WO2020221848A1

WO2020221848A1 - Aerosol generating article with an extendable filter

Info

Publication number: WO2020221848A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/062000
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Forecast; Thomas FRITH; Oliver Taylor; Luke WADSWORTH
Original assignee: Jt International Sa
Priority date: 2019-05-01
Filing date: 2020-04-30
Publication date: 2020-11-05

Abstract

An aerosol generating article (10) comprises a rod of aerosol generating material (11) and a filter (12) attached at an end thereof. The filter comprises a filter plug (13) and a plug wrap (14) continuously wound around at least part of the filter plug such that the plug wrap encircles the filter plug more than once. The plug wrap has a first end attached to the filter plug, and a second end secured to a junction end (21) of the rod of aerosol generating material. The filter is extendable from a first configuration, in which the filter plug is arranged at the junction end of the rod of aerosol generating material, to a second configuration, in which the filter plug is separated therefrom, by moving the filter plug away from junction end in a longitudinal direction such that a wound portion of the plug wrap is exposed between said filter plug and said junction end.

Description

AEROSOL GENERATING ARTICLE WITH AN EXTENDABLE FILTER

The present invention relates to aerosol generating articles, and more specifically to aerosol generating articles having extendable filters.

Aerosol generating articles such as traditional cigarettes include a tobacco rod which is lit at one end, whilst being held, and drawn on via inhalation, at an opposite end. Personal hygiene and freshness is an important consideration for users of aerosol generating devices. For example, side stream smoke is generated at the lit end of a conventional cigarette and this smoke can flow along the exterior of the cigarette towards a user’s fingers, causing potential discolouration and a lingering smell.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to reduce finger contamination by side stream smoke.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing aim of the invention, as well as other aspects, is addressed by the claims.

According to a first aspect there is provided an aerosol generating article comprising a rod of aerosol generating material and a filter attached at an end thereof, wherein, the filter comprises a filter plug and a plug wrap continuously wound around at least part of the filter plug such that the plug wrap encircles the filter plug more than once, said plug wrap having a first end attached to the filter plug, and a second end secured to a junction end of the rod of aerosol generating material, wherein the filter is extendable from a first configuration, in which the filter plug is arranged at the junction end of the rod of aerosol generating material, to a second configuration, in which the filter plug is separated therefrom, by moving the filter plug away from the junction end in a longitudinal direction such that a wound portion of the plug wrap is exposed between said filter plug and said junction end. By having a filter plug which is extendable, through unwinding of a wound portion of plug wrap, between a first configuration and a second configuration, it is possible to provide a consumer of the article with the option to distance their fingers away from the lit end of a smoking article in use, thus further away from side stream smoke than with conventional smoking articles, thus improving personal hygiene and freshness. The present invention ensures that the smoking article is held securely and that its aerosol generating material rod part is separated by a repeatable distance from the user’s mouth and fingers in order to controllably mitigate the effects of smoke on a user’s fingers. The plug wrap provides a reliable and repeatable user experience as it allows the filter plug to be extended or contracted between at least two pre-defined configurations. In addition, the filter can be easily extended or contracted as required, where the contracted configuration substantially reduces the amount of volume occupied by the article in a packet of cigarettes for example, and allows the article to be easily and conveniently accommodated within and accessed from the packet without making the overall packet undesirably bulky.

Typically, the plug wrap may be at least partially unravelled when the filter plug is moved away from the junction end of the rod of aerosol generating material. In this way the user may intuitively extend the length of the aerosol generating article, and therefore increase the distance between the lit end and fingers when in use, by pulling on the filter plug away from the junction end of the rod.

Typically, the filter plug may extend at least the length of the portion of plug wrap exposed when the filter is in the second configuration. In this way, the filter plug may provide mechanical resistance when the user holds the article in the second, extended, configuration. In other words, the filter plug may allow the user to hold the article, between his fingers or in his mouth, without risk of crushing or otherwise deforming the extended tubular portions.

Typically, the filter plug may comprise a base section permanently attached to the junction end of the rod of aerosol generating material and the second end of the plug wrap, and a mouth section that is separable from the base section and attached to the first end of the plug wrap. By having a filter plug comprising at least a base section and a mouth section which is separable from the base section, it is possible to provide an extendable filter which is rigid and can therefore be held at both a mouth end and a junction end of the aerosol generating rod.

Typically, the base section of the filter plug may be longer than the mouth section. Because an aerosol generating article is typically held at a portion closer to a mouth end of the article, it can generally be useful to have a longer section at a mouth section of the filter plug to increase the space in which the user may hold the article. Furthermore, by elongating the mouth section, it is possible to further increase the distance between the user and the source of side stream smoke (for example a lit end of a cigarette). In some examples, the base section and mouth section of the filter plug may not be connected.

Whilst the plug wrap may be wound in any manner, preferably, the plug wrap may be wound around the filter plug such that the first end of the plug wrap is innermost and the second end of the plug wrap is outermost. By winding the plug wrap in this way, the second end may be more readily displaced away from the first end by the user, allowing the plug wrap to be more easily unwound to extend the filter.

Typically, the plug wrap may be continuously wound around the filter plug such that it encircles the filter plug a plurality of times, for example at least two, and preferably at least three, times. By increasing the number of times the plug wrap encircles the filter plug, it is possible to provide an increased amount of material leading to an increased distance of extension when the filter is in the second, extended, configuration.

By having the plug wrap wound around the filter in the manner described above, it is possible to provide an extendable section of the aerosol generating article. The extendable section may be between the junction end of the filter and an end of the rod of aerosol generating material. Whilst the dimensions of the filter and plug wrap may be chosen to suit specific requirements of the final product, typically, the maximum extended length of the filter in the second configuration may be about 30 mm, and preferably between about 20 mm and about 25 mm.

In other words, the filter may be extendable from the first configuration in which it is substantially not extended (i.e. it has an length of about 0 mm), to a maximum length in the second configuration of between about 0 mm and about 30 mm (e.g. the filter is extendable within the range of about 0 mm to about 30 mm). For example, the maximum“extended” length of the filter in the second configuration may be about 30 mm, or more preferably between about 20 mm and about 25 mm, and more preferably about 23 mm.

Preferably, the plug wrap may comprise any of a cellulosic material or a synthetic material, preferably a polymer material, or a combination thereof.

Typically, a base wrap is wrapped around at least part of said mouth section and/or base section of the filter plug underneath the plug wrap. A base wrap allows multiple layers of wrapping to be employed in an aerosol generating article having an extendible filter, to increase rigidity and provide an additional wrapping for any smoke or liquid leakage prevention, in particular when the mouth end segment of filter plug comprises a flavourant such as a breakable capsule.

Typically, a tipping paper may be wrapped around the filter plug, the plug wrap and said junction end of the rod of aerosol generating article, said tipping paper being attached only to the filter plug such that in the first configuration the plug wrap and junction end are contained within a foremost tubular section of the tipping paper. The tipping paper may act as a guard or a shield for the plug wrap and junction end when the filter is in the first configuration.

Whilst the aerosol generating material of the aerosol generating article may comprise any suitable material for generation of aerosols, generally, the rod of aerosol generating material may comprise tobacco. As will be appreciated, the present invention provides an aerosol generating article having an (e.g. integral) extendable filter, which is configurable between a first, contracted state in which the article has a first length, and a second, extended state in which the article has a second length longer than the first length. Such an article provides the capability for significantly improved hygiene for the user whose fingers can be positioned further away from a source of side stream smoke, whilst still being configurable for compact storage and transportation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

Figures 1A and 1 B illustrate an aerosol generating article having an extendable filter shown in both a first configuration and a second configuration, respectively.

Figures 2A and 2B illustrate further views of said aerosol generating article, with the extendable filter shown in both the first and second configurations, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An aerosol generating article 10 having an extendable filter 12 is generally illustrated in a first,“contracted” configuration in Figure 1A.

The aerosol generating article 10 may comprise a rod of aerosol generating material 1 1 and a filter 12 attached at an end of the rod 1 1. Here, the aerosol generating article 10 is a“smoking article”, similar to a conventional cigarette, and the rod of aerosol generating material 1 1 is therefore a rod comprising tobacco. In other examples, the aerosol generating article 10 can be a vapour generating device, such as an electronic cigarette, or a heat-not-burn consumable article. In use, at least a portion of the rod 1 1 is heated, either by ignition (e.g. lighting an end of the rod 1 1 ) or by the application of heat from a heater, to volatilise an amount of aerosol generating material thereby generating an aerosol. Typically, an end of the rod 11 is lit in order to cause the aerosol generating material to volatilise. Whilst the aerosol generating medium will typically produce a gas or a solid and/or liquid suspension in gas when heated, it will be appreciated that the terms‘vapour’ and‘aerosol’ are used interchangeably here, and refer generally to the substance which is produced when the aerosol generated medium is heated.

In this example, the rod 1 1 and filter 12 are cylindrical. A base end of the filter 12 abuts the rod 11 at a junction end of the rod 11 , such that the filter 12 is axially aligned with the rod 1 1. In other words, the longitudinal axis of the rod 1 1 is co axial with the longitudinal axis of the filter 12. Whilst the example aerosol generating article 10 in Figure 1A is shown having one filter element 12, one or more filter elements may be included in the smoking article 10.

Thus, as used herein, the term“aerosol generating article” shall in the context of the present invention and description be construed to include standard cigarettes and other kinds of tobacco products requiring burning of tobacco material to generate an aerosol inhaled by a user. The term shall also be construed to apply to encompass any kind of aerosol generating devices making use of tobacco containing substrates, be it plain tobacco leaves, tobacco cut-filler, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco extracts in all forms, for generating an inhalable aerosol through any kind of heating technique. It may in particular encompass any heat-not-burn tobacco containing consumable device used in connection with a filter for consumption by users.

The filter 12 comprises a filter plug 13 and a plug wrap 14 that is continuously wound around part of the filter plug 13 such that the plug wrap 14 encircles the filter plug 13. Ideally, the plug wrap 14 is wrapped around the filter plug 13 such that the plug wrap 14 encircles the filter plug 13 at least twice. Depending on the length of extension required, the plug wrap 14 may be arranged to encircle the filter plug 13 a plurality of times, for example three times or more.

A first end of the plug wrap 14 is attached to the filter plug 13. A second end of the plug wrap 14 is secured to a junction end 21 of the rod 11 , which is configured to form a junction between the rod 1 1 and the filter plug 13, for example. The first end of the plug wrap 14 may therefore be innermost with the second end of the plug wrap 14 being outermost.

The plug wrap 14 is typically formed from a single, preferably rectangular, sheet of wrapping material, typically paper material. Sheets having other shapes can also be used.

The above-described arrangement can be achieved in manufacture for example by providing a rod 1 1 of aerosol generating material, providing a filter plug 13 in axial abutment with the rod 1 1 as described above, securing a first end of the plug wrap 14 to the filter plug 13, winding the plug wrap 14 around the filter plug 13 and then securing a second end of the plug wrap 14 to the“junction” end of the rod 1 1.

Other ways of manufacturing the article 10 are possible, for example by first securing the second end of the plug wrap 14 to the junction end 20 of the rod 1 1 , winding the plug wrap 14 around the filter plug 13 and then securing the first end of the plug wrap 14 to the filter plug 13.

In this example, a further“overwrap” 15 is provided, wrapped around the filter plug 13 and plug wrap 14. The overwrap 15 is typically a tipping paper wrap and is attached only to the filter plug 13. In this example, the overwrap 15 also wraps around the junction end 20 of the rod 1 1.

In this example, the plug wrap 14 encircles the filter plug 13 more than once. This means that the plug wrap 14 is wound around the filter plug 13 such that, at least in the first, contracted, configuration, shown in Figure 1A, two or more layers of the plug wrap 14 overlay any point on the circumference of the filter plug 13. The plug wrap 14 thereby has a“spiral” configuration. The plug wrap 14 is therefore arranged as an inner wrapper (i.e. underneath the overwrap 15) that is connected, at a first end, to the aerosol generating rod 1 1 and, at a second end, to a filter plug 13.

The filter plug 13 together with the overwrap 15 forms an extendable filter 12 of the aerosol generating article 10. Extension of the filter 12 is provided by the wound plug wrap 14, which, in the contracted configuration, fits into a tubular cavity formed within the overwrap 15 and, at least partially, unravels therefrom upon extension.

The mechanism of the extendable filter 12 will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures.

In the first, contracted configuration, shown in Figure 1A, the filter plug 13 and the plug wrap 14 are arranged such that a user can pull an end of the filter plug 13 away from the rod 1 1. The arrow 16 included in Figure 1A indicates the direction in which the filter plug 13 is moved away from the rod 1 1 to extend the filter 12. By moving the filter plug 13 in this way, the plug wrap 14 becomes at least partially unravelled in the longitudinal direction, such that the axial length of the plug wrap 14 becomes extended. The user can continue to extend the filter 12 until an extended configuration is reached. In some examples, the extended configuration is the configuration in which the filter 12 is maximally extended.

Figure 1 B illustrates the article 10 in a second,“extended”, configuration, as the result of pulling the filter 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow 16. It can be seen that, in the second, extended configuration, the plug wrap 14 is at least partially unravelled such that a portion of the plug wrap 14, which was initially wound in the contracted configuration (Figure 1A), is now exposed. By moving the filter 12 between the contracted and the extended (i.e. first and second) configurations, the user is able to increase the distance between an end of the filter 12 that the used holds in their mouth, and the lit end of the tobacco rod, for example, thereby adjusting the overall length of the aerosol generating article 10.

The variation in length of the article 10 is schematically illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B, which show a side-by-side comparison of the article 10 in the first and second configurations, firstly in a compacted arrangement (Figure 2A), and secondly in an extended arrangement (Figure 2B).

It can be seen that the extendable filter 12 allows the user to adjust the length of the article 10 between at least the two configurations shown. The filter 12 may be extended from the first configuration to the second configuration such that a maximum length of the filter in the second configuration may be about 30 mm, i.e. such that the maximum “extended” length of the filter 12 in the second configuration is about 30 mm. The maximum extended length may alternatively be in the range of between about 20 mm and about 25 mm (i.e. such that the range of extension length from the first configuration to the second configuration is between about 0 mm and about 25 mm), with a preferred maximum extended length of about 23 mm.

An example use of this feature is that the article 10 may be packaged in a box (not shown) in the first, contracted configuration, to allow the packaging to be small and easy to hold, store and transport. The user may then extend the filter 12 to the second, extended configuration prior to consuming the article 10. Thus, the overall length of the article 10 can be increased such that a lit end, for example, of the rod 1 1 is positioned further away from the filter 12 and the user receives significantly less side stream smoke from the lit end.

As shown in more detail in Figures 2A and 2B, the filter 13 can comprise two or more sections 13a, 13b. In this example, the filter 13 comprises a mouth section 13a and a base section 13b. The mouth section 13a and the base section 13b are separable to move from the contracted configuration, where the sections 13a, 13b may be brought together at abutment line 21 , to the extended configuration, where the sections 13a, 13b are separated. In particular, the base section 13b is permanently attached to a junction end of the rod 11 and a first end of the plug wrap 14 is secured to the base section 13b. A second end of the plug wrap 14 is secured to the mouth section 13a. The mouth section 13a and base section 13b can therefore be pulled apart by the user, in the direction of arrow 16, to extend the spiralled plug wrap 14 in the longitudinal direction. Conversely, the mouth section 13a and base section 13b can be moved towards each other to contract the plug wrap 14.

In the first, contracted configuration, the mouth section 13a and the base section 13b can be in longitudinal abutment, meeting at abutment line 21. As such, the filter may comprise a base section 13b that is permanently attached to the junction end 20 of the rod of aerosol generating material 1 1 and the second end of the plug wrap 14, and a mouth section 13a that is separable from the base section 13b and attached to the first end of the plug wrap 14.

In some examples, the mouth section 13a may not abut the base section 13b when in the first, contracted configuration. In such a case, the space between the mouth and base sections provides a gap in the filter 12, and the length of the gap is increased when the article 10 is configured in the second, extended configuration.

The overwrap 15 in this example is attached to the mouth section 13a of the filter plug 13. In the contracted configuration, the mouth section 13a, base section 13b, plug wrap 14 and junction end are all contained within a tubular section of the overwrap 15. The base section of the filter plug may be longer than the mouth section.

The mouth section 13a can be held by the user between his fingers or in his mouth. In this way, the article 10 provides an extendable filter 12 which allows adjustment of the length of the article 10 whilst providing a rigid and functional filter at the end of the article 10 which can be held by the user.

The filter plug 13 may extend at least the length of the (exposed) portion of plug wrap 14 exposed when the filter 12 is in the second, extended configuration.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating article comprising a rod of aerosol generating material and a filter attached at an end thereof, wherein, the filter comprises: a filter plug;

a plug wrap continuously wound around at least part of the filter plug such that the plug wrap encircles the filter plug more than once, said plug wrap having a first end attached to the filter plug, and a second end secured to a junction end of the rod of aerosol generating material,

wherein the filter is extendable from a first configuration, in which the filter plug is arranged at the junction end of the rod of aerosol generating material, to a second configuration, in which the filter plug is separated therefrom, by moving the filter plug away from junction end in a longitudinal direction such that a wound portion of the plug wrap is exposed between said filter plug and said junction end.

2. The aerosol generating article of claim 1 , wherein the plug wrap is at least partially unravelled when the filter plug is moved away from the junction end of the rod of aerosol generating material.

3. The aerosol generating article of claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter plug extends at least the length of the portion of plug wrap exposed when the filter is in the second configuration.

4. The aerosol generating article of any preceding claim, wherein the filter plug comprises a base section permanently attached to the junction end of the rod of aerosol generating material and the second end of the plug wrap, and a mouth section that is separable from the base section and attached to the first end of the plug wrap.

5. The aerosol generating article of any preceding claim, wherein the base section of the filter plug is longer than the mouth section.

6. The aerosol generating article of any preceding claim, wherein the base section and mouth section of the filter plug are not connected.

7. The aerosol generating article of any preceding claim, wherein the plug wrap is wound around the filter plug such that the first end of the plug wrap is innermost and the second end of the plug wrap is outermost.

8. The aerosol generating article of any preceding claim, wherein the plug wrap is continuously wound around the filter plug such that it encircles the filter plug a plurality of times, for example at least two, and preferably at least three, times.

9. The aerosol generating article of any preceding claim, wherein the filter is extendable from the first configuration to the second configuration such that a maximum length of the filter in the second configuration is about 30 mm, preferably between about 20 mm and about 25 mm, and more preferably about 23 mm.

10. The aerosol generating article of any preceding claim, wherein the plug wrap comprises any of a cellulosic material or a synthetic material, preferably a polymer material, or a combination thereof.

11. The aerosol generating article of any preceding claim, wherein a base wrap is wrapped around at least part of said mouth section and/or base section of the filter plug underneath the plug wrap.

12. The aerosol generating article of any preceding claim, wherein a tipping paper is wrapped around the filter plug, the plug wrap and said junction end of the rod of aerosol generating article, said tipping paper being attached only to the filter plug such that in the first configuration the plug wrap and junction end are contained within a foremost tubular section of the tipping paper.

13. An aerosol generating article according to any preceding claim, wherein the rod of aerosol generating material comprises tobacco.