GB2037145A - Smoking filter - Google Patents

Abstract

A smoking filter is made out of rattan. For example, in a cigarette, a tobacco-containing tube 2 has a filter 1 made of naturally-occurring rattan which extends into the tube 2 up to a point 3. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Smoking filter This invention relates to a smoking filter which can be used for example, for cigarettes, cigars or pipes.

According to the invention, there is provided a smoking filter comprising a length of rattan.

It has surprisingly been found that the longitudinal pores in naturally occurring rattan act in an efficient manner as a filter which absorbs moisture, impurities and nicotine very efficiently. The skin of the rattan can be peeled for certain applications, such as cigarette filters and internal filters in cigarette holders of pipes, or the skin can be left on for applications where the rattan forms part of the stem of e.g. a pipe or cigarette holder.

Rattan is a tropical plant which grows either on swampy soil or dry soil. It is desirable, for the purposes of this invention, that the rattan should contain a large number of pores, and it has been found that rattan from dry areas is better in this respect and absorbs more moisture than rattan from swamp areas.

The surface which is presented in a cross section through a piece of rattan has approximately 200 to 300 pores per square centimetre. The pores are formed by soft fibres and provide an effective water permeability. When the rattan is in use as a smoking filter, the pores help to filter the smoke, and the moisture absorption rate is higher than any chemical fibre. The filter also helps to prevent nicotine from peremating to the smoker. Only the natural pores found in the rattan will be used, and no holes will be made through the filter.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a cigarette with a filter tip according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a cigar with a filtertip according to the invention; Figure 3 is an exploded view of a cigarette holder incorporating a filter according to the invention; Figure 4 shows an alternative form of cigarette holder incorporating a filter according to the invention; Figure 5 is an exploded view of a cigarette holder similartothatshown in Figure 3; Figure 6 shows a pipe incorporating a filter according to the invention; Figure 7 shows an alternative form of pipe incorporating a filter according to the invention; and Figure 8 shows yet another alternative form of pipe with a filter according to the invention.

Both the cigarette shown in Figure 1 and the cigar shown in Figure 2 have a rattan filter 1 and a tobacco-containing tube 2. The filter 1 is held in place by being inserted inside the end of the paper tube 2, and glued there. The end of the rattan filter 1 is indicated by a dotted line 3. The outer surface of the cigar filter 1 is shaped as shown.

The cigarette holder shown in Figure 3 has an enclosed filter 4. The filter has an enlarged head 4a which enters an internal bore 5 in the cigarette holder portion 6 and an internal bore 7 in the mouth piece portion 8. When the portions 6 and 8 are correctly positioned, the filter 4 is concealed. When the filter is used and absorbs moisture, it expands and becomes lodged within the holder. It can therefore be difficult to remove, when the time comes for it to be replaced. However, with the inclusion of the head 4a at one end of the filter, the holder can be dimensioned so that that one end of the filter expands and becomes stuck in its respective part of the holder, so that when the holder is taken apart for replacement of the filter, the filter is only stuck to the holder over a small area and can relatively easily be removed.The head 4a should be inserted into the smaller end of the holder.

The cigarette holder shown in Figure 4 has an exposed filter portion 9 which has reduced diameter end portions (not shown) which are received in internal bores in the cigarette holder portion 10 and the mouth piece portion 11 respectively. In this embodiment, the rattan is not peeled. Its outer surface therefore presents a decorative exterior to the holder.

The cigarette holder shown in Figure 5 is similarto that shown in Figure 3 except that it has threaded end portions 12 and 13 which fit respectively into the cigarette holder portion 10 and the mouth piece portion 11. The threads 12 and 13 can simply be cut into the rattan.

The pipe shown in Figure 6 is constructed wholly of rattan. The stem 14 is simply a length of rattan which is pushed into a correspondingly sized bore 15 in the bowl 16. The bowl itself is a piece of rattan of larger diameter than the stem 14, and with the pores in the rattan of the bowl extending perpendicular to the pores in the stem 14. The part ofthe bowl 17 which receives tobacco may be lined with a perforated metal lining.

The pipe shown in Figure 7 has a concealed filter portion 18. This has one large diameter end 19 which fits into a bore 20 in the bowl end of the pipe stem, and a small diameter end 21 which fits into a bore 22 in the mouth piece part of the stem. The rattan filter is therefore completely concealed when the pipe is assembled.

The pipe of Figure 8 has an exposed filter portion 23 with threaded ends 24 and 25 which screw into corresponding threads 26 and 27 in the bowl end and the mouth piece end of the pipe stem respectively. The rattan filter 23 is not peeled.

The filters of Figure 1 and Figure 2 can be discarded with the cigarette or cigar butt, when the cigarette or cigar has been finished.

The filters have a suggested life of up to 80 cigarettes forthe Figure 3 embodiment and up to 130 cigarettes for the embodiments of Figures 4 and 5.

The pipe of Figure 6 should be discarded aftertwo months, and the filter in the pipe of Figure 7 should be changed three times a week. The filter in Figure 8 should be changed twice a week.

Chemical fibre filters, after prolonged use, can be reduced to dust which is harmful, particularly if it is drawn into the smoker's lungs. A rattan filter would not be affected in the same way, and would not release any dust.

When a cigarette is smoked right down to the filter, the filtertends to scorch. The gas emitted at this stage from a chemical fibre filter is harmful to the human body. This is not however true of the gas emitted from a rattan filter.

A rattan filter, being inherently rigid, will not be damaged if it is crushed between the teeth. However with a conventional chemical fibre filter, the filter will be damaged and may release harmful constituents which could reach the smoker's mouth. The rattan filter can therefore prevent nicotine entering the body under these circumstances.

The rattan filter 1 used on a cigar has a much more pleasant "feel" than conventional plastic cigar tips which are often used.

Comparative tests indicating the capacity of absorption have been carried out for a rattan filter, and for conventional filters. The results are shown in the following table.

TABLE

Test Type of size weight in mg.

No. filter mm before use after use 1. Ronson PVC 8 x 35 1,558 1,570 filter Rattan filter g x 36 1,180 1,230 2. Chemical fibre 5.5 x 56.5 473 510 wool filter Rattan filter 5.5 x 55.7 890 1,030

Test Type of weight quantity of No. filter increase tobacco mg smoked 1. Ronson PVC 12 2 cigarettes filter Rattan filter 50 2 cigarettes 2. Chemical fibre 37 3,200 mg.

wool filter Rattan filter 140 3,200 mg.

The first test was carried out using filters in a cigarette holder, and smoking cigarettes. The second test was carried out using filters in a pipe and smok ing pipe tobacco.

It will be seen that in each test the rattan filter took up approximately 4 times as much weight as the conventional filter. This extra weight is due to nicotine absorption.

Claims (13)

1. A smoking filter comprising a length of rattan.

2. A smoking filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rattan has been grown in a dry area.

3. A smoking filter as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the rattan has 200 to 300 pores per square, centimeter.

4. A smoking filter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outer skin of the rattan has been peeled away.

5. A cigarette having a rattan filter tip permanently attached to one end, the tip being adapted to be discarded with the butt end of the cigarette.

6. A cigar having a rattan filter tip permanently attached to one end, the tip being adapted to be discarded with the butt end of the cigar.

7. A cigarette holder including a removable rattan filter provided between its ends.

8. A cigarette holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rattan filter has a portion of enlarged diameter adapted to be inserted into one end of the holder, and to swell into contact with said one end during use.

9. A cigarette holder as claimed in claim 7 wherein the rattan filter has a thread formed at each of its opposite ends, which threads are adapted to be screwed into corresponding threads in opposite ends of the holder.

10. A smoker's pipe wherein the stem and the bowl are both made out of rattan.

11. A smoker's pipe wherein a rattan filter is contained within the pipe stem.

12. A smoker's pipe wherein a rattan filter connects two parts of the stem, the filter having threads by means of which it is screwed into corresponding threads in the two parts of the pipe stem.

13. Means for smoking tobacco, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any one Figure ofthe accompanying drawings.