KR101504778B1 - Filter including electrostatically charged fiber material - Google Patents

Abstract

A method is provided for potentially reducing tobacco filters and passing particles. The filter 10 comprises an adsorbent 12 with adsorbent particles scattered within the filter and a plug 14 of electrostatically charged fibers. Preferably, the adsorbent is activated carbon. In a preferred embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material is located downstream of the activated carbon. Preferably, the electrostatically charged fiber material is permanently electrostatically charged to catch carbon particles to reduce the carbon particles passing through. In one embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material is arranged in a random orientation to mechanically hold particles absorbed in the mainstream smoke. Also provided is a method of making a filter, wherein in a smoking article associated with a filter, a method of making a smoking article and a method of treating mainstream smoke are provided.

Static electricity

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a filter including electrostatically charged fiber material,

The present invention relates to a cigarette filter having a fiber material filled with static electricity and a method of manufacturing the same.

The cigarette generally has a filter in which an adsorbent material such as carbon is contained. The filter, which is adapted to be coupled into the filter cigarette, may comprise, for example, other adsorbent material bound in the cavity between the activated carbon or activated carbon and / or cellulose acetate or between the cellulose acetate material.

During smoking cigarettes, the amount of adsorbing particles or adsorbing particles is absorbed into the mainstream smoke and is released (i.e., passed through) the mouth end of the cigarette, reducing the amount of mainstream smoke- Technology will be important.

There is provided a filter assembly for a smoking article which reduces the passage of adsorbent particles. Preferably, the adsorbent comprises at least one flavor.

In a preferred embodiment, the filter assembly is a plug-space-plug filter. Preferably, the filter assembly comprises an electrostatically charged fiber material and an adsorbent. Charging with static electricity means that it is charged with static electricity. More preferably, the electrostatically charged fibrous material is located downstream of the adsorbent. In a preferred embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material has an electrostatically charged fiber material arranged in any direction. In some embodiments, the electrostatically charged fiber material plug has an electrostatic charged fiber medium oriented in the axial direction. In some embodiments, the plug of at least one cellulose acetate fiber is located upstream and / or downstream of the adsorbent, and preferably the cellulose acetate is oriented in the axial direction.

A smoking article is also provided. In a preferred embodiment, the smoking article comprises a tobacco rod and a filter assembly.

There is also provided a method of manufacturing a filter assembly for a smoking article that reduces and / or eliminates passage of carbon particles in the mainstream smoke.

A method of making a filter rod of a smoking article according to the present invention includes the steps of disposing a two-up plug of the filter material apart; Placing a plug of electrostatically charged fiber material between the two-up plugs such that the cavities are formed on the upstream and downstream ends of the two-up plugs one by one; Disposing an adsorbent in the cavity; And cutting the plug of the filter material above to form a two-up filter assembly. Preferably, the method further comprises cutting the center of the two-up filter assembly to complete the cigarette.

Also, a method for treating mainstream smoke includes: sucking mainstream smoke through a smoking article; Contacting the mainstream with the adsorbent during the sucking step; And contacting the mainstream smoke with the electrostatically charged fibers during the contacting step.

1 shows a plug-space-plug filter for a smoking article of the prior art.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a plug-space-plug filter with a plug made of a filter material charged with static electricity.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a plug-space-plug filter with a plug made of a filter material charged with electrostatic charge.

Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of a plug-space-plug filter with a plug made of a filter material charged with electrostatic charge.

Figure 5 shows a partially unpackaged smoking article having a plug-space-plug filter with a plug made of a static-charged filter material.

The relative position between the filter segment and the other member has been described with respect to the direction of the mainstream, as mainstream smoke is drawn through the multi-member filter from the tobacco rod and "upstream" and "downstream" are used here.

The term "smoke entrainable particles ", as used herein, refers to particles having a size of from about 0.1 microns to about 10 microns, which can be absorbed by grains, grains, dusts, particulates, powders and mainstream smoke.

As shown in FIG. 1, a prior art plug-space-plug filter has a portion of activated carbon 112 between plugs 130 of an axially oriented cellulose acetate filter. Since smoke is sucked downstream from the tobacco rod 160 via the filter 105, some carbon particles can pass through the path between the individual cellulose acetate fibers. In a preferred embodiment, the plug-space-plug filter 105 is attached to a tobacco rod 160 packaged in a wrapper 170 to form the smoking article 100. The tip pinges 165 surround the filter 105 and attach the filter 105 to the tobacco rod 160.

As described herein, filter assemblies for smoking articles use electrostatic charging to attract particles, or by arranging electrostatically charged fibers in a random orientation to mechanically grab particles, potentially causing particles to pass through during smoking Reduce or prevent.

In a preferred embodiment, the adsorbent is activated carbon. Preferably, the electrostatically charged fiber material is located downstream of the activated carbon contained in the filter assembly such that when the smoke is drawn through the filter assembly, the fiber material absorbed within the smoke from about 0.1 microns (microns) to about 10 microns The activated carbon is accommodated by the electrostatically charged fiber material.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, filter assembly 10 is a plug-space-plug filter assembly. Preferably, the portion of activated carbon 12 is located in the cavity 15 of the filter 10 and the plug 16 of the electrostatically charged fiber material 14 passes through the filter assembly 10 Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > carbon particles. ≪ / RTI > Preferably, the portion of the activated carbon 12 is a plug of carbon on a tow, and may be a carbon, and / or a bed of particles of free carbon grains, grains, particles, And the like. The plug 16 of the electrostatically charged fiber material 14 is permanently electrostatically charged, which can catch carbon particles, which can reduce or prevent the passage of carbon particles as the mainstream flows through the filter. In one embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material is arranged in a random orientation to mechanically entrap the particles absorbed in the smoke.

In a preferred embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material comprises electret fibers (e.g., a 3M Filtrete ^TM filter). Preferably, the electret fibers have a diameter of about 3 占 퐉 to about 30 占 퐉 and a basis weight in the range of about 10 g / m2 to about 500 g / m2. Preferably, the electret fibers have a weight in the range of from about 2.5 denier to about 8 denier. The preferred fibers have a Y-shaped cross-section.

Also preferably, the filter assembly has about 200 mg of adsorbent at about 30 mg. In a preferred embodiment, the filter assembly 10 has about 14 mg to about 70 mg of electrostatic charged fiber material 14 at about 25 mg to about 75 mg, more preferably about 25 mg, Thereby forming a plug having a length of 6 mm. Preferably, the amount of electrostatically charged fibrous material 14 used is determined by the adsorbent, such as the activated carbon contained within the filter assembly 10. In a preferred embodiment, an electrostatically charged fiber material 14 having a plug length of about 1 mm is used for about 18 mg of activated carbon.

In a preferred embodiment, the adsorbent and / or smoke-absorbing particles comprise any suitable medium. Typical adsorbents include zeolites, silicas, silicates, alumina, and / or molecular sieves such as carbon (i.e., activated carbon).

"Activated carbon" means any porosity, i.e., a high surface area of carbon that can be used as an adsorbent in the filter. The activated carbon can be obtained through heat treatment of any suitable carbon source. The activation process typically increases porosity, the activated carbon can have a wide range of pore sizes, and the pore size can be adjusted to provide the desired pore size distribution.

In a preferred embodiment, the carbon is in the form of kernels and the like. Preferably, the carbon of the preferred embodiment is a high surface area, activated carbon, such as coconut shell based carbon, which is typical of ASTM mesh sizes used in the tobacco industry or finer. Particularly preferred activated carbons are commercially available from PICA USA Inc., Truth or Consequences, New Mexidco. Activated carbon may be produced from coal, wood, pitch, peat, cellulose fibers, lignite, and olive seeds. The carbonization is generally carried out at an elevated temperature, for example 400 DEG C to 1000 DEG C, in inert air, and then activated under reducing or oxidizing conditions.

In a preferred embodiment, the activated carbon may be in the form of granules. In another embodiment, the activated carbon may be in the form of kernels and / or fibers. Preferably, the activated carbon is adjusted to adsorb the components of the mainstream smoke. Specifically, the activated carbon is an aldehyde, a ketone, and other volatile organic compounds, especially 1,3-butadiene, acrolein, isoprene, propionaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzene , Toluene, styrene, acetaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.

In another embodiment, the carbon may be in the form of a carbon and / or carbon paper on the tow.

Most preferably, the activated carbon has a grain size of about 5 microns to about 100 microns. In one embodiment, the particles of activated carbon have an average size of about 0.2 mm to about 2 mm (e.g., 200, 500, 1000 or 2000 microns). The activated carbon grains contained in the filter assembly are preferably in the range of about 0.2 mm to 0.7 mm in size, as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0154993, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Preferably, the activated carbon may have any desired pore size distribution, including pores such as micropores, mesopores, and macropores.

The term "microporous " generally refers to a material having a pore size of about 20 Angstroms or less, while the term" mesoporous "generally refers to a material having a pore size of about 20 to 500 Angstroms I mention the material.

In one embodiment, the activated carbon may be selected to have a suitable surface area to preferentially adsorb the target component from the smoke. For example, the preferred activated carbon typically has a surface area greater than about 50 m 2 / g (eg, at least about 100 m 2 / g, 200 m 2 / g, 500 m 2 / g, 1000 m 2 / g, or 2000 m 2 / g). Typically, the absorption capacity of activated carbon increases as the surface area increases.

Also, the surface area is typically increased when the particle size decreases. However, when used as a cigarette filter material, carbon particles with small particle sizes are packed too tightly and smoke may not flow through the filter with the desired suction resistance (RTD) during smoking. On the other hand, if the particle size is too large, the surface area may be insufficient to achieve the desired degree of filtration. Thus, these elements can be considered for selecting carbon particles suitable for filtering mainstream smoke and / or sidestream smoke.

Preferably, at least in part, if some of the activated carbon is flavored or flavored, the carbon is not only controlled to remove one or more gaseous smoke components from the smoke, but also releases flavor into the mainstream. Preferably, the flavor is added to the carbon by spraying a portion of activated carbon in a fluidized bed (such as a tumbling drum or fluidizing agent) and the flavor can be sprayed over the carbon in the bed, Jupe et al., US 6 761 174, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The term "mainstream smoke" refers to the amount of smoke discharged or aspirated from the mouth end of the cigarette during smoking of the cigarette, that is, the composite gas discharged down the filter end and through the filter end. The main stream contains not only the cigarette wrapper but also smoke drawn through the ignition. The term "sidestyle" refers to smoke created during static burning.

2, the buccal end 20 of the filter assembly 10 is in the form of a plug 25 of cellulose acetate fibers 30. Preferably, the cellulose acetate fibers 30 are oriented in an axial direction. Preferably, the plug 25 is located downstream of the plug 16 of the electrostatically charged fiber material 14, which is also downstream of the activated carbon 12. In one embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material 14 is arranged in a random direction. In another embodiment, the filled fibrous material 14 is arranged in the axial direction. The activated carbon 12 is preferably contained in the cavity 15. A second plug 25 of cellulose acetate fibers 30 is positioned adjacent the upstream of the electrostatically charged fiber material 14 and the adjacent downstream of the activated carbon 12.

In a preferred embodiment, the filter assembly 10 comprises from about 40 mg to about 70 mg of cellulose acetate fibers. Preferably, a plug of one or more cellulose acetate fibers is added to the adjacent filter length.

If the carbon particles enter the mainstream, the electrostatically charged fiber material pulls and holds the carbon particles to reduce the carbon particles passing through. Preferably, the electrostatically charged fiber material is permanently electrostatically charged so that carbon particles are trapped within the filter.

In one embodiment, when the electrostatically charged fiber material is arranged in random directions, the carbon particles are mechanically caught because they can not pass through the passages between the filters.

In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the filter assembly 10 has activated carbon 12. Preferably, the plug 16 of the electrostatically charged fiber material 14 is located in the immediate downstream of the activated carbon 12. A plug 25 of cellulose acetate fibers 30 is positioned adjacent the upstream of the activated carbon 12 and adjacent to the electrostatically charged fiber material 14.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the filter assembly 10 has a portion of activated carbon 12. Preferably, the plug 25 of cellulose acetate fibers 30 is located in the immediate downstream and adjacent upstream of the cavity 15 filled with activated carbon 12.

As shown in FIG. 5, the filter assembly 10 is adjusted to engage the smoking article 80.

The term "smoking article" includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and cigarillos. Non-traditional tobacco, such as cigarettes for electrical smoking systems, such as those described in US 6 026 820, 5 988 176, 5 915 387, and 5 499 636 are generally included within the definition of a smoking article or cigarette.

Preferably, the non-smoking article is a cigarette. The cigarette may be provided with a cigarette material and a filter. In one embodiment, the cigarette also has at least one adsorbent. A traditional cigarette typically has two parts, the cigarette material part is sometimes referred to as a cigarette rod and the filter part may be referred to as a filtering area. The tipper typically surrounds the filter, which forms the bucal end of the cigarette. The tipper overlaps the tobacco rod to hold the filter and tobacco rod together. A tobacco rod or cigarette comprising the absence of a cigarette has a wrapping paper wrapped in a cigarette and the adhesive securing the shim of the wrapping paper together. The tobacco rod has a first end that is fully attached to the filter and a second end that is ignited or heated to smoke the cigarette. When the tobacco rod is ignited or heated for smoking, the smoke moves from the ignition end downstream to the filter end of the tobacco rod and continues to move downstream through the filter.

The following example is given to illustrate an embodiment of a filter and should not be configured to limit the scope of such an embodiment.

Example 1

Electrostatic fiber segments (e.g., 3M Filtrete ^TM filters) of approximately 55 mg randomly oriented electrostatically charged fiber material are positioned downstream of the cavity filled with 110 mg of activated carbon to form the filter.

Example 2

An electret fiber segment (e.g. Toyobo Elitolon FA-65S) of approximately 55 mg of randomly oriented electrostatically charged fiber material is placed downstream of the cavity filled with 110 mg of activated carbon to form a filter.

Using a filter and a control plug-space-plug filter formed as in Example 1 and Example 2, which do not have a static-charged filter medium downstream of the activated carbon, the potential for the activated carbon particles to pass is And measured in digested dry puff using a laser light scattering particle counter (Met-One Laser Particle Counter Model 237B: Hach Ultra Analytics, Richmond, Calif.).

The laser light diffusing particle counter is located next to the cigarette holder aligned with the air flowing through the cigarette. The filter is inserted into the cigarette filter holder at a depth of approximately 9 mm ± 1 mm and the machine is exhaled in a digested (dry puff) state using 55 ml / puff, 2 second puff duration, 12 puff / cig profile. The results are shown in Table 1.

Number of passed carbon particles (particle size > 0.3 mu m) Electret fibers Average Standard Deviation filter
One filter
2 filter
3 filter
4 filter
5 filter
6 filter
7 filter
8 filter
9 filter
10 3M Filtrete ^TM 9 17 0 21 12 2 One 2 0 0 2 54 Toyobo Elitolon FA-65S 3 8 0 2 0 27 One 0 0 0 0 0 control 1097 225 1010 1429 1155 1102 1087 738 1395 1395 841

The filter with 3M Filtrete ^TM showed about 9 average carbon particle traverses per cigarette. Particle passage ranges from about 0 to about 54 per cigarette.

The filter with Toyobo Elitolon FA-65S showed about three average carbon particle traverses per cigarette. Particle passage ranges from about 0 to about 27 per cigarette.

On the other hand, the control filter without electrostatic charge fiber material showed an average carbon particle passage of about 1097 per cigarette. Thus, filters with electret fibers showed a significant reduction in average carbon particle penetration per cigarette.

Also provided is a method of fabricating a filter assembly comprising filling a cavity of a plug-space-plug filter assembly with an adsorbent, such as activated carbon particles, and a plug of electrostatically charged fiber material being located downstream of the cavity . In one embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material plug is located in the immediate downstream of the activated carbon. In another embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material plug is located downstream of the activated carbon, and the cellulose acetate fiber is located at the mouse end of the filter. Preferably, the electrostatically charged fiber material is arranged in a random orientation within the plug. In one embodiment, the electrostatically charged fiber material is arranged in an axial direction.

In a preferred embodiment, the plug of cellulose acetate fibers arranged in the axial direction is located upstream of the activated carbon. In another embodiment, the plug of cellulose acetate fibers arranged in the axial direction is also located downstream of the electrostatically charged fiber material or activated carbon.

The randomly oriented, electrostatically charged fiber material captures carbon particles mechanically and electrostatically. In conventional filters, the axially arranged cellulose acetate is located downstream of the activated carbon, and the carbon particles can be passed through the passage between the cellulose acetate filters. At this point, because the fibers are arranged in random directions, the carbon particles can not pass through the passages between the fibers.

Also, electrostatically charged fibers, arranged axially and randomly, have an electrostatic charge that attracts and captures additional carbon particles.

It will be understood that the above description is of a preferred embodiment and is merely an example of an article and a method of making it. Modifications and variations of other embodiments in light of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments as well as the selectable embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the articles and methods as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims (13)

An adsorbent having smoke absorbent adsorbent particles within the filter; And And a plug made of a fiber material filled with static electricity on the downstream side of the adsorbent, Wherein the plug of the electrostatically charged fiber material reduces the adsorbent particles that are passed therethrough. delete delete The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the plug of the electrostatically charged fiber material comprises a randomly oriented electrostatically charged fiber material or an axially oriented electrostatically charged fiber material, or both. delete delete 2. The plug of claim 1, wherein the filter assembly is a plug-space-plug filter, the adsorbent having activated carbon located within the space, The filters being randomly arranged or axially arranged downstream of the plugs, or both. delete delete delete Tobacco load; And A filter assembly having an adsorbent with smoke absorbent adsorbent particles and a plug made of an electrostatically charged fiber material, Wherein the plug of the electrostatically charged fibrous material reduces the passage of the adsorbent particles. delete Disposing a two-up plug of the filter material apart; Placing a plug of an electrostatically charged fiber material between the two-up plugs such that a cavity is formed at the upstream and downstream ends of the two-up plugs one by one; Disposing an adsorbent in the cavity; And And cutting the plug of the filter material about the center to form a two-up filter assembly. A method for manufacturing a filter rod for a smoking article.

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