JP5178829B2 - Smoking article - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a smoking article, and in particular, to a smoking article provided with a filter containing a flavor component.

  Smoking articles, such as cigarettes, are composed of various materials such as tobacco cuts, paper, filters, and optionally activated carbon that fills the filters. In addition, various flavor components are added to smoking articles such as cigarettes, creating a unique taste and aroma for each cigarette product. In recent years, in order to taste a wider range of flavors, a flavor component is added to a filter attached to a cigarette in order to change or enhance the flavor of the cigarette itself.

  As a method of adding a flavor component to a cigarette filter, conventionally, a method of directly adding a flavor component to a filter, a method of adsorbing a flavor component to porous particles such as activated carbon, and adding the porous particles to the filter are used. I came. However, cigarettes with a filter to which flavor components are directly added are stable because the flavor components migrate from the filter part to other tobacco material parts due to the adsorption equilibrium in the package through the cigarette product distribution process. Tend to be unable to taste the flavor. A cigarette having a filter containing porous particles adsorbing flavor components is incompletely desorbed from the porous particles during smoking, and sufficient flavor components cannot be released.

  In addition, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-75578 and Japanese Kokoku No. 5-45198, particles coated with a natural polysaccharide are loaded into a filter, and when smoking, the particles are crushed and flavor components are added. A diffuser type cigarette is disclosed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-279986 discloses a cigarette having a filter to which a cyclodextrin containing a flavor component is added. Furthermore, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 48-40719 discloses a filter in which a perfume capsule coated with polyvinyl alcohol or the like is added to the filter. However, none of these cigarettes can stably retain the flavor component when not smoking and can immediately release the flavor component when smoking.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a smoking article that can stably retain a flavor component and can release the flavor component immediately upon smoking.

  In order to keep the flavor component stably in the filter when not smoking, it is desirable to immobilize the flavor component in the filter, and it is best to incorporate the flavor component in a suitable matrix material for this purpose. . In addition, considering that the flavor components are efficiently released during smoking, the matrix material is preferably easily dissolved by the moisture contained in the aerosol generated during smoking, and preferably has a large contact surface area with the aerosol. . Therefore, it is preferable to incorporate a flavor component into a water-soluble matrix having a particle size as small as possible. In view of such knowledge, the present inventors have intensively studied, and as a result, have flavor components in water-soluble matrix particles having a particle diameter in the range of 1 to 100 μm and an average particle diameter of 20 μm or less. It was found that the intended purpose can be achieved by incorporating.

That is, according to the present invention, it has an aerosol generating part and a filter part attached to the aerosol generating part, and the filter part contains a plurality of flavor releasing particles each containing a water-soluble matrix containing a flavor component. The plurality of flavor-releasing particles are obtained by spraying and drying a liquid containing an aqueous solution of the water-soluble matrix material and a flavor component using a four-fluid nozzle spray type spray dryer, each of 1 to 100 μm. The number of particles having an average particle size of 20 μm or less, having a particle size in the range of 1 to 50 μm occupies 90% or more of the total particle number, At least selected from the group consisting of dextrin, gelatin, gum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethylcellulose Smoking articles composed of both water-soluble polymers are provided.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a combustion-type smoking article according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the combustion-type smoking article according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a non-combustion smoking article according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of a combustion-type smoking article according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another example of the combustion-type smoking article according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing still another example of the combustion-type smoking article according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a graph showing the particle size distribution of the flavor-releasing particles of the present invention.

  The smoking article of the present invention includes a filter containing a plurality of flavor-releasing particles at one end of the aerosol generating unit.

  Each flavor releasing particle includes a water-soluble matrix containing a flavor component. Each flavor releasing particle has a particle diameter in the range of 1 to 100 μm, preferably 1 to 50 μm, and the plurality of flavor releasing particles contained in the filter has an average particle diameter of 20 μm or less, preferably 10 μm or less. Indicates. Particularly preferred flavor-releasing particles each have a particle size in the range of 1 to 50 μm and have an average particle size of 10 μm or less, usually 1 to 10 μm. In the present invention, the particle diameter and the average particle diameter are both determined by a laser diffraction / scattering method, and the average particle diameter represents a volume average diameter. The flavor-releasing particles of the present invention have a narrow particle size distribution, and the number of particles having a particle diameter of more than 0 μm and 50 μm or less can occupy 90% or more of the total number of particles, preferably more than 0 μm and 30 μm The number of particles having the following particle size can occupy 80% or more of the total number of particles.

  The water-soluble matrix containing (incorporating) the flavor component is not particularly limited as long as it does not release the flavor component when the flavor component is incorporated, when the smoking article is not smoked (including storage and storage). . As such a matrix material, a water-soluble polymer such as dextrin, gelatin, gum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, and the like can be used. In particular, dextrin is most preferable because of its high solubility in water. Dextrin can be dissolved in water in an amount of 50% by weight or more.

  The flavor component used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it satisfies human taste through taste and smell. Either a hydrophobic or hydrophilic flavor component can be used. Examples of hydrophobic flavor components include menthol, esters (eg, isoamyl acetate, linalyl acetate, isoamyl propionate, linalyl butyrate), natural essential oils (eg, vanilla extract, spearmint, peppermint, cassia, jasmine) Vegetable essential oils and, for example, animal essential oils such as musk, amber, civet, and castrium), and simple flavors (eg, anethole, limonene, linalool, eugenol, etc.). Examples of hydrophilic flavor components include leaf tobacco extract, natural plant flavor (eg, licorice, St. John's bread, plum extract, peach extract, etc.), acids (eg, malic acid, tartaric acid, citrate, etc.), sugars (For example, glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, etc.) and polyhydric alcohols (propylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol, etc.). These components can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  Although there is no restriction | limiting in particular in the form of a flavor release particle | grain, It is especially preferable that it is spherical.

  In the present invention, particularly preferred flavor-releasing particles are fine particles having a particle diameter in the range of 1 to 50 μm and having an average particle diameter of 10 μm or less, usually 1 to 10 μm. It can be suitably manufactured using a type of spray dryer (Fujisaki Electric Co., Ltd. micro mist dryer MDL-050M). The particle size that can be produced by a general commercially available spray dryer is generally more than 30 μm as an average particle size and has a wide particle size distribution.

  When producing flavor-releasing particles incorporating a hydrophobic flavor component, an emulsifier is used to emulsify the hydrophobic flavor component. There is no restriction | limiting in the kind of emulsifier, For example, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyglycerol fatty acid ester, glycerol fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, a lecithin etc. can be used. Of these, sucrose fatty acid esters are particularly preferred.

  In order to produce flavor-releasing particles containing a hydrophobic flavor component, first, a required amount of an emulsifier is added to water, and stirred and dissolved at a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the emulsifier (eg, 50 to 60 ° C.). Thereafter, a water-soluble matrix material (water-soluble polymer) is added and dissolved. Further, a hydrophobic flavor component is added and a homomixer is used in a state heated to 50 to 60 ° C., and emulsified so that the average particle diameter of the emulsion is 2 μm or less, preferably 0.5 μm or less. When the emulsion thus prepared is spray-dried (120 to 200 ° C.) with the above-mentioned micro mist dryer, desired flavor-releasing particles are obtained.

  When producing flavor-releasing particles containing a hydrophilic flavor component, it is not necessary to add an emulsifier. What is necessary is just to add a hydrophilic flavor component to the aqueous solution of a water-soluble matrix material (water-soluble polymer), stir, and spray-dry (120-200 degreeC) the solution with the said micro mist dryer.

  The amount of each component in the flavor releasing particles is preferably as follows. The water-soluble matrix material is 40 to 95% by weight, preferably 70 to 90% by weight, the emulsifier is 0.5 to 5% by weight, preferably 1 to 2% by weight, and the flavor component is trace amount to 50% by weight, Preferably it is 10 to 30% by weight. The flavor releasing particles can be added to the filter alone or in combination of two or more.

  Even if the flavor-releasing particles of the present invention are stored for a long period of time under conditions of a temperature of 55 ° C., a relative humidity of 35%, a temperature of 22 ° C., and a relative humidity of 60%, the flavor component does not volatilize and the retention is extremely high On the other hand, it has been confirmed that a flavor component is released for the first time under a high humidity condition of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 75%.

  The flavor releasing particles are contained in the filter part. If the material which comprises a filter is a material applicable to normal smoking, there will be no restriction | limiting in particular. Examples of such filter materials include, for example, cellulose acetate, paper, and a non-woven sheet of natural pulp (a filter formed by rolling up this sheet into a rod shape is commercially available from Nippon Filter Industry under the trade name Neofilter. ), Polypropylene and rayon.

  In the smoking article of the present invention, the form of the filter part is not particularly limited as long as it includes the filter containing the flavor-releasing particles of the present invention. The filter unit can include a charcoal filter. The charcoal filter is desirably provided upstream of the filter containing the flavor-releasing particles of the present invention in order to prevent the flavor released during smoking from being adsorbed by the charcoal. Examples of the structure of the filter part include a plain structure (a filter containing the flavor releasing particles of the present invention alone), a dual structure (for example, a filter containing the flavor releasing particles of the present invention and an acetate filter, or a charcoal filter). And filters containing the flavor-releasing particles of the present invention), triple filters (for example, charcoal filters, filters containing the flavor-releasing particles of the present invention and acetate filters), multi-section structures (for example, Acetate filter, charcoal filter, combination of filter and acetate filter containing flavor-releasing particles of the present invention, etc.), recess filter (for example, each filter structure having a cavity portion in the suction portion), core-sheath Type double concentric filter, CVD (c hannel ventilation dam) filter, and thermoformed filter such as a filter having a hole (for example, a conical hole) in the center.

  In the smoking article of the present invention, an aerosol is generated by combustion like a normal cigarette, and a smoking article that tastes its flavor, and a non-combustion that generates aerosol by heating without substantially burning the smoking material Includes type smoking articles. The non-combustion type smoking article is generally provided at the tip of the aerosol generating unit by physically separating the aerosol generating unit containing the aerosol generating material that generates aerosol by heating and the aerosol generating unit, and by the heat of combustion. A heating source for heating the aerosol generating substance is provided. Here, “physically separated” means that the aerosol generating unit and the heat source are provided as physically separate parts (separate bodies).

  The aerosol generating part of the combustion-type smoking article includes a normal combustion smoking material such as tobacco cut. That is, it can be said that the combustion-type smoking article of the present invention has a structure similar to that of a normal cigarette, except that the filter portion includes a filter containing the flavor-releasing particles of the present invention.

  The aerosol generating part of the non-combustion type smoking article is an aerosol generating substance that generates aerosol by heating, for example, polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate, Carboxylic acid aliphatic esters such as dimethyl tetradecandioate are included. The aerosol generating material is usually carried on a suitable carrier to provide an aerosol generating member. As the carrier, a porous material such as paper or activated carbon can be used. The aerosol generating substance is absorbed or adsorbed on the porous material. Alternatively, glucan gel such as curdlan described in Japanese Patent No. 3118462 can be used as a carrier. That is, an aerosol-generating substance is added to an aqueous dispersion of thermally irreversibly solidified glucan, the dispersion is cast on a support (for example, a stainless steel belt) as a thin film sheet, and then dried by heating to gel the glucan. Make it. The glucan gel holding the aerosol-generating substance can be used after being chopped or powdered. A carrier (aerosol generating member) carrying an aerosol generating substance is accommodated in a cylindrical body formed of a nonflammable / insulating material such as a paper sheet containing glass fiber, a ceramic, or a paper sheet lined with metal foil. An aerosol generation part can be constituted. The heating source attached to the tip of the aerosol generation unit usually includes a carbonaceous material.

  Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a smoking article of the present invention in the form of a normal cigarette. The illustrated smoking article (cigarette) 10 includes a column-shaped aerosol generating member (for example, tobacco stamp) 111 made of a burning smoking material (for example, tobacco stamp) that can be used for smoking. Thus, the aerosol generation unit 11 is configured. A filter unit 12 is attached to one end of the aerosol generation unit 11. In the cigarette shown in FIG. 1, the filter unit 12 is composed of a filter composed of a columnar filter material 121 having the same diameter as that of the aerosol generating unit 11 and a web 122 wound around the outer periphery thereof. In the filter material 121, the flavor releasing particles 123 of the present invention are dispersed and added. The aerosol generating unit 11 and the filter unit 12 are connected by a chip paper 101. The tip paper 101 can be provided with a ventilation hole 101a as in a normal cigarette. The tip of the aerosol generation unit 11 is ignited, the aerosol generation member is burned, and the filter unit 12 absorbs smoke. The flavor-releasing particles added to the filter part come into contact with the smoke particles, and are dissolved and destroyed by the moisture in the smoke particles to release the flavor, and the flavor can be tasted.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a smoking article of the present invention in the form of a normal cigarette with a charcoal filter in addition to the filter containing the flavor releasing particles of the present invention. The illustrated smoking article (cigarette) 20 includes a filter unit 21 including the charcoal filter 13 and the flavor-releasing particle-containing filter 12 of the present invention at one end of the aerosol generating unit 11. The charcoal filter 13 includes a cylindrical filter material 131 and a web 132 wound around the outer periphery of the filter material 131, and charcoal (activated carbon) particles (not shown) are dispersed in the filter material 131. Alternatively, the charcoal filter 13 may have a portion filled with the filter material 131 as a cavity and filled with activated carbon particles. The filter 12 and the filter 13 are integrated by a molding paper (not shown), and the filter unit 21 is connected to the aerosol generating unit 11 by a chip paper 101 in which a ventilation hole may be formed. Since the charcoal filter 13 is located upstream in the smoking direction with respect to the filter 12 containing the flavor releasing particles of the present invention, the flavor released from the flavor releasing particles of the present invention is substantially increased by the charcoal filter 13. It is not adsorbed by.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a non-burning type smoking article of the present invention. The illustrated non-combustion smoking article 30 has a heat-insulating cylinder 31, and the inside of the cylinder 31 is defined in four sections. In the first section on the distal end side of the cylindrical body 31, for example, a columnar carbonaceous heat source 32 in which a plurality of grooves (not shown) along the longitudinal direction are formed on the outer periphery, for example, a heat insulating property formed of glass fiber. It is inserted in the form accommodated in the cylindrical body 33. The second section following the first section is filled with an aerosol generating member 34 that generates aerosol by heating. A tobacco section 35 can be accommodated in a third section following the second section. The fourth section following the third section is filled with a filter material 36 to which the flavor releasing particles 37 of the present invention are added and dispersed. The periphery of the cylindrical body 31 can be further encapsulated with a paper material 38. The non-combustion type smoking article can be provided with a charcoal filter (not shown) between the third section and the fourth section.

  When the carbonaceous heat source 32 is ignited and the smoking article is sucked, air is sucked through the grooves around the carbon heat source 32, and the aerosol generating members 34 and 35 are heated to generate aerosol (smoke particles). When the generated smoke particles come into contact with the flavor releasing particles 37 added to the filter material 36, the flavor component holding body is dissolved and destroyed by the moisture in the smoke particles, and the flavor components are diffused.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a combustion-type smoking article (cigarette) having a double concentric filter. The illustrated cigarette 40 is obtained by adding a double concentric filter 41 to the rear end of the filter 12 in the cigarette shown in FIG. The double concentric filter 41 includes a core portion 42 through which smoke passes and a sheath portion 43 surrounding the core portion 42. The core part 42 is obtained by adding and dispersing the flavor releasing particles 422 of the present invention to the filter material 421. The filter 41 is wound with a web 411. The sheath part 43 is made of a filter material 431. The filters 12 and 41 are integrated by a molding paper (not shown), and are connected to the aerosol generating unit 11 by a chip paper 101. The chip paper 101 has a plurality of ventilation holes 101 a formed at positions corresponding to the portion including the boundary between the filters 12 and 41. Air (diluted air) from the outside flows from the ventilation hole 101a through the sheath portion 43, and smoke flows through the core portion.

  FIG. 5 shows another example of a combustion-type smoking article (cigarette) having a double concentric filter. The illustrated cigarette 50 is a cigarette shown in FIG. 1 in which a double concentric filter 51 having a structure different from that of the double concentric filter 41 shown in FIG. The double concentric filter 51 includes a core portion 52 through which smoke passes and a sheath portion 53 surrounding the core portion 52. The core part 52 is made of a filter material 521. The sheath part 53 is obtained by adding and dispersing the flavor releasing particles 532 of the present invention to the filter material 531. The filter 51 is wound around a web 511. The filters 12 and 51 are integrated by a molding paper (not shown), and are connected to the aerosol generating unit 11 by a chip paper 101. A plurality of ventilation holes 101 a are formed in the position corresponding to the part including the boundary between the filters 12 and 41 through the chip paper 101, the molding paper (not shown) and the winding papers 122 and 511 to reach the core portion 52. . Air (diluted air) from the outside flows from the ventilation hole 101 a through the core portion 52, and smoke flows through the sheath portion 53.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of a smoking article (cigarette) having a multi-section filter part including a double concentric filter. The cigarette 60 shown in the figure has an aerosol generation unit 11 as in the cigarette shown in FIG. At one end of the aerosol generator 11, a charcoal filter 13 similar to that shown in FIG. 2, a filter 12 containing the flavor-releasing particles 123 of the present invention similar to that shown in FIG. 1, and the same as that shown in FIG. A normal filter 61 which is composed of a double concentric filter 41 and a filter material 611 and is wound around a web 612 is provided in this order. These four filters 13, 12, 41 and 61 are integrated by a molding paper (not shown), and are connected to the aerosol generating unit 11 by a chip paper 101. The chip paper 101 has a plurality of ventilation holes 101 a formed at positions corresponding to the portion including the boundary between the filters 12 and 41. Air (diluted air) from the outside flows from the ventilation hole 101 a through the sheath portion 43 of the filter 41, and smoke flows through the core portion 42 and is sucked into the smoker's mouth through the filter 61.

  Since the flavor component holder used in the smoking article of the present invention has a small particle size, the contact area with the smoke particles is large, and the matrix material constituting the flavor-releasing particles is extremely soluble in water. It has characteristics such as good flavor release from the puff and a high flavor release amount (12% or more as a migration rate of flavor components in the smoke).

  EXAMPLES Next, although an Example demonstrates this invention, this invention is not limited by these Examples.

Example 1
0.5 parts by weight of sucrose fatty acid ester (HLB value: 11) is added as an emulsifier to 59.5 parts by weight of purified water, and the mixture is stirred and dissolved at about 60 ° C. for 10 minutes, and then dextrin (dextrose equivalent value: 18 40.0 parts by weight was added and dissolved. This solution was adjusted to 50 to 60 ° C., and 10.125 parts by weight of menthol was added and dissolved, followed by emulsification at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutes using a TK homomixer to prepare a spray solution. An emulsified emulsion having a particle size of 0.2 μm was produced. While keeping this spray liquid at 50 to 60 ° C., it was sent to a spray dryer (spray dryer MDL-050M manufactured by Fujisaki Electric Co., Ltd.) and spray-dried at 180 ° C. to obtain desired flavor-releasing particles. . The particle size distribution of the flavor-releasing particles was measured using a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution measuring device (LA-920, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.) (ethanol was used as a particle dispersion medium). The results are shown in FIG. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the particles obtained by the four-fluid nozzle spray type spray dryer have a small particle size (particle size 1.151 to 44.938 μm) and a very narrow particle size distribution. The obtained flavor-releasing particles had a volume average diameter of 9.2879 μm (median diameter is 8.2563 μm). The composition of the obtained flavor-releasing particles was analyzed to be 79% by weight of dextrin, 1% by weight of sucrose fatty acid ester and 20% by weight of menthol.

  The flavor-releasing particles were stored for 3 months under conditions of a temperature of 55 ° C. and a relative humidity of 35% and a temperature of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 60%, respectively, and the storage stability was examined. As a result, it was found that no menthol volatilization from the flavor-releasing particles was observed even under both storage conditions, and it had extremely high flavor retention stability. On the other hand, when the flavor-releasing particles were stored under conditions of a temperature of 22 ° C. and a relative humidity of 75%, the release of menthol was recognized for the first time.

  Further, 26 mg of the flavor-releasing particles (menthol amount: 6.3 mg) were dispersed and added to an acetate filter having a length of 2.8Y35000 and a length of 18 mm, and attached to a tobacco column part of a commercially available mild seven superlite with chip paper. Ventilation holes were drilled in the tip paper so that the mainstream smoke dilution rate was 40%. The obtained cigarette was subjected to smoking under the standard smoking conditions defined in ISO. Menthol was released at the same time as smoking, and showed a puff pattern similar to that of normal menthol cigarette products. Tar was 7.1 mg / tube and nicotine was 0.5 mg / tube. Also, the amount of menthol released was 0.78 mg / tube, and the rate of migration of menthol into the smoke was 12.4%, and the amount of menthol cigarette released with a similar tar value (0.4 to 0.6 mg). The value was equal to or greater than /.

  As described above, the smoking article of the present invention can stably retain the flavor component and release the flavor component immediately upon smoking.

Claims (5)

An aerosol generation unit, and a filter unit attached to the aerosol generation unit, wherein the filter unit includes a plurality of flavor releasing particles each including a water-soluble matrix containing a flavor component, and the plurality of flavor release components The particles are obtained by spraying and drying a liquid containing an aqueous solution of the water-soluble matrix material and a flavor component using a four-fluid nozzle spray type spray dryer, each having a particle diameter in the range of 1 to 100 μm. Having an average particle diameter of 20 μm or less, the number of particles having a particle diameter in the range of 1 to 50 μm occupying 90% or more of the total number of particles, the water-soluble matrix is dextrin, gelatin, gum arabic, Is at least one water-soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethyl cellulose? Composed of the smoking article.   The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the flavor component is a hydrophilic flavor component.   The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the flavor component is a hydrophobic flavor component, and each flavor-releasing particle further contains an emulsifier that emulsifies the hydrophobic component in the matrix.   The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating unit generates aerosol by combustion.   The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating unit generates aerosol by heating without combustion.

Images