KR20220157069A - Smoking article with reduced tobacco odor and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are a smoking article with a reduced smell of cigarettes and a manufacturing method therefor. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, smoking articles include a smoking material part containing cigarette materials and a filter part, wherein the cigarette materials may include a material produced by processing leaf tobacco having a nicotine content of 0.5% or less. In such a case, a nicotine component and a nitrogen compound, which are main causes of the cigarette smell in cigarette smoke, are reduced, so that the cigarette smell of the smoke generated during smoking can be greatly reduced.

Description

Smoking article with reduced tobacco odor and method for manufacturing the same

The present disclosure relates to smoking articles with reduced tobacco odor and methods of making the same. More specifically, it relates to a smoking article capable of reducing the tobacco smell of smoke generated during smoking by applying low nicotine leaf tobacco and a manufacturing method thereof.

Tobacco smoke generated during smoking permeates the hand of the smoker who grips the filter portion, and may cause discomfort due to the smell to not only the smoker but also people around the smoker. Therefore, smokers usually wash their hands after smoking to remove the smell of cigarettes on their hands.

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

Therefore, it is necessary to develop a cigarette capable of minimizing the smell of cigarettes from sticking to hands even when smoking.

A technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a smoking article with reduced tobacco odor and a manufacturing method thereof.

The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned will 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 part and a filter part including tobacco material, and the tobacco material is processed by processing leaf tobacco having a nicotine content of 0.5% by weight or less. A generated first material may be included.

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 another leaf tobacco having a nicotine content of 1.0% or more by weight.

In some embodiments, the weight ratio of the first material to 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, a tobacco material put into a smoking article may be prepared using leaf tobacco having a low nicotine content. These tobacco substances can reduce the smell of tobacco in smoke by reducing nicotine components and nitrogen compounds, which are the main causes of tobacco smell in tobacco smoke. In addition, according to this, the smell of cigarettes in the smoker's body can be greatly reduced, and the problem of giving people around them discomfort due to the smell of cigarettes can also be greatly alleviated.

In addition, the tobacco material can be prepared by blending leaf tobacco with a low nicotine content and general leaf tobacco in an appropriate ratio. For example, leaf tobacco with low nicotine content and general leaf tobacco may be blended in a ratio of about 1:1.5 to 1:4. In this case, the smell of cigarettes can be reduced and at the same time, the decrease in the intensity of smoking taste perceived by the smoker can be minimized.

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

1 is an exemplary diagram schematically illustrating a smoking article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
2 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a smoking article 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 accompanying drawings. Advantages and features of the present disclosure, and methods of achieving them, will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented in various different forms, and only the following embodiments complete the technical idea of the present disclosure, and in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs. It is provided to completely inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the present disclosure, and the technical spirit of the present disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims.

In adding reference numerals to components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components have the same numerals as much as possible even if they are displayed on different drawings. In addition, 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 commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. In addition, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly specifically defined. Terminology used herein is for describing the embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this specification, singular forms also include plural forms unless specifically stated otherwise in a phrase.

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

As used in this disclosure, "comprises" and/or "comprising" means that a stated component, step, operation, and/or element is one or more other components, steps, operations, and/or elements. Existence or additions are not excluded.

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

In the following examples, a “smoking article” means any smokeable product, whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Alternatively, it may mean any product capable of providing a smoking experience. For example, smoking articles may include smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, and the like. As another example, smoking articles may include combustion smoking articles and heated smoking articles.

In the following embodiments, “smoking material” may refer to a material that generates smoke and/or aerosol or is used for smoking. For example, the smoking material may include tobacco material. Tobacco material may include, for example, pieces of tobacco leaf, tobacco stems or materials processed therefrom, and the like. As a more specific example, the tobacco material may include shredded tobacco leaves, shredded reconstituted tobacco, puffed cut filler, puffed midribs, leaflets, and the like. However, it is not limited thereto.

In the following examples, "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 positioning of elements making up a smoking article. For example, in the smoking article 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 , the filter portion 120 is located downstream or in a downstream direction of the smoking material portion 110, and the smoking material portion 110 is upstream of the filter portion 120. or 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" means smoker's inhalation, and inhalation may mean a situation in which the smoker's mouth or nose is drawn into the smoker's mouth, nasal cavity, or lungs. .

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

In the following embodiments, a “flavor sheet or flavoring sheet” may refer to a flavor-containing material prepared in the form of a sheet.

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

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, tobacco material (e.g. leaf tobacco cut filler, platelet cut filler, plate top cut filler, puffed cut filler, etc.) that is put into a smoking article using leaf tobacco with low nicotine content (hereinafter, “low nicotine leaf tobacco”). this can be manufactured. Since the nicotine component is a major component that causes tobacco smell in smoke (e.g. sidestream smoke, mainstream smoke) coming out through the end, perforation, etc. of a smoking article, the tobacco smell can be significantly reduced when low nicotine leaf tobacco is used. In addition, if low-nicotine leaf tobacco is used, the year-round content of nitrogen compounds (e.g. pyridine, etc.), which is the main cause of tobacco odor, can also be reduced (see Experimental Example 1).

Low-nicotine leaf tobacco may refer to leaf tobacco with less nicotine content (e.g. nicotine content in leaf) than general leaf tobacco (e.g. general leaf tobacco). For example, low-nicotine leaf tobacco may refer to leaf tobacco having 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 breeding, nicotine reduction treatment, etc., and may be obtained in any method. General leaf tobacco may refer to leaf tobacco having 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 grown through breeding and general leaf tobacco. As illustrated in Table 1, it can be seen that the nicotine content of the low nicotine leaf tobacco at the same leaf position is about 60% to 90% less than that of the general leaf tobacco.

division landing position Nicotine content (dry basis)
(weight%) low nicotine xanthomas posterior lobe 0.04 Thin Yeop 0.05 common xanthomas posterior lobe 3.36 Thin Yeop 1.35 Low nicotine burley posterior lobe 0.56 Thin Yeop 0.29 common burry posterior lobe 5.48 Thin Yeop 1.60

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the term "leaf tobacco" refers to tobacco materials produced by processing (e.g. processing, puffing, reconstituting, drying, etc.) leaf tobacco as well as raw leaf tobacco (e.g. leaf tobacco cut filler, leafy leaf, puffed cut filler, etc.) to be used as a concept that includes Therefore, "low nicotine leaf tobacco" can be understood as a concept that includes tobacco materials produced by processing low-nicotine leaf tobacco, and "normal leaf tobacco" includes tobacco materials produced by processing normal leaf tobacco.

On the other hand, as the amount of low-nicotine leaf tobacco is added, the effect of reducing the smell of tobacco will increase, but as the amount of nicotine transferred decreases, the strength of the taste may be weakened. Accordingly, it may be desirable to prepare a tobacco material (ie, a tobacco blend) by combining normal leaf tobacco and low nicotine leaf tobacco in appropriate proportions.

In some embodiments, the tobacco material may comprise up to about 50% low nicotine leaf tobacco by weight, preferably between about 10% and 50%, 10% and 40%, 20% and 40% by weight. % or 20% to 30% by weight of low nicotine leaf tobacco. In addition, the remaining specific gravity of the tobacco material may be filled by general leaf tobacco and additives. Within this numerical range, it was confirmed that the effect of reducing the smell of tobacco and the taste of smoking with an appropriate intensity were simultaneously ensured. For experimental results related to this, refer to Experimental Example 2 below.

In some embodiments, the weight ratio (i.e. blending ratio) of low nicotine leaf tobacco to normal 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. Within this numerical range, it was confirmed that the effect of reducing the smell of tobacco and the taste of smoking with an appropriate intensity were simultaneously ensured. For experimental results related to this, refer to Experimental Example 2 below.

Further, in some embodiments, a tobacco material may be prepared by combining a low nicotine leaf tobacco having a nicotine content of 0.2% by weight or less and a regular leaf tobacco having 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, a smoking article may be made using the tobacco material described above (ie, a tobacco material infused with low nicotine leaf tobacco). The manufactured smoking article can ensure an adequate intensity of smoking taste and reduced tobacco odor. Hereinafter, such a smoking article will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an exemplary diagram schematically illustrating a smoking article 100 with reduced tobacco 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, only components related to the embodiment of the present disclosure are shown in FIG. 1 . Accordingly, those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs may know 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, the detailed structure of the smoking article may be different from that shown in FIG. 1 , of course. Hereinafter, each component of the smoking article 100 will be described.

The filter unit 120 may perform a filtering 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 the filter material may include cellulose acetate fibers and paper, 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 a downstream end of the smoking material unit 110 . For example, the filter unit 120 and the smoking substance unit 110 may have a cylindrical (rod) shape, be aligned in a longitudinal axis direction, and may 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. When filter portion 120 forms the downstream end of smoking article 100, filter portion 120 may function as a mouthpiece that contacts the mouth of a smoker.

Since the filter unit 120 is manufactured in the form of a rod, it may be referred to as a "filter rod 120" in some cases, and may be manufactured in various shapes such as a cylindrical shape, a tube shape including a hollow inside, a recessed shape, and the like. can In addition, the filter unit 120 may be manufactured in a single filter segment structure or a multi-filter segment structure, and may include a cavity. A detailed structure of the filter unit 120 may be modified in various ways.

Next, the smoking material unit 110 may include a smoking material capable of generating smoke and/or an aerosol as it is burned or heated. The smoking material unit 110 may further include a wrapper 130 surrounding the smoking material.

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

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

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

In addition, the tobacco material may be prepared by introducing low nicotine leaf tobacco. For example, as described above, the tobacco material may be prepared by adding low nicotine leaf tobacco in an appropriate specific gravity. In this case, nitrogen compounds such as nicotine, pyridine, and picoline, which are the main causes of cigarette odor, can be reduced in the smoke generated during smoking (e.g. sidestream smoke, mainstream smoke), and as a result, the smoker's body (e.g. hands, mouth, etc.) can be greatly alleviated. 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 combining low nicotine leaf tobacco and normal leaf tobacco in appropriate proportions. In this case, the cigarette smell of the smoke generated during smoking can be reduced and at the same time an appropriate smoking taste intensity can be ensured.

In some embodiments, the smoking material may further contain additive substances such as humectants (moisturizers), 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. Humectants can maintain the moisture in the tobacco material at an appropriate level to soften the inherent taste and enrich the amount of smoke. In addition, flavoring agents are, 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 substances), or coffee. can do.

Next, the wrapper 130 may mean that it surrounds at least a portion of the smoking material unit 110 and/or the filter unit 120 . The wrapper 130 may refer to an individual wrapper of the smoking material part 110 or the filter part 120, or a tipping wrapper that wraps at least a portion of the smoking material part 110 and the filter part 120 together. It may refer to a wrapper, or it may be a generic 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 formed of a metal foil or a combination of a wrapping paper and a metal foil.

Referring now to FIG. 1 , a smoking article 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described. 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, descriptions of overlapping contents with those of the previous embodiments will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the present embodiment relates to a smoking article 200 that can further prevent tobacco smell from sticking to a smoker's hand by using a flavoring 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, respectively, descriptions of these components will be omitted.

A flavoring sheet 240 may be disposed on the wrapper 230 surrounding the filter unit 220 . For example, the directional sheet 240 may be disposed on the outer surface of the wrapper 230 corresponding to the holding area. In this case, it is possible to prevent tobacco smell from being absorbed into the hands due to the fragrance expressed from the flavoring sheet 240 . However, a specific arrangement method of the flavoring sheet 240 may vary.

As an example, the oriented sheet 240 may be attached to the outer surface of the wrapper 230 . For example, the flavoring sheet 240 may be attached to the outer surface of the wrapper 230 through a laminating process. Alternatively, the flavor sheet 240 may be disposed on the outer surface of the wrapper 230 through a coating process in which the composition of the flavor sheet 240 is applied to the wrapper 230 and dried. At this time, the coating thickness of the sheet composition may be about 100 μm or less, preferably about 90 μm, 80 μm, 70 μm, 60 μm or 50 μm or less. Within this numerical range, excessive thickness of the wrapper 230 can be prevented 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 oriented sheet 240 .

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

Hereinafter, in order to provide convenience of understanding, the flavored sheet 240 will be further described.

The flavored sheet 240 according to embodiments may be prepared by preparing a liquid (e.g. slurry) sheet composition and molding and drying the prepared sheet composition into a sheet form. Here, the liquid phase may include a mixture of liquid and solid (eg, slurry state) as well as a liquid state. For example, the flavored sheet 240 can be manufactured by stretching (casting) a sheet composition on a predetermined substrate and drying it. However, it is not limited thereto, 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, and a hydrocolloid material and fragrance. The fragrance sheet 240 prepared from such a sheet composition may have excellent fragrance retention. In addition, due to the hydrocolloid material, the flavor 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 flavor sheet 240 causes adhesiveness, so the wrapper can be obtained without an adhesive). 230), the process of arranging the directional sheet 240 can be simplified, and safety problems caused by the adhesive can be freed.

A solvent such as distilled water or ethanol may be a factor for adjusting the viscosity of the slurry-type sheet composition.

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

Examples of flavorings include menthol, natural plant flavors (e.g. cinnamon, sage, herbs, chamomile, galweed, persimmon tea, clove, lavender, cardamom, cloves, 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, Phenal, Anise, Licorice, St. John's Bread, Plum Extract, Peach Extract etc.), sugars (e.g. glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, caramel, etc.), cocoa (powder, extract, etc.), esters (e.g. isoamyl acetate, linalyl acetate, isoamyl propionate, linalyl butyrate) etc.), ketones (e.g. menthone, ionone, damasenone, ethylmaltol, etc.), alcohols (e.g. geraniol, linalol, anethol, eugenol, etc.), aldehydes (e.g. vanillin, benzaldehyde, anisaldehyde) etc.), lactones (e.g. γ-undecalactone, γ-nonalactone, etc.), animal fragrances (e.g. musk, ambergris, civet, castrum, etc.), hydrocarbons (e.g. limonene, pinene, etc.) have. The fragrance may be used as a solid or dissolved or dispersed in an appropriate solvent such as propylene glycol, ethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, or triethyl citrate. In addition, a fragrance that is easily formed in a dispersed state in a solvent by the addition of an emulsifier, for example, a hydrophobic fragrance or an oil-soluble fragrance may be used. These fragrances may be used alone or as a mixture. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the above 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 within the range of about 4 to 40,000 depending on the ratio and molecular weight of hydroxypropyl group and methyl group (or methoxy group) substitution. Depending on the grade, the viscosity of the modified cellulose can be determined. More specifically, the physical and chemical properties of HPMC are related to the ratio of methoxy groups, the ratio of hydroxypropyl groups, and the molecular weight. According to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), the type of HPMC is It can be classified into HPMC1828, HPMC2208, HPMC2906 and HPMC2910. Here, the first two numbers may represent the ratio of methoxy groups, and the latter two numbers may mean the ratio of hydroxypropyl groups. As a result of continuous experiments by the present inventors, it was confirmed that the flavored sheet 240 prepared from the sheet composition containing the modified cellulose had excellent sheet physical properties and fragrance retention.

Also, 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 may specifically mean pectin containing less than about 50% of a carboxyl group in its molecular structure. Unlike carrageenan, since LM-pectin does not gel when cooled, it can lower the viscosity of the slurry-type sheet composition (e.g., about 600 cp to about 800 cp). In addition, since a slurry-type sheet composition can be prepared without an emulsifier, it can be free from safety problems caused by the emulsifier.

The 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% carboxyl groups within its molecular structure. As the content of the carboxyl group in the molecular structure of LM-pectin decreases, the viscosity of the slurry including LM-pectin may decrease.

Also, in some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include a bulking agent. The bulking agent can increase the volume of the flavor sheet 240 produced by increasing the total mass (ie, building mass) of components other than distilled water, and does not affect the original function of the flavor sheet 240. can be material. Specifically, the bulking agent increases the volume of the flavor sheet 240, but does not substantially increase the viscosity of the slurry, and at the same time may have properties that 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 thereto.

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

Also, in some embodiments, the sheet composition may further include an emulsifier. The emulsifier can increase the amount of fragrance retention of the flavoring sheet 240 by allowing the oil-soluble flavoring agent and the water-soluble hydrocolloid material to be well mixed. An example of an emulsifier may be lecithin, but is not limited thereto.

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

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

Also, in some embodiments, the flavored sheet 240 contains about 2 to about 15 parts by weight of water, about 1 to about 60 parts by weight of hydrocolloid material, and about 1 to about 60 parts by weight of LM-pectin, based on 100 parts by weight of the total. It may include about 0.1 to about 60 parts by weight and perfume.

In some embodiments, the plasticizer may be included in an amount of about 0.1 to about 15 parts by weight based on the total 100 parts by weight of the flavoring sheet 240 . A sheet having appropriate flexibility within this numerical range can be formed. For example, if too little plasticizer is added, the flexibility of the sheet is reduced 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.

A smoking article 200 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIG. 2 so far. 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 , the present embodiment relates to a smoking article 300 in which finger care zones 341 to 343 are formed on an outer surface of a wrapper 330 of a 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, 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 description, the finger care zones 341 to 343 are abbreviated as "care zones 341 to 343". Also, reference number "341" is used as a number representing a plurality of care zones 341 to 343.

The care zone 341 may be formed by, for example, applying microcapsules containing ink and functional materials. Here, the ink may 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 microcapsules may provide the smoker with a finger care function. For example, when the smoker's fingers rub against the care zone 341, the microcapsules are crushed to discharge the functional material, and the discharged functional material naturally comes into contact with the smoker's fingers, thereby exhibiting a finger care effect. Accordingly, a specific care function of the care zone 341 may be determined according to the type of functional material.

Examples of the functional material may include, but are not limited to, an antibacterial material, a deodorizing (deodorizing) material, a fragrant material, a disinfectant material, and an odor reducing material.

In addition, antibacterial substances may include, for example, grapefruit extract, lime oil, eucalyptus oil, pine needle oil, eucalyptol, limonene, propolis, and the like. It may, but is not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, the care zone 341 may be formed by applying a composition including ink and microcapsules in an offset printing method. The offset printing method is an indirect printing method using the repulsive force of water and oil, and can minimize microcapsule breakage (shredding) compared to other printing methods such as gravure printing. For example, the offset printing method can minimize a phenomenon in which microcapsules are broken due to friction between smoking articles 300 in a smoking article case.

Also, in some embodiments, the microcapsule may further contain a material capable of changing the color or color density of the ink in addition to the functional material. For example, the microcapsule may further contain a diluting substance capable of changing the color density 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 the microcapsules in the care zone 341 can be intuitively delivered to the smoker through visual changes. That is, an effect of visually conveying the remaining use period of the care zone 341 to the smoker may be achieved.

Meanwhile, the position, shape, form, color, size, number, and arrangement of the care zone 341 may be designed in various ways.

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

Also, in some implementations, the plurality of care zones 341 to 343 may be formed by applying microcapsules containing different color inks and different functional materials. For example, antibacterial microcapsules (that is, 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. In addition, inks of different colors may be applied to each of the care zones 341 to 343 . In this case, an effect of notifying the function of the care zone 341 may be achieved through color, and a comprehensive finger care effect may be provided through different functional materials.

Also, in some embodiments, the care intensity of the care zone 341 (or the amount of functional material discharged) may be adjusted through the crushing intensity of the microcapsules. Specifically, microcapsules having low crushing strength may be applied to the first care zone 341 , and microcapsules having high crushing strength may be applied to the second care zone 342 . In this case, in the first care zone 341, a high-intensity (or high-stimulus) care function can be provided by discharging a large amount of functional material by the smoker's rubbing motion, and in the second care zone 342, a small amount of functional material By being discharged, a low-intensity (or low-irritant) care function can be provided. In this embodiment, inks of different colors or color concentrations may be applied to the first care zone 341 and the second care zone 342 . Also, the color or color density of the ink may be determined based on the care intensity.

For reference, the crushing strength of the microcapsules can be controlled by the membrane material of the microcapsules. The membrane material may include, for example, a biodegradable polymeric material (eg, 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 excellent 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 .

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 flavor sheet 240 may be applied to the wrapper (e.g. 230) of the smoking article (e.g. 200), and the care zone 341 may be formed on the outer surface of the flavor sheet 240. .

Hereinafter, the configuration and effect of the tobacco material or smoking article (e.g. 100) into which the low nicotine leaf tobacco is added will be more clearly described through Examples and Comparative Examples. However, since the following embodiments are just some examples of the present disclosure, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the following embodiments.

Example 1

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

division Nicotine (% by weight) Sugar (% 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 prepared, except that the tobacco material was prepared by blending about 20% by weight of low nicotine leaf tobacco and about 80% by weight of normal leaf tobacco.

Example 3

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

Example 4

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

Example 5

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

Comparative Example 1

The same cigarette as in Example 1 was prepared except that the tobacco material was prepared using only ordinary leaf tobacco.

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

division Leaf tobacco blending ratio (% by weight) low nicotine Normal 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

Experiments were conducted to analyze smoke components of the cigarettes according to Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example 1. Specifically, the components of smoke (e.g. mainstream smoke) generated during smoking of cigarettes 2 weeks after manufacture were analyzed, and HC (Health Canada) The experiment was conducted according to smoking conditions. Smoke collection for component analysis was repeated three times per sample, based on 8 puffs per 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" means the annual content of total nitrogen compounds.

division Tar
(mg/cig.) Nic.
(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-picoline
(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 the Examples is generally less than that of Comparative Example 1. In addition, it can be seen that as the blending ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco increases, the nicotine content decreases noticeably throughout the year. Since the nicotine component is the main cause of cigarette odor, it can be seen through this that the cigarettes according to Examples cause less cigarette odor than Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, it can be seen that the tobacco smell can be further reduced by increasing the blending ratio of the low nicotine leaf tobacco.

Referring to Table 5, it can be seen that the year-round nitrogen compound content of cigarettes according to the Examples is generally less 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 the nitrogen compound content generally decreases throughout the year as the blending ratio of the low nicotine leaf tobacco increases. Since a nitrogen compound such as pyridine is also a component that causes cigarette odor, it can be seen through this that the cigarettes according to Examples cause less cigarette odor than Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, it can be seen that the tobacco smell can be further reduced by increasing the blending ratio of the 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 evaluate the taste intensity sensory. Specifically, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the taste intensity of cigarettes 2 weeks after manufacture with 24 trained panels.

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

1: no difference

2: very small difference

3: slight difference

4: moderate difference

5: Slight difference

6: big difference

7: Very large difference

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

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

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 following BET-related formula, "a" means the maximum blending ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco that does not recognize (or is not expected to notice) the difference in taste intensity, and "b" indicates the difference in taste intensity. It means the minimum blending ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco that does (or is expected to be perceived).

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

In addition, in the case of P3, when the blending ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco was about 20%, no difference was recognized, so the value of a was set to “0.2”, and when the blending ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco was about 40%, there was no difference. , the value of b was set to "0.4".

In addition, in the case of P5, the value of b was set to “0.1” because a difference was recognized even when the blending ratio of the low nicotine leaf tobacco was about 10%. In addition, when the blending ratio of the low nicotine leaf tobacco was about 5%, it was expected that no difference would be recognized, so the value of a was set to “0.05”.

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

panel
division 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 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, 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 a difference in taste intensity to some extent. This means that when the low-niconine leaf tobacco is blended at approximately 40% by weight or more, the smoker perceives a decrease in the intensity of the smoker's taste. Therefore, it can be seen that in order to ensure an appropriate intensity of taste, it is preferable that the low nicotine leaf tobacco is formulated 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 blending ratio of low nicotine leaf tobacco was calculated to be about 33.1% by weight. This means that when the low nicotine leaf tobacco is blended at about 33.1% by weight or less, most smokers do not notice a decrease in the intensity of smoking. Therefore, it can be seen that in order to maximize the reduction of the tobacco smell and minimize the decrease in the strength of the smoking taste, it is preferable that the low nicotine leaf tobacco is blended at around 30% by weight.

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

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art may implement the present disclosure in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features. can understand that there is Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not limiting. The protection scope of the present disclosure should be construed by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent range should be construed as being included in the scope of rights of the technical ideas defined by the present disclosure.

100, 200, 300: smoking article
110, 210, 310: Smoking material part
120, 220, 320: filter unit
130, 230, 330: wrappers
240: flavor sheet
340: gripping area
341, 342, 343: finger care zone

Claims (8)

a smoking material portion comprising tobacco material; and
Including a filter unit,
The tobacco material comprises a first material produced by processing leaf tobacco having a nicotine content of 0.5% by weight or less,
smoking articles. According to claim 1,
wherein the tobacco material comprises 10% to 40% by weight of the first material;
smoking articles. According to claim 1,
The nicotine content of the leaf tobacco is 0.1% by weight or less,
smoking articles. According to claim 1,
The tobacco material further comprises a second material produced by processing other leaf tobacco having a nicotine content of 1.0% by weight or more,
smoking articles. According to claim 4,
The weight ratio of the first material and the second material is 1: 1 to 1: 9,
smoking articles. According to claim 5,
The weight ratio is 1:1.5 to 1:4,
smoking articles. According to claim 4,
The nicotine content of the leaf tobacco is 0.2% by weight or less,
The nicotine content of the other leaf tobacco is 1.5% by weight or more,
smoking articles. According to claim 1,
Further comprising a filter wrapper surrounding the filter unit,
A flavoring sheet containing a sheet forming agent and a flavoring agent is applied to at least a portion of the filter wrapper,
An odor reducing material is applied to the outer surface of the flavoring sheet.
smoking articles.

Images