SK7422000A3 - Biodegradable cigarette filter - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a filter cigarette comprising a biodegradable filter and a tobacco strand surrounded by cigarette paper, a non-woven air-laid cellulose filter with a normal retention capacity and a filter ventilation area extending in a peripheral direction. The inventive filter cigarette has the following combination of features: the filter has a condensate retention capacity of 40-60 %; the non-woven cellulose is non-crimped, the nicotine/tobacco strand condensate yield ratio lies between 0,6 and 0,9 (nicotine *10/condensate), the apparent density of the tobacco mixture of the tobacco strand ranges from 200 to 250mg/ml, the tobacco strand drag is between 45 and 65 mmwWS when measured in an enclosed form, air permeability of the cigarette paper is 20-50 CORESTA units and the filter ventilation degree is 15-50 %.

Description

Biodegradable filter for cigarettes

Technical field

The invention relates to a biodegradable filter according to the preamble of claim 1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such filter cigarettes have been described many times in the past. However, the disadvantage of all of the cigarettes with a biodegradable filter described so far lies in the clear effect on smoking taste, which is dependent on the various materials described, and has always led to a cigarette that has been made with a material other than conventional cellulose acetate, was refused by smokers. A further disadvantage of filters made mainly of biodegradable cellulose was, among other things, clearly the different appearance of the filter end. This has in the past led to the fact that biodegradable filters could not be established in the markets for acetate filters as monofilters.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a filter cigarette of the above type which, while maintaining the advantages of the known filter cigarettes, gives a typical taste to the acetate and a typical optical appearance to the acetate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object and according to the invention is solved by the features mentioned in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Preferred embodiments are defined by the features of the dependent claims.

The advantages achieved by the invention are the selection of a special cellulosic material and the dimensioning of the filter-cigarette design adapted thereto, while adapting the essential parameters, namely filter retention performance, strand yield - nicotine / tobacco strand condensate, tobacco strand density, and finally, the degree of filter ventilation, in the direction of the overall design, which optimizes both the taste and the optical impression. Here, the nicotine yield of the filter cigarette is up to a maximum of 1 mg and the condensate yield is from 6 mg to 12 mg.

The desired degree of ventilation from 15 to 50% can be adjusted by appropriate design of the ventilation zone in the coating paper and wrapper.

According to a preferred embodiment, the filter ventilation zone is formed by one or two rows of holes which are at least 10 mm apart from the mouth end; the holes may be made on finished cigarettes either by laser beams or mechanically, and should be as small and low visible as possible, with good results with 15 to 20 holes in two ventilation rows.

Surprisingly, it has been shown that a typical flavor acetate and a typical optical appearance can only be achieved if the filter is made from cellulose material processed into a non-oriented web according to the so-called Air-Laid method, and this is further processed into a finished filter. A suitable combination of basis weight, thickness and width of the Air-Laid fleece can be used depending on the desired filter resistance and thus the retention stage.

In the Air-Laid method, as described, for example, in US-PS 4,375,447, the prepared cellulosic fibers do not suspend as in conventional paper making processes in water, and are not placed on a permeable screen on which the fibers are then formed to form sheets. their grinding and fibrillation cross-link with each other, but they are fed maximally separately into a stream of air which transports them to a permeable endless sieve and disposes of it in a disorderly manner. This provides a solid cotton wool web that has no mechanical strength or fiber bond. The mechanical bond and hence the necessary strength required for further processing is obtained by adding a binder, such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polymeric starch, dextrin or latex, to the air stream. The degree of density (g / cm ³ ) and hence bulkiness or thickness is set by subsequent rolling. The basis weight (g / m ² ) is controlled by the screen speed or by feeding the fibers into the air stream.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is further illustrated by the following examples:

The filter cigarette has a tobacco strand wrapped with cigarette paper, and a filter coupled to the tobacco strand. The packing density of the tobacco mixture is between 200 and 250 mg / ml. The tensile resistance of the strand lies between 45 and 65 mm of water column, measured closed.

Cigarette paper has a low to medium air permeability ranging from 15 to 50 Coresta units. The strand yield - ratio nicotine * 10 / condensate of the tobacco mixture should lie between 0.6 and 0.9.

The filter consists of a composite non-shrink Air-Laid web, and is surrounded by a porous wrapping paper. A zone porous coating paper surrounds the wrapping paper and serves to attach the filter to the strand of tobacco. In this case, the air permeability of the porous zone of the coating paper is selected such that a desired degree of filter ventilation is obtained in connection with the underlying wrapping paper.

Experiments with such a filter, in combination with the specified tobacco strand, resulted in a condensate recovery of 6 to 12 mg and a nicotine recovery of no more than 1 mg. Tests with informed smokers have shown that such cigarettes cannot be distinguished from conventional cigarettes made with acetate filters.

Claims (6)

1. Biodegradable filter cigarette with: (a) a strand of tobacco surrounded by cigarette paper; (b) a filter made from an air-Laid cellulose web of normal retention power; and p (c) a filter ventilation zone extending in the circumferential direction; characterized by a combination of the following characters: d) the filter has a condensate retention power of from 40 to 60%; (e) the cellulosic web is uncleaved; f) strand recovery - the nicotine / tobacco strand condensate ratio is between 0.6 and 0.9 (nicotine * 10 / condensate); (g) the tap density of the tobacco strand is between 200 and 250 mg / ml; (h) the tensile resistance of the tobacco strand is between 45 and 65 mm water column, measured closed; (i) the air permeability of the cigarette paper shall be 20 to 50 Coresta units; and (j) the degree of filter ventilation is 15 to 50%. Filter cigarette according to claim 1, characterized in that the ventilation zone is formed by a combination of porous wrapping and covering papers that starts at least 10 mm from the mouth end of the filter. Filter cigarette according to claim 1, characterized in that the ventilation zone is formed mechanically or by laser beams on the finished cigarette. Filter cigarette according to claim 2, characterized in that the ventilation zone is formed by one row or two rows of ventilation openings which are spaced at least 10 mm from the mouth end of the filter. 5th Filter cigarette according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the filter consists of an uncleaved cellulosic web having a thickness of 0.5 to 1.5 mm. Filter cigarette according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the filter consists of an uncleaved cellulose web with a width of 10 to 15 cm.