WO1998002053A1

WO1998002053A1 - Device to add substances to cigarettes

Info

Publication number: WO1998002053A1
Application number: PCT/IT1997/000167
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marcello Riccardo Ricciardi; Augusto Vaccaro
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-07-17
Filing date: 1997-07-15
Publication date: 1998-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 1999-01-17

Abstract

The invention is a device consisting of: 1) a dispenser for adding substances to a manufactured cigarette, 2) a cigarette suitable to receive said substances, 3) a liquid containing the substanc es. Such invention allows the smoker to add dosed quantities of substances to the cigarette before smoking it, thereby modifying, for instance, its taste and flavor. The invention permits also the use of substances that, for their characteristics of volatility or alterability, cannot be conveniently added during cigarette manufacturing. A further purpose is the possibility to add substances which have been proven effective in limiting the presence of toxic substances in inhaled smoke, but that, being easily altered, cannot be conveniently used during manufacturing.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Device to add substances to cigarettes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention refers to cigarettes and to smokers' articles and deals with a system allowing the smoker to add dosed quantities of substances to the cigarette before smoking it.

BACKGROUND ART

Currently the addition of substances to cigarettes is effected exclusively during the industrial stage of their manufacturing, according to the following ways :

1. by adding substances to tobacco;

2. by adding substances to the filters during their f brication. The addition of substances during manufacturing according to the known techniques involves some limitations of an economical and technical character. As a matter of fact: - The types and doses of the substances to add to the tobacco and/or filters, e.g. to characterize the smoke taste, are practically chosen once and for all for each cigarette brand. The possibility to put on the market a large number of brands or types with different flavors is limited by economical reasons (higher production costs for the manufacturer, distribution, unsold products, etc.)

- The choice of the substances to add to tobacco and/or filters according to the known techniques is limited to those substances that are not characterized by excessive volatility or instability. As a matter of fact, also depending on the time elapsing between manufacturing and consumption, very volatile substances, added for instance for smoke aromatization purposes, would be at least partially lost, resulting in a lack of constancy of the organoleptic characteristics felt by the consumer. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

This invention seeks to provide the smoker with a device allowing the addition of substances , for instance flavors, to the cigarette according to personal preference.

Such device enables the smoker to add quickly and precisely a dosed quantity of substances to a cigarette, thereby modifying, for instance, its taste and flavor: in this case even one single type of cigarette allows to obtain the most different smoke flavorings. This device permits also the use of substances that, for their characteristics of volatility or alterability, cannot be conveniently added during cigarette manufacturing. A further purpose of the device is to enable to add substances which have been proven effective in limiting the presence of toxic substances in inhaled smoke, but that, being easily altered, cannot be conveniently used during manufacturing.

These and other advantages are achieved by the device which is the object of the present invention, which allows the smoker to add substances to the cigarette before smoking it, and that comprises a substance dispenser, a cigarette suitable to receive the substances, the substances to be added to the cigarette. The dispenser is characterized in that it comprises, in operating conditions: a tank for liquids (including liquid gases) , a dosing device for the substances, an injector, a cigarette holder, a dosing device operating mechanism. The tank is communicating with the dosing device, which in turn communicates with the injector, whose task is to penetrate into the cigarette filter up to a predetermined point of injection. The cigarette, however made, is characterized in that said cigarette has such a diameter as to fit perfectly in the holder of the dispenser in which is temporarily inserted by the filter, and (said cigarette) shows, in coincidence with the point of injection of the substances, a special filter sector suitable to receive and distribute such substances without creating resistance to draw ( i.e. the smoke flow) . Therefore, any filtering action of such sector does not characterize said cigarette. The substances to be added are characterized in that said substances are liquid, or dissolved in a liquid, including liquid gases, at least until the moment of injection. Herebelow such sector is described, pointing out its functional characteristics (examples shall be brought later on of the modes of carrying out the invention which are preferred but not exclusive) . The characteristic of said sector of the cigarette is the capacity to receive the substances added by the smoker by means of the dispenser in such a way that, during smoking, a rather large contact surface is created between these substances and the main smoke stream, so as to make for instance, among other things, the flow of the said substances in the main smoke stream possible.

The difference distinguishing the section under examination from a common filter is that the function of the cigarette filter is to retain part of the substances present in the smoke; instead, the sector under examination, once the liquid is added to its inside, has the prevailing function of letting the substances added by the smoker distribute themselves.

Having outlined the components (dispenser, cigarette and substances to add to the cigarette) , it is evident that the device allows the smoker to add substances to his/her cigarette quickly, precisely and effectively. As a matter of fact, by inserting the filter end of the cigarette in the appropriate holder of the dispenser and operating the dosing device, a dosed portion of the substances (liquid or dissolved in a liquid, that may also consist in, or contain, liquid gases) contained in the tank is introduced in the special sector of the cigarette filter. In such sector the substances distribute themselves in such a way as to create a wide contact surface with the smoke that shall flow through the sector during inhaling by the smoker. Particular physical and chemical characteristics of the added substances shall permit, for instance, the flow of at least part of them in the smoke stream and/or vapor, giving to the cigarette, for instance, in the case of the use of the device for flavoring purposes, the flavor desired by the smoker. Thereby the previously described advantages are achieved (possibility to modify according to personal preference some characteristics of the cigarette smoke, for instance flavor and taste, and to use also substances that for their characteristics of volatility and/or alterability cannot be conveniently added during manufacturing, but can be conveniently kept in the dispenser. The characteristics and the advantages of the invention are more evident in the preferred, but not exclusive, described modes for carrying out the device which is the object of this patent application, which are described herebelow only by way of indication and not limitation.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Figure 1: dispenser of substances with a piston pump.

A: tank; B: collapsible tank wall; C: liquid; D: seal of the tank perforated by a needle to draw the liquid from the tank; E: pipe; F: pump; G: non- return valve; H: piston; I: push-button; L: return spring of push-button; M: cigarette holder; N: injecting needle; O: holder bedplate; P: pushbutton guide; Z: tank holder. Figure 2: dispenser of substances dissolved in liquid gases.

A: injecting needle; B: cigarette holder; C: pushbutton; D: liquid gases tank; E: filling valve; F: dosing device; G: lever; H: sliding pipe.

Figure 3: dosing device for liquid gases (fig 2, F) with the dosing chamber closed toward the tank and with the sliding pipe end opened. A: valve; B: dosing chamber; C: 0-ring; D: sliding pipe.

Figure 4: dosing device for liquid gases (fig 2, F) with the dosing chamber communicating with the tank and with the sliding pipe end closed. A: valve; B: dosing chamber; C: 0-ring; D: sliding pipe. Figure 5: cigarette.

A: common filter sector; B: special sector suitable to receive liquids; C: common filter sector; D: smoking materials; E: point of injection; F: filter end.

Figure 6: special sector of filter suitable to receive liquids. A: filaments;

Figure 7: structure of a single filament.

A: non-absorbing material; B: absorbent layer.

Figure 8: dispenser comprising a cigarette lighter. A: dispenser push-button; B: cigarette inserted in the cigarette holder; C: lighter push-button; D: hole for the flame;

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The device consists m a dispenser, a cigarette, the liquid and/or dissolved in a liquid substances, and said liquid may also consist of, or contain, liquid gases.

In order to achieve the stated goals there are at least two modes for carrying out the invention, which are described because they are preferred, but not binding.

The first mode for carrying out the invention makes use of a type of dispenser as shown m fig. 1, that is suitable to keep and inject dosed quantities of liquid contained in the tank. The tank A m this example is a disposable refill tank, containing the liquid to be added. Said tank, including an internal collapsible wall, is inserted in the body of the dispenser until the needle perforates the basic seal D (made, for instance, in silicon rubber) so that the tank communicates through the pipe E with the dosing device (which in this case is a piston pump) . Downstream from the pump (that can also be a peristaltic pump, or of a different kind) there is the non-return valve G and an injecting needle N. The push-button I with the guide P and the return spring L form the operating device of the dosing pump. The cigarette holder M consists in a cylindrical cavity of such a diameter as to lodge a cigarette by the filter end exactly and without any undesired clearance. The injecting needle N is placed along the cylinder axis. The end wall 0 of the holder M is a seat allowing the precise positioning of the cigarette for a correct injection. The holder M may include a lid (not shown in the figure) . The dispenser may be carried out with two or more tanks (containing, for instance, different liquids) and in this case it will be provided with a deviating cock which can be operated from the outside (not shown in the figure) .

A cigarette type suitable to the described dispenser is shown in figure 5, where a longitudinal section of the cigarette is shown along its axis. Letter A shows a common filter sector. Letter C shows another filter sector (of the types commonly in use) . The presence of such sector, even if it may show useful for a better efficacy of the system, is not necessary. Sector B is located at a convenient distance from the filter end F, so that the injection point E of the dispenser injector is automatically placed in the center of the same sector. Said sector has a porous structure and it is formed by a complex of filaments with absorbent surface, intertwined so as to create many contact points (fig. 6, A) . The filaments are made of non-absorbing materials with a structural function (fig. 7, A) (for instance: cellulose acetate) , coated with an absorbent material (for instance: cellulose) (fig. 7, B) . The absorbing properties of the filaments' surface determine the absorption and the spreading of the injected liquid dose in the absorbing layer of each single filament. The small channels resulting from the arrangement of the filaments form the space available to smoke flow . The liquid to inject may vary in composition. In the case of flavoring, the liquid consists in flavoring substances dissolved in suitable solvents, also in blend, like: water, alcohol, propyl alcohol, aliphatic alcohols, glycols, propylene glycol, glycerol, 1, 3-butanediol etc.

Compounds like glycerol and propylene glycol are particularly suitable for the purpose for various reasons: after the injection they spread well in the material of sector B, continuing to spread during smoking, due to heat. The rather high boiling point allows a gradual release of the flavors during the entire cigarette duration (smoke taste constancy) .

The second mode for carrying out the invention provides that the substances to be added to the cigarette are dissolved in liquid gases. In this case reference is made to the figure 2, showing another type of dispenser. The cigarette holder is shown by the letter B. Letter D indicates a tank for liquid gases. Letter E indicates a valve for filling the tank. Letter F indicates a dosing device. The figures 3 and 4 show better the dosing device of this dispenser: a valve shutting the flow of the liquid gas to a dosing chamber (fig. 3-4, B) . The pipe (fig. 2, H; fig. 3-4, D) is movable along its length and puts in communication the dosing chamber with the injecting needle (fig. 2, A) , and therefore with the sector B of the cigarette (fig. 5) . The dosing device operating mechanism consists in a pushbutton (fig. 2, C) and in the lever (fig. 2, G) operating the lowering of the pipe (fig 2, H; fig. 3-4, D) . An O-ring seals the dosing chamber (fig. 3-4, C) . Pushing the push-button (fig. 2, C), causes the pipe to lower (fig 2, H) , shutting its end (fig. 4, D) . The length of the stroke determines also the opening of the valve (fig. 4, A) , allowing the chamber to fill with the liquid gas (fig. 4, B) . The return stroke causes first the valve (fig. 3, A) to close, then the end of the pipe (fig. 3, D) to open again, allowing the flow of the dosed liquid gas conveying the substances to the injector.

In the case of the use of substances dissolved in liquid gas, the sector of the cigarette (fig. 5, B) will consist, more conveniently, of an empty chamber and the presence of another sector (fig. 5, C) is necessary. The side wall of sector B (fig. 5) must be airtight. Through the injection and the vaporization of the gas the dissolved substances deposit on the wall and on the bases of the cylindrical chamber, soaking the available surfaces of the two sectors of the ordinary filter (fig. 5, A-C) . This system variant may be preferred in order to obtain a better distribution of the compounds whose partially detoxifying action on smoke is proven, such as, among the antioxidants, for instance, vitamin A and its derivatives, vitamin E and its derivatives, vitamin C and its derivatives, BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) , BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) , melatonin and its derivatives, etc.

The two type of dispensers previously descripted may comprise an ordinary lighter (fig. 8), so as to form one single commodity. Other variants may be envisaged for carrying out the present device, such as a dispenser with refillable tank, with retractile needle, with more than one needle, etc. The operation of the device is therefore simple: when the smoker inserts a cigarette in the proper dispenser holder, the injector needle penetrates longitudinally in the cigarette filter: by operating the dosing device a dosed quantity of substances flows from the tank to the cigarette filter.

The conceived invention is susceptible of modifications and variants, all falling within the invention concept; moreover, all the details, the sizes and the materials can be replaced with others, technically equivalent.

Claims

1) Device allowing the smoker to add substances to the cigarette before smoking it, characterized in that said device comprises: a substance dispenser, a cigarette suitable to receive such substances, the substances to be added to the cigarette, which are dissolved in a liquid that, as the case may be, may consist of, or contain, liquid gases.

2) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said dispenser comprises, in operating conditions: a tank for liquids (including liquid gases) , a dosing device for the liquid contained in the tank, an injector, a dosing device operating mechanism.

3) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said dispenser contains in its tank a liquid at ordinary pressure, and includes a dosing pump as dosing device.

4) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that said dispenser includes a peristaltic or piston pump as dosing device. 5) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that said dispenser includes one or more tanks in which the wall in contact with the liquid is collapsible, in part or all, during emptying. 6) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said dispenser is of a disposable type with sealed tank, or of a re-usable type with refillable or replaceable tank. 7) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said dispenser comprises a holder of cylindrical shape, possibly including a lid, and in said holder the cigarette is inserted up to the seat, so that the injecting needle is inserted in the filter along its length.

8) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said dispenser has one or more injecting needles inside the holder as claimed in Claim 7. 10

9) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said dispenser comprises a tank suitable to contain liquid gases, in which the substances to add are dissolved, and a dosing device consisting of a liquid gas dosing chamber and of a system of valves which can be operated from the outside, allowing the flow of the liquid gas from the tank to the dosing chamber, and from the latter to the injector.

10) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said dispenser includes a lighter so as to form a single commodity.

11) A dispenser as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said dispenser is of a pocket or table type.

12) A cigarette as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said cigarette has a suitable diameter such as to fit perfectly in the dispenser holder, in which is temporarily inserted by the filter, and it shows, in correspondence with the injection point of the substances, a special filter sector prearranged in order to receive and distribute such substances. 13) A cigarette as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that said cigarette comprises a special filter sector with the prevailing function to absorb the substances added by the smoker by means of a dosing dispenser.

14) A cigarette as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that said cigarette includes a special sector of the filter formed by a complex of filaments with absorbent surface, intertwined so as to create many contact points, which filaments are made of non-absorbing materials with a structural function (for instance: cellulose acetate), coated with a material (for instance: cellulose) which absorbs the substances added by the smoker.

15) A cigarette as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that said cigarette includes a special sector of the filter consisting in a cylindrical empty chamber whose side wall is airtight .

16) A cigarette as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that said cigarette has a special filter sector consisting of materials that, due to their characteristics and/or their arrangement, make the distribution of the liquid precise and quick on a wide surface destined to come in contact with the main smoke stream, allowing at the same time an easy smoke flow.

17) A cigarette as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that said cigarette is produced and/or marketed just to receive, in the filter area, substances added by the smoker by means of the dispenser claimed in Claim 2.

18) A filter produced or marketed in order to be attached to cigarettes, with the goal to receive in a proper sector substances added by the smoker by means of the dispenser claimed in Claim 2.

19) A liquid which may also consist of, or contain, liquid gases, characterized in that such liquid is produced and/or marketed in order to be added to the cigarette by the smoker by means of the dispenser claimed in Claim 2. 20) A liquid which may also consist of, or contain, liquid gases, produced and/or marketed in order to be added to the cigarette by the smoker by means of the dispenser claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that such liquid mostly contains one or more of the following substances: glycerol, propylene glycol, 1, 3-butanediol, water.

21) A liquid which may also consist of, or contain, liquid gases, produced and/or marketed in order to be added to the cigarette by the smoker by means of the dispenser claimed in Claim 2 , characterized in that such liquid contains also flavors. 22) A liquid, also consisting of, or containing, liquid gases, produced and/or marketed in order to be added to the cigarette by the smoker by means of the dispenser claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that such liquid contains one or more of the

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following compounds: aliphatic alcohols, vitamin A and its derivatives, vitamin E and its derivatives, vitamin C and its derivatives, BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) , BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) , melatonin and its derivatives.

23) Method allowing to add dosed quantities of substances to the cigarette after manufacturing, characterized in that said method makes use of dispensers of substances as claimed in Claim 2, and of cigarettes suitable to receive such substances.