Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24F—SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES
  • A24F25/00—Devices used by the smoker for controlling the moisture content of, or for scenting, cigars, cigarettes or tobacco
  • A24F25/02—Moistening devices
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
  • A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
  • A61L9/015—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone
  • A61L9/04—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone using substances evaporated in the air without heating
  • A61L9/048—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone using substances evaporated in the air without heating air treating gels
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/07—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles
  • B65D85/08—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular
  • B65D85/10—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for compressible or flexible articles rod-shaped or tubular for cigarettes
  • B65D85/1081—Inserts or accessories added or joined to the container, e.g. coins, pens, cards, spacers

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a controlled moisture release humidifier for use with tobacco products.
• the tobacco in products such a cigarettes, cigars and loose tobacco for pipe smoking or roll-your-own cigarettes is prone to drying out both during the pre-use storage period and particularly after the product packaging has been opened. This is undesirable, since tobacco becomes less palatable as it dries.
• Expensive cigars are generally stored in specially designed humidors specifically to address this problem by keeping the cigars at a desired level of humidity to prevent drying.
• a more rudimentary approach is often used by consumers of loose tobacco; a piece of apple or potato peel placed in the tobacco pouch or tin can help to keep the tobacco moist or can re-moisten tobacco that has become too dry.
• this method may not be considered hygienic, and may taint the tobacco with unwanted scents or flavours.
• the devices comprise a source of moisture that can emit water vapour which is surrounded by a permeable enclosure such as a housing, casing, layer or pouch which keeps the moisture source separate from the tobacco but allows the water vapour to be transmitted to the tobacco.
• the moisture source is often some form of water- absorbent medium such as cotton wool, blotting paper, sponge, florist's foam, or polyacrylamide gel or crystals, which is soaked in water or salt solution.
• the permeable enclosure may be rigid or flexible, and may be made permeable by the provision of perforations or apertures therein, or may be an inherently permeable membrane material.
• Some devices are incorporated into tobacco packages, while others are independent devices that can be inserted into a tobacco product container. Examples of such devices can be found in GB 2,345,431, GB 2,265,295, GB 1,369,992, GB 741,475, GB 567,141, GB 308,127, GB119,489, EP 531,075, EP 363,194, EP 348,840, US 5,957,380, US 5,957,277, US 5,829,452, US 3,801,011, US 1,847,989, US 1,871,419, DE 4000143, DE 20 2005 008 520, DE20 2005 010 286 and FR 2,619,289.
• WO 02/12089 describes the use of a gel to hold water for the purposes of humidifying tobacco products and other items.
• the gel is used so that there is no free liquid water present, the escape of which would damage the tobacco products, and also because it is suitable to both give out water vapour and reabsorb it.
• a two-way moisture exchange is provided to maintain a particular humidity level in the environment of the tobacco products; this is well suited for use with cigars.
• a first aspect of the present invention is directed to a humidifier for use with tobacco products, comprising a gel body comprising a continuous porous network of particles supporting a volume of moisturising liquid, the gel body configured to release the liquid by evaporation at a predetermined rate; and a permeable layer enclosing the gel body through which the evaporated liquid may pass.
• a gel body for the provision of moisture to tobacco products has a number of advantages. Despite having the appearance of a jelly-like solid material, gels are mostly liquid. Hence, a large volume of moisturising liquid can be provided in proportion to the overall size of the humidifier, allowing efficient delivery of moisture.
• the gel structure accommodates the large liquid level in a way that prevents the liquid from escaping in liquid form; it can only be given off as vapour by evaporation. This is particularly important for tobacco products, which would be damaged and possibly rendered un-usable if exposed to liquid.
• the gel can be engineered so as to provide a particular pre-determined, preselected rate of evaporation.
• the moisture release is therefore controlled in advance, and a humidifier can be provided that offers a chosen level of moisture release appropriate for a particular application. For example, a smoker who finds that his loose tobacco has become very dry, perhaps because he failed to close the packaging properly after the previous use, will want to be able to rehydrate the tobacco very quickly. A gel humidifier with a high evaporation rate will be suitable. Conversely, maintaining the moisture level of pre- packaged cigarettes between packaging and consumption demands a slow continuous delivery of moisture over a potentially long period, so that a low evaporation rate humidifier is appropriate. By varying factors such as the gel material, structure, density, ratio of gel material to liquid, and possibly adding extra substances, the gel can be tailored to give a desired rate of evaporation.
• the gel body may comprise one or more alginates supporting a volume of moisturising liquid.
• the gel body may comprise one or more pectins supporting a volume of moisturising liquid.
• Other gel materials are not precluded, however.
• the gel body may further comprise one or more modifying substances that alter the predetermined rate of evaporation. Additional substances can be used to further engineer the evaporation properties beyond those that would be available from any given pair of gel network material and liquid.
• the modifying substances can be included in the gel network material or in the liquid, or both.
• the one or more modifying substances may comprise one or more salts.
• the one or more salts may comprise one or more calcium sulphates, but other salts and/or other substance may be used.
• the moisturising liquid is water. This is convenient, inexpensive and readily available, and well-suited for moisturising tobacco.
• the water may have dissolved in it one or more water-soluble flavourants, fragrances or additives that can be carried through the permeable layer with the evaporated water.
• the layer keeps the gel body separate from the tobacco so that tobacco particles do not adhere to the gel, and also makes for ease of handling, particularly in the case of a very soft gel.
• the gel body is also protected from damage (to some extent at least, depending on the nature of the permeable layer) and is retained together in the event that it becomes broken into pieces.
• the layer may be embodied using a rigid container, for example, or a flexible layer or membrane, for example of plastics material or fabric.
• the permeable properties may arise from the inherent structure of the material from which the layer is made, or can be provided by apertures or perforations in an otherwise substantially impermeable material.
• the permeability may be in the form of microscopic pores sufficient only to let - A -
• the vaporised moisturising liquid pass through, or may be provided by larger holes or openings, since there is little possibility of liquid leaking out from the gel body.
• the permeable layer may comprise a semi-permeable one-way membrane that transmits evaporated liquid from the gel body but substantially blocks the passage of water vapour or liquid to the gel body.
• This arrangement allows the required moisture release from the gel to the tobacco, but prevents the gel from absorbing moisture back from the tobacco. This is beneficial in a situation where the humidifier has been left in a package of tobacco for a long time and has given up all its liquid; it is then undesirable for the gel to take moisture away from the tobacco. Also, it prevents brown discoloration of the gel which can arise from absorption of moisture from tobacco, and stops the take-up of scents and flavours from the tobacco which would reduce the product quality.
• the permeable layer may comprise a material comprising a thermo- mechanically expanded polymer membrane having micropores that render the material permeable to the evaporated liquid.
• the polymer may comprise polytetrafluoroethylene, polybutylene terephfhalate or polyethylene oxide, for example.
• Polymer membranes of this type are ideally suited for the transmission of moisturising vapour, while at the same time are robust and tough so are unlikely to burst or be punctured.
• the humidifier may further comprise a removable outer layer covering the permeable layer that is substantially impermeable to the passage of the evaporated liquid, the outer layer intended to be removed before use of the humidifier.
• a "water-proof outer layer of this type which stops the gel from giving up its liquid, allows humidifiers to be supplied independently from packaged tobacco products so that a smoker can utilise one as and when he finds his tobacco has become dry.
• the humidifier may further comprise an outer layer covering the permeable layer that is substantially impermeable to the passage of the evaporated liquid, the outer layer having in it one or more apertures covered by one or more sealing members, the sealing member(s) being removable from the outer layer to open the aperture(s) before use of the humidifier.
• this embodiment gives the option of re-sealing the apertures once enough moisture has been released, allowing the remainder to be released at a later time. It also offers further scope for tailoring the rate of evaporation, by the provision of larger, smaller, fewer or more apertures.
• the permeable layer and the outer layer can be a single layer, so that the permeable layer comprises a material that is substantially impermeable, the permeable layer having one or more apertures therein, and the humidifier further comprising one or more sealing members covering the one or more apertures, the sealing member(s) being removable from the permeable layer to open the a ⁇ erture(s) before use of the humidifier.
• a second aspect of the present invention is directed to a package for tobacco products containing one or more tobacco products and a humidifier according to the first aspect.
• Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a humidifier according to a first embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a humidifier according to a second embodiment, including a first example of an impermeable outer layer
• Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a humidifier according to a third embodiment, including a second example of an impermeable outer layer
• Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a humidifier according to a fourth embodiment.
• FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional side view of a simple humidifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• the humidifier 10 comprises a gel body 12 closely enclosed in a permeable layer 14, through which liquid held in the gel body 12 can pass as vapour 16 once it has evaporated.
• the gel body 12 is a slab of a gel material that supports a volume of moisturising liquid, such as water, which is suitable for moisturising tobacco.
• a gel is a colloidal system in which many particles (nanoparticles) are connected to form a continuous porous network that encompasses or spans a volume of liquid. The network particles can be thought of as being dispersed across the liquid, or alternatively, the network supports the liquid.
• This structure gives a gel an apparently solid, albeit jelly-like appearance, but the gel is in fact mostly liquid in composition. Gels therefore have densities similar to liquids, but have the structural coherence of a solid. The liquid cannot leave the gel network by flowing out in its liquid form, but it can leave as a vapour via evaporation.
• a further additional and very beneficial property for the hydration of tobacco is that the rate of moisture release by evaporation can be engineered, so that a gel body with a predetermined rate of moisture release can be provided.
• tobacco may need hydrating under a variety of circumstances, so according to the present invention, a gel can be tailored for a specific application. For example, if a user of loose tobacco finds that his tobacco has become dry, it is likely that he will want to rehydrate it as quickly as possible so as to be able to use it.
• a gel body configured for a very high rate of moisture release by evaporation will therefore be useful, and a humidifier according to the present invention can be provided accordingly, of a shape and size that is convenient for placing inside a tobacco pouch or tin.
• An alternative application is the use of a humidifier to maintain the moisture level of packaged tobacco products between packaging and consumption.
• the tobacco may become dry.
• a gel humidifier that provides a very low rate of vapour release over a sustained period can mitigate this, if included inside the packaging when the tobacco product is packaged.
• a smoker may like to keep a humidifier inside the pack to keep the moisture level relatively high.
• the loss of moisture from the tobacco will be faster than when the packaging was still sealed, so a humidifier with a somewhat higher evaporation rate will be suitable.
• the moisture can be released over a shorter period, because the time taken to consume the contents of the pack will likely be shorter than the time between packaging and consumption.
• These different moisture release rates can be provided according to the present invention by engineering the gel body.
• Various properties and characteristics can be modified to tailor the evaporation rate. These include selection of the material comprising the gel particle network, the density of the gel network (for example, how tight or loose die network is), the ratio of liquid to gel material, the size and shape of the gel body, and the type of liquid used.
• a particularly useful group of materials for the gel network are alginates.
• a single alginate may be used, or a combination of two or more alginates may be used to further tailor the evaporation properties.
• Alginates are linear copolymers produced by various brown algae including seaweed (such as giant kelp) and bacteria (such as Azotobacter species), which are insoluble in water but absorb water quickly, and can form a gel. Alginates are fully biocompatible and are used in food stuffs and medicines, so they are a particularly attractive option for use with tobacco products, where similar health and safety issues arise.
• gel materials are pectins, which are similarly biocompatible.
• a convenient liquid for inclusion in the gel body is water, since it is safe, inexpensive, readily available, and suitable for die moisturisation of tobacco.
• Other liquids and solutions which can provide the necessary moisture supply by evaporation from the gel body may be used instead, however.
• the water may include one or more water-soluble additives that can be carried through the permeable layer by the water vapour and hence delivered to the tobacco. These may include flavourants and fragrances.
• a moisture-releasing element containing menthol can be used to impart a menthol flavour and smell to the tobacco. Vanilla, coffee and other flavours may be similarly provided. In this way, the consumer has a mechanism for flavouring a tobacco product with a flavour of their choice.
• the inclusion of such additives may determine the evaporation rate to be provided by the gel body. For example, an amount of additive sufficient to impart its characteristics to a typical quantity of packaged loose tobacco can be accommodated in a gel body so that it is given off at a suitable rate and over a suitable time scale to adequately modify the tobacco over a typical pack consumption period.
• Additives of this type may similarly be used with non-water liquids.
• additives in the form of substances that modify the evaporation rate can also be added to the gel body. These may be added to the liquid, or to the gel network material. Salts can be used for example, such as calcium sulphates. An aqueous salt solution used as the liquid gives control over the evaporation rate. Other non-volatile liquid ingredients may similarly be used for the same purpose; these include glycerol (glycerine) and propylene glycol.
• the permeable layer 14 surrounding the gel body 12 may be made from a wide range of materials and may have a variety of structures and configurations. Provided that it is sufficiently permeable so that vapour evaporated from the gel body may pass through to the environment surrounding the humidifier, there are few other requirements beyond the usual health and safety standards of the tobacco industry.
• the liquid-retaining nature of the gel body means that the permeability can be achieved by any porous structure, from microscopic pores that transmit water (or other liquid) vapour but not liquid droplets, to much larger apertures or perforations.
• the functions of the permeable layer include keeping the gel body separate from the tobacco (so that loose tobacco particles do not become stuck to the gel), and facilitating handling of the gel body, which may be difficult in the case of a soft gel having a high liquid content. If deemed necessary, the permeable layer may also provide some protection for the gel, to reduce damage or breaking up of the gel body in the event of impacts or rough handling.
• the outer layer may be substantially rigid, for example a box or other container made from metal, paper, cardboard or rigid plastics material. In such a case, perforations or apertures will typically be needed in the outer layer to give the necessary permeability.
• flexible materials may be used for the outer layer, including fabrics, gauzes and nettings; thin plastics materials, plus perforations if they are otherwise impermeable to water vapour; and permeable membranes.
• a possible permeable layer material is a semi-permeable one-way membrane that transmits the moisturising vapour outwardly from the gel body to the surrounding environment, but is impermeable to the passage of vapour and liquid in the opposite direction, into the gel body.
• a gel body can absorb moisture to which it is exposed.
• a humidifier is left inside a package of tobacco over a long period so that all the moisture escapes from the gel, it is undesirable if the gel body then begins to re- absorb moisture from the tobacco, thereby drying it out.
• a one-way membrane around the gel prevents this. Suitable materials include reverse osmosis membrane, such as synthetic dialysis membrane or other food grade pharmaceutical membrane.
• a further example of a suitable permeable layer is a material comprising a thermo- mechanically expanded polymer membrane having microscopic pores that render the material permeable to the evaporating vapour from the gel body.
• This type of membrane can be used alone, or laminated with a fabric. In the latter form, it is commonly used to make waterproof clothing, under brand names such as GORE-TEX (RTM).
• the microscopic pores (micropores) are of a size to let water vapour through, but to block the passage of liquid water.
• Suitable polymers from which these membranes can be made include polytetrafluoroethylene, polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene oxide.
• humidifiers according to the present invention will also be supplied as separate items for a smoker to purchase and use in the event that his tobacco needs rehydrating, or as an item inside a packaged tobacco product for use after the packet is opened. In these situations, it is necessary to stop evaporation from the humidifier before it is desired to use the humidifier.
• FIG 2 shows a cross-sectional view through a humidifier according to an embodiment that seeks to address this issue.
• the humidifier 10 comprises a gel body 12 with a permeable layer 14, as in Figure 1. Additionally, however, the humidifier is provided with an outer layer 18 over the permeable layer 14, that encloses the humidifier 10.
• the outer layer 18 is substantially impermeable to the passage of moisturising vapour evaporating from the gel body 12, so that the moisture is retained within the humidifier 10 while the outer layer 18 is in place.
• the outer layer 18 is intended to be removed from the humidifier 10 before use, to allow the evaporating moisture to escape to the surrounding environment.
• the outer layer may be made from a thin flexible plastics material, for example.
• the material may be configured as a sachet, such as the type commonly used to provide individual portions of condiments in catering establishments, which can be readily torn open via serrations across the ends of the sachet.
• This arrangement provides a removable outer layer that is very simple and economical to implement, and which uses known packaging technology. However, other configurations of impermeable removable outer layer may be used if preferred.
• FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of a humidifier having an impermeable outer layer according to a further embodiment.
• the outer layer 18 again encloses the permeable layer 14 and the gel body 12, but is not intended to be removed from the humidifier 10 before use.
• the outer layer 18, made from substantially impermeable material is provided with one or more apertures or perforations 20. Before use of the humidifier 10, these are sealed with one or more sealing members 22, which are adhered over the apertures 20 to render the outer layer 18 impermeable. The sealing members 22 are then removed by peeling from the outer layer 18, to open the apertures 20 and allow the escape of moisturising vapour therethrough.
• the sealing members 22 may be provided with protruding pull tabs 24 to facilitate removal from the outer layer 18.
• the sealing members 22 are adhered to the outer layer 18 using re-usable adhesive, they can be reapplied to cover the apertures when enough moisture has been obtained from the humidifier 10. Liquid remaining inside the gel body can thereby be retained for future uses of the humidifier.
• the sealing members may be disposable, allowing a single use of the humidifier only. Furthermore, if more than one sealing member is provided, the user can decide how many to remove and therefore how many apertures to open, so that the user has a degree of control over the amount of moisture released.
• the permeable layer and the impermeable outer layer may be combined.
• the permeable layer may be made from a substantially impermeable material, and made permeable by a number of apertures or perforations, as discussed above. If the apertures are provided in only part of the permeable layer (rather than a continuous array of perforations, for example), the apertures may be closed by removable sealing members (which may or may not be replaceable) such as those described with respect to Figure 3. In this way, the additional advantages of an impermeable outer layer for maintaining the humidifier for use at some future time can be implemented in a particularly simple manner.
• FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a humidifier according to this embodiment.
• the humidifier 10 comprises a gel body 12 enclosed in a permeable layer 14 as in the previous examples.
• the permeable layer 18, made from substantially impermeable material, has a series of apertures 20 in one side, which are covered by a removable sealing member 22 having a pull tab 24.
• Humidifiers according to the present invention may include additional features in various combinations with the features described.
• the humidifier may further comprise a sealed compartment containing a supercoolable salt hydrate solution that can be activated to crystallise and release heat to the gel body, thereby increasing the rate of moisture release by evaporation.
• Humidifiers comprising such heat-releasing elements are described in our co-pending application GB 0710776.6 "Heatable humidifying device for use with tobacco products", filed in the United Kingdom on 5th June 2007.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Tobacco Products (AREA)
• Solid-Sorbent Or Filter-Aiding Compositions (AREA)
• Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=38318762

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (5)

Citations (6)

• 2007
  • 2007-06-05 GB GB0710784A patent/GB0710784D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2008
  • 2008-05-29 NZ NZ581196A patent/NZ581196A/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2008-05-29 AU AU2008258677A patent/AU2008258677B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2008-05-29 BR BRPI0812329-2A2A patent/BRPI0812329A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2008-05-29 EP EP08760228A patent/EP2155007A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-05-29 CA CA002687345A patent/CA2687345A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-05-29 WO PCT/EP2008/056637 patent/WO2008148701A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (6)

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