KR20230003270A - Tobacco smoke filter - Google Patents

Abstract

a longitudinally extending core comprising tobacco smoke filtering material; and an outer wrapper employed around the longitudinally extending core; wherein the longitudinally extending core comprises at least one channel extending longitudinally upstream from a downstream end of the core; A tobacco smoke filter or filter element wherein the downstream end of the outer wrapper employed around the core extends beyond the downstream end of the core thereby defining a cavity at the downstream end of the filter.

Description

Tobacco smoke filter {TOBACCO SMOKE FILTER}

The present invention relates to filters and filter elements for smoking articles such as cigarettes.

It is becoming increasingly necessary to provide a unique end appearance for cigarettes. Cigarette counterfeiting is a significant problem, and creating a unique and/or distinctive appearance of a cigarette brand is an important way to deter counterfeiting of that brand. Additionally, increasing restrictions on cigarette advertising and packaging mean that the appearance of cigarettes is one of the few ways that cigarette manufacturers can differentiate their products from those of other manufacturers. The provision of a cigarette filter with a distinctive end appearance can help achieve this goal.

Recess filters are well known in the tobacco industry and provide a means of creating a distinctive end appearance to a cigarette. They are typically made by wrapping a continuous stream of filter segments at predetermined intervals in relatively stiff plug wrap paper. Recessed filters can be obtained by cutting the filter stream in areas where no filter elements are present, the rigid plugwrap paper providing sufficient rigidity so that the final cigarette can be manufactured and used without crushing the exposed paper end of the filter. . A recess filter may contain one, two or more (eg fibrous) filter segments. If two or more segments are used, they will typically represent different filter configurations—eg, have different filter materials or carry different additives (eg, flavorants or adsorbents).

Extruded plastic tips for cigarette filters are also known, for example from US Pat. No. 3,396,733. They provide another way to create a distinctive end appearance for cigarettes. These tips generally have a hollow inner body with a plurality of radial supporting ribs. Such a tip may be used as a downstream or mouth-end segment of a multi-segment filter and is commonly known as a Shaped Plastic Filter (SPF).

A further means of providing a unique type of cigarette filter is the CPA ^™ filter available from Filtrona, for example as exemplified in International Patent Publication No. 2007/135414. They comprise a filter body wrapped with an inner paper wrap (embossed along part of its length), which in turn is embedded within a common outer plugwrap. The embossed inner wrap creates a fluted appearance when the filter is cut in this area. When used at the lip end of the filter, it creates a unique end appearance to the cigarette. It is possible to use this type of filter as a single unitary product or as a segment within a multi-segment filter.

There is a need to provide a filter with a much more distinctive end appearance that is difficult to counterfeit.

According to the present invention, a longitudinally extending (eg cylindrical) core comprising tobacco smoke filtering material; and an outer wrapper employed around a longitudinally extending core; wherein the longitudinally extending core includes one or more channels extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the core; The downstream end of the outer wrapper employed here around the core extends beyond the downstream end of the core thereby defining a (eg tubular) cavity at the downstream end of the filter. The radially inner face of the outer wrapper extending beyond the downstream end of the core and employed around it forms a cavity at the downstream end of the recess filter (eg together with the longitudinally extending downstream end of the core) or A recess may be defined, for example a tubular cavity/recess.

The combination of the downstream end of the filter (labial end) with (one or more) visible channels extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the core and the recess filter provides a very distinctive end appearance that is difficult to counterfeit.

In one embodiment, the longitudinally extending core includes a hollow tube of tobacco smoke filtering material. The tobacco smoke filtering material may be, for example, a cellulose acetate filtering material. The cross-section of the hollow tube (and thus the channel) may be circular or non-circular. The wall or walls of the hollow tube of circular or non-circular cross-section define a channel extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the core. The channels generally do not extend the entire length of the core. Being able to control the mixing and channeling of the flow of smoke within the tubular segment and from there into the recessed end before entering the smoker's palate, it can be expected that this type of filter will result in improved sensory properties and cooler smoke.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a longitudinally extending (eg, cylindrical) core comprising tobacco smoke filtering material; and an outer wrapper employed around a longitudinally extending core;

wherein the longitudinally extending core is generally inward toward the longitudinally extending inner body defining (a plurality of) longitudinally extending channels therebetween (eg between ribs). a downstream element (eg, a downstream segment) comprising a longitudinally extending tube having a plurality of spatially separated valleys extending (eg, radially inward);

Here, the downstream end of the outer wrapper employed around the core extends beyond the downstream end of the core (and extends beyond the downstream end of the downstream element) to the downstream end of the filter (e.g., define a tubular) cavity.

The radially inner face of the outer wrapper extending beyond the downstream end of the core and employed around it forms a cavity at the downstream end of the recess filter (eg together with the longitudinally extending downstream end of the core) or Define a recess, for example a tubular cavity/recess.

Downstream elements (downstream segments) of the longitudinally extending core are directed towards the longitudinally extending inner body defining (a plurality of) longitudinally extending channels therebetween (eg between valleys). It includes a longitudinally extending tube having a plurality of spaced troughs extending generally inwardly (eg, radially inwardly). The inner body may be a hollow (eg tubular) inner body, the inner wall of which defines a further longitudinally extending channel. The downstream elements (eg longitudinally extending tubes, spaced troughs and (eg hollow) inner bodies) may be integrally formed as a single element, eg by extrusion. The downstream element can be made of any thermoplastic material that can be extruded, for example LDPE. Downstream components may be made of degradable polymers. Downstream elements may contain pigments to impart a desired color or shade. The pigment may be contrasted with the color of the filtering material (eg against white or off-white). The downstream element may be of any internal design, eg an internal channel with a supporting trough, eg as illustrated in UK Design Application No. 4017159.

The longitudinally extending core comprises one or more (eg one, two, three or four) additional element(s) comprising tobacco smoke filtering material (located upstream of the upstream end of the downstream element) ( segment or segments). The tobacco smoke filtering material can be, for example, any material (usually filamentous, fibrous, web or extruded) commonly used for manufacturing tobacco smoke filters. The filtering material may be natural or synthetic filament tow, such as cotton or plastic, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or cellulose acetate filament tow. These can be, for example, natural or synthetic staple fibers, cotton wool, web materials such as (usually creped) paper and synthetic nonwovens, and extruded materials (eg starch, synthetic foam).

Any type of filter construction known for cigarette filter use, for example "wrapped acetate", "unwrapped acetate", "randomly oriented acetate", "cellulose acetate" or "active acetate" may be used for these purposes. Can be used for additional elements (additional segments). Any number of elements (preferably differentiating characteristics) may be used upstream of the downstream (eg "SPF") elements, eg 1, 2, 3 or 4 segments. When two or more additional elements comprising tobacco smoke filtering material are present, these additional elements, for example a cellulose acetate segment and an 'active acetate' segment, preferably differentiate the filtering properties.

The one or more additional elements may contain (eg particulate) additive materials suitable for use in cigarette filters (eg activated carbon) and/or contain flavorants such as menthol. can do.

The additive material may be a particulate additive. The particulate additive may be any particulate additive suitable for use in cigarette smoke filters, such as activated carbon, zeolites, ion exchange resins (e.g., slightly basic anion exchange resins), sepiolites, silica gels, alumina, molecular sieve, carbonaceous polymer resin and diatomaceous earth. The particulate additive may be a mixture of two or more materials. The additive may include a flavoring agent - for example menthol, for example the additive may be sepiolite granules coated with menthol. Where the longitudinally extending core of a tobacco smoke filter comprises completely enclosed (eg embedded) pocket(s) of additive embedded therein, the additive may be a particulate additive, such as activated carbon (see above). ), which may be, for example, enclosed within the filtering material as discrete pockets of particulate additive or pods of particles substantially separate from and completely enclosed within the filtering material. In another embodiment, the fully enclosed (eg, encased) pocket(s) of additive may be a frangible capsule or capsules, or one or a plurality of frangible microcapsules. The capsule(s) or microcapsule(s) may contain various media - eg, flavoring agents and/or liquids, solids or other materials to assist in smoke filtration, for example. The use of capsules or microcapsules is well known in the art.

A further element may include a longitudinally extending cylindrical plug of cellulose acetate filtering material. The longitudinally extending cylindrical plug of cellulose acetate filtration material may further comprise a wrapper of, for example, a porous or non-porous plugwrap. Such wrapped filters/elements are known as "wrapped acetate" filters or filter elements.

The additional element may optionally comprise, for example, a longitudinally extending cylindrical plug of cellulose acetate filtering material further comprising a particulate additive with a wrapper of porous or non-porous plugwrap. Such filters/elements are known as "active acetate" filters or filter elements.

A further element comprising tobacco smoke filtering material is a membrane of tobacco smoke filtering material having one (or at least one) pocket of additive (eg particulate additive) completely enclosed (eg embedded) therein. May contain large cores. The rod-shaped core of tobacco smoke filtering material may optionally have an additional wrapper (eg, porous or non-porous) employed around the rod-shaped core. Providing a completely enclosed additive pocket within the core of the tobacco smoke filtering material has the effect of allowing the additive to drip away from the second end of the core (because there is tobacco smoke filtering material between the additive pocket and the end of the core). A single piece of tobacco smoke filtering material comprising a rod-shaped core of tobacco smoke filtering material having one (or at least one) pocket of additive (eg, particulate additive) completely enclosed (eg, embedded) therein. The longitudinally extending core of can be made, for example, by the methods and apparatus disclosed in International Patent Publication No. 2006/059134.

A further element comprising the tobacco smoke filtering material may include a rod core of the tobacco smoke filtering material and an additive (eg, particulate additive) containing wrapper employed around the rod core, the additive containing wrapper thereof With an additive (eg, particulate additive) attached to one or more portion(s) of the radially inner face, the additive-containing wrapper is additive-free around its circumference at the downstream end of the core. The absence of the additive at the downstream end of the additive-containing wrapper has the effect that the additive is pulled away from the downstream end of the core (because there is no additive above the wrapper at the second end of the core). Preferably, the additive-containing wrapper is additive-free around its circumference at both the downstream and upstream ends of the core.

A longitudinally extending core of tobacco smoke filtering material comprising a rod-shaped core of tobacco smoke filtering material and a wrapper containing an additive (eg particulate additive) employed around the rod-shaped core is disclosed in British Patent No. 2261152. It may be a filter element such as a bar. The additive-containing wrapper may be porous or non-porous.

The tobacco smoke filter may be 15 to 40 mm in length, such as 17 to 35 mm, such as 20 to 30 mm in length. The length of the downstream end of the outer wrapper extending beyond the downstream end of the core, employed around the core to define a cavity at the recessed section of the filter (i.e., the downstream (eg, lip) end of the filter). ) may be 3 to 10 mm in length, most preferably 4 to 6 mm in length. The longitudinally extending core (including downstream elements and any additional elements comprising tobacco smoke filtering material) may be 10 to 30 mm in length, such as 14 to 27 mm, such as 17 to 25 mm in length. can The tobacco smoke filter may be 14 to 28 mm in circumference, such as 16 to 26 mm, such as 16 to 17 mm or 24 to 25 mm in circumference. The resulting filter cigarette may or may not be vented and may be of any circumference range traditionally used in smoking articles (eg c. 14 to c. 28 mm circumference).

The outer wrapper may be a paper, eg a plugwrap paper, eg a rigid plugwrap paper. The outer wrapper may be porous or non-porous. The outer wrapper may be a paper of about 40 to about 120 g/m2 basis weight. The outer wrapper may, for example, have a basis weight of about 80 to about 120 g/m 2 , for example about 100 g/m 2 for a standard (c. 24-25 mm) circumference recess filter. For slim or ultra-slim recess filters (eg, down about 16-17 mm circumference), the outer wrapper may be a lower basis weight plugwrap paper, for example about 50 g/m 2 . It will be appreciated that it is also possible to use stiffer tip paper in conjunction with plugwrap paper to provide the desired stiffness to the final recessed filter cigarette.

Downstream elements (eg, longitudinally extending tubes) formed integrally as a single element (eg, a “SPF segment”), for example by extrusion, into a recessed filter structure rather than at its normal location at the filter lip end. , spaced ribs and (e.g., hollow) inner body] overcome any discomfort of the 'plastic feel' of the cigarette caused by direct contact of the smoker's tongue with the extruded mouthpiece. Also, since the recessed end is softer than associated with a stiff plastic mouthpiece, this gives the cigarette a more desirable “mouth feel.” The combination of the recess and the downstream element (SPF section) at the lip end of the filter It also means that little coloration of the filter end will be apparent to the smoker This type of smoke flow can be controlled mixing and channeling of the smoke flow inside the SPF or tubular segments and from there into the recessed end before entering the smoker's palate. It can be expected that the filter will result in improved sensory properties and cooler smoke.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a longitudinally extending (eg, cylindrical) core comprising tobacco smoke filtering material; and an outer wrapper employed around a longitudinally extending core;

The longitudinally extending core herein may include a longitudinally extending (eg, cylindrical) downstream core of tobacco smoke filtering material; a first inner wrapper employed around the downstream core; and a downstream element comprising a second inner wrapper optionally employed around the first wrapper; The first wrapper, together with the second inner wrapper or the outer wrapper, has at least one longitudinally extending channel (e.g., at least one longitudinally extending channel extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the downstream core). have a profiled (eg, corrugated) outer surface defining a channel];

Here, the downstream end of the outer wrapper employed around the core and/or the downstream end of the first inner wrapper extends beyond the downstream end of the core to form a (eg tubular) cavity at the downstream end of the filter. define. The radially inner face of the outer wrapper extending beyond the downstream end of the core and employed around it or the radially inner face of the first inner wrapper (e.g., the longitudinally extending downstream end of the core/downstream core with) can define a cavity or recess, eg a tubular cavity/recess, at the downstream end of the recess filter. The first inner wrapper may be an air permeable or air impermeable material. Preferably, it is air permeable. The second inner wrapper (if present) may be an air permeable or air impermeable material.

The (each) channel may extend longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the downstream core. Preferably, the or each channel extends only a portion of the length of the downstream core. The or each channel will preferably exhibit a substantially uniform depth, albeit with variations, over its longitudinal extent, for example when the channel approaches its closed end.

The (each) channel may (alternatively or additionally) extend longitudinally downstream (into the recess area) from the downstream end of the downstream core.

The first wrapper can be, for example, a sheet having a profiled (eg, corrugated) surface, and the sheet is wrapped with the profiled surface facing either the outer wrapper or the second wrapper. The first wrapper is longitudinally defined, together with at least the second wrapper or outer wrapper, for example longitudinally extending channel(s) extending longitudinally (upstream) from the downstream end of the downstream core. It preferably has corrugations extending (eg in the axial direction). Each channel may be provided by a pleat of the first wrapper that is closed or blocked at the end remote from the downstream end of the downstream core from which the channel extends. The first wrapper is corrugated on both surfaces and can define a longitudinally extending channel with the second wrapper or outer wrapper as well as the downstream core. However, the wrapped downstream core surface may conform to the corrugated inner surface of the first wrapper, leaving a channel only between the first inner wrapper and the second inner wrapper or outer wrapper.

The (respective) portion of the downstream core comprising (eg comprising corrugations) a longitudinal channel is referred to herein as a flute or fluted portion. The (respective) parts or parts of the downstream core that do not contain longitudinal channels (across the core cross-section) are referred to herein as bars or bar segments. It will be appreciated that in this aspect of the present invention there will be a fluted portion at the downstream (recessed) end of the downstream core to provide a unique end appearance with the recesses. Upstream (non-recessed end) of the downstream core there may be additional fluted portions. In one embodiment the downstream core includes a 3 mm flute portion at each end and a single center bar portion as the remainder of the full length of the downstream core. Since the pressure drop of the bar (PD/mm) is higher than that of the flute, this arrangement may present an additional advantage that the amount of filtration material (e.g., cellulose acetate silt) in the downstream core may be reduced. .

This aspect of the invention may provide a recess at the lip (downstream) end, immediately upstream of which the longitudinal channel(s) or groove(s) face toward the lip end, creating a more distinctive end appearance. It is a fluted or “CPA” element (segment). As discussed in more detail below, there may be one or more additional elements (segments) of filtration material upstream of the CPA segment. Any filter segment located further upstream of the CPA segment preferably exhibits filtration properties that differentiate it from the CPA segment and includes, for example, particulate additives and/or flavoring agents.

The downstream core may contain up to 23 channels, preferably 14 to 20 channels (eg extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the core (for filters of about 25 mm circumference)). there is. The total cross-sectional area of these channels may amount to 2 to 12%, preferably at least 4%, more preferably 4 to 8% of the total cross-sectional area of the filter. Thus, careful control of the number and/or depth of channels (eg, by controlled embossing of the first wrapper) can provide improved filtration performance. This may preferably be achieved with an increase in the surface area of the pleats available for expelling smoke, and optionally by increasing the pitch of the pleats - ie, increasing the depth of the pleats while expanding them while reducing their number. For example, a filter according to the present invention may have 15 channels at the downstream end of the downstream core with a depth of about 0.45 mm and a pitch of about 1.5 mm; Another filter may have 0.32 mm deep channels with a pitch of 1.05 mm, and the number of channels is 23. The area of the pleated wrap available for smoke filtering in these embodiments is generally slightly less than the total pleat surface area since the crests of the pleats are generally attached to the outer wrapper and are not effective for filtration.

The first wrapper together with the second inner wrapper or outer wrapper includes at least one channel extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the downstream core and at least one channel extending longitudinally downstream from the upstream end of the downstream core. may define channels of , each channel extending only a portion of the length of the downstream core, wherein at least one portion of the downstream core does not include a longitudinally extending channel.

Preferably, the length of each channel is at least 2 mm, preferably 2.5 mm to 23 mm, more preferably 3 mm to 15 mm, more preferably 3.5 mm to 9 mm. The channel or channels extending from one end (upstream or downstream) may be of a different length than that extending from the other end, or they may be of the same length. The channels at both ends of the downstream core may be 7 to 8 mm long. The channels at both ends of the downstream core may be 3 to 4 mm long, for example 3.75 mm long. Providing channels of these dimensions should additionally ensure that the performance of the downstream core (tar retention, etc.) is acceptable, and that the benefits of the present invention (eg, consistent pressure drop, retention enhancement) are obtained. it means.

The longitudinally extending core may comprise only the downstream core, or one or more (eg one, two, three or four) additional element(s) (segment or segments) may be included. Additional elements will be located upstream of the downstream core. The tobacco smoke filtering material can be, for example, any material (usually filamentous, fibrous, web or extruded) commonly used for manufacturing tobacco smoke filters. The filtering material may be natural or synthetic filamentary soil, such as cotton or plastic, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or cellulose acetate filamentary soil. These can be, for example, natural or synthetic staple fibers, cotton wool, web materials such as (usually creped) paper and synthetic nonwovens, and extruded materials (eg starch, synthetic foam).

These additional elements ( additional segments). Any number of elements (preferably differentiating characteristics) may be used upstream of the downstream (eg "CPA") elements, eg 1, 2, 3 or 4 segments. When two or more additional elements comprising tobacco smoke filtering material are present, these additional elements, for example a cellulose acetate segment and an 'active acetate' segment, preferably differentiate the filtering properties.

The one or more additional elements may contain (eg particulate) additive materials suitable for use in cigarette filters (eg activated carbon) and/or may contain flavoring agents such as menthol. .

The additive material may be a particulate additive. The particulate additive may be any particulate additive suitable for use in cigarette smoke filters, such as activated carbon, zeolites, ion exchange resins (e.g., slightly basic anion exchange resins), sepiolites, silica gels, alumina, molecular sieve, carbonaceous polymer resin and diatomaceous earth. The particulate additive may be a mixture of two or more materials. The additive may include a flavoring agent - for example menthol, for example the additive may be sepiolite granules coated with menthol. Where the longitudinally extending core of a tobacco smoke filter comprises completely enclosed (eg embedded) pocket(s) of additive embedded therein, the additive may be a particulate additive, such as activated carbon (see above). ), which may be, for example, enclosed within the filtering material as discrete pockets of particulate additive or pods of particles substantially separate from and completely enclosed within the filtering material. In another embodiment, the fully enclosed (eg, encased) pocket(s) of additive may be a frangible capsule or capsules, or one or a plurality of frangible microcapsules. The capsule(s) or microcapsule(s) may contain various media - eg, flavoring agents and/or liquids, solids or other materials to assist in smoke filtration, for example. The use of capsules or microcapsules is well known in the art.

A further element may include a longitudinally extending cylindrical plug of cellulose acetate filtering material. The longitudinally extending cylindrical plug of cellulose acetate filtration material may further comprise a wrapper of, for example, a porous or non-porous plugwrap. Such wrapped filters/elements are known as "wrapped acetate" filters or filter elements.

The additional element may optionally comprise, for example, a longitudinally extending cylindrical plug of cellulose acetate filtering material further comprising a particulate additive with a wrapper of porous or non-porous plugwrap. Such filters/elements are known as "active acetate" filters or filter elements.

A further element comprising tobacco smoke filtering material is a membrane of tobacco smoke filtering material having one (or at least one) pocket of additive (eg particulate additive) completely enclosed (eg embedded) therein. May contain large cores. The rod-shaped core of tobacco smoke filtering material may optionally have an additional wrapper (eg, porous or non-porous) employed around the rod-shaped core. Providing a completely enclosed additive pocket within the core of the tobacco smoke filtering material has the effect of allowing the additive to drip away from the second end of the core (because there is tobacco smoke filtering material between the additive pocket and the end of the core). A single piece of tobacco smoke filtering material comprising a rod-shaped core of tobacco smoke filtering material having one (or at least one) pocket of additive (eg, particulate additive) completely enclosed (eg, embedded) therein. The longitudinally extending core of can be made, for example, by the methods and apparatus disclosed in International Patent Publication No. 2006/059134.

A further element comprising the tobacco smoke filtering material may include a rod core of the tobacco smoke filtering material and an additive (eg, particulate additive) containing wrapper employed around the rod core, the additive containing wrapper thereof With an additive (eg, particulate additive) attached to one or more portion(s) of the radially inner face, the additive-containing wrapper is additive-free around its circumference at the downstream end of the core. The absence of the additive at the downstream end of the additive-containing wrapper has the effect that the additive is pulled away from the downstream end of the core (because there is no additive above the wrapper at the second end of the core). Preferably, the additive-containing wrapper is additive-free around its circumference at both the downstream and upstream ends of the core. A longitudinally extending core of tobacco smoke filtering material comprising a rod-shaped core of tobacco smoke filtering material and a wrapper containing an additive (eg particulate additive) employed around the rod-shaped core is disclosed in British Patent No. 2261152. It may be a filter element such as a bar. The additive-containing wrapper may be porous or non-porous.

The tobacco smoke filter may be 15 to 40 mm in length, such as 17 to 35 mm, such as 20 to 30 mm in length. The length of the downstream end of the outer wrapper extending beyond the downstream end of the core, employed around the core to define a cavity at the recessed section of the filter (i.e., the downstream (eg, lip) end of the filter). ) may be 3 to 10 mm in length, most preferably 4 to 6 mm in length. The longitudinally extending core (including the downstream fluted core and any additional elements comprising tobacco smoke filtering material) has a length of 10 to 30 mm, such as 14 to 27 mm, such as 17 to 27 mm. may be 25 mm. The tobacco smoke filter may be 14 to 28 mm in circumference, such as 16 to 26 mm, such as 16 to 17 mm or 24 to 25 mm in circumference. The resulting filter cigarette may or may not be vented and may be of any circumference range traditionally used in smoking articles (eg c. 14 to c. 28 mm circumference).

The outer wrapper may be a paper, eg a plugwrap paper, eg a rigid plugwrap paper. The outer wrapper may be porous or non-porous. The outer wrapper may be a paper of about 40 to about 120 g/m2 basis weight. The outer wrapper may, for example, have a basis weight of about 80 to about 120 g/m 2 , for example about 100 g/m 2 for a standard (c. 24-25 mm) circumference recess filter. For slim or ultra-slim recess filters (eg, down about 16-17 mm circumference), the outer wrapper may be a lower basis weight plugwrap paper, for example about 50 g/m 2 . It will be appreciated that it is also possible to use stiffer tip paper in conjunction with plugwrap paper to provide the desired stiffness to the final recessed filter cigarette.

In embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the first inner wrapper may extend beyond the downstream end of the downstream core/downstream element around which it extends at the downstream end of the filter (e.g., tubular ) is employed to define the cavity (eg, alone or with an outer wrapper). In this case, the second inner wrapper of the downstream core can be omitted, since an additional wrapper would be required to assemble the various segments of the filter (e.g. the outer wrapper used to wrap the final recess filter). because it can However, a first inner wrapper (eg embossed) of eg 80 g/m basis weight still provides sufficient stiffness at the recess end although an outer wrapper of lower basis weight eg 40 g/m 2 is used It will be recognized that it can be done.

The first inner wrapper and/or the second inner wrapper may be colored or treated with pigments to enhance the uniqueness of the end appearance. Preferably, the color or pigment contrasts with, for example, a white filter material.

The first inner wrapper does not have to extend beyond the downstream end of the downstream core. In this embodiment, the downstream core and first inner wrapper are prior to being overwrapped within an outer wrapper (an overweight plugwrap) defining a cavity when the machined recess filter is assembled (known in this type of "CPA"). wrapped in a second inner wrapper (as is customary for filter elements). In other embodiments, the second inner wrapper may be omitted. It will be appreciated that these embodiments will create a different end appearance than embodiments in which the first inner wrapper extends downstream into (or to define) a recessed section of the final filter.

In a filter cigarette according to the present invention, a filter of the present invention (or a filter comprising a filter element of the present invention) is connected to a wrapped tobacco rod with one end of the filter towards the tobacco. The filter may be, for example, ring tipped (which is employed around the (wrapped) filter and immediately adjacent end of the wand so that most of the filter wrap is exposed) or, more preferably, full tip overlap. It may be connected to the wrapped tobacco rod by a tipping overwrap (which is employed around the entire filter length and proximal end of the tobacco rod). The cigarette may include a tip overlap (eg of rigid tip paper) with the outer wrapper of the filter to provide the desired (eg additionally increased) stiffness to the final recessed filter cigarette.

Any filter or filter cigarette according to the present invention may be non-ventilated, or by methods well known in the art, such as a pre-perforated or air-permeable wrapper (plugwrap), and/or a wrapper (plugwrap) and tip. Ventilation can be achieved using laser perforation of the overlap. Similarly, a vented full tip overlap may be inherently air-permeable or may have vents, and in vented products in which both a filter plugwrap and a tip overlap are present, the vent through the overlap is usually a vent through the plugwrap. will be matched with donations. A vent through the filter plugwrap or tip overlap, or through both simultaneously, can be made by laser drilling during manufacture of the filter or filter cigarette.

If the ventilation in the filter or filter cigarette according to the present invention is confined to the longitudinal direction of the product comprising an additive, for example activated carbon, it is preferably selected upstream, downstream of the additive and matched with the additive. limited to one or two areas. Accordingly, ventilation in the filter or filter cigarette according to the present invention can be carried out in the longitudinal direction of the filter or filter cigarette, for example upstream, downstream, and downstream of the additive pockets (or patches or parts), depending on the ventilation and filtration performance required. It may be limited to one or two regions selected in line with it. Preferably, the ventilation in the filter or filter cigarette according to the present invention may be confined in the longitudinal direction of the filter or filter cigarette in registration with a further element, for example an “active acetate” filter or filter element, as described above. . For example, a vent upstream of and/or mated with the first additive pocket (if present) is often desirable. When there are two or more, there may be vents between portions (or pockets or patches) of the second additive.

In a further aspect according to the present invention, a plurality (eg, two, four, six, etc.) filters (or A multi-bar comprising a filter element) is provided. Multiple rods and methods for making them are known in the art.

The present invention will be explained with reference to the following examples and accompanying drawings.

1 schematically illustrates a recess filter according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 schematically illustrates a recess filter according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
3 diagrammatically illustrates a recess filter according to a further embodiment of the invention.
4 diagrammatically illustrates a recess filter according to a further different embodiment of the invention.

Example

1 shows a “recess SPF” filter tip that is an embodiment of the present invention. The filter comprises a longitudinally extending cylindrical core comprising a further element (3) comprising tobacco smoke filtering material and a downstream element (1). The downstream element (1) is a further hollow cylindrical tube of 5 mm in the form of a longitudinally extending cylindrical tube with six spaced troughs extending radially inward towards the longitudinally extending inner body. length of extruded HDPE section. The valleys (together with the radially inner face of the cylindrical tube and the radially outer face of the inner body) define six longitudinally extending channels. The hollow tubular inner body defines a further longitudinally extending channel inside the inner body. The cross-sectional profile of HDPE section (1) is shown in (2). The further element 3 comprises a cylindrical plug of tobacco smoke filtering material in the form of cellulose acetate fibers and is 18 mm long. A further element (3) is adjacent to the upstream end of the extruded downstream element (1), elements (3) and (1) are plugwrap (4) with a basis weight of 27 g/m2 applied by means well known in the art. is connected using An outer wrapper (5) of 100 g/m plugwrap is employed around the longitudinally extending core (i.e., elements (3) and (1)) to completely overlap the core; The downstream end of the outer wrapper 5 extends beyond the downstream end of the longitudinally extending core (and the downstream element 1 around which the wrapper is employed) to a length of 4 mm at the downstream end of the filter. defines the recess 6 or tubular cavity of The outer wrapper is applied by means well known in the art. This creates a recessed filter with an overall length of 27 mm.

by the combination of the downstream element (1) with the recess (6) and the downstream end (labial end) of section (2) comprising a channel extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the core/downstream element. It will be appreciated that it provides a very distinctive end appearance that is difficult to counterfeit.

Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of a "recess SPF" tip that is an embodiment of the present invention. The filter comprises a downstream element (1a); a first additional element (3a) comprising tobacco smoke filtering material; and a longitudinally extending cylindrical core comprising a second additional element 7a comprising tobacco smoke filtering material. The downstream element (1a) is a further hollow cylindrical tube of 5 mm in the form of a longitudinally extending cylindrical tube with six spaced troughs extending radially inward towards the longitudinally extending inner body. length of extruded HDPE section. The valleys (together with the radially inner face of the cylindrical tube and the radially outer face of the inner body) define six longitudinally extending channels. The hollow tubular inner body defines a further longitudinally extending channel inside the inner body. Accordingly, the cross-sectional profile of the HDPE section 1a is similar to that shown in Fig. 1(2). The first additional element 3a comprises a cylindrical plug of tobacco smoke filtering material in the form of cellulose acetate fibers with a length of 8 mm and is located immediately upstream of the extruded section 1a. The second additional element 7a comprises an “active acetate” segment in the form of a cylindrical plug of tobacco smoke filtering material in the form of cellulose acetate fibers comprising a particulate additive in the form of activated carbon. The second additional element 7a is 10 mm long and is located at the upstream end of the filter (this end will be connected to the tobacco column in the finished filter cigarette). The filter segments (1a), (3a) and (7a) are connected together using a plugwrap (4) of basis weight of 27 g/m 2 by means well known in the art. An outer wrapper 5 of 100 g/m 2 plugwrap is employed around the longitudinally extending core (i.e. elements 7a, 3a and 1a) to completely overlap the core; The downstream end of the outer wrapper 5 extends beyond the downstream end of the longitudinally extending core (and the downstream element 1a around which the wrapper is employed) to a length of 4 mm at the downstream end of the filter. defines the recess 6 or tubular cavity of The outer wrapper is applied by means well known in the art. This creates a recessed filter with an overall length of 27 mm.

Again, forging by the combination of the recess 6 and the downstream element 1a with the downstream end (labial end) of section 2 comprising a channel extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the core. It will be appreciated that it provides a very distinctive end appearance that is difficult.

Figure 3 shows a "recess CPA" filter tip that is an embodiment of the present invention. The filter comprises a longitudinally extending (eg cylindrical) core comprising a downstream core 8 and an additional element 11 located upstream of the downstream core. The further element 11 comprises a 15 mm long “active acetate” segment in the form of a cylindrical plug of tobacco smoke filtering material in the form of cellulose acetate fibers comprising a particulate additive in the form of activated carbon. The downstream core 8 comprises an 8 mm long longitudinal cylindrical plug comprising cellulose acetate fibers wrapped in a first inner wrapper 9 comprising a plugwrap of basis weight 80 g/m 2 . The plugwrap forming the inner wrapper 9 is embossed along its length with 15 grooves with a depth of about 0.45 mm and a pitch of about 1.5 mm. The plug is wrapped by an inner wrapper 9 so that at the upstream end about 4 mm in length is surrounded by an area of unembossed plugwrap (the 'bar area') and at the downstream end the remaining 4 mm length of the plugwrap is embossed. surrounded by a region of ('flute region'); The embossed region ('flute region') of the inner wrapper of the plugwrap extends downstream beyond the downstream end of the plug by an additional 4 mm. The downstream core 8 and further elements 11 are joined together in the form of a rigid plugwrap of 50 g/m2 basis weight by an outer wrapper 12, the downstream end of which also wraps around it. extends beyond 4 mm of the downstream end of the core 8 employed in the filter (together with the inner wrapper 9 ) to define a 4 mm long tubular cavity at the downstream end of the filter. The embossed region of the inner wrapper 9 extends longitudinally into the downstream core upstream from the downstream end of the downstream core with the outer wrapper 12 employed around the inner wrapper, and from the downstream end of the downstream core. Downstream it defines 15 grooves or channels extending longitudinally into the cavity/recess area. Unique fluting of 4 mm length defined by the embossed pattern of the outer wrapper (12) and the inner wrapper (9) by the combination of the rigid outer wrapper (12) of the plugwrap and the embossed inner wrapper (9) of the plugwrap It will be appreciated that creating a stiff recess 10 with a flat end appearance.

4 shows a recess CPA filter tip, which is a further embodiment of the present invention. The filter comprises a longitudinally extending (eg cylindrical) core comprising a downstream core 8a and an additional element 11 located upstream of the downstream core. The further element 11 comprises a 12 mm long “active acetate” segment in the form of a cylindrical plug of tobacco smoke filtering material in the form of cellulose acetate fibers comprising a particulate additive in the form of activated carbon. The downstream core 8a comprises an 11 mm long longitudinal cylindrical plug comprising cellulose acetate fibers wrapped in a first inner wrapper 9a comprising a plugwrap of basis weight 80 g/m 2 . The plugwrap forming the inner wrapper 9a is embossed along its length with 15 grooves with a depth of about 0.45 mm and a pitch of about 1.5 mm. The plug is wrapped by an inner wrapper 9a such that at the upstream end about 5 mm in length is surrounded by a non-embossed plugwrap region ('bar region') and at the downstream end the remaining 6 mm long of the embossed plugwrap. It is surrounded by a region ('flute region'). The downstream core 8a and the additional element 11 are joined together by an outer wrapper 12a in the form of a rigid plugwrap of 100 g/m2 basis weight; The downstream end of the outer wrapper 12 extends 4 mm beyond the downstream end of the downstream core 8a around which the wrapper is employed to define a 4 mm long tubular cavity at the downstream end of the filter. The inner wrapper 9a together with the outer wrapper 12a defines 15 grooves or channels extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the downstream core, within the recess/cavity formed by the outer wrapper 12a. is visualized in

The combination of the recessed and fluted end appearances of the downstream core 8a defined by the embossed patterns of the inner wrapper 9 and outer wrapper 12 provides a unique end appearance visible from the end of the filter cigarette. provided will be recognized.

It will be appreciated that the above-described filter comprising a multi-segment recess filter may be manufactured by conventional means. It will be appreciated that the filters described above may be used to manufacture filter cigarettes by conventional means. For example, the filter of the present invention may be coupled with a wrapped tobacco rod with one end of the filter facing the tobacco. The filter may, for example, have a ring tip (which is employed around the (wrapped) filter and immediately adjacent end of the wand so that most of the filter wrap is exposed) or, more preferably, a full tip overlap (which is the entire filter length and employed around the proximal end of the tobacco rod). The cigarette may include a tip overlap (eg of rigid tip paper) with the outer wrapper of the filter to provide the desired (eg additionally increased) stiffness to the final recessed filter cigarette.

Claims (20)

a longitudinally extending core comprising tobacco smoke filtering material; and an outer wrapper employed around the longitudinally extending core; wherein the longitudinally extending core comprises one or more channels extending longitudinally upstream from the downstream end of the core, wherein
(a) the longitudinally extending core comprises a hollow tube of tobacco smoke filtering material;
(b) the longitudinally extending core includes a downstream element comprising a longitudinally extending tube having a plurality of spaced apart ribs extending generally inwardly toward the longitudinally extending inner body. and the valleys define a plurality of channels extending longitudinally therebetween;
(c) wherein the longitudinally extending core comprises a longitudinally extending downstream core of tobacco smoke filtering material; a first inner wrapper employed around the downstream core; and a downstream element comprising a second inner wrapper optionally employed around the first inner wrapper; the first inner wrapper has a profiled (eg corrugated) outer surface defining at least one longitudinally extending channel with either the second inner wrapper or the outer wrapper;
wherein the downstream end of the outer wrapper employed around the core and/or the downstream end of the first inner wrapper extends beyond the downstream end of the core thereby defining a cavity at the downstream end of the filter; or filter element. According to claim 1,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a hollow tube of tobacco smoke filtering material in which the longitudinally extending core does not extend the entire length of the core. a longitudinally extending core comprising tobacco smoke filtering material; and an outer wrapper employed around the longitudinally extending core;
wherein the longitudinally extending core comprises a downstream element comprising a longitudinally extending tube having a plurality of spaced apart troughs extending generally inwardly towards the longitudinally extending inner body, the troughs comprising: defining a plurality of channels extending longitudinally therebetween;
wherein the downstream end of the outer wrapper employed around the core extends beyond the downstream end of the core thereby defining a cavity at the downstream end of the filter. According to claim 3,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element wherein the inner body is a hollow inner body having inner wall(s) defining additional longitudinally extending channels. According to claim 3 or 4,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element in which the downstream element is integrally formed as a single element. According to any one of claims 3 to 5,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element in which the downstream element is formed by extrusion. a longitudinally extending core comprising tobacco smoke filtering material; and an outer wrapper employed around the longitudinally extending core;
wherein the longitudinally extending core comprises a longitudinally extending downstream core of the tobacco smoke filtering material; a first inner wrapper employed around the downstream core; and a downstream element comprising a second inner wrapper optionally employed around the first inner wrapper; the first inner wrapper has a profiled (eg corrugated) outer surface defining at least one longitudinally extending channel with either the second inner wrapper or the outer wrapper;
wherein the downstream end of the outer wrapper employed around the core and/or the downstream end of the first inner wrapper extends beyond the downstream end of the core thereby defining a cavity at the downstream end of the filter; or filter element. According to claim 7,
A first inner wrapper is employed around a core having a profiled (eg corrugated) surface facing the outer wrapper or second wrapper thereby defining longitudinally extending channel(s) with the second or outer wrapper. Tobacco smoke filter or filter element. According to claim 7 or 8,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element wherein at least one longitudinally extending channel extends longitudinally upstream from a downstream end of a downstream core. According to claim 9,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element in which the or each channel extends only a portion of the length of the downstream core. According to any one of claims 1 to 10,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element wherein the longitudinally extending core includes one or more additional element(s) comprising tobacco smoke filtering material upstream of the downstream element. According to claim 10 or 11,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a longitudinally extending cylindrical plug of cellulose acetate filtering material, wherein the further element optionally further comprises a wrapper of porous or non-porous plugwrap. According to any one of claims 10 to 12,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a longitudinally extending cylindrical plug of cellulose acetate filtering material, wherein the further element further comprises a particulate additive and optionally further comprises a wrapper of porous or non-porous plugwrap. a longitudinally extending core comprising tobacco smoke filtering material; and an outer wrapper employed around the longitudinally extending core; wherein the longitudinally extending core comprises at least one channel extending longitudinally upstream from a downstream end of the core; wherein the downstream end of the outer wrapper employed around the core extends beyond the downstream end of the core thereby defining a cavity at the downstream end of the filter. According to claim 14,
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element wherein the longitudinally extending core comprises a hollow tube of tobacco smoke filtering material. According to any one of claims 1 to 15,
A filter or filter element wherein the outer wrapper is paper, eg plugwrap paper. According to any one of claims 1 to 16,
A filter or filter element wherein the outer wrapper is a paper exhibiting a basis weight of about 40 to about 120 g/m 2 . A tobacco smoke filter substantially as described above with reference to any accompanying drawings. A filter cigarette comprising a filter or filter element according to claim 1 connected to a wrapped tobacco rod with the first end of the core towards the tobacco. A plurality (eg, two, four, six, etc.) filters (or filter elements) according to any one of claims 1 to 18 integrally connected end-to-end in mirror image relationship. multiple bars.

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