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
  • A24D3/04—Tobacco smoke filters characterised by their shape or structure
  • A24D3/048—Tobacco smoke filters characterised by their shape or structure containing additives
• • 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
  • A24D3/17—Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices
• • 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
  • A24D3/02—Manufacture of tobacco smoke filters
• • 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
  • A24D3/02—Manufacture of tobacco smoke filters
  • A24D3/0204—Preliminary operations before the filter rod forming process, e.g. crimping, blooming
  • A24D3/0212—Applying additives to filter materials
  • A24D3/0225—Applying additives to filter materials with solid additives, e.g. incorporation of a granular product
• • 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

Definitions

• the present invention relates to filters for smoking articles.
• Filters commonly include adsorbent materials, such as activated carbon, to reduce certain components of the smoke during smoking.
• activated carbon in a filter can adversely affect the taste and/or flavour characteristics of a cigarette.
• a filter element for a smoking article comprising a plug of filter material, a tobacco core extending substantially longitudinally through the plug of filter material, and wrapping means wrapped around at least a portion of a longitudinally extending surface of the tobacco core.
• the provision of the substantially longitudinal tobacco core improves the flavour of smoke (which comprises gas and particulate matter) that is inhaled by a smoker. Furthermore, the provision of the wrapping means ensures that the tobacco remains within the core within the plug of filter material, and that the smoke is directed therealong.
• the tobacco core extends substantially longitudinally between mutually opposing end faces of the plug of filter material.
• the tobacco core extends in a direction which is substantially parallel to a side face of the plug of filter material, which side face is preferably substantially perpendicular to one or both end faces.
• the tobacco core extends through an inner portion of, and is surrounded by, the filter material.
• the tobacco core extends through substantially the "centre of the plug of filter material.
• the tobacco core is disposed in close proximity with the path of the gaseous flow as it moves through the filter element, and is therefore able to affect various characteristics of the gaseous flow before the flow reaches the smoker's mouth. Furthermore, because the tobacco core is disposed substantially longitudinally within the plug of filter material, it does not adversely affect the direction or rate of gaseous flow, and so the smoker does not detect a significant difference in the resistance to draw therethrough.
• the tobacco core may comprise shredded tobacco, powdered tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco stem, tobacco fibres, tobacco sheet and/ or cut tobacco.
• the tobacco core comprises cut tobacco lamina, cut tobacco blend and/or tobacco stem.
• the tobacco core may form a tobacco rod of any cross-section.
• the tobacco core may form a tobacco rod of triangular or square cross-section.
• the tobacco core forms a tobacco rod of circular cross-section.
• the tobacco core may be substantially cylindrical in shape.
• the wrapping means may be substantially permeable to air, such that smoke may pass therethrough in to the tobacco core as a smoker inhales.
• the wrapping means may be formed of any conventional paper material.
• the wrapping means may comprise plugwrap or paper, for example cigarette paper.
• the wrapping means may be perforated.
• the wrapping means may be a reconstituted wrapper, or a tobacco sheet wrapper.
• the wrapping means may comprise tobacco leaf.
• the wrapping means may be impervious.
• the wrapping means may be in contact with substantially all of the longitudinally extending side surface of the tobacco core.
• the wrapping means circumscribes the tobacco.
• the wrapping means may not be disposed around at least one end face, and preferably each end face, of the tobacco core.
• the tobacco core may comprise, or be derived from, at least a longitudinal section of a tobacco rod of a smoking article, such as a cigarette, cigar or cigarillo, or the like, i.e. the smokeable section of the smoking article.
• a tobacco rod of a smoking article such as a cigarette, cigar or cigarillo, or the like
• the longitudinal section of the tobacco rod will comprise a wrapper, such as cigarette paper or the like, and that this wrapper forms the wrapping means of the filter element of the first aspect.
• the diameter of the longitudinal section of the tobacco rod is less than the diameter of the plug of filter material, and hence filter element according to the first aspect, such that it forms the tobacco core extending therethrough.
• Standard- sized cigarettes tend to have a diameter of about 7.5mm to about 9.5mm (preferably 8- 12mm), whereas slim-sized cigarettes tend to have a diameter of about 2-6mm. Therefore, because the diameter of the tobacco rod of a slim-sized cigarette is less than that of a standard-sized cigarette, the inventors envisage using a longitudinal extending section of the tobacco rod of a slim-sized smoking article to form the wrapped tobacco core of a filter element for use in filter of a standard-sized smoking article. The inventors believe that they are the first to consider using the tobacco rod section of a slim-sized smoking article to form a tobacco core in the filter of a standard-sized smoking article.
• a filter element for a smoking article comprising a plug of filter material, and a tobacco core extending substantially longitudinally through the plug of filter material, wherein the tobacco core comprises, or is derived from, a longitudinal section of a tobacco rod of a smoking article.
• the tobacco core may comprise, or be derived from, a longitudinal section of a tobacco rod of a slim-sized smoking article.
• a longitudinal section of a wrapped tobacco rod of a slim-sized smoking article the manufacture of standard-sized filter elements may be facilitated.
• Furdiermore advantageously, it is easier to change the tobacco in the longitudinal core extending through the filter material, thereby providing different tobacco styles and tastes in a range of filter elements.
• the tobacco core in the filter element of the first or second aspect may be between 3mm and 8mm in diameter, preferably between 3mm and 7mm in diameter, more preferably between 3.5mm and 6.5mm in diameter, and most preferably between 4mm and 6mm in diameter.
• the tobacco core may be encased by filter material to form the filter element of the first or second aspect.
• the plug of filter material may comprise any suitable filter media, which will be known to the skilled technician.
• a preferred filter material comprises cellulose acetate.
• the diameter of the plug of filter material may be between 5mm and 15mm, preferably between 6mm and 12mm, more preferably between 7mm and 10mm, and most preferably between 7mm and 9mm.
• the ratio of the diameter of the plug of filter material to the diameter of the tobacco core is between 0.5:1 and 10:1, more preferably between 1:1 and 5:1, even more preferably between 1:1 and 3:1, and most preferably between 1.5:1 and 2:1.
• the filter element of the first or second aspect may comprise a flavourant.
• the flavourant may be incorporated in the plug of filter material.
• the flavourant is incorporated in the tobacco core.
• flavourant may be sprayed onto the tobacco material prior to formation into a rod.
• the filter element according to the first or second aspect may be used in the manufacture of a filter, for use in a smoking article.
• a filter for a smoking article comprising a filter element according to the first or second aspect.
• the filter of the third aspect may comprise a plurality of filter elements according to the first or second aspect, in which a tobacco core extends through a plug of filter material.
• the filter may comprise 2, 3, 4, 5 or more filter elements of the first or second aspect, in which adjacent filter elements may either be connected to each other, or which elements may be separated from each other by other filter elements (which may not be in accordance with the first or second aspect).
• the filter may comprise a plurality of filter elements, at least one of which is a filter element according to the first or second aspect of the invention.
• the filter of the third aspect may also comprise an adsorbent filter element, which element comprises an adsorbent material.
• the adsorbent filter element is provided to adsorb and, hence, reduce certain components of the smoke during smoking.
• the adsorbent filter element may comprise a plug of filter material in which the adsorbent material is dispersed.
• the filter material may be cellulose acetate.
• a preferred adsorbent material is activated carbon.
• the activated carbon may be in the form of granular activated carbon, which is preferably distributed substantially throughout the volume of the plug of filter material.
• the adsorbent filter element does not include a tobacco core.
• the filter of the third aspect may also comprise a filter element, which comprises filter material (such as, cellulose acetate), and which does not include a tobacco core or adsorbent material.
• a filter element which comprises filter material (such as, cellulose acetate), and which does not include a tobacco core or adsorbent material.
• the filter may comprise at least two, and preferably at least three filter elements, provided that at least one filter element is in accordance with the first or second aspect.
• the filter comprises a filter element according to the first or second aspect, an adsorbent filter element comprising adsorbent, and a filter element, which does not include adsorbent or a tobacco core.
• multiple filter elements are arranged longitudinally of one another with the end face of one filter element abutting the end face of an adjacent filter element. It is preferred that the filter elements have substantially similar diameters. It should be appreciated that the various filter elements may be in any order in the filter, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
• the filter element of the first or second aspect, or the filter of the third aspect may be incorporated into a smoking article.
• a smoking article comprising a filter element according to die first or second aspect, or a filter according to die third aspect.
• the smoking article preferably comprises a section or rod of smokeable material, such as tobacco.
• smokeable material such as tobacco.
• smoking article includes smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products.
• the section of smokeable material and the filter may be attached by tipping paper.
• a method of manufacturing a filter element for a smoking article comprising providing a tobacco core through a plug of filter material, wherein the tobacco core extends substantially longitudinally through the plug of filter material, and wherein wrapping means is wrapped around at least a portion of a longitudinally extending surface of the tobacco core.
• a method of manufacturing a filter element for a smoking article comprising providing a tobacco core through a plug of filter material, wherein the tobacco core extends substantially longitudinally through the plug of filter material, and wherein the tobacco core comprises, or is derived from, a longitudinal section of a tobacco rod of a smoking article.
• the method of the sixth aspect may comprise a step of arranging a longitudinal section of a tobacco rod of a slim-sized smoking article, such that it extends substantially longitudinally through the plug of filter material.
• the method of the sixth aspect comprises cutting the slim-sized tobacco rod into a section of suitable length prior to being arranged in the plug of filter material.
• the methods of the fifth or sixth aspect preferably comprise a step of introducing the tobacco core into substantially the centre of the filter material.
• the methods may comprise using guide means to guide the tobacco core as a tow of filter material is formed therearound.
• the guide means may comprise a guide tube through which the tobacco core is entrained. As the core exits the guide means, it is preferably surrounded by filter material.
• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a smoking article, including a rod of smokeable material, a filter in accordance with the invention, and tipping paper attaching the rod and filter together;
• Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of the filter according to the invention
• Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of the filter
• Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of the filter.
• a smoking article 2 in the form of a cigarette, which includes a filter 4 in accordance with the invention. Even though the Figures show the smoking article 2 as a cigarette, it should be appreciated that the smoking article 2 may take other forms, such as cigars and cigarillos etc, which may also include the filter 4 according to the invention.
• the smoking article 2 comprises a generally cylindrical paper- wrapped rod 6 of smokeable material, such as tobacco, which is co-axially attached to the filter 4 by tipping paper 8, which is glued around one end of the rod 6 and the filter 4.
• the filter 4 is made up of a single, filter element 12 about 27mm in length, which consists of a continuous plug of filter material 20 (for example, cellulose acetate) having a diameter of 9mm.
• the filter element 12 has first and second generally circular end faces 22, 24, and a circumferential or longitudinally extending side surface 26 substantially perpendicular to the first and second end faces 22, 24.
• a cylindrical tobacco core 10 having a diameter of 3mm extends between the two end faces 22, 24 through the plug of filter material 20.
• the paper 11 is substantially pervious to air, such that smoke can pass therethrough as a smoker inhales.
• the tobacco core 10 is substantially parallel with the longitudinally extending surface 26 of the filter element 12, and extends substantially through the centre of the plug of filter material 20.
• the tobacco core 10 is derived from a tobacco rod which would otherwise be used in the manufacture of a superslim cigarette, examples of which are sold under the trade name Vogue (dimensions: 5mm x 99mm) or Kent Nanotek (dimensions: 5mm x 83mm), which may be obtained from British American Tobacco Company, and available in Europe and Russia. It is envisaged that the tobacco core 10 consists of cut tobacco lamina, a cut tobacco blend or cut tobacco stems, which is wrapped in plugwrap or cigarette paper 11. Hence, the tobacco rod section of a suitable superslim cigarette consisting of a tobacco core wrapped in cigarette paper is used to form the tobacco core 10 wrapped in plugwrap 11 of the filter element 12 of the present invention.
• the wrapped tobacco core 10 is approximately 3mm in diameter, which is then introduced into the centre of the filter material 20.
• fibrous filter material 20 e.g. cellulose acetate
• the rod may then be cut up in to sections of appropriate length to produce the completed filter element 12 as shown in Figure 2.
• the length of the filter element 12 will depend on the type of filter 4 required.
• a standard cigarette filter 4 is about 27mm in length.
• the whole 27mm length of the filter 4 consists of the filter element 12, such that the core 10 extends all the way along.
• Figures 3 and 4 illustrate other embodiments, in which the filter 4 comprises a shorter section of the filter element 12 containing the core 10 in combination with other sections, as described below.
• the filter 4 comprises a plurality of different discrete filter elements 12, 14, 16, each of which may have a different material composition.
• the filter 4 includes three different filter elements 12, 14, 16.
• Each filter element 12, 14, 16 is generally cylindrical in shape having substantially equivalent diameters.
• Each filter element 12, 12, 16 is wrapped by a layer of thin sheet material in the form of a wrapper known as plugwrap (not shown), which may be formed of conventional paper materials.
• the filter element 16 that is farthest from the tobacco rod 6 (and which will be closest to the smoker's mouth when in use) comprises a generally cylindrical tow of filter material 20, such as cellulose acetate.
• the filter material 20 provides a filter through which smoke may pass as a smoker inhales on the cigarette.
• the filter element 12 that is disposed adjacent element 16 contains a continuous plug of filter material 20 having the tobacco core 10 extending substantially longitudinally therethrough. This filter element 12 is similar to that shown in Figure 1, except that it does not extend along the entire length of the filter 4.
• the third filter element 14 that is disposed between the filter element 12 containing the tobacco core 10 and the tobacco rod 6 comprises a plug of filter material 20, in which an adsorbent, such as activated carbon 18, has been dispersed.
• the activated carbon 18 may be in the form of granular activated carbon 18, which is distributed evenly throughout the volume of the plug of cellulose acetate 20 in a "Dalmatian" style, as is known in the art, and as shown in Figure 3.
• the activated carbon 18 may be sprinkled onto a sticky exterior surface 26 of the plug of cellulose acetate 20, or adhered to the inner surface of the plugwrap surrounding the cellulose acetate, or may be adhered to a cotton thread surrounded by the plug of cellulose acetate 20 (not shown).
• the activated carbon 18 could also be held in a cavity surrounded by the plug of cellulose acetate 20.
• the activated carbon 18 is provided to improve the characteristics of the smoke that is inhaled by removing toxic chemicals.
• the filter 4 includes the same three filter elements 12, 14, 16 as in the second embodiment, as described above, except that the order of the elements has been changed.
• the filter element 16 that is farthest from the tobacco rod 6 comprises filter material 20, such as cellulose acetate, as in the second embodiment.
• the filter element 12 that is disposed adjacent element 16 contains a plug of filter material 20, in which particles of activated carbon 18 have been dispersed.
• the third filter element 12 disposed between element 14 and the rod of tobacco 6 contains a continuous plug of filter material 20 through which the tobacco core 10 extends.
• the positions of filter elements 12, 14 have been swapped in the second and third embodiments.
• the filter elements 12, 14, 16 are arranged longitudinally of one another with the end face 22, 24 of each filter element 12, 14, 16 abutting the next.
• the three filter elements 12, 14, 16 are shown in Figures 3 and 4 as being substantially equal in length, it will be appreciated that they could have different lengths.
• the filter element 12 containing the tobacco core 10 could be 12mm in length, and the other elements 14, 16 could be 7.5mm each, such that the total length of the filter 4 is 27mm.
• the filter 4 may comprise only the two filter elements.
• the filter 4 may comprise the filter element 12 containing the tobacco core 10 (about 15mm long) and the filter element 16 containing only filter material 20 (about 12mm long), in either order.
• the filter 4 may comprise the filter element 12 containing the tobacco core 10 and the filter element 14 containing activated carbon 18, in either order.
• the filter 4 may comprise more than three filter elements 12, 14, 16.
• the filter 4 may comprise first and second filter elements 16 composed of cellulose acetate, a third filter element 14 comprising cellulose acetate and activated carbon 18, and a fourth filter element 12 comprising the longitudinal tobacco core 10, as described above.
• the various filter elements 12, 14, 16 may be arranged in the filter 4 in a variety of alternative orders.
• at least one filter element 12 containing the tobacco core 10 is included in the filter 4.
• the filter 4 is located at a mouth-end of the smoking article 2 such that a gaseous flow, comprising smoke drawn from the rod 6 of smokeable material, moves through the filter 4 before entering the mouth of a smoker.
• the tobacco core 10 is located in one or more filter elements 12, and extends longitudinally between the end faces 22, 24 of a plug of filter material 20, as described in relation to Figure 2. In this way, the tobacco core 10 is disposed in close proximity with the path of the gaseous flow as it moves through the filter 4, and is therefore able to affect various characteristics of the gaseous flow before the flow reaches the smoker's mouth.
• the tobacco core 10 may, for example, affect the overall properties of the gaseous flow such that the taste and flavour of the gaseous flow are improved.
• One application of the tobacco core 10 is to replace a degree of the taste and flavour characteristics of the gaseous flow which may be lost as the gaseous flow moves through the filter material 20, or the activated carbon 18, which is known to affect the taste and flavour of tobacco smoke.
• the inventors have surprisingly found that the arrangement of the tobacco core 10 extending longitudinally through the plug of filter material 20 improves the flavour of the smoke without compromising the flow characteristics of the smoke.
• the invention also includes further modifications and variations falling within the scope of the claims.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Cigarettes, Filters, And Manufacturing Of Filters (AREA)

Priority Applications (11)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39930242

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (16)

Cited By (5)

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Citations (4)

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• 2008
  • 2008-09-16 GB GBGB0816933.6A patent/GB0816933D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2009
  • 2009-09-10 BR BRPI0917174A patent/BRPI0917174A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2009-09-10 EP EP09785615.7A patent/EP2352398B1/en active Active
  • 2009-09-10 KR KR1020117008814A patent/KR20110063548A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2009-09-10 UA UAA201104459A patent/UA101219C2/ru unknown
  • 2009-09-10 AU AU2009294388A patent/AU2009294388A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-09-10 CN CN2009801361339A patent/CN102159101A/zh active Pending
  • 2009-09-10 JP JP2011526569A patent/JP2012502628A/ja active Pending
  • 2009-09-10 CA CA2735469A patent/CA2735469A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-09-10 RU RU2011115123/12A patent/RU2526014C2/ru active
  • 2009-09-10 US US13/119,404 patent/US20110232660A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-09-10 WO PCT/GB2009/051160 patent/WO2010032033A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-09-10 MX MX2011001936A patent/MX2011001936A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2009-09-15 CL CL2009001858A patent/CL2009001858A1/es unknown
  • 2009-09-16 AR ARP090103561A patent/AR076438A1/es not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2011
  • 2011-02-23 ZA ZA2011/01451A patent/ZA201101451B/en unknown
• 2014
  • 2014-03-04 JP JP2014001104U patent/JP3190703U/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime

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