JP7485613B2 - Tobacco industry product components and method for producing tobacco industry product components - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to tobacco industry product components and tobacco industry products containing same. The present disclosure also relates to methods of manufacturing tobacco industry product components.

It is known in the art to provide a cigarette with a capsule containing a flavouring agent. During use, the user can break the capsule to release the flavouring agent into the smoke passing through the cigarette, thus allowing the user to selectively add flavour to the smoke.

A tobacco industry product member is provided, the tobacco industry product member comprising: a wall surrounding a cavity; a plurality of additive capsules disposed in the cavity; and a plurality of particles disposed in the cavity and configured to facilitate fracturing the additive capsules upon application of an external force to the wall of the tobacco industry product member by a user in use, the particles comprising a material having a particle density of at least 1 g/cc.

The particles may include a plasticizer. In one embodiment, the plasticizer includes triacetin.

In one embodiment, the particles comprise a polymeric material, preferably a plastic.

In one embodiment, the particles comprise cellulose acetate. In one embodiment, the particles comprise cellulose acetate chips.

In one embodiment, the particles include one or more surface formations configured to facilitate fracturing the additive capsule.

In some embodiments, the particles are formed from a material having a Rockwell hardness of at least 25 on the R-scale, optionally measured according to ASTM D785. Preferably, the particles are formed from a material having a Rockwell hardness of at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 60, at least 70, at least 80, at least 90, or at least 100 on the R-scale, optionally measured according to ASTM D785.

In one embodiment, the particles have an average surface area of at least 50 ^m2 /g, preferably less than 30, 20, 10, 5 or ³ m2/g. Surface area may be measured according to ASTM D1993-18 (Standard Test Method for Deposited Silica Surfaces by Multipoint BET Nitrogen Adsorption, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2018). Particle density refers to the density of a material consisting of particles including the pores of the material but excluding the voids between the particles (resulting in the "bulk density").

It has been found that the smaller the surface area of a particle, the more solid the particle, as it has fewer pores. This helps to make the additive capsule easier to break when an external force is applied to the wall of the tobacco industry product component. Solider particles also help to make the capsule less likely to break during transport. It has also been found that a smaller surface area means that when the additive capsule ruptures, the particle has less additive to adsorb, meaning that more additive can be delivered to the user.

Particles comprising a material having a particle density of at least 1 g/cc tend to make the particles more robust, aiding in the rupture of the additive capsule during use and preventing particle rupture during transport. In some embodiments, the particles comprise a material having a particle density of at least 1.1 g/cc or at least 1.2 g/cc, and increasing the particle density of the particles tends to increase the robustness of the particles.

In one embodiment, the particles comprise a material having a particle density of less than 5 g/cc and preferably less than 2 g/cc or less than 1.5 g/cc. The lower the particle density of the particles, the lighter the tobacco industry product component will be and therefore easier to transport.

In some embodiments, the particles have a particle density of 1-2 g/cc, or 1.1-2 g/cc, or 1.1-1.5 g/cc.

In one embodiment, the additive capsule has a diameter of 0.6 to 1.4 mm, preferably about 1 mm.

In one embodiment, the particles have a particle size of 1-2.4 mm, preferably 1.4-2 mm.

In some embodiments, the particles are approximately cylindrical. The particles may be extruded from a rod of material and cut into individual approximately cylindrical particles.

In some embodiments, the particles have a ballpan hardness of greater than 95%, preferably greater than 96%, greater than 97%, greater than 98% or greater than 99%. In some embodiments, the ballpan hardness of the particles is greater than 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8% or greater than 99.9%. The ballpan hardness of the particles can be measured using the ballpan hardness test described in ASTM D3802-16 (Standard Test Method for Ballpan Hardness of Activated Carbon, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2016). This test is described for testing the hardness of activated carbon. However, it is also suitable for measuring the hardness of granular materials. Increasing the ballpan hardness of the particles makes the particles more rigid, which is effective in making the additive capsule more fragile during use, and also makes the particles less fragile during transportation.

The tobacco industry product component may contain 20-100 additive capsules, 40-80 additive capsules.

In some embodiments, the additive capsules have an average burst strength of 3N to 5N, preferably 3.5N to 4.5N. In some embodiments, the additive capsules have an average burst strength of about 4N. The burst strength (crushing strength) is the force required to burst an individual additive capsule.

In one embodiment, the length of the cavity is 4 to 12 mm, preferably 6 to 10 mm.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product component comprises a body of filter material containing a cavity, preferably the body comprises first and second sections of filter material, the cavity being located between the first and second sections.

The tobacco industry product component may further include a plug wrapper surrounding the cavity. The plug wrapper may include an impermeable coating, for example a coating impermeable to the additive of the additive capsule. In some embodiments, the plug wrapper has a basis weight of at least 60 gsm. In some embodiments, the plug wrapper has a thickness of at least 35 micrometers.

In one embodiment, the one or more additive capsules include an outer shell and an inner core. The inner core may be a fluid core. The fluid core may be a liquid core. The outer shell may be a solid outer shell. The outer shell may include an alginate.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product component further comprises an exterior surface including indicia configured to indicate to a user where an external force should be applied to the tobacco industry product component.

In some embodiments, the tobacco industry product component comprises a smoking article component, such as a filter.

A tobacco industry product is also provided that includes a tobacco industry product component according to the present disclosure.

In some embodiments, the tobacco industry products include smoking articles.

There is also provided a tobacco industry product member comprising a wall surrounding a cavity, a plurality of additive capsules disposed in the cavity, and a plurality of particles disposed in the cavity and configured to facilitate fracturing the additive capsules upon application of an external force by a user to the wall of the tobacco industry product member during use. In some embodiments, the particles are cellulose acetate particles. The tobacco industry product member may, but need not, include any of the features described above, optionally including a feature that the particles comprise a material having a particle density of at least 1 g/cc.

There is also provided a method of manufacturing a tobacco industry product component, comprising providing a plurality of particles, providing a plurality of additive capsules, and disposing the particles and additive capsules within a cavity. The tobacco industry product component may include any of the features described above. The particles include a material having a particle density of at least 1 g/cc, although this feature is not required.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tobacco industry product according to one embodiment. 2 is a perspective view of the tobacco industry product of FIG. 1 with a portion of the tipping paper and plug wrapper of the tobacco industry product omitted for purposes of illustration. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the tobacco industry product of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the additive capsule of the tobacco industry product of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cellulose acetate particle of the tobacco industry product of FIG. 1. 2 is a perspective view of a plug wrapper of the tobacco industry product of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a tobacco industry product.

Referring now to Figures 1-6, an embodiment of a tobacco industry product 1 is shown. In this embodiment, the tobacco industry product 1 is a smoking article 1. However, in alternative embodiments (not shown), the tobacco industry product is something other than a smoking article 1.

The smoking article 1 comprises a tobacco rod 2 and a tobacco industry product component 3.

The outer wrapper 4 surrounds the smoking article member 3 and a portion of the tobacco rod 2. The outer wrapper 4 includes tipping paper 4 that attaches the tobacco rod 2 to the smoking article member 3. The tobacco rod 2 includes a column 5 of smoking material surrounded by a rod wrapper 6.

In this embodiment the tobacco industry product member 3 comprises a smoking article member 3 in the form of a smoking article filter 3. The smoking article member 3 comprises a body 4 of filtration material and a cavity 8. The body 7 comprises first and second sections 9,10 of filtration material. In this embodiment the first and second sections 9,10 comprise first and second plugs 9,10 of filtration material, for example cellulose acetate. The first and second plugs 9,10 may be generally cylindrical in shape, although one skilled in the art will recognize that other shapes for the plugs 9,10 are possible.

The first and second plugs 9, 10 are spaced apart in the axial direction of the smoking article 1 such that a cavity 8 is provided between the first and second plugs 9, 10. The second plug 10 is located downstream of the tobacco rod 2. The first plug 9 is located downstream of the second plug 10 on the other side of the cavity relative to the second plug 10.

The cavity 8 has a length (indicated by the arrow "X" in FIG. 3) of 4-12 mm, and preferably has a length of 6-10 mm. However, in other embodiments, the cavity 8 has a different length.

The cavity 8 of the smoking article member 3 contains a plurality of additive capsules 11 and a plurality of particles 12. In this embodiment, the particles 12 are cellulose acetate (CA) particles 12. Gas flowing through the body 7 thus passes through the cavity 8 and comes into contact with the additive capsules 11. The additive capsules 11 are configured to selectively entrain an additive in the gas stream as described in more detail below.

A cross-section of one of the additive capsules 11 is shown in Figure 4. Each additive capsule 11 includes an outer shell 13 and an inner core 14.

The shell 13 of each additive capsule 11 may be solid at room temperature. The shell 13 may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of alginate. However, it should be recognized that in alternative embodiments, the shell 13 may be formed from a different material. For example, the shell 13 may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of gelatin, carrageenan, or pectin. The shell 14 may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of one or more of alginate, gelatin, carrageenan, or pectin.

The inner core 14 of each additive capsule 11 comprises, consists essentially of, an additive, e.g., a flavoring, configured to impart flavor to gas flowing through the cavity 8 when the additive is exposed to the gas. However, it should be recognized that in other embodiments the additive may alternatively or additionally comprise a different type of additive, such as a humectant. In this embodiment, the inner core 14 is a liquid. However, in other embodiments (not shown), the inner core 14 may comprise a solid, e.g., a powder.

The shell 13 of each additive capsule 11 may be impermeable or substantially impermeable to the additive in the core 14. Thus, the shell 13 initially prevents the additive in the core 14 from escaping the additive capsule 11 and becoming entrained in the gas flow through the cavity 8. When a user desires to entrain the additive in the gas, e.g., to flavor the gas in an embodiment in which the additive is a flavoring, the shell 13 of the additive capsule 11 is ruptured, allowing the additive to become entrained in the gas.

In some embodiments (not shown), the additive capsule 11 further comprises a carrier material. The carrier material may include, for example, gelatin.

The cellulose acetate particles 12 comprise cellulose acetate that has been hardened with a plasticizer, for example triacetin. The plasticizer helps to prevent the cellulose acetate particles 12 from breaking when a user applies force to the smoking article member 3 in an attempt to break the additive capsule 11. The plasticizer further helps to increase the hardness of the additive capsule 11, thereby making it more fragile. It should be appreciated that alternatively or additionally, the cellulose acetate may be hardened with a different plasticizer, for example diacetin, triethyl citrate or PEG.

The cellulose acetate particles 12 may contain a plasticizer in the range of 15-40% by weight of the cellulose acetate particles 12, preferably 20-35% by weight of the cellulose acetate particles 12. The cellulose acetate particles 12 may contain at least 15% by weight of the cellulose acetate particles 12, preferably at least 20% by weight of the cellulose acetate particles 12. The cellulose acetate particles 12 may contain less than 40% by weight of the cellulose acetate particles 12, preferably less than 35% by weight of the cellulose acetate particles 12.

In some embodiments, the cellulose acetate particles 12 may be made from a material having a Rockwell hardness of at least 25 on the R-scale as measured according to ASTM D785, Procedure A. Preferably, the particles 12 may be made from a material having a Rockwell hardness of greater than 30, greater than 40, greater than 50, greater than 60, greater than 70, greater than 80, greater than 90 or greater than 100 on the R-scale. It has been found that a high Rockwell hardness of the particles 12 helps to make the additive capsule 11 more fragile by preventing the particles 12 from breaking when a user applies force to the smoking article member 3 to break the additive capsule.

In one embodiment, the particles have an average surface area of at least 50 ^m2 /g, preferably less than 30, 20, 10, 5 or ³ m2/g. Surface area may be measured according to ASTM D1993-18 (Standard Test Method for Deposited Silica Surfaces by Multipoint BET Nitrogen Adsorption, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2018). Particle density refers to the density of a material consisting of particles including the pores of the material but excluding the voids between the particles (resulting in the "bulk density").

It has been found that the smaller the surface area of a particle, the more solid the particle, as it has fewer pores. This helps to make the additive capsule easier to break when an external force is applied to the wall of the tobacco industry product component. Solider particles also help to make the capsule less likely to break during transport. It has also been found that a smaller surface area means that when the additive capsule ruptures, the particle has less additive to adsorb, meaning that more additive can be delivered to the user.

Particles comprising a material having a particle density of at least 1 g/cc tend to make the particles more robust, aiding in the rupture of the additive capsule during use and preventing particle rupture during transport. In some embodiments, the particles comprise a material having a particle density of at least 1.1 g/cc or at least 1.2 g/cc, and increasing the particle density of the particles tends to increase the robustness of the particles.

In one embodiment, the particles comprise a material having a particle density of less than 5 g/cc and preferably less than 2 g/cc or less than 1.5 g/cc. The lower the particle density of the particles, the lighter the tobacco industry product component will be and therefore easier to transport.

In some embodiments, the particles have a particle density of 1-2 g/cc, or 1.1-2 g/cc, or 1.1-1.5 g/cc.

In some embodiments, the particles are approximately cylindrical. The particles may be extruded from a rod of material and cut into individual approximately cylindrical particles.

In some embodiments, the particles have a ballpan hardness of greater than 95%, preferably greater than 96%, greater than 97%, greater than 98% or greater than 99%. In some embodiments, the particles have a ballpan hardness of greater than 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8% or greater than 99.9%. The ballpan hardness of the particles can be measured using the ballpan hardness test described in ASTM D3802-16 (Standard Test Method for Ballpan Hardness of Activated Carbon, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2016). This test is described for testing the hardness of activated carbon. However, it is also suitable for measuring the hardness of granular materials. Increasing the ballpan hardness of the particles makes the particles more rigid and therefore more effective at frangible additive capsules during use, and also makes the particles less fragile during transportation.

The cellulose acetate particles 12 may include one or more surface formations configured to facilitate breaking of the additive capsule when a user applies force to the smoking article member 3. For example, the surface formations facilitate cutting or puncturing the shell of the additive capsule 11 or shattering the additive capsule 11. In this embodiment, the cellulose acetate particles 12 each include one or more edges 15A and/or one or more corners 15B. The edges 15A and corners 15B may be formed, for example, by cutting or shattering a portion of the cellulose acetate to form the cellulose acetate particles 12. The edges 15A and corners 15B facilitate cutting and rupturing the shell 13 of the additive capsule 11. The edges 15A may be angled edges. In another embodiment (not shown), the cellulose acetate particles 12 may not include edges 15A and/or corners 15B at all and may be, for example, spherical. In this embodiment, the cellulose acetate particles 12 include cellulose acetate chips 12.

The smoking article member 3 allows the user to adjust the amount of additive introduced into the gas stream passing through the smoking article member 3. Initially, the shell 13 of each additive particle 11 is intact, so that no additive from the core 14 is introduced into the gas stream. When the user wishes to introduce additive, the user applies an external force to the smoking article member 3, causing the shell of the additive capsule 11 to rupture. In one example, the user holds the smoking article member 3 tightly between his fingers and rolls the smoking article member between his fingers. This causes the cellulose acetate particles 12 to rupture the shell 13 of the additive capsule 11, and the additive in the core 14 is released through the shell and into the gas stream. Advantageously, the more the smoking article member 3 is rolled between the user's fingers, the more additive capsules 11 will rupture, and therefore the more additive will be released into the gas stream. Thus, the user can adjust the amount of additive added to the gas stream by adjusting the time the smoking article member 3 is rolled between his fingers. Cellulose acetate is a readily available material that is already used in components manufactured for the tobacco industry, for example as a filtration material in cigarette filters. Thus, the abrasive material of the smoking article component 3 comprising cellulose acetate particles 12 simplifies the manufacture of the smoking article component 3.

In some embodiments, the cellulose acetate particles 12 may be made from a material having a melt flow in the range of 0.2 to 6 g/10 min according to ASTM D1238. In some embodiments, the cellulose acetate particles 12 may be made from a material having a melt flow in the range of 0.25 to 5.5 g/10 min or in the range of 0.5 to 4 g/10 min. In some embodiments, the melt flow is less than 5.5 g/10 min.

In one exemplary embodiment, the cellulose acetate particles 12 comprise 28% triacetin and 72% cellulose acetate, and the material has a melt flow of 414 mg/3 min (1.38 g/10 min). In another exemplary embodiment, the cellulose acetate particles 12 comprise 25% triacetin and 75% cellulose acetate, and the material has a melt flow of 266 mg/3 min (0.89 g/10 min).

The tipping paper 4 includes one or more indicators 19 that visually indicate to a user where to apply an external force to the smoking article member 3 to release the additive. For example, the indicators 19 may indicate where to hold and roll the smoking article member 3 between the fingers to release the additive. The indicators 19 may, for example, be printed on the tipping paper 4 or may include a label affixed to the tipping paper. The indicators 19 may overlap the cavity 8.

The smoking article member 3 further includes a plug wrapper 16 surrounding the cavity 8 and at least a portion of the first and second plugs 9, 10. In this embodiment, the plug wrapper 16 surrounds the entire length of both the first and second plugs 9, 10.

The portion of the plug wrapper 16 and tipping paper 4 that overlap the cavity 8 forms a wall of the smoking article member 3. The wall surrounds the cavity 8. The wall retains the additive capsule 11 and the cellulose acetate particles 12 within the cavity 8. The wall is deformable such that in use, a user applies an external force that causes the wall to deform radially inwards, breaking the additive capsule 11. In the above example, the user would grasp the wall between their fingers and roll the smoking article member such that the cellulose acetate particles 12 rupture the shell 13 of the additive capsule 11, releasing the additive from the capsule. In embodiments in which the plug wrapper 16 is omitted, the wall may include tipping paper 4. In embodiments in which the tipping paper 4 is omitted, the wall may include plug wrapper 16. In some embodiments, the wall includes further sheet material (not shown) in addition to the tipping paper 4 and/or plug wrapper 16.

The plug wrapper 16 comprises a paper layer 17 and a sealing layer 18. The sealing layer 18 is impermeable or substantially impermeable to the additive in the additive capsule 11. Thus, the sealing layer 18 prevents the additive from seeping through the plug wrapper 16 when the additive capsule 11 is broken to entrain the additive in the gas stream. This is advantageous because the smoking article 1 is normally held between the user's fingers in the region of the smoking article member 3 and therefore the sealing layer 18 helps to prevent the additive from coming into contact with the user's fingers.

In this embodiment, the sealing layer 18 is in the form of a coating 18 provided over the paper layer 17. For example, the coating 18 may include ethyl cellulose. In another embodiment (not shown), the sealing layer 18 includes a layer of material, such as a plastic sheet or foil, adhered to the paper layer 17, for example, by an adhesive. In some embodiments, the sealing layer 18 is an oil repellent.

In one embodiment, the sealing layer 18 is provided on an inner surface of the paper layer 17 such that the paper layer 17 is disposed between the sealing layer 18 and the tipping paper 4. Alternatively, the sealing layer 18 is provided on an outer surface of the paper layer 17 such that the sealing layer 18 is disposed between the paper layer 17 and the tipping paper 4.

In one embodiment, the sealing layer 18 is provided over the entire inner surface and/or the entire outer surface of the paper layer 17. However, in another embodiment, the sealing layer 18 is provided only over a portion of the inner surface and/or a portion of the outer surface of the paper layer 17, for example only over the portion of the paper layer 17 surrounding the cavity 8.

When the smoking article member 3 is rolled between the user's fingers, the walls deform radially inward such that the additive capsule 11 and the cellulose acetate 12 rub together. The plug wrapper 16 is configured to provide structural support to the smoking article member 3 to help maintain the structural integrity of the smoking article member 3 while the smoking article member 3 is being rolled to release the additive. In some embodiments, the plug wrapper 16 has a basis weight of at least 60 gsm, preferably at least 80 gsm. This basis weight increases the stiffness of the plug wrapper 16 and helps maintain the structural integrity of the smoking article member 3 as it is being rolled. In some embodiments, the basis weight of the plug wrapper 16 is in the range of 60-110 gsm, preferably in the range of 80-110 gsm. The basis weight of the plug wrapper 16 may be in the range of 60-100 gsm or in the range of 80-100 gsm.

In one embodiment, the stiffness of the plug wrapper 16 is achieved by manufacturing the paper layer 17 from paper having a thickness of at least 35 micrometers, preferably at least 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100 micrometers. In some embodiments, the paper layer 17 has a thickness in the range of 35 to 137 micrometers. The stiffness of the plug wrapper 16 facilitates the wall returning to its original shape when the user has finished rolling the smoking article member 3 to release the additive.

In some embodiments, the additive capsule 11 has a diameter of at least 0.6 mm. In some embodiments, the additive capsule 11 has a diameter of at least 0.8 mm, preferably at least 1 mm.

In some embodiments, the additive capsule 11 has a diameter of less than 1.4 mm. Preferably, the additive capsule 11 has a diameter of less than 1.2 mm, preferably about 1 mm.

It has been found that the smaller the diameter of the additive capsules 11, the less additive is introduced into the gas stream upon rupture of each additive capsule 11, allowing for more precise adjustment of the amount of additive added to the gas stream based on the length of time the smoking article member 3 is rolled between the user's fingers.

In some embodiments, the additive capsule 11 has a diameter in the range of 0.6 mm to 1.4 mm, preferably in the range of 0.8 to 1.2 mm.

In some embodiments, the additive capsule 11 has a particle size of at least 0.6 mm. The term "particle size" refers to the size of the particles as measured by sieving. Preferably, the additive capsule 11 has a particle size of at least 0.8 mm. In some embodiments, the additive capsule has a particle size of less than 1.4 mm, preferably less than 1.2 mm. In one embodiment, the additive capsule 11 has a particle size in the range of 0.6 mm to 1.4 mm, preferably in the range of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm. Preferably, the additive capsule 11 has a particle size of about 1 mm.

In some embodiments, the cellulose acetate particles 12 have a particle size of at least 1 mm, preferably at least 1.4 mm. The term "particle size" refers to the size of the particles as measured by sieving. Cellulose acetate particles 12 having a particle size of at least 1 mm, preferably 1.4 mm, have been found to be particularly effective in making the additive capsule 11 more likely to rupture. In some embodiments, the cellulose acetate particles 12 have a particle size of at least less than 2.4 mm, preferably less than 2 mm. Cellulose acetate particles 12 having a particle size of less than 2.4 mm, preferably less than 2 mm, have been found to be particularly effective in making the additive capsule 11 more likely to rupture.

In some embodiments, the cellulose acetate particles 12 have a particle size in the range of 1-2.4 mm, preferably in the range of 1.4-2 mm. In one such embodiment, the additive capsule 11 has a diameter/particle size in the range of 0.6 mm-1.4 mm, preferably in the range of 0.8-1.2 mm. This combination of additive capsule 11 size and cellulose acetate particle 12 size has been found to be advantageous in increasing the effect of the cellulose acetate particles in bursting the additive capsule 11. In one such embodiment, the smoking article member 3 comprises 20-100, preferably 40-80 cellulose acetate particles 12 or 50-70 cellulose acetate particles 12.

The smoking article member 3 may include a void 20 at the mouth end of the smoking article member. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, the smoking article member 3 is a tubular filter 3 having an annular portion 21 at the mouth end of the smoking article member 3 such that the void 20 is located centrally within the hollow annular portion 21. The annular portion 21 may include a filter material such as cellulose acetate.

The annular portion 21 is provided downstream of the first plug 9 and is attached to the first plug by the tipping paper 4 and/or plug wrapper 16. In another embodiment, the first plug 9 includes an annular portion such that a void 20 is provided in the first plug 9. In yet another embodiment (not shown) the smoking article member 3 is a cavity filter 3. The tipping paper 4, plug wrapper 16 or another wrapper (not shown) may extend beyond the mouth end of the first plug 9 of filter material to form a space including the void 20, and the annular portion 21 is omitted.

In one embodiment, the first and second plugs 9, 10 each include a portion of a filter material, such as, for example, cellulose acetate or activated carbon, each portion wrapped in its own plug wrapper (not shown). The first and second plugs 9, 10 are then wrapped in a plug wrapper 16 that also surrounds the cavity 8. However, in alternative embodiments (not shown), the individual plug wrappers of the first and/or second plugs 9, 10 are omitted. In some embodiments (not shown), the plug wrapper 16 does not surround the first and/or second plugs 9, 10, and selectively surrounds only the cavity 8.

In some alternative embodiments (not shown), the first and/or second plugs 9, 10 are omitted. For example, the second plug 10 may be omitted such that the cavity 8 is located between the first plug 9 and the tobacco rod 2.

In the embodiment described above, each additive capsule 11 comprises an outer shell 13 and an inner core 14. However, in an alternative embodiment (not shown), the outer shell 13 is omitted. In one embodiment (not shown), each additive capsule 11 comprises a body of material containing the additive, and the shell does not surround the body of material. In one embodiment (not shown), each additive capsule 11 comprises a solid material that breaks down, for example to form a powder, when an external force is applied to the smoking article member 3 to entrain the additive with the gas flowing through the cavity 8. The cellulose acetate particles 12 aid in breaking down the additive capsule 11 into a powder.

In some embodiments, the smoking article member 3 comprises between 20 and 100 additive capsules 11. This number of additive capsules 11 has been found to maximize the percentage of additive capsules 11 that rupture when a user applies force to the smoking article member 3, and therefore maximize the amount of additive released into the smoke stream. Preferably, the number of additive capsules 11 is between 40 and 80, which has been found to further increase the percentage of additive capsules 11 that rupture. In one embodiment, the smoking article member 3 comprises between 50 and 70 additive capsules, and may comprise approximately 60 additive capsules 11. However, in other embodiments, the smoking article member 3 may comprise more additive capsules 11. In some embodiments, the smoking article member 3 comprises between 20 and 100, preferably between 40 and 80 or between 50 and 70 cellulose acetate particles 12. In some embodiments, the smoking article member 3 comprises between 60 and 140 mg of cellulose acetate particles 12, and preferably between 80 and 120 mg of cellulose acetate particles 12. In one embodiment, the smoking article member 3 contains substantially 100 mg of cellulose acetate particles 12.

A schematic block diagram of a method for manufacturing a smoking article member 3 according to one embodiment is shown in Figure 7.

The method of the present invention includes a step of providing a plurality of cellulose acetate particles 12 (step S1), a step of providing a plurality of additive capsules 11 (step S2), and a step of placing the cellulose acetate particles 12 and the additive capsules 11 in the cavity 8 (step S3).

The method of the present invention further includes providing first and second plugs 9, 10 spaced apart to form a cavity. The first and second plugs 9, 10 may be provided in a plug wrapper 16. The step (S1) of providing cellulose acetate particles 12 to the cavity 8 may include disposing the cellulose acetate particles 12 in the plug wrapper 16 between the plugs 9, 10. The step (S2) of providing additive capsules 11 to the cavity 8 may include disposing the additive capsules 11 in the plug wrapper 16 between the plugs 9, 10. The additive capsules 11 and cellulose acetate particles 12 may be provided to the cavity 8 sequentially or simultaneously. In one embodiment, the cellulose acetate chips 12 and additive capsules 11 may be mixed and then poured onto the plug wrapper 16 between the plugs 9, 10.

The method of the present invention may further include surrounding the cavity 8 to retain the cellulose acetate particles 12 and the additive capsule 11 therein. The step of surrounding the cavity 8 to retain the cellulose acetate tip 12 and the additive capsule 11 therein may include wrapping a plug wrapper 16 around the plug 9, 10 such that the plug wrapper 16 surrounds the cavity 8. The smoking article member 3 is then attached to the tobacco rod 2 by tipping paper 4 to form the smoking article 1.

In another configuration, the plug wrapper 16 is wrapped around one of the first and second plugs 9, 10, with the plug wrapper 16 extending from that one of the first and second plugs 9, 10 to form a cavity 8. The cellulose acetate chips 12 and additive capsules 11 are then injected into the cavity 8, and the other of the first and second plugs 9, 10 is inserted into the plug wrapper 16, with the other of the first and second plugs 9, 10 surrounded by the plug wrapper 16 to enclose the cavity 8.

In some embodiments, the cellulose acetate particles 12 are formed by extrusion of plasticized cellulose acetate and then cutting or grinding the extruded plasticized cellulose acetate to form the cellulose acetate particles 12. However, it should be recognized that in other embodiments, the cellulose acetate particles 12 are formed in a different manner, such as by molding. In one embodiment, a portion of plasticized cellulose acetate is produced that is larger than the cellulose acetate particles 12 produced, and the cellulose acetate particles 12 are formed by cutting chips from that portion of plasticized cellulose acetate.

The additives may include flavoring agents. As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials permitted by local regulations that may be used to impart a taste or odor to a product desired by an adult consumer. Such materials include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, Scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey extract, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, etc. , ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, pimento, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, etc.), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, etc.), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanical breath fresheners, etc. These materials may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients, or may be blends thereof. These materials may be in any suitable form, for example, oils, liquids, powders, etc.

In some embodiments, the particles are abrasive particles.

In the embodiment described above, the particles comprise cellulose acetate. However, in alternative embodiments, the particles may comprise a different material, such as polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC) or acrylic (PMMA).

In this embodiment the smoking article member 3 is in the form of a smoking article filter 3. However, it should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments (not shown) the smoking article member 3 may take a different form. For example, the smoking article member 3 may comprise part of an aerosol generating device such as an electronic cigarette, which may not include a filter.

As used herein, the term "smoking article" includes smokable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes, and also other nicotine delivery products such as non-combustion heating products, tobacco heating devices and aerosol generating devices, including electronic cigarettes. Smoking articles may be provided with a filter for the gas stream drawn by the smoker.

To address various problems and advance the art, the entire disclosure exemplarily illustrates various embodiments in which the claimed inventions may be practiced to provide a method for manufacturing an excellent composite web and smoking article member. The advantages and features of the disclosure are merely representative examples of embodiments, and are not exhaustive or exclusive. They are provided merely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. Of course, the advantages, embodiments, examples, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure should not be considered to limit the disclosure to the claims as set forth herein or to the equivalents of the claims, and other embodiments may be utilized or modified without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, or other combinations. The disclosure also includes other inventions not currently claimed but which may be claimed in the future. Of course, the advantages, embodiments, examples, features, characteristics, structures, and/or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure to the claims as set forth herein or to the equivalents of the claims, but rather as allowing other embodiments to be utilized or modified without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the present disclosure. Various embodiments may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, or other combinations, as appropriate. The present disclosure also includes other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims (23)

A tobacco industry product component, the component comprising: a wall surrounding a cavity;
a plurality of additive capsules disposed in the cavity;
and a plurality of particles disposed in the cavity and configured to facilitate fracturing of the additive capsule when an external force is applied by a user to a wall of the tobacco industry product component in use, said particles comprising a material having a particle density of at least 1 g/cc, said component comprising between 20 and 100 additive capsules, the additive capsules having a diameter of between 0.8 and 1.2 mm, and said particles having a particle size of between 1.4 and 2 mm. The tobacco industry product component according to claim 1, characterized in that the particles contain a plasticizer. A tobacco industry product component according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the particles comprise a polymeric material, preferably a plastic. A tobacco industry product member according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the particles comprise cellulose acetate. The tobacco industry product member according to claim 4, characterized in that the particles comprise cellulose acetate chips. The tobacco industry product member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the particles include one or more surface formations configured to facilitate fracturing the additive capsule. A tobacco industry product member according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the particles have an average surface area of at least less than 50 ^m2 /g, preferably less than 30, 20, 10, 5 or ³ m2/g. A tobacco industry product component according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the particles are formed from a material having a Rockwell hardness of at least 25 on the R-scale, and preferably at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 60, at least 70, at least 80, at least 90 or at least 100 on the R-scale. A tobacco industry product member according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the particles have a ball pan hardness of more than 95%, preferably more than 96%, more than 97%, more than 98% or more than 99%. A tobacco industry product component according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the additive capsule has a diameter of about 1 mm. A tobacco industry product component according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it contains 40 to 80 additive capsules. A tobacco industry product component according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the additive capsule has an average burst strength of 3N to 5N, preferably 3.5N to 4.5N. A tobacco industry product component according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the length of the cavity is between 4 and 12 mm, preferably between 6 and 10 mm. A tobacco industry product component according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising a body of filter material including a cavity, preferably the body comprising first and second sections of filter material, the cavity being located between the first and second sections. The tobacco industry product member of any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a plug wrapper surrounding the cavity. The tobacco industry product component of claim 15, characterized in that the plug wrapper includes an impermeable coating. The tobacco industry product component according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the plug wrapper has a basis weight of at least 60 gsm. The tobacco industry product component according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the plug wrapper has a thickness of at least 35 micrometers. The tobacco industry product member of any one of claims 1 to 18, further comprising an outer surface including indicia configured to indicate to a user where an external force should be applied to the tobacco industry product member. A tobacco industry product comprising a tobacco industry product component according to any one of claims 1 to 19. Providing a plurality of particles comprising a material having a particle density of at least 1 g/cc;
providing a plurality of additive capsules;
1. A method of manufacturing a tobacco industry product component comprising placing particles and an additive capsule in a cavity, the method comprising the steps of:
A method for producing a tobacco industry product component, said component comprising 20-100 additive capsules, the additive capsules having a diameter of 0.8-1.2 mm, and said particles having a particle size of 1.4-2 mm. The method of claim 21, wherein the particles comprise cellulose acetate. The method of claim 21 or 22, characterized in that the particles contain a plasticizer.

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