US3304944A

US3304944A - Filter cartridge for tobacco products

Info

Publication number: US3304944A
Application number: US364423A
Authority: US
Inventors: Allen E Badertscher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-02-21
Filing date: 1964-02-21
Publication date: 1967-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 1984-02-21

Description

Feb. 21, 1967 BADERTSCHER 3,304,944

FILTER CARTRIDGE FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS Filed May 4, 1964 FIG-2 INVENTOR.

ALLEN E- BADERTSCHER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,304,944 FILTER CARTRIDGE FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS Allen E. Badertscher, 18300 Ash St., East Detroit, Mich. 48021 Filed May 4, 1964, Ser. No. 364,423 4 Claims. (Cl. 131-267) This invention relates to a condensing and absorbing cartridge, for the condensation and absorption of tobacco tar, nicotine, moisture, and condensable chemicals or chemical compounds present in tobacco smoke, including acids and resins. Such condensation and absorption occurs prior to its being inhaled by smokers of cigarettes, cigars, or tobacco contained in pipes.

It is an object of this invention to provide a filter cartridge, including a multiplicity of condensing and absorbing ribbons, each composed of a heat absorbing element upon which is attached a great number of smoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers of a small .diameter and short length.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification, claims and accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the condensing and absor-bing cartridge, partly broken away and showing one end of a cigarette to which the cartridge is connected.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of one such ribbon.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section through one of the condensing and absorbing ribbons of FIG. 1, showing the smoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers attached to the heat absorbing element.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 2, eX- cept that the smoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers are kinked.

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary section showing the attachment of the smoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers to the heat absorbing element.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross section of a condensing and absorbing modified cartridge, showing a broad spirally wrapped condensing and absorbing ribbon placed within the cartridge.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross section of a condensing and absorbing modified cartridge, showing a broad condensing and absorbing ribbon crimped together within the cartridge.

FIG. 7 is a partial section, greatly enlarged, cut parallel to a heat absorbing element and through a few smoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers, showing the smoke in dash lines as it works through and around the smoke restricting and moisture absorbent fibers.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6, of another modification.

FIG. 9 is a similar view of another modification.

It will be understood that the above drawing shows several preferred embodiments of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

While the present cartridge may be used in pipes, cigarette holders, and cigar holders, the description of the invention will be directed in particular to its application to cigarettes.

While there has been many attempts to remove tobacco tar and nicotine from the smoke of a cigarette prior to inhaling, as in present day filter cigarettes, no satisfactory method of removing said tobacco tar and nicotine has yet been devised, to completely remove all the tobacco tar and nicotine from the smoke, and yet allow the taste of the smoke or tobacco to come through the filter tip. The tobacco tar and nicotine present in the smoke of a cigarette, cigar, or pipe tobacco is in a vaporized state. Some filter tips consist of many fine cellulose acetate fibers bunched together so that the smoke has to pass through "ice and between said fibers. These may not remove all of the tobacco tar, nicotine, acids, and resins because said fibers are not directly in the path of the smoke.

While some filter tips on present day filter cigarettes make an attempt to trap or block the tobacco tar and nicotine by kinking the fibers, so that more fiber surface is directly in the path of the smoke, these do not succeed in trapping and holding a sufficiently large amount of tobacco tar and nicotine. The microscopic droplets of tobacco tar and nicotine contain a certain amount of heat,

which keeps them in a vaporized state facilitating escape past the filter. It is only after removing this heat that these microscopic droplets of tobacco tar and nicotine will be able to condense and be absorbed by the fibers.

The placing of a heat absorbing element within a filter tip by itself, or in conjunction with a moisture absorbing element, results in absorbing only a very small amount of heat, because the heat absorbing element starts to absorb heat the moment the smoke is drawn past it. It continues to absorb heat until the temperature of the heat absorbing element reaches that of the smoke. Thereafter, the heat absorbing element loses its ability to absorb any more heat In the present condensing and absorbing cartridge, the smoke is required to pass through and between the said restricting and absorbing fibers, which are perpendicular to the path of the smoke. This results in a large number of microscopic restrictions provided by the adjacent fibers.

As the smoke is drawn through and between two adjacent fibers, it is microscopically restricted. This results in a very slight increases of pressure between said fibers. This increase of pressure, though small, results in a corresponding increase of temperature. This temperature increase of the smoke between two adjacent fibers is immediately absorbed by the heat absorbing element, which is at a temperature lower than that of the smoke that is restricted between the said fibers. As the smoke continues on through this condensing and absorbing cartridge, it repeatedly encounters more restricting adjacent fibers which continue to remove more heat from the smoke.

This continuous removal of heat from the smoke as it continues to encounter more restricting adjacent fibers results in a build-up of heat in the heat absorbing element. This in turn raises the temperature of the heat absorbing element. Such build-up of heat in the heat absorbing element is hereafter referred to as: heat accumulation of the heat absorbing element. This accumulation of heat in the heat absorbing element is necessary if this condensing and absorbing cartridge is to work efiiciently.

The removal of heat from the smoke continues until the microscopic droplets of tobacco tar and nicotine have lost enough heat so that when the said microscopic droplets strike or collide with any of the restricting and absorbing fibers thereafter, they are immediately absorbed.

'Also, when any droplets happen to strike or touch each other, they form larger droplets which in turn are absorbed when they strike or collide with the restricting and absorbing fibers, further on.

The restricting and absorbing fibers will block and trap some solid smoke particles which impart the taste of the smoke to a person smoking a cigarette with the present cartridge on it. However, the majority of such solid smoke particles will pass unhindered through the restricting and absorbing fibers.

The cartridge 10, FIG. 1, consists of a cylindrical wrapper 12, is preferably made of ordinary cigarette paper and is of the same diameter as the cigarette to which it is to be attached. Contained in the wrapper is a multiplicity of condensing and absorbing ribbons 13. These consist of a heat absorbing element 14, FIG. 2, to which are bonded a large number of transversely extending restricting and absorbing fibers 15. The cartridge is fastened to cigarette C by the outer wrapper 11, which encircles both the cartridge 10, and part of the cigarette. Element 14 may be made from a suitable heat conducting metal, such as aluminum.

In the cross-sectional view, FIG. 2, the restricting and absorbing fibers 15 of rayon flocking or the like, are bonded to the heat absorbing element 14 by a thin layer of adhesive material 16. A rubber based adhesive, an epoxy resin or an alkalid enamel or paint may be used as the adhesive.

In FIG. 3, the restricting and absorbing fibers 15A are kinked to help space the fibers apart. These are bonded to the heat absorbing element 14, through the use of a thin layer of adhesive material 16.

In FIG. 4, the restricting and absorbing fibers 15 are shown embedded in the adhesive material 16 which coats the outer surface of the heat absorbing element 14. Said fibers are held in position until the adhesive sets by the attraction of the fibers to the heat absorbing element using an electrostatic charge of electricity.

In FIG. the filter medium is in the form of a condensing and absorbing ribbon 17A, which is as broad or wide as the cartridge is long. It is spirally wrapped about the axis of cartridge 10, so that the heat absorbing element 14 is always parallel to the path of the smoke, and the transverse restricting and absorbing fibers 15, FIGS. 2 and 4, are perpendicular to the path of the smoke.

In FIG. 6, the condensing and absorbing ribbon 17B, of the type shown in FIG. 5, is as broad or wide as the cartridge 10 is long. It is cri-mped together within the wrapper 12, so that the heat absorbing element 14 is always parallel to the path of the smoke and the transversely extending restricting and absorbing fibers are perpendicular to the path of the smoke.

In FIG. 7, the path of the smoke 19, referred to as the smoke stream, is shown working its way through and between the restricting and absorbing

fibers

15B, 15C, 15D, and 15E, denoting the compression of the smoke between fiber 15E and fiber 15B, between fibers 15E and 15D, between

fibers

15D and 15C, and between fibers 15C and 15B. The dot and dash lines 19 represent the smoke stream.

The heat absorbing element 14 may be of any physical shape, such as a wide ribbon, FIGS. 56, a narrow ribbon or a strip, FIG. 1.

The ribbon type of heat absorbing element may be made of a thin and narrow ribbon of plastic having a microscopic coating of aluminum. Other materials may be used for the heat absorbing elements, as long as it can absorb and retain the heat, when smoke is drawn past it and radiate the heat very rapidly when the smoke is not drawn past it.

Other variations of this condensing and absorbing cartridge may be constructed by replacing the heat absorbing elements of FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, with a non-heat absorbent restricting and absorbing fiber support 20, with transverse fibers 21, FIG. 8. The heat absorbing elements 22 would then be separate. Such condensing and absorbing cartridge would consist of many restricting and absorbing ribbon assemblies. Said assemblies consist of a thin and narrow non-heat absorbing ribbon support 20, upon which is placed a great number of restricting and absorbing fibers 21 of small diameter and short length. Intermingled with the restricting and absorbing ribbon assemblies are the heat absorbing ribbons 22 of aluminum or any other high heat absorbing material. The heat absorbing ribbons 22 are mixed with the restricting and absorbing ribbon assemblies 20-21, so that they can absorb the heat that accumulates between the adjacent restricting and absorbing fibers.

A cartridge for filtering action only can be made by reducing the diameters of the restricting and absorbing fibers 23, FIG. 9, so that they are very fine and placing them on supports 24 consisting of heavier fibers running lengthwise of the cartridge. Such supports are parallel to the path of the smoke and the fine fibers perpendicular to the path of the smoke.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cartridge for the condensation and absorption of tar, nicotine, moisture, and condensable chemicals and compounds present in tobacco smoke comprising:

a cylindrical body;

a multiplicity of condensing and absorbing ribbon assemblies nested within the body;

each ribbon assembly consisting of a thin and narrow moisture absorbing ribbon support;

a plurality of smoke restricting and moisture absorbing fibers at their one ends bonded to and projecting from said supports; and

a plurality of elongated spaced heat absorbing ribbons of a high heat absorbing material, intermingled with said ribbon assemblies;

said heat absorbing ribbons and the smoke restricting and moisture absorbing fiber ribbon supports being parallel to the body axis and the path of smoke;

said smoke restricting and moisture absorbing fibers being perpendicular to the path of said smoke.

2. In the cartridge of claim 1, said fibers being kinked.

3. In the cartridge of claim 1, said fibers projecting from both sides of said supports.

4. In the cartridge of claim 1, said heat absorbing elements being of aluminum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,669,995 2/1954 Troy 131-1O 2,768,913 10/1956 Hiler 131-10 2,805,671 9/ 1957 Hackney et a1. 131208 2,855,937 10/1958 Jacknin 13110 2,900,989 8/1959 Davidson 131-208 FOREIGN PATENTS 594,997 3/1960 Canada. 310,239 12/ 1955 Switzerland.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, Examiner.

Claims

1. A CARTRIDGE FOR THE CONDENSATION AND ABSORPTION OF TAR, NICOTINE, MOISTURE, AND CONDENSABLE CHEMICALS AND COMPOUNDS PRESENT IN TOBACCO SMOKE COMPRISING: A CYLINDRICAL BODY; A MULTIPLICITY OF CONDENSING AND ABSORBING RIBBON ASSEMBLIES NESTED WITHIN THE BODY; EACH RIBBON ASSEMBLY CONSISTING OF A THIN AND NARROW MOISTURE ABSORBING RIBBON SUPPORT; A PLURALITY OF SMOKE RESTRICTING AND MOISTURE ABSORBING FIBERS AT THEIR ONE ENDS BONDED TO AND PROJECTING FROM SAID SUPPORTS; AND A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED SPACED HEAT ABSORBING RIBBONS OF A HIGH HEAT ABSORBING MATERIAL, INTERMINGLED WITH SAID RIBBON ASSEMBLIES; SAID HEAT ABSORBING RIBBONS AND THE SMOKE RESTRICTING AND MOISTURE ABSORBING FIBER RIBBON SUPPORTS BEING PARALLEL TO THE BODY AXIS AND THE PATH OF SMOKE; SAID SMOKE RESTRICTING AND MOISTURE ABSORBING FIBERS BEING PERPENDICULAR TO THE PATH OF SAID SMOKE.