EP0222770A1

EP0222770A1 - Method of manufacturing a small cigar, cigarette and the like, and small cigar, cigarette and the like made thereby

Info

Publication number: EP0222770A1
Application number: EP19850904776
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vladimir Sirota
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-05-15
Filing date: 1985-09-30
Publication date: 1987-05-27
Also published as: WO1986006591A1

Abstract

Dans un cigarillo, une cigarette ou un produit semblable, du tabac de remplissage (1) est enveloppé dans un élément (2) en forme de bande qui a pour caractéristique d'éteindre le tabac en combustion. Un élément en forme de bande (5/5') peut relier une partie (3) contenant du tabac à un filtre (4) de façon à servir à la fois d'élément d'extinction et de raccord. Il peut aussi chauffer de sorte que le fumeur sente la proximité du tabac en combustion par l'augmentation de la chaleur. Le produit et le procédé décrits ci-dessus éliminent des techniques de fabrication coûteuses et compliquées et permettent l'emballage des articles fabriqués dans des paquets normalisés.In a cigarillo, a cigarette or the like, filling tobacco (1) is wrapped in an element (2) in the form of a strip which has the characteristic of extinguishing the burning tobacco. A strip-shaped element (5/5 ') can connect a part (3) containing tobacco to a filter (4) so as to serve both as an extinguishing element and as a connector. It can also heat up so that the smoker feels the proximity of the burning tobacco by the increase in heat. The product and process described above eliminate costly and complicated manufacturing techniques and allow packaging of manufactured items in standardized packages.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Method of Manufacturing a Small Cigar, Cigarette and the Like, and Small Cigar, Cigarette and the Like Made Thereby

Technical Field

This invention relates generally to small ci¬ gars, cigarettes and the like, and the method of manufac¬ turing the same.

Background Art

It is known to manufacture small cigars, ciga¬ rettes and the like by wrapping a tobacco filler with a co¬ vering band-paper like material. It is also known to impair to them fire-extinguishing properties by attaching to a cigar, cigarette and the like of an additional extingui¬ shing member after manufacture of the cigar and cigarette, formed for example as a sleeve. Such a method is expensive and complicated since it reguires manufacture and mounting of the additional sleeve afterwards. The sleeve also increa¬ ses the outer diameter of the cigar, cigarette and the like and therefore, either a smaller number of cigarettes, cigars must be accommodated in a standard pack, or the pack must be made with a larger inner chamber. Disclosure of the Invention

In accordance with the invention a small cigar, ciga¬ rette and the like is made so that the tobacco filler during the manufacture i§ wrapped in a band-like element which has been already provided with a portion which .is substantially non-combustible and extinguishes the cigar, cigarette and the like when a tobacco fire reaches this portion. Therefore it is not necessary, after completing the manufacture of the cigar, cigarette and the like, to mount an additional extingu isher thereon, and thereby the cigar , cigarette and the lik is easy and inexpensive to manufacture with simultaneous pro- vision of self-extinguishing properties, and the outer dia¬ meter is not substantially increased.

In accordance with another feature of the present in¬ vention, the band-like non-combustible element or its portion simultaneously serves as a connector for connecting a tobacco containing part with a filter part in a filter cigarette and the like. Thus it is not necessary to have a separate con¬ nector and a separate extinguishing element.

The non-combustible element or portion can have one layer, more than one layer, and also can be heatable so that when a tobacco fire reaches it, it is heated and signals a user about the approaching tobacco fire. In the multi-layer extinguishing element, it can be produced by impregnation, chgmical deposition and the like. Brief Description of the Drawing

The details of the invention will be described in con¬ nection with the accompanying drawing, in which

Fig. 1 is a view showing a filterless cigar, cigarette or the like in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view showing a filterless cigar, cigarette or the like in accordance with another modification;

Fief.3 is a view showing a small cigar, cigarette and the like with a filter in accordance with the invention;

Fi§.4 is a view showing a modification of a small cigar, cigarette of FIG. 3; and

Figs.5, 6 and 7 show thress further modifications of the- small cigar/ cigarette or the like of Fig.3.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

A filterless small cigar, cigarette or the like shown in Fig.l has a to bacco filler 1. The tobacco filler has a front end 1' and a rear end 1".

A band-like material 2 is further provided. It can be formed as a known wrapping paper which^' is used for manu¬ facture of small cigars, cigarettes and the like. The band¬ like material 2 has a front portion 2' and a rear portion 2". The portion 2" is substantially non-combustible. This can be provided in accordance with the invention by impreg- nating of the rear portion 2" with a material which makes the portion 2" non-combustible . This can also be achieved by applying on the portion 2" of an electrochemically depo¬ sited layer of a non-combustible material, for example alu¬ minum. Also, the portion 2" can have non-combustible pro¬ perty per se, because of a material of which it is made.The thus formed band-like element 2 is then wrapped around the tobacco filler. The length of the portion 2" can be substan¬ tially 1/3 of the length of the whole article.

The impregnation, electrochemical deposition and the like of the portion 2" can be performed so as to cover the whole length of the portion 2", or to form on this portion a plurality of narrow strips which are spaced from one ano¬ ther by small distances and formed as discrete strips or as a continuous helical strip.

During smoking, the tobacco filler 1 inside the portion 2' of the band-like material is burning and so the portion 2' itself. When however the tobacco fire reaches the portion 2" which is non-combustible and retains its shape and size, the fire penetrates somewhat into the portion 2". Since the portion 2" is non-combustible, the fire extingui¬ shes inside it because of lack of oxygen, substantially befo¬ re and somewhat within the rear 1/3 of the article.

As can be seen from FIG.2, a small cigar, cigarette and the like can be made in a different way. Here a band¬ like material 2a has a member 2a' which extends over the entire length of the tobacco filler, and an additional mem¬ ber 2a" attached to the member 2a' on its one surface or both surfaces, in the drawing on its inner surface. The attachement can be performed by glueing, welding and the like. The band-like element 2a which is preliminarily formed by connection of the members 2a' and 2a" with one another, is then wrapped around the tobacco filler. The self-extingui¬ shing action here is the same.

The portion 2" and the member 2a" can be composed of a heatable material, for example a heatable metal foil. In this case when the tobacco fire reaches the heatable part, the la ter is heated by the fire and -provides an alarm for a smoker, since his fingers immediately feel the heat. This attracts his attention, for example , awakes him, etc.

Cigatettes, small cigars etc shown in Figs.3-7 are provided with a filter.

A cigarette, cigar and the like shown in Fig.3 has a tobacco-containing part 3 which includes a tobacco filler wrapped in a paper, and a filter part 4 which is known per se in the art. A band-like element 5 is further provided. The band-like element 5 can be similar to the band-like element 2 of the embodiments of Fig.l and 2. The band-like element 5 is also non-combustible. It is wrapped around a rear portion of the tobacco-containing part 3 and at least a front portion of the filter part 4 and are connected with them , for example by glueing, wel¬ ding etc. Therefore the band-like element simultaneously form a fire extinguisher and a connector. On the one hand it extinguishes the fire as was explained with respect to the element 2, and on the other hand it connects the tobacco-containing part 3 with the filter part 4.

In the Embodiment of Fig. 4, the band-like element 5 is provided with an additional non-combustible layer 5' . In this case it is not necessary to make the element 5 non- combustible. The additional layer 5' can be formed for exa¬ mple as a thin foil of aluminum, an electrσ-chemically depo¬ sited layer on the element 5, a material impregnated by dif¬ fusion into the element 5. The layer 5' can be heatable to provide an alarm for user's fingers, which feel the heat upon approach of a tobacco fire to the layer.

The cigarette, small cigar and the like shown in Fig.5 has a plurality of teeth-like projections 6 at a front end of the element 5. The cigarette, small cigar and the like of Fig. 6 has a plurality of perforations 7in a front por¬ tion of the element 5. The cigarette, small cigar and the like of Fig. 7 has a plurality of perforations 8 provided over the entire length of the element 5. These formations allow sgueezing by a smoker of the respective portion to immedia¬ tely extinguish the flame and also contribute to forcing' the flame to go deeper into the element 5.

The performations make possible to continue smo¬ king even when the tobacco fire reaches the element 5, if the smoker wishes so. However, the fire will still even¬ tually extinguish inside the element 5.

The invention is not limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes are possible without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a small cigar, cigarette and the like, comprising the steps of

providing a tobacco filler; providing a band-like element having at least one portion which is less combustible than its remaining portion and is substantially non-combustible; and wrapping said element around said tobacco filler so as to simultaneously provide a fire extinguisher in that when a tobacco fire reaches said one portion, it propagates inside said one portion and self-extinguishes because lack of oxygen_*

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of providing said band-like element includes providing a band-like member and attaching to it a less combustible additional member so as to form said element.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of providing said band-like element includes at least forming said one portion of a heatable material which is heatable by approaching tobacco fire and thereby provides an alarm for a smoker when the fire heats at least said por¬ tion and the heat can be felt by smoker's fingers.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of providing said band-like element includes treating said one portion so as to impart it lower combustion property that that of the remaining portion.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said treating step includes impregnating said one portion with a material imparting the lower combustion property.

6. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said treating step includes depositing on said one portion a material imparting the lower combustion property.

7. A method as defined in claim 1; and further comprising the steps of providing a tobacco -containing part and a filter part, and connecting said tobacco-con¬ taining part with said filter part by said non-combustible element so that the latter forms simultaneously an extingui¬ sher and a connector.

8. A small cigar, cigarette and the like, comprising a tobacco filler; and a band-like element having at least one portion which is less combustible than the remaining portion and substantially non-combustible, said band-like element being wrapped around said filler, after being formed with said portions, so as to simultaneously provide a fire extinguisher in that when a tobacco fire reaches said one portion, it propagates inside said one portion and self-extiiguishes because of lack of oxygen.

9. A small cigar, cigarette and the like as defined in claim 8., wherein said band-like element includes a band¬ like member and a substantially non-combustible additional member which is attached to said band-like member and forms said one portion.

10. A small cigar, cigarette and the like as defined, in claim 8 , wherein said one portion is heatable by app¬ roaching tobacco fire and thereby provides an alarm for a smoker when the fire heats said one portion and the heat can be felt by smoker's fingers.

11. A small cigar , cigarette and the like as defined in claim 8, wherein said one portion of said band-like element is treated to have substantially non-combustible property .

12. A small cigar, cigarette and the like as defined in claim 11, wherein said one portion is impregnated by a substantially non-combustible material.

13. A small cigar, cigarette and the like as -defi¬ ned in claim 11, wherein said one portion is electro- chemically coated with a substantially non-combustible material.

14. A small cigar, cigarette and the like as de¬ fined in claim 8; and further comprising a tobacco-con¬ taining part and a filter part, said band-like element conn¬ ecting said tobacco-containing part and said filter part with one another so as to form simultaneously an exting¬ uisher and a connector.

15. A small cigar, cigarette and the like as de¬ fined in claim 8, wherein said band-like element is provided with a plurality of perforations at least in its front portion.