GB2495930A - Flavoured article for application to packaging for a smoking article - Google Patents

Abstract

A flavoured article 5 for application to packaging 7 for a smoking article, wherein the flavoured article 5 comprises a silicone layer 1 impregnated with flavourant 3. The silicone layer is attached to the packet substrate with an adhesive layer 2, and the whole device covered by a cap 11. The silicone layer 1 may also contain a colourant 4. In use the flavourant, such as menthol, is imparted into the cigarette, providing a desired taste sensation upon smoking.

Description

Flavoured Article, Preparation and Uses Thereof The invention relates generally to a flavoured article, preparation and uses thereof, and in particular to a flavoured article for application to packaging for a smoking article. In use, vapour/aroma from flavourant present in the flavoured article is gradually released from the flavoured article so that any smoking articles in the pack become imparted with flavour.

flavour and aroma are important characteristics of smoking articles and a number of methods have heen used to incorporate flavourants. Tf permitted by local regulations, tiavourants can he applied to smoking articles by the smoker after purchase, and this confers the significant advantage that the smoker can choose which specific flavours or aromas to apply to their cigarettes.

Methods that have previously been proposed to apply flavourant after purchase include, for example, infusing the smoking article with aromatic vapours, injecting a flavourant-containing so'ution into the tobacco or into the filter of a smoking article or smearing a flavourant-containing ointment, paste or adhesive over the exterior of an individual cigarette.

Tn a first aspect, there is provided a flavoured article for application to packaging for a smoking article, wherein the flavoured article comprises tlavourant and silicone.

In a second aspect, a method of making a flavoured article as described above is provided.

According to a third aspect, use of a flavoured article is provided \vherehy the article is applied to the packaging for a smoking article to provide a desired taste Jo sensation upon smoking.

The invention provides a flavoured article comprising flavourant and silicone, wherein the silicone acts as a reservoir for the flavourant.

The flavoured article may comprise an adhesive layer, so that it may be adhered to packaging for a smoking article. The adhesive layer may be a self-adhesive, or moisture activated, base layer. )

As will he readily understood in the art, smoking article packaging falls into three broad classes, rigid, semi-rigid and soft. Soft packs are more common in certain markets and as the name implies these packs are formed essentially of soft sheet materials. Rigid packs have an outer shell, commonly of cardboard material and typically having a hinged-lid, to containing a charge of smoking articles wrapped in a foil wrapper. Semi-rigid packs on the other hand have an outer wrapper of soft sheet material and an inner frame providing rigidity to the pack. In the context of the prese1t invention, the term "packaging for a smoking article" will be understood to encompass soft, semi-rigid and rigid smoking article packs which retain there shape, hut will also include pliable packaging such as bags or pouches.

As used herein, the term "sm king article" includes smokable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products. The smoking article may be provided with a filter for the smoke drawn from the smoking article. Various filter dimensions are possible. For example, the filter may have a diameter of approximately 5mm, or alternatively a diameter of 9mm. The filler may have a length of approximately 25mm.

"Silicone" is an inert, synthetic compound with a variety of forms and uses.

Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications (e.g. breast implants), cookware and insulation.

Silicones have high gas permeability. At room temperature, the permeability of silicone rubber for gasses like oxygen is approximately 400 times that of hutyl rubber, making silicone useful for medical applications that could benefit from increased aeration.

Silicones are polymers that include silicone together with carbon, hydrogen oxygen and sometimes other chemical ekments. Some common forms include silicone oil, silicone grease, silicone rubber and silicone resin. The silicone used in the present invention is preferably silicone rubber. )

The flavourant may be added to the silicone during manufacture of the silicone and can he encapsulated by the silicone or stirred into liquid silicone. Alternative'y, the ilavourant may be added to the silicone after manufacture of the silicone, or even after the silicone has been adhered to the smoking article package. In these latter cases, the ilavourant can he applied by the consumer to the adhered silicone and in an embodiment may he injected into the silicone.

Aliernatively, or in addition, the flavoured article may comprise a flavourant layer.

The tlavourant layer is preferably between a silicone layer and an adhesive layer.

The flavourant sayer may comprise a flavourant. The flavourant layer may he added after formation of the silicone, preferably prior to the addition of the adhesive sayer.

This is an attractive arrangement when the flavourant is in solid form, such as menthol crystals.

The flavourant is present at sufficiently high levels in the flavoured artide so that vapour/aroma is gradually released and smoking articles present in packaging housing the flavoured article become imparted with flavour. At the same time, the ilavourant is present at sufficiently low levels in the flavoured articles so that it is not overpowering to a consumer and that allow the smoker to add further favour to the smoking articles if desired.

The ilavourant may be in liquid phase or may be in solid phase, preferably in solid phase. The flavourant preferably comprises ground menthol crystals in powder form when in solid form. When in liquid phase, the tiavourant may he encapsulated and/or semi-encapsulated. In an embodiment, the tiavourant is in liquid form and is added at O.80/a by weight and is preferably menthone. In another embodiment, the flavoured article comprises up to 2g menthol.

As used herein, the terms "flavour", "flavouring", and "flavourant" refer to materials which may he used to create a desired taste or aroma. They may include pbnt-based tiavourants, for instance comprising or deriving from basil, mint, hay leaves, cardamom, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, thyme, tea, eucalyptus, lemon, beefsteak plant, curcurna, turmeric, cilantro, rose, tobacco and orange hossom. The mint finvourant may be chosen from the following mint varieties: Mentha _4n'entis, Mentha c.v., Mdntha nthaca, Zvldnthapsper/ta, Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Metitlia piperita c.t, %ient/ia spicata crispa, Mentha carth/o/ia, Mentha longifolic, Mentha snaveolens raticta, Menthapu/egiam, Mentha spicata c.v., and Mentha snaico/ens.

Other flavourant materials may include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, Japanese white hark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Dtambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamon, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandahvood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sagc, fennel, piment, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavour masking agcnts, bitterness receptor sire blockers, receptor site enhancers, sweeteners (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorhitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as chlorophyll, minerals, hotanicals, or breath heshening agents.

They may he imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof.

Preferably, the flavourant is menthoL Cot-hinations of flavourants may he used to achieve a desired overall flavour.

The flavoured article has a smaller surface area than the packaging for a smoking article to which it is adhered, so that a single flavoured article does not substantially cover or envelop the pack when it is applied. This makes the flavoured article easy to handle and apply. Preferably, the flavoured article covers less than about lO% of the surface area of the pack. More preferably, the tiavoured article covers about 5%, even more preferably less than about 20/o, of the surface area of the packaging.

The relatively small surface area of the flavoured article confers the additional advantage that it is cost-effective to apply the adhesive layer to the entire underside of the flaxoured article, rather than just the perimeter.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the flavoured article is at least about 1mm, preferably \vithin a range of about I to 10mm, even more preferably 3 to 5mm.

In some embodiments, the weight of the flavoured article is up to 100mg, up to 150mg, or up to 200mg. The preferred weight of the article is up to 150mg.

Tn an embodiment, the flavoured article has a diameter at its widest point between 0.25 and Scm, preferably 0.5 and 3cm, even more preferably I and 2 cm.

The flavoured article may he coloured. Such colouring may he advantageously used to indicate to the consumer \vhich particular flavourant is present in the silicone.

For example, when the tiavourant is menthol, the matrix is preferably green. The colouring may he used to give the flavoured article an agreeable appearance. The colouring is preferably food grade colouring.

Optionally, the flavoured article may contain pockets of air, or other expandable materials, to impart a sound element when the article is applied to the packaging for a smoking article. The air pockets may he formed by incorporating a solid into the silicone that expands on heating to create the air pockets. The air pocket forming solid may be, for example, menthol crystals in powder form.

The adhesive preferably exists as a layer separate from the smoking article, so that, in use, the adhesive layer contacts the smoking article pack. In an embodiment, the adhesive coats the entire surface of the article, although the article may also be pafl-coated with adhesive. The adhesive may be added after the article has been formed.

The flavoured article may be self-adhesive, for ease of application. The adhesive may have sufficient tack to adhere to and maintain the position of the flavoured article on the packaging, and sufficiently low tack to allow the flavoured article to be peeled off and repositioned if necessary. Tn one embodiment, the adhesive is a starch-based adhesive. In an embodiment, the adhesive is Adhesive Swift 5675 side stream paste. The amount of adhesive for flavoured article is suitably at least about rng, preferably within a range of about 50 mg to 100 mg. The amount of adhesive for each strip is suitably at least 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 or 100 mg. )

The flavoured article may have a sufficiently large surface area to carry sufficient colouring and/or flavourant.

The flavoured article can he applied to any surface, interior or exterior, of the packaging for a smoking article. The flavoured article is preferably adhered to the interior surface of the packaging for a smoking article, particularly the interior surface of the hinged-lid of a rigid pack.

The flavoured article may he any shape. Suitably, however, the flavoured article may he square, rectangular or disc-shaped, for ease of handling. Preferably, the flavoured article is disc-shaped.

In an embodiment, the rectangular strip of flavoured article is provided in a single length (with portion nmrks), and the smoker can remove the required amount to meet their taste requirements.

Preferably one flavoured article is used for each pack. The smoker can also choose to add t\vo or more flavoured articles to a pack, to increase the level of flavourant delivered to the smoking articles as compared with applying just one flavoured article or to provide a combination of flavours.

The flavoured article may he packaged in a stack of flavoured articles, whereby the articles are held in place by the adhesive layers of each article, and the low-tack adhesive enables the uppermost flavoured article to be peeled off the stack when required for use. The flavoured article may also he packaged individually, for example using blister pack packaging or in sealed flow wrap.

Alternatively, packages containing smoking articles could he supplied to the consumer with the flavoured article/s already in place.

The flavoured article may be covered by a cal). Preferably the cap is made of polytetratluoroethylene (PTF'E) and the flavoured article is covered on three sides by the cap.

In a preferred embodiment, the flavoured article is counter-sunk within the smoking article pack, so that is does not come into direct contact with any smoking articles contained therein, even when the pack is closed.

As well as imparting flavour to smoking articles by passive release of vapour/aroma as mentioned above, it is also envisaged that the flavoured article of the present invention could alternatively, or in addition, he used to add flavour to a smoking article by a consumer simply tapping either or both ends of their smoking article on the flavoured article. In this embodiment a small amount of flavourant becomes adhered to the end/s of the smoking article.

If flavour is added in the way set out in the preceding paragraph to the filter end of a smoking article, the flavour will he released upon contact with the consumer's mouth. If flavour is added to the other end, it will be released when the smoking article is lit and the flavour becomes entrained in smoke.

lor a fuller understanding, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in xvhich: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the flavoured article according to a first embodiment shown iii cross-section.

Figures 2 to 6 give a diagrammatic representation of die flavoured article according to alternative enibodiments shown in cross-section.

Figure 7 illustrates the positioning of the flavoured article on smoking article packaging.

A schematic illustration of a flavoured article according to one embodiment is given in Figure 1. In this embodiment, the flavoured article 5 comprises sihcone layer 8 and adhesive layer 9. The silicone sayer comprises silicone I and flavourant 3, and optionally colourant 4. The adhesive layer comprises adhesive 2. The flavoured article is covered by cap 11.

A schematic illustration of a flavoured article according to an afternacive embodiment is given in Figure 2. In this embodiment, the flavoured article 5 comprises silicone layer 8 and adhesive layer 9. The silicone sayer comprises silicone 1 and flavourant 3 (and optionally colourant 4), which has been injected into the silicone through puncture channel 10 caused by a syringe needle.

Figures 3 and 4-show the positioning of flavourant 3, and optionally colourant 4, fully encapsulated by silicone 1 in silicone layer 8.

In Figures 5 and 6 a layer of tlavourant 3, and optionally colourant 4. are induded in the silicone 1 of silicone sayer 8 next to adhesive layer 9.

Finally, Figure 7 illustrates the positioning of the flavoured article 5 on cigarette packaging 7. The flavoured article is positioned in recess 6 so that it is counter-sunk with regard to the surface to which it is applied.

The foregoing description and example have been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and are not intended to he limiting. Since modifications of the described embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention shouM he construed broadly to include all variations withui the scope of the appended daitns and equivalents thereof.

Embodiments of the invention are con figured to comply with applicable laws and/or regulations, such as, by way of non-limiting example, regulations relating to flavours, additives, constituents, and/or the like.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>Claims 1. A flavoured article for application to packaging for a smoking article, wherein the flavoured article comprises tiavourant and silicone. )</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A flavoured article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silicone acts as a reservoir for the flavourant.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A flavoured article as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the silicone is silicone rubber.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A flavoured article as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the flavoured article covers less than 10%, preferably less than 5%, more preferably less than 2P/o, of the surface area of the package for a smoking article.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A flavoured article as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the flavoured article is attached to the inside of the package.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A flavoured article as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the flavoured article further comprises an adhesive layer 7. A flavoured article as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adhesive layer is a self-adhesive base layer.8. A flavoured article as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the flavoured article further comprises a cap.9. A flavoured article as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cap comprises PTFE.10. \ flavoured article as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the flavourant is a volatile tiavour.II. A flavoured article as claimed in claim 10, wherein the flavourant is menthol.12. A flavoured article as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the flavoured article is coloured.13. A flavoured article as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.14. A method of manufacturing a flavoured article that can be applied to packaging for a smoking article, the method comprising manufacturing a silicone layer and impregnating said layer with flavourant.15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the silicone layer is impregnated with flavourant (luring manufacture of the silicone layer.16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the flavourant is encapsulated by the silicone layer.17. \ method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the flavourant is stirred into liquid silicone.lB. A method as claimed iii claim 14, wherein the silicone layer is impregnated with flavourant after manufacture of the silicone layer.19. A method as claimed in claim lB. wherein the flavourant is impregnated by injecting said silicone layer with said flavourant.20. Use of a flavoured article to provide a desired taste sensation upon sinoknig, wherein the flavoured article comprises fiavourant and silicone and is applied to packaging for a smoking article.</claim-text>