KR102640562B1 - Smoking article with reduced tobacco odor and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A smoking article with reduced tobacco odor and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. Smoking articles according to some embodiments of the present disclosure include a smoking material portion and a filter portion containing tobacco material, and the tobacco material may include a material produced by processing leaf tobacco with a nicotine content of 0.5% by weight or less. In this case, the nicotine component and nitrogen compounds, which are the main causes of the cigarette odor in cigarette smoke, are reduced, so the cigarette odor of the smoke generated during smoking can be greatly reduced.

Description

SMOKING ARTICLE WITH REDUCED TOBACCO ODOR AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF}

The present disclosure relates to smoking articles with reduced tobacco odor and methods for manufacturing the same. More specifically, it relates to a smoking article that can reduce the tobacco odor of smoke generated during smoking by applying low-nicotine leaf tobacco and a method of manufacturing the same.

Cigarette smoke generated during smoking can penetrate the smoker's hands that hold the filter area and cause unpleasant odor not only to the smoker but also to people around him. Accordingly, smokers usually wash their hands after smoking to remove the cigarette smell from their hands.

However, conditions for washing hands after smoking are not always provided, and having to wash hands every time smoking can cause significant inconvenience to smokers.

Therefore, there is a need to develop a cigarette that can minimize the smell of cigarettes from being absorbed into the hands even when smoking.

Domestic Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0072407 Domestic Registered Patent Publication No. 10-0844444 Domestic Patent Publication No. 10-2019-0077434

The technical problem to be solved through several embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a smoking article with reduced cigarette odor and a method of manufacturing the same.

The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

In order to solve the above technical problem, a smoking article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a smoking material portion and a filter portion containing a tobacco material, wherein the tobacco material is processed from leaf tobacco having a nicotine content of 0.5% by weight or less. It may include a produced first material.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material may include 10% to 40% by weight of the first material.

In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the leaf tobacco may be 0.1% by weight or less.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material may further include a second material produced by processing other leaf tobacco with a nicotine content of 1.0% by weight or more.

In some embodiments, the weight ratio of the first material and the second material may be 1:1 to 1:9.

In some embodiments, the nicotine content of the leaf tobacco may be 0.2% by weight or less, and the nicotine content of the other leaf tobacco may be 1.5% by weight or more.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure described above, tobacco material to be added to a smoking article can be manufactured using leaf tobacco with a low nicotine content. These tobacco substances can reduce the cigarette odor in smoke by reducing the nicotine component and nitrogen compounds, which are the main causes of the cigarette odor in cigarette smoke. In addition, as a result, the cigarette odor that permeates the smoker's body can be greatly reduced, and the problem of causing discomfort to people around due to the cigarette odor can also be greatly alleviated.

Additionally, tobacco material can be produced by mixing leaf tobacco with a low nicotine content and regular leaf tobacco in an appropriate ratio. For example, leaf tobacco with a low nicotine content and regular leaf tobacco may be mixed in a ratio of about 1:1.5 to 1:4. In this case, the cigarette odor can be reduced and at the same time, the decrease in taste intensity perceived by the smoker can be minimized.

The effects according to the technical idea of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

1 is an exemplary diagram schematically showing a smoking article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
Figure 2 is an exemplary diagram for explaining smoking articles according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure.
3 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a smoking article according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The advantages and features of the present disclosure and methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described in detail below along with the accompanying drawings. However, the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and may be implemented in various different forms. The following examples are merely intended to complete the technical idea of the present disclosure and to be used in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs. It is provided to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the technical idea of the present disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims.

When adding reference numerals to components in each drawing, it should be noted that identical components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even if they are shown in different drawings. Additionally, in describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description will be omitted.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used with meanings that can be commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Additionally, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless clearly specifically defined. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments and is not intended to limit the disclosure. As used herein, singular forms also include plural forms, unless specifically stated otherwise in the context.

Additionally, in describing the components of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and the nature, sequence, or order of the component is not limited by the term. When a component is described as being “connected,” “coupled,” or “connected” to another component, that component may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but there is another component between each component. It will be understood that elements may be “connected,” “combined,” or “connected.”

As used in this disclosure, “comprises” and/or “comprising” refers to a referenced component, step, operation and/or element that includes one or more other components, steps, operations and/or elements. Does not exclude presence or addition.

First, some terms used in various embodiments of the present disclosure will be clarified.

In the examples below, a “smoking article” refers to any product that can be smoked, whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Alternatively, it may refer to any product that can provide a smoking experience. For example, smoking articles may include smokable products such as cigarettes, cigars, and cigarillos. As another example, smoking articles may include combustible smoking articles and heated smoking articles.

In the following embodiments, “smoking material” may mean a material that generates smoke and/or aerosol or is used for smoking. For example, smoking materials may include tobacco materials. Tobacco materials may include, for example, tobacco leaf pieces, tobacco stems or materials processed therefrom, etc. As a more specific example, the tobacco material may include pulverized tobacco leaves, pulverized regenerated tobacco, puffed cut weed, puffed stems and leaflets, etc. However, it is not limited to this.

In the following embodiments, “upstream” or “upstream direction” means a direction away from the smoker's mouth, and “downstream” or “downstream direction” means a direction closer to the smoker's mouth. can do. The terms upstream and downstream may be used to describe the relative positions of the elements that make up the smoking article. For example, in the smoking article 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 , the filter portion 120 is located downstream or downstream of the smoking material portion 110, and the smoking material portion 110 is located upstream of the filter portion 120. Or it is located in the upstream direction.

In the following embodiments, “longitudinal direction” may mean a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the smoking article.

In the following embodiments, "puff" refers to the smoker's inhalation, and inhalation may refer to the situation of being pulled into the smoker's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs through the smoker's mouth or nose. .

In the following embodiments, “sheet” may refer to a thin layer element having a width and length substantially greater than its thickness. In the technical field, the term sheet may be used interchangeably with terms such as web and film.

In the following examples, “flavor sheet” (flavor sheet or flavoring sheet) may refer to a flavor-containing material manufactured in sheet form.

Below, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, tobacco materials (e.g. leaf tobacco cut, plate leaf cut, plate leaf, puffed cut, etc.) are added to smoking articles using leaf tobacco with a low nicotine content (hereinafter, “low nicotine leaf tobacco”). This can be manufactured. Since nicotine is the main ingredient that causes the cigarette odor in smoke (e.g. sidestream smoke, mainstream smoke) coming out through the end or perforation of smoking articles, the cigarette odor can be significantly reduced when low-nicotine leaf tobacco is used. In addition, when low-nicotine leaf tobacco is used, the year-round content of nitrogen compounds (e.g. pyridine, etc.), which is the main cause of cigarette odor, can also be reduced (see Experimental Example 1).

Low-nicotine leaf tobacco may refer to leaf tobacco with a lower nicotine content (e.g. nicotine content in the leaf) than regular leaf tobacco (e.g. general leaf tobacco). For example, low nicotine leaf tobacco may mean leaf tobacco with a nicotine content of about 1.0% by weight, 0.5% by weight, 0.3% by weight, 0.2% by weight, or 0.1% by weight or less. Low-nicotine leaf tobacco can be obtained through various methods, such as breed breeding, nicotine reduction treatment, etc., and can be obtained by any method. General leaf tobacco may refer to leaf tobacco with a nicotine content of about 1.0% by weight, 1.5% by weight, 2.0% by weight, 3.0% by weight, or 4.0% by weight or more.

Table 1 below compares the nicotine content of low-nicotine leaf tobacco and regular leaf tobacco cultivated through breed breeding. As shown in Table 1, it can be seen that the nicotine content of low-nicotine leaf tobacco is about 60% to 90% less than that of regular leaf tobacco at the same leaf location.

division landing position Nicotine content (dry basis)
(weight%) low nicotine xanthomas posterior leaf 0.04 Park Yeop 0.05 common xanthomas posterior leaf 3.36 Park Yeop 1.35 low nicotine varnish posterior leaf 0.56 Park Yeop 0.29 Common burley species posterior leaf 5.48 Park Yeop 1.60

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the term "leaf tobacco" is used to refer not only to leaf tobacco in the raw state, but also to tobacco materials produced by processing (e.g. processing, puffing, reconstitution, drying, etc.) leaf tobacco (e.g. leaf tobacco cut, leaf tobacco, puffed cut, etc.). It should be used as a concept that includes . Therefore, “low nicotine leaf tobacco” can be understood as including tobacco material produced by processing low nicotine leaf tobacco, and “regular leaf tobacco” can be understood as including tobacco material produced by processing regular leaf tobacco.

On the other hand, the more low-nicotine leaf tobacco is added, the greater the tobacco odor reduction effect will be, but as the amount of nicotine transferred decreases, the problem of weakening taste intensity may occur. Therefore, it may be desirable to prepare a tobacco material (i.e., a tobacco blend) by mixing regular leaf tobacco and low-nicotine leaf tobacco in an appropriate ratio.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material may include up to about 50% low nicotine leaf tobacco, preferably about 10% to 50%, 10% to 40%, or 20% to 40% by weight. % or 20% to 30% by weight of low nicotine leaf tobacco. And, the remaining proportion of the tobacco material can be filled with general leaf tobacco and auxiliary materials. It was confirmed that within this numerical range, the effect of reducing cigarette odor and the taste of appropriate intensity were simultaneously guaranteed. For experimental results related to this, please refer to Experimental Example 2 below.

In some embodiments, the weight ratio (i.e., mixing ratio) of low nicotine leaf tobacco and regular leaf tobacco may be about 1:1 to 1:9, preferably about 1:1 to 1:8, 1:1 to 1. :7, 1:1.5 to 1:5, 1:1.5 to 1:5, 1:1.5 to 1:4, 1:1.5 to 1:3 or 1:1.5 to 1:2. It was confirmed that within this numerical range, the effect of reducing cigarette odor and the taste of appropriate intensity were simultaneously guaranteed. For experimental results related to this, please refer to Experimental Example 2 below.

Additionally, in some embodiments, a tobacco material may be produced by combining low nicotine leaf tobacco with a nicotine content of 0.2% by weight or less and regular leaf tobacco with a nicotine content of 1.5% by weight or more. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, smoking articles can be manufactured using the above-described tobacco material (i.e., tobacco material containing low nicotine leaf tobacco). The manufactured smoking article can ensure an appropriate intensity of taste and reduced tobacco odor. Hereinafter, such smoking article will be described in detail according to the attached drawings.

1 is an exemplary diagram schematically showing a smoking article 100 with reduced cigarette odor according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1 , smoking article 100 may include a filter portion 120 , a smoking material portion 110 and a wrapper 130 . However, Figure 1 shows only components related to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Accordingly, a person skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains can recognize that other general-purpose components may be further included in addition to the components shown in FIG. 1 . In addition, since FIG. 1 only shows some examples of smoking articles according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, it goes without saying that the detailed structure of the smoking article may be different from that shown in FIG. 1. Hereinafter, each component of the smoking article 100 will be described.

The filter unit 120 may perform a filtration function for smoke and/or aerosol generated from the smoking material unit 110. To this end, the filter unit 120 may include a filter (filtration) material. Examples of filter materials may include cellulose acetate fiber, paper, etc., but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and filter materials widely known in the art may be applied to the filter unit 120 without limitation. The filter unit 120 may further include a wrapper 130 surrounding the filter material (plug).

The filter unit 120 may be located downstream of the smoking material unit 110 and connected to the downstream end of the smoking material unit 110 . For example, the filter unit 120 and the smoking material unit 110 may have the shape of a cylinder (rod), be aligned in the longitudinal axis direction, and be connected by a tipping wrapper. The tipping wrapper may connect the filter unit 120 and the smoking material unit 110 by wrapping at least a portion of the filter unit 120 and at least a portion of the smoking material unit 110 together. If the filter portion 120 forms the downstream end of the smoking article 100, the filter portion 120 may function as a mouthpiece that contacts the smoker's mouth.

Since the filter unit 120 is manufactured in the form of a rod, it may be referred to as “filter rod 120” in some cases, and may be manufactured in various shapes such as a cylindrical shape, a tube shape with a hollow inside, a recess shape, etc. You can. Additionally, the filter unit 120 may be manufactured with a single filter segment structure or a multiple filter segment structure, and may include a cavity. The detailed structure of the filter unit 120 may be modified in various ways.

Next, the smoking material portion 110 may include smoking material that can generate smoke and/or aerosol when burned or heated. The smoking material portion 110 may further include a wrapper 130 surrounding the smoking material.

The smoking material unit 110 may be located upstream of the filter unit 120 and connected to the upstream end of the filter unit 120. Smoke and/or aerosol generated from the smoking material unit 110 may be delivered to the smoker's mouth through the filter unit 120 by a puff.

Since the smoking material portion 110 is also manufactured in the form of a rod, it may be referred to as “smoking material rod 110” in some cases.

Smoking substances may include tobacco substances. Tobacco materials may include, for example, tobacco leaves, tobacco stems, or materials processed therefrom. However, it is not limited to this. Additionally, the tobacco material may be in the form of tobacco cut filler (e.g. leaf cut filler, leaf cut filler, etc.), tobacco particles, tobacco sheets, tobacco beads, tobacco granules, or tobacco extracts. However, it is not limited to this.

Additionally, the tobacco material may be manufactured by adding low nicotine leaf tobacco. For example, as described above, the tobacco material may be manufactured by adding low nicotine leaf tobacco in an appropriate proportion. In this case, the nicotine component and nitrogen compounds such as pyridine and picoline, which are the main causes of cigarette odor, in the smoke generated during smoking (e.g. sidestream smoke, mainstream smoke) may be reduced, and as a result, the smoker's body The problem of cigarette smell permeating (e.g. hands, mouth, etc.) can be greatly reduced. In addition, the problem of causing discomfort to people around you due to the smell of cigarettes can be greatly reduced. Alternatively, the tobacco material may be a tobacco blend prepared by mixing low-nicotine leaf tobacco and regular leaf tobacco in an appropriate ratio. In this case, the tobacco odor of the smoke generated during smoking can be reduced and at the same time an appropriate taste intensity can also be ensured.

In some embodiments, the smoking material may further include added substances such as humectants, flavoring agents, and/or organic acids. For example, the humectant may include at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. A humectant can maintain the moisture in the tobacco material at an appropriate level, softening the inherent taste and enriching the amount of vaporization. Additionally, flavoring agents include, for example, licorice, sucrose, fructose syrup, isosweet, cocoa, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, cascarilla, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil. , vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, cinnamon, caraway, cognac, jasmine, chamomile, menthol, cinnamon, ylang ylang, sage, spearmint, ginger, coriander, clove extract (or clove substance) or coffee. can do.

Next, the wrapper 130 may mean surrounding at least a portion of the smoking material portion 110 and/or the filter portion 120. The wrapper 130 may refer to an individual wrapper of the smoking material portion 110 or the filter portion 120, and may be a wrapper that wraps at least a portion of the smoking material portion 110 and the filter portion 120 together, such as a tipping wrapper. It may refer to a wrapper, or it may be a general term for all wrappers used in the smoking article 100. The wrapper 130 may be made of porous or non-porous wrapping paper, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the wrapper 130 may be made of metal foil or a combination of wrapping paper and metal foil.

So far, a smoking article 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIG. 1 . Hereinafter, a smoking article 200 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 2 . However, for clarity of the present disclosure, description of content that overlaps with the previous embodiments will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, this embodiment relates to a smoking article 200 that can further prevent cigarette odor from being absorbed into the smoker's hands by using the flavored sheet 240.

As shown, smoking article 200 may include a filter portion 220, a smoking material portion 210, and a wrapper 230. Since the filter unit 220 and the smoking material unit 210 may correspond to the filter unit 120 and the smoking material unit 110 described above, respectively, descriptions of these components will be omitted.

A flavored sheet 240 may be disposed on the wrapper 230 surrounding the filter unit 220. For example, the flavored sheet 240 may be disposed on the outer surface of the wrapper 230 corresponding to the gripping area. In this case, the scent released from the flavored sheet 240 can prevent the smell of cigarettes from being absorbed into the hands. However, the specific arrangement method of the flavored sheet 240 may vary.

As an example, the flavored sheet 240 may be attached to the outer surface of the wrapper 230. For example, the flavored sheet 240 may be attached to the outer surface of the wrapper 230 through a lamination process. Alternatively, the flavored sheet 240 may be placed on the outer surface of the wrapper 230 through a coating process of applying the composition of the flavored sheet 240 to the wrapper 230 and drying it. At this time, the coating thickness of the sheet composition may be about 100 μm or less, and preferably about 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm, or 50 μm or less. Within this numerical range, the wrapper 230 can be prevented from becoming excessively thick and appropriate flexibility can be secured.

As another example, the flavored sheet 240 may function as a wrapper 230. That is, at least a portion of the wrapper 230 may be made of the flavored sheet 240.

In some embodiments, an odor reducing material may be applied to the outer surface of the wrapper 230 or the flavored sheet 240. In this case, the smell of tobacco can be further prevented from being absorbed into the smoker's hands. Examples of odor reducing substances include green tea extract containing catechin as a main ingredient, citric acid, glycerol, tannic acid, or B-cyclodextrin, or mixtures thereof. It is not limited to this.

Below, the flavored sheet 240 will be explained in detail to provide convenience of understanding.

The flavored sheet 240 according to embodiments may be manufactured through the steps of manufacturing a liquid (e.g. slurry state) sheet composition and molding and drying the prepared sheet composition into a sheet form. Here, the liquid phase may include not only a liquid state but also a mixed state of liquid and solid (e.g. slurry state). For example, flavored sheet 240 can be produced by stretching (casting) a sheet composition onto a given substrate and drying it. However, it is not limited to this, and the flavored sheet 240 may be manufactured in other ways.

The detailed composition of the sheet composition can be designed in various ways.

In some embodiments, the sheet composition may include a solvent such as distilled water, ethanol, a hydrocolloid material, and a fragrance. The flavored sheet 240 manufactured from this sheet composition may have excellent fragrance retention. In addition, due to the hydrocolloid material, the flavored sheet 240 can be attached to the wrapper (e.g. 230) without a separate adhesive (that is, spraying a liquid such as water or alcohol on the flavored sheet 240 creates adhesiveness, so the wrapper can be attached without an adhesive) It can be attached to 230), the placement process of the flavored sheet 240 can be simplified, and it can be free from safety problems caused by the adhesive.

Solvents such as distilled water and ethanol may be an element for controlling the viscosity of the slurry-type sheet composition.

The hydrocolloid material may be a material that covers and fixes the fragrance, or a sheet forming agent that forms a sheet. Examples of hydrocolloid substances include gelatin, agar, gellan gum, pectin, guar gum, xanthan gum, glucomannan, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose (MC), ethylcellulose (EC), and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). , whole classifications, etc., but are not limited thereto.

Examples of flavoring agents include menthol, natural plant flavorings (e.g. cinnamon, sage, herbs, chamomile, algae, persimmon tea, clove, lavender, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, lemon, orange, cinnamon, Caraway, jasmine, ginger, coriander, vanilla extract, spearmint, peppermint, cassia, coffee, celery, cascarilla, sandalwood, cocoa, ylang-ylang, fennel, anise, licorice, St. John's bread, plum extract, peach extract. etc.), sugars (e.g. glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, caramel, etc.), cocoas (powder, extract, etc.), esters (e.g. isoamyl acetate, linalyl acetate, isoamyl propionate, linalyl butyrate) etc.), ketones (e.g. menthone, ionone, damacenone, ethylmaltol, etc.), alcohols (e.g. geraniol, linalol, anethole, eugenol, etc.), aldehydes (e.g. vanillin, benzaldehyde, anisaldehyde) etc.), lactones (e.g. γ-undecalactone, γ-nonalactone, etc.), animal fragrances (e.g. musk, ambergris, civet, castrium, etc.), hydrocarbons (e.g. limonene, pinene, etc.) there is. The fragrance may be used as a solid, or may be used dissolved or dispersed in an appropriate solvent, such as propylene glycol, ethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or triethyl citrate. Additionally, fragrances that tend to form a dispersed state in a solvent by adding an emulsifier, such as hydrophobic fragrances or oil-soluble fragrances, can be used. These fragrances can be used individually or in a mixture. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described examples.

In some embodiments, the sheet composition may include modified cellulose among various hydrocolloid materials. Here, “modified cellulose” may mean cellulose in which a specific functional group is substituted in the molecular structure. Examples of modified cellulose include, but are not limited to, HPMC, MC, CMC, and EC. For example, HPMC may have a grade in the range of about 4 to 40,000 depending on the substitution ratio of hydroxypropyl group and methyl group (or methoxy group) and molecular weight. Depending on the grade, the viscosity of the modified cellulose can be determined. More specifically, the physicochemical properties of HPMC are related to the ratio of methoxy groups, the ratio of hydroxypropyl groups, and molecular weight. According to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), the type of HPMC is determined according to the ratio of methoxy and hydroxypropyl groups. It can be classified as HPMC1828, HPMC2208, HPMC2906 and HPMC2910. Here, the first two numbers may mean the ratio of methoxy groups, and the last two numbers may mean the ratio of hydroxypropyl groups. As a result of the present inventors' continuous experiments, it was confirmed that the flavored sheet 240 manufactured from a sheet composition containing modified cellulose had excellent sheet physical properties and scent retention.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include low methoxyl pectin (LM-pectin). LM-pectin is low ester pectin or low methoxyl pectin with relatively little esterification, and can specifically refer to pectin containing less than about 50% of carboxyl groups within its molecular structure. Because LM-pectin, unlike carrageenan, has the property of not gelling when cooled, it can lower the viscosity of the slurry-type sheet composition (e.g. to about 600 cp to 800 cp). In addition, it is possible to manufacture a slurry-type sheet composition without an emulsifier, so it can be free from safety problems caused by emulsifiers.

LM-pectin may contain less than about 50%, less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less than about 20%, or less than about 10% of carboxyl groups within its molecular structure. As the content of carboxyl groups within the molecular structure of LM-pectin decreases, the viscosity of the slurry containing LM-pectin may decrease.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include a bulking agent. The bulking agent can increase the volume of the flavored sheet 240 to be manufactured by increasing the total mass (i.e., dry matter) of the components other than distilled water, and does not affect the original function of the flavored sheet 240. It can be a substance. Specifically, the bulking agent increases the volume of the flavor sheet 240, but may have properties that do not substantially increase the viscosity of the slurry and do not adversely affect the flavor retention function of the flavor sheet 240. Preferably, the bulking agent may be starch, modified starch, or starch hydrolyzate (e.g. dextrin, cyclodextrin). However, it is not limited to this.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include a plasticizer. The plasticizer can improve the physical properties of the flavored sheet 240 by adding appropriate flexibility to it. The plasticizer may include, for example, at least one of glycerin and propylene glycol, but is not limited thereto.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include an emulsifier. The emulsifier can increase the fragrance retention amount of the flavored sheet 240 by ensuring that the highly oil-soluble fragrance and the water-soluble hydrocolloid material are well mixed. An example of an emulsifier may be lecithin, but it is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, the flavored sheet 240 manufactured from the above-described sheet composition may have various composition ratios.

In some embodiments, the flavored sheet 240 may include about 2 to about 15 parts by weight moisture, about 25 to about 90 parts by weight modified cellulose, and about 0.1 to about 60 parts by weight fragrance, based on a total of 100 parts by weight. You can.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the flavored sheet 240 may contain, based on a total of 100 parts by weight, about 2 to about 15 parts by weight of moisture, about 1 to about 60 parts by weight of a hydrocolloid material, and about 1 to about 60 parts by weight of LM-pectin. It may include about 0.1 to about 60 parts by weight of fragrance and fragrance.

In some embodiments, the plasticizer may be included in an amount of about 0.1 to about 15 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the total flavored sheet 240. A sheet with appropriate flexibility can be formed within this numerical range. For example, if too little plasticizer is added, the flexibility of the sheet may decrease and the flavored sheet may be easily damaged during the process, and if too much plasticizer is added, the sheet may not be formed well.

So far, a smoking article 200 according to several other embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIG. 2 . Hereinafter, a smoking article 300 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 3 .

As shown in FIG. 3, this embodiment relates to a smoking article 300 in which finger care zones 341 to 343 are formed on the outer surface of the wrapper 330 of the filter unit 320.

As shown, smoking article 300 may include a filter portion 320, a smoking material portion 310, and a wrapper 330. Since the filter unit 320 and the smoking material unit 310 may correspond to the filter unit 220 and the smoking material unit 210 described above, respectively, descriptions of these components will be omitted.

Finger care zones 341 to 343 may be formed on the outer surface of the wrapper 330 of the filter unit 320. For example, finger care zones 341 to 343 may be formed in the gripping area 340 of the wrapper 330. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the finger care zones 341 to 343 will be abbreviated as “care zones 341 to 343.” In addition, reference number “341” is used as a number representing a plurality of care zones (341 to 343).

The care zone 341 can be formed, for example, by applying microcapsules containing ink and functional materials. Here, the ink can serve to visually convey characteristic information such as the location of the care zone 341 and the type of care function to the smoker, and the microcapsule can provide a finger care function to the smoker. For example, when the smoker's fingers rub against the care zone 341, the microcapsules may be broken and functional substances may be discharged, and the discharged functional substances may naturally come in contact with the smoker's fingers, thereby exerting a finger care effect. Therefore, the specific care function of the care zone 341 may be determined depending on the type of functional material.

Examples of functional materials include, but are not limited to, antibacterial materials, deodorizing (deodorizing) materials, fragrance materials, disinfecting materials, and odor reducing materials.

In addition, antibacterial substances may include, for example, grapefruit extract, lime oil, eucalyptus oil, pine needle oil, eucalyptol, limonene, propolis, etc. However, it is not limited to this.

In some embodiments, the care zone 341 may be formed by applying a composition containing ink and microcapsules using an offset printing method. Offset printing is an indirect printing method that uses the repulsive force of water and oil, and can minimize microcapsule breakage (crushing) compared to other printing methods such as gravure printing. For example, the offset printing method can minimize the phenomenon of microcapsules breaking due to friction between smoking articles 300 within the smoking article case.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the microcapsule may further contain a material that can change the color or color density of the ink in addition to the functional material. For example, the microcapsules may further contain a diluent material that can change the color intensity by diluting the ink. In this case, since the color or color density of the ink gradually changes as the microcapsules are crushed, the remaining amount of microcapsules in the care zone 341 can be intuitively conveyed to the smoker through visual changes. In other words, the effect of visually conveying the remaining use period of the care zone 341 to the smoker can be achieved.

Meanwhile, the location, shape, form, color, size, number, arrangement, etc. of the care zone 341 can be designed in various ways.

In some embodiments, as shown, a plurality of care zones 341 to 343 are spaced apart at a predetermined interval, and each care zone 341 to 343 may be formed in a band shape. In this case, the microcapsules can be easily broken through friction, and the aesthetics of the smoking article 300 can also be improved.

Additionally, in some implementations, a plurality of care zones 341 to 343 may be formed by applying microcapsules containing ink of different colors and different functional materials. For example, antibacterial microcapsules (i.e., microcapsules containing antibacterial substances) are applied to the first care zone 341, deodorizing microcapsules are applied to the second care zone 342, and directional microcapsules are applied to the third care zone 343. Capsules may be applied. Additionally, ink of different colors may be applied to each care zone (341 to 343). In this case, the effect of informing the function of the care zone 341 through color can be achieved, and a comprehensive finger care effect can also be provided through different functional materials.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the care intensity (or discharge amount of functional material) of the care zone 341 may be adjusted through the crushing strength of the microcapsule. Specifically, microcapsules with a low crushing strength may be applied to the first care zone 341, and microcapsules with a high crushing strength may be applied to the second care zone 342. In this case, a high-intensity (or high-stimulation) care function can be provided in the first care zone 341 by discharging a large amount of functional material due to the friction motion of the smoker, and a small amount of functional material is discharged in the second care zone 342. By being discharged, a low-intensity (or hypoallergenic) care function can be provided. In this embodiment, ink of a different color or color density may be applied to the first care zone 341 and the second care zone 342. Additionally, the color or color density of the ink may be determined based on the care intensity.

For reference, the crushing strength of the microcapsule can be controlled by the membrane material of the microcapsule. The membrane material may include, for example, a biodegradable polymer material (e.g. a cellulose-based material) or a melamine-based material, but is not limited thereto. According to the experimental results, it was confirmed that microcapsules using cellulose-based materials as membrane materials had lower crushing strength and superior biodegradability than microcapsules using melamine-based materials as membrane materials.

So far, a smoking article 300 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIG. 3 .

The technical ideas contained in the embodiments described so far can be combined in various forms. For example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the flavored sheet 240 may be applied to the wrapper (e.g. 230) of a smoking article (e.g. 200), and a care zone 341 may be formed on the outer surface of the flavored sheet 240. .

Hereinafter, the composition and effect of a tobacco material or smoking article (e.g. 100) containing low-nicotine leaf tobacco will be made more clear through examples and comparative examples. However, since the following examples are only some examples of the present disclosure, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the following examples.

Example 1

Tobacco material was prepared by mixing about 10% by weight of low nicotine leaf tobacco and about 90% by weight of regular leaf tobacco. In addition, the manufactured tobacco material was added to produce a cigarette having the same structure as the smoking article 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. A cellulose acetate filter was used as a cigarette filter. The varieties and leaf component contents of low-nicotine leaf tobacco and regular leaf tobacco used to manufacture tobacco materials are listed in Table 2 below.

division Nicotine (% by weight) Sugarcane (% by weight) Total nitrogen (% by weight) low nicotine xanthomas 0.05 18.0 2.0 common xanthomas 1.97 17.0 2.0

Example 2

The same cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured, except that the tobacco material was prepared by mixing about 20% by weight of low nicotine leaf tobacco and about 80% by weight of regular leaf tobacco.

Example 3

The same cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured, except that the tobacco material was prepared by mixing about 30% by weight of low nicotine leaf tobacco and about 70% by weight of regular leaf tobacco.

Example 4

The same cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured, except that the tobacco material was prepared by mixing about 40% by weight of low nicotine leaf tobacco and about 60% by weight of regular leaf tobacco.

Example 5

The same cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured, except that the tobacco material was prepared by mixing about 50% by weight of low nicotine leaf tobacco and about 50% by weight of regular leaf tobacco.

Comparative Example 1

The same cigarette as in Example 1 was manufactured, except that the tobacco material was manufactured using only regular leaf tobacco.

Table 3 below summarizes the leaf tobacco mixing ratios of cigarettes according to Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example 1.

division Leaf tobacco mixing ratio (% by weight) low nicotine common Example 1 10 90 Example 2 20 80 Example 3 30 70 Example 4 40 60 Example 5 50 50 Comparative Example 1 0 100

Experimental Example 1: Smoke component analysis

An experiment was conducted to analyze the smoke components of the cigarettes according to Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example 1. Specifically, we analyzed the components of smoke (e.g. mainstream smoke) generated during smoking of cigarettes two weeks after manufacture, and measured HC (Health) using an automatic smoking device in a smoking room with a temperature of approximately 20°C and a humidity of approximately 62.5%. Canada) The experiment was conducted according to smoking conditions. Smoke collection for component analysis was repeated three times for each sample, based on 8 puffs each time, and the average values of the three collection results are shown in Tables 4 and 5 below. Table 4 lists the analysis results for tar and nicotine components, and Table 5 lists the analysis results for nitrogen compounds. In Table 5, “total” refers to the annual content of total nitrogen compounds.

division Tar
(mg/cig.) Nick.
(mg/cig.) Tar/Nic.
(mg/cig.) Example 1 19.0 1.20 16.4 Example 2 18.4 1.04 17.7 Example 3 18.7 0.90 20.7 Example 4 18.3 0.81 22.5 Example 5 18.7 0.70 26.9 Comparative Example 1 19.2 1.23 15.7

division total
(mg/cig.) pyridine
(mg/cig.) 3-picolin
(mg/cig.) 3-Vinyl pyridine
(mg/cig.) Example 1 29.2 11.5 5.0 2.2 Example 2 27.3 10.7 4.4 1.8 Example 3 26.5 10.1 4.2 1.7 Example 4 27.1 10.7 4.2 1.7 Example 5 27.0 10.2 3.7 1.4 Comparative Example 1 29.3 11.6 5.1 2.2

Referring to Table 4, it can be seen that the year-round nicotine content of cigarettes according to Examples is generally lower than that of Comparative Example 1. In addition, it can be seen that as the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco increases, the nicotine content decreases noticeably throughout the year. Since nicotine is the main cause of cigarette odor, it can be seen that the cigarettes according to the examples cause less cigarette odor than Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, it can be seen that the tobacco odor can be further reduced by increasing the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco.

Referring to Table 5, it can be seen that the year-round nitrogen compound content of the cigarettes according to the examples is generally lower than that of Comparative Example 1. For example, it can be seen that the content of nitrogen compounds such as pyridine, 3-picoline, and 3-vinyl pyridine is generally low throughout the year. In addition, it can be seen that as the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco increases, the nitrogen compound content generally decreases throughout the year. Since nitrogen compounds such as pyridine are also a major cause of cigarette odor, it can be seen that the cigarettes according to the examples cause less cigarette odor than Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, it can be seen that the tobacco odor can be further reduced by increasing the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco.

Experimental Example 2: Sensory evaluation of taste intensity

For the cigarettes according to Examples 1, 2, and 4, and Comparative Example 1, an experiment was conducted to sensoryly evaluate the taste intensity. Specifically, an experiment was conducted on 24 trained panelists to evaluate the taste intensity of cigarettes 2 weeks after manufacture.

Sensory evaluation was performed based on a comprehensive degree of difference test. Specifically, the difference in taste intensity of cigarettes according to Comparative Examples and Examples was evaluated according to 7 grades as follows, and then the evaluation results were interpreted by applying a 2/3 cut-off technique (i.e., 1 ~ A grade of 2 is interpreted as no difference, and grades 3 to 7 are interpreted as a difference).

1: No difference

2: Very little difference

3: Slight difference

4: Moderate difference

5: The difference is slightly larger

6: Big difference

7: The difference is very large

In addition, if cigarettes with a small difference in nicotine content are evaluated as having a taste intensity difference (large) and cigarettes with a large nicotine content difference are evaluated as having no taste intensity difference (small), this can be considered an error in sensory evaluation. Therefore, it was invalidated in the evaluation results (see the part corrected to "1->0" in Table 6).

In addition, using the results of the sensory evaluation, the mixing amount (i.e., threshold value) of low nicotine leaf tobacco at which the panelists perceive differences in taste intensity was determined according to the Best Estimation Threshold (“BET”) method according to ASTM E679-79. Calculated.

The sensory evaluation results and threshold content values are shown in Tables 6 and 7 below. In Tables 6 and 7 below, “1 vs. 1” means “Comparative Example 1 vs. Example 1.” In addition, in the BET-related formula below, "a" refers to the maximum mixing ratio of low-nicotine leaf tobacco that does not (or is expected to not) recognize the difference in taste intensity, and "b" refers to the maximum mixing ratio of low-nicotine leaf tobacco that does not recognize the difference in taste intensity. This refers to the minimum mixing ratio of low-nicotine leaf tobacco that is recognized (or expected to be recognized).

For example, in the case of P1, no difference was recognized even when the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco was about 40%, so the value of a was set to "0.4". In addition, it is expected that a difference will be perceived if the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco is about 60% or more, so the value of b was set to "0.6".

In addition, in the case of P3, the difference was not recognized when the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco was about 20%, so the value of a was set to "0.2", and when the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco was about 40%, the difference was not recognized. Since was recognized, the value of b was set to "0.4".

In addition, in the case of P5, a difference was recognized even when the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco was about 10%, so the value of b was set to "0.1". In addition, when the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco was about 5%, it was expected that the difference would not be perceptible, so the value of a was set to "0.05".

For reference, the log taken during the BET calculation process is to reduce the deviation of the calculation result value, and the expected threshold value can be understood as calculated by restoring the value reduced by the log. Those skilled in the art will be fully familiar with BET, so a detailed description of the calculation process will be omitted, and for details on BET, refer to ASTM E679-79.

panel
division Is there a difference in intensity? BET 1 vs. One 2 vs. One 4 vs. One √(a*b) log(√(a*b)) P1 0 1->0 0 0.49 -0.31 P2 1->0 0 0 0.49 -0.31 P3 0 0 One 0.28 -0.55 P4 0 0 0 0.49 -0.31 P5 One One One 0.07 -1.15 P6 1->0 0 0 0.49 -0.31 P7 1->0 0 0 0.49 -0.31 P8 0 0 0 0.49 -0.31 P9 1->0 0 One 0.28 -0.55 P10 0 One One 0.14 -0.85 P11 0 0 0 0.49 -0.31 P12 1->0 0 One 0.28 -0.55

Panel division Is there a difference in intensity? BET 1 vs. One 2 vs. One 4 vs. One √(a*b) log(√(a*b)) P13 0 0 One 0.28 -0.55 P14 0 One One 0.14 -0.85 P15 1->0 0 One 0.28 -0.55 P16 1->0 0 One 0.28 -0.55 P17 1->0 1->0 0 0.49 -0.31 P18 0 One One 0.14 -0.85 P19 1->0 0 0 0.49 -0.31 P20 0 0 One 0.28 -0.55 P21 1->0 0 0 0.49 -0.31 P22 1->0 0 One 0.28 -0.55 P23 0 One One 0.14 -0.85 P24 1->0 0 0 0.49 -0.31 Average (m) -0.52 Expected threshold value ((10^-m)*10) 33.1%

Referring to Tables 6 and 7 above, it can be seen that there is almost no difference in taste intensity between the cigarettes according to Example 1 (or Example 2) and Comparative Example 1, and between the cigarettes according to Example 4 and Comparative Example 1 It can be seen that there is some difference in taste intensity. This means that when low nicotine leaf tobacco is blended at approximately 40% by weight or more, smokers perceive a decrease in taste intensity. Therefore, in order to ensure appropriate taste intensity, it can be seen that it is desirable to mix low nicotine leaf tobacco in an amount of approximately 40% by weight or less.

In addition, according to the optimal estimation threshold calculation method, the threshold value of the mixing ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco was calculated to be about 33.1% by weight. This means that most smokers do not notice a decrease in taste intensity when low nicotine leaf tobacco is mixed at about 33.1% by weight or less. Therefore, in order to maximize the reduction of tobacco odor and minimize the decrease in taste intensity, it can be seen that it is desirable to mix low nicotine leaf tobacco at approximately 30% by weight.

So far, the composition and effect of a tobacco material or smoking article (e.g. 100) containing low nicotine leaf tobacco has been described through comparative examples and examples.

Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical idea or essential features. I can understand that there is. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of protection of this disclosure should be interpreted in accordance with the claims below, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of the technical ideas defined by this disclosure.

100, 200, 300: Smoking items
110, 210, 310: Smoking Substance Department
120, 220, 320: Filter unit
130, 230, 330: Rapper
240: Flavored sheet
340: gripping area
341, 342, 343: Finger care zone

Claims (8)

a smoking substances section containing tobacco substances; and
Includes a filter unit,
The tobacco substances are,
A first substance produced by processing first leaf tobacco having a nicotine content of 0.5% by weight or less; and
Includes a second substance produced by processing second leaf tobacco with a nicotine content of 1.0% by weight or more,
The first leaf tobacco includes one or more leaf tobacco selected from the yellow type with a nicotine content of 0.5% by weight or less or the yellow type with a nicotine content of 0.5% by weight or less,
Smoking items. According to claim 1,
wherein the first material is 10% to 40% by weight of the tobacco material,
Smoking items. According to claim 1,
The nicotine content of the first leaf tobacco is 0.1% by weight or less,
Smoking items. delete According to claim 1,
The weight ratio of the first material and the second material is 1:1 to 1:9,
Smoking items. According to clause 5,
The weight ratio is 1:1.5 to 1:4,
Smoking items. According to claim 1,
The nicotine content of the first leaf tobacco is 0.2% by weight or less,
The nicotine content of the second leaf tobacco is 1.5% by weight or more,
Smoking items. According to claim 1,
It further includes a filter wrapper surrounding the filter unit,
A flavored sheet comprising a sheet former and a fragrance is applied to at least a portion of the filter wrapper,
An odor reducing material is applied to the outer surface of the flavored sheet,
Smoking items.

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