EP2630875B1 - Matériau de tabac reconstitué, procédé et appareil pour la production de celui-ci - Google Patents

Matériau de tabac reconstitué, procédé et appareil pour la production de celui-ci Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2630875B1
EP2630875B1 EP13275038.1A EP13275038A EP2630875B1 EP 2630875 B1 EP2630875 B1 EP 2630875B1 EP 13275038 A EP13275038 A EP 13275038A EP 2630875 B1 EP2630875 B1 EP 2630875B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
rollers
extrudate
process according
tobacco
pair
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Application number
EP13275038.1A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2630875A3 (fr
EP2630875A2 (fr
Inventor
Mansueto Favaro
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Garbuio SpA
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Garbuio SpA
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Publication date
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Priority to PL13275038T priority Critical patent/PL2630875T3/pl
Publication of EP2630875A2 publication Critical patent/EP2630875A2/fr
Publication of EP2630875A3 publication Critical patent/EP2630875A3/fr
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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
    • A24B3/00—Preparing tobacco in the factory
    • A24B3/14—Forming reconstituted tobacco products, e.g. wrapper materials, sheets, imitation leaves, rods, cakes; Forms of such products

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to reconstituted tobacco material and methods and apparatus for the production thereof.
  • the present invention relates to reconstituted tobacco material formed from tobacco dust and that is suitable for combination with natural tobacco lamina.
  • Tobacco dust also known as tobacco fines
  • tobacco fines is a common by-product of the processing of natural tobacco lamina to provide smoking articles such as cigarettes.
  • processing e.g. cutting or handling
  • part of the tobacco lamina inevitably fragments to form dust, and this process may represent a significant economic loss for the cigarette manufacturer.
  • US 2008/0196731 describes a process in which tobacco fines are mechanically pressed into tobacco material, so as to adhere the fines to the tobacco material and allow for further processing to form a smoking article. This method may result in a material which is non-homogenous, with the possibility that during subsequent processing the tobacco fines become detached from the main body of the material.
  • EP 0404579 describes a method of making a smoking article rod, in which particulate tobacco and binder are mixed and extruded to provide a rod-form extrudate. The rod may then be wrapped in a conventional cigarette paper, for sale to the consumer. This process implies a radical change to the way in which cigarettes are manufactured, and as such there are considerable barriers to its adoption.
  • FR 2,338,659 discloses a process for recovering and recycling tobacco dust comprising the steps of; mixing tobacco dust with a binder to provide a paste, extruding the paste through a die to provide an elongate extrudate, slicing the extrudate at one or more discrete locations along its length to provide a plurality of extrudate portions, and pressing at least one extrudate portion between two opposed surfaces so as to flatten it.
  • the process should produce reconstituted tobacco material that has similar handling and processing properties to natural tobacco lamina (that is, tobacco leaf).
  • the reconstituted tobacco material should not have any adverse effect on the smoking characteristics of the smoking article.
  • the present invention may provide a process in which tobacco dust is mixed with a binder to provide a paste, and the paste is then sliced and flattened to provide planar portions, e.g. flakes, of reconstituted tobacco material.
  • a planar portion of reconstituted tobacco provided in this manner is characterised in that it has a maximum diameter between 10-20 mm and a maximum thickness between 0.2-0.4 mm.
  • Such flakes may have similar handling and processing properties to natural tobacco leaf, with the result that they may be processed alongside natural tobacco leaf and blended with it to provide smoking articles such as cigarettes or cigars.
  • the present invention may provide a process for recovering and recycling tobacco dust, comprising the steps of:
  • the paste is extruded to provide an elongate extrudate (e.g. a rod-like extrudate), rather than a sheet-like extrudate such as described in GB2201081 and 2266835 .
  • an elongate extrudate e.g. a rod-like extrudate
  • a sheet-like extrudate such as described in GB2201081 and 2266835 .
  • the tobacco dust is typically formed during processing of natural tobacco leaf, particularly for example, during cutting operations, in which sections of the leaf may fragment.
  • the dust typically has a particle diameter less than 1 mm, and is sieved prior to mixing with the binder to remove any over-size particles.
  • the binder is generally a polymeric binder, e.g. a starch-based binder.
  • the binder comprises starch and water.
  • starch can be used: these include corn, rice and potato starches.
  • Modified starches such as hydroxypropyl distarch adipate can also be used, and these may have advantages in obtaining a final product having the desired lighter-coloured appearance.
  • the tobacco dust and binder are typically mixed in an extruder comprising a barrel and a screw.
  • the screw may serve to mix the components and to drive the paste towards the die.
  • the pressure immediately upstream of the die may be in the range of 40-80 bar.
  • the die aperture through which the paste is extruded typically has a maximum dimension of 1 mm to 10 mm, preferably 3 mm to 5 mm.
  • the die may have multiple apertures through which paste may be extruded.
  • a single slicing device may serve to slice the extrudate exiting the different apertures, and the extrudate portions obtained through the slicing step may all be pressed between the same two opposed surfaces.
  • the moisture content of the paste prior to extrusion is typically below 30 wt%, preferably below 20 wt%. Typically, this moisture content is 10 wt% or more, preferably 12wt% or more.
  • the reduction in pressure within the paste may cause flash evaporation of a portion of the internal moisture, which may result in some expansion (e.g. foaming) and cooling of the paste material.
  • the temperature of the extrudate immediately after exiting the die is below 95°C, preferably below 90°C.
  • this temperature is above 70°C, preferably above 75°C, more preferably above 80°C.
  • the extrudate is typically sliced at locations spaced at intervals of 2-15 mm along its length, preferably at intervals of 3-10 mm.
  • the step of pressing the at least one extrudate portion between two opposed surfaces comprises passing the extrudate portion between two rollers that are axially aligned and displaced from each other along a radial direction.
  • the rollers typically comprise cast iron or another similar hard material.
  • the rollers may have a wear-resistant coating, comprising, for example, tungsten carbide.
  • the gap between the opposed surfaces of the two rollers is generally less than 1 mm, preferably less than 0.6 mm. In general, the gap is at least 0.1 mm, preferably at least 0.2 mm.
  • one roller may have a surface speed that is at least 50% greater than the other roller, in certain cases at least 75% or 100 % greater than the other roller.
  • the slower roller has a surface speed of at least 1 m/s, preferably at least 1.5 m/s.
  • the surface speed of the slower roller is less than 5 m/s, preferably less than 3 m/s.
  • the extrudate portion is passed through multiple pairs of rollers (that is, two or more pairs of rollers), the gap between the individual rollers in each pair of rollers decreasing in the sequence in which the extrudate passes through the pairs of rollers.
  • the temperature of the extrudate portions prior to being pressed between the two opposed surfaces is at least 65°C, preferably at least 85°C.
  • the moisture content of the extrudate portions at that stage of the process is at least 5 wt%, more preferably at least 10 wt%. It is thought that by keeping the temperature and moisture contents within these ranges, flow of the extrudate material during the pressing stage may be facilitated, while breakage of the material is avoided.
  • the moisture content of the extrudate portions prior to the pressing stage is less than 25wt%, preferably less than 20 wt%. It is thought that this helps to prevent mould formation in the reconstituted tobacco material.
  • the time between extrusion of the paste through the die and pressing of the at least one extrudate portion is minimised. Effectively, this requires that the distance between die and the opposed surfaces is preferably as short as possible.
  • flakes of reconstituted tobacco may be formed whose thickness and weight per unit area is such that they behave in a similar manner to pieces of natural tobacco lamina (that is, tobacco leaf) used in the manufacture of smoking articles.
  • this reconstituted material when cut into strips of e.g. 0.8 mm width, this reconstituted material may have a similar terminal velocity when lifted pneumatically (e.g. in a cigarette-making machine) as strips of natural tobacco lamina of similar width.
  • the friability and fragility of the reconstituted material may also be similar to that of natural tobacco leaf.
  • the process of the first aspect of the invention has the advantage over prior art processes (in particular, processes involving drawing down a web of reconstituted material) that it is relatively simple and does not require particularly careful control.
  • the extruder die shape is relatively simple to manufacture; there is no need for slicing of the extrudate to be carried out with a high degree of precision; and there is no need for very precise control of the speed of the downstream equipment handling the extrudate.
  • the reconstituted material is typically provided in the form of flakes, rather than e.g. a web, the practical problems associated with maintaining the integrity of a broad planar material are avoided.
  • the binder comprises starch.
  • the thickness of the portion is less than 0.4 mm. In general, the thickness of the portion is greater than 0.1 mm, preferably greater than 0.2 mm.
  • the maximum dimension of the portion is no greater than 5 cm.
  • the maximum dimension of the planar portion is at least 1.5 cm, more preferably 2 cm.
  • the planar portion has a rounded perimeter, e.g. it is substantially circular or elliptical in shape.
  • the flattening means comprises a first pair of rollers, the rollers being axially aligned and displaced from each other in a radial direction.
  • the two rollers in the first pair of rollers are individually driven.
  • the apparatus may comprise a further pair of rollers that is configured to further provide flattening of the extrudate portions.
  • the gap between the two rollers in the further pair of rollers is smaller than the gap between the two rollers in the first pair of rollers.
  • an apparatus for producing reconstituted tobacco materials comprises an extruder 10 having driving means 12 and barrel 14.
  • the barrel 14 defines a cavity 16 that houses a screw 18.
  • the extruder is supplied by two feeders: a first feeder 20, for input of tobacco dust into the extruder, and a second feeder 22 downstream of the first feeder 20, for input of starch into the extruder.
  • a water feedpipe 24 is provided downstream of the second feeder 22, for input of water into the extruder.
  • the first and second feeders 20, 22 may each be e.g. a loss-in-weight feeder or a volumetric feeder.
  • the extruder cavity 16 is in fluid communication with a feedpipe 26 that feeds a die 28.
  • the die 28 has a conically-shaped interior cavity 29, the cavity 29 tapering in a downstream direction of the extruder 10.
  • the cavity 29 is in fluid communication with the mouth 29a of the die, the mouth having a diameter of typically 3-5 mm.
  • a conveyor belt 30 provides conveying means from the die mouth 29a to a slicer 32 and a pair of rollers 34a, 34b.
  • the pair of rollers 34a, 34b are made from chilled cast iron and have a coating comprising tungsten carbide.
  • tobacco dust is first sieved through a 1 mm aperture mesh to remove over-size material which might cause blockages.
  • the sieved dust is then conveyed to the first feeder 20, which doses a flow of dust at a controlled rate into the extruder barrel 14.
  • the second feeder 22 doses a flow of starch powder into the extruder barrel at a point just downstream of the tobacco dust entry.
  • the water feedpipe 24 injects a controlled flow of water into the extruder at a point just downstream of the starch entry.
  • the extruder screw 18 is configured to mix the tobacco dust, starch and water to form a paste, and to feed the paste towards the die 28.
  • the speed of rotation of the screw 18 is selected to generate a pressure of e.g. 45 - 80 bar behind the die 28.
  • the water flow can be varied to provide the required moisture content in the paste, which is e.g. between 12% and 17% (wet weight basis).
  • the starch Due to the pressure and heat generated in the extruder, the starch gels and binds the dust particles together.
  • the extrudate is then conveyed to the slicer 32 by means of a conveyor belt 30.
  • the slicer 32 carries out repeated cutting actions as the extrudate travels beneath it, thus slicing the extrudate into extrudate portions.
  • the timing of the repeating action of the slicer 32 is chosen such the extrudate portions have a length (measured in the axial direction of the extrudate) of e.g. between 1 and 2 times the diameter of the die mouth 29a.
  • the extrudate portions are conveyed to the flattening rollers 34a, 34b.
  • the rollers are individually driven and arranged so that one may be driven significantly faster than the other, for example twice the speed of the other.
  • the surface speed the lower speed roller is e.g. 1.8 - 2.5 m/s.
  • the gap between the roller 34a, 34b is 0.2 - 0.6 mm.
  • rollers are driven in opposite directions. That is, one roller rotates in an anti-clockwise direction, and the other in a clockwise direction.
  • the flattening of the extrudate portions by the rollers results in the formation of flakes of reconstituted tobacco material, the flakes being e.g. 10-20 mm in diameter and having a thickness of 0.2-0.4 mm.
  • the flakes have a moisture content of 11-17 wt%, which may provide them with sufficient flexibility for normal handling, while being low enough to reduce the formation of mould.
  • the flakes of reconstituted tobacco material are mixed with natural tobacco leaf and processed into smoking articles, e.g. cigarettes, according to conventional processes that are well-known in the art. That is, they may be cut together with the natural tobacco material in a conventional tobacco cutter, to form a homogeneous blend suitable for use as a cigarette filler.

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  • Manufacture Of Tobacco Products (AREA)

Claims (11)

  1. Un processus de récupération et de recyclage de poudre de tabac, comprenant les opérations suivantes :
    le mélange de la poudre de tabac avec un liant de façon à obtenir une pâte,
    l'extrusion de la pâte au travers d'une filière de façon à obtenir un extrudat étiré,
    la découpe en tranches de l'extrudat au niveau d'un ou de plusieurs emplacements discrets le long de sa longueur de façon à obtenir une pluralité de portions d'extrudat,
    le pressage d'au moins une portion d'extrudat entre deux surfaces opposées, de façon à l'aplatir de façon à obtenir une portion plane de tabac reconstitué,
    caractérisé en ce que
    ladite portion plane possède un diamètre maximal entre 10 et 20 mm et une épaisseur maximale entre 0,2 et 0,4 mm.
  2. Un processus selon la Revendication 1, où le liant contient de l'amidon et de l'eau.
  3. Un processus selon la Revendication 1 ou 2, où l'opération de pressage de la au moins une portion d'extrudat entre deux surfaces opposées comprend le passage de la portion d'extrudat entre deux rouleaux d'une première paire de rouleaux, les deux rouleaux étant axialement alignés et décalés l'un de l'autre le long d'une direction radiale.
  4. Un processus selon la Revendication 3, où l'espace entre les surfaces respectives des deux rouleaux est de 1 mm ou moins.
  5. Un processus selon la Revendication 3 ou 4, où les deux rouleaux comprennent un rouleau plus rapide et un rouleau plus lent, le rouleau plus rapide possédant une vitesse de surface supérieure à celle du rouleau plus lent.
  6. Un processus selon la Revendication 5, où le rouleau plus rapide possède une vitesse de surface qui est au moins supérieure de 50% à la vitesse de surface du rouleau plus lent.
  7. Un processus selon la Revendication 5 ou 6, où la vitesse de surface du rouleau plus lent est d'au moins 1 m/s.
  8. Un processus selon l'une quelconque des Revendications 3 à 7, comprenant l'opération complémentaire, après l'opération de passage de la portion d'extrudat entre la première paire de rouleaux, de passage de la portion d'extrudat aplatie entre une deuxième paire de rouleaux, les deux rouleaux de la deuxième paire de rouleaux étant axialement alignés et décalés l'un de l'autre le long d'une direction radiale, l'espace entre les deux rouleaux de la deuxième paire de rouleaux étant inférieur à l'espace entre les deux rouleaux de la première paire de rouleaux.
  9. Un processus selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes, où la température de la au moins une portion d'extrudat avant d'être pressée entre deux surfaces opposées est au moins de 65°C, de préférence au moins de 85°C.
  10. Un processus selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes, où la teneur en humidité de la au moins une portion d'extrudat avant d'être pressée entre deux surfaces opposées se situe entre 10 et 20 % en poids.
  11. Un processus selon l'une quelconque des Revendications précédentes, comprenant l'opération complémentaire, après l'opération de pressage de la au moins une portion d'extrudat entre deux surfaces opposées, de mélange de la portion d'extrudat aplatie avec une feuille de tabac pour un traitement complémentaire de façon à obtenir un produit à fumer.
EP13275038.1A 2012-02-21 2013-02-21 Matériau de tabac reconstitué, procédé et appareil pour la production de celui-ci Active EP2630875B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PL13275038T PL2630875T3 (pl) 2012-02-21 2013-02-21 Rekonstytuowany materiał tytoniowy oraz sposób i urządzenie do jego wytwarzania

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB1202934.4A GB201202934D0 (en) 2012-02-21 2012-02-21 Reconstituted tobacco material and method and apparatus for the production thereof

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB201202934 Previously-Filed-Application 2012-02-21

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2630875A2 EP2630875A2 (fr) 2013-08-28
EP2630875A3 EP2630875A3 (fr) 2013-10-09
EP2630875B1 true EP2630875B1 (fr) 2017-11-15

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP13275038.1A Active EP2630875B1 (fr) 2012-02-21 2013-02-21 Matériau de tabac reconstitué, procédé et appareil pour la production de celui-ci

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2630875B1 (fr)
GB (1) GB201202934D0 (fr)
HU (1) HUE035682T2 (fr)
PL (1) PL2630875T3 (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP6169263B2 (ja) * 2014-04-17 2017-07-26 グァンドン ゴールデン リーフ テクノロジー ディヴェロップメント カンパニー リミテッド エアレイド製紙プロセスを使用して再構成タバコを製造する装置
CN107183781A (zh) * 2017-06-17 2017-09-22 常州环际商贸有限公司 一种再造烟叶的制备方法
CN109984369A (zh) * 2017-12-29 2019-07-09 上海新型烟草制品研究院有限公司 一种口含烟粉末制备生产线

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ZA733624B (en) * 1972-06-21 1974-04-24 Tamag Basel Ag A process and device for producing tobacco structures
LU74233A1 (fr) * 1976-01-23 1977-07-27
US4880018A (en) * 1986-02-05 1989-11-14 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Extruded tobacco materials
GB8704196D0 (en) * 1987-02-23 1987-04-01 British American Tobacco Co Tobacco reconstitution
DE3819534C1 (fr) * 1988-06-08 1989-12-07 B.A.T. Cigarettenfabriken Gmbh, 2000 Hamburg, De
GB9210471D0 (en) * 1992-05-15 1992-07-01 British American Tobacco Co Improvements relating to tobacco reconstitution
GB0011351D0 (en) * 2000-05-12 2000-06-28 British American Tobacco Co Tobacco reconstitution
US20110139164A1 (en) * 2009-12-15 2011-06-16 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Tobacco Product And Method For Manufacture

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201202934D0 (en) 2012-04-04
HUE035682T2 (en) 2018-05-28
EP2630875A3 (fr) 2013-10-09
PL2630875T3 (pl) 2018-04-30
EP2630875A2 (fr) 2013-08-28

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