JP2017529829A - Humidified activated carbon for smoking articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The smoking article comprises activated carbon containing an initially high moisture content and a fragile capsule located where moisture can move from the capsule to the activated carbon. The activated carbon preferably has a sufficient water content so that the activated carbon does not reduce the water content of the capsules by an amount that causes capsule leakage or breakage under the routine storage and handling conditions of the article.

Description

  The present disclosure relates to smoking articles comprising activated carbon and fragile capsules.

  Combustible smoking articles such as cigarettes generally have a finely cut tobacco (usually in the form of a cut filler) surrounded by a paper wrapper that forms a tobacco rod. Cigarettes are used by smokers by igniting one end of the cigarette and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker then accepts mainstream smoke by inhaling at the opposite or mouth end of the cigarette that typically contains the filter. The filter is positioned to capture some component of mainstream smoke before it is delivered to the smoker.

  Numerous smoking articles have also been proposed in the art where the aerosol generating substrate, such as tobacco, is heated rather than combustion. In heated smoking articles, the aerosol is generated by heating the aerosol generating substrate. Known heated smoking articles include, for example, smoking articles where the aerosol is generated by electrical heating or by transferring heat from a combustible fuel element or heat source to an aerosol generating substrate. During smoking, volatile compounds are released from the aerosol generating substrate by heat transfer from a heat source and are entrained in the air drawn through the smoking article. As the released compound cools, it condenses to form an aerosol that is inhaled by the consumer. Also known are smoking articles in which nicotine-containing aerosols are produced from tobacco materials, tobacco extracts, or other nicotine sources without burning and in some cases without heating, for example by chemical reactions It is. Such non-flammable smoking articles may include a filter positioned to absorb smoke components before mainstream smoke is delivered to the user.

  The filter of the smoking article can include activated carbon that extracts selected components from the smoke, whether flammable or non-flammable.

  Flammable or non-flammable smoking articles can include frangible capsules that provide improved flavor or other sensory attributes. Capsules may contain one or more flavoring agents, cooling agents or cooling agents, or the like. The capsule can be broken by heat, mechanical force, or other suitable mechanism to release the contents of the capsule for delivery to the smoker.

  The capsule can be placed in proximity to the activated carbon in the smoking article, but this can result in an early burst of the capsule. The inventor found that activated carbon, which generally has a moisture level of about 2%, can act as a desiccant and can absorb moisture from the capsule shell, which can cause premature leakage and breakage of the capsule. I found. For example, activated carbon can absorb moisture from its environment, including capsules, to levels of about 10% to 15%, so that the capsules are handled during storage or before the article is smoked. In some cases, smoking articles can leak or break.

  One object of the present invention is to provide a smoking article comprising activated carbon and a fragile capsule, where the fragile capsule is not prematurely broken by the drying activity of the activated carbon. Other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present disclosure, including the following claims and accompanying drawings.

  In various aspects of the present invention, the smoking article is an activated carbon material that initially has a high moisture content and a fracture sufficiently close to the activated carbon material to allow moisture transfer between the fragile capsule and the activated carbon. Including easy capsules. The activated carbon material preferably has a sufficient moisture content so that the activated carbon material does not reduce the moisture content of the capsule by an amount that causes capsule breakage under the routine storage conditions of the article. In some embodiments, the activated carbon material has a moisture content of about 5% or greater.

  As used herein, “water content” means the weight percent of moisture in a material. The moisture content can be measured by comparing the weight of the test material with the weight of the material when dry. The difference in weight is due to moisture present in the material. The water is mainly water. The material can be dried by any suitable technique, such as drying at elevated temperature in an oven to remove moisture.

  In some embodiments, the smoking article includes a filter portion that includes an upstream portion and a downstream portion. The upstream portion contains activated carbon having a water content of about 5% or more, and the downstream portion does not contain activated carbon. The smoking article includes a single frangible capsule positioned between or within the upstream and downstream portions. The fragile capsule is positioned within a distance from the activated carbon sufficient to allow moisture transfer between the activated carbon material and the fragile capsule. The smoking article does not contain any fragile capsules other than a single fragile capsule.

  Various aspects of the smoking article of the present invention may have one or more benefits compared to currently available fragile smoking articles including capsules and activated carbon. For example, the activated carbon material of smoking articles initially has a high water content, so fragile capsules are less likely to dry out and leak or break early. Capsules that leak or break early will deliver less flavor when the user breaks the capsule while smoking the smoking article. Thus, with full flavor delivery by capsules with smoking articles according to various aspects of the present invention, the user is likely to have a desirable smoking experience. In other words, it is unlikely that the user will find a leaking or broken capsule in the smoking article. Various aspects of the smoking article of the present invention are expected to reduce the occurrence of capsule leakage or breakage within the smoking article in high temperature, dry, or both high temperature and dry storage or retail environments. . In addition, smoking articles according to various aspects of the present invention may be exposed to conditions that are more dry or hotter than currently available articles during storage and handling. For those skilled in the art, upon reading and understanding the present disclosure, further advantages of one or more aspects of the smoking article described herein will be apparent.

  Any suitable fragile capsule may be employed in the smoking article as described herein. The fragile capsule includes a core that includes a flavoring agent or other sensory enhancer and includes a shell surrounding the core. As the shell breaks, the contents of the core can be released.

  Fragile capsules can have any suitable shell. For example, the shell of the fragile capsule may be a polysaccharide-based material such as pectin or alginate, gelatin, paraffin wax, polyvinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate, algin, or any other suitable material or combination thereof. It can be seen that there are numerous steps in the production of a fragile capsule. Thus, the capsules may have a variety of sizes and shapes that differ in resistance to kinetic or thermal forces to break or break the capsule, and may include alternative capsule compositions and capsule components. May be included.

  Any suitable sensory enhancer can be included in the core of the fragile capsule. Suitable flavoring agents may include aromatic or aromatic molecules conventionally used in the preparation of flavor or fragrance compositions. The flavoring agent is preferably an aromatic, terpene or sesquiterpene hydrocarbon. Flavors include essential oils, alcohols, aldehydes, phenolic molecules, various forms of carboxylic acids, aromatic acetals and ethers, nitrogenous heterocycles, ketones, sulfides, disulfides and mercaptans (both aromatic and non-aromatic) Good). Examples of flavoring agents include natural or synthetic fragrances or fragrances. Examples of suitable fragrances are fruity, confectionery, floral, sweet and woody fragrances. Examples of suitable fragrances are coconut, vanilla, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, mint, or roasted or toasted fragrances.

  The core may comprise one or more sensates including a refreshing agent, a cooling agent, or a high temperature effect agent, each providing a cooling or cooling effect or a high temperature effect in the mouth. Suitable refreshing agents can be, but are not limited to, menthyl succinate and its derivatives. A suitable high temperature effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether.

  The concentration of sensory enhancer in the fragile capsule can be adjusted or varied to provide the desired amount of sensory enhancer. Thus, the concentration of sensory enhancer in each capsule may be the same or may vary depending on the desired sensory outcome.

  The core or shell can contain one or more sweeteners, which can be provided in the form of a solution or suspension in ethanol. Examples of suitable sweeteners may include, but are not limited to, sorbitol, aspartame, saccharin, NHDC, sucralose, acesulfame, neotame, or the like.

  The core may include one or more fillers such as those used in fragrance emulsions such as, for example, dammar rubber, ester rubber type wood resin, isobutyl sucrose acetate (SAIB) or brominated vegetable oil. These agents can serve to adjust the density of the fluid core.

  Examples of fragile capsules that can be used in the smoking article of the present invention include pulverizable capsules, thermally ruptureable capsules, microcapsules with a diameter of 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm, or diameters of 1.0 mm to 7 Included are mechanically fragile capsules, such as 0.0 mm microcapsules and the like. The fragile capsule is preferably a pulverizable capsule. As used herein, pulverizable capsules have a crush strength of about 0.01 kp to about 5 kp, preferably about 0.5 kp to about 2.5 kp. The crush strength of a capsule can be measured by continuously loading in the vertical direction until it bursts against one capsule. The crush strength of the capsules can be measured using a LLOYD-CHATILLON Digital Force Gauge, Model DDIS 50, with a volume of 25 kg, a minimum displacement of 0.02 kg, and an accuracy of +/- 0.15%. The force gauge can be attached to the stand and the capsule can be positioned in the center of the plate that is moved upward using a manual thread screw device. Thereafter, pressure can be applied manually. The gauge records the maximum force applied at the very moment of capsule rupture (eg measured in Kg or Lb). Capsule rupture releases the contents of the core.

  Additional methods for characterizing capsules can be met by capsules prior to failure, for example, the crushing force, which is the maximum compressive force measured at Newton, and the change in capsule dimensions due to compression at failure (That is, deformation) and the distance at the time of breakage. It can also be expressed, for example, as the ratio between the size of the capsule (eg, the diameter of the capsule) and the size of the capsule measured in the direction of the compressive force when compressed to the point of failure. Compression is typically applied towards the floor by the compression plate of an automatic or manual compression tester. Such machines are well known in the art well known in the art and are commercially available.

  In a preferred embodiment, the capsule has a crush strength of about 0.6 kp to about 2 kp, preferably about 0.8 kp to about 1.2 kp prior to introduction into the smoking article. The capsules preferably have a crush strength of about 0.6 kp to about 2 kp, preferably about 0.8 kp to about 1.2 kpkp after being introduced into a smoking article and subjected to a smoking test. Alternatively, the capsule may have a crushing force value of about 10.0 N to about 20.0 N, preferably about 11 N to about 18 N, more preferably about 12.0 N to about 12.0 N before introduction into the smoking article. It has a range of 16.0 N. The compression tester can be operated at a speed range of 10 mm / min to 420 mm / min. When the diameter of the capsule is in the range of about 4 mm to about 7 mm, the capsule may exhibit a distance at break of about 0.60 mm to about 0.80 mm, preferably about 0.74 mm, prior to introduction into the smoking article. . The above crushing force and breakage distance are generally determined by a general-purpose tensile / compression tester equipped with a 100 N tensile load cell (such as Instron or equivalent) operating at about 30 mm / min, 22 ° C., and 60% relative humidity. Get when you are. An example of a manual tester is the Alluris Type FMI-220C2-Digital Force Gauge 0-200N-Supplier (Alluris GmbH & Co.).

  In some embodiments, the pulverizable capsule is described in published European patent application EP 1906775A2, entitled “Smoking Device Incorporating Fragile Capsules, Fragile Capsules, and Steps for Manufacturing the Capsules”. There are capsules disclosed in US 2004/0261807.

  Millable capsules preferably incorporate selected hydrocolloids in the outer shell of the capsule, in the coating of the outer shell with a moisture barrier layer, or in both the outer shell and the coating. For example, the shell, coating, or shell and coating may be one or more hydrocolloids selected from gelatin gum, agar, alginate, carrageenan, pectin, gum arabic, gati gum, pullulan gum, mannan gum or modified starch, or It can be included independently as a mixture thereof or in combination with gelatin.

  The shell is about 1.5% w / w to about 95% w / w of the total dry weight of the shell, preferably about 4% w / w to about 75% w / w, more preferably about 20% w / w. Any suitable amount of one or more hydrocolloids may be included, such as ˜about 50% w / w.

  The shell can further include one or more fillers. As used herein, a “filler” is any suitable material that can increase the percentage of dry material in the shell. Increasing the amount of dry material in the shell can harden the shell and make the shell physically more resistant to deformation. Fillers are starch derivatives (dextrin, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin (alpha, beta or gamma)) or cellulose derivatives (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), methylcellulose (MC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). )), Preferably selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyols or mixtures thereof. Dextrin is a preferred filler. The amount of filler in the shell is generally no more than 98.5% of the total dry weight of the shell, preferably from about 25% to about 95%, more preferably from about 40% to about 80%, and even more preferably about 50%. % To about 60 weight percent.

  The capsule shell preferably comprises gelatin. The shell may contain more than 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% gelatin by weight, excluding the weight of any filler that may be present in the shell. preferable.

  The shell of the grindable capsule can be of any suitable thickness. In some embodiments, the capsule shell thickness is from about 10 microns to about 500 microns, preferably from about 30 microns to about 150 microns, more preferably from about 50 microns to about 80 microns.

  Capsules for incorporation into smoking articles according to the techniques described herein can have any suitable ratio of shell weight to capsule weight. For example, the ratio of the weight of the shell to the weight of the capsule (weight / total weight of the capsule) is about 8% to about 50%, preferably about 8% to about 20%, more preferably about 8% to about 15%. is there.

  The core of the capsule contained within the smoking article of the present invention is a hydrophilic or partially soluble material or product in ethanol or of a molecule prepared as an oil / water / oil emulsion. Mixtures can be included.

  The core may occupy any suitable weight percent of the capsule. For example, the core of the fragile capsule may comprise from about 50% to about 92%, preferably from about 80% to about 92%, more preferably from about 85% to about 92% by weight of the capsule.

  The capsule core may contain one or more lipophilic solvents conventionally used in the food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic industry. In a preferred embodiment, these lipophilic solvents are triglycerides, especially medium chain triglycerides, and especially triglycerides of caprylic and capric acids, or vegetable oils, olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, peanut oil, grape seed oil, wheat germ It can be a mixture of triglycerides such as oil, mineral oil and silicone oil. The core can include any suitable amount of lipophilic solvent. For example, the amount of lipophilic solvent in the core of the capsule is about 0.01 to 90%, preferably 25 to 75 weight percent of the total weight of the capsule.

  The core may also include one or more sensory enhancers, fillers, sweeteners, or combinations thereof as described above.

  The capsule can have any suitable total weight. For example, the total weight of the capsule can be about 5 mg to about 60 mg, preferably about 10 mg to about 50 mg, more preferably about 20 mg to about 40 mg.

  A capsule for incorporation into a smoking article according to the techniques described herein can have any suitable outer diameter dimension. In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the capsule is about 0.5 mm to about 8 mm, preferably about 1 mm to about 5 mm, more preferably about 1.5 mm to about 4.5 mm, and even more preferably about 2.5 mm to The range is about 4 mm.

  In some embodiments, the capsule for use in the smoking article of the present invention is a seamless capsule obtained by a coextrusion process. The coextrusion process can be the simultaneous extrusion of two liquids, an outer hydrophilic liquid phase and an inner lipophilic liquid phase. The co-extrusion process preferably includes three main stages: drop formation of the compound, shell solidification and capsule collection. The drop of the compound is a sphere of liquid-filled phase inside the shell phase. The liquid fill phase constitutes the core. The shell phase constitutes a shell. The capsules of the present invention are made by any suitable co-extrusion process, such as those described in EP 1906775A2 or EP 513603.

  One or more fragile capsules are incorporated into the smoking article in close proximity to the activated carbon to allow moisture transfer between the activated carbon and the fragile capsule. When activated carbon is brought in close proximity to fragile capsules, there is moisture movement between them, and once equilibrium is established, moisture movement continues, but the net change in moisture content of the fragile capsule and activated carbon It is understood that there is no.

  Activated carbon is a general term used to describe the type of carbonaceous adsorbent with a widely developed internal pore structure. Activated carbon can be made from carbonaceous raw materials such as wood, lignite, coal, coconut husks or shells, peat, pitch, polymers, cellulose fibers, polymer fibers, or the like. Activated carbon can be produced by any suitable process, such as physical activation or chemical activation. In physical activation, the source material is activated carbon using a hot gas by carbonization, activation / oxidation or carbonization and activation / oxidation. The carbonization process includes pyrolyzing the source material at elevated temperatures, typically in the range of about 600 ° C to about 900 ° C, in the absence of oxygen. Activation / oxidation includes exposing the carbonized material to an oxidizing atmosphere such as steam, carbon dioxide or oxygen at temperatures above 250 ° C. The activation / oxidation temperature is generally in the range of about 600 ° C to about 1200 ° C.

  For chemical activation, the raw material is impregnated with certain chemicals such as acids, bases or salts such as phosphoric acid, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, calcium chloride, or zinc chloride. Is included. The raw material is then carbonized at a temperature generally lower than physically activated carbonization. For example, the temperature of chemically activated carbonization can range from about 450 ° C to about 900 ° C. Carbonization and activation can occur simultaneously.

  For the purposes of this disclosure, the carbonaceous source material can be activated by any suitable process. For example, the activation process can include chemical activation, which can include a short activation time and a lower temperature compared to physical activation. Alternatively, physical activation may be employed.

The pore size and surface properties are as follows: activated carbon is 1,2-propadiene, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, benzene, 1,2-pentadiene, 1,3-cyclopentadiene, 2,4-hexadiene, 1,3- Cyclohexadiene, methyl-1,3-cyclopentadiene, benzene, toluene, p-xylene, m-xylene, o-xylene, styrene (vinylbenzene), 1-methylpyrrole, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, propionaldehyde, isobutyraldehyde , 2-methylisovaleraldehyde, acetone, methyl vinyl ketone, diacetyl, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl propyl ketone, methyl 2-furyl ketone, hydrogen cyanide, acrylonitrile and combinations thereof. It may vary depending on well-known techniques capable of affecting. The ability to control the pore size distribution and surface properties (such as surface oxygen concentration) of activated carbon is well known in the art. For example, (i) WO 2010/103323 A1 (title: METHODS FOR INCREASING MESOPORES INTO MICROPOROS CARBON (method for increasing mesopores in microporous carbon)), (ii) Lillo-Rodenas et al. (2005), Behaviour of activated carbons with the difference of the pore size of the activated carbon group and the oxygen distribution of the activated carbon group and the oxygen concentration of the activated carbon group. ), Carbon 43: 1758-1767, and (iii) Romero-Anaya, et al. (2010), Spherical activated carbon for low concentration toluene adsorption ( Carbon 48: 2625-2633). In general, the pore size distribution characteristics and surface characteristics can be easily modified by adjusting the activation atmosphere (eg, O ₂ , CO ₂ or steam) and the activation time and temperature. Further processing (eg, in an inert atmosphere) can be performed to modify the surface oxygen content without modifying the porosity. One skilled in the art can readily adjust activation parameters to achieve activated carbon for use in the filters and smoking articles of the present invention.

The activated carbon for use in the filter or smoking article of the present invention preferably has a specific surface area (BET) of about 1100 m ² / g or more. Generally, activated carbon has a BET of about 2500 m ² / g or less. The activated carbon preferably has a BET of about 1600 m ² / g or more.

  Activated carbon for use in smoking articles generally has a moisture content of about 2% to about 3%. However, as noted above, at these relatively low water contents, the inventors have found that activated carbon serves as a desiccant that dries fragile capsules in smoking articles in which the capsules are placed in close proximity to the activated carbon. I found that I could do it. In accordance with the present invention, a smoking article comprising a fragile capsule in close proximity to the activated carbon material has a higher initial moisture content than the activated carbon commonly employed in smoking articles. Activated carbon has a moisture content high enough that the activated carbon does not reduce the moisture content of the capsule by the amount that causes the capsule to break early, such as capsule breakage, under routine storage and handling conditions of smoking articles. It is preferable to have it. As used herein, “daily storage and handling” exposes smoking articles from the time the article is manufactured to the time the article is smoked, including shipping and handling by retailers and consumers. Refers to typical storage and handling conditions. Daily storage conditions can be simulated by storage for 3 months at 22 ° C. and 60% relative humidity.

  In some embodiments, the activated carbon reduces the moisture content of the capsule in the smoking article by an amount that causes the capsule to break with a crushing strength or crushing force that is substantially less than the initial crushing strength or crushing force of the capsule. It has a high enough water content so that there is no. The moisture content and mechanical attributes of a capsule can be characterized by measuring its crushing strength, crushing force or distance at break. For example, activated carbon has a water content high enough to prevent the capsules from drying out by an amount that reduces the crush strength, crush force, or breakage distance of the capsule by about 50% or more during routine storage of smoking articles. Can have. In other words, the capsule crushing strength, crushing force or breakage distance measured after daily storage is the capsule crushing strength, crushing force or breakage measured at the time the smoking article containing the capsule was manufactured. At least 50% of the distance. Activated carbon has a high enough water content to prevent the capsules from drying out by an amount that reduces the crushing strength, crushing force or breakage distance of the capsule by about 30% or more during routine storage of smoking articles. It is preferable. In other words, the capsule crushing strength, crushing force or breakage distance measured after daily storage is the capsule crushing strength, crushing force or breakage measured at the time the smoking article containing the capsule was manufactured. Preferably it is at least 70% of the distance. Activated carbon has a high enough water content to prevent the capsules from drying out by an amount that reduces the crushing strength, crushing force or breakage distance of the capsules by about 20% or more during routine storage of smoking articles. It is more preferable. In other words, the capsule crushing strength, crushing force or breakage distance measured after daily storage is the capsule crushing strength, crushing force or breakage measured at the time the smoking article containing the capsule was manufactured. More preferably it is at least 80% of the distance. Activated carbon has a water content high enough to keep the capsule from drying out by an amount that reduces the crushing strength, crushing force, or breakage distance of the capsule by about 10% or more during routine storage of smoking articles. More preferably. In other words, the capsule crushing strength, crushing force or breakage distance measured after daily storage is the capsule crushing strength, crushing force or breakage measured at the time the smoking article containing the capsule was manufactured. More preferably, it is at least 90% of the distance. More preferably, the activated carbon has a moisture content that is sufficiently high so that the crushing strength of the capsule does not dry the capsule by a change in the amount during daily storage of the smoking article.

  Experiments have shown that storage of smoking articles with gelatin capsules in extremely dry conditions can reduce the crushing power of the capsules from about 14 N measured at the time of manufacture to 7.9 N. Cause premature breakage of the capsule when handled under normal conditions. As used herein, extremely dry conditions can be simulated by exposing a smoking article to a temperature of 42 ° C. and a relative humidity of 15% for 72 hours. Under normal storage conditions, the activated carbon currently employed can dry the capsules in smoking articles and premature breakage similar to when smoking articles without activated carbon are exposed to extreme dry conditions It was observed to invite. Therefore, the pulverization strength, pulverization force or distance at break of the capsules measured after the smoking article (without activated carbon) was exposed to extremely dry conditions is the pulverization strength, pulverization of the capsules that leak or break early Illustrate force or distance at break. According to the present invention, the fragile capsule in a smoking article that also contains activated carbon is preferably at least 8 N or more, more preferably at least 9 N or more, even more preferably at least 10 N after storage under routine storage conditions. Above, still more preferably, it has a crushing strength of at least 12 N or more.

  The method of determining the effect of moisture on the capsule is based on a measurement of the maximum compressive force that the capsule can withstand before failure. Compression is applied toward the floor using a standard electromechanical compression tester (Instron, Massachusetts, USA) at a machine speed of 30 mm / min. The distance at break is another parameter for measuring capsule performance. For example, gelatin-based capsules stored under extremely dry conditions suffer a 50% loss of distance upon failure. The average distance at break for gelatin-based capsules stored under standard conditions is 0.74 mm (SE = 0.012, SD = 0.114, CV = 15.4% and 90 samples) Met. As used herein, standard conditions can be simulated by exposing a smoking article at a temperature of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 60% for 72 hours. For comparison, the average distance at break for gelatin based capsules stored under extremely dry conditions is 0.34 mm (SE = 0.01, SD = 0.12, CV = 35.1% and 90 samples). After storing a smoking article comprising a capsule and activated carbon according to the present invention under routine conditions, the breakage distance of the fragile capsule is preferably greater than 0.35 mm, more preferably greater than 0.4 mm, More preferably, it is larger than 0.5 mm, More preferably, it is larger than 0.6 mm.

  In order to test the crush strength of the capsule after incorporation into a smoking article, the capsule may be removed from the article and tested as described above.

  In some embodiments, the activated carbon material has sufficient moisture content such that the activated carbon material does not absorb more than about 3% of the moisture content of the capsule. The activated carbon material preferably absorbs no more than about 1.5% of the moisture content of the capsule during routine storage of smoking articles. More preferably, the activated carbon material absorbs no more than about 1% of the moisture content of the capsule during routine storage of smoking articles. In general, capsules containing gelatin have about 10% moisture when the smoking article is manufactured. When the capsule moisture is below 6-7%, the capsule is prone to leakage or premature breakage.

  In some embodiments, the activated carbon material, when placed in a smoking article, is about 5% or more, preferably about 8% or more, preferably about 10% or more, preferably about 12% or more, preferably about 20%. %, More preferably about 15% or more. In general, activated carbon has a water content of about 25% or less. The moisture content of the activated carbon can be determined by any method based on heating the sample to a constant weight at a constant temperature (eg, 145 ° C. to 155 ° C.) in air in an oven, ASTM D2867-09 “moisture content in activated carbon. (Standard Book of ASTM Standards, ASTM, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA). The percentage value (%) of the water content is given by the following formula:

  100 × (weight of original sample−weight of dried sample) / weight of original sample.

  The water content of the activated carbon can be adjusted by chemical activation using an oxidation treatment with hydrochloric acid and nitric acid or potassium hydroxide to increase the hydrophilic groups to 30%. Numerous techniques are known in the art for producing activated carbon having 15% to 25% hydrophilic groups, most preferably 18% to 22%. The moisture content of the activated carbon material decreases over time under routine storage conditions, while the initial high moisture content substantially dries fragile capsules due to the drying activity of the activated carbon material under routine storage conditions. Should be sufficient to prevent over 3 weeks.

  The activated carbon can be placed in any suitable manner within a filter for smoking articles. For example, activated carbon may be a method of mixing with a fibrous filter material, a method of placing in a void in the filter, or a combination, that is, a combination of a method of mixing with a fibrous filter material and a method of placing in a void in the filter. it can.

  In an embodiment, the activated carbon is provided in a plug-space-plug configuration filter, wherein the activated carbon is present in the void between the two sections of the filter plug material. The plug in the filter section of the plug-space-plug filter configuration is preferably a plug made of cellulose acetate tow. In embodiments, the activated carbon is provided in carbon on the tow configuration. The amount of activated carbon that can be used in the smoking article of the present invention can range from about 10 mg to about 80 mg, preferably from 25 mg to 60 mg (especially for double filters). For filters that include a recess, such as a plug-space-plug filter configuration, the amount of activated carbon in the recess ranges from about 50 mg to about 150 mg, preferably from about 70 mg to about 120 mg.

  One or more fragile capsules as described above may be placed in a smoking article, preferably in a filter element. The filter element preferably also includes activated carbon. One or more fragile capsules may be placed in voids or indentations in the filter. For example, one or more capsules can be placed in one or more indentations in a plug-space-plug configuration. The filter can include a plurality of filter elements in which one or more fragile capsules can be disposed. The filter is configured so that the smoker can apply pressure to the outer region of the filter to break the capsule. In some preferred embodiments, the fragile capsule is placed in a filter material such as tow.

  The fragile capsule is positioned in the filter in proximity to the activated carbon material. The capsule and the activated carbon material are sufficiently close so that the activated carbon material absorbs at least some moisture from the capsule when the moisture content of the activated carbon material is sufficiently low. In some embodiments, the frangible capsule is positioned within a distance of about 0.5 mm to about 15 mm, preferably about 2 mm to about 9 mm, and most preferably about 6.75 mm from at least a portion of the activated carbon. In some embodiments, the fragile capsule mixes with at least a portion of the activated carbon.

  Any suitable smoking article may include a filter having an activated carbon material as described in the present disclosure and a fragile capsule, wherein the filter is disposed downstream of the smokable material. The term “downstream” refers to the relative position between the elements of the smoking article as described in relation to the direction of mainstream smoke as it is drawn from the smokable material into the user's mouth. The fragile capsule is preferably positioned downstream of the activated carbon so that the activated carbon does not absorb flavoring agents or other sensory enhancers released from the capsule.

  The term “smoking article” includes other articles that are ignited and combusted to produce smoke, such as cigarettes, cigarettes, cigarillos, and tobacco. The term “smoking article” also refers to smoking articles that directly or indirectly heat a smoking composition, or nicotine or nicotine from a smokable material using air flow or chemical reaction, with or without a heat source. Included are articles that do not burn smokable material, including but not limited to smoking articles that deliver other materials.

  As used herein, the term “smoke” is used to describe an aerosol produced by a smoking article. Aerosols produced by smoking articles can be, for example, smoke produced by combustible smoking articles such as cigarettes, or aerosols produced by non-combustible smoking articles such as heated or non-heated smoking articles. Good.

  All academic and technical terms as used herein have meanings commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. The definitions provided herein are provided to facilitate the understanding of certain terms frequently used herein.

  The singular form ("one" and "that"), as used herein, includes embodiments that have the plural object, unless that context clearly dictates otherwise. Absent.

  As used herein, “or” is generally used in its sense including “and / or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. “And / or” means one or all of the listed elements or a combination of any two or more of the listed elements.

  The expressions “having”, “including”, “comprising” or the like as used herein are used in an unrestricted sense and generally mean “including but not limited to”. It is understood that expressions “substantially composed”, “configured” and the like are encompassed by expressions “including” and the like.

  The terms “preferred” and “preferably” refer to embodiments of the invention that may provide certain benefits under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred under the same or other circumstances. Moreover, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, and excludes other embodiments from the scope of this disclosure, including the claims. There is no intention to.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a partially expanded smoking article. FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a filter comprising activated carbon material and a fragile capsule, where the filter is a plug-space-plug-space-plug configuration. FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a filter comprising activated carbon material and a fragile capsule where the filter is in a plug-space-plug configuration. FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a filter comprising activated carbon material and a fragile capsule, where the filter is in a plug-space-plug configuration.

The smoking article and filter shown in FIGS. 1-4 illustrate the smoking article embodiment or components of the smoking article described above. The scale of the schematic diagram is not necessarily accurate and is presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation. The drawings illustrate one or more aspects described in this disclosure. However, it is understood that other aspects not drawn in the drawings are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a smoking article 10 (in this case a cigarette) is illustrated. The smoking article 10 includes a rod 20 such as a tobacco rod and a filter 30 at the mouth end. Filter segment 30 and rod 20 are shown as being separated for purposes of illustration, but may be adjacent. The illustrated smoking article 10 includes a plug wrap 60, a cigarette paper 40, and a tipping paper paper 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the plug wrap 60 surrounds at least a portion of the filter 30. The cigarette paper 40 surrounds at least a portion of the rod 20. Chipping paper 50 or other suitable wrapper generally surrounds a portion of plug wrap 60 and cigarette paper 40 as is well known in the art. The filter 30 includes activated carbon material and a fragile capsule, which can be, for example, in the orientation illustrated in FIGS.

  FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment in which the filter 30 has a plug 32-space 33-plug 34-space 35-plug 36 configuration. The downstream plug 32 is an end plug on the mouth side, and is preferably white cellulose acetate tow. The fragile capsule 80 is placed in the gap 33 between the downstream plug 32 and the upstream plug 34. Activated carbon (not shown) can occupy the gap 35 between the filter plug 34 and the filter plug 36.

  Alternatively, the filter 30 can include an intermediate plug 33 in which the capsule 80 is disposed. The intermediate plug 33 may be a separate plug or part of the upstream plug 34 or the downstream plug 32.

  FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which the filter 30 is a plug 32-space 33-plug 34 configuration. The downstream plug 32 is an end plug on the mouth side, and is preferably white cellulose acetate tow. The fragile capsule 80 is placed in the gap 33 between the downstream plug 32 and the upstream plug 34. Activated carbon (not shown) can also occupy the air gap 33 between the filter plugs 32 and 34. Alternatively, the filter 30 can include an intermediate plug 33 in which the capsule 80 is disposed. The intermediate plug 33 may be a separate plug or part of the upstream plug 34 or the downstream plug 32.

  FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment where the filter 30 is a plug 32-space 33-plug 34 configuration. The downstream plug 32 is an end plug on the mouth side, and is preferably white cellulose acetate tow. The fragile capsule 80 is placed in the gap 33 between the downstream plug 32 and the upstream plug 34. The plug 34 is a carbon-on-toe plug. Alternatively, the filter 30 can include an intermediate plug 33 in which the capsule 80 is disposed. The intermediate plug 33 may be a separate plug or part of the upstream plug 34 or the downstream plug 32.

Claims (15)

A smoking article,
(I) a filter portion including an upstream portion and a downstream portion, wherein the upstream portion includes activated carbon having a water content of about 5% or more, and the downstream portion does not include activated carbon;
(Ii) a single fragile capsule positioned between or within the upstream portion and the downstream portion, wherein the fragile capsule is between the activated carbon material and the fragile capsule; Located within a distance from the activated carbon sufficient to allow moisture movement at
A smoking article, wherein the smoking article does not contain any fragile capsules other than the single fragile capsule.   The upstream portion of the filter segment includes a plug upstream of the cellulose acetate tow, the downstream portion of the filter segment includes a downstream plug of the cellulose acetate tow, and a gap between the upstream plug and the downstream plug. The smoking article of claim 1, defined between and wherein the single frangible capsule is disposed within the gap.   The filter portion further includes an intermediate portion between the upstream portion and the downstream portion, the intermediate portion includes cellulose acetate tow, and the single frangible capsule is disposed within the tow of the intermediate portion; The smoking article according to claim 1.   The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the upstream portion comprises cellulose acetate tow and the single frangible capsule is disposed within the tow of the upstream portion.   The smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the activated carbon has a water content of about 8% or more.   The smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the activated carbon has a water content of about 15% or more.   The smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the capsule comprises gelatin.   8. The moisture content of the fragile capsule measured at the time of manufacture does not decrease by more than 3% after the smoking article has been stored for 3 months at 22 ° C. and 60% relative humidity. The smoking article according to any one of the above.   The smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the fragile capsule has a crushing power greater than 8 N after the smoking article has been stored at 22 ° C and 60% relative humidity for 3 months. .   After the smoking article has been stored at 22 ° C. and 60% relative humidity for 3 months, the crushing power of the fragile capsule or the distance at break is the crushing power of the capsule at the time of manufacture of the smoking article. Or the smoking article of any one of Claims 1-9 which is 90% or more of the distance at the time of the said damage.   11. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the smoking article is stored at 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 60% for 3 months, the breakable distance of the fragile capsule is greater than 0.4 mm. Smoking article as described.   12. A smoking article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frangible capsule is positioned at a distance of about 10 mm from the activated carbon. A method for manufacturing a smoking article such that fragile capsules in the smoking article do not break prematurely, the method comprising:
Incorporating an upstream filter containing activated carbon having a water content of 5% or more into the smoking article;
Incorporating a downstream filter free of activated carbon into the smoking article;
The single fragile capsule is positioned such that the single fragile capsule is positioned within a distance from the activated carbon such that moisture transfer between the activated carbon and the fragile capsule is allowed. Positioning in the upstream filter in a smoking article or between the upstream filter and the downstream filter.   The method of claim 13, wherein the activated carbon has a water content of about 15% or more.   15. The method of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the frangible capsule is positioned at a distance of about 10 mm or less from the activated carbon.

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