WO2017132709A1

WO2017132709A1 - Filter cigarette

Info

Publication number: WO2017132709A1
Application number: PCT/AM2016/000001
Authority: WO
Inventors: Semen Pogossian
Original assignee: "SPS CIGARONNE" Co. Ltd.
Priority date: 2016-02-05
Filing date: 2016-04-04
Publication date: 2017-08-10

Abstract

The patent relates to cigarette production, in particular filter cigarette. Filter cigarette that has a tobacco rod (cylinder) (1) enclosed in a combustible envelope and a multi-component filter (2) wrapped in tipping paper (3) and attached at one of its ends, which contains cellulose based fibrous filter material and inorganic absorbent. Perlite is used as sorbent, moreover sorbent is used in the forms of grains and micro-sphere of perlite and preferably processed puffed perlite crushed to sizes of 0.010-10mm and which has bulk weight of 20-1250kg/m3 and water extract pH 5-9. A part of tipping paper is covered with foil (4) where the cross-cut section of filter's tipping paper's outer surface touching the smoker's lips is the foil coated part, whose separate parts have uneven surfaces. This invention allows ensuring high-purity filtration of cigarette smoke, including highly toxic and cancerogene (tumorigenic) substances.

Description

Filter cigarette

Technical field

The patent relates to cigarette production, in particular filter cigarette.

Background Art

Currently there are filter cigarettes with «Classical» filter that mainly consist of a tobacco rod (cylinder) wrapped in paper and a filter attached at one of its ends. Moreover, despite the filter material used or the combination of such material and filter structure, the filter (absorbent) material or materials are included in the tipping paper.

There is filter cigarette [1] that is enclosed in the tipping paper together with the filter holder, where a part of the inner surface of filter's tipping paper is covered with metallic layer (foil). According to the invention, the metallic layer (foil) is made of aluminium.

According to the specific embodiment, the metallic layer (foil) is performed in the form of lateral layers.

The metallic layer (foil) is applied on the tipping paper with grinding and high porosity.

The mentioned filter cigarette has some defect which is the probable influence of saliva on the filter properties in the process of smoking, which in its turn leads to blocking the special zone of perforation regulating the filter ventilation level, which is found between the parts touching the lips and the random place of fingers' holding the cigarette. Besides, the inner lateral layers of filter's tipping paper do not preclude the transfer of cancerogene materials to smoker's lips at contact area.

Despite certain effectiveness of the known filter, it has to be noted that it does not sufficiently absorb the harmful substances contained in cigarette smoke.

The closest analogue to this patent is the filter cigarette [2], that has a tobacco rod (cylinder) enclosed in a combustible envelope and a multi-component filter containing cellulose based fibrous filter material and inorganic absorbent material, which is activated carbon. Moreover, the filter has ventilation of at least 50% and cigarettes with such filters release tars of maximum 5mg during the smoke standard test method. According to the specific embodiment, the mixture of activated carbon and cellulose based fibrous filter material is chosen as filter forward component and the cellulose based filter material as rear component.

In another embodiment, the filter has three components out of which the forward and the rear components are cellulose based microfiber filter material and the middle component is only activated carbon.

In another concrete embodiment the filter has three components, out of which the forward and the rear components are cellulose based microfiber filter material and the middle component is a mixture of activated carbon and cellulose based microfiber material. In all specific solutions for all known filter cigarettes the combination of components is included in the tipping paper.

The mentioned filter cigarette has some defect which is the probable influence of saliva on the filter properties in the process of smoking, which in its turn leads to blocking the special zone of perforation regulating the filter ventilation level, which is found between the part touching the lips and the random place of fingers' holding the cigarette. Besides, the inner lateral layers of filter's tipping paper do not preclude the transfer of cancerogene materials to smoker's lips at contact area.

Also, the cigarettes with mentioned filter have some defect - filters do not have high absorption ability and it does not allow ensuring the complete filtration of very toxic and cancerogene (tumorigenic) material in the smoke. It is due mainly to the fact and in practice it is already proved that the mixture of activated carbon and cellulose based micro-fibrous filter material does not have high absorption ability.

Disclosure of Invention

This invention allows ensuring high-purity filtration of cigarette smoke, including highly toxic and cancerogene (tumorigenic) substances. This is made possible due to the fact that perlite is used as inorganic absorbent material and its physicochemical specific structure not only effectively "catches" the toxic materials available in the smoke, but also transforms them into non active substances and compounds.

The technical and social results of the present invention lays in increasing the effectiveness of "catching" and absorption of noxious substances generated by the combustion of cigarette tobacco thanks to the designed filter structure that allows very high level filtration of cigarette smoke from nicotine and tars. Moreover, the suggested structure of this filter allows regulating the amount of nicotine and tar in the smoke.

This invention allows preventing the influence of smoker's saliva on the filter properties, thus preserving the smoke control parameters. At the same time the suggested filter clearly eliminates the transfer of cancerogene materials to the smoker's lips at the contact area.

This is possible due to the fact that despite filter's structure and the materials used therein, the probable influence of the smoker's saliva on the filter properties is averted, which ensures the preservation of smoke control parameters in the process of smoking, in particular when perlite is used as absorbent material (sorbent).

The results of this invention are reached thanks to the fact that the filter cigarette has a tobacco rod (cylinder) enclosed in a combustible envelope and a multi-component filter containing cellulose based fibrous filter material and inorganic absorbent material as sorbent and it uses perlite as sorbent, moreover sorbent is used in the forms of granules and micro-spheres of perlite, preferably processed puffed perlite crushed to sizes of 0.010 -10mm and has bulk weight of 20-1250kg/m³ and water extract pH 5-9; a part of filter's tipping paper is covered with foil, where only the cross-cut section of the outer surface of the filter's tipping paper that touches the smoker's lips is covered with foil, moreover separate parts of the foil have uneven surfaces.

According to the concrete embodiment of this invention, the component adjacent to filter's forward tobacco part is a compressed sorbent tablet, and the rear component is a segment made of cellulose acetate micro-fiber or cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles.

According to another concrete embodiment, the filter's forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber that fully or partially contains sorbent particles, and the rear component is a segment made of cellulose acetate micro-fiber.

According to another specific embodiment, the filter's forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber that fully or partially contains sorbent particles and the rear component is a tubiform segment with solid walls made of thick paper or cellulose acetate micro-fiber.

As an example of specific embodiment, the forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate micro-fiber that fully or partially contains sorbent particles, and the rear component as a whole is a double zone filter segment that has a soft part made of cellulose acetate micro-fiber, with or without sorbent particles and a cavity with solid walls that is open at smoking end.

It is also possible that the filter contains three consecutive components where the filter's forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber, fully or partially containing sorbent particles; the middle component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber and the rear component is a tubiform segment with solid walls made of thick paper or cellulose acetate microfiber.

According to another concrete embodiment the filter has 3 consecutive components, where the filter's forward and rear components are segments made of cellulose acetate microfiber or segments made of cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles, and the middle component is a segment between those segments containing solely sorbent particles, including granules.

According to another specific embodiment, the filter has three consecutive components, where the filter's forward component is segments made of cellulose acetate microfiber or cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles and the rear component as a whole is a double zone filter segment that has a soft part made of cellulose acetate microfiber, with or without sorbent particles and a cavity with solid walls open at smoking and, and the middle component is a segment between those segments containing only sorbent particles, including granules.

In all cases, it is preferable to place the sorbent segment adjacent to the cigarette's tobacco part.

According to the specific embodiments of the invention, the foil can be made of aluminium, silver, gold, Damascus steel or copper.

According to another concrete embodiment, the uneven parts of the foil have the form of homolographic lateral layers of filter's cylindrical surface, which are situated opposite to the filter's lateral axis. Moreover, the layers are minimum two.

According to another embodiment, the uneven parts of the foil are made in the form of a complete circle.

According to the proposed solution the foil of cross-cut section of outer surface of filter's tipping paper that touches the smoker's lips, not only creates disposition and orients the smoker in the matter of lip contact, but it also prevents the influence of smoker's saliva on the filter properties and it allows preserving smoke control parameters. For the same reason it prevents the possible blocking of special zone of perforation regulating the ventilation level between the parts touching the smoker's lips and the random place of finger's holding the cigarette.

Apart from that while using effective triple segment filters the suggested cigarette's structure allows keeping the majority of cigarette's harmful mixtures in the segments that do not directly interact with the smoker's lips, which, together with the metal coated layer (foil), eliminates the possibility of transferring cancerogene materials from absorbent materials to lips at contact area. Moreover, the high effectiveness of this suggested filter is conditioned by its exclusive ability of high absorption of toxic substances generated in the process of cigarette combustion and it allows reducing cigarette smoke nuisance due to selectiveness, special group of materials, i.e. phenolic compounds. It is mainly conditioned by the fact that perlite as volcanic rock is noted for its "pearl" structure and unlike other rocks it contains 2-6% of combined water. Moreover the filter's high absorption ability is also conditioned by perlite's open porosity of 8- 40%.

The viability of this filter use is also determined by perlite's physicochemical properties, in particular perlite is organically stable, chemically zerovalent, non-reactive to hexone bases and weak acids, it is ecologically clean material, non toxic, does not contain heavy metals and it is very cheap.

Apart from the above-mentioned advantages, the use of foil in the suggested structure renders the cigarette more elegant, allows using their different colours and colour nuances to highlight some characters, i.e. use various collared foils for different amount of nicotine in cigarettes or specify different groups of smokers.

As for the use of silver foil, its relevance is also conditioned by silver's germicide characteristics, and other curative properties which, in this case, can have beneficial effects on smoker's health.

The gold foil, which is resistant to different chemical compounds and does not oxidize in air and water, resists attacks by acids and always preserves its initial shine and colour, can be used in cigarettes intended to any group of smokers. Apart from that, the use of gold has beneficial effects on the smoker's health which is conditioned by its use for curative purposes, in particular as a source of bioenergy.

The foil made of Damascus steel, which is absolutely biocompatible, very solid and light steel, can be used in cigarettes intended to any group of smokers.

The aluminium foil, which, from ancient times, is known for its healing, analgesic, antiinflammatory characteristics, enhances body's vital defence forces, has germicide character during the contact with the skin and can have beneficial effects on smoker's health.

Brief Description of Drawings

The essence of suggested filter cigarette is disclosed in the pictures:

- In the picture 1 it is presented the lateral section of suggested filter's general form.

- In the picture 2 it is presented filter's general form, where uneven parts of the foil have the form of homolographic lateral layers of filter's cylindrical surface, which are situated opposite to the filter's lateral axis.

In the picture 3 it is presented filter's cross-cut section where the uneven parts of the foil have the form of homolographic lateral layers of filter's cylindrical surface, which are situated opposite to the filter's lateral axis.

In the picture 4 it is presented filter's general form where the uneven parts of the foil are made as complete circle.

- In the picture 5 it is presented filter's cross-cut section where the uneven parts of the foil are made as complete circle.

- In the pictures 6-7, diagrams show the embodiment options of double segment filter where the forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber and segments made of cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles

In the pictures 8-11, diagrams show the embodiment options of double segment filter where the forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber that fully or partially contains sorbent particles, and the rear component is a tubiform segment with solid walls made of thick paper or cellulose acetate microfiber. In the pictures 12-15, diagrams show the embodiment options of double segment filter where the forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles and the rear component as a whole is a double zone filter segment that has a soft part made of cellulose acetate microfiber, with or without sorbent particles and a cavity with solid walls that is open at smoking end.

In the pictures 16-18, diagrams show the embodiment options of double segment filter where the forward component adjacent to tobacco part is compressed sorbent tablet, and the rear component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber or cellulose acetate microfiber that fully or partially contain sorbent particles.

In the pictures 19-22, diagrams show the embodiment options of triple segment filter that has three consecutive components where the filter's forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles, the middle component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber and the rear component is a tubiform segment with solid walls made of thick paper or cellulose acetate microfiber.

In the pictures 23-40, diagrams show the embodiment options of triple segment filter that has three consecutive components where the forward and rear components are made of cellulose acetate microfiber or segments made of cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles, and the middle component is a segment situated between those segments that contain only sorbent particles, including granules or compressed sorbent tablet.

In the pictures 41-46, diagrams show the embodiment options of triple segment filter that has three consecutive components where the forward component is segments made of cellulose acetate microfiber and cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles, the rear component as a whole is a double zone filter segment that has a soft part made of cellulose acetate microfiber, with or without sorbent particles and a cavity with solid walls open at smoking end, the middle component is a segment situated between those segments that solely contain sorbent particles, including granules.

In the picture 47, as a preferable option, diagram shows the embodiment of a triple filter that has three consecutive components where filter's forward component adjacent to tobacco part is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles, the rear component is a tubiform segment with solid walls made of cellulose acetate microfiber and the middle component is situated between those segments and is made of cellulose acetate microfiber.

In the pictures 48-49, as preferable option, diagrams show the embodiment of double segment filter, where filter's forward component adjacent to tobacco part is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles, the rear component as a whole is a double zone segment that has a soft part made of cellulose acetate microfiber, with or without sorbent particles and a cavity with solid walls open at smoking end.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

The filter cigarette has a tobacco rod (cylinder) (1) and a filter (2), that can be multisegmental as it is shown in the pictures, moreover the filter's (2) tipping paper's (3) outer surface of cross-cut section touching the smoker's lips (4) is covered with foil. The width of foil's layer (4) can differ from 5mm to 40mm depending on filter's (2) total length. The separate parts of the foil (4) are made in the form of homolographic lateral layers (5) of filter's cylindrical surface, which are situated opposite to the filter's lateral axis or they are made as a complete circle (6).

According to the embodiment options presented in the above-mentioned pictures, the filter contains segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber (7), segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber (8) that fully contains sorbent particles, segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber(9) that partially contains sorbent particles, hollow segment solely containing sorbent particles (10), tubiform segment with solid walls made of thick paper (11), tubiform segment with solid walls made of cellulose acetate microfiber (12), segment containing compressed sorbent tablet (13), double zone filter segment made as a whole (14) that has a soft part made of cellulose acetate microfiber (15) and a cavity with solid walls and open at smoking end (16), double zone filter segment made as a whole that has a soft part made of cellulose acetate microfiber and containing sorbent particles (17) and a cavity with solid walls and open at smoking end (16).

In each case the lateral lengths of filter components are determined based on the requirement to filtered cigarette smoke.

As a preferable solution of the embodiment, the length of segments (7) and (8) is 3- 35mm. Apart from that, according to the mentioned examples, it is preferable that the segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber containing sorbent particles or the segment containing compressed sorbent tablet to be situated close to the tobacco part, adjacent to tobacco part.

The advantages of this filter cigarette over the known filters are the following:^

The foil of cross-cut section of outer surface of filter's tipping paper that touches the smoker's lips creates disposition and orients the smoker in the matter of lip contact thanks to the inherent friction properties. Thanks to the latter, it is in particular the foil coated filter's tipping paper is used for lip contact. Thus, it prevents the influence of smoker's saliva on the filter properties that allows preserving smoke control parameters. That is, it is excluded to have more noxious substances in the tobacco smoke then it is envisaged during smoking. In the process of smoking the special zone of perforation regulating the ventilation between the parts touching the smoker's lips and the random place of finger's holding the cigarette is preserved, since its blocking is prevented.

Apart from that while using effective triple segment filters the suggested cigarette's structure allows keeping the majority of cigarette's harmful mixtures in the segments that do not directly interact with the smoker's lips, which together with the metal coated layer (foil), eliminates the possibility of transferring cancerogene materials from absorbent materials to lips at contact area.

The roughness of foil separate parts or which is the same as scabrous surfaces eliminates the potential inconvenience due to the difficulty of holding the cigarette with lips without fingers in the process of smoking, when the foil is slipping out the lips upon the availability of saliva. The presence of uneven parts of the foil fully prevents the said inconvenience, thus excluding the undesirable necessity of "biting" the filter. Moreover, in case the uneven parts of the foil are made in the form of homolographic lateral layers of filter's cylindrical surface, where, as preferable option, two uneven parts are situated opposite to the filter's lateral axis, therefore it basically makes it possible to also have two even parts on the foil. Moreover, the even and uneven parts can be homolographic. Such solution allows smokers to use or not the uneven parts at their discretion in the process of smoking. That is to direct towards the lips both uneven and even parts, which can be done by rotating the cigarette 90° right or left around its lateral axis.

In case the uneven parts are made in the form of complete circle, such selection possibility is excluded. Moreover, the length of the circle can be at foil total length or some of its part.

The channels on foil can be performed by embossing or any other known method, form and depth. Moreover, the channels can also be made in two directions by producing rectangular, square or rhombus bulges or small holes at the incision.

Apart from the aforementioned, we have discovered absorption of nicotine and tar in cigarette smoke by 40-50% more than a regular cigarette filter and by 20-30% more than charcoal filter cigarettes.

It ensures impeccable smoke with proportionate taste.

The above-mentioned circumstances are conditioned by the following properties:

- Highly porous structure of perlite 80-90% - High specific surface of perlite

- 0,001-10 mem spherical and crack-like pores

- Has inorganic rock origin and does not contain organic contaminators

- The sorbent used (perlite) is a neutral, chemically nonreactive and safe material without taste and smell and has light specific weight

More explicit advantage of perlite material is:

- the possibility of reducing the mass of tobacco product which leads to the reduction of the material cost in cigarette filter production and the prime cost of the product.

- more convenient consumption characteristics of new improved filter made with compounds of cellulose acetate

- has high melting temperature app. 1350 ^CC , therefore it is considered high thermal insulating and fire proofed material, thus enhancing tobacco's non flammable feature

- has positive aesthetic light colour nuances - white, light grey, yellow-brown.

Apart from the aforementioned, the use of the suggested filter ensures the absorption of noxious, toxic, cancerogene substances and substances causing cardiovascular diseases generated in the process of the combustion of cigarette tobacco, including colouring material, toxic material infiltrating into tobacco due to the environment pollution by petro-chemical production, as well as pesticides used in agriculture and use of water containing chlorine.

To optimize the functionality, the suggested filter has wide range of possibilities - the chemical modification of aluminosilicate with functional organic compounds (i.e. sodium, methyl - ethylsiliconate, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, quaternary ammonium salts) brings hydrophobic or contrary hydrophilic properties to the modified surface, which allows changing and applying selective absorption ability of perlite material with various polar and nonpolar organic liquid material and gas compounds generated in cigarette smoke in the process of smoking.

The production of suggested filter cigarette is simple, the foil is applied on the tipping paper through hot foil stamping, simultaneously producing the uneven parts. In case of applying the foil by any other known method, the uneven parts shall be performed later by a relevant method. According to the embodiment of this invention, the foil does not basically thicken the tipping paper, since it is maximum 2 micron and it is pressed on the paper.

References Cited

1. Russian Federation, application N 951 13414, publ. 21.06.1995

2. Russian Federation, patent N 2241360, publ. 2001 (closest analogue)

Claims

1. Filter cigarette that has a tobacco rod (cylinder) enclosed in a combustible envelope and a multi-component filter wrapped in tipping paper and attached at one of its ends, which contains cellulose based fibrous filter material and inorganic absorbent, differs in the fact that perlite is used as sorbent, moreover sorbent is used in the forms of grains and microsphere of perlite and preferably processed puffed perlite crushed to sizes of 0.010 -10mm and which has bulk weight of 20-1250kg/m3 and water extract pH 5-9, and a part of tipping paper is covered with foil where the cross-cut section of filter's tipping paper's outer surface touching the smoker's lips is the foil coated part, whose separate parts have uneven surfaces.

2. The filter cigarette according to the point 1, differs in the fact that the filter's forward component adjacent to the tobacco part is compressed sorbent tablet, and the rear component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber or cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles.

3. The filter cigarette according to the point 1 , differs in the fact that filter's forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber that fully or partially contains sorbent particles, and the rear component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber.

4. The filter cigarette according to the point 1, differs in the fact that filter's forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber that fully or partially contains sorbent particles, and the rear component is a tubiform segment with solid walls made of thick paper or cellulose acetate microfiber.

5. The filter cigarette according to the point 1, differs in the fact that filter's forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber that fully or partially contains sorbent particles, and the rear component as a whole is a double zone filtering segment that has a soft part made of cellulose acetate microfiber, with or without sorbent particles and a cavity with solid walls that is open at smoking end.

6. The filter cigarette according to the point 1, differs in the fact that it has three consecutive components where the forward component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber that fully or partially contains sorbent particles, the middle component is a segment made of cellulose acetate microfiber, and the rear component is a tubiform segment with solid walls made of thick paper or cellulose acetate microfiber.

7. The filter cigarette according to the point 1, differs in the fact that it has three consecutive components where the filter's forward and rear components are segments made of cellulose acetate microfiber or cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles, and the middle component is a segment situated between those segments and solely contains sorbent particles, including granules or compressed sorbent tablet.

8. The filter cigarette according to the point 1, differs in the fact that it has three consecutive components where filter's forward components are segments made of cellulose acetate microfiber or cellulose acetate microfiber fully or partially containing sorbent particles, the rear component as a whole is a double zone filtering segment that has a soft part made of cellulose acetate micro-fiber, with or without sorbent particles and a cavity with solid walls that is open at smoking end, and the middle component is a segment situated between those segments and solely contains sorbent particles, including granules.

9. The filter cigarette according to the points 1-8, differs in the fact that the foil is made of aluminium.

10. The filter cigarette according to the points 1-8, differs in the fact that the foil is made of silver.

11. The filter cigarette according to the points 1-8, differs in the fact that the foil is made of gold.

12. The filter cigarette according to the points 1-8, differs in the fact that the foil is made of Damascus steel.

13. The filter cigarette according to the point 1, differs in the fact that the foil is made of copper.

14. The filter cigarette according to the points 1-13, differs in the fact that the uneven parts of the foil have the form of homolographic lateral layers of filter's cylindrical surface, which are situated opposite to the filter's lateral axis.

15. The filter cigarette according to the point 14, differs in the fact that the foil has minimum 2 parts made in the form homolographic lateral layers of filter's cylindrical surface.

16. The filter cigarette according to the points 1-13, differs in the fact that the uneven parts of the foil are made in the form of complete circle.