TWI681725B - Variable pressure drop smoking article - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a smoking article is provided comprising providing a filter component comprising first and second sections that are rotatable relative to one another between two extreme positions. A first section of wrapping material covers the first segment and partially covers the second segment within an overlap region. A second section of wrapping material covers the remainder of the second segment. The first and second sections are adhered to the first and second segments respectively. The first section is not adhered to the plug at the overlap region however. The first section and the filter material are perforated at the overlap region, when the first segment is rotated to the first extreme position so as to form a ventilation orifice configured to provide maximum ventilation at the first extreme position and minimum ventilation at the second extreme position.

Description

Variable pressure drop smoking object

The invention relates to a smoking article and a method for manufacturing the smoking article. In particular, the present invention relates to a smoking article including a filter assembly that enables a user to change the tobacco smoke to air inhaled by a mechanism provided by changing the pressure drop across the filter Ratio.

Filter assemblies for smoking articles are of course well known. It is also known to provide a filter assembly with means for changing the ratio of tobacco smoke to air inhaled by a user by providing a mechanism for the user to change the pressure drop across the filter. An example of this configuration is shown in US4570649. These configurations allow changing the degree of ventilation of the filter, so that the smoke intensity and tar delivery of smoking articles are between a minimum and a maximum tar delivery/fragrance state. The filter assembly is usually adjusted from a minimum state to a maximum state by rotating a part of the filter about 45 degrees to the left or right relative to the remaining part of the smoking article. Correspondingly, a "minimal" label is usually displayed on the outside of the wrapping paper and is surrounded by a "maximum" label on the other side of the wrapping paper.

Smoking articles incorporating these filter assemblies are often referred to as variable pressure drop (VPD) cigarettes. Consumer surveys have shown that providing a second maximum state can create an uncertain factor in how to use VPD cigarettes. It would therefore be desirable to remove the second maximum state so that the filter can only be adjusted between a single maximum state and a single minimum state. In any case, this requires the production of a new form of smoking article, as described in this article.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a smoking article is provided The method includes: providing a filter assembly having a plug of filter material having a first segment and a second segment, wherein the segments are aligned along a common longitudinal axis and wherein the first A section can rotate about the longitudinal axis relative to the second section between two extreme positions.

Attach one end of the filter assembly to a rod of smoking material with packaging material including a first portion and a second portion that can relatively rotate about the longitudinal axis of the filter assembly, wherein the first portion covers the first segment and wherein the first portion Partially covers the second segment in an overlapping area, the second part covers the remaining part of the second segment, wherein the first and second parts are adhered to the first and second segments, respectively, and the first part is not adhered to the overlap Plug at the region; rotate the first segment and the first part relative to the second segment and the second part to the first extreme position; and when the first segment rotates to the first extreme position so as to form a configuration to the first extreme position When one of the ventilation openings for maximum ventilation is provided at the location and minimum ventilation is provided at the second extreme location, the first portion and the filter material are perforated at the overlapping area.

There is therefore provided a method for producing a smoking article having a filter assembly which controls the smoke intensity between a single maximum and minimum aroma state. Therefore, a more convenient VPD cigarette can be produced. Before forming a vent (not at the neutral position between the two extremes), the current process is effectively adjusted so that a starting twist is applied to the filter plug until a first extreme position (When this position is exceeded, the filter plug will not rotate reliably). This method adds an additional step to the process, but nevertheless it can achieve the lowest additional cost. In one example, as the first portions and segments can twist (rotate) relative to each other about a common longitudinal axis, the first and second extreme positions are usually defined by a significant and/or sudden increase in torsional resistance. The increase in resistance can be attributed to the fact that one of the filter components joining the first and second sections is common, and the uncut portion approaches its material limit, that is, the moment that the material limit is exceeded, the filter The sensor assembly begins to break.

The method preferably further includes marking the outside of the packaging material with a strength indicator. The concentration indicator provides a means for a user to observe how the vent opening is opened or closed, and accordingly the concentration of smoke (or based on "fragrance" or tar) that will be transmitted through the filter. When the first segment and the second segment are oriented at the first extreme position, the concentration indicator should indicate the minimum taste intensity, and when the first segment and the second segment are oriented at the second extreme position, the concentration indicator should be Indicates a maximum taste intensity. Still preferably, the concentration indicator includes a scale formed on the opposite portion of the wrapping paper and a corresponding pointer, wherein rotation of the first segment relative to the second segment between two extreme positions causes the pointer to cross the scale Move the entire length. Use any kind of indicators including, for example, color coding and numbers to provide the scale.

The method preferably further includes rotating the first section and the first section relative to the second section and the second section to a second extreme position after forming the vent orifice. This step completes the manufacturing process of smoking articles to ensure that when they are packaged and sold to end users, the smoking articles are in their maximum tar delivery state. The angle of rotation between the two extreme positions is preferably between 40 degrees and 100 degrees, preferably between 50 degrees and 80 degrees.

The vent hole should be tied with a slit. Still preferably, the slit has a length of 2mm to 6mm. The plug of the filter material may include an outer layer of the plug cladding material, wherein the vent opening includes a perforation of the plug cladding material. The plug covering material may be a plug covering material with or without air holes. In addition, the plug of the filter material should preferably include cellulose acetate and/or paper.

At least two and preferably three ventilation apertures are formed, each ventilation aperture being configured to provide maximum ventilation at the first extreme position and minimum ventilation at the second extreme position. However, it is best to form no more than three vent holes.

A filter assembly is provided which advantageously includes a cylindrical plug partially cut out of filter material transverse to one of its longitudinal axes to form a first segment and a second segment, the first and second segments can be wound around Extending along the longitudinal axis between the first and second segments The same core rotates relative to each other. Subsequent attachment of the filter assembly preferably includes covering the plug with packaging material and cutting the packaging material circumferentially to form the first and second portions of the packaging material.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a smoking article including: a rod of smoking material attached to a filter assembly by a packaging material; a filter assembly having a plug of one filtering material , One of the plugs of the filter material has a first segment and a second segment, wherein the segments are aligned along a common longitudinal axis, and wherein the first segment can be in two extreme positions about the longitudinal axis relative to the second segment Rotate between, the filter assembly further includes packaging material including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion can rotate relative to each other about the longitudinal axis of the filter assembly, wherein the first portion covers the first segment and wherein the first One part partially covers the second segment in an overlapping area, and the second part covers the remaining part of the second segment, where the first and second parts are adhered to the first and second segments, respectively, and where the first part is not The plug adhered to the overlapping area; wherein the filter assembly further includes one ventilation orifice configured to provide maximum ventilation at the first extreme position and minimum ventilation at the second extreme position.

The smoking article preferably includes a concentration indicator formed on the outer surface of the packaging material, wherein when the first and second segments are oriented at the first extreme position, the concentration indicator indicates a minimum taste intensity state, and when the When the first segment and the second segment are oriented at the second extreme position, the concentration indicator indicates a state of maximum taste intensity.

1 to 3, a filter-containing cigarette 1 includes a tobacco rod 2 that can be aligned with a filter assembly 3 about a common longitudinal axis. The filter assembly 3 is configured to allow a user to adjust the filter ventilation to adjust the taste density of the cigarette 1. The filter assembly 3 includes a cylindrical plug of filter material (such as cellulose acetate tow) having a plug covering material 4 extending throughout its outer surface, the covering material 4 being substantially not Breathable (or "no pores").

The filter assembly 3 is divided into a first segment 5 (or "mouth end filter segment") and a second segment 6 (or "tobacco end filter segment") by a circumferential transverse cut 7 that is perpendicular to the cigarette 1 Longitudinal axis. The cutout 7 is applied only partially through the diameter of the filter plug 4 so as to leave a central connecting part, or "core" 15, of filter material between the two sections 5, 6 as shown in FIG. This connecting member 15 advantageously serves as a shaft that rotates the segments 5, 6 relative to each other to allow for changes in filter ventilation. The first section 5 cocoa rotates clockwise from a neutral position (the plug is not twisted at this neutral position) about the longitudinal axis relative to the second section 6 until it reaches a first extreme position, or rotates counterclockwise, Until reaching a second extreme position. Without applying excessive force that would damage or break the plug (usually at the core 15), the first segment 5 cannot rotate beyond any extreme position.

A packaging material (or "tip paper") 9 is wrapped on the filter sections 5 and 6. The packaging material 9 includes two parts/snap tapes 10, 11 which are separable at the tangent line 12. The wrapping paper that overlaps the plug of the filter material, and of course the tangent line 12 is shown by the dotted line in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, a pre-perforated wrapping paper 9 may be used. Alternatively, the wrapping paper 9 may be perforated and cut or preferably pre-cut to define the tangent line 12 between the two parts 10, 11 of the tipping paper 9. A first part 10 is usually attached to the first segment 5 of the cigarette 1 by glue. The first part 10 may extend around the entire circumference of the first section 5, the core 15 and the second section 6. The first section 10 extends along the longitudinal axis without being attached to the core 15 or the second section 6 and partially extends along the second section 6 (at an "overlapping area" 19) in the longitudinal axis of the first section 5 and the overall length of the core 6. Segment 5 relative to The second segment 6 is rotated to a first extreme position and a laser (or an alternative blade) is used to simultaneously perforate the first part and the plug coating material of the second segment 6 below (deep into the core of the filter assembly 3 in). Therefore, a transverse groove 13 is formed at the overlapping area 19 of the first portion 10, which combines with the perforation 8 to form an adjustable ventilation orifice 8, 13 to allow control of tobacco smoke drawn through the mouth end of the filter-containing cigarette 1 Ratio to air. Alternatively, the groove 13 and the perforation 8 may be formed separately and then aligned when the wrapping paper 9 is wrapped and adhered to the plug. One of the second portions 11 of the wrapping paper 9 is attached by glue around the remaining portion of the second section 6 that is not covered by the first portion 10 and is partially attached above the tobacco rod 2 to attach the filter assembly 3 to Tobacco rod 2.

In use, when the tobacco rod 2 is ignited, a user can rotate the first section 5 relative to the second section 6 to change the relative position of the slot 13 and the perforation 8, and by changing the filter assembly by a user The air mixture received at the mouth end of 3 changes the ventilation of the filter assembly 3. A concentration indicator 19 is inscribed on the outer surface of the packaging paper 9 for a user to observe how the ventilation openings 8, 13 are opened or closed, and, correspondingly, the density of the smoke to be delivered (or according to " Scent" or tar). An example of this is shown in FIG. 2. A pointer/arrow is provided on the first part 10 (next to the tangent line 12), while a corresponding "max-min" label is provided on the adjacent edge of the second part 11 (immediately next to the tangent line 12). The wrapping paper 9 is wrapped so that when the first segment 5 is rotated to the first extreme position (where the slot 13 and the perforation 8 are fully aligned), the arrow is aligned with the smallest label. The arrow is aligned with the largest label at the second extreme position (where the slot 13 does not overlap the perforation 8). The arrow can therefore move across the length of the scale formed by the minimum and maximum labels, but the arrow will not exceed this scale without damaging the filter assembly 3.

Finally, the first segment 5 is twisted relative to the second segment 6 to misalign the perforation 8 with the slot 13 and thereby set the cigarette 1 at the lowest level of ventilation, as is often the case, the rotation between the two extreme positions The angle is between 40 degrees and 100 degrees, preferably between 50 degrees and 80 degrees. The finished cigarette products are then gathered to form a bale, which is then packaged for sale.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the position where the filter assembly 3 passes through the perforation 8 and the groove 13. It can be seen from this that the relative rotation of the first segment 5 relative to the second segment 6 in any direction can adjust the relative position of the slot 13 and the perforation 8 so that when the cigarette 1 is being smoked, it can be controlled by the combination of the slot 13 and the perforation 8 The amount of air sucked into and into the filter assembly 3. The image on the left hand side shows the filter assembly 3 at the first extreme position, where the maximum amount of air drawn through the inner wall of the filter assembly 3 is allowed. The first segment 5 in the middle image is rotated to a neutral position relative to the second segment 6 where the core 15 is not twisted and the perforation 8 is partially blocked by the first part 10. In the image on the right hand side, the first segment 5 is rotated relative to the second segment 6 to the second extreme position, wherein the perforation 8 is completely blocked by the first part 10 and the vent openings 8, 13 are therefore closed.

Any plurality of perforations 8 and/or slots 13 can be provided to achieve the same function as changing the degree of ventilation in the filter assembly 3, the common principle of the ventilation change is still exactly the same and based on the alignment/misalignment of the perforations 8 and slots 13, Based on the rotation of the mouth end section 5 of the filter relative to the tobacco end section 6.

The length of the perforations 8 should be equal and can be changed from 2.00mm to 6mm, for example, in a preferred embodiment, formed in the plug cladding material, located on the same plane and positioned at about 120 degrees from each other There are three perforations 8 at the angle.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the plug cladding material may have air holes, so that the air flow has been passing through the filter assembly 3, generating a relatively weak but constant air flow to dilute the inhaled smoke.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a prior art variable pressure drop cigarette 21 provided for comparison with the present invention. The cigarette 21 is similar to the previously discussed example and has a similar variable airflow filter. However, in the prior art, the perforation 8 and the groove 13 are aligned at the neutral position between the two extreme positions (and not at the first extreme position). Correspondingly, the concentration indicator has a The center has the smallest label and has the largest label at the first and second extreme positions (either side of the smallest label). The method of the invention instead requires the application of an initial twist to rotate the first segment 5 relative to the second segment 6 to a first extreme position. This extra step It may slow down the process to a minimum (not obvious), however, it can provide a more intuitive and user-friendly concentration indicator.

1‧‧‧ cigarette with filter

2‧‧‧Tobacco rod

3‧‧‧filter assembly

4‧‧‧filter plug

5‧‧‧The first segment of the filter plug

6‧‧‧The second segment of the filter plug

7‧‧‧cut

8‧‧‧Ventilation orifice

9‧‧‧ wrapping paper

10‧‧‧The first part of wrapping paper

11‧‧‧The second part of wrapping paper

12‧‧‧Tangent

13‧‧‧Ventilation orifice

15‧‧‧Center connection part (or core)

19‧‧‧ overlapping area

21‧‧‧ Prior art variable pressure drop cigarettes

An example of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and a method of manufacturing the example of the present invention, in which: FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic illustrations of a smoking article according to the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a diagram according to the present invention A schematic illustration of a central portion of a filter assembly for a smoking article; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a smoking article according to the present invention; and Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a prior art variable pressure drop cigarette.

1‧‧‧ cigarette with filter

2‧‧‧Tobacco rod

3‧‧‧filter assembly

7‧‧‧cut

8‧‧‧Ventilation orifice

10‧‧‧The first part of wrapping paper

11‧‧‧The second part of wrapping paper

12‧‧‧Tangent

13‧‧‧Ventilation orifice

Claims (17)

A method for manufacturing a smoking article, comprising: providing a filter assembly having a plug of filter material having a first segment and a second segment, wherein the segments are along a The common longitudinal axis is aligned, and wherein the first section is rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the second section between two extreme positions; one end of the filter assembly is attached to the smoking material with a packaging material A rod, the packaging material includes a first portion and a second portion rotatable relative to each other about the longitudinal axis of the filter assembly, wherein the first portion covers the first segment and wherein the first portion partially covers an overlapping area The second section, the second section covers the remaining section of the second section, wherein the first section and the second section are adhered to the first section and the second section, respectively, and wherein the first section is not Adhere to the plug at the overlapping area; rotate the first segment and the first part relative to the second segment and the second part to the first extreme position; and when the first segment rotates to the first An extreme position so as to be configured to provide one of the ventilation openings at the first extreme position and to provide the minimum ventilation at the second extreme position, perforate the first portion and the filter material at the overlapping area. The method of claim 1, further comprising marking the outside of the packaging material with a strength indicator. The method of claim 2, wherein when the first segment and the second segment are oriented at the first extreme position, the concentration indicator indicates a minimum mouthfeel intensity, and when the first segment and the second segment are When oriented at the second extreme position, the concentration indicator indicates a maximum taste intensity. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the concentration indicator includes a scale and a corresponding pointer formed on opposite portions of the packaging paper, wherein the first segment is at the two extreme positions relative to the second segment The rotation between moves the pointer across the entire length of the scale. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising rotating the first section and the first section relative to the second section and the second section to the second extreme position after forming the vent . The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the angle of rotation between the two extreme positions is between 40 degrees and 100 degrees. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the angle of rotation between the two extreme positions is between 50 degrees and 80 degrees. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vent hole is a slit. The method of claim 8, wherein the slit has a length of 2 mm to 6 mm. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plug of the filter material includes an outer layer of the plug cladding material, and wherein the vent opening includes a perforation of the plug cladding material. The method of claim 10, wherein the plug cladding material is a plug cladding material with or without pores. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plug of the filter material includes cellulose acetate and/or paper. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least two ventilation apertures are formed, each ventilation aperture being configured to provide maximum ventilation at the first extreme position, and at the second extreme position Minimal ventilation. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein three ventilation apertures are formed, each ventilation aperture being configured to provide maximum ventilation at the first extreme position and minimum at the second extreme position ventilation. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein providing a filter assembly includes: partially cutting a cylindrical plug of the filter material transverse to a longitudinal axis of a cylindrical plug of the filter material to form a A first segment and a second segment that rotate relative to each other about a common core, the common core extends along the longitudinal axis between the first segment and the second segment; and wherein attaching the filter assembly includes: The packaging material covers the plug and the packaging material is cut circumferentially to form the first and second parts of the packaging material. A smoking article comprising: a rod of smoking material attached to a filter assembly by packaging material; the filter assembly having a plug of filter material, the plug of the filter material having a first A segment and a second segment, wherein the segments are aligned along a common longitudinal axis, and wherein the first segment can rotate about the longitudinal axis relative to the second segment between two extreme positions, the filter assembly Further comprising packaging material including a first part and a second part, the first part and the second part can rotate relative to each other about the longitudinal axis of the filter assembly, wherein the first part covers the first segment and wherein the first part part Covering the second section in an overlapping area, the second section covering the remaining section of the second section, wherein the first section and the second section are adhered to the first section and the second section, respectively, and Wherein the first portion is not adhered to the plug at the overlapping area; wherein the filter assembly further includes a configuration to provide maximum ventilation at the first extreme position and minimum ventilation at the second extreme position One vent hole. The smoking article according to claim 16, further comprising a concentration indicator formed on the outer surface of the packaging material, wherein when the first segment and the second segment are oriented at the first extreme position, the concentration The indicator indicates a minimum taste intensity State, and when the first segment and the second segment are oriented at the second extreme position, the concentration indicator indicates a maximum taste intensity state.

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