JP2012525138A - Processed tobacco - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an aerosol generating material (8) for a smoking article (5) comprising a granular porous material impregnated with a diluent (3), the granular porous material being at least 1200 m ² / g BET specific surface area. The present invention also provides an aerosol generating material (8) for a smoking article (5) comprising granular calcium carbonate (1) carrying the diluent (3) and / or impregnated with the diluent.

Description

  The present invention relates to treated tobacco material. In particular, the present invention relates to tobacco supporting diluents and barrier materials, products containing the same, and methods for making the same.

  It is well known to include a diluent in smoking articles such as cigarettes. Diluents are compounds that evaporate during smoking and change to mainstream smoke in the form of an aerosol. These diluents do not substantially affect mainstream smoke. Thus, other components of smoke (in the case of tobacco-containing smoking articles, tobacco-derived components) are “diluted” by this diluent.

  Cigarettes are composed of a filter located at the mouth end, a tobacco rod containing a smokable filler, and cigarette paper wrapped around the rod. If the diluent is present in the smokable filler, it exists as a simple mixture with other ingredients (especially when the diluent is an individual) or the diluent is in one or more other ingredients It may be supported (when the diluent is in liquid form). When incorporated into the filler as a simple mixture, this causes disadvantages during manufacture, and the diluent can easily overflow from the finished product, especially if it is in the form of a fine powder. Accordingly, the diluent is preferably retained in direct contact with another component of the filler.

  Diluents are known that come into direct contact with the tobacco itself. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,098,036 and 5,200, 433, describe tobacco-containing compositions that include a diluent added by spraying, mixing or impregnation.

  Diluents volatilize during smoking in the process of performing their function, but it has been found that diluent volatility at low temperatures becomes a problem during cigarette storage. In particular, the diluent moves during storage and then evaporates into the atmosphere or comes into contact with other parts of the product such as cigarette paper. This can also result in stains or dirt on the cigarette paper with the diluent itself or compounds released upon contact with the diluent.

  Accordingly, there is a need in the art to prevent diluent migration during storage of cigarettes or other smoking articles.

  Accordingly, the applicant of the present invention has devised the invention described in the claims.

1 is a schematic illustration of processed tobacco particles found in tobacco processed according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a schematic illustration of processed tobacco particles found in tobacco processed according to another embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a schematic illustration of another treated tobacco particle.

  The tobacco used in the present invention may be, for example, a petiole, leaf blade, dust, regenerated tobacco or a mixture thereof. Suitable tobacco materials include the following tobacco types, Virginia or hot air dried tobacco, burley tobacco, oriental tobacco or a blend of tobacco materials. The tobacco may be expanded tobacco such as dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET), or may be processed by other means such as extrusion. The petiole tobacco may be pretreated or untreated, for example, a solid petiole, a chopped and dried petiole, or a steamed petiole.

  The diluent is at least one aerosol forming agent which is, for example, a polyol-based aerosol generating means or a non-polyol-based aerosol generating means, preferably a non-polyol-based aerosol generating means. The aerosol forming agent may be solid or liquid at room temperature, but is preferably liquid at room temperature. Suitable polyols are sorbitol, glycerol and glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol. Suitable non-polyol-based aerosol generating means include monohydric alcohols, high boiling point hydrocarbons, acids such as lactic acid, esters such as diacetin, triacetin, triethyl citrate or isopropyl myristate. Diluents combined in the same or different ratios can also be used. Triacetin, triethyl citrate and isopropyl myristate are particularly preferred.

  The diluent can be added to the tobacco by any suitable method known to those skilled in the art such as washing, soaking, spraying or mixing.

  The diluent may be present as a surface covering the tobacco material and / or may be partially absorbed by the tobacco material. However, in the present invention, it is not important that the diluent be placed in a precise location on the tobacco.

  There are several factors that affect diluent stability and migration under ambient conditions. These factors include hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity, viscosity, saturated vapor pressure at room temperature, boiling point, molecular structure (such as hydrogen bonding or van der Worth force), and diluent / tobacco absorption / adsorption interactions. Can be mentioned. Some diluents have greater migration problems than others, such as triacetin, isopropyl myristate and triethyl citrate, which benefit from immobilization in the present invention.

  Another related factor is diluent loading. For example, when a diluent such as glycerol is contained in a large amount, the problem of migration becomes more remarkable.

  The filling amount of the diluent in the present invention varies depending on the diluent. However, the treated tobacco of the present invention preferably carries at least 0.05 g, more preferably at least 0.1 g, more preferably at least 0.2 g of diluent per gram of tobacco. Preferably, at least 5% by weight, more preferably at least 10%, 15%, 20% or 50% by weight of diluent, in terms of total treated tobacco.

  The barrier material can prevent migration of the diluent during storage of the smoking article and can release the diluent during smoking of the smoking article. This barrier material melts, rots, reacts, decomposes, expands or deforms and releases the diluent at a temperature above room temperature and below the temperature reached inside the smoking article during smoking. is there. For example, the structure of the barrier material may be destroyed by physical expansion caused by vaporization of a sufficient amount of diluent. In some embodiments of the invention, the barrier material releases a significant amount of diluent above 50 ° C, preferably above 60 ° C, above 70 ° C, above 80 ° C or above 90 ° C.

  The barrier material may be, for example, a polysaccharide or cellulosic barrier material, gelatin, gum, gel or a mixture thereof. Suitable polysaccharides include alginate, dextran, maltodextran, cyclodextrin and pectin. Suitable cellulosic materials include methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and cellulose ether. Suitable gums include gum arabic, gumgatch, gum tragacanth, karaya gum, locust bean, acacia, guar, quince and xanthan gum. Suitable gels include agar, agarose, carrageenan, fucoidan and furseleran.

  In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the barrier material comprises a polysaccharide. Alginates are particularly preferred due to their encapsulation performance. The alginate may be, for example, a salt of alginic acid, an esterified alginate or glyceryl alginate. Alginic acid salts include group I or II metal ion alginate such as ammonium alginate, triethanolamine alginate, sodium alginate, calcium alginate and magnesium alginate. Examples of esterified alginate include propylene glycol alginate and glyceryl alginate.

  In one embodiment, the barrier material is sodium alginate and / or calcium alginate. Calcium alginate can prevent diluent migration at ambient temperatures than sodium alginate, but releases diluent at higher temperatures than sodium alginate.

  The barrier material is added to the tobacco before or simultaneously with the diluent. In one embodiment, the barrier material is added to the tobacco after the diluent is added. Preferably the diluent is in direct contact with the tobacco.

  The barrier material is incorporated in any manner known to those skilled in the art or in which the diluent is not completely lost during the manufacturing process described herein. Preferably, the diluent is not substantially lost by the step of incorporating the barrier material. In one embodiment, the method of the invention consists of spraying the barrier material or precursor thereof.

  For example, tobacco is sprayed with an aqueous sodium alginate solution and dried to form a water-soluble film on the surface of the tobacco. The calcium ions of the tobacco itself can at least partially gel sodium alginate into calcium alginate. Calcium ions may also be added to the tobacco prior to alginate treatment to improve this effect. Alternatively, the tobacco may be sprayed with sodium alginate and then treated with a calcium ion source to form a water-soluble film or gel covering the calcium alginate.

  In products made according to the present invention, the diluent is covered with a barrier material and its migration is hindered under ambient conditions. The processed tobacco particles found in one embodiment of the present invention are shown schematically in FIG. In this embodiment, the treated tobacco particles (1) are tobacco particles (2) comprising a diluent (3) in the first coating and optionally in its porous structure. In this figure, “holes” (5) or voids between the tobacco fibers are shown and the diluent (3) is shown coating the holes, but the holes may be completely filled. The barrier material (4) forms an outer coating around the tobacco particles. In practice, the boundary between the barrier material layer and the diluent layer need not necessarily be strict, and the barrier material layer is found substantially outside the diluent.

  Another treated tobacco particle (10) of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, where the barrier material and diluent are both incorporated into the tobacco and are located inside the cellular structure and / or the coating layer on the surface of the particle (31). In one embodiment, another coating (4) of barrier material is then added to provide another barrier to migration.

  In one embodiment, the present invention includes treated tobacco that is pre-encapsulated with a barrier material before the diluent is incorporated into the tobacco. This is illustrated by the tobacco particles (100) of FIG. 3, where the diluent (3) is pre-encapsulated with a barrier material (4) before being incorporated into the tobacco (2), so There is no contact.

  In the present invention, the treated tobacco contains the amount of barrier material required to perform its function. The amount depends on the type of tobacco used. For example, when chopped dried petiole is used, the treated tobacco contains 1-10% by weight barrier material, optionally 3-8% by weight, and optionally 4-6% by weight barrier material. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the amount of the barrier material in terms of weight in the case of expanded tobacco is larger than that in the case of, for example, chopped dried petals.

  The treated tobacco can be incorporated into the smoking article by conventional means. This treated tobacco may be incorporated alone into the smoking article and may be combined or blended with other tobacco materials. The term “smoking article” as used herein is a smokeable product such as a cigarette, cigar, cigarillo and the like. The term also includes so-called “non-heat-burning” products that emit smoke or emit smoke-like aerosols. The smoking article may be provided with a filter for particulate or gas phase flow that is drawn by the smoker.

International Publication No. WO2007 / 012980 US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/283469

Claims (13)

  Tobacco (2) carries diluent (3) and barrier material (4), and diluent (3) is incorporated into tobacco before barrier material (4) is incorporated into tobacco. Tobacco (1).   The treated tobacco (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the diluent (3) is in direct contact with the tobacco (2).   3. Processed tobacco (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least part of the barrier material (4) is outside the diluent (3) and optionally forms a coating on the outside of the diluent (3). ).   The treated tobacco (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the barrier material (4) comprises an alginate.   The treated tobacco (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises 1-10% by weight of a barrier material (4).   The treated tobacco (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it contains at least 0.05 g of diluent (3) per 100 g of tobacco (2).   The treated tobacco (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it contains at least 5% by weight of a diluent (3).   The treated tobacco (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the diluent (3) is triacetin, triethyl citrate or isopropyl myristate.   A smoking article comprising the treated tobacco (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.   A process for producing treated tobacco (1) comprising treating tobacco (2) with diluent (3) before or simultaneously with treating tobacco (2) with barrier material (4).   11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the diluent (3) is incorporated into the tobacco (2) before the barrier material (4) is incorporated into the tobacco (2).   12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the diluent (3) is sprayed onto the tobacco (2).   13. Method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the barrier material (4) is sprayed onto the tobacco (2).

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