyclodextrin leads to approximately 37 Menthol delivery%. Additionally, the menthol load on 20% on? -cyclodextrin, unless the menthol load on? -cyclodextrin or 20%, can result in more than 15% or even 20% menthol delivery, as desired . As shown in Figures 7 and 8, 23% menthol loading in β-cyclodextrin (sample (f) in Figure 7 and Table 1) leads to approximately 25% menthol delivery. When compared with 20% and 33% menthol loading in β-cyclodextrin, each of which results in 15% or less menthol delivery, the results of the% delivery of menthol by the β-cyclodextrin are unexpected. In addition, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the increase in menthol delivery by 20% is disproportionate to the increase in% menthol load. For example, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, by increasing the menthol load by 3% to provide a 23% menthol load on β-cyclodextrin, 10% more menthol can be delivered by α-cyclodextrin. This is especially unexpected because such a change is not noticed in the β-cyclodextrin. For example, 13% more menthol loading in β-cyclodextrin alone provides a 4% increase in menthol delivery. These unexpected results are further emphasized by the sample with 30% menthol loading in β-cyclodextrin (sample (g) in Figure 7 and Table 1), which results in approximately 34% menthol delivery. As shown by this sample, a 7% increase in menthol load reuses in a 9% increase in menthol delivery. Similarly, also shown in Figures 7-9, approximately 33% menthol loading (sample (h) in Figure 7 and Table 1) results in approximately 37% menthol delivery. As a result, when using? -cyclodextrin with 23% or greater menthol load, 25% or greater delivery of menthol can be achieved. This is unexpected in view of the lower delivery of menthol that can be achieved by using β-cyclodextrin and lower levels of menthol loading. This is illustrated in Figure 9, which compares equal load levels of menthol in β-cyclodextrin and β-cyclodextrin, where the β-cyclodextrin has a much higher delivery for both 20% and 33% load, but the % load has a much greater difference between ß-cyclodextrin and γ-cyclodextrin in% delivery of menthol. A β-cyclodextrin flavor release additive can be manufactured by any suitable process that produces additives having the desired structure, composition and size, wherein the β-cyclodextrin flavor release additive is preferably soluble in water. One way to manufacture a? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive includes co-precipitating, filtering and drying a mixture of? -cyclodextrin and at least one flavor. For example, the β-cyclodextrin flavoring additive can be formed by mixing the flavorant with β-cyclodextrin in an aqueous solution, where this mixing can cause the flavor to be incorporated as a guest molecule into the ring structure of the cyclodextrin. ? -cyclodextrin host. Next, a? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive powder can be recovered from the solution by precipitating the powder particles out of the mixture, where the powder particles can be spray dried to remove the water. Alternatively, the? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive can be formed by extrusion, spray drying, coating or other suitable processes to incorporate flavoring as a guest molecule within a host? -cyclodextrin ring structure. In exemplary embodiments, the? -cyclodextrin flavor release additives may be provided in smoking articles in forms including, but not limited to, powders, films, solutions and / or suspensions. For example, the β-cyclodextrin flavoring additive can include powder or particles with size 60 mesh to 400 mesh. It is noted that the β-cyclodextrin flavor release additive can be provided as a powder with a size of maximum particle of less than about 200 μ? (microns), and more preferably less than about 1 μ? t? and a minimum particle size of about 1 nm, preferably more than about 10 nm. Decreasing the size of the powder can provide a more homogeneous and controlled release of flavor by providing an increased surface area of the powder. As another example, the? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive can be provided on a tobacco mat for an electrically heated cigarette. For example, a tobacco mat can be formed by mixing? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive powder with tobacco powder in a paste mixture to form a tobacco mat. Alternatively, a β-cyclodextrin flavor release additive film can be coated on a tobacco mat for an electrically heated cigarette. For example, the? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive can be mixed with water and film-forming agent, such as propylene glycol, then coated on a tobacco mat. Exemplary processes that can be used to prepare the films are described in commonly owned US 3 006 347 and US 4 71 5 390, each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The dimensions of a? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive film are not limited. Preferably, the film has a thickness of up to approximately 50 μ? T? or approximately 50 μ ?? up to about 1 50 μ? t? and more preferably up to about 75 μ. In another exemplary embodiment, a β-cyclodextrin flavor release additive film can be pre-formed, shredded and incorporated into the tobacco plug and / or other selected locations that reach the flavor release temperature. Exemplary processes that can be used to apply the? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive in an electrically heated cigarette are also described in US 5 1 44 964 commonly possessed, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The? -cyclodextrin silanizer release additive can also be used in a solution or suspension. If the α-cyclodextrin flavoring additive is provided in a solution or suspension, the solution or suspension can be applied directly to one or more selected locations of one or more components of an electrically heated cigarette by any suitable process. For example, a? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive solution can be applied to a tobacco mat by a coating process, such as paste coating, atomization, an immersion process, electrostatic deposition, printing wheel application, Chalcography printing, inkjet application and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the? -cyclodextrin flavor release additives may be arranged in at least one location in the electrically heated cigarette that reaches at least the minimum temperature at which the flavor is released from the? -cyclodextrin in the cigarette during smoking. For example, the? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive may be arranged in an inner wrapper, a tobacco mat and / or an envelope in the electrically heated cigarette. For example, the β-cyclodextrin flavoring additive can be sprayed onto or adhered (with an adhesive) to the inner wrapper, tobacco mat and / or envelope. Exemplary electrically heated cigarettes 23 include sufficient levels of flavorant and / or β-cyclodextrin flavoring additive to provide a desired amount of flavor in cigarettes. The cigarette may comprise, for example, from about 1 mg to about 30 mg of flavor and / or about 1 mg to about 50 mg of α-cyclodextrin flavoring additive. The amount of? -cyclodextrin flavoring release additive in a cigarette can be based on the weight of a cigarette or the weight of components in the cigarette. For example, an electrically heated cigarette may be, based on the total weight of tobacco on the tobacco mat and / or tobacco plug of the electrically heated cigarette, up to about 20%, and more preferably about 10% up to about 15% of Flavor releasing additive of? -cyclodextrin. In other words, a cigarette containing 100 mg of tobacco preferably contains up to about 20 mg of β-cyclodextrin flavoring additive. Alternatively, the amount of β-cyclodextrin flavoring additive in an exemplary embodiment, may include, based on the weight of the inner wrapper, the tobacco mat and / or the overwrap, up to about 15%, and more preferably less than about 8%, of the α-cyclodextrin flavoring additive. In other words, for a cigarette with a 10 mg tobacco mat, 1.5 mg of α-cyclodextrin flavoring additive can be provided. The? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive can release flavor at temperatures of at least about 200 ° C, such as about 200 ° C to about 400 ° C. Although it is not desired to join a theory, it is believed that at temperatures of at least about 200 ° C, the ring of glucopyranose subunits of the α-cyclodextrin is opened and thus releases a guest flavor molecule from the host molecule of α- cyclodextrin.

It is also believed that at temperatures above about 400 ° C, the β-cyclodextrin begins to decompose, thereby causing the flavor release to be less uniform and less controlled. In an exemplary embodiment, the? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive is disposed in at least one location in the electrically heated cigarette that reaches at least the flavor release temperature. For example, the β-cyclodextrin flavoring additive may be disposed in an inner wrapper, a tobacco mat and / or an outer wrap, so that the β-cyclodextrin flavor release additive may be heated by a heating element when the inner wrap, the tobacco mat and / or the outer wrap is heated. The? -cyclodextrin flavor release additive may additionally include an optional encapsulating material to provide additional barrier properties. The encapsulating material may include a binder, which may include, but is not limited to, one or more of carrageenan, geltin, agar, gellane gum, gum arabic, guar gum, xanthan gum and pectin. Other materials known in the art that can improve the characteristics of an encapsulating material, for example, film-forming characteristics or additive stability, can optionally be added.

Suitable flavors include, but are not limited to, menthol, peppermint, such as peppermint and spearmint, chocolate, licorice, citrus and other fruit flavors,? -octalactone (gamma octalactone), vanillin, ethyl vanillin, refreshing flavors of breath, flavors of spices, such as cinnamon, methyl salicylate, linalool, bergamot oil, geranium oil, lemon oil, ginger oil, tobacco flavor and combinations thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the flavor includes menthol or vanillin. In exemplary embodiments, one or more sorbents capable of sorption or removal of gas phase constituents selected from the mainstream smoke are provided within a filter portion of an electrically heated cigarette. As used herein, the term "sorption" denotes adsorption and / or absorption. Sorption is intended to encompass interactions on the outer surface of the sorbent, as well as interactions within the pores and channels of the sorbent. In other words, a "sorbent" is a substance that has the ability to condense or sustain molecules of other substances on its surface, and / or has the ability to capture other substances, that is, through the penetration of other substances in its internal structure or in its pores. The term "sorbent", as used herein, refers to an adsorbent, an absorbent or a substance that can function as both an adsorbent and an absorbent. As used herein, the term "remove" refers to the adsorption and / or absorption of at least some portion of a mainstream tobacco smoke component. The term "mainstream smoke" includes a mixture of gases that pass under the tobacco rod and are emitted through the filter end, i.e. the amount of smoke that is emitted or drawn from the end of the filter. mouth of a cigarette during the smoking of the cigarette. The mainstream smoke contains air that is drawn through the heated region of the cigarette and through the paper wrapper. The term "molecular sieve" as used herein, refers to a porous structure comprised of an inorganic material and / or organic material. Molecular sieves include natural and synthetic materials. Molecular sieves can remove molecules of certain dimensions, although they do not remove other molecules with different dimensions (for example, larger dimensions). FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a cigarette electrically heated 23. The electrically heated cigarette 23 comprises a tobacco rod 60 and a filter tip 62 attached to the tip paper 64. The tobacco rod 60 may include a tobacco web or a mat 66 bent into a tubular shape around the web. a free-flowing filter 74 in one end and a tobacco plug 80 in the other end. An envelope envelope 71 surrounds the mat 66 and is held together along a longitudinal seam. The overwrap 71 retains the mat 66 in a condition wrapped around the free-flow filter 74 and tobacco plug 80. The mat 66 may comprise a base web 68 and a layer of tobacco material 70. The tobacco material 70 may to be located along an interior surface or an exterior surface of the base web 68. At the pointed end of the tobacco rod 60, the mat 66 and the overwrap 71 are wrapped around the free-flowing filter plug 74. The tobacco plug 80 may comprise a relatively short tobacco column 82 of cut filler tobacco, which is retained by an inner wrapper. surrounding 84. A recess 90 is between the free-flowing filter 74 and the tobacco plug 80. The recess 90 is an unfilled portion of the tobacco rod 60 and is in fluid communication with the tip 62 through the air filter. free flow 74. Tip 62 may comprise a free-flowing filter 92 located adjacent to tobacco rod 60 and a nozzle filter plug 94 at the distal end of tip 62 of tobacco rod 60. The flow filter 92 free can be tubular and can transmit air with every very low pressure drop. The nozzle filter plug 94 closes the free end of the tip 62. The cigarette 23 optionally includes at least one row of perforations 12 adjacent the free end 1 5 of the cigarette 23. The perforations can be formed as slits 1 7, which can extending through the overwrap 71, the mat 66 and the inner wrapper 84. To further enhance delivery, at least one additional row of perforations 14 comprising slits 1 7 may optionally be formed at a location along the tobacco plug 80 The perforations 1 2 or 14 may comprise a single row or a dual row of slits 17. The number and degree of the slits 17 may be selected to control drag resistance (RTD) along the sidewalls of the cigarettes. 23 and delivery. The optional holes 16 provided in the mat 66 are covered by the overwrap 71. The perforations 12, 14 can be used to approximate the desired delivery levels for the cigarette 23, with the holes 16 being used to adjust delivery with less effect on the RTD. The cigarette 23 can have a substantially constant diameter along its length. The diameter of the cigarette 23, like most traditional cigarettes, is preferably between about 7.5 mm to 8.5 mm, so that the electric smoking system 21 provides a smoker with a familiar "mouthfeel" during smoking. The tobacco column 82 may comprise cutting filler of a normal mixture of tobaccos, such as blends comprising Bright, Burley and Oriental tobaccos together with, optionally, reconstituted tobaccos and other blending components, including flavors of traditional cigarettes. The free-flowing filter 92 and the nozzle filter plug 94 can be joined together as a plug combined with a plug shell 101. the plug shell 1 01 may be a porous, low weight plug shell. The combined stopper is attached to the tobacco rod 60 by the tip paper 64. As described above, the electrically heated cigarette 23 may comprise one or more sorbents than the gas phase constituents of tobacco smoke. The sorbent may comprise one or more porous materials through which tobacco smoke may flow. In an exemplary embodiment, the sorbent is activated carbon. For example, the sorbent may comprise activated carbon granules located in a gap in the filter, or activated carbon particles loaded in fibrous material or paper. Activated carbon can be in various forms including particles, fibers, beads and the like. The activated carbon may have different porosity characteristics, such as a selected pore size and total pore volume. In another exemplary embodiment, the sorbent is one or more suitable molecular sieve sorbent materials. The microporous, mesoporous and / or macroporous molecular sieves can be used in the electrically heated cigarette 23, depending on the selected components or components desired to be removed from the mainstream tobacco smoke. Molecular sieve sorbents that can be used in the electrically heated cigarette 23 include, but not limited to, one or more of the zeolites, mesoporous silicates, aluminophosphates, mesoporous aluminosilicates, and other related porous materials, such as mixed oxide gels, which may optionally further comprise ions and / or inorganic or organic metals . See, for example, commonly owned WO 01/80973, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In an exemplary embodiment, the sorbent is one or more zeolites. The zeolites include crystalline aluminosilicates having pores, such as channels and / or cavities of di mensions of molecular size, uniform. There are many unique zeolite structures having different sizes and shapes of pores, which can significantly affect the properties of these materials with respect to sorption and separation processes. The molecules can be separated by zeolites by effects of size and configuration in relation to the possible orientation of the molecules in the pores and / or by differences in sorption strength. One or more zeolites having pores greater than one or more gas phase components selected from a gas to be filtered may be used in the electrically heated cigarette 23, so that only selected molecules that are small enough to pass through the pores of the molecular sieve material are able to enter the cavities and are sorbed in the zeolite. The zeolite can, but is not limited to, one or more of zeolite A; X zeolite; Y zeolite; zeolite K-G; zeolite ZK-5; BETA zeolite; zeolite ZK-4 and zeolite ZSM-5. In an exemplary embodiment, ZSM-5 zeolite and / or BETA zeolite is used. The zeolite ZSM-5 is in the structural classification family M FI and is represented by the crystal chemical data [Nan (AlnS¡96.n01 92) ~ 1 6H20, with n < 27, orthorhombic, Pnma] while the BETA zeolite is in the BEA structural classification family and is represented by the crystal chemical data [Na7 (AI7S Í570 i 28) tetragonal, P4i 22]. These two zeolites are thermally stable at temperatures of up to about 800C allowing them to be incorporated into cigarette filters and / or the tobacco bar of the electrically heated cigarette 23. In another exemplary embodiment, the sorbent incorporated in the electrically heated cigarette 23 has a Composition of compound In such an embodiment, the sorbent comprises, for example, activated carbon and one or more molecular sieve materials. For example, the sorbent fibers can be impregnated with activated carbon and zeolite. The sorbent can be incorporated in one or more locations of the electrically heated cigarette 23. For example, the sorbent can be placed in the passage of the tubular free-flow filter 44, in the free-flow filter 92 and / or in the hollow space 90 The sorbent may be incorporated additionally or alternatively into the tobacco plug 80. FIG. 3 shows another exemplary embodiment of an electrically heated cigarette 23 including a filter 1 50. The filter 1 50 comprises a sorbent in the form of oriented fibers 1 52 and a sleeve 1 54, such as paper, around the fibers. The sorbent may be, for example, one or more of activated carbon, silica gel, zeolite and other molecular sieves in fibrous forms. The sorbents can be surface modified materials, for example, moistened surface silica gel, such as amino propyl silyl silica gel (APS). The sorbent mixtures can provide different filtration characteristics to achieve a focused filtered mainstream smoke composition. Alternatively, the fibers 1 52 may comprise one or more sorbent materials, such as carbon, silica, zeolite and the like, impregnated in microcavity fibers, such as TRIAD9 microcavity fiber, as described in WO 01/80973 commonly possessed. In an exemplary embodiment, the fibers are shaped microcavity fibers impregnated with particles of one or more sorbent materials, or alternatively continuous activated carbon fibers. The fibers preferably have a diameter from about 10 μP? up to approximately 1 00 μ ?? The fibers can have a length of about 1 0 μ? up to approximately 200 μ ?? , for example. In another exemplary embodiment, the fibers are bundles of non-continuous fibers, which are preferably oriented parallel to the flow direction of primary stream smoke through the electrically heated cigarette. Filters 1 50 including fibers 1 52 may be formed, for example, by narrowing a bundle of unbroken sorbent material, and may have a total denier and by controlled filament through the use of a sleeve formed in-situ or formed 1 54 during the process to make the filter. The filter formed can be sized when cutting to a desired length. For example, the filters can have a length from about 5 mm to about 30 mm. The filter 1 50 including the fibers 1 52 can be incorporated in the electrically heated cigarette to one or more desired locations. Referring also to FIGS. 1 and 2, in an exemplary embodiment, the filter 1 50 may be replaced by the full free-flow filter 92. In another exemplary embodiment, the free-flow filter 1 50 may be substituted for a portion of the free-flow filter. 92. The filter 1 50 can be in contact with (ie, abuts) the free-flow filter 74, positioned between the free-flow filter 74 and the nozzle filter plug 94, or in contact with (i.e. abuts) the nozzle filter plug 94. The filter 150 it may have a diameter substantially equal to that of the outside diameter of the free-flow filter 92 to minimize the derivation of smoke during the filtration process. The fibrous sorbents can have a high lift with an adequate packing density and fiber length so that parallel routes between the fibers are created. Such a structure can effectively remove significant amounts of selected gas phase constituents, such as formaldehyde and / or acrolein, while preferably removing only a minimal amount of particulate matter from the smoke (ie, does not significantly affect particulate matter). total (TPM) in the gas). By removing selected constituents, a significant reduction of the selected gas phase constituents can be achieved. A sufficiently low packing density and a sufficiently short fiber length can be used to achieve such filtration performance. The amount of sorbent used in exemplary embodiments of the electrically heated cigarette 23 depends on the amount of selected gas phase constituents in the tobacco smoke and the amount of constituents that are desired to be removed from the tobacco smoke.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an electrical system for smoking, in which exemplary embodiments of the electrically heated cigarette may be used. However, it should be understood that exemplary embodiments of the electrically heated cigarette may be used in smoking electrical systems having other constructions, such as those having constructions electrically ignited with a lighter. The electric smoking system 21 includes an electrically heated cigarette 23 and a reusable lighter 25. The cigarette 23 is constructed to be inserted into and removed from a cigarette receiver 27, which is opened in a front end portion 29 of the cigarette lighter 25. Once the cigarette 23 is inserted, the smoking system 21 is used in a similar manner as a more traditional cigarette, but without igniting or smoldering of the stork 23. The cigarette 23 can be discarded after smoking. Preferably, each cigarette 23 provides a total of at least eight puffs (puff cycles) per puff. However, the cigarette 23 can be constructed to provide a smaller or larger total number of puffs available. The lighter 25 includes a housing 31 having front and rear housing portions 33 and 35, respectively. An energy source 35a, such as one or more batteries, is located within the rear housing portion 35 and supplies power to a heater attachment 39. The heater attachment 39 includes a plurality of electrically resistive heating elements, 37 ( FIG 6). The heating elements 37 are arranged within the front housing portion 33 to receive the cigarette 23. A stop 183 located in the heater attachment 39 defines a terminal end of the cigarette receiver 27 (FIG 2). The control circuit 41 in the front housing portion 33 selectively establishes electrical communication between the power source 35a and one or more of the heating elements 37 during each puff cycle. The rear housing portion 35 of the housing 31 is constructed to be opened and closed to facilitate replacement of the power source 35a. It is noted that the front housing portion 33 can be removably attached to the rear housing portion 35 by mechanical coupling if desired. With reference to FIG. 5, in an exemplary embodiment, the control circuit 41 is activated by a puff-operated sensor 45, which is responsive to any change in pressure or changes in the air flow rate that occurs upon initiation of a cigarette entrainment. by a smoker. The puff-operated sensor 45 can be located within the front housing portion 33 of the lighter 25 and can communicate with a space within the heater attachment 39 via a port 45a that extends through a side wall portion 182 of the lumen attachment. heater 39. Once driven by the sensor 45, the control circuit 41 directs the electric current to an appropriate one of the heating elements 37.

In an exemplary embodiment, an indicator 51 is provided to a location along the exterior of the lighter 25 to visually indicate the number of puffs remaining in a cigarette 23, or other selected information. The indicator 51 may include a display of liquid crystal. In an exemplary embodiment, the indicator 51 exhibits a selected image when a cigarette detector 57 detects the presence of a cigarette in the heater attachment 39. The detector 57 may comprise any arrangement that senses the presence of an electrically heated cigarette. For example, the detector 57 may comprise an inductor coil 1 1 02 adjacent the cigarette receiver 27 of the heater attachment 39 and electrical conductors 1 104 communicating the coil 1 102 with an oscillator circuit within the control circuit 41. In that case, the cigarette 23 can include a metallic element (not shown), which can affect the winding inductance of the coil 1 1 02 so that whenever a suitable cigarette 23 is inserted in the receiver 27, the detector 57 generates a signal to circuit 41 indicating that the cigarette is present. The control circuit 41 provides a signal to the indicator 51. When the cigarette 23 is removed from the lighter 25, the cigarette detector 57 no longer detects the presence of a cigarette 23 and the indicator 51 is off. The heater attachment 39 supports an inserted cigarette 23 in a fixed relationship to the heating elements 37 so that the heating elements 37 are positioned along the cigarette 23 in approximately the same location for each newly inserted cigarette 23. In a exemplary embodiment, the heater attachment 39 includes eight mutually parallel heater elements 37, which are arranged concentrically about the axis of symmetry of the cigarette receiver 27. The location where each heating element 37 touches a fully inserted cigarette 23 is referred to in FIG. present as a charcoal zone or heater footprint 42. As shown in FIG. 6, the heating elements 37 can each include at least first and second elongated serpentine members, 53a and 53b attached to a tip 54. The heater portions 53a, 53b and 54 form a heater blade 1 20. The tips 54 they are adjacent to the opening 55 of the cigarette receiver 27. The opposite ends 56a and 56b of each heating element 37 are electrically connected to the opposite poles of the energy source 35a as selectively established by the controller 41. An electrical path through each heating element 37 is established, respectively; through a terminal lock 104, a connection 121 between the lock 104 and a free end portion 56a of one of the coil members 53a, through a portion of the tip 54 to the other coil member 53b and its portion of end 56b. It is noted that a connecting ring 1 10 can be used to provide a common electrical connection to each of the end portions 56b. In an exemplary embodiment, the ring 1 10 is connected to the positive terminal of the power source 35a through a connection 123 between the ring 1 10 and a latch 105.

The heating elements 37 can be individually energized by the power source 35a under the control of the control circuit 41 to heat the cigarette 23 several times (ie, eight times) to separate locations around the periphery of the cigarette 23. Heating it makes the puffs (that is, eight puffs) of the cigarette 23, as is commonly achieved with the smoking of a more traditional cigarette. It may be preferred to activate more than one heating element simultaneously for one or more or all of the puffs. The heating attachment 39 includes an air inlet port 1200 through which air is drawn into the lighter. A pressure drop is induced on the air entering the igniter so that the puff sensor 45 is operative to recognize the initiation of a puff. The induced pressure drop range is selected so that it is within the range of pressure drop detectable by the pressure sensor 45. The length of the tobacco plug 80 and its relative position along the tobacco rod 60 can be selected. based on the construction and location of the heating elements 37 of the smoking electrical system 21. When a cigarette 23 is properly positioned against a stop 183 (FIG 2) within the lighter of the smoking electrical system, a portion of each heating element contacts the tobacco rod 60. This contact region is referred to as a heater footprint. 95, which is that the region of the tobacco rod 60, where the heating element 37 is expected to reach a temperature high enough to allow smoking of the cigarette without combustion of the cigarette paper, mat or tobacco. The heater footprint 95 can consistently locate along the tobacco rod 60 at the same predetermined distance 96 from the free end 78 of the tobacco rod 60 for each cigarette 23 that is fully inserted into the lighter 25. The length of the tobacco plug 80 of the cigarette 23, the length of the heater footprint 95 and the distance between the heater footprint 95 and the stop 183 can be selected, so that the heater footprint 95 extends beyond the tobacco plug 80 and superimposes a portion of the gap 91 by a distance 98. The distance 98 is also referred to as the "gap-heater overlap" 98. The distance over which the remainder of the heater footprint 95 overlies the tobacco plug 80 is referred to as the "fill-heater overlap" 99. The length of the gap 91, tobacco plug 80, and the distribution of the drill holes 263 can be adjusted to adjust the smoking characteristics of the cigarette. llo 23, including adjustments in its flavor, drag and delivery. The pattern of holes 263, the length of the gap 90 and the amount of overlap of fill-heater 99 (and gap-heater overlap 98) can also be manipulated to adjust the response immediacy, to promote consistency in delivery. Cigarettes electrically heated in accordance with the exemplary embodiments may provide advantages. By encapsulating one or more flavorings, especially volatile flavoring, the flavor (s) may be retained in the cigarette until it is smoked.

In addition, the flavoring may be temperature released in a controlled manner during smoking, thereby providing the smoker with an intensified subjective characteristic of the cigarette. As the flavor can be retained in the flavoring additive until the cigarette is smoked, the deactivation of the sorbent in the cigarette is minimized. Accordingly, the sorbent maintains its ability to remove constituents of selected gas phase from mainstream smoke. Exemplary embodiments may be encompassed in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, although exemplary embodiments have been illustrated and described in accordance with various exemplary embodiments, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made herein without departing from exemplary embodiments as set forth in the claims.

Claims (20)

1. REVIVAL NAME IS 1 . An electrically heated cigarette for an electrical system for smoking, comprising: at least one sorbent; and a flavor release additive comprising? -cyclodextrin and at least one flavor.
2. 2. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the at least one sorbent comprises activated carbon and / or zeolite.
3. 3. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the at least one flavor is selected from the group consisting of menthol, mint, chocolate, licorice, fruit savors,? -octalactone, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, refreshing flavors of Mint, flavors of spices, methyl salicylate, l inalool, bergamot oil, geranium oil, lemon oil, ginger oil and tobacco flavor.
4. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the flavor release additive is an? -cyclodextrin inclusion complex, which includes a? -cyclodextrin host molecule and a guest flavor molecule.
5. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the flavor release additive comprises more than about 20% of the flavor, or between about 20% and about 40% of menthol.
6. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, comprising: based on the total weight of tobacco in a tobacco plug and / or a tobacco mat in the electrically heated cigarette, up to about 20% by weight of the release additive of flavoring; and / or based on the weight of a tobacco mat, an envelope and / or an inner wrap, up to about 15% by weight of the flavor release additive.
7. 7. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the flavor release additive comprises? -cyclodextrin and menthol, and wherein the flavor release additive is capable of releasing at least 0.0125 mg of menthol to tobacco smoke. main stream per puff or at least about 0.1 mg menthol per cigarette, or wherein the flavor release additive is capable of releasing at least 0.02 mg menthol to mainstream tobacco smoke per puff or at least about 0.1 5 mg of menthol per cigarette.
8. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the flavor release additive releases flavor at a minimum temperature of about 200 ° C, and wherein the flavor release additive is disposed in at least one location in the cigarette electrically heated which reaches at least about 200 ° C during the smoking of the cigarette.
9. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the flavor release additive is disposed on or on a tobacco mat, an envelope and / or an internal wrap of the electrically heated cigarette.
10. 10. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the flavor release additive is in powder form. eleven .
11. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 10, wherein the powder has a particle size of about 20 μ? to about 1 nm.
12. 12. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 10, wherein the powder is soluble in water.
13. 13. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the flavor release additive comprises a? -cyclodextrin film and flavoring.
14. 14. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 13, wherein the film has a thickness of up to about 150 μ ??.
15. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 13, wherein the film is a coating on a tobacco mat in the electrically heated cigarette.
16. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein the flavor release additive further comprises an encapsulating material selected from the group consisting of carrageenan, gelatin, agar, gellan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, xanthan gum and pectin.
17. 17. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 1, wherein at least one sorbent comprises fibers.
18. 18. The electrically heated cigarette of claim 17, wherein the fibers are impregnated with at least one sorbent.
19. 19. A method for making an electrically heated cigarette, comprising: incorporating a flavor release additive comprising? -cyclodextrin and at least one flavor in an electrically heated cigarette. The method of claim 10, wherein during the incorporation of the flavor release additive into the electrically heated cigarette, the flavor release additive is incorporated in or on a tobacco mat, an envelope and / or a internal wrap of the electrically heated cigarette; and the method further comprises incorporating the tobacco mat, the overwrap and / or the inner wrap with the flavor release additive into it or onto it in the electrically heated cigarette.