HK1165232B - Smoking article and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

Smoking article and method of manufacturing a smoking article

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a smoking article having a filter, and more particularly to a smoking article having a filter including a window portion, and a method of manufacturing the smoking article.

Background

Typically, a smoking article, such as a cigarette, comprising a tobacco rod in the form of a cylinder of tobacco or tobacco-based smokable material wrapped in a paper wrapper may be provided with a filter unit. In its basic form, the filter unit is a cylindrical element formed from a filter material, such as cellulose acetate tow, which optionally includes features that alter the flow of flue gas and filter function, such as pockets and gaps, and additives such as particulate carbon. The tow may be wrapped in a layer of filter plug wrap that helps maintain the cylindrical shape and filter material structure. The filter unit is attached to the tobacco rod by tipping paper, which is an outer layer of paper wrapped around the filter unit and overlapping the interface between the filter unit and the tobacco rod. The tipping paper is glued in place.

Different forms of smoking article incorporating a filter are known, for example WO 2004/068975 describes a smoking article having a filter comprising a pair of discrete plugs of filter material wrapped with a transparent plug wrap, and a tobacco rod attached to the filter with tipping paper. The tipping paper is formed from discrete portions of opaque paper disposed on either side of a discrete portion of transparent material, bonded together. The filter of the known smoking article comprises a window formed from a transparent material such that the space between the sections of the filter is visible.

However, the above-mentioned prior art filter has the following drawbacks: tipping papers formed from discrete portions of material bonded together are complex in construction, which means more complex and time consuming to manufacture and therefore more costly.

US2002/0153017 discloses another known smoking article comprising a tobacco rod with a filter attached to one end thereof. The filter comprises a plurality of rods of filter material wrapped with a transparent plug wrap. The filter is attached to the tobacco rod with tipping paper and may include one or more windows formed therein to allow the filter material to become visible. However, this prior art has the following drawbacks: the tipping wrapper must be provided with preformed holes for the window or, alternatively, an additional manufacturing step is required to form discontinuous holes in the tipping wrapper before it is applied to the smoking article. In both cases, the tipping paper is complicated in structure and/or the manufacturing process, thus increasing the manufacturing cost.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a smoking article having a filter which substantially alleviates or overcomes the above problems.

The present invention provides a smoking article comprising a rod of smokeable material and a filter attached to one end of the rod, the filter comprising an elongate body of filter material wrapped with a transparent plug wrap, wherein a first tipping wrapper overlies the interface between the rod and the filter to attach the filter to the rod, and at least one additional tipping wrapper is provided around the filter, the additional tipping wrapper being spaced from and separate from the first tipping wrapper such that a portion of the transparent plug wrap is exposed between the first and at least one additional tipping wrapper to define a window portion through which the filter material is visible.

Two additional tipping wrappers may be wrapped around the filter, the two additional tipping wrappers being spaced and apart from each other and from the first tipping wrapper such that a portion of the transparent plug wrap is exposed between each tipping wrapper to define two discrete window portions through which the filter material is visible.

The body of filter material may comprise a plurality of filter sections wrapped in the transparent plug wrap described above, and at least one filter section may have different filtering characteristics to the or each other filter section.

The two filter portions may be spaced from one another so as to define a cavity therebetween in the filter.

At least one filter segment may be wrapped in its own inner plug wrap beneath the transparent plug wrap described above, and at least one of the inner plug wraps may also be transparent.

At least one filament may extend at least partially through the filter, and the at least one filament may be disposed adjacent the transparent plug wrap and visible through the window portion.

The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a smoking article, the method comprising: providing a filter formed from an elongate body of filter material wrapped in a transparent plug wrap, attaching a rod to one end of the filter by wrapping a first tipping wrapper around the filter and the rod of smokeable material such that the first tipping wrapper overlies the interface between the filter and the rod, and wrapping at least one additional tipping wrapper around the filter, the additional tipping wrapper being spaced from and spaced apart from the first tipping wrapper such that a portion of the transparent plug wrap is exposed between said first and at least one additional tipping wrapper to define a window portion through which the filter material is visible.

The step of wrapping a first tipping wrapper around the filter and rod and the step of wrapping at least one additional tipping wrapper around the filter may be performed simultaneously.

The method may comprise transporting said first tipping paper and at least one additional tipping paper from separate rolls of tipping paper material. The method may further comprise cutting each tipping paper to size as it is fed from its respective drum.

Alternatively, the method may comprise feeding a single strip of tipping paper from a single reel to at least one cutting element and cutting the single strip of tipping paper as it passes the at least one cutting element to form said first tipping paper and at least one additional tipping paper. The method may further comprise cutting each tipping paper to length after it has passed over the cutting element.

The method may further comprise applying adhesive to the tipping wrapper prior to wrapping around the filter/rod to attach the tipping wrapper to the filter and/or rod.

The method may further comprise attaching a second rod of smokeable material to the other end of the filter by wrapping a further tipping wrapper around the other end of the filter and the second rod such that the further tipping wrapper overlies the interface between the other end of the filter and the second rod, the further tipping wrapper and the at least one additional tipping wrapper being spaced apart and separated such that a portion of the transparent plug wrap is exposed between the further tipping wrapper and the at least one additional tipping wrapper to define a window portion through which the filter material is visible, and cutting the filter at a mid-point thereof to produce two separate smoking articles.

The method may comprise initially wrapping an elongate body of filter material with a transparent plug wrap to form the filter.

Drawings

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of a smoking article according to a first embodiment of the invention;

figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the smoking article of figure 1;

figure 3 shows a perspective view of a smoking article according to a second embodiment of the invention;

figure 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the smoking article of figure 3;

figure 5 shows a perspective view of a smoking article according to a third embodiment of the invention;

figure 6 shows an exploded perspective view of the smoking article of figure 5;

figures 7a to 7c schematically illustrate steps of a first manufacturing process according to the present invention to manufacture a smoking article as shown in figures 1 and 2; and figures 8a to 8c schematically illustrate steps of a second alternative manufacturing process according to the present invention to manufacture a smoking article as shown in figures 1 and 2.

Detailed Description

Referring now to fig. 1 and 2, a smoking article 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown to comprise a tobacco rod 12 and a filter 14. The tobacco rod 12 comprises a cylinder of smokable tobacco or tobacco-based material contained within a paper sleeve.

The filter 14 comprises a cylindrical plug of filter material 16, such as cellulose acetate tow, the filter 14 being wrapped by a plug wrap 18 for receiving loose filter material in the form of a cylindrical filter. The plug wrap 18 is made of a transparent material so that the filter material 16 can be viewed through the plug wrap 18. The term "transparent" as used herein refers to any material that is completely or partially visible through. That is, for example, clear, tinted, or other "translucent" material is considered "transparent" regardless of color.

The filter 14 is attached to the tobacco rod 12 by a first tipping paper 20a, which first tipping paper 20a is wrapped around the tobacco rod 12 and filter 14 and overlies the interface therebetween. The tipping paper includes an adhesive to bond it to the filter 14 and tobacco rod 12.

A second, separate tipping wrapper 20b is wrapped around the mouth end of the filter 14 remote from the end of the tobacco rod 12 of the filter 14 and is spaced from the first tipping wrapper 20a to leave a gap G therebetween. The transparent plug wrap 18 is exposed at the gap G to define a window section 22 in the filter section of the smoking article 10. The filter material 16 is thus visible through the window 22. Furthermore, the smoking article 12 having the window 22 in the filter portion described above can be manufactured simply and inexpensively without the need for complex tipping-wrapper constructions with perforations or separate pre-glued portions, or complex tipping paper manufacturing procedures.

A smoking article 30 according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown in figures 3 and 4 and comprises a tobacco rod 32 and a filter 34. The tobacco rod 32 comprises a cylinder of smokable tobacco or tobacco-based material within a paper sleeve.

As with the smoking article 12 of the first embodiment described above, the filter 34 comprises a cylindrical plug of filter material 36, such as cellulose acetate, wrapped by a plug wrap 38 for receiving loose filter material in the form of a cylindrical filter. The plug wrap 38 is made of a transparent material so that the filter material 36 can be viewed through the plug wrap 38.

The filter 34 is attached to the tobacco rod 32 by a first tipping paper 40a, which first tipping paper 40a is wrapped around the tobacco rod 32 and filter 34 and overlies the interface therebetween and includes an adhesive to bond it to the filter 34 and tobacco rod 32.

A second, separate tipping wrapper 40b is wrapped around the mouth end of the filter 34 remote from the end of the tobacco rod 32 of the filter 34, spaced from the first tipping wrapper 40 a. However, the smoking article 30 of the second embodiment differs from the smoking article 10 of the first embodiment in that the third tipping wrapper 40c is wrapped around the filter 34 between and spaced from the first and second tipping wrappers 40a, 40 b. Thus, a first gap G1 remains between the first tipping paper 40a and the third tipping paper 40c, and a second gap G2 remains between the third tipping paper 40c and the second tipping paper 40 b.

The transparent plug wrap 18 is exposed in the gaps G1, G2 to define a pair of window sections 42a, 42b in the filter section of the smoking article 32. The filter material 36 is thus visible through the two windows 42.

A smoking article 50 according to a third embodiment of the invention is shown in figures 5 and 6 and comprises a tobacco rod 52 and a filter 54. The tobacco rod 52 comprises a cylinder of smokable tobacco or tobacco-based material contained in a paper sleeve.

The smoking article 50 of the third embodiment of the invention differs from the smoking articles 10, 30 of the first and second embodiments in that the filter 54 does not comprise a single elongate plug of filter material, but rather comprises three separate filter portions 56a, 56b, 56c of cylindrical plugs of filter material. Each individual plug of filter material 56a, 56b, 56c may be the same, such as cellulose acetate, or each may be different from the others, such as one may be cellulose acetate impregnated with activated carbon particles. The individual rods 56a, 56b, 56c may also be different colors. In order that each individual plug of filter material 56a, 56b, 56c may retain its desired cylindrical form during manufacture, each is wrapped in an individual filter plug wrap 57a, 57b, 57 c.

Once positioned side-by-side, the three individually wrapped rods 56a, 56b, 56c are wrapped together by a single outer plug wrap 58, which holds them together as a unit. The outer plug wrap 58 is made of a transparent material so that the individually wrapped cylindrical filter rods 56a, 56b, 56c can be viewed through the outer plug wrap 58.

In order that each individual filter rod 56a, 56b, 56c may be viewed through the outer plug wrap 58, one or more of the individual plug wraps 57a, 57b, 57c may also be made of a transparent material.

As in the previous embodiment, the filter 54 is attached to the tobacco rod 52 by a first tipping wrapper 60a, the first tipping wrapper 60a comprising adhesive on one face and being wrapped around the tobacco rod 52 and filter 54 and over the interface therebetween.

A second, separate tipping wrapper 60b is wrapped around the mouth end of the filter 54 remote from the tobacco rod 52 and is spaced from the first tipping wrapper 60a to leave a gap G therebetween. The transparent outer plug wrap 58 is exposed in the gap G to define a window section 62 in the filter section of the smoking article 52. The individual plug wrappers 57a, 57b, 57c wrapped around the individual sticks 56a, 56b, 56c are thus visible through the window 62. Furthermore, if the individual plug wrappers 57a, 57b, 57c that are visible through the window 62 are also made of a transparent material, the individual sticks 56a, 56b, 56c of filter material can therefore be seen through the window 62.

In the third embodiment of the invention described above, the filter 54 is depicted as including three separate sticks 56a, 56b, 56c of filter material. However, it will be appreciated that two or more than three filter rods may be provided within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the present invention should not be limited to the following: that is, each individual filter rod 56a, 56b, 56c is first wrapped in its own individual filter rod wrapper 57a, 57b, 57c, and instead, the outer layer filter rod wrapper 58 may be used to hold all three filter rods together in a cylindrical fashion. The first and second tipping papers 60a and 60b are sized and aligned so as to expose only the central cylindrical rod 56b of filter material in the window 62. Alternatively, the first and second tipping wrappers 60a, 60b may be arranged so as to expose portions of the first and third cylindrical rods 56a, 56c of filter material in the windows 62. In a further alternative version of the third embodiment, the intermediate filter rod may be omitted to create a cavity within the filter 54 which is visible through the window 62. The cavity may be an empty air-filled space or may be filled with some further smoke modifying material, such as an adsorbent, for example carbon particles, or a flavourant, for example loose mint leaves. Further, the filter may include one or more wires extending therethrough, and the wires may be visible in the cavity through the window 62.

Variations of the smoking article 10, 30, 50 described above are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, more than three separate tipping wrappers may be provided which encircle the filter and/or tobacco rod and are spaced apart from one another, thus providing more than two separate window portions. In addition to or in place of cellulose acetate, the filter may comprise a different filter material, such as paper or other cellulose acetate based material. In addition, the filter material may include additional additives, such as particulate activated carbon, to promote filtration performance. The filter material 16/36/56 may also include one or more slots formed around its outer edge that are visible through the transparent plug wrap 18/38/58, and thus through the windows 22/42a, b/62. The filter material 16/36/56 may also include one or more filaments, such as made of cotton or cellulose acetate, formed around the outer edge of the filter material and visible through the transparent plug wrap 18/38/58 and thus through the windows 22/42a, b/62. The filaments may extend through part or all of the length of the filter. It will therefore be appreciated that the smoking article in the described embodiments, including the window portion, and any variations thereof, have significant visual differences from conventional smoking articles.

A first method of manufacturing a smoking article according to a first embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to figures 6a to 6 c. In fig. 6a, two tobacco rods 12 are aligned with the double length filter 14 between them and abutted against each other. (the process of making the tobacco rod 12 and cutting it to length is well known in the art and therefore the process will not be described in detail). The double length filter 14 comprises a cylindrical plug of filter material wrapped with a transparent plug wrap. Three separate rolls of tipping paper are provided, a first central roll 70a and two outer rolls 70b, 70c, one on each side of the central roll 70 a. The central drum 70a is roughly twice as wide as the two outer drums 70b, 70c, but not as wide as the length of the double length filter 14.

A central roll 70a of tipping paper outputs tipping paper which is wrapped around the middle of the double length filter 14, while two outer rolls 70b, 70c of tipping paper also output tipping paper, and one tipping paper is wrapped around each end of the double length filter 14 and the adjacent end of the respective tobacco rod 12 to overlie the interface therebetween and secure the respective tobacco rod 12 to the respective ends of the double length filter 14. The tipping wrappers are then cut from their respective reels 70a, 70b, 70c, producing a double length smoking article as shown in figure 6 b.

As shown in figure 6c, and as previously shown and described with reference to figures 1 and 2, the cutter 72 cuts the double length smoking article in the middle of the double length filter 14 to produce two separate smoking articles 10. It will therefore be appreciated that after the cutter 72 separates the two smoking articles 10, the first tipping wrapper 20a of the formed smoking article 10 is provided by tipping paper from one of the outer tipping paper rolls 70b, 70c, and the second tipping wrapper 20b of the mouth end of the formed smoking article 10 is provided by tipping paper from the central tipping paper roll 70 a.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the method of manufacturing a smoking article 10 having a window portion 22 in the filter portion 14 is much simplified over known prior art processes, and therefore the manufacturing costs are greatly reduced. The size of the window portion 22 of the smoking article formed may be determined by selecting the width of the tipping paper roll and the spacing of the tipping paper rolls from one another.

An alternative method of manufacturing a smoking article 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to figures 7a to 7 c. In figure 7a, as in the first method described above, two tobacco rods 12 are aligned with the double length filter 14 between them and will be brought into abutment with one another. The double length filter 14 comprises a cylindrical plug of filter material 16 wrapped with a transparent plug wrap 18. This alternative method differs from the first method described previously in that instead of using three separate tipping paper rolls 70a, 70b, 70c, there is only one wide tipping paper roll 80. However, a pair of cutting blades 84 (which may be blades, cutting wheels, or any other suitable cutting element) are provided between the wide tipping paper roll 80 and the filter 14/tobacco rod 12. As the tipping paper is fed from the wide roll 80 to the filter 14/tobacco rod 12, it passes through the cutting blade 84 and is thus cut into three separate bands of tipping paper, a central band of tipping paper 86a, and two outer bands of tipping paper 86b, 86 c.

The central band of tipping paper 86a is fed to wrap around the middle of the double length filter 14 and the two outer bands of tipping paper 86b, 86c are fed so that one band wraps around each end of the double length filter 14 and the adjacent end of the respective tobacco rod 12 to overlie the interface therebetween and secure the respective tobacco rod 12 to the respective ends of the double length filter 14. Three bands 86a, 86b, 86c of tipping paper are then cut from the remainder of the band, forming a double length smoking article as shown in figure 7 b.

As with the first method described previously, the cutter 82 then cuts the double length smoking article in the middle of the double length filter 14 to produce two separate smoking articles 10, as shown in figure 7c, and as shown and described previously with reference to figures 1 and 2. It will therefore be appreciated that after the cutter 82 separates two smoking articles 10, the first tipping wrapper 20a of the formed smoking article 10 is provided by one of the outer bands of tipping paper 86b, 86c, and the second tipping wrapper 20b of the mouth end of the filter 14 of the formed smoking article 10 is provided by the central band of tipping paper 86 a.

It is apparent from the foregoing that this alternative method of manufacturing a smoking article 10 having a window portion 22 in the filter portion 14 is also much simplified over known prior art processes and therefore the manufacturing costs are greatly reduced. The size and location of the window portion 22 in the formed smoking article may be determined by selecting the width of the tipping paper roll 80, the location of the two cutting blades 84 relative to the tipping paper roll 80 and the location at which the three strips of tipping paper 86a, 86b, 86c are delivered.

In order to manufacture a smoking article 30 according to the second embodiment of the invention using the first method described above, there should be five separate rolls of tipping paper, a central wide roll and two narrow rolls on either side of the central roll. The central web provides tipping paper around the middle of the double length filter, the outermost two webs provide tipping paper around and overlying the interface between the double length filter and the respective tobacco rod, and the remaining two webs of tipping paper between the central web and the outermost web provide tipping paper around the double length filter and between the central tipping paper and the outer tipping paper. Thus, when the cutter 72 cuts twice as many smoking articles in the middle, two smoking articles 30 as shown in figure 3 will be produced.

In order to manufacture a smoking article 30 according to the second embodiment of the invention using the second alternative method described above, there should be four cutting blades rather than just two, so that a single wide roll of tipping paper is cut into five strips, a central wide strip, and two narrow strips on either side of the central strip. A central band of tipping paper is provided around the middle of the double length filter, the outermost two bands of tipping paper are provided around and over the interface between the double length filter and the respective tobacco rod, and the remaining two bands of tipping paper between the central band and the outermost band are wrapped around the double length filter between the central band and the outer band of tipping paper. Thus, when the cutter 82 cuts twice as many smoking articles in the middle, two smoking articles 30 as shown in figure 3 will be produced.

In order to manufacture a smoking article 50 according to the third embodiment of the invention using any of the methods described above, it is only necessary to provide an alternative filter unit comprising a plurality of separate filter rods wrapped in an outer transparent plug wrap instead of a single double length filter. From this point on, the manufacturing process will be the same as described above.

Furthermore, variations of the two methods described above (i.e. having more than three separate rolls of tipping paper, or more than two knives to make more than three separate strips of tipping paper) may be implemented to provide a plurality of windows in the multi-segment filter portion of the smoking article, as opposed to only one window as shown in figure 1.

To bond the tipping wrapper to the filter and tobacco rod, the filter and tobacco rod are provided with a binder prior to wrapping around the filter/tobacco rod. The adhesive may be pre-applied to the tipping paper during manufacture or, alternatively, may be applied at a point between the tipping paper material delivered from the roll and wrapped around the filter/tobacco rod.

Although the above method involves forming two smoking articles simultaneously by attaching tobacco rods to opposite ends of a double length filter and cutting the filter in the middle, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this method and that the smoking articles may alternatively be manufactured separately by: a single filter is attached to a single tobacco rod with a first tipping paper and then one or more tipping papers are wrapped around the filter and spaced apart from the first tipping paper.

In the above embodiments, the tipping paper comprises a paper band so that the tactile sensation of the smoker corresponds to the sensation of a conventional paper tipped smoking article. In particular, it is therefore advantageous for the tipping paper at the mouth end of the filter to be made of paper.

In the above embodiments the filter rod wrapper has been described as being made of a transparent material. These materials may include, but are not limited to, one of the following: polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cellulose acetate film, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene oxide (PEOX), polyethylene, cellophane, Natureflex^TMOr polylactic acid (PLA). In addition to being completely transparent and clear, the filter rod wrapper may also be a colored transparency ("translucency"), or include further graphics or indicia printed thereon, indicia, logos or otherwise.

Although different embodiments of the smoking article and the method of manufacturing of the invention have been described above, the scope of the invention is not to be limited to these examples and any combination of the above non-exclusive features is also intended to fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (18)

1. A smoking article comprising a rod of smokeable material and a filter attached to one end of the rod, the filter comprising an elongate body of filter material wrapped with a transparent plug wrap, wherein a first tipping wrapper overlies the interface between the rod and the filter to attach the filter to the rod, and at least one additional tipping wrapper is provided around the filter, the additional tipping wrapper being spaced from and separate from the first tipping wrapper such that a portion of the transparent plug wrap is exposed between the first and at least one additional tipping wrapper to define a window portion through which the filter material is visible.

2. A smoking article according to claim 1 wherein two additional tipping wrappers are wrapped around the filter, the two additional tipping wrappers being spaced and separated from each other and from the first tipping wrapper such that a portion of the transparent plug wrap is exposed between each tipping wrapper to define two discrete window portions through which the filtration material is visible.

3. A smoking article according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body of filter material comprises a plurality of filter sections wrapped in the transparent plug wrap.

4. A smoking article according to claim 3 wherein at least one filter portion has different filtering characteristics to the or each other filter portion.

5. The smoking article of claim 3, wherein two filter portions are spaced from one another to define a cavity in the filter between the two filter portions.

6. A smoking article according to claim 3, wherein at least one filter section is wrapped in its own inner plug wrap beneath the transparent plug wrap.

7. The smoking article of claim 6, wherein said at least one inner plug wrap is also transparent.

8. The smoking article of claim 1 or claim 2, comprising at least one filament extending at least partially through the filter.

9. The smoking article of claim 8, wherein the at least one filament is disposed adjacent the transparent plug wrap and is visible through the window portion.

10. A method of manufacturing a smoking article comprising: providing a filter formed from an elongate body of filter material wrapped in a transparent plug wrap, attaching a rod of smokeable material to one end of the filter by wrapping a first tipping wrapper around the filter and the rod such that the first tipping wrapper overlies the interface between the filter and the rod, and wrapping at least one additional tipping wrapper around the filter, the additional tipping wrapper being spaced from and separate from the first tipping wrapper such that a portion of the transparent plug wrap is exposed between the first and at least one additional tipping wrapper to define a window portion through which the filter material is visible.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the steps of wrapping a first tipping wrapper around the filter and rod and wrapping at least one additional tipping wrapper around the filter are performed simultaneously.

12. A method according to claim 10 or claim 11 comprising transporting the first and at least one additional tipping wrapper from separate webs of tipping paper material.

13. A method according to claim 12, comprising cutting each of the tipping papers to length as they are fed from their respective rolls.

14. The method of claim 10 or claim 11, comprising: feeding a single strip of tipping paper from a single reel to at least one cutting element, and cutting the single strip of tipping paper as it passes the at least one cutting element to form the first tipping paper and at least one additional tipping paper.

15. A method according to claim 14, comprising cutting each tipping paper to length after it has passed over the cutting element.

16. A method according to claim 12 comprising applying adhesive to the tipping wrapper to attach the tipping wrapper to the filter and/or rod prior to wrapping around the filter/rod.

17. The method of claim 10 or claim 11, further comprising: attaching a second rod of smokeable material to the other end of the filter by wrapping the second rod around the other end of the filter and a further tipping wrapper spaced from and separate from the at least one additional tipping wrapper such that a portion of the transparent plug wrap is exposed between the further tipping wrapper and the at least one additional tipping wrapper to define a window portion through which the filter material is visible, and cutting the filter at an intermediate point of the filter to produce two separate smoking articles.

18. A method according to claim 10 or claim 11, comprising initially wrapping an elongate body of filter material with a transparent plug wrap to form the filter.