MX2012009010A

MX2012009010A - Flow control device for a smoking article.

Info

Publication number: MX2012009010A
Application number: MX2012009010A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Arnold Leslie Herholdt
Original assignee: Tobacco Res & Dev Inst Proprietary Ltd
Priority date: 2010-02-05
Filing date: 2011-01-25
Publication date: 2012-10-10
Also published as: CN102843924B; BR112012019271A2; AU2011212572A1; WO2011095410A1; CN102843924A; AR081800A1; CL2012002139A1; JP2013518569A; RU2012137382A; CA2788226A1; ZA201000888B; EP2531052A1; US20130032161A1; KR20120112869A

Abstract

A flow control device 4 for a smoking article comprises a body having first and second longitudinally arranged body portions 7, 10 rotatable relative to one another between a first position and a second position. The first 7 and second 10 body portions are configured to define a first smoke flow path through the device 4 in the first position and a second smoke flow path through the device 4 in the second position and to cause an adjustment to the direction of smoke flow upon rotation from the first position to the second position, thereby to allow smoke to pass through the second smoke flow path.

Description

FLOW CONTROL DEVICE FOR AN ARTICLE FOR SMOKING Field of the invention THIS INVENTION REFERS TO A FLOW CONTROL DEVICE FOR AN ARTICLE FOR SMOKING AND, IN PARTICULAR, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, TO AN ARTICLE FOR SMOKING FILTER COMPRISING A CONTROL DEVICE FLOW Background It is known from EP 0317154A and U.S. Patent No. 4,677,995 to provide filters for cigarettes that include a rotating segment having two smoke flow pathways containing different flavor materials, which can be rotated to select different longitudinal paths through the filter segment through which the smoke reaches the consumer. This allows the user to select a flavor or different levels of filtering according to the angle of rotation of the filter segment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a flow control device for a smoking article, comprising a body having the first and second portions disposed longitudinally, which can rotate relative to each other between the first and second positions, the first and second body portions adapting to define a first path of smoke flow through the device in the first position and a second path of smoke flow to the first position. through the device in the second position and cause an adjustment of the smoke flow direction when rotating from the first position to the second position, thus allowing the smoke to pass through the second path of smoke flow.

Adjusting the direction of the smoke flow allows to exercise a selectable control with respect to various aspects of the consumer experience. For example, adjusting the direction of the smoke flow may comprise directing the smoke flow at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the device. This allows a greater area of interaction with a flavoring or other smoke modifying agent contained in the device, so that smoke modification is improved as compared to the longitudinal flow through a smoke modifying agent.

Also, the second path of smoke flow is preferably longer than the first path of smoke flow or vice versa, so that the resistance to extract the smoke can be selectively altered by twisting the device from the first position to the second position, providing that way a different smoking experience according to the relative angle of the body parts.

Preferably, the flavor or other smoke modifying agent is provided in the longer smoke path. The flavor, therefore, must take a longer route to migrate out of the device, and in this way the flavor remains fresh.

The adjustment of the direction of the smoke flow may for example be a 180 degree adjustment or, alternatively, 90 degrees. The adjustment can be done in stages; for example, a 180 degree direction adjustment may comprise a first 90 degree adjustment followed by an additional 90 degree subsequent adjustment.

Preferably, the smoke modifying agent is a granular flavoring contained in a chamber having wall portions comprising smoke openings sized so as to prevent the granular agent from leaving the chamber.

As an option, the adjustment of the direction of the smoke flow comprises reversing the direction of the smoke flow in such a way that the smoke flows through the smoke modifying agent in a direction towards the end of. tobacco flow control device.

The device in general is preferably tubular, the second body portion having an inlet channel at one end of the tubular device and the first body portion having an outlet channel at an opposite end.

The first body portion may comprise a reflux member of the smoke aligned with the smoke inlet channel in the second position, the reflux member of the smoke configured to cause said adjustment receiving the smoke from the inlet channel in the second position and reversing the direction of the smoke flow.

Alternatively, the first body portion may have an insertion member received by the second body portion, the insertion member comprising a first peripheral region permeable to smoke and a second peripheral region impermeable to smoke, the second peripheral region defining a wall interior of the smoke inlet channel in the first position, and the first peripheral region defining an interior wall of the smoke inlet channel in the second position. The peripheral regions can be configured such that, in the first position, the second peripheral region prevents the smoke from passing through the second smoke flow path and so that the rotation from the first position to the second position allows the smoke passes through the second flow path through said first peripheral region, preferably in a transverse direction, thus adjusting the direction of the smoke flow.

The invention also provides an article for smoking comprising the flow control device. As used herein, the term "smoking article" includes products that can be smoked such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, are based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or, tobacco substitutes and also products consumed by heat without combustion.

The invention also provides an article filter for smoking comprising a flow control device. Preferably, the filter forms part of a smoking article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES In order that the invention may be more fully understood, its embodiments will now be described with respect to the accompanying figures, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a cigarette that includes a flow control device.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the flow control device.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the flow control device of FIGURE 1, in a first position.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the flow control device in a second position.

FIGURE 5a is an exploded perspective view of the middle segment of the flow control device.

FIGURE 5b is a perspective view of the middle segment of the flow control device.

FIGURE 5c is an end view of the middle segment of the flow control device.

FIGURE 5d shows a retention grid.

FIGURE 6a is an exploded perspective view of an alternative flow control device.

FIGURE 6b is a perspective view of part of the flow control device of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of the flow control device of FIGURE 6 in a first position.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view of the flow control device of FIGURE 6 in a second position.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective cut away view of the flow control device of FIGURE 6 in the second position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION With respect to FIGURE 1, a smoking article in the form of a cigarette 1 includes a tobacco rod wrapped in paper 2 abutting against a filter element 3. The filter element 3 has a flow control device 4 positioned at its end of the mouth and a cellulose acetate tow filter plug 5 positioned at its tobacco end. The filter element 3 may further comprise a filter paper wrapped around the device 4 and the filter plug 5. As shown, a nozzle paper 6 is wrapped around the filter element 3 and the tobacco rod 2 to join them between yes.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the flow control device 4 comprises a first body portion 7 which in turn comprises an end part of the mouth 8 fixed in position in relation to a middle part 9, and a second part. body portion 10 which is rotatably mounted with respect to the first body portion 7. The parts 8, 9, 10 are arranged coaxially, are generally tubular and are preferably formed of molded plastic material. The parts 8, 9, 10 may for example have a diameter of approximately 7.8 mm.

When the flow control device 4 is disposed in a cigarette as shown in FIGURE 1, the second body portion 10 is attached to the tobacco rod 2 by the nozzle paper 6 while the first body portion 7 is attached. it is free to rotate with respect to the rod 2. As will be described later in greater detail, the body portions 7, 10 have a first rotated position (shown in FIGURE 3) in which the smoke can pass longitudinally to through the flow control device 4 towards the mouth end of the cigarette 1. The body portions 7, 10 can also rotate from the first position to a second position (shown in FIGURE 4) in which the flow of smoke is oriented in the reverse direction through a flavor located in the middle part of the body 9, and then redirected towards the mouth end of the cigarette 1 and thus through the device 4. In this way, the smoke I extracted of the cigarette 1 can be selectively added to the flavor by rotating the second body portion 10 with respect to the first body portion 7 (or vice versa) so that the body portions 7, 10 are placed in the second position. Directing the smoke flow along the path shown in FIGURE 4 increases the pressure drop across the filter element 3 as compared to the smoke flow path shown in FIGURE 3, thereby simultaneously providing flavored smoke and greater resistance its extraction.

Turning now to a more detailed description of the flow control device 4, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the body parts 8, 9, 10 have channels 11, 12, 13, 14 with cross sections substantially in the form of a kidney, which enable the smoke to pass through the parts 8, 9, 10 in the first and second positions. The channels 11, 12, 13, 14 may each have a cross-sectional area of approximately 6.7 mm2, for example.

FIGURE 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the device 4 with the second body portion 10 positioned in the first position with respect to the first body portion 7. As shown, the entrance channel 11 of the second body portion 10 it is aligned with the channel 12 of the middle part 9 and with the channel 13 of the end part of the mouth 8, thus defining an unflavored smoke flow path 11, 12, 13 through the device 4.

As shown, the middle part 9 has the smoke-impermeable interior walls 15, 16 which define a chamber containing flavor 17. The walls 15, 16 prevent the smoke from passing into the flavor-containing chamber 17 when the body portions 7, 10 are placed in the first position. When the body portion 10 rotates 180 degrees from the first position to the second position shown in FIGURE 4, the channel 11 of the second body portion 10 is aligned with the channel 14 of the middle body portion 9, which at its it is aligned with a cavity that guides the smoke 18 formed in the end part of the mouth 8. The cavity that guides the smoke 18 does not pass completely through the part 8 and, on the other hand, is shaped to guide the smoke of the channel 14 to the chamber containing flavor 17. As shown in FIGURE 4, the cavity that guides the smoke 18 causes it to reflux and thereby flow through the flavor chamber 17 in the opposite direction to the flow direction of the liquid. smoke through the channel 14. The second portion 10 comprises a similar cavity that guides the smoke but in the opposite direction 19 shaped to guide the smoke of the chamber containing flavor 17 to the channel 12 of the middle part 9, thereby reversing the direction of the smoke. man smoke flow it was to flow through the channels 12, 13 in the same direction as through the channel 14, and out of the mouth end of the device 4. In this way, a smoke flow path 11, 14 is defined. , 18, 17, 19, 12, 13 through device 4 in the second position. The smoke that passes through this way is flavored by the flavor in chamber 17 and goes through a longer path than the smoke flow path of the first position, so that the resistance increases to extract the smoke. As an option, the channels 11, 12, 13, 14 and the cavities 18, 19 are filled with a smoke permeable substance, for example cellulose acetate tow, which also increases the resistance to extract the smoke throughout the device 4 in both of the first and second positions, the increase being greater for the second position as the smoke path is longer.

Advantageously, the flavor of the flavor-containing chamber 17 tends not to migrate out of the device 4 due to the long diffusion pathways to the outputs of the device. In this way, the taste does not substantially migrate from the filter element 3 to the cigarette l or to the other cigarettes of a package, which could be undesirable to the consumer.

Although the description of the preceding FIGURES 3 and 4 shows the rotation of the body portion 10 with respect to the body portion 7, it will be appreciated that the consumer could rotate between the first and second positions holding in place the first or the second. second of the body portions 7, 10 with one hand and rotating the other body portion with the other hand or, alternatively, twisting the body portions 7, 10 in the opposite directions. In effect, the consumer may prefer to hold the tobacco rod 2 in place and twist the body portion of the mouth end 7, instead of retaining the portion 7 and twisting the tobacco rod 2.

The chamber containing flavor 17 is presented in greater detail in FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d. As shown, both sides of the chamber 17 are provided with the retaining grids 20, 21 configured to allow smoke to enter the chamber 17 but to prevent the flavor, which may be in granular form in the chamber 17, from fall out. As shown in FIGURE 5c, the middle part 9 has two pairs of locating holes 22, a pair for each of the grids 20, 21, and the retaining grids are provided with locating pins 23 which are received in locating holes 22 for fixing the retaining grids in position. The chamber containing flavor 17 may have a size of about 0.03 cc and retention grids 20, 21 be adapted to provide a ventilated area of about 3.5 mm2. The smaller sizes of the smoke openings cause greater pressure drop throughout the device 24 and therefore the openings must be dimensioned so as to achieve a desired pressure drop.

FIGURE 6 shows an alternative flow control device 24. As shown, the flow control device 24 comprises the first and second tubular body portions 25, 26, which can be formed of molded plastic. As shown, the first body portion 25 comprises two generally cylindrical tubular members integrally formed 27, 28, the member 27 having a diameter smaller than that of the member 28. The second body portion 26 has the first and second guide members. second 29, 30 on their opposite sides, defining an inner diameter 31 shaped to slidably receive the member 27. In this way, the first body portion 25 fits into the groove of the second body portion 26 so as to rotate in she. The length of the second body portion 26 can be, for example, 6 mm and the total length of the device 24 can be 11 mm. The diameter of the device 24 can be 6.8 mm.

As shown, the guide members 29, 30 further define a smoke channel 32 through the body portion 26 that opens to the inner diameter 31 when the second body portion is not put in place in the slot. With respect to FIGS. 7 and 8, which are shown in cross sections, the second body portion 26 has a front wall 33 with a smoke opening 34 that allows smoke to pass into the smoke channel 32. The smoke opening 34 can provide, for example, an entrance area of approximately 5.8 mm2.

FIGURE 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the device 24 with the first body portion 25 engaged in the slot in place and rotated to its first position. As shown, in this position the smoke channel 32 is aligned with a smoke channel 35 formed in the annular wall 36 of the larger cylindrical tubular member 28, thus defining a longitudinal path of smoke flow through the device 24.

The smaller tubular member 27 has an annular wall 37 and a front wall 38, which together with the annular wall 36 of the tubular member 28 define a chamber 39 containing a flavoring, for example in granular form. The camera can have, for example, approximately 8 mm in length and a diameter of 3.5 mm. As shown in FIGURE 6a, the chamber 39 is closed at its rear end by a perforated cap 40 which fits snugly in a generally circular opening of the rear face of the chamber 39. The cap 40 has smoke openings 41 that they are large enough to allow smoke to pass and exit the device 24, but small enough to prevent the flavor granules from falling out of the chamber 39, and for example a total vent area of about 5.7 mm 2 may be provided.

As shown, the annular wall 37 has a peripheral section 42 with multiple openings 43, while the remainder 44 of the annular wall 37 forms a smoke-impermeable barrier. As shown in FIGURE 7, in the first position the impermeable part 44 of the wall 37 defines an interior wall of the smoke channel 32, which prevents the ingress of the smoke into the chamber containing flavoring 39. Rotate the first portion of the smoke. body 25 180 degrees to the second position shown in FIGURE 8 places the smoke openings 43 of the peripheral section 42 in register with channel 32, thereby providing it with an interior wall permeable to smoke. In this way, the smoke can flow from the channel 32 through the openings 43 and to the chamber 39. Preferably, the openings 43 provide a total ventilation area of approximately 8 mm2.

As shown in FIGURE 8, in the second position the channel 32 is out of alignment with the channel 35 so that the end of the channel 32 is blocked by the annular wall 36 of the member 28. Therefore, in the second position , the only way that smoke can take is through the openings 43.

The arrows 45 of FIGURE 8 show the smoke path through the device 24 in the second position. As shown, the smoke enters the device 24 through the smoke opening 34 and passes into the channel 32. The smoke then passes in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the device 24 through the smoke openings 43 and to the chamber containing flavoring 39. The smoke then passes longitudinally through the chamber containing flavoring 39, where flavor is added. The flavored smoke then exits through the openings 41 of the cap 40.

As the smoke passes into chamber 39 in a transverse direction, the surface area with respect to which it interacts with the granules is only limited by the dimensions of the smoke permeable region 42, rather than by the cross-sectional area of the device 24, as would be the case in the longitudinal smoke flow. Accordingly, the surface area of the interaction can increase and intensify the imparted flavor, as compared to the case of longitudinal smoke flow.

Also, the smoke openings 43 and 41 can be sized to provide a desired resistance to smoke extraction in the second position. For this reason, for example, the smoke openings 43 can be made small enough so that there is an appreciable difference with respect to the pressure drop across the device 24 in the first and second positions, thus providing the consumer with different smoking experiences as the selected orientation.

The openings 41 of the cap 40 can be adapted to allow the flavor to migrate to the remainder of the cigarette 1 and possibly to other cigarettes in the package, so as to provide a flavored smell to the cigarettes before smoking, for example when opening the package. Although this may be inconvenient in some circumstances, as already mentioned, some consumers may prefer that their cigarettes have a flavored smell before smoking, and this option is provided with the device 24.

Advantageously, the first body portion 25, the second body portion 26 and the cap 40 are formed of molded plastic and can be manufactured using injection molding techniques that are already known. The assembly of the device 24 can be carried out by hand or by machine fitting the parts 25, 26, 40 in their slots.

Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

For example, although the filter element 3 was described above as having a flow control device 4 positioned at its mouth end and a cellulose acetate tow plug 5 positioned at its tobacco end, alternatively or additionally it can a plug of cellulose acetate tow is positioned at the mouth end of the filter element 3. Therefore, as an option, the filter element 3 may comprise a flow control device with a plug of cellulose acetate tow positioned at each end. The cellulose acetate tow plugs, the flow control device and the tobacco rod can be held together by wraps, for example of filter paper and / or nozzle paper. The wrapper (s) may comprise a circumferential ring of perforations to allow the filter element to be twisted. The wraps could be pre-perforated or alternatively laser perforation once the filter element is wrapped.

Furthermore, although it has been described above how to add flavor to the smoke using a pertinent agent, any modification of the smoke could be employed selectively using a suitable smoke modifying agent. For example, a humectant could be used to vary the water content of the smoke, in addition or as an alternative to a flavoring.

As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring" refer to materials that, where local regulations permit, can be used to create a desired taste or aroma in a product. They may include extracts, for example licorice, hydrangea, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomilla, Greek hay, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, anise seed, cinnamon, aromatic herb, wintergreen, cherry, blackberry, peach, apple , Dramboui liqueur, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, spearmint, lavender, cardamom, celery, husk, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, oil orange, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, chilli, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee or a peppermint oil of any species of the genus Menta, flavor masking agents, bloggivers of sites of bitterness , sweepers of receptor sites, sweeteners, for example sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol or mannitol and other additives such as chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals or agents. refreshing breath testers. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or mixtures thereof. They can be presented in any suitable form, for example, oil, liquid or powder.

Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, which fall within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. Flow control device for a smoking article, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE it comprises a body having the first and second portions arranged longitudinally so that they can rotate with respect to each other between a first position and a second position, the first and second body portions configured for define a first path of smoke flow through the device in the first position and a second path of smoke flow through the device in the second position and cause an adjustment of the smoke flow direction when turning from the first position to the second position, allowing smoke to pass through the second path of smoke flow.

2. A flow control device as claimed in clause 1, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the adjustment of the direction of the smoke flow comprises directing the smoke flow at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the device.

3. A flow control device as claimed in clause 1 or clause 2, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the second path of smoke flow is longer than the first path of smoke flow.

4. A flow control device as claimed in any preceding clause, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE it further comprises a smoke modifying agent arranged along the second path of smoke flow so that the smoke can be selectively modified by rotating the body portions one respect from another from the first position to the second position.

5. A flow control device as claimed in clause 4, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the smoke modifying agent is a flavoring.

6. A flow control device as claimed in clause 4 or clause 5, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the smoke modifying agent is presented in a granular form.

. A flow control device as claimed in clause 6, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the smoke modifying agent is contained in a chamber having wall portions comprising smoke apertures dimensioned to prevent the granular agent from leaving the chamber.

8. A flow control device as claimed in any preceding clause, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the adjustment of the direction of the smoke flow comprises reversing the direction of the smoke flow so that it flows through the smoke modifying agent in a direction towards the tobacco end of the flow control device.

9. A flow control device as claimed in any preceding clause, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the second body portion comprises an inlet smoke channel and the first body portion comprises a reflux member of the smoke aligned with said inlet channel in the second position, where the reflux member of the smoke is configured to cause such adjustment by receiving the smoke from the inlet channel in the second position and reversing the direction of the smoke flow.

10. A flow control device as claimed in clause 9, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the second body portion comprises a reflux cavity of the smoke configured to receive the smoke from the first body portion in the second position and to direct the smoke towards the end of the mouth of the flow control device.

11. A flow control device as claimed in clause 10, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the first body portion further comprises an exit channel aligned with the entry channel in the first position and with the reflux cavity of the second portion of the smoke. body in the second position

12. A flow control device as claimed in clause 11, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE: the first smoke flow path comprises a path through the smoke inlet channel and a via through the outlet smoke channel; Y the second smoke flow path comprises a via through the smoke inlet channel, a via through the smoke reflux member of the first body portion, a via through the smoke reflux cavity of the second body portion and a via through the exit smoke channel.

13. A flow control device as claimed in any of clauses 9 to 12, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the reflux member of the smoke of the first body portion comprises a smoke channel and a reflux cavity of the smoke.

14. A flow control device as claimed in any of clauses 1 to 7, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE: the second body portion has a wet channel first body portion has an insertion member received by the second body portion, the insertion member comprising a first peripheral region permeable to smoke and a second peripheral region impermeable to smoke, defining the second peripheral region an interior wall of the smoke channel in the first position and the first peripheral region defining an interior wall of the smoke channel in the second position; where in the first position, the second peripheral region prevents the smoke from passing through the second smoke flow path and where the rotation from the first position to the second position allows the smoke to pass through the second flow path of smoke by said first peripheral region, thus adjusting the direction of the smoke flow.

15. A flow control device as claimed in clause 14, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE it has a chamber for containing the smoke modifying agent, where at least part of the chamber is incorporated in the insertion member and where in the second position, the smoke it can pass to the camera through the first peripheral region.

16. A flow control device as claimed in clause 15, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE said at least part of the chamber comprises a tubular cavity formed in the insertion member.

17. A flow control device as claimed in any preceding clause, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE the first and second body portions are formed of molded plastic.

18. Article for smoking, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE it includes a flow control device as claimed in any preceding clause.

19. FILTER OF ARTICLE FOR SMOKING, CHARACTERIZED BECAUSE it comprises a flow control device as claimed in any of clauses 1 to 17.