MX2007007232A

MX2007007232A - Cigarette with carbon on two filter.

Info

Publication number: MX2007007232A
Application number: MX2007007232A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Richard Jupe; Ashesh Banerjea; Charles Lambert; Arlington Finley
Original assignee: Philip Morris Prod
Priority date: 2004-12-15
Filing date: 2005-12-14
Publication date: 2007-08-14
Also published as: ZA200704410B; JP2008523800A; AU2005315243B2; ES2545455T3; SI1845811T1; BRPI0519090A2; PL1845811T3; AU2005315243A1; ES2545455T5; RS54104B2; JP5398143B2; CN101094597B; WO2006064371A1; RS54104B1; US20070261706A1; WO2006064371A8; EP1845811A1; KR20070089855A; EA200701278A1; PL1845811T5

Abstract

A cigarette (10) comprises a tobacco rod (12) and a carbon ion-tow filter(14) comprising a fiber tow (18) with flavored or unflavored carbon particles(20) distributed throughout the tow. The carbon particles have high activityin the range of 90 to 115%, preferably 95%. As mainstream smoke is drawn throughthe filter (14), gas phase smoke constituents are removed and flavor is releasedwhen the particles are flavored. Ventilation (24) is provided to limit the amountof tobacco being combusted during each puff and such ventilation is arrangedat a location near the downstream end of the carbon-on-tow filter to lower mainstreamsmoke velocity through the filter. The filter achieves significant reductionsin gas phase constituents of mainstream smoke, including 90% reductions or greaterin at least one of 1, 3 butadiene, acrolein, isoprene, propionaldehyde, acrylonitrile,benzene, toluene, and 80% reductions or greater in acetaldehyde over extendedshelf life of the cigarettes.

Description

CIGAR WITH CARBON IN ESTOPi FILTER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to smoking articles such as cigarettes, and in particular, to cigars including filter segments comprising absorbent and fibrous filter materials arranged for advantageous removal of gas phase components of main stream smoke in the service life extended cigar BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Smoking articles, particularly cigars, generally comprise a shredded tobacco rod (usually in the form of a cut filler) surrounded by a paper cover, and a cylindrical filter aligned in an end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod. Typically, the filter includes a cellulose acetate fiber connector attached to the tobacco rod by crimped paper. Ventilation of mainstream smoke is achieved with a row or rows of perforations on a location along the filter. Such ventilation provides dilution of mainstream smoke smoked with ambient air to reduce the tar supply. With the lighting of a cigar, a smoker removes the smoke from the mainstream of the carbon at the lit end of the cigar The extracted cigar smoke first enters the upstream end portion of the filter and then passes through the downstream portion adjacent to the mouth end of the cigar. Certain cigars have filter segments that incorporate adsorbent materials such as Activated carbon, and examples of such are described in U.S. Pat Nos. 2,881,770 to Tovey, 3,353,543 to Sproull et al., 3,101,723 to Seligman et al., and 4,481,958 to Raner and others. Certain commercially available filters have carbon particles or granules (e.g. , an activated carbon material) alone or dispersed within a cellulose acetate tow, other commercially available filters have rows of carbon dispersed within, while even other commercially available filters have designs so-called "connection-space-connection" 'filter cavity "or" triple filter "Examples of commercially available filters are filter Carbon Solid Double SCS IV and Carbon Filter Triple Filtrona International Carbon, Ltd, Triple Cavity Filter Baumgartner, and ACT International Filtrona, Ltd See also, Clarke and others, World Tobacco, page 55 (November 1992) The discussion details of the properties and composition of cigars and filters is found in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,408,890 and 5,568,819 to Gentry et al., the descriptions that are incorporated herein by reference. Typical of prior practices with "connector-space-connector" cigars designed to been until now locate the ventilation at a location along the bed of the adsorbent contained in the space, to achieve sufficient spacing of the ventilation holes of the mouth end of the filter In doing so, the lips of the smoker would not occlude the ventilation holes Such placement, however , the filtering efficiency of the adsorbent tended to decrease, because it tended to increase the velocity of the mainstream smoke in at least a portion of the absorbent bed. Various annular configurations of the filters having ring filter regions of the carbon support have been described in the prior art. For example, European Patent Application No. 579,410 shows a number of cigarette embodiments having an annular carbon support region that it surrounds either a porous filtration material or an empty tubular cavity formed by a porous vapor phase membrane. Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 3,894,545 to Crellin et al. Shows various configurations of the annular carbon bearing regions surrounding a porous vapor phase membrane or a rod of carbon support material surrounded by a phase porous membrane. Steam filter elements that incorporate carbon have the ability to remove constituents from the mainstream smoke that passes through it. In particular, activated carbon has the propensity to reduce the levels of certain gas phase components present in the atmosphere. current smoke main, resulting in a change in the organoleptic properties of that smoke. Despite these advantages of carbon support filters, they have not been widely used so far. In previous provisions it was found that mainstream smoke from carbon filters teto have a flavor note that is contrary to consumer preferences, and that therefore its use in commercially offered cigars has not expanded. Also, plasticizers in fiber tow filters tend to degrade certain carbon components over time and thereby reduce carbon efficiency by removing the gas phase component over the extended life of the cigars including such filter arrangements. . It would be desirable to provide a cigar having a cigar filter incorporating carbon and / or other materials capable of absorbing and / or absorbing gas phase components present in mainstream cigarette smoke, while providing favorable absorption / adsorption, dilution and smoking characteristics.

In addition, it would be desirable to provide such a filter with desirable residence time in the adsorbent / absorbent-containing region while simultaneously achieving a downstream pressure drop of the dilution region and the adsorbent / adsorbent to provide acceptable smoking characteristics of the puffs of smoke that have gas phase components but with acceptable taste and smoking resistance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a smoking article such as a cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter comprising a fiber tow with highly activated carbon particles in the tow. In a preferred embodiment, the activated carbon is also flavor support and comprises highly activated carbon particles in a fibrous tow. While the mainstream smoke is drawn through the upstream portion of the filter, the gas phase smoke constituents are removed and the taste of the activated carbon is released. Ventilation is provided to limit the amount of tobacco that is burned during each puff or puff and such ventilation is arranged at a location downstream from most of the carbon in the tow in order to decrease the rate of mainstream smoke through of the adsorbent. It is believed that highly activated carbon particles in a cellulose acetate tow achieve significant reductions in gaseous phase constituents of mainstream smoke, which includes 90% reductions or greater in 1,3 butadiene, acrolein, isoprene, propionaldehyde , acrylonitrile, benzene, toluene, and 80% reductions or greater in acetaldehyde. Advantageously, the present invention addresses the desire to achieve optimal residence times for smoke in the region of the filter that supports the adsorbent material while also achieving dilution favorable smoke with ambient air and that includes an acceptable resistance to smoking as expected by most smokers. With the foregoing and other advantages and features of the invention that will become apparent below, the nature of the invention can be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims and the various views illustrated in the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features and advantages of the present invention in addition to those mentioned above will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts. and wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a cigar comprising a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter including highly activated carbon particles in fiber tow, according to the present invention, with the portions of them separated to illustrate the interior details; Figure 2 is a side elevational view of another cigar comprising a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter including highly activated carbon particles in a fiber tow, according to the present invention, with the portions thereof separated to illustrate the interior details; Figure 3 is a side elevation view of another cigar comprising a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter including highly activated carbon particles in a fiber tow with downstream flavor addition, according to the present invention, with the portions thereof separated to illustrate the interior details; and Figure 4 is a side elevational view of even another cigar comprising a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter including highly activated carbon particles in a fiber tow with downstream flavor addition, according to the present invention. invention, with portions thereof separated to illustrate the interior details.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figure 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a cigar 10 comprising a rod of smokable material 12 such as shredded tobacco and a multi-component filter 14 attached to the rod 12 with a pouched paper 16. With the ignition of the cigar 10, mainstream smoke is generated by and smoked from the tobacco rod 12 and through the filter 14.

Here, the relative positions "upstream" and "downstream" between filter segments and other characteristics are described in relation to the direction of the mainstream smoke while smoking of the tobacco rod 12 and through the multi-component filter. Preferably, the filter 14 comprises a cellulose acetate fiber 18 that includes a suitable staphylogenic fiber such as triacetin with the highly activated carbon particles in the granules 20 distributed through the tow. A mouth end component (nozzle) 22 is downstream from tow 18 and carbon 20 The mouth (buccal) end component 22 preferably is in the form of a cellulose acetate connector or other suitable fibrous cover material of moderate to low particle efficiency. Preferably, The particle efficiency is low, with denier and total denier being selected so that the desired total RTD of the filter is achieved. multiple components 14. Preferably the carbon 20 in the tow 18 is in the form of granules and the like. Preferably, the carbon of the preferred embodiment is an activated carbon of high surface area, for example a carbon-based coconut shell of the size of typical ASTM mesh used in the cigar industry or finer Activated carbon absorbs constituents of mainstream smoke, particularly those of the gas phase that include aldehydes, ketones and other volatile organic compounds, and in Particular 1,3-butadiene, acrolein, isoprene, propionaldehyde, acplonitplo, benzene, toluene, styrene, acetaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide With respect to the carbon particles 20, it is preferred that they have a mesh size of 10 to 80, and more preferably a mesh size of 20 to 70 In addition, as noted above, the carbon particles are highly activated having a total activity on the scale of 90 to 110% with an objective activity of approximately 95% as measured by the CTC methodology ( carbon tetrachloride) The carbon particles 20 can be flavor carriers or otherwise impregnated with a flavor so that these adsorbent particles not only remove one or more gas phase smoke constituents from the mainstream smoke, but also release flavor in the mainstream smoke stream. Preferably, the flavor is added to the carbon granules by spraying flavor on a batch of activated carbon in a mixing drum (falling) or alternatively in a fluidized bed with nitrogen as the fluidization agent, where the sabopzante Then it can be sprayed onto the carbon in the bed. The taste addition is made before distributing the carbon granules through the tow 18. Preferably, one or more circumferential rows of perforations 24 are formed through the foil 16 at a location a along the downstream end portion of the carbon in the tow 18, 20. The preferred placement maximizes the distance between the buccal end of the cigar and the perforations 24, which preferably is at least 12 mm (millimeters) or more so that the lips of a smoker do not occlude the perforations 24 Preferably, the level of ventilation is on the scale of 40 to 60% and more preferably approximately 45 to 55% in a FTC tar delivery cigarette of 6mg. It is believed that ventilation not only provides dilution of mainstream smoke but also reduces the amount of tobacco burned during each puff when coupled with a low particulate filter 14. Ventilation reduces smoking the carbon and thereby reduces the amount of tobacco that is burned during a smoking. As a result, the absolute amounts of smoke constituents are reduced. Advantageously, the perforations 24 of the present invention are located in the downstream end portion of the carbon in the the tow filter so that the mainstream smoke velocity through most of the carbon particles 20 is reduced and the dwell time of the mainstream smoke between the carbon 20 is increased. The extra dwell time, in turn , increases the effectiveness of activated carbon by reducing the constituents of mainstream smoke objectives. The smoke is diluted by the ambient air passing through the perforations 24 and mixing with the mainstream smoke to achieve air dilution in the approximate range of 45-65% For example, with 50% air dilution, 50% flow is reduced through the updraft of the dilution bore, thereby reducing the smoke rate to 50%. Preferably, the carbon loading of scale 20 in the tow 18 comprises at least 90 to more than 120 mg (milligrams) with a target load of about 120 mg. Such carbon loading provides a flavored cigar that achieves significant reductions in the gas phase constituents of mainstream smoke, which includes reductions of 90% or more in 1, 3 butadiene, acrolein, isoprene, propionaldehyde, acplonitplo, benzene, toluene, and reductions of 80% or more in acetaldehyde. The high carbon load also ensures an adequate level of activity sufficient to achieve such reductions through the expected life of the product (up to six months or more) with the carbon activity on the scale of 90 to 110% and a target of approximately 95% there is no significant adverse effect of the plasticizer (tpacetma, for example) used in fiber tow 18 When fiber tow 18 is cellulose acetate with a tpacetine plasticizer, the level of tpacetma can be of any level necessary (usually around 6%) and such level does not adversely affect the percent reductions noted above for gas phase constituents of mainstream smoke With these percentages of carbon activity there is no significant deactivation of carbon in the useful life of the products of the cigar with it occur the percentage reductions of the gas-phase constituents over the entire shelf life Cigars with an extended shelf life of twelve months are about as effective as one-month-old cigars. For example, the length of the tobacco rod 12 is preferably 49 mm, and the length of the multi-component filter 14 is preferably 34 mm. The length of the carbon in the tow segment is preferably 20-26 mm and the cellulose acetate connector 8 at the end of the filter 14 is preferably 8 mm. mm The total tar level (FTC) is preferably on the 6 mg scale with a puff count of 6 or greater The tobacco rod 12 can be covered with a conventional cigarette wrap or the in-band paper can be used for this purpose The in-band cigar paper has spaced integrated cellulose bands 21 surrounding the finished tobacco rod of the cigar 10 to modify the mass burn rate of l cigar to reduce the risk of igniting a substrate if the cigarette 10 is left to simmer. The Patents of E.U.A. We 5, 263,999 and 5,997,691 disclose the cigar paper in band, said patents are incorporated herein in their entirety. In the preferred embodiment 10 of Figure 1, 90 to 120 milligrams, preferably about 120 milligrams, of the highly flavored activated carbon 20 are distributed to through fiber tow 18 Optional flavor loading is 3 to 6 mg on carbon 20, more preferably around 4 or 5 mg. So much as 6 mg of a flavor system per 120 mg of carbon did not show an adverse effect on the removal of constituent It should be understood that the reference here to a charge of 120 mg of flavored carbon is inclusive of any sabopzante. I noticed earlier, the carbon activity is on the scale of 90 to 110% with an objective of about 95%. Despite the plasticizer in the tow 18 of about 6%, the carbon in the bast filter components maintains its effectiveness in the removal of gas phase components in the lifespan of the cigars 10 Referring to Tables IV below, the data is provided showing the average percentage reductions of certain gas phase constituents in mainstream smoke achieved with test cigars. , as described in the header of each Table, in a commercially offered cigar (the control) For a given test cigar, the first column of percentage is indicates the average reductions achieved in the control micially, while the second and third columns show the average reductions of the test cigars after being subjected to conditions that simulate approximately six (6) months of useful life and approximately twelve (12) Months of useful life, respectively The accelerated aging procedure includes the cycle of the cigars through conditions of high humidity and low humidity, high temperature conditions for a prescribed period of time As shown in the Tables, significant reductions in the gas phase, smoke constituents are achieved with 120 milligrams of carbon in the tow, even in the presence of triacetin and even after significant amounts of simulated lifespan approaching one year of natural aging TABLE I Test Cigar: Carbon in Bast; 120 mg carbon / 0% Triacetin / Carbon non-flavored / 95% activity level TABLE II Cigar test: Carbon in tow; 120 mg carbon / 6% Triacetin / Carbon non-flavored / 95% activity level TABLE II Cigar test: Carbon in tow; 120 mg carbon / 6% Triacetin / Carbon non-flavored / 95% activity level TABLE IV Cigar test: Carbon in tow; 120 mg carbon / 0% Triacetin / Carbon non-flavored / 95% activity level TABLE V Cigar test: Carbon in Bast; 120 mg carbon / 6% Triacetin / Carbon non-flavored / 95% activity level Figure 2 shows a 10A cigar with a shorter tow 18A and a reduced load of 20A carbon particles distributed between the tow. The carbon load is approximately 75 milligrams and the carbon has no taste. Carbon activity is within the scale from 90 to 115% with a target of about 95% Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, alternative preferred embodiments include cigars 10B, 10C including a carbon filter plug in tow 18 having a carbon load of about 75 at 120 milligrams or greater at the high activity level (from 90 to 110% with a target level of approximately 95%), more preferably approximately 120 milligrams of such carbon in the 10B cigarette and approximately 75 milligrams of such carbon in the 10C cigarette, both preferably without flavors. Approximately 90 mg of carbon is a preferred amount. In these embodiments, the filters further include a flavor release element 32, 32 A at a location downstream of the tow carbon (in the direction of direction while the mainstream smoke is drawn through the cigar), as in Figure 3, a filter connector 32 having a flavor support yarn 33 therein (as described in commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 6,761,174) or a bed of flavor release particles 35 as shown in Figure 4, said particular may be disposed in the space of a connector-space arrangement -connector in element 32 or as a fibrous tow connector with flavor release particles arranged therein. With high carbon loading and high carbon activity levels, these cigars 10B, 10C of Figures 3 and 4 offer increased ability to remove constituents of gas phase smoke, acceptable shelf life and favorable organoleptic properties. In addition, the present invention can be practiced with cigars of several circumferences, narrow cigars as well as wide ones. Also, while the present invention is preferably practiced with flavorless tobacco rods, flavored tobacco material is also contemplated.

Claims

1 - . 1 - A cigar comprising a tobacco rod and a carbon filter in tow comprising a fiber tow with carbon particles distributed between the tow, the carbon filter in tow is constructed and arranged to substantially remove at least one constituent of Mainstream tobacco smoke while the mainstream smoke is drawn through the filter, and the carbon particles have an activity on the scale of 90 to 115%

2 - The cigar according to claim 1, wherein the carbon comprises from about 75 to 120 milligrams or more

3 - The cigar according to claim 2, wherein the carbon particles have flavor

4 - The cigar according to claim 1, wherein the carbon comprises approximately 120 milligrams

5 - The cigar according to claim 4, wherein the carbon particles have flavor.

6 - The cigar according to claim 1, wherein the activity of the carbon particles is about 95%

7 - The cigar according to claim 1, wherein the filter includes ventilation and the ventilation is in the scale of 45 to 55%, and wherein a mouth end filter component is downstream of the tow carbon filter component

8 - The cigar according to claim 7, wherein the ventilation comprises at least one circumferential row of perforations through a lined paper, the encased paper joining the carbon filter in tow to the tobacco rod. 9. The cigar according to claim 8, wherein the ventilation is located at least 12 mm from the buccal end of the cigar. 10. The cigar according to claim 1, wherein the tow carbon filter achieves significant reductions in gaseous phase constituents of mainstream smoke, including 90% reductions or more in at least one of 1.3 butadiene, acrolein, isoprene, propionaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzene and toluene over an extended lifespan of at least six months. 11. The cigar according to claim 1, wherein the tow carbon filter achieves significant reductions in gaseous phase constituents of the mainstream smoke, including reductions of 80% or more of acetaldehyde. 12. The cigar according to claim 1, wherein the filter includes a flavor release element located downstream of the carbon in tow.