WO2012061249A2

WO2012061249A2 - Cigarette filter with modified wrapper

Info

Publication number: WO2012061249A2
Application number: PCT/US2011/058408
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tadas Lukas Lisauskas; Xavier Alexander Van Osten
Original assignee: Greenbutts Llc
Priority date: 2010-11-02
Filing date: 2011-10-28
Publication date: 2012-05-10
Also published as: WO2012061249A3

Abstract

A cigarette filter placed at one end of a cigarette has a filter body which filters the tobacco smoke when the cigarette is smoked, and a filter wrapper which surrounds the filter body. The filter wrapper comprises one or more paper material layers with seeds embedded throughout the filter wrapper or adhered to one or more of the wrapper layers. When the filter is discarded after the cigarette is consumed, the seeds germinate and grow, causing the filter wrapper to break apart and release the filter body within, accelerating degradation of the filter and producing plants which disguise any remaining parts of the discarded filter.

Description

CIGARETTE FILTER WITH MODIFIED WRAPPER

Background

1. Field of the Invention

[01] The present invention relates generally to cigarettes and is particularly concerned with a more environmentally friendly cigarette filter which has a modified wrapper designed to reduce the problems of discarded cigarette filters in adding to environmental pollution or litter.

2. Related Art

[02] A typical cigarette includes a filter at one end which has a core or body which filters the smoke generated from burning tobacco and a paper wrapper having one or more wrapper layers surrounding the filter body. The filter core or body is commonly made from a fibrous filter material and a binder. After a user smokes the cigarette, the filter or cigarette butt is typically discarded. Such filters are often discarded in outdoor areas such as beaches, parks, and the like. The materials making up the filter core and binder biodegrade only very slowly over lengthy periods of time and significantly add to the problems of unsightly environmental litter and pollution.

Summary

[03] Embodiments described herein provide for a cigarette filter which incorporates seeds in at least the filter wrapper, and for a cigarette incorporating the cigarette filter.

[04] According to one embodiment, a cigarette filter is provided which comprises a filter body and a filter wrapper of paper material which surrounds the filter body, the filter wrapper having seeds at spaced intervals throughout the wrapper.

[05] The paper wrapper may comprise one or more layers of conventional filter wrapper paper such as a biodegradable non-acetate paper. The layer or layers may be manufactured with seeds embedded throughout the paper material or applied to the inner or outer surface of the paper material. Since the seeds are located outside the filtered smoke column passing through the filter body, they do not adversely affect the taste or impede filtration of smoke. The seeds accelerate the decomposition of the filter from an outside -in approach. When the filter is discarded outdoors, the seeds in the filter paper germinate and break the filter wrapping paper apart, releasing the filter fiber bundle within.

[06] In one embodiment, the wrapper has an inner wrapper layer or plug wrap and an outer layer or tipping paper. Seeds may be adhered to one or both surfaces of the plug wrap, to the inner surface of the tipping paper, or to inner surfaces of both layers.

[07] In another embodiment, seeds may be provided within the filter body as well as in the paper wrapping the filter body. Seeds in the filter paper may be freely selected, whereas seeds are selected for the filter body which do not interact with the filtered smoke passing through the filter body during smoking of the cigarette, and which also do not impart an undesirable taste to the smoke.

[08] The filter wrapper with embedded seeds or seeds between two wrapper layers may be used with any type of filter, including mono-acetate filters, shaped filters, carbon/charcoal containing or based filters, flavor thread or flavor capsule filters, or other filters such as filters made from woodpulp based paper and other cellulosic based biodegradable materials, and may also be provided as the wrapper for roll your own cigarettes.

[09] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[10] The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, may be gleaned in part by study of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:

[11] FIG. 1 is a perspective cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a cigarette including a first embodiment of a cigarette filter with a seed embedded wrapper;

[12] FIG. 1A is a cutaway view of part of the filter of FIG. 1 illustrating two wrapper layers;

[13] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cigarette filter with the two wrapper layers of FIG. 1A;

[14] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the effect of germination of the seeds embedded in the filter wrapper of FIGS. 1 and 2 when the filter is discarded;

[15] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a second embodiment of a cigarette filter; [16] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a third embodiment of a cigarette filter; and

[17] FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of a cigarette filter in which seeds are embedded in both the filter body and filter wrapper.

Detailed Description

[18] Certain embodiments as disclosed herein provide for a cigarette filter with embedded seeds which germinate and grow when the filter is discarded in an outdoor environment, accelerating break down of the filter and reducing or avoiding the unpleasant long term appearance of discarded cigarette butts or filters.

[19] After reading this description it will become apparent to one skilled in the art how to implement the invention in various alternative embodiments and alternative applications. However, although various embodiments of the present invention will be described herein, it is understood that these embodiments are presented by way of example only, and not limitation. As such, this detailed description of various alternative embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope or breadth of the present invention.

[20] FIG. 1 to 3 illustrate one embodiment of a cigarette filter 12, with FIG. 1 illustrating the filter 12 at one end of a cigarette 10 having a conventional cigarette body or column 14 extending from filter 12 to the opposite end of cigarette 10, and comprising tobacco 15 surrounded by one or more paper wrapper layers 18. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the cigarette filter 12 has a filter body or filter tow 16 of suitable material for filtering smoke from the burning tobacco 15 when the cigarette is smoked, and one or more wrapper layers 18 of paper embedded with a plurality of seeds 20 surrounding filter body 16. In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1A and 2, wrapper layers 18 comprise an inner wrapper layer or plug wrap 18A and an outer wrapper layer or tipping paper 18B. The paper is wrapped around the core 16 and glued along a longitudinal seam using any suitable adhesive. The filter has a recessed end 7.

[21] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, seeds may be embedded in one or both layers (i.e. the inner plug wrap, the outer tipping paper, or both) or may be adhered to any one or more of the inner surface of the tipping paper 18B, the outer surface of the plug wrap 18A, and the inner surface of plug wrap 18 A (between the plug wrap and outer surface of the filter core). FIG. 2 illustrates seeds 20 between plug wrap 18A and tipping paper 18B. [22] The filter body 16 may be of any typical filter material such as plasticized cellulose acetate or the like, or of other filter structure. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate cigarette filters with seeds 20 in the wrapper layer or layers 18 and some alternative filter bodies. Although only a single wrapper layer 18 is illustrated in these embodiments, it will be understood that the wrapper may comprise an inner wrapper layer or plug wrap 18A and an outer wrapper layer or tipping paper 18B, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 2, with seeds located in one or both layers or on layer surfaces as described above. FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative filter 12A with a filter body 16A incorporating an insert 21 of high carbon-content material, and FIG. 5 illustrates another alternative filter body 16B incorporating a flavor thread or capsule 24. In alternative embodiments, the filter body may be of different materials, such as a biodegradable material comprising a mixture of hemp and cotton with a flour and water binder.

[23] The wrapper 18 is of cigarette filter wrapper paper such as biodegradable non- acetate paper including seeds 20 such as grass seeds, flower seeds, and even fruit and vegetable seeds, and one or more different seeds may be included in the wrapper in alternative embodiments. The wrapper may be composed from two separate wrapper layers of paper material, as illustrated in FIG. 1A and 2, specifically a plug wrap 18A and tipping paper 18B. Both wrapper layers may be of porous or nonporous paper material. The non-porous paper material comprises soft wood pulp or hard wood pulp and a mineral filler, such as calcium carbonate. The paper material can also contain minor constituents to reduce linting and enhance gluing. The porous paper material in one embodiment comprises a mixture of wood pulp and non-wood pulp from natural fibres such as flax fibres. Other short natural fibres (hemp, maila hemp, jute sisal, kenaf, cotton, etc.) can be considered as substitutes for flax fibres. The porous paper material is usually without fillers. The material of the tipping paper 18B may comprise wood pulp or a mixture of wood pulp and short natural fibres, and pigments. The tipping paper layer 18B is printed with lip release coating.

[24] In one embodiment, seeds may be embedded in the paper material layer or layers during manufacture, while in other embodiments, seeds may be adhered to surfaces of one or more layers, as described in more detail below.

[25] Methods for producing paper embedded with plantable seeds are known for seed beds or tubular sleeves enclosing a plant germination substrate for agricultural purposes. Briefly, the paper is made by first placing wood shavings, wood pulp fibres, or a mixture of wood pulp and natural fibres in a mixer, disintegrator or other similar instrument, and filling with water. The mixture is blended until the pulp fibres are uniformly disintegrated in water and the suspension appears smooth. A mold of a desired size and dimension is used to form a paper sheet. A basin is filled with pulp fibre suspension added therein. Seeds are added to the suspension and the contents of the basin are mixed. The frame is then placed into the basin gently moving it from side to side until the pulp fibres around the top of the frame are level and at the desired thickness. The layer of pulp fibres is allowed to settle followed by slowly lifting the frame up so it is above the water level.

[26] After removing the frame from water, the layer of pulp fibres on the frame is allowed to drain. The frame is laid carefully onto a fabric square and excess water is removed. While holding the fabric square flat, the frame is slowly lifted with the wet paper remaining on the fabric. Any noticeable air bubbles or rough edges are then smoothed out. The steps are repeated and fabric squares stacked. The entire stack is compressed to press out the remaining water. The sheets are gently separated and dried. When dry, the paper sheets contain seeds dispersed throughout their area, and are separated gently from the fabric squares. This method of incorporating plant seeds in a paper material can be implemented in modifications and variations as needed for other paper manufacturing methods and processes, such as manual, semi automatic or automatic paper handsheets formation process and conventional mass paper production industrial processes. In one embodiment, paper sheets embedded with seeds throughout the sheets as described above may be used for one or both wrapper layers 18A and 18B of Figs. 1A and 2

[27] In an alternative embodiment, one or both wrapper layers 18A and 18B can be coated or impregnated with a biodegradable binder or adhesive material, and the plant seeds subsequently deposited on the coated surface and thus securely attached to the surface of the wrapping paper layers. The coating or impregnation can be applied on only one surface, such as the inner surface of the plug wrap 18 A, the outer surface of the plug wrap 18A, or the inner surface of the tipping paper 18B, or on more than one of these surfaces, for example both surfaces of the plug wrap 18A, on the inner surface of the tipping paper 18B and inner surface of the plug wrap 18 A, on the inner surface of both the plug wrap 18A and the tipping paper 18B, or on all three surfaces. Thus, seeds may be located only between the plug wrap and tipping paper, as illustrated in Fig. 2, or only between the plug wrap and filter core, or between the wrapper layers 18A and 18B as well as between the plug wrap and filter core. [28] The coating or impregnation can be carried out using a blade coater, a roll coater, dipping rolls, curtain coater, size press, or other conventional coating and impregnating methods. The adhesive can be selected from biodegradable materials such as various starches, carboxymethylcellulose, sodium alginate, natural gums, natural rubber, etc. The plant seeds are deposited using a particle metering device, a rotating brush, or other conventional powder/particle applicator. The seeds may then be attached to the coated surface of the plug wrap or tipping paper.

[29] Since the seeds 20 are embedded in the filter wrapper or paper or adhered on one or more surfaces of plug wrap 18A and tipping paper 18B in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 5, any desired type or size of seed may be used, since the seeds are located outside the filter body and not in the path of tobacco smoke flowing through the filter body 16 as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. Thus, seeds 20 do not affect the flavor of the smoke or impede smoke flow through the filter. This arrangement permits the use of types of seeds which may not benefit from interaction with smoke or which may add an undesirable flavor to the smoke, or which are too large to be placed within filter body 16. The seeds 20 are located randomly at spaced intervals across the entire surface of the paper wrapper layer or layers. When a user finishes smoking the cigarette and discards the filter, the seeds will start to germinate and break apart the paper as illustrated in FIG. 3, releasing the filter fiber bundle 16 from within the paper. This accelerates the degradation of the filter and also provides a much more decorative end result, with plants 22 growing over and concealing the filter body. The seeds surrounding the filter body also fall off as the paper disintegrates and may leech onto the underlying filter body, aiding in breaking up of the filter material.

[30] The filter wrapper 18A/18B with embedded seeds may be used with any type of filter, including mono-acetate filters, shaped filters, carbon/charcoal containing or based filters, flavor thread or flavor capsule filters, or other filters such as filters made from woodpulp based paper and other cellulosic based biodegradable materials, and may also be provided as the wrapper for roll your own cigarettes.

[31] Cigarettes with filters incorporating seeds in the filter wrapper as in FIGS. 1 to 5 may be sold with labels or literature encouraging users to dispose of the used filters properly so that they can be composted or reused in gardens, lawns or other areas to grow flowers, grass, vegetables, grains or trees. Even if such cigarette filters are simply thrown away on the ground in an organic environment such as a park, playing field, or other public land, the seeds still grow so that the filter breaks up and is disguised by the resultant plant growth. This results in significant reduction in unsightly public litter as a result of discarding of conventional, non-biodegradable cigarette filters.

[32] In order to compare the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 with alternative embodiments in which seeds are located in different parts of a cigarette filter, initial germination trials were carried out with plant seeds inserted in three locations within cigarette filters. Seeds were inserted inside the cigarette filter body (location 1), between filter body and plug wrap 18A (location 2), and between plug wrap 18A and tipping paper 18B (location 3). The filters containing plant seeds were placed in a soil bed and covered with very thin layer of soil. The germination ratio varied for the different seed locations. The results were compared to a reference sample of seeds planted in a soil bed. The germination rate for the reference sample was 50%. The germination rates for seeds in locations 3, 2 and 1 were 70%, 45%) and 10%>, respectively, indicating that placement of seeds in or on the tipping paper or plug wrap layers is the most effective for germination purposes.

[33] There are four factors having critical impact on the germination process. They are water, oxygen, temperature, and light/darkness. The warm ambient conditions were ensured in the above trials by using a heated propagator during the germination period. A spray mist was regularly applied to maintain the water supply. The high germination ratio (70%o) of seeds inserted between tipping paper and plug wrap (location 3) proves that light and oxygen have sufficient access to seeds in this location. Light and oxygen also access the seeds inserted between plug wrap and filter element (location 2). It is difficult to assess the amount of oxygen and light delivered to the seeds enclosed inside the filter element. The low germination ratio (10%) shows that the germination conditions for seeds inside the filter body are less favourable.

[34] Seeds incorporated inside the filter element (location 1) would be those most exposed to the cigarette smoke during the smoking, which might decrease the germination ratio further. The seeds in location on the outside of the filter element under the plug wrap (location 2) are expected to be exposed to cigarette smoke with much lesser intensity and seeds laminated between plug wrap and tipping paper will be protected from the direct exposure to cigarette smoke and therefore their germination rate will be less affected or unaffected, respectively.

[35] The germinating seeds inserted between tipping paper and plug wrap (location 3) and between plug wrap and filter element (location 2) break through the paper wrappers and therefore accelerate the degradation of the wrappers. The degradation of the paper wrappers enables the release of the germinated seeds in a surrounding environment thus into a direct contact with soil (supply of water and nutrition) which promotes the plant growth.

[36] The degradation of the paper wrappers also results in releasing the compacted filter element and exposing any seeds embedded within the filter element (location 1) to ambient conditions favourable to promote the germination of seed previously enclosed inside the filter element. The germination of the seeds subsequently accelerates the degradation of the filter element.

[37] FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a cigarette filter 30 which has a wrapper 18 which may comprise plug wrap and tipping paper layers as in FIG. 1A with embedded seeds 20 as described above in connection with the previous embodiments. In this embodiment, seeds 34 are also embedded in the filter body or core 32, which is of a suitable filter material. This filter has the advantage of breaking down more readily both from the inside and the outside as the seeds 20 and 34 germinate. The seeds 34 embedded in the filter body or core are selected to be resistant to any ill effects of the tobacco smoke passing through the filter, and are also tested to determine that they do not add undesirable flavor to the smoke. In contrast, there are no such limitations to the selection of seeds 20 for incorporation in the outer wrapper 18. Any suitable tobacco filter material 32 may be used for the filter body, including conventional filter materials as well as biodegradable or natural materials such as hemp and the like, as described above in connection with the previous embodiments. In this embodiment, when the cigarette filter is discarded, seeds grow from both the inside and the outside of the filter, further facilitating break up of the filter materials.

[38] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is to be understood that the description and drawings presented herein represent a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and are therefore representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention. Accordingly, the invention is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

We claim:

1. A cigarette filter, comprising:

a filter body;

a filter wrapper which surrounds the filter body, the filter wrapper comprising at least one wrapper layer of paper including a plurality of seeds at spaced intervals throughout the filter wrapper.

2. The cigarette filter of claim 1, wherein seeds are embedded in the filter wrapper.

3. The cigarette filter of claim 1, wherein seeds are adhered to at least one surface of the filter wrapper.

4. The cigarette filter of claim 1, wherein the filter wrapper comprises an inner, plug wrap layer and an outer, tipping paper layer.

5. The cigarette filter of claim 4, wherein seeds are embedded in at least one of the layers.

6. The cigarette filter of claim 5, wherein seeds are embedded in both layers.

7. The cigarette filter of claim 4, wherein seeds are located between the plug wrap and tipping paper layers.

8. The cigarette filter of claim 7, wherein additional seeds are located between the plug wrap layer and the filter body.

9. The cigarette filter of claim 7, wherein the plug wrap layer has an inner surface and an outer surface and the tipping paper layer has an inner surface facing the outer surface of the plug wrap layer, and the seeds are adhered at spaced intervals over at least one surface of at least one of the layers, said at least one surface being selected from the inner surface of the tipping paper layer and the inner and outer surfaces of the plug wrap layer.

10. The cigarette filter of claim 9, wherein the seeds are adhered to said at least one surface with a biodegradable adhesive material.

11. The cigarette filter of claim 10, wherein the adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of starches, carboxymethylcellulose, sodium alginate, natural gums, and natural rubber.

12. The cigarette filter of claim 9, wherein seeds are adhered to the inner surface of the tipping paper layer.

13. The cigarette filter of claim 9, wherein seeds are adhered to the outer surface of the plug wrap layer.

14. The cigarette filter of claim 9, wherein seeds are adhered to the inner surface of the plug wrap layer and to one additional surface selected from the inner surface of the tipping paper layer and the outer surface of the plug wrap layer.

15. The cigarette filter of claim 9, wherein at least one of the surfaces of the plug wrap layer or the inner surface of the tipping paper layer has a coating of binder material to which seeds are attached.

16. The cigarette filter of claim 1, including additional seeds embedded in the filter body.

17. A filter wrapper for wrapping at least a cigarette filter body, comprising:

inner and outer wrapper layers of paper material; and

at least one of the wrapper layers including a plurality of seeds.

18. The filter wrapper of claim 17, wherein the seeds are dispersed at spaced intervals over the entire wrapper layer.

19. The filter wrapper of claim 17, wherein the seeds are disposed between the inner and outer wrapper layers.

20. The filter wrapper of claim 17, wherein each wrapper layer has an inner surface and an outer surface and the seeds are adhered across at least one of the wrapper layer surfaces with a biodegradable adhesive material.

21. A method of making a filter wrapper paper embedded with seeds, comprising the steps of:

applying a coating of adhesive or binder material to a first surface of a first wrapper layer of paper material;

depositing a plurality of seeds on the coated first surface; and

securing a second wrapper layer over the coated first surface of the first wrapper layer, whereby the seeds are located between the first and second wrapper layers.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first wrapper layer comprises a plug wrap and the first surface comprises the outer surface of the plug wrap, and the second wrapper layer comprises an outer tipping paper secured over the seed and adhesive coated outer surface of the plug wrap.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first wrapper layer comprises a tipping paper and the first surface comprises the inner surface of the tipping paper, and the second wrapper layer comprises a plug wrap secured over the seed and adhesive coated inner surface of the tipping paper.