US3304943A - Cigarettes with smoke coolers - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1967 R. E. GUNTHER 3,304,943

CIGARETTES WITH SMOKE GOOLERS Filed March 6, 1964 IN V EN TOR.

' (PM fi United States Patent 3,304,943 CIGARETTES WITH SMOKE COOLERS Roland E. Gunther, 100 Joanne St., Princeton Junction, NJ. 08550 Filed Mar. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 349,949 1 Claim. (Cl. 13110.5)

This invention pertains to cigarettes having integral cooling means for lowering the temperature of the smoke before filtration.

Possible physiological effects that might 'be ascribed to constituents of cigarette smoke have recently been the subject of much contention. In an effort to eliminate or at least appreciably lessen these eifects the manufacturers have provided cigarettes with a variety of filter types. The filters are presented with a fairly difficult task, however, in that the substances passing through them are either in an extremely finely divided condition or present as hot vapors. The filtration can be carried out much more effectively if the smoke is first cooled. In this way the so-called tars can be condensed into droplets, and these in turn can aid in trapping particulate matter in the smoke even if it is there in extremely small sizes.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved type of cigarette, in the smoking of which an appreciably greater proportion of smoke-entrained tars may be removed than has heretofore been possible by filtration alone.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved type of cigarette having an integral smoke filtration means following a cooling means.

It is another object of this invention to provide sequential cooling and filtration of smoke without having to resort to externally applied devices such as cigarette holders, for which there is a widespread aversion, especially among men.

The manner in which these and other objects are attained is set forth in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows an overall view in elevation of the exterior of the new cigarette. FIGURE 2 shows a sectional view through the tip end of the cigarette. FIGURE 3 shows in section the body of a smoke cooling portion of the cigarette, while FIGURE 4 shows a smoke cooler body in a perspective view. FIGURE 5 is an elevation of a smoke cooler bafile portion cut away to illustrate some of the structure. FIGURE 6 is an elevation of a smoke cooler internal shield, again with a portion in cutaway to illustrate structure.

FIGURE 1 shows the cigarette which is the object of this invention to consist of three main parts: a conventional cigarette body 1, a smoke cooler 2 and a filter tip 3. FIGURE 1 shows also a sealing means 4 applied between the cigarette body 1 and the smoke cooler 2, and another sealing means 5 applied between the smoke cooler 2 and the filter tip 3.

FIGURE 2 being in section, shows the internal construction of the cigarette in detail. A portion of the cigarette body 1 is seen with a tobacco filler 12 within a paper wrapping 13. The body 1 is shown to be sealed to the smoke cooler 2 by sealer 4 as in FIGURE 1. The smoke cooler 2 is shown to comprise a cooler body 7 within which is a fri-ctionally fitted bafil'e 8, and inside the baflie is an internal shield 21, which is in turn frictionally fitted within the baflle. The b-affle and its internal shield are positioned above and at a distance from the smoke cooler bodys bottom portion which is shown in FIGURE 2 as connecting web 19. Further features of significance shown in FIGURE 2 are a closed top 20 of the smoke baffle 8, and a closed top 22 of the internal shield 21; also inner wall 16 of the smoke cooler body 7 and also the cooler bodys outer wall 15, as well as the fact that the smoke coolers wall are joined at the bottom ends by a lower web 19. The smoke cooler 2 has a smoke inlet 6 comprising the entry from the tobacco filler portion 12 of the cigarette body 1 to the space between the smoke cooler bodys outer wall 15 and the bafiie 8. The smoke cooler 2 has a smoke outlet 11 comprising the I exit from the space between smoke cooler bodys inner wall 16 and the internal shield 21. Shown below the smoke cooler 3 and sealed thereto by sealer 5 is filter tip 3. Inside filter tip 3 and also extending into the space inside smoke cooler bodys inner wall 16 is some filter media 9. The lower end of the filter tip 3 comprises a mouthpiece 24.

FIGURE 3 shows in section the smoke cooler body 7 by itself for the sake of clarity. Shown in this view as in FIGURE 2 are smoke cooler body outer wall 15 and inner wall 16, as well as the web 19 connecting inner and outer walls at the lower end of the cooler body. Shown in this view is the upper opening 17 of the inner wall -16 and the somewhat higher upper opening 14 of the outer wall 15. There is also a lower opening 18 shown in this view of the cooler body.

FIGURE 4 shows a perspective elevation of the smoke cooler body discussed under the descriptions of FIGURES 2 and 3. Shown in this view is the cooler body 7 with its outer wall 15 and its inner wall 16, the opening 14 in the outer wall and the opening 17 in the inner wall.

FIGURE 5 shows a smoke cooler baflle 8 in elevation. The smoke cooler bafile is the same unit shown in FIG- UR'E 2 in section, and is here illustrated in this way for more clarity. Especially of importance is helical ribbing 9 in this view. The letter A points toward a small cutaway portion to show again that the baffle is closed at its upper end by smoke bafile top 20.

FIGURE 6 shows internal cooler shield 21 in elevation with a small portion indicated by letter B in cutaway in which may be seen internal shield wall 23 and internal shield top 22.

With the various parts of the cigarette assembled as shown in FIGURE 2 it is ready for use. When the cigarette is then lit and smoked, the smoke travels through the tobacco filler at first as usual. When the smoke emerges from the tobacco filler it is guided by the closed end 20 of the baffie 8 into the smoke inlet 6 of the cooler. The smoke travels at first in a downward direction in the view shown in FIGURE 2 moving between the outer wall of the cooler and the bafile until its direction is reversed when it reaches the bottom of the cooler where the web 19 is located. The smoke then passes up inside of the internal shield in the space between the shield and the inner wall of the cooler body to emerge thru outlet 11, whereafter it is subjected to the action of the filter media 9 as it passes toward and out through the mouthpiece.

The preferred form of the bafile being provided as shown with helical ribbing, the smoke as it passes down between the outer cooler body wall and the baffle is made to travel a much elongated path. This assures the smoke of making intimate and extended contact with the outer wall of the cooler. The outer wall being exposed to the atmosphere in its exterior location on the cigarette, it acts as a heat exchanger and cools the smoke before it gets to the filter. The inner shield 21 prevents the smoke from coming in direct contact with the bafile again as it passes back up toward the initial area of contact with the filter media, and this in turn avoids reheating the already cooled smoke. The construction described provides several .advantages. Mechanically, it results in a compact unit that is structurally strong, with the filter portion extending into the cooled, rather than having one as sort of an appendage to the other.

The principal advantage and the essential purpose lies in the cooling effect brought about, and its attendant effects. The latter include condensation of so-called tars which is the most important, as well as enhanced enjoyability while smoking for the absence of any heat sensation in the mouth.

The cooled smoke is subject to more efiicient filtration also because it permits the filter to operate by .absorption as well as by adsorption. It puts less of a demand on the filter media used because tapping of tars is much less difiicult than trying to trap this portion of the smoke, while allowing physically similar flavor and aroma fractions to pass while they are all present in vapor-like form.

In the construction of the cooler the preferred material to be used is aluminum. This metal is fairly inexpensive, which is an important factor in a one-time used article; it is also a very good conductor of heat. Aluminum itself has an attractive appearance and it may also be easily given decorative treatments to enhance its appearance even further.

I claim:

In a cigarette having a wrapper and a charge of tobacco therein, a tubular filter mouthpiece and a cooling means intermediate the mouthpiepe and the cigarette, the said cooling means comprising a large metallic outer tubular portion of a diameter substantially the same as that of the mouthpiece and the cigarette and adapted to be secured thereto and provided with a smaller inner tubular section shorter in length than the outer section and which is connected by an annular fiat sealing web portion to the lower edge of the outer tubular portion to form an annular well, the inner tubular portion housing a filter element which is continuous with the filter in the mouthpiece, a double element cup shaped baffle element having an outer helical rib disposed within the well with the bases of said baflie element disposed over the top of the inner tubular section and in spaced relationship thereto, in such wise that a helical and then reversely extending smoke path is provided for the smoke to follow from the tobacco, first, between the outer helical wall of the baflle and the inner wall of the large tubular element, then under the cap-like bafiie and then between the inner element of the battle and the outer and top walls of the inner tubular section and finally after a second reversal of its path through the filter, to the mouthpiece.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,996,990 5/1935 Cullen 1312l3 2,397,294 3 1946 Schultz 13 l2l2 2,628,622 2/1953 Smith 13 l209 2,998,819 9/1961 Snowden 13110 3,062,218 11/1962 Temkovits 131-10 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

MELVIN D. REIN, Examiner.

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