KR20100108614A - Smoking article - Google Patents

Abstract

The smoking article has an aerosol generating unit 11 and a filter unit 12 attached to the aerosol generating unit 11. The filter portion 12 contains a plurality of flavor-releasing particles 123 each including a water-soluble matrix containing a flavor component. The plurality of flavor-releasing particles 123 each have a particle diameter in the range of 1 to 100 µm and exhibits an average particle diameter of 20 µm or less.

Description

Smoking article {SMOKING ARTICLE}

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a smoking article. Specifically, It is related with the smoking article provided with the filter containing a flavor component.

Smoking articles, for example, cigarettes, are composed of various materials such as tobacco flesh, paper, filters, and optionally activated carbon to be filled in filters. Moreover, various flavor components are added to smoking articles, such as a cigarette, and create the characteristic taste and fragrance for every cigarette product. In recent years, in order to taste a wider range of flavors, a flavor component has been added to the filter attached to the cigarette so as to change or enhance the flavor exhibited by the cigarette itself.

As a method of adding a flavor component to a cigarette filter, a method of adding a flavor component directly to a filter, a method of adsorbing a flavor component to porous particles such as activated carbon, and adding the porous particles to a filter have been conventionally used. However, in a cigarette having a filter to which the flavor component is directly added, since the flavor component is transferred from the filter part to another tobacco material part due to the adsorption equilibrium in the package through the distribution process of the cigarette product, the flavor is stable and flavored. There is a tendency to not taste. Cigarettes having a filter containing porous particles adsorbing the flavor component, when smoking, are incompletely desorbed from the flavor component from the porous particles, and thus cannot release a sufficient flavor component.

For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 4-75578 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-45198 disclose that when a particle is coated with a filter with natural polysaccharides, the particle is crushed when the smoke is crushed. A cigarette of the type for dissipating is disclosed. In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-279986 discloses a cigarette provided with a filter to which cyclodextrin containing a flavor component is added. In addition, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 48-40719 discloses a filter in which a perfume capsule coated with polyvinyl alcohol or the like is added to a filter. However, none of these cigarettes can stably maintain the flavor component at the time of non-smoking, and in addition, the flavor component can be immediately released at the time of smoking.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a smoking article that can stably retain the flavor component and can immediately release the flavor component upon smoking.

At the time of non-smoking, in order to keep a flavor component in a filter stably, it is preferable to fix a flavor component in a filter, and to do so, it is best to add a flavor component to a suitable matrix material. In addition, in consideration of efficiently releasing the flavor component during smoking, the matrix material preferably dissolves easily by moisture contained in the aerosol generated during smoking, and at the same time, it is preferable that the contact surface area with the aerosol is large. Do. Therefore, it is preferable to add a flavor component to the water-soluble matrix with a small particle diameter as much as possible. In view of such findings, the present inventors have diligently studied to inject flavor components into water-soluble matrix particles having a particle diameter within the range of 1 to 100 µm and exhibiting an average particle diameter of 20 µm or less. We found that we could achieve our purpose.

That is, according to this invention, it has an aerosol generating part and the filter part attached to the said aerosol generating part, The said filter part contains the some flavor-releasing particle | grains containing the water-soluble matrix containing a flavor component, respectively, The flavor-releasing particle | grain of has a particle diameter in the range of 1-100 micrometers, respectively, and the smoking article which shows the average particle diameter of 20 micrometers or less is provided.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The smoking article of the present invention includes a filter containing a plurality of flavor-releasing particles in one stage of the aerosol generating unit.

Each flavor-releasing particle contains a water-soluble matrix containing a flavor component. Each flavor-releasing particle has a particle diameter in the range of 1-100 micrometers, Preferably it is 1-50 micrometers, The several flavor-releasing particle | grains contained in a filter are 20 micrometers or less, Preferably the average of 10 micrometers or less The particle diameter is shown. Particularly preferred flavor-releasing particles each have a particle diameter in the range of 1 to 50 µm, and each exhibits an average particle diameter of 10 µm or less and usually 1 to 10 µm. In the present invention, the particle diameter and the average particle diameter are all based on a laser diffraction / scattering method, and the average particle diameter represents a volume average diameter. The flavor-releasing particle of the present invention has a narrow particle size distribution, the number of particles having a particle size of more than 0 µm and having a particle diameter of 50 µm or less may occupy 90% or more of the total number of particles, preferably, exceeding 0 µm The number of particles having a particle diameter of 30 μm or less may occupy 80% or more of the total particle number.

The water-soluble matrix in which the flavor component is contained (injected) is not particularly limited as long as the flavor component is not released when the flavor component is not released (including storage and storage). As such a matrix material, a water-soluble polymer such as dextrin, gelatin, gum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose and the like can be used. In particular, dextrin is most preferred because of its high solubility in water. Dextrin is 50 weight% or more in water, and can be melt | dissolved.

The flavor component used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it satisfies a person's taste through taste and smell. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic flavor components can also be used. Examples of hydrophobic flavor components include menthol, esters (e.g. isoamyl acetate, linayl acetate, isoamyl propionate, linaryl butyrate), natural essential oils (e.g. vanilla extract, spearmint) Vegetable essential oils such as peppermint, cassia and jasmine, and animal essential oils such as musk, amba, civet, and castrum), single fragrances (for example, anetol, limonene, linarol, eugenol and the like) )to be. Examples of the hydrophilic flavor component include leaf tobacco extract extract, natural vegetable flavors (e.g., licorice, cent Jones bleed, plum extract, peach extract, etc.), acids (e.g., malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, etc.), Sugars (for example, glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, etc.) and polyhydric alcohols (propylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol and the like). These components can be used individually or in combination of 2 or more types.

Although there is no restriction | limiting in particular in the form of flavor-emitting particle | grains, It is especially preferable that it is spherical.

In the present invention, the particularly preferred flavor-releasing particles have a particle size within the range of 1 to 50 µm, and are fine particles exhibiting an average particle diameter of 10 µm or less, usually 1 to 10 µm. It can manufacture suitably using a dryer (Micro mist dryer MDL-050M by Fujisaki Denki Co., Ltd.). Generally, the particle diameter which can be manufactured with the commercial spray dryer commercially available exceeds 30 micrometers as an average particle diameter, and particle size distribution is also wide.

When producing flavor-releasing particles into which a hydrophobic flavor component is added, an emulsifier is used to emulsify the hydrophobic flavor component. There is no restriction | limiting in the kind of emulsifier, For example, a sucrose fatty acid ester, a polyglycerol fatty acid ester, a glycerin fatty acid ester, a sorbitan fatty acid ester, lecithin, etc. can be used. Especially, sucrose fatty acid ester is especially preferable.

In order to produce flavor-releasing particles containing a hydrophobic flavor component, first, a required amount of emulsifier is added in water, stirred at a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the emulsifier (for example, 50 to 60 ° C), dissolved, and then dissolved in a water-soluble matrix. Ash (water-soluble polymer) is added and dissolved. In addition, hydrophobic flavor component is added and emulsified so that the average particle diameter of an emulsion may be 2 micrometers or less, Preferably it is 0.5 micrometers or less using a homo mixer in the state heated at 50-60 degreeC. Spray drying (120-200 degreeC) of the emulsion prepared in this way by the said micro mist dryer, and a desired flavor-emitting particle | grains are obtained.

When producing flavor-releasing particles containing a hydrophilic flavor component, it is not necessary to add an emulsifier. What is necessary is just to add a hydrophilic flavor component to the aqueous solution of a water-soluble matrix material (water-soluble polymer), and to stir and spray-dry (120-200 degreeC) the solution with the said micro mist dryer.

It is preferable that the quantity of each component in a flavor-releasing particle | grain is as follows. The water-soluble matrix material is 40 to 95% by weight, preferably 70 to 90% by weight, the emulsifier is 0.5 to 5% by weight

%, Preferably 1-2 weight% and a flavor component are trace amount-50 weight%, Preferably it is 10-30 weight%. The flavor-releasing particle | grains can be added to a filter individually or in combination of 2 or more types.

Even if the flavor-releasing particle | grains of this invention are stored for a long time under conditions of the temperature of 55 degreeC, 35% of a relative humidity, and the temperature of 22 degreeC, and 60% of a relative humidity, volatilization of a flavor component is not recognized and shows extremely high holding stability, On the other hand, it is confirmed that a flavor component is first released under the high humidity conditions of 22 degreeC and 75% of a relative humidity.

The flavor-releasing particle | grains are contained in a filter part. The material which comprises a filter is normal

There is no restriction | limiting in particular if it is a material applicable to smoking. Examples of such a filter material include, for example, cellulose acetate, paper, and nonwoven sheet of natural pulp (a filter formed by winding the sheet in the shape of a rod is commercially available under the brand name Neo Filter from Japan Filter Industry). Propylene, rayon.

In the smoking article of this invention, if a filter part contains the filter containing the flavor-releasing particle | grains of this invention, there is no restriction | limiting in particular in the form. The filter unit may include a charcoal filter. The charcoal filter is preferably installed on the upstream side of the smoking direction than the filter containing the flavor-releasing particles of the present invention in order to avoid the adsorption of the flavor released during smoking. Examples of the structure of the filter portion include a frame structure (filter alone containing flavor-releasing particles of the present invention), a dual structure (for example, a filter containing a flavor-releasing particle of the present invention, an acetate filter, or a charcoal filter). And combinations of filters containing flavor-releasing particles of the present invention), triple filters (e.g., charcoal filters, combinations of filters containing flavor-releasing particles of the present invention and acetate filters), and multi-section structures ( For example, an acetate filter, a charcoal filter, a combination containing a flavor-releasing particle of the present invention, a combination of an aceter filter, and the like, a recess filter (for example, in each of the above filter structures, the cavity portion is provided at the inlet portion. Installed), a core sheathed dual concentric filter, a CVD (channel ventilation dam) filter, and a thermoforming filter such as an open filter having a hole (for example, a conical hole) in the center.

The smoking article of the present invention includes a combustion type smoking article that generates aerosol by combustion such as a normal cigarette, and tastes the flavor, and a non-combustible smoking type that generates aerosol by heating substantially without involving combustion of the smoking material. Articles are included. The non-combustible smoking article is generally installed at the tip of the aerosol-generating portion by physically separating the aerosol-generating portion including an aerosol-generating substance that generates an aerosol by heating, and the aerosol-generating portion, And a heating source for heating the aerosol-generating material. Here, "physically separating" means that the aerosol generating unit and the heat source are physically provided as separate objects (separate parts).

The aerosol-generating portion of the combustion type smoking article includes a normal combustion smoking material such as tobacco meat. That is, the combustion type smoking article of this invention can be said to have a structure similar to a normal cigarette except the filter part containing the filter containing the flavor-releasing particle | grains of this invention.

The aerosol-generating portion of the non-combustible smoking article is an aerosol-generating substance that generates an aerosol by heating, for example, polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecane diacid, tetra Carboxylic acid aliphatic esters, such as dimethyl decane diacid, are included. The aerosol-generating substance is usually supported on a suitable carrier to provide an aerosol-generating member. As the carrier, porous materials such as paper and activated carbon can be used. The aerosol-generating material is absorbed or adsorbed to the porous material. Alternatively, glucan gel such as cardlan described in Japanese Patent No. 3118462 can be used as the carrier. That is, an aerosol-generating substance is added to an aqueous dispersion of thermally irreversible high-performance glucan, and the dispersion is cast into a thin film sheet on a support (for example, a stainless steel belt), followed by heat drying. To gel the glucan. The glucan gel holding the aerosol-generating substance can be re-aggregated or powdered. The carrier supporting the aerosol-generating material (the aerosol-generating member) can be accommodated in a cylindrical body formed of a non-combustible / insulating material such as a paper sheet containing glass fibers, a ceramic or a paper sheet coated with a metal foil, to constitute an aerosol generating portion. . The heating source attached to the tip of the aerosol generating unit usually contains a carbonaceous material.

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Throughout all drawings, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same element and description of the repetition is abbreviate | omitted.

1 shows an example of the smoking article of the present invention in the form of a normal cigarette. The illustrated smoking article (cigarette) 10 includes a columnar aerosol-generating member (for example, tobacco flesh) 111 made of a combustion smoking material (for example, tobacco flesh) that can be used for smoking, The outer circumference is recommended by the winding paper 112 to constitute the aerosol generating unit 11. The filter portion 12 is attached to one end of the aerosol generating portion 11. In the cigarette shown in FIG. 1, this filter part 12 is a filter comprised by the cylindrical filter material 121 of the same diameter as the aerosol generating part 11, and the winding paper 122 which recommends the outer periphery. Is done. The flavor-emitting particles 123 of the present invention are dispersed and added to the filter material 121. The aerosol generating unit 11 and the filter unit 12 are connected by the chip paper 101. In the chip paper 101, the ventilation hole 101a can be laid in the same manner as in a normal cigarette. The tip of the aerosol generating unit 11 is ignited, the aerosol generating member is burned, and the filter unit 12 smokes. The flavor-releasing particles added to the filter portion come into contact with the smoke particles, are dissolved and destroyed by moisture in the smoke particles, release the flavor, and the flavor can be tasted.

2 shows an example of the smoking article of the present invention in the form of a normal cigarette provided with a charcoal filter in addition to the filter containing the flavor-releasing particles of the present invention. The illustrated smoking article (cigarette) 20 includes a filter portion 21 including a charcoal filter 13 and a flavor-releasing particle-containing filter 12 of the present invention at one end of the aerosol-generating portion 11. . The charcoal filter 13 is comprised by the columnar filter material 131 and the winding paper 132 which recommends the outer periphery, The charcoal (activated carbon) particle | grains which are not shown in figure are disperse | distributed in the filter material 131. . Alternatively, the charcoal filter 13 may be a cavity in which the filter material 131 is filled, and filled with activated carbon particles therein. The filter 12 and the filter 13 are integrated with molded paper (not shown), and the filter unit 21 is connected to the aerosol generating unit 11 by chip paper 101 in which a ventilation hole may be installed. It is. Since the charcoal filter 13 is located upstream in the smoking direction with respect to the filter 12 containing the flavor-releasing particle of the present invention, the flavor emitted from the flavor-releasing particle of the present invention is charcoal filter 13. It is hardly adsorbed by).

3 shows an example of the non-combustible smoking article of the present invention. The illustrated non-combustible smoking article 30 has a heat insulating cylindrical body 31, and the inside of this cylindrical body 31 is defined by four sections. In the first section on the tip end side of the cylindrical body 31, for example, a columnar carbonaceous heat source 32 formed with a plurality of grooves (not shown) along the longitudinal direction on the outer circumference thereof is made of, for example, glass fiber. It is inserted in the shape accommodated in the formed heat insulating cylinder 33. As shown in FIG. In the second section following the first section, an aerosol-generating member 34 that generates aerosol by heating is filled. In the third section following the second section, the tobacco flesh 35 can be accommodated. In the fourth section following the third section, the filter material 36 to which the flavor-releasing particles 37 of the present invention are added and dispersed is filled. The circumference | surroundings of the cylindrical body 31 can also be wrapped with the paper material 38 further. In this non-combustion type smoking article, a charcoal filter (not shown) can be attached between a 3rd section and a 4th section.

When the carbonaceous heat source 32 is ignited and the smoking article is sucked, air is sucked through the groove around the carbon heat source 32, and the aerosol-generating members 34 and 35 are heated to form aerosols (smoke particles). Generate. When the generated smoke particles come into contact with the flavor-releasing particles 37 added in the filter material 36, the flavor component retainer dissolves and breaks down due to moisture in the smoke particles, thereby dissipating the flavor component.

4 shows an example of a combustion type smoking article (cigarette) having a double concentric filter. In the cigarette 40 shown in FIG. 1, the double concentric filter 41 is attached to the rear end of the filter 12 in the cigarette shown in FIG. The double concentric filter 41 includes a core portion 42 through which smoke passes and a sheath portion 43 surrounding the core portion 42. The core part 42 adds-disperses the flavor-releasing particle | grains 422 of this invention to the filter raw material 421. FIG. The filter 41 is recommended by the winding paper 411. The sheath portion 43 is made of a filter material 431. The filters 12 and 41 are integrated with molded paper (not shown), and are connected to the aerosol generating unit 11 by the chip paper 101. The chip paper 101 is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes 101a at positions corresponding to the portion including the boundary between the filters 12 and 41. Air (dilution air) from the outside flows through the sheath portion 43 from the ventilation hole 101a, and smoke flows through the core portion.

5 shows another example of a combustion type smoking article (cigarette) having a double concentric filter. In the cigarette shown in FIG. 1, the double concentric filter 51 of a structure different from the double concentric filter 41 shown in FIG. 4 is attached to the rear end of the filter 12 in the cigarette shown in FIG. The double concentric filter 51 includes a core portion 52 through which smoke passes and a sheath portion 53 surrounding the core portion 52. The core portion 52 is made of a filter material 521. The sheath part 53 adds and distributes the flavor-releasing particle | grains 532 of this invention to the filter raw material 531. The filter 51 is recommended by the winding paper 511. The filters 12 and 51 are integrated with molded paper (not shown), and are connected to the aerosol generating unit 11 by the chip paper 101. At a position corresponding to the portion including the boundary between the filters 12 and 41, a plurality of penetrating through the chip paper 101 and the molding paper and the winding paper 122 and 511 (not shown) to the core portion 52 are provided. Ventilation holes 101a are laid. Air (dilution air) from the outside flows through the core part 52 from this ventilation hole 101a, and smoke flows through the sheath part 53.

6 shows an example of a smoking article (cigarette) having a multi-section filter section including a double concentric filter. The illustrated cigarette 60 has an aerosol generating unit 11 similarly to the cigarette shown in FIG. 1. One end of the aerosol-generating portion 11 includes the same charcoal filter 13 as shown in FIG. 2, the filter 12 containing the flavor-releasing particles 123 of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4. A conventional filter 61 composed of the same double concentric filter 41 and filter material 611 as recommended by the winding paper 612 is provided in this order. These four filters 13, 12, 41, and 61 are integrated with molded paper (not shown), and are connected to the aerosol generating unit 11 by the chip paper 101. The chip paper 101 is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes 101a at positions corresponding to portions including the boundaries of the filters 12 and 41. Air (dilution air) from outside from this ventilation hole 101a flows through the sheath part 43 of the filter 41, and smoke flows through the core part 42, and enters the smoker's mouth through the filter 61. Aspirated by

The flavor component holder used in the smoking article of the present invention has a high contact area with the smoke particles because of its small particle size, and since the matrix material constituting the flavor-releasing particles is extremely easy to dissolve in water, good flavor from the initial puff. Release occurs, and high flavor release amount (12% or more as the transition rate of the flavor component in the smoke) is obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows an example of the combustion type smoking article which concerns on this invention.
2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the combustion type smoking article according to the present invention.
3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a non-combustible smoking article according to the present invention.
4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the combustion type smoking article according to the present invention.
5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another example of the combustion type smoking article according to the present invention.
6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another example of the combustion type smoking article according to the present invention.
7 is a graph showing the particle size distribution of the flavor-releasing particle of the present invention.

Next, although an Example demonstrates this invention, this invention is not limited by these Examples.

Example 1

In 59.5 parts by weight of purified water in 0.5 sucrose fatty acid ester (HLB value: 11) as an emulsifier

After adding the parts, by stirring at about 60 ℃ for 10 minutes to dissolve, dextrin (dextrose

Equivalent value: 18) 40.0 parts by weight was added and dissolved. This solution was adjusted to 50-60 degreeC, 10.125 weight part of menthols were added, and it dissolved, and emulsified at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutes using the TK homo mixer, and the spray liquid was prepared. An emulsion emulsion having a particle diameter of 0.2 µm was produced. While keeping this spray liquid at 50-60 degreeC, it liquid-transmitted by the spray dryer (Spray dryer MDL-050M by Fujisaki Denki Co., Ltd.), spray-dried at 180 degreeC, and obtained desired flavor-releasing particle | grains. The particle size distribution of this flavor-emitting particle | grain was measured using the laser diffraction / scattering type particle size distribution measuring apparatus (LA-920 by Horiba Corporation) (ethanol was used as a dispersion medium of particle | grains). The results are shown in FIG. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the particles obtained by the four-fluid nozzle spray type spray dryer have a small particle diameter (particle diameter of 1.151 to 44.938 µm) and an extremely narrow particle size distribution. In addition, the volume average diameter of the obtained flavor-releasing particle | grain was 9.2879 micrometers (median diameter is 8.2563 micrometers). In addition, the composition of the obtained flavor-releasing particle | grain was analyzed that it is 79 weight% of dextrin, 1 weight% of sucrose fatty acid ester, and 20 weight% of menthol.

The flavor-releasing particles were subjected to a temperature of 55 ° C., a relative humidity of 35%, and a temperature of 22 ° C.,

Preservation stability was investigated for 3 months, respectively, under the condition of 60% relative humidity. As a result, even under both storage conditions, volatilization of menthol from flavor-releasing particles was not confirmed, and it was found that it had extremely high flavor retention stability. On the other hand, when the flavor-releasing particles were stored under the conditions of a temperature of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 75%, release of menthol was finally confirmed.

Furthermore, 26 mg (menthol amount 6.3 mg) of the flavor-releasing particles were dispersed and added to an acetate filter of 2.8Y35000 and a length of 18 mm, and adhered to the tobacco column portion of a commercially available mild seven super light with chip paper. Ventilation holes were formed in the chip paper so that the dilution ratio of the mainstream smoke was 40%. The obtained cigarette was provided for smoking under the standard smoking conditions prescribed by ISO. The release of menthol was confirmed at the same time as smoking, and usually showed the same puff pattern as the menthol cigarette product. Tar was 7.1 mg / dog and nicotine was 0.5 mg / dog. In addition, the release amount of menthol is 0.78 mg / piece, the transition rate of menthol in smoke is 12.4%, compared with the release amount (0.4-0.6 mg / piece) of ordinary menthol cigarettes having almost the same tar value, the equivalent value or more Indicated.

As mentioned above, the smoking article of this invention can keep a flavor component stably, and can release a flavor component immediately at the time of smoking.

Claims (9)

An aerosol generating unit and a filter unit attached to the aerosol generating unit, wherein the filter unit contains a plurality of flavor-releasing particles each containing a water-soluble matrix containing a flavor component, and the plurality of flavor-releasing particles are each A smoking article having a particle diameter in the range of 1 to 100 µm and exhibiting an average particle diameter of 20 µm or less. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the particle diameter is 1 to 50 µm and the average particle diameter is 10 µm or less. The smoking article according to claim 2, wherein the flavor-releasing particles exceed 0 µm and the number of particles having a particle diameter of 50 µm or less accounts for 90% or more of the total particle number. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble matrix is composed of a water-soluble polymer. The smoking article according to claim 4, wherein the water-soluble polymer is at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of dextrin, gelatin, gum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethyl cellulose. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the flavor component is a hydrophilic flavor component. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the flavor component is a hydrophobic flavor component, and each flavor-releasing particle further contains an emulsifier for emulsifying the hydrophobic component in the matrix. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating unit generates an aerosol by combustion. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating portion generates an aerosol by heating that does not involve combustion.

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