Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
  • A24D3/00—Tobacco smoke filters, e.g. filter-tips, filtering inserts; Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices; Mouthpieces for cigars or cigarettes
  • A24D3/06—Use of materials for tobacco smoke filters
  • A24D3/16—Use of materials for tobacco smoke filters of inorganic materials
  • A24D3/163—Carbon
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
  • A24D3/00—Tobacco smoke filters, e.g. filter-tips, filtering inserts; Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices; Mouthpieces for cigars or cigarettes
  • A24D3/06—Use of materials for tobacco smoke filters
  • A24D3/14—Use of materials for tobacco smoke filters of organic materials as additive

Definitions

• the present invention relates to tobacco products, such as smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes), and in particular, to filtered cigarettes.
• smoking articles e.g., cigarettes
• filtered cigarettes e.g., cigarettes
• smokable material such as shredded tobacco (e.g., in cut filler form), surrounded by a paper wrapper, thereby forming a so-called "smokable rod” or "tobacco rod.”
• a cigarette has a cylindrical filter element aligned in an end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod.
• a filter element comprises plasticized cellulose acetate tow circumscribed by a paper material known as "plug wrap.”
• Certain filter elements can incorporate polyhydric alcohols. See, for example, UK Pat. Spec. 755,475.
• the filter element is attached to one end of the tobacco rod using a circumscribing wrapping material known as "tipping paper.” It also has become desirable to perforate the tipping material and plug wrap, in order to provide dilution of drawn mainstream smoke with ambient air.
• tipping paper a circumscribing wrapping material
• a cigarette is employed by a smoker by lighting one end thereof and burning the tobacco rod. The smoker then receives mainstream smoke into his/her mouth by drawing on the opposite end (e.g., the filter end) of the cigarette.
• Certain cigarettes incorporate filter elements incorporating activated carbon or charcoal materials.
• an exemplary cigarette filter can possess multiple segments, and at least one of those segments can comprise particles of high carbon- content materials.
• filters incorporating charcoal particles or activated carbon types of materials are set forth in US Pat. Nos. 2,881,770 to Touey; 3,101,723 to
• a cigarette possessing a filter element incorporating a carbonaceous material, such as particles of activated carbon; which filter element (i) incorporates a filter material and other filter component materials, and (ii) possesses the ability to efficiently remove effective amounts of various gas phase components of mainstream tobacco smoke passing through that filter element.
• a filter element incorporating a carbonaceous material, such as particles of activated carbon; which filter element (i) incorporates a filter material and other filter component materials, and (ii) possesses the ability to efficiently remove effective amounts of various gas phase components of mainstream tobacco smoke passing through that filter element.
• the present invention relates to a smoking article, and in particular, a rod shaped smoking article (e.g., a cigarette).
• the smoking article includes a lighting end (i.e., an upstream end) and a mouth end (i.e., a downstream end).
• a mouth end piece is located at the extreme mouth end of the smoking article, and the mouth end piece allows the smoking article to be placed in the mouth of the smoker to be drawn upon.
• the mouth end piece has the form of a filter element.
• the filter element incorporates an effective amount of a carbonaceous material, such as a charcoal or activated carbon type of material.
• the amount of carbonaceous material within the filter element is sufficient to alter gas phase components (e.g., reduce the levels of certain gas phase components) in the mainstream smoke passing through the filter element.
• At least a portion of the carbonaceous material within the filter element is in contact with an effective amount of a mixture of a polyol ester and a polyol.
• At least a portion of the carbonaceous material within the filter element has applied thereto an effective amount of a liquid mixture of a glycerin ester (e.g., triacetin) and a low molecular weight polyol (e.g., glycerin or propylene glycol).
• a glycerin ester e.g., triacetin
• a low molecular weight polyol e.g., glycerin or propylene glycol
• the invention provides a cigarette comprising a filter, wherein the filter comprises a plasticized cellulose acetate tow and a carbonaceous material in particulate form, wherein the carbonaceous material is in contact with an intimate mixture of a polyol ester (e.g., a glycerin ester such as triacetin) and a polyol (e.g., a low molecular weight polyol such as glycerin or propylene glycol).
• the plasticizer of the plasticized cellulose acetate tow typically comprises triacetin.
• the cigarette will typically include a tobacco rod having smokable filler material contained within a circumscribing wrapping material, and the filter element will be connected to the tobacco rod at one end of the tobacco rod, the filter element incorporating filter material and having an end proximal to the tobacco rod and an end distal from the tobacco rod.
• An exemplary carbonaceous material is in particulate form having a particle size of about 10 Mesh to about 400 Mesh, and present in an amount of between about 20 mg and about 500 mg.
• the weight ratio of polyol to polyol ester in the mixture can be, for example, between about 1:3 and about 25:1, more preferably between about 2:1 and about 10:1.
• the polyol is present in an amount of between about 1 percent and about 25 percent based on the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and the polyol in the mixture, more preferably between about 7 percent and about 15 percent.
• the present invention provides a method of improving gas phase filtration performance of a carbonaceous material in a smoking article, comprising treating the carbonaceous material with an intimate mixture of a polyol and a polyol ester.
• FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a smoking article having the form of a cigarette, showing the smokable material, the wrapping material components, and the filter element of the cigarette.
• the cigarette 10 includes a generally cylindrical rod 15 of a charge or roll of smokable filler material 16 contained in a circumscribing wrapping material 20.
• the rod 15 is conventionally referred to as a "tobacco rod.”
• the ends of the tobacco rod 15 are open to expose the smokable filler material.
• the cigarette 10 is shown as having one optional band 25 (e.g., a printed coating including a film-forming agent, such as starch, ethylcellulose, or sodium alginate) applied to the wrapping material 20, and that band circumscribes the cigarette rod in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette. That is, the band 25 provides a cross-directional region relative to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette.
• the band 25 can be printed on the inner surface of the wrapping material (i.e., facing the smokable filler material), or less preferably, on the outer surface of the wrapping material.
• the cigarette can possess a wrapping material having one optional band, the cigarette also can possess wrapping material having further optional spaced bands numbering two, three, or more.
• the wrapping material 20 of the tobacco rod 15 can have a wide range of compositions and properties. The selection of a particular wrapping material will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art of cigarette design and manufacture. Tobacco rods can have one layer of wrapping material; or tobacco rods can have more than one layer of circumscribing wrapping material, such as is the case for the so-called "double wrap" tobacco rods. Exemplary types of wrapping materials, wrapping material components and treated wrapping materials are described in US Pat. No.
• the filter element 30 possesses a first filter segment 32 positioned adjacent one end of the tobacco rod 15.
• the first filter segment 32 includes filter material 40 (e.g., cellulose acetate tow impregnated with plasticizer, such as triacetin) that is over- wrapped along the longitudinally extending surface thereof with circumscribing plug wrap material 45.
• filter material 40 e.g., cellulose acetate tow impregnated with plasticizer, such as triacetin
• Within the filter material 40 of the first segment is dispersed a plurality of particles of carbonaceous material 50. At least a portion of the carbonaceous material 50, and typically virtually all of the carbonaceous material, is in intimate contact with an effective amount of a mixture of polyol ester (e.g., triacetin) and polyol (e.g., propylene glycol).
• polyol ester e.g., triacetin
• polyol e.g., propylene glycol
• the filter element 30 possesses a second filter segment 55 longitudinally disposed relative to the first segment 32 and positioned at the extreme mouth end of the cigarette 10.
• the second filter segment 55 includes filter material 60 (e.g., cellulose acetate tow impregnated with plasticizer, such as triacetin) that is over- wrapped along the longitudinally extending surface thereof with circumscribing plug wrap material 65.
• filter material 60 e.g., cellulose acetate tow impregnated with plasticizer, such as triacetin
• the filter element 30 is circumscribed along its outer circumference or longitudinal periphery by a layer of outer plug wrap 75.
• the outer plug wrap 75 overlies each of the first filter segment 32 and the second filter segment 55, so as to provide a combined, two segment filter element.
• the production of filter rods, filter segments and filter elements, and the manufacture of cigarettes from those filter rods, filter segments and filter elements can be carried out using the types of rod-forming units that have been employed to provide cigarette filters, multi-segment cigarette filters and filtered cigarettes.
• Multi-segment cigarette filter rods can be manufactured using a cigarette filter rod making device available under the brand name Mulfi from
• filter rod making equipment that can suitably modified for use include the KDF-2 unit available from Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG and the Decoufle unit available from Decoufle of France.
• the filter element 30 is attached to the tobacco rod 15 using tipping material 88
• the filter element and the tobacco rod are connected to one another.
• a suitable adhesive e.g., essentially air impermeable tipping paper
• a ventilated or air diluted smoking article can be provided with an optional air dilution means, such as a series of perforations 92, each of which extend through the tipping material and plug wrap.
• the optional perforations 92 can be made by various techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as laser perforation techniques.
• so-called off-line air dilution techniques can be used (e.g., through the use of porous paper plug wrap and pre-perforated tipping paper).
• a representative cigarette 10 can vary.
• Preferred cigarettes are rod shaped, and can have diameters of about 7.5 mm (e.g., circumferences of about
• the filter element 30 can vary. Typical filter elements can have lengths of about 15 mm to about 40 mm, often about 20 mm to about 35 mm.
• Thermal decomposition products e.g., components of tobacco smoke
• Thermal decomposition products generated by the burning smokable material 16 are drawn through the cigarette 10, through the filter element 30, and into the mouth of the smoker.
• certain amount of certain gaseous components of the mainstream smoke are removed from the mainstream smoke by the particles of carbonaceous material 50 within the filter element 30.
• Carbonaceous filter components such as activated charcoal particles, have the capability of capturing a wide range of mainstream tobacco smoke vapor phase components.
• the presence of certain commonly used components of filter elements e.g., plasticizers, such as triacetin
• Smokable materials and other associated materials useful for carrying out certain aspects of the present invention can vary.
• Smokable materials are materials that can be incorporated into the smokable segment or rod, and provide mass and bulk to some region within that smokable segment. Smokable materials undergo some type of destruction during conditions of normal use of the smoking article into which they are incorporated.
• Destruction of the smokable material due at least in part to thermal decomposition of at least some component of that smokable material, results in the formation of an aerosol having the form normally characterized as "smoke.”
• smokable materials incorporating tobacco materials are intended to burn, or otherwise undergo thermal decomposition, to yield tobacco smoke.
• the selection of tobacco types and tobacco blends can determine the chemical composition of, and the sensory and organoleptic characteristics of, that aerosol produced when that tobacco material or blend of tobacco materials is burned.
• smokable materials of the smokable segment incorporate tobacco of some form.
• Preferred smokable materials are composed predominantly of tobacco of some form, based on the dry weights of those materials. That is, the majority of the dry weight of those materials, and the majority of the weight of a mixture incorporating those materials (including a blend of materials, or materials having additives applied thereto or otherwise incorporated therein) can be provided by tobacco of some form.
• those materials can be processed tobaccos that incorporate minor amounts non-tobacco filler materials (e.g., calcium carbonate particles, carbonaceous materials, grains or wood pulp) and/or binding agents (e.g., guar gum, sodium alginate or ammonium alginate); and/or a blend of those materials can incorporate tobacco substitutes or extenders.
• non-tobacco filler materials e.g., calcium carbonate particles, carbonaceous materials, grains or wood pulp
• binding agents e.g., guar gum, sodium alginate or ammonium alginate
• a blend of those materials can incorporate tobacco substitutes or extenders.
• Those materials, and blends incorporating those materials frequently are composed of greater than about 70 percent tobacco, often are greater than about 80 percent tobacco, and generally are greater than about 90 percent tobacco, on a dry weight basis, based on the combined weights of the tobacco, non-tobacco filler material, and non-tobacco substitute or extender.
• Those materials also can be composed of virtually all tobacco material
• the smokable material can be treated with tobacco additives of the type that are traditionally used for the manufacture of cigarettes, such as casing and/or top dressing components. See, for example, US Pat. Nos. 3,419,015 to Wochnowski; 4,054,145 to Berndt et al.; 4,887,619 to Burcham, Jr. et al.; 5,022,416 to Watson; 5,103,842 to Strang et al.; and 5,711,320 to Martin.
• Typical casing materials include water, sugars and syrups (e.g., sucrose, glucose and high fructose corn syrup), humectants (e.g.
• glycerin or propylene glycol e.g., glycerin or propylene glycol
• flavoring agents e.g., cocoa and licorice
• Those added components also include top dressing materials (e.g., flavoring materials, such as menthol). See, for example, US Pat. No. 4,449,541 to Mays et al. Additives also can be added to the smokable materials using the types of equipment described in US Pat.
• Smokable materials typically are used in forms, and in manners, that are traditional for the manufacture of smoking articles, such as cigarettes.
• Those materials can incorporate shredded pieces of tobacco (e.g., as lamina and/or stem), and/or those materials can be tobacco materials that are in processed forms.
• those materials normally are used in cut filler form (e.g., shreds or strands of tobacco filler cut into widths of about 1/10 inch to about 1/60 inch, preferably about 1/20 inch to about 1/35 inch, and in lengths of about 1/8 inch to about 3 inches, usually about 1/4 inch to about 1 inch).
• Tobacco materials can include, or can be derived from, various types of tobaccos, such as flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco or Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark-fired tobacco and Rustica tobaccos, as well as other rare or specialty tobaccos, or blends thereof. Descriptions of various types of tobaccos, growing practices, harvesting practices and curing practices are set for in Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology, Davis et al. (Eds.) (1999). See, also, US Pat.
• the tobacco materials are those that have been appropriately cured and aged.
• tobacco materials are used in a so-called “blended” form.
• certain popular tobacco blends commonly referred to as “American blends,” comprise mixtures of flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco and Oriental tobacco.
• Such blends in many cases, contain tobacco materials that have processed forms, such as processed tobacco stems (e.g., cut-rolled stems, cut-rolled-expanded stems or cut- puffed stems), volume expanded tobacco (e.g., puffed tobacco, such as dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET), preferably in cut filler form).
• Tobacco materials also can have the form of reconstituted tobaccos (e.g., reconstituted tobaccos manufactured using paper-making type or cast sheet type processes).
• Tobacco reconstitution processes traditionally convert portions of tobacco that normally might be wasted into commercially useful forms.
• tobacco stems, recyclable pieces of tobacco and tobacco dust can be used to manufacture processed reconstituted tobaccos of fairly uniform consistency.
• the precise amount of each type of tobacco within a tobacco blend used for the manufacture of a particular cigarette brand can vary, is a manner of design choice, depending upon factors such as the sensory characteristics desired. See, for example, Tobacco Encyclopedia, Voges (Ed.) p. 44-45 (1984), Browne, The Design of Cigarettes, 3 rd Ed., p.43 (1990) and Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology,
• the wrapping materials can vary.
• the tobacco rod can possess one layer of wrapping material or more than one layer of circumscribing wrapping material, such as is the case for the so-called "double wrap" tobacco rods.
• Exemplary types of wrapping materials, wrapping material components and treated wrapping materials are described in US Pat. Nos. 5,105,838 to White et al.; 5,271,419 to Arzonico et al.; 5,220,930 to Gentry and 6,874,508 to Shafer et al.; PCT WO 01/08514 to Fournier et al.; PCT WO 03/043450 to Hajaligol et al.; US Pat.
• Colored wrapping materials e.g., brown colored papers
• Reconstituted tobacco materials also can be used, particularly as inner wrapping materials (e.g., in regions that are overwrapped with at least one further layer of wrapping material), and representative reconstituted tobacco materials useful as wrapping materials for smokable rods are set forth in US Pat. No.
• the filter element incorporates carbonaceous material.
• a carbonaceous material is a material that is composed primarily of carbon, and preferred carbonaceous materials are composed of virtually all carbon. Typically carbonaceous materials comprise carbon in amounts of more than about 85 percent, generally more than about 90 percent, often more than about 95 percent, and frequently more than about 98 percent, by weight.
• the carbonaceous material can have the form of charcoal, but most preferably is an activated carbon material.
• Activated carbon materials are high surface area materials. Exemplary activated carbon materials have surface areas of more than about 200 m 2 /g, often more than about 1000 m 2 /g, and frequently more than about 1500 m 2 /g, as determined using the Brunaver, Emmet and Teller (BET) method described in J Amer. Chem. Soc, Vol. 60(2), pp. 309-319 (1938).
• the carbonaceous materials can be derived from synthetic or natural sources. Materials such as rayon or nylon can be carbonized, followed by treatment with oxygen to provide activated carbonaceous materials. Materials such as wood and coconut shells can be carbonized, followed by treatment with oxygen to provide activated carbonaceous materials. Exemplary carbonaceous materials are coconut shell types of activated carbons available from sources such as Calgon Carbon Corporation, Gowrishankar Chemicals, Carbon Activated Corp. and General Carbon Corp. See, also, for example, Activated Carbon Compendium, Marsh (Ed.) (2001), which is incorporated herein by reference.
• the carbonaceous material can be incorporated within a filter element by incorporating that carbonaceous material within paper or other sheet- like material (e.g., as a longitudinally disposed segment of gathered, shredded, or otherwise configured paper-like material), within a segment of a cavity filter (e.g., a particles or granules within the central cavity region of a three segment or stage filter element), or dispersed within a filter material (e.g., as particles or granules dispersed throughout a filter tow or gathered non- woven web material) as a segment of a longitudinally multi-segmented filter element.
• paper or other sheet- like material e.g., as a longitudinally disposed segment of gathered, shredded, or otherwise configured paper-like material
• a cavity filter e.g., a particles or granules within the central cavity region of a three segment or stage filter element
• dispersed within a filter material e.g., as particles or granules
• the carbonaceous material is incorporated into, and configured within, the filter element.
• a typical cigarette filter element of the present invention possesses carbonaceous material within at least one component or segment of the filter element in a manner such that components of at least a portion of the filter element (e.g., filter additives, such as triacetin) can have the ability to come into contact with, and adversely affect the mainstream smoke gas phase removal efficiency of, carbonaceous material within the filter element.
• filter additives such as triacetin
• filter element segments can vary. Representative filter element segments can incorporate the types of filter element components, designs and formats set forth in Browne, The Design of Cigarettes, 3 rd Ed. (1990); Tobacco Production, Chemistry and Technology, Davis et al. (Eds.) 1999; US Pat. Nos.
• Representative filter materials can be manufactured from tow materials (e.g., cellulose acetate or polypropylene tow) or gathered web materials (e.g., gathered webs of paper, reconstituted tobacco, cellulose acetate, polypropylene or polyester).
• the filter element incorporates an effective amount of a carbonaceous material, and particularly an effective amount of activated carbon.
• the effective amount is an amount that, when incorporated into the filter element, provides some desired degree of alteration of the mainstream smoke of a cigarette incorporating that filter element.
• a cigarette filter element incorporating activated carbon particles or granules can act to lower the yield of certain gas phase components of the mainstream smoke passing through that filter element.
• the amount of carbonaceous material within the filter element is at least about 20 mg, often at least about 30 mg, and frequently at least about 40 mg, on a dry weight basis.
• the amount of carbonaceous material within the filter element does not exceed about 500 mg, generally does not exceed about 400 mg, often does not exceed about 300 mg, and frequently does not exceed about 200 mg, on a dry weight basis.
• the carbonaceous material of the filter element is employed in a suitable form.
• the carbonaceous material can have a form that can be characterized as powdered, granular, particulate form, or the like. Typical particle sizes are greater than about 10 Mesh, often greater than about 20 Mesh, and frequently greater than about 30
• Typical particle sizes are less than about 400 Mesh, often less than about 300 Mesh, and frequently less than about 200 Mesh.
• At least a portion of the carbonaceous material within the filter element is in intimate contact with an effective amount of a mixture of a polyol ester and a polyol. That is, an effective amount of the liquid component mixture is applied to the carbonaceous material, most preferably in order that a significant amount the surface region of the carbonaceous material is contacted with the mixture.
• an effective amount of the liquid component mixture is applied to the carbonaceous material, most preferably in order that a significant amount the surface region of the carbonaceous material is contacted with the mixture.
• virtually the entire surface region of the carbonaceous material within the filter element has been exposed to the mixture so as to have the ability to be in intimate contact with that mixture; and most preferably, all of the carbonaceous material within the filter element is in intimate contact with that mixture.
• At least a portion of the carbonaceous material with the filter element is in intimate contact with an effective amount of a mixture of a glycerin ester.
• a representative glycerin ester is triacetin.
• a preferred polyol is a low molecular weight polyol (e.g., a polyol having a molecular weight of less than about 200 Da, and most preferably less than about 100 Da).
• Exemplary polyols are glycerin and propylene glycol.
• At least a portion of the activated carbon within the filter element of that cigarette is treated with an intimate admixture of liquid components.
• the liquid components can be applied to the activated carbon prior to incorporation within the filter element.
• the liquid admixture is a well mixed solution of miscible liquid components.
• the admixture of liquid components is sprayed onto the carbonaceous material.
• the liquid admixture can be sprayed onto carbonaceous material that is positioned on a moving conveyor belt or within a rotating pill coating drum.
• the carbonaceous material can be contacted with the liquid admixture within a fluidized bed, or other suitable device for contacting liquid components with a particulate or granular solid material. The carbonaceous material so treated then can be incorporated into the filter element or filter element component.
• the liquid components can be applied to the carbonaceous material that has been incorporated within a filter element or filter element component.
• a filter element component that incorporate carbonaceous material can be subjected to injection, or other appropriate application, of liquid admixture in order that a desired amount of that liquid admixture is applied to the carbonaceous material within that filter element component.
• the admixture of liquid components so contacted with the carbonaceous material can act in a manner so as to moderate, reduce, limit or minimize the adverse effects of certain filter element components upon the ability of those carbonaceous materials within those filter elements to remove certain gas phase components from mainstream cigarette smoke drawn through those filter elements.
• the relative amount of polyol and relative amount of polyol ester that are contacted with the carbonaceous material can vary.
• the relative amounts of polyol and polyol ester are sufficient to provide for reduction or minimization of the adverse effects of filter element additives, such as triacetin, upon the ability of carbonaceous materials within those filter elements to remove certain gas phase components from mainstream cigarette smoke drawn through those filter elements.
• the amount of polyol that is employed is greater than the amount of the polyol ester that is employed, on a weight basis.
• Exemplary ratios of polyol to polyol ester typically are less than about 25:1, generally are less than about 20:1, often are less than about 15:1, an frequently are less than about 10:1, on a weight basis.
• Exemplary ratios of polyol to polyol ester typically are at least about 1 :3, generally are at least about 1 :2, often are at least about 1:1, an frequently are at least about 2:1, on a weight basis.
• the amount of the mixture of polyol and polyol ester that is in intimate contact with the carbonaceous material can vary.
• the amounts of polyol and polyol ester additive relative to carbonaceous material are sufficient to provide for reduction or minimization of the adverse effects of filter element additives, such as triacetin, upon the ability of carbonaceous materials within those filter elements to remove certain gas phase components from mainstream cigarette smoke drawn through those filter elements.
• Typical amounts of mixture that are applied to the carbonaceous material are such that polyol content of the treated carbonaceous material is at least about 1 percent, generally at least about 3 percent, often at least about 5 percent, and frequently at least about 7 percent, of the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and polyol, on a dry weight basis.
• Typical amounts of mixture that are applied to the carbonaceous material are such that polyol content of the treated carbonaceous material is less than about 25 percent, often less than about 20 percent, and frequently less than about 15 percent, of the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and polyol, on a dry weight basis.
• the moisture content of the carbonaceous material can vary. Typically, the moisture content of the carbonaceous material within the filter element, prior to use of the cigarette incorporating that filter element, is less than about 30 percent, often less than about 25 percent, and frequently less than about 20 percent, based on the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and moisture. Typically, the moisture content of the carbonaceous material within the filter element, prior to use of the cigarette incorporating that filter element, is greater than about 3 percent, often greater than about 5 percent, and greater less than about 8 percent, based on the combined weight of the carbonaceous material and moisture.
• the plug wrap can vary. See, for example, US Pat. No. 4,174,719 to Martin.
• the plug wrap is a porous or non-porous paper material. Plug wrap materials are commercially available. Exemplary porous plug wrap papers are available from
• Non-porous plug -wraps exhibit porosities of less than about 10 CORESTA units, and preferably less than about 5 CORESTA units.
• Exemplary non-porous plug wrap papers are available as Ref. No. 646 Grade from Olsany Facility (OP Paprina) of the Czech Republic (Trierenberg Holding). Plug wrap paper can be coated, particularly on the surface that faces the filter material, with a layer of a film-forming material.
• Such a coating can be provided using a suitable polymeric film-forming agent (e.g., ethylcellulose, ethylcellulose mixed with calcium carbonate, or a so-called lip release coating composition of the type commonly employed for cigarette manufacture).
• a plastic film e.g., a polypropylene film
• non-porous polypropylene materials that are available as ZNA-20 and ZNA-25 from Treofan Germany GmbH & Co. KG can be employed as plug wrap materials.
• the amount or degree of air dilution or ventilation can vary.
• the amount of air dilution for an air diluted cigarette is greater than about 10 percent, generally is greater than about 20 percent, often is greater than about 30 percent, and sometimes is greater than about 40 percent.
• the upper level for air dilution for an air diluted cigarette is less than about 80 percent, and often is less than about 70 percent.
• air dilution is the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of the volume of air drawn through the air dilution means to the total volume and air and aerosol drawn through the cigarette and exiting the extreme mouth end portion of the cigarette. Higher air dilution levels can act to reduce the transfer efficiency of aerosol forming material into mainstream aerosol.
• Preferred cigarettes of the present invention exhibit desirable resistance to draw.
• an exemplary cigarette exhibits a pressure drop of between about 50 and about 200 mm water pressure drop at 17.5 cc/sec. air flow.
• Preferred cigarettes exhibit pressure drop values of between about 60 mm and about 180, more preferably between about 70 mm to about 150 mm, water pressure drop at 17.5 cc/sec. air flow.
• pressure drop values of cigarettes are measured using a Filtrona Cigarette Test Station (CTS Series) available form Filtrona Instruments and Automation Ltd.
• Cigarettes of the present invention when smoked, yield an acceptable number of puffs. Such cigarettes normally provide more than about 6 puffs, and generally more than about 8 puffs, per cigarette, when machine smoked under FTC smoking conditions. Such cigarettes normally provide less than about 15 puffs, and generally less than about 12 puffs, per cigarette, when smoked under FTC smoking conditions. FTC smoking conditions consist of 35 ml puffs of 2 second duration separated by 58 seconds of smolder. Cigarettes of the present invention, when smoked, yield mainstream aerosol. The amount of mainstream aerosol that is yielded per cigarette can vary.
• an exemplary cigarette When smoked under FTC smoking conditions, an exemplary cigarette yields an amount of FTC "tar” that normally is at least about 1 mg, often is at least about 3 mg, and frequently is at least about 5 mg. When smoked under FTC smoking conditions, an exemplary cigarette yields an amount of FTC "tar” that normally does not exceed about 20 mg, often does not exceed about 15 mg, and frequently does not exceed about 12 mg.
• Filter elements of the present invention can be incorporated within the types of cigarettes set forth in US Pat. Nos. 4,756,318 to Clearman et al.; 4,714,082 to Banerjee et al.; 4,771,795 to White et al.; 4,793,365 to Sensabaugh et al.; 4,989,619 to Clearman et al.; 4,917,128 to Clearman et al.; 4,961,438 to Korte; 4,966,171 to Serrano et al.; 4,969,476 to Bale et al.; 4,991,606 to Serrano et al.; 5,020,548 to Farrier et al.; 5,027,836 to Shannon et al.; 5,033,483 to Clearman et al.; 5,040,551 to Schlatter et al.; 5,050,621 to Creighton et al.; 5,052,413 to Baker et al.
• filter elements of the present invention can be incorporated within the types of cigarettes that have been commercially marketed under the brand names "Premier” and "Eclipse” by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. See, for example, those types of cigarettes described in Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Monograph (1988) and Inhalation Toxicology, 12:5, p. 1-58 (2000); which are incorporated herein by reference.
• Activated charcoal particles of the type used for the manufacture of conventional "dalmation" filter segments of charcoal filter cigarettes are provided.
• the moisture content of the activated charcoal particles is about 15 percent.
• Activated charcoal samples fortified with propylene glycol, triacetin, or a mixture thereof, are prepared by adding a pre-determined amount of charcoal to a rotating mini-pill coating machine.
• the opening of the pill drum is covered with aluminum foil, and a small hole is formed in the center region of the aluminum foil.
• the pill drum is operated at moderate rotation.
• An air aspirator is inserted through the hole in the aluminum foil, and the other end of the aspirator is inserted into a container containing a liquid that is selected from the following: (i) a mixture of propylene glycol and triacetin, (ii) propylene glycol, or (iii) triacetin.
• a liquid that is selected from the following: (i) a mixture of propylene glycol and triacetin, (ii) propylene glycol, or (iii) triacetin.
• the drum is rotated for an additional five minutes, to facilitate condensation of the resulting aerosol of liquid onto the charcoal particles.
• the liquid can be provided in intimate contact with the charcoal particles.
• tobacco rod length of about 57 mm and triacetin-plasticized cellulose acetate filter length of about 27 mm are fitted into Cambridge filter pad holders. That filter pad holder does not possess a filter pad.
• Tygon ® type of tubing To the other end of the filter pad holder is affixed, using Tygon ® type of tubing, a glass cylinder containing a pre-determined mass of charcoal, dispersed over a known bed length.
• the glass cylinder is constructed by filing off the drawn out end of a capillary pipette providing a glass cylinder of approximately 75 mm in length, and approximately the same diameter as a cigarette.
• Either charcoal for packing of 125 mg charcoal at a sample length of 10 mm
• a mixture of one part charcoal to 10 parts semolina for packing of 25 mg charcoal at a sample length of 20 mm
• quartz wool is used to pack each end of the sample within the cylinder.
• a second Cambridge filter pad holder having a Cambridge filter pad installed.
• This second filter pad holder is attached to a conventional smoking machine using Tygon type tubing.
• Each cigarette is machine smoked to a butt length of 35 mm.
• Smoking conditions consist of 45 ml puffs, each of 2 second duration, taking every 40 seconds.
• Each cigarette yields about 8 to about 10 puffs, on average. For each cigarette, a consistent number of puffs are taken.
• a cigarette of the present invention that is smoked through a bed of charcoal treated with 10 percent mixture of about 6 parts propylene glycol and about 1 part triacetin, and configured in a 25 mg charcoal/20 mm arrangement within the glass cylinder, yields about 1678 total ion current area counts, while a similar cigarette smoked through a bed of similarly treated charcoal configured in a 125 mg charcoal/10mm arrangement within the glass cylinder yields about 184 total counts.
• the sample smoked through the treated charcoal configured in the 25 mg/20 mm arrangement yields acetaldehyde ion current area counts of about 279, benzene counts of about 17, and acetone counts of about 160.
• the sample smoked through the treated charcoal configured in the 125 mg/10 mm arrangement yields acetaldehyde ion current area counts of about 24, benzene counts of about 0.1, and acetone counts of about 1.6.
• a comparison cigarette that is smoked through a bed of untreated charcoal that is configured in a 25 mg/20 mm arrangement within the glass cylinder yields about
• the sample smoked through the treated charcoal configured in the 25 mg/20 mm arrangement yields acetaldehyde ion current area counts of about 360, benzene counts of about 30, and acetone counts of about 220.
• the sample smoked through the treated charcoal configured in the 125 mg/10 mm arrangement yields acetaldehyde ion current area counts of about 61, benzene counts of non-detect, and acetone counts of about 1.1.
• the sample smoked through the treated charcoal configured in the 25 mg/20 mm arrangement yields acetaldehyde ion current area counts of about 330, benzene counts of about 52, and acetone counts of about 307.
• the sample smoked through the treated charcoal configured in the 125 mg/10 mm arrangement yields acetaldehyde ion current area counts of about 73, benzene counts of about 1.1, and acetone counts of about 12.

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• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Cigarettes, Filters, And Manufacturing Of Filters (AREA)

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• 2005
  • 2005-09-14 US US11/226,932 patent/US20070056600A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2006
  • 2006-09-13 JP JP2008531297A patent/JP5173815B2/ja active Active
  • 2006-09-13 CN CN2006800332104A patent/CN101262785B/zh active Active
  • 2006-09-13 WO PCT/US2006/035720 patent/WO2007033272A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2006-09-13 EP EP06803533A patent/EP1931225B1/en active Active
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