WO2012079887A1

WO2012079887A1 - Tobacco industry product with cooling

Info

Publication number: WO2012079887A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/070103
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kevin Blick
Original assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
Priority date: 2010-12-16
Filing date: 2011-11-15
Publication date: 2012-06-21
Also published as: AR084326A1; TW201238506A; GB201021358D0

Abstract

A tobacco industry product such as a smoking article for delivering a gaseous flow to a consumer, including a thermal mass (4) configured in the product, for example in the filter (3) of a cigarette (1), to be cooled prior to delivery of the gaseous flow and arranged to cool the gaseous flow to be delivered to the consumer. The thermal mass may include a refrigerant gel. The thermal mass may be cooled to below ambient temperature prior to consumption of the cigarette by an external cooling device that includes a Peltier cooling element.

Description

Tobacco Industry Product with Cooling

Field

This invention relates to a tobacco industry product for example a smoking article such as a cigarette, for delivering a gaseous flow to a consumer.

Background

Hitherto, it has been proposed to provide a passive heat exchanger in a cigarette to cool cigarette smoke before or during its passage through the filter. For example, WO

02/ 078472 discloses a filter with aluminium cooling plates within a filter to remove toxic substances from the smoke. Also, US 2,827,903 discloses an aluminium unit for cooling the smoke to be filtered by permitting heat from the smoke to dissipate through the unit. Similarly, KR 2009-0065492 discloses a structure with metal smoke cooling fins to allow heat from the smoke to dissipate.

Summary

According to embodiments of the invention described in more detail herinafter, there is provided a tobacco industry product for delivering a gaseous flow to the consumer, which includes a thermal mass configured in the product to be cooled below ambient temperature prior to delivery of the gaseous flow and thereafter to cool the gaseous flow to be delivered to the consumer during use.

The thermal mass may conveniently be disposed in the filter and may include a refrigerant gel that may be received in a container having a surface for cooling the gaseous flow.

The product may comprise a smoking article such as a cigarette, with the thermal mass disposed in the filter. A cooling device may be provided to cool the thermal mass in the product below ambient temperature, after which the product is removed from the cooling device for use by the consumer. In use, the thermal mass remains sufficiently below ambient temperature to have a cooling effect on the gaseous delivery to the consumer during use of the product. For example in the case of a cigarette, the thermal mass remains at a temperature below ambient for at least the major part of the duration of smoking and consumption of the tobacco rod of the cigarette. Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of illustrative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cigarette incorporating a thermal mass in its filter;

Figure 2 is an exploded partial perspective view of the cigarette shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial perspective view in a schematic outline of the cigarette shown in Figure 2 when assembled;

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 of a variant of the cigarette in which its interior thermal mass is visible;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 4 of a further embodiment of thermal mass within the cigarette filter;

Figure 6 is a schematic perspective exploded view of a further embodiment of a cigarette in which the filter contains a sachet of refrigerant gel;

Figure 7 schematically illustrates the sachet of refrigerant gel located in the filter of the cigarette;

Figure 8 illustrates the filter of an alternative example in which the sachet is provided with fin-like surfaces;

Figure 9 is an exploded view of a further example of cigarette in which the thermal mass comprises a tube of a refrigerant gel;

Figure 10 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 9 when assembled with the tube or gel within the filter;

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate further examples of the filter shown in Figure 10 with a plurality of refrigerant containing tubes in the filter;

Figure 13 illustrates a portable electrically driven cooling device for cooling a pack of cigarettes containing thermal masses in their filters;

Figure 14 illustrates the insertion of a pack of cigarettes into the cooling device;

Figure 15 illustrates an alternative embodiment of electrically driven cooling device; Figure 16 illustrates a further electrical cooling device for an individual cigarette containing a thermal mass in its filter;

Figure 17 illustrates the insertion of the cigarette into the cooling device of Figure 16; Figure 18 illustrates a further example of cooling device with a set of planar cooling fins; Figure 19 illustrates a further example of cooling device for an individual cigarette; and Figure 20 illustrates a cooling device for several cigarettes.

Referring to Figures lto 3, a smoking article in the form of cigarette 1 comprises a tobacco rod 2, a filter 3 and coolable thermal mass 4 disposed between the tobacco rod 2 and filter 3. Tobacco rod 2 may be formed in a manner well known per se and comprises tobacco 5 within a paper wrapper 6. Similarly, filter 3 may comprise a filter material such as cellulose acetate within a plug wrap 8. Tipping paper 9 may be wrapped around the filter 3, thermal mass 4 and a portion of the tobacco rod 2 in order to hold these components in place. Detailed description

The thermal mass 4 comprises a generally tubular container with cylindrical inner and outer walls 10, 11 closed by end caps 12, 13 that are circular and include a central opening 14 aligned with the generally tubular inner wall 10 to provide a smoke passageway 15 through the mass 4 from the tobacco rod 2 to the filter 3, thereby allowing smoke to be delivered to the consumer from the rod 2 through the mass 4 and filter 3 in the direction of arrow A shown in Figure 1.

The container of the thermal mass 4 is filled with a refrigerant gel 16 that is subject to pre- cooling i.e. cooled prior to use of the cigarette by a consumer. Refrigerant gels are well known in the art for example for use in coolers to keep food cool. Generally, refrigerant gels have a higher thermal capacity than simple frozen water so that they warm up more slowly over time and absorb heat from their surroundings. Gels are often made of nontoxic materials that will not spill easily or cause contamination if the container breaks, for example hydroxi-cellulose coated gel.

In use, the cigarette 1 is pre-cooled i.e. cooled before being smoked. This can be achieved by means of a conventional refrigerator/ freezer or, alternatively by one of a number of cooling devices configured for this purpose, to be described in more detail hereinafter. The cooling of the cigarette 1 lowers the temperature of the thermal mass 4 below ambient temperature, for example close to 0°C. The cigarette is then removed from the cooling device and smoked by lighting the tobacco rod in the usual way and consuming the resulting tobacco smoke, which passes through the cooled thermal mass 4 in a direction of arrow A shown in Figure 1 to be filtered in filter 3 before passing to the consumer. The thermal capacity of the thermal mass 4 is configured to be sufficiently large that it produces a cooling effect on the smoke for at least the major part of consumption of smoke from the tobacco rod 2 by the consumer. The cooling of the smoke produces a unique experience for the consumer that receives the cooled smoke. Also, the cooled thermal mass provides a distinctive sensory experience to the lips and fingers of the user when holding the filter region of the cigarette.

The inner and outer walls 10, 11 of the thermal mass 4 may comprise a transparent plastics material. In the embodiment of Figures 1-3, the thermal mass 4 is covered by tipping paper 9 as illustrated in Figure 1. However, as illustrated in Figure 4, the thermal mass 4 may be configured so that it is visible exteriorly of the cigarette. In this embodiment, the inner wall 10 of the container guides smoke that has been filtered by filter 3 towards mouth end 17 of the filter. As shown in Figure 4, the container 4 is not covered entirely by the tipping paper 9. In this way, the thermal mass 4 may come into contact with the lips of the consumer, enhancing the sensory effect when the thermal mass has been pre-cooled.

Another example is illustrated in Figure 5 in which the thermal mass 4 is assembled in a similar manner to the configuration shown in Figures 1-3, and covered by tipping paper 9. As will be seen from Figure 5, the cross sectional shape of the thermal mass 4 includes radial fins. The thermal mass is hollow and filled with the refrigerant gel 16 (not shown in Fig. 4). Smoke from the tobacco rod 2 can pass either through the central opening or between the fins as it passes to mouth end 17 and therefore the cooled surface area that contacts the smoke is increased as compared with the previously described examples.

A further example is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 in which the thermal mass 4 comprises a sachet 18 containing refrigerant gel 16. The sachet 18 may be formed of a plastics sheath 19 heat sealed at opposite ends 20, 21 to seal the refrigerant gel 16 inside. The sheath 19 may be formed for example of polyethelene. As illustrated by arrow B, the thermal mass 4 is inserted into the filter 3 to be located as illustrated in Figure 7 within the filter so that when pre-cooled, the thermal mass cools smoke produced during use of the cigarette that is fed to the consumer through mouth end 17 from the tobacco rod 2.

Referring to Figure 8, the shape of the sheath 18 may be modified from the generally tubular arrangement shown in Figure 6. The sheath 18 may include outwardly extending heat exchange regions 22 illustrated in Figure 8 in order to increase the surface area of the exterior of the sheath that can provide a cooling effect upon smoke passing from the tobacco rod to the mouth end 17 of filter 3.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a further example of thermal mass 4 provided in the filter 3 of the cigarette 1. In this example, the thermal mass 4 comprises a tube 23 filled with refrigerant gel 16 and closed at both ends. The tube 23 is located axially within the filter 3 as illustrated in Figure 10 and when having been pre-cooled, produces a cooling effect on the smoke that passes from the tobacco rod 2 through the filter 3 to the mouth end 17 in a similar way to that described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. More than one of the tubes 23 may be disposed in the filter as illustrated in Figures 11 and 12. The tubes 23a of Figure 11 have a reduced diameter as compared with the tube 23 of Figure 9 and 10 so that a relatively large number of tubes can be included in the filter 3. Also, a smaller number of tubes 23b of larger diameter can be included as illustrated in Figure 12.

Cooling devices for pre-cooling the thermal mass 4 will now be described. The cooling devices may either cool the cigarettes and their thermal masses individually or collectively in a pack.

Referring to Figures 13 and 14, an electrically driven device is shown for cooling a pack of cigarettes that include thermal masses 4, so as to cool their thermal masses collectively prior to use. The cooling device comprises a body 24 made of thermally conductive material e.g. a metal that defines the receptacle 25 which can receive a cigarette pack 26 containing cigarettes with the described thermal masses 4 to be cooled prior to

consumption. The body is mounted on a base 27 that contains an electrically driven Peltier cooling device which cools the body 24. Heat dissipating fins 28 are provided on the exterior of the body 24 to dissipate heat energy from the Peltier device in order to assist cooling. The Peltier device can be driven by any suitable low voltage source e.g. 12— 15v and in this example is connected by a USB cable 29 to the USB port 30 of a laptop computer 31. However, it will be appreciated that any suitable electrical supply may be used e.g. a battery or alternative sources of power, for example from the mobile telephone handset or handset charger. The cooling device may conveniently include a light emitting diode (LED) 32 to indicate when the device is operational.

An alternative version of the device is illustrated in Figure 15 which has enhanced portability. In this example, the body 24 comprises a generally rectangular container open on one side 33 to receive the cigarette pack (not shown), with fins 28 on the side opposite opening 33.

Figure 16 illustrates an alternative cooling device for cooling an individual cigarette prior to consumption. The device includes a Peltier element driven by an electrical power source through lead 29, within body 27. Fins 28 dissipate heat from the Peltier element in use. The body 27 has a vertically extending tubular opening 33 to receive an individual cigarette as illustrated in Figures 16 and 17. As previously explained, the cigarette 1 includes a thermal mass 4 which is received within the body 27 to be cooled prior to use. The device may include an electrical switch (not shown) at the base of the opening 33 within body 27 so that upon insertion of the cigarette, its mouth end 17 contacts the switch and operates it to direct electrical power to Peltier element to commence the cooling process. LED 32 shows when the device is in cooling operation. A number of different variants of the cooling device can be used. A simpler, portable configuration is illustrated in Figure 18 with a set of parallel cooling fins 28 on the body 27.

Another example is illustrated in Figure 19 in which an individual cigarette 1 with a thermal mass 4 is received within a casket 24 that comprises a generally horizontally extending body 27 containing the Peltier element, driven by electrical power from cable 29, and an overlying transparent lid 35 that can be opened easily by hinging to enable the cigarette 1 to be placed within the casket for cooling. Another example is illustrated in Figure 20 in which a small number e.g. 3 cigarettes 1 can be cooled collectively in body 27 containing the Peltier element, driven by electrical power through cable 29. Many other modifications and variations fall within the scope of the invention claimed hereinafter. For example, the pre-cooling may be achieved by means of a refrigerant material that, prior to consumption, produces an endothermic reaction to cool the thermal mass. The endothermic reaction may be created in a cooling device externally of the cigarette or may be achieved within the cigarette itself e.g. by squeezing the container of the thermal mass to cause previously separated chemical components therein to mix and create an endothermic reaction.

It will be understood that the invention has application to smoking articles other than cigarettes, for example cigars and cigarillos whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products.

The invention is also applicable to aerosol generators for delivering nicotine and the like, and other tobacco industry poducts.

Claims

1. A tobacco industry product for delivering a gaseous flow to the consumer, which includes a thermal mass configured in the product to be cooled below ambient temperature prior to delivery of the gaseous flow and thereafter to cool the gaseous flow to be delivered to the consumer during use.

2. A product according to claim 1 including a filter for the gaseous flow, the thermal mass being disposed in the filter.

3. A product according to claim 2 wherein the thermal mass is visible from the exterior of the filter.

4. A product according to any preceding claim wherein the thermal mass comprises a refrigerant gel.

5. A product according to claim 3 wherein the refrigerant gel is received in a container having a surface for cooling the gaseous flow.

6. A product according to claim 4 wherein the container is generally cylindrical with inner and outer cylindrical surfaces, with the inner cylindrical surface defining a passageway for delivering the gaseous flow to the consumer, and the refrigerant gel being disposed between the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces.

7. A product according to claim 6 including end caps closing the spaces between the inner and outer surfaces to confine the gel therebetween.

8. A product according to claim 4 wherein the container has depending flanges disposed for heat exchange with the gaseous flow for the consumer.

9. A product according to any preceding claim including more than one said thermal mass.

10. A product according to claim 9 wherein the thermal masses comprise rods.

11. A product according to any preceding claim comprising a smoking article.

12. A product according to claim 9 wherein the smoking article comprises a filter cigarette with the thermal mass disposed in the filter.

13. A kit comprising a product as claimed in any preceding claim and a cooling device operable to cool the or each said thermal mass in the product to below ambient temperature prior to removal from the device for use by the consumer.

14. A kit according to claim 13 wherein the cooling device is electrically driven.

15. A kit according to claim 14 including a Peltier element.

16. A kit according to claim 13 wherein the cooling device is operable to cool the product through an endothermic chemical reaction.

17. A kit according to any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein the cooling device is configured to receive an individual said product or a pack thereof.

18. A kit according to any one of claims 13 to 17 wherein the cooling device is portable.

19. A method of preparing a product as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 for use, comprising cooling the thermal mass therein to a temperature less than ambient prior to delivery of the gaseous flow to the consumer, and thereafter ceasing the cooling of the thermal mass so that the product is cooled by the thermal mass whilst the gaseous flow is delivered to the consumer.