EP0198268A2

EP0198268A2 - Nicotine enhanced smoking device

Info

Publication number: EP0198268A2
Application number: EP86103906A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael P. Ellis; Jon Philip Ray; Gerald R. Mazur
Original assignee: Leo AB; Advanced Tobacco Products Inc
Current assignee: Leo AB
Priority date: 1985-03-21
Filing date: 1986-03-21
Publication date: 1986-10-22
Also published as: JPS61257176A; EP0198268A3; CA1245531A; JPH0817689B2

Abstract

57 A nicotine-dispensing device comprising a housing and a gas-permeable nicotine-dispensing unit. The housing is resistant to nicotine absorption and adsorption and has a mouthpiece end with an opening and a cigarette-receiving end with an opening. The housing defines a passageway between the openings. The gas-permeable nicotine-dispensing unit comprises nicotine and a fibrous or porous adsorptive for nicotine and resistant to nicotine absorption. This nicotine-dispensing unit is interposed in the passageway of the housing so that gases passing through the passageway become enriched in vaporous nicotine. The device is preferably formed as a single- pieced or two-pieced cigarette holder and may contain the nicotine-dispensing unit as a cartridge.

Description

The present invention relates to a nicotine-enrichment device for enhancing nicotine output of tobacco containing items being conventionally used.
Tobacco has been used for hundreds of years by many cultures throughout the world. Presently, the most popular method is smoking in the form of a cigarette. However, smoking cigarettes is associated with inherent health hazards. Cigarettes low in both tar and nicotine are the result of recent efforts to provide a safer cigarette.
Medical research has established that nicotine is the active ingredient in tobacco. Small doses of nicotine provide the user with certain pleasurable effects resulting in the desire for additional doses. However, recent medical research published by Russell et al, "Nasal Nicotine Solution, A Potential Aid To Giving Up Smoking?", British Medical Journal, Volume 286 p. 683 (February 26, 1983), indicates that the nicotine itself is not a car- cinoqen. There is also evidence that nicotine is not responsible for the high rate of premature death among cigarette smokers, for example, see Wald, N. J. et al., Serum Nicotine Levels in Pipe Smokers; Evidence Against Nicotine As Cause of Coronary Heart Disease, The Lancet, October 10, 1981, p. 1977. However, one who uses tobacco in the form of conventional cigarettes for the pleasurable effects of nicotine must also risk the dangers of coronary heart disease and cancer. These damages may arise from other components of the smoke which may not contribute to the pleasurable effects that nicotine may produce. As Russell stated in the British Medical Journal (pp. 1430-1433, 1431 (12th June, 1976)), "People smoke for nicotine but they die from the tar."
Medical research also indicates that there is no correlation between the blood nicotine levels of smokers and the nicotine yields of their cigarettes. Thus, many smokers who switch to low nicotine brands for health reasons usually end up smoking more cigarettes to maintain the same blood nicotine levels. Russell, Nicotine Intake and its Regulation, Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Volume 24, p. 253 (December 1979). Russell also points out that smokers who cannot stop smokinq because they are - dependent on nicotine are not likely to be able to reduce their nicotine intake by switching to cigarettes which deliver hardly any nicotine. A need therefore exists for a cigarette with a higher nicotine to tar ratio. Such a cigarette would satisfy the desire for nicotine in an individual unable to quit smoking, while reducing potential health risks associated with the inhalation of tar or other smoke components which are not pleasure-enhancing.
Previous attempts to increase the nicotine delivered by a cigarette do not provide for an efficient release of nicotine from the cigarette. For example, U.S. Patent 3,280,823 to Bavley et al. discloses the incorporation of a nicotine-cation exchange resin in a cigarette filter. Example 1 in column 9, reveals that the addition of 6.6 milligrams of nicotine (33% times mg. of resin) results in the release of 0.15 milligrams nicotine, or 2.2% of the nicotine added. Similarly, in Example 2, the nicotine release efficiency is 2.1%. Incorporation of the nicotine-cation exchange resin into the tobacco instead of the filter as in U.S. Patent 3,109,436, to Bavley, et al., improves the nicotine release efficiency (2.9% in Example 5 to 9.0% in Example 7), but results in the introduction of ion exchange resin combustion products into the smoke.
U.S. Patent 3,,584,630 to Inskeep discloses the addition of carbon black having nicotine adsorbed on its surface to cigarettes. Incorporating the carbon black-adsorbed nicotine into the filter portion of the cigarette results in a nicotine release efficiency ranging from 1.7% in Example 3 to 5.6% in Example 2. Adding the carbon black-adsorbed nicotine to the tobacco portion of the cigarette results in an efficiency of 12.4%, but again, carbon black and nicotine combustion products are introduced into the smoke. These patents also disclose that it is not feasible to add nicotine per se to tobacco products because of the volatility and chemical instability of nicotine.
The use of cigarette holders to contain filters for entrapment of tar and nicotine is well known. Additionally U.S. Patent No. 4,227,540, issued to Edison, describes a cigarette holder comprising a cartridge containing menthol crystals for the menthol fortification of cigarette smoke inhaled therethrough. These menthol crystals are also therein speculated as removing at least some tar and nicotine from tobacco smoke.
A nicotine-dispensing device comprising a housing and a gas-permeable nicotine-dispensing unit. The housing is resistant to nicotine absorption and has a mouthpiece end with an opening and a cigarette-receiving end with an opening. The housing defines a passageway between the openings. The nicotine-dispensing unit comprises nicotine and a qas-permeable substance adsorptive for nicotine and resistant to nicotine absorption.
The nicotine dispensing device may be disposable with an affixed nicotine dispensing unit. This device may also be semi-permanent or reusable with replaceable nicotine dispensing unit cartridges.
This nicotine-dispensing unit is interposed in the passageway of the housing so that gases passing through the passageway become enriched in vaporous nicotine.

Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention taken along the sectional lines 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention taken along the sectional lines 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows a sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention taken along the sectional lines 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 shows an exploded perspective view of a two-pieced housing embodiment and cartridge of an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional assembly view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5.
Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention taken along the section lines 7-7 in Figure 6.
Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention taken along the section lines 8-8 in Figure 6.

The nicotine-dispensing device of the present invention may take the form and appearance of a conventional cigarette holder with a housing having a cigarette receiving end with a first opening and a mouthpiece end, with a second opening. The housing is shaped to contain a nicotine dispensing unit and may also contain a tar filter which may be the same as, or an addition to the nicotine dispensinq unit. The unit and, if desired, the tar filter, may be contained in a removable cartridge.
The housing may be a single piece with an affixed nicotine dispensing unit and be constructed, for example, to be disposed of after usage with a single pack of cigarettes or when it is substantially exhausted of vaporizable nicotine.
Alternatively, the housing may comprise two reversibly attachable sections, a first section having a mouthpiece end and a second section having a cigarette-receiving end. This two-section housing is adapted to reversibly receive a cartridge-like nicotine dispensing unit. The nicotine dispensing unit may also have tar filtration capabilities in the form of a tar filter, most preferably comprising cellulose acetate fibers. With a two-piece housing, the cartridge-like nicotine dispensing unit may be changed after usage, for example, with one pack of cigarettes.
In certain embodiments it may be desired to have cartridge-like nicotine dispensing units with both ends sealed to retain nicotine prior to usaae. In this case the first housing piece and the second housing piece would have internal puncturing means situated to puncture both ends of the cartridge-like nicotine dispensing unit when said unit is inserted in the housing and the housing pieces are assembled. During usage of this embodiment, cigarette smoke may pass through the punctured cartridge ends and be inhaled enriched in nicotine.
A broad aspect of the present invention concerns a porous nicotine dispensing unit which enriches cigarette smoke with nicotine. This unit is preferably part of a cigarette holder of conventional shape and design.
Materials preferably utilized for the housing as well as the cartridge for a nicotine dispensing device of the present invention preferably should absorb little or no nicotine and be chemically non-reactive with nicotine under ambient conditions. Substances such as polybutylene terephthalate, polyvinylfluoride, reinforced plastic such as Fiberglass, polyesters, tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymers such as Teflon, nylon or mixtures thereof, for example are suitable synthetics for production of the housing or cartridge of the present invention.
The nicotine-dispensing units of the present invention most preferably neither chemically react with, strongly bond nor absorb nicotine. These units should physically have large surface areas and be permeable by gases because of a fibrous or porous structure. The materials of which these units are preferably made are substances which adsorb rather than absorb nicotine. The various synthetics mentioned above as preferably used for construction of the housing are also usable for the nicotine dispensing units if their physical form is one of a high surface to volume ratio and in permeable to gases. Additionally, numerous polyesters having he above charac- teristicsare available.
In Figure 1, and Figure 2, generally designated by the numeral 10, is a nicotine dispensing device of the present invention in the form of a one piece cigarette holder. The device 10 comprises a housing 12 having a cigarette receiving end 14 and a mouthpiece end 16. A cigarette 18 is positioned for insertion into the cylindrical port 20 opening at the cigarette receiving end 14.
As shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 the device 10 comprises a nicotine dispensing unit 22 contained within the housing 12. The nicotine dispensing unit 22 in this embodiment is schematically shown as a fibrous or porous gas-permeable barrier in the passageway 24 defined by the arrows 26, 28 and enclosed by the inner housing walls 30. The passageway 24 has an opening 25 in the mouthpiece end 16 and an opening 27 in the cigarette receiving end 14 corresponding to the port 20. The passageway 24 may also contain conventional cigarette smoke filtering material (not shown) between the nicotine dispensing unit 22 and the port 20.
The nicotine dispensing unit 22, as schematically designated in Figure 2 and Figure 3, completely occludes the passageway 24 so that all smoke from a cigarette 18 inserted in the device 10 and inhaled through the device 10 permeates the nicotine dispensing unit 22. It is also possible, as schematically shown in Figure 4, to utilize a nicotine dispensing unit 22a contained within a conventional tar or cigarette smoke filter unit 32, so that only a proportion of smoke inhaled through a device 10 passes through the nicotine dispensing unit 22a, the rest of the smoke passing through the conventional tar or cigarette smoke filter unit 32. In this manner, the usable nicotine productive life of the nicotine dispensing unit may be extended. Such a parallel alignment of nicotine dispensing unit 22a and tar filter 32 may be replaced, for example by a tar filter (not shown) between a nicotine dispensing unit 22 and the cigarette receiving end 24, this being in series.
Another embodiment of the nicotine-dispensing device of the present invention is shown in Figure 5 and generally designated by the numeral 40. The housing 42 of the device 40 has a first section 44 with a mouthpiece end 46 and an externally threaded end 48. The second section 50 of the housing 42 has a cigarette receiving end 52 and an internally threaded end 54. The threaded ends 48 and 54 are adapted to be threaded together, as shown cross- sectionally in Figure 6. A cigarette 56 is also shown in an inserted position. While a threaded attachment is visualized as a preferred method of attachment for the sections 44 and 50 many means of such reversible attachment are well known and considered within the scope of the present invention.
The device 40 has a nicotine dispensing unit 58 encased in a cartridge 60. This nicotine-dispensing unit 58 is removably insertable into the disassembled device 40 as shown in Figure 5. In this embodiment the cartridge 60 has openings 62 at both ends 64 and 66. The nicotine dispensing unit 58 may be contained in a sealed cartridge (not shown) without end openings. When such a sealed cartridge is utilized, the housing sections 44 and 50 may be modified to contain puncturing means such as sharp conical metal edges (not shown) positioned to pierce the sealed ends 64 and 66 of the modified cartridge upon threaded enqagement of the two housing sections 44 and 50.
When the cartridge 60 is mounted in the housing 42, the outer surface of wall 68 of the cartridge 60 is closely engaged by the inner surface of cylindrical wall 70 of the housing 42 so that smoke from an inserted ciqarette passing through the device 40 will essentially all pass through the nicotine dispensing unit 58. As discussed in relation to the earlier embodiment of the nicotine-dispensing device 10, the nicotine disbursement unit 58 may be arranged in series or parallel with a conventional cigarette tar-removing filter.

EXAMPLE 1

MODIFIED CONVENTIONAL CIGARETTE HOLDER

A Tar-Guard^O cartridge-type cigarette holder plus several cartridges (Venturi, Inc., 2345 Walker Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich.) were obtained. Each cartridge had the holes in each end enlarged. The baffles of the cartridge were removed and replaced by about 50 mg of polyester fibers. An amount of free (at least 98% pure as sold by Eastman Kodak and further purified by vacuum distillation) nicotine between about 1 and 2 mg was loaded in and adsorbed by the fibers in each of three cartridges. Each, cartridge in turn was retested in a cigarette holder.
Ultra-mild, (i.e., heavily filtered) cigarettes, relatively tasteless to the inveterate smoker, were inserted into this modified Tar-Guard® cigarette holder. Upon lighting the cigarette and inhaling through the nicotine-containing cartridge, several participating smokers acknowledged sensations of inhaling smoke from a lightly filtered or unfiltered cigarette. The amount of nicotine in the polyester fiber was found to be related to the sensed strength of the inhaled smoke.
As a nicotine-containing cartridge was used, an apparent deposit of tars began to appear on fibers nearest the cigarette. Thus, carcinogenic tars from the "ultra mild" cigarette smoke were further removed while nicotine was enhanced.
The nicotine-enhanced smoking device of the present invention may take the form and appearance of any conventional smokinq device such as a cigarette. The device includes a first portion that is combustible to produce smoke that may be inhaled by the user. The first portion may include any nicotine or non-nicotine bearing material, including tobacco, cocoa or the like which produces a relatively pleasant, inhalable smoke. The first portion also includes a shell that contains the combustible material. The shell is subject to considerable variety, dependent solely on the user's personal tastes and preferences. The shell may be paper such as that used in forming cigarettes. In addition, the shell may be dried tobacco leavesrsuch as used with cigars.
The second portion, typically a cigarette filter, is connected to the first portion so as to be in the line of passage of the smoke produced in the first portion in route to a user's lungs. The second portion may be permanently affixed to or removably secured to the first portion. For example, the second portion may have the appearance of a paper wrapped cigarette and may be bound within the same paper that covers the first portion. Also the second portion may have the tobacco wrapped confiquration of a cigar and may be bound within the same tobacco wrapper as the first portion.
The first and second portions may be a conventional filter-tipped ciqarette having the nicotine solution contained in the filter. Preferably, the conventional ciqarette is a low tar cigarette.
The nicotine solution of this invention may be incorporated into the filter by injection after the cigarette is manufactured. Alternatively, the nicotine solution may be coated on the fibers comprising the filter before they are made into filters which are used in cigarette manufacture.
The nicotine in the nicotine solution of this invention is selected from the group consisting of nicotine (d), nicotine (1), nicotine (dl) and nicotine salts. Nicotine is colorless or yellow in color and is characterized by being oily and very hygroscopic. Nicotine turns to the familiar brown color on exposure to light or air.
Nicotine is obtained by extraction from dried tobacco leaves where it occurs to the extent of 2% to 8%, combined with citric, maleic and other acids. The commercial nicotine which is available in the marketplace is entirely a byproduct of the tobacco industry. Extraction and purification procedures are generally well-known in this industry.
In one embodiment of the present invention, nicotine may be complexed with another substance to form a nicotine moiety which is resistant to evaporation and degradation. Materials found to be useful in forming the nicotine moiety include alcohols, esters, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones and ethers. The preferred complexing materials are polysiloxanes, such as polyphenylmethylsiloxane.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the nicotine solution comprises nicotine salts in a solvent. The solvent may be organic, but is preferably aqueous. The nicotine salts are easily obtained by reacting an acid with nicotine. The acid may be organic or inorganic. Inorganic acids are preferred because they result in less tar being delivered to the smoker.
The nicotine solution of this invention may contain 5% to 15% nicotine, by weight of the total solution. The preferred amount is 10%.

Example 1

A nicotine solution was prepared by mixing nicotine, obtained from Eastman Chemical, Stock No. 1242, with Poly- synlane obtained from Dow Chemical, Stock No. 556, in a 1 to 10 volume ratio of nicotine/Polysynlane. Ten milligrams of the nicotine solution was injected intermediately into the filter of a Kent brand 85 millimeter low tar cigarette. Using standard FTC determinations of tar and nicotine the nicotine-enhanced cigarette delivered an average of 0.48 milligrams nicotine per cigarette and 3.34 milligrams tar per cigarette, compared to the FTC standard of 0.3 milligrams nicotine per cigarette and 2.0 milligrams tar per cigarette. Thus, the nicotine release efficiency was 12.4%. When smoked, the cigarette had the effect of a strong cigarette such as Marlboro brand or Camel brand.
* ^{* * * *} Further modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art who have had the benefit of this disclosure. Such modifications however lie within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A nicotine-dispensing device characterized by:

a housing resistant to the absorption of nicotine, having a mouthpiece end with first opening and a cigarette-receiving end with a second opening, said housing defining an internal passageway between the mouthpiece end and the cigarette-receiving end; and

a qas-permeable, nicotine-dispensing unit comprising nicotine and a qas-permeable substance adsorptive for nicotine and resistant to nicotine absorption, said unit being interposed between the first and second openings in the passageway of the housing

2. The device of claim 1 characterized in that the housing is a single piece.

3. The device of claim 2 characterized in that the unit is affixed in the housing.

4. The device of claim 3 characterized in that the device is disposable after the unit is substantially exhausted of vaporizable nicotine.

5. The device of claim 1 characterized in that the housing comprises sections adapted to be joined together.

6. The device of claim 5 characterized in that a first housing section comprises the mouthpiece end and a second housing section comprises the cigarette-receiving end.

7. The device of claim 1 characterized in that it includes a tar filter configured to be positioned in said housing to filter gas passing through said device.

8. The device of claim 1, 5 or 7 characterized in that the nicotine dispensing unit is in the form of a removable cartridge.

9. The device of claim 8 characterized in that the cartridge is cylindrical and has two ends.

10. The device of claim 9 characterized in that the ends have openings.

11. The device of claim 9 characterized in that the ends are sealed.

12. The device of claim 7 characterized in that the tar filter consists essentially of cellulose acetate fibers.

13. The device of claim 1 characterized in that the gases comprise cigarette smoke.

14. The device of claim 1 characterized in that the housing consists essentially of polybutylene terephthalate, polyvinylfluoride, nylon, tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer, or mixtures thereof.

15. The device of claim 1 characterized in that the gas-permeable substance consists essentially of polyesters, polybutyleneterephthalate polyvinylfluoride, nylon, tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer or mixtures thereof.

16. A nicotine dispensing unit comprising a gas-permeable substance adsorptive for nicotine and resistant to nicotine absorption, and nicotine, said unit being contained in a housing with a mouthpiece end and a cigarette-receiving end.

17. The unit of claim 16 characterized in that the unit is contained in a cylindrical cartridge having two ends.

18. The unit of claim 17 characterized in that the ends of the cartridge have openings.

19. The unit of claim 17 characterized in that the ends of the cartridge are sealed.

20. The unit of claim 17 characterized in that the cartridge consists essentially of a substance resistant to nicotine absorption.

21. The unit of claim 16 characterized in that the nicotine is adsorbed on the surface of the gas-permeable substance.

22. The unit of claim 16 characterized in that the gas-permeable substance consists essentially of polyesters, polybutyleneterephthalate polyvinylfluoride, nylon, reinforced plastic, tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer or mixtures thereof.

23. A method for enhancing the nicotine content of inhaled ciqarette smoke characterized in that it includes: emplacing in the path of smoke to be inhaled a nicotine-dispensing unit comprising a gas-permeable substance adsorptive for nicotine and resistant to nicotine absorption, and nicotine, said unit being interposed in a passaqeway defined by a housing with a mouthpiece end and a ciqarette-receiving end.

24. The method of claim 23 characterized in that the unit is contained in a cigarette holder.

25. The method of claim 23 characterized in that the gas-permeable substance consists essentially of polyesters, polybutyleneterephthalate polyvinylfluoride, nylon, reinforced plastic, tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer or mixtures thereof.

26. The method of claim 23 characterized in that a step is added consisting of placing a tar filter in series with or parallel to the nicotine dispensing unit.

27. The method of claim 23 characterized in that the nicotine-dispensing unit is contained within a cartridge.

28. A method for producing a nicotine dispensing device adopted to enrich cigarette smoke, characterized by:

providing a cigarette-holder with a housing having a mouthpiece end with an opening and a cigarette-receiving end with an opening, said housing defining a passaeway between the mouthpiece end and the cigarette-receiving end; and

interposing in said passageway a nicotine dispensing unit comprising nicotine and a gas-permeable substance adsorptive for nicotine and resistant to nicotine absorption.

29. The method of claim 28 characterized in that the housing is a single piece and the nicotine dispensing unit is affixed therein.

30. The method of claim 28 characterized in that the housing comprises two reversibly attached sections and the dispensing unit is contained in a cartridge reversibly insertable in said housing.

31. The method of claim 28 characterized in that the gas-permeable substance consists essentially of polyesters, polybutyleneterephthalate polyvinylfluoride, nylon, reinforced plastic, tetrafluoroethylene fluorocarbon polymer or mixtures thereof.

32. A nicotine-enhanced smoking device, characterized in that:

(a) a first portion comprising combustible material and a shell, said material contained in said shell, and

(b) a second portion attached to said first portion, said second portion being characterized by the presence of a nicotine, the configuration of said first and second portions permitting interaction of combustion products of said first portion with said nicotine solution.

33. A nicotine-enchanced smoking device according to claim 32 characterized in that said nicotine solution comprises 5-15%, by weight of total solution, of nicotine or a nicotine salt in a solvent.

34. A nicotine-enhanced smoking device according to claim 33 characterized in that said solvent is water.

35. A nicotine-enhanced smoking device according to claim 33 characterized in that said solvent is a polysiloxane.

36. A nicotine-enhanced smoking device according to claim 33 characterized in that said second portion is a cigarette filter comprising filter fibers having said nicotine solution coated thereon.

37. A nicotine-enhanced smoking device accordinq to claim 33 characterized in that said second portion contains filter fibers having said nicotine solution injected therein.

38. A nicotine-enhanced smoking device according to claim 37 characterized in that said first and second portions are in the shape of a ciqarette.

39. A nicotine-enhanced smoking device according to claim 38 characterized in that said first and second portions are integrally connected.