U.S. patent application number 10/629713 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-05 for electrical smoking system and method.
Invention is credited to Braunshteyn, Mikhail S., Franklin, Traci L., Hall, James W., Harris, Charles W., Jones, Donald H., Lilly, A. Clifton JR., Sanderson, Wesley G., Smith, Barry S., Stevenson, Brett W., Swepston, Jeffrey A., Wrenn, Susan E..
Application Number | 20040020500 10/629713 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27392899 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040020500 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wrenn, Susan E. ; et
al. |
February 5, 2004 |
Electrical smoking system and method
Abstract
An electrical smoking system comprising a cigarette and an
electric lighter, wherein the cigarette comprises a tubular tobacco
mat partially filled with material tobacco so as to define a filled
tobacco rod portion and an unfilled tobacco rod portion. The
cigarette and the lighter are mutually arranged so that when the
cigarette is received in the lighter, the electrical heater element
of the lighter at least partially superposes at least a portion of
the filled tobacco rod portion. The cigarette and the lighter are
also mutually arranged so that when the cigarette is received in
the lighter, the free end of the cigarette is occluded. The
cigarette includes a zone of perforations at a location along the
filled tobacco rod portion, with the cigarette being free of
perforations along the unfilled tobacco rod portion. An apparatus
for perforating a cigarette which can be smoked in an electrical
smoking device includes a drum link-up assembly and a laser
perforating apparatus. The apparatus can be used in a method of
perforating a tobacco rod of the cigarette prior to assembly of the
tobacco rod to a filter rod via tipping paper. In the method, a
tobacco rod is supplied to the drum link-up assembly wherein the
tobacco rod is moved from a combining apparatus to a tipping
apparatus which attaches the tobacco rod to a filter rod by tipping
paper. In making the cigarettes with a tobacco rod and a filter
rod, a combining apparatus forms a continuous tobacco rod which is
cut into 2-up tobacco rods.
Inventors: |
Wrenn, Susan E.;
(Chesterfield, VA) ; Lilly, A. Clifton JR.;
(Chesterfield, VA) ; Franklin, Traci L.;
(Mechanicsville, VA) ; Sanderson, Wesley G.;
(Chester, VA) ; Stevenson, Brett W.; (Richmond,
VA) ; Harris, Charles W.; (Chesterfield, VA) ;
Jones, Donald H.; (Midlothian, VA) ; Smith, Barry
S.; (Hopewell, VA) ; Swepston, Jeffrey A.;
(Powhatan, VA) ; Braunshteyn, Mikhail S.;
(Richmond, VA) ; Hall, James W.; (Glen Allen,
VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Peter K. Skiff
BURNS, DOANE, SWECKER & MATHIS, L.L.P.
P.O. Box 1404
Alexandria
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Family ID: |
27392899 |
Appl. No.: |
10/629713 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10629713 |
Jul 30, 2003 |
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09814779 |
Mar 23, 2001 |
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60191455 |
Mar 23, 2000 |
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60191460 |
Mar 23, 2000 |
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60191461 |
Mar 23, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
131/194 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24C 5/01 20200101; A24F
40/20 20200101; A24D 1/20 20200101; A24C 5/606 20130101; A24C 5/478
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/194 |
International
Class: |
A24F 001/22 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electrical smoking system comprising: a cigarette comprising
a tubular tobacco mat partially filled with tobacco material so as
to define a filled tobacco rod portion and an unfilled tobacco rod
portion, said filled tobacco rod portion being adjacent a free end
of said cigarette; and a lighter comprising an electrical heater
element and a system for electrically actuating said heater
element, said lighter arranged to at least partially receive said
cigarette; said cigarette and said lighter being mutually arranged
so that when the cigarette is received in said lighter, said
electrical heater element of the lighter at least partially
superposes at least a portion of the filled tobacco rod portion;
said cigarette and said lighter being mutually arranged so that
when the cigarette is received in said lighter, said free end of
said cigarette is occluded; said cigarette including a zone of
perforations at a first location along said filled tobacco rod
portion; said cigarette being free of perforations along said
unfilled tobacco rod portion.
2. A cigarette of an electrical smoking system, comprising a
tobacco rod and a filter tipping attached to a tipped end portion
of said tobacco rod, said tobacco rod comprising: a tubular tobacco
mat partially filled with tobacco material so as to define a filled
tobacco rod portion and an unfilled tobacco rod portion, said
filled tobacco rod portion being adjacent a free end of said
cigarette; said cigarette including a zone of perforations at a
first location along said filled tobacco rod portion; said
cigarette being free of perforations along said unfilled tobacco
rod portion.
3. The cigarette as claimed in claim 1, said tobacco rod further
comprising a cigarette wrapper disposed about said tubular tobacco
mat, said perforations extending at least partially through said
wrapper and said mat.
4. The cigarette as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cigarette is
adapted to receive thermal treatment along a length portion of said
tobacco rod corresponding to a heater footprint of an electrical
lighter, said length portion spaced a predetermined distance from
said free end portion of said tobacco rod, said first location of
said zone of perforations being spaced from said free end of said
tobacco rod a first distance approximately equal to said
predetermined distance.
5. The cigarette as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cigarette is
adapted to receive thermal treatment along a length portion of said
tobacco rod corresponding to a heater footprint of an electrical
lighter, said length portion spaced a predetermined distance from
said free end portion of said tobacco rod, said first location of
said zone of perforations being spaced from said free end of said
tobacco rod a first distance greater than said predetermined
distance.
6. The cigarette as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cigarette is
adapted to receive thermal treatment along a length portion of said
tobacco rod corresponding to a heater footprint of an electrical
lighter, said length portion spaced a predetermined distance from
said free end portion of said tobacco rod, said first location of
said zone of perforations being spaced from said free end of said
tobacco rod a first distance less than said predetermined
distance.
7. The cigarette as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a
plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart holes in said tubular
tobacco mat at a second location along said filled tobacco rod
portion, said wrapper covering said mat holes.
8. The cigarette as claimed in claim 7, wherein said tubular
tobacco mat comprises a tubular base web and a layer of tobacco
material disposed along an interior of said tubular base web; said
mat holes extending through said base web and said layer of tobacco
material.
9. The cigarette as claimed in claim 7, wherein said mat holes are
approximately 1 mm in diameter and 6 in number, arranged in a row
and said zone of perforations comprises one or two rows of
perf-holes, each row having 12 perf-holes.
10. The cigarette as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second
location of mat holes is spaced from said free end of said tobacco
rod a second distance of approximately 7 mm and said zone of
perforations comprises at least one row of 12 perf-holes spaced
approximately 12 mm from said free end.
11. The cigarette as claimed in claim 2, said tobacco rod further
comprising a cigarette wrapper disposed about said tubular tobacco
mat, said perforations extending at least partially through said
wrapper and said mat.
12. The cigarette as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cigarette is
adapted to receive thermal treatment along a length portion of said
tobacco rod corresponding to a heater footprint of an electrical
lighter, said length portion spaced a predetermined distance-from
said free end portion of said tobacco rod, said first location of
said zone of perforations being spaced from said free end of said
tobacco rod a first distance approximately equal to said
predetermined distance.
13. The cigarette as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cigarette is
adapted to receive thermal treatment along a length portion of said
tobacco rod corresponding to a heater footprint of an electrical
lighter, said length portion spaced a predetermined distance from
said free end portion of said tobacco rod, said first location of
said zone of perforations being spaced from said free end of said
tobacco rod a first distance greater than said predetermined
distance.
14. The cigarette as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cigarette is
adapted to receive thermal treatment along a length portion of said
tobacco rod corresponding to a heater footprint of an electrical
lighter, said length portion spaced a predetermined distance from
said free end portion of said tobacco rod, said first location of
said zone of perforations being spaced from said free end of said
tobacco rod a first distance less than said predetermined
distance.
15. The cigarette as claimed in claim 7, wherein a second
perforation zone is established at a third location along said
tobacco rod; said second location of mat holes being between said
first and third locations, said second location of mat holes is
optionally spaced from said free end of said tobacco rod a first
distance of approximately 7 mm and said perforation zones are
optionally spaced from said free end of said tobacco rod
approximately 4 and 12 mm, respectively.
16. The cigarette as claimed in claim 11, wherein a second
perforation zone is established at a third location along said
tobacco rod; said second location of mat holes being between said
first and third locations, said second location of mat holes is
optionally spaced from said free end of said tobacco rod a first
distance of approximately 7 mm and said perforation zones are
optionally spaced from said free end of said tobacco rod
approximately 4 and 12 mm, respectively.
17. The cigarette as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tobacco rod
includes a tubular body at the tipped end portion of the tobacco
rod; and said filter tipping includes a free flow filter adjacent
said tubular body and a mouthpiece filter adjacent said free flow
filter.
18. The cigarette as claimed in claim 17, wherein said tubular body
has a smaller inside diameter than said free flow filter.
19. The lighter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an air
admission passage and an arrangement operative at a location along
said air admission passage to produce a pressure drop in the range
of 10 to 40 mm water.
20. The lighter as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a puff
sensor having a sensitivity to a change in pressure in the range of
10 to 40 mm water.
21. The system as claimed in claim 1, said lighter further
comprising an air admission passage and an arrangement operative at
a location along said air admission passage to produce a pressure
drop in the range of 20 to 30 mm water.
22. The system as claimed in claim 21, said lighter further
comprising a puff sensor having a sensitivity to a change in
pressure in the range of 20 to 30 mm water.
23. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said cigarette has a
resistance to draw of approximately 20 to 25 mm water.
24. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lighter further
comprises a flow deflector arranged to direct air drawn into said
lighter toward a cigarette receiving location within said lighter,
the air flow deflector directing the air in a circumferential zone
around the cigarette at the location of the zone of
perforations.
25. The system as claimed in claim 24, wherein at least a portion
of said lighter adjacent said cigarette receiving location is
constructed of a metal, including at least said air flow
deflector.
26. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said lighter further
comprises an air flow deflector arranged to direct air drawn into
said lighter toward a cigarette receiving location within said
lighter, the air flow deflector directing the air in a
circumferential zone around the cigarette at the location of the
zone of perforations.
27. The system as claimed in claim 26, wherein at least a portion
of said lighter adjacent said cigarette receiving location is
constructed of a metal, including at least said air flow
deflector.
28. A method of making a cigarette, comprising the steps of:
repetitively arranging a tobacco plug and a filter element along a
ribbon of tobacco mat; punching a row of holes at spaced locations
along said ribbon of mat material with opposing rollers; and
wrapping said mat and a wrapper around the repetitively arranged
tobacco plug and the filter element, the tobacco plug, the filter
element, and an inner surface of the wrapper defining a cavity
between the tobacco plug and the filter element, such that the row
of mat holes is disposed in superposing relation only with the
tobacco plug.
29. An apparatus for perforating a tobacco rod prior to assembly of
the tobacco rod to a filter rod via tipping paper, comprising: a
drum link-up assembly adapted to transfer a tobacco rod from a
combining apparatus to a tipping apparatus wherein the tobacco rod
is attached to a filter rod by tipping paper; and a laser
perforating apparatus adapted to burn one or more holes in an outer
surface of the tobacco rod while the tobacco rod is in the drum
link-up assembly.
30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the laser perforating
apparatus includes a lens arrangement which burns at least one
circumferentially extending row of perforations into the tobacco
rod.
31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the drum link-up assembly
includes a drum having flutes on an outer surface thereof, the
laser perforating apparatus being adapted to rotate the tobacco rod
about its axis while pulsing a laser to burn the at least one row
of perforations into the tobacco rod as the tobacco rod is rolled
from one flute to an adjacent flute.
32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the laser perforating
apparatus includes a beam splitter which separates a beam from a
pulsed laser into at least two beams which burn at least two rows
of elongated holes into the tobacco rod.
33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the drum link-up assembly
comprises at least one rotating drum having flutes sized to carry
2-up tobacco rods.
34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the drum link-up assembly
includes a series of drums which transfer 2-up tobacco rods to the
tipping machine, the drums including a catch drum, a transfer drum,
a swash plate drum, a laser drum, a cutting drum, and a separating
drum, the catch drum receiving 2-up tobacco rods from a delivery
device of a combining apparatus and delivering the 2-up tobacco
rods to the transfer drum, the transfer drum delivering the 2-up
tobacco rods to the swash plate drum, the swash plate drum aligning
the 2-up tobacco rods and delivering the aligned 2-up tobacco rods
to the laser drum, the laser drum orienting the 2-up tobacco rods
such that the laser perforating apparatus burns at least two
longitudinally spaced apart rows of perforations on each of the
2-up tobacco rods, the laser drum delivering the 2-up tobacco rods
to the cutting drum, the cutting drum cutting the 2-up tobacco rods
into a pair of tobacco rods of unit length and delivering the pair
of tobacco rods to the separating drum, the separating drum
separating the pair of tobacco rods longitudinally apart and
delivering the separated tobacco rods to an assembly of a tipping
apparatus at which the pair of tobacco rods are combined with a
2-up filter rod by placing the 2-up filter rod between the pair of
spaced apart tobacco rods.
35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the apparatus further
comprises the combining machine, the combining machine including
means for wrapping a tobacco plug and a free-flow filter plug
within a tobacco matt and an outer paper wrapper to form a
continuous tobacco rod, the combining machine including a cutting
apparatus which cuts the continuous tobacco rod into 2-up tobacco
rod segments, the laser perforating apparatus being adapted to bum
perforating holes at locations on the 2-up tobacco rods such that
the perforating holes pass through the outer paper wrapper and the
tobacco matt and into the tobacco plugs of the 2-up tobacco rod
segments.
36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the apparatus further
includes the tipping apparatus, the tipping apparatus including
means for attaching the perforated tobacco rods to filter rods by
locating a 2-up filter rod in a space between a pair of the
perforated tobacco rods, wrapping tipping paper around the 2-up
filter rod such that the tipping paper overlaps portions of the
perforated tobacco rods, gluing ends of the tipping paper together,
and cutting the 2-up filter rods to produce a pair of
cigarettes.
37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the tipping apparatus
includes a laser perforating station at which the cigarettes are
provided with additional perforation holes, the laser perforating
station including a lens arrangement which burns at least one
circumferentially extending row of the additional perforations into
the tobacco rod.
38. A method of perforating a tobacco rod prior to assembly of the
tobacco rod to a filter rod via tipping paper, comprising:
supplying a tobacco rod to a drum link-up assembly wherein the
tobacco rod is moved from a combining apparatus to a tipping
apparatus wherein the tobacco rod is attached to a filter rod by
tipping paper; and forming a perforated tobacco rod by actuating a
laser perforating apparatus so as to bum one or more perforating
holes in an outer surface of the tobacco rod while the tobacco rod
is in the drum link-up assembly.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein the laser perforating apparatus
includes a lens arrangement which bums at least one
circumferentially extending row of the perforation holes into the
tobacco rod.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein the drum link-up assembly
includes a drum having flutes on an outer surface thereof, the
laser perforating apparatus rotating the tobacco rod about its axis
while pulsing a laser to bum the at least one row of the
perforation holes into the tobacco rod.
41. The method of claim 38, wherein the laser perforating apparatus
includes a beam splitter which separates a beam from a pulsed laser
into at least two beams which burn at least two rows of elongated
holes into the tobacco rod.
42. The method of claim 38, wherein the drum link-up assembly
includes at least one rotating drum having flutes which deliver
2-up tobacco rods to the laser perforating apparatus.
43. The method of claim 38, wherein the drum link-up assembly
includes a series of drums which transfer 2-up tobacco rods to the
tipping machine, the drums including a catch drum, a transfer drum,
a swash plate drum, a laser drum, a cutting drum, and a separating
drum, the catch drum receiving 2-up tobacco rods from the combining
apparatus and delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to the transfer
drum, the transfer drum delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to the
swash plate drum, the swash plate drum aligning the 2-up tobacco
rods and delivering the aligned 2-up tobacco rods to the laser drum
at which the perforation holes are burned into at least two
longitudinally spaced apart locations on each of the 2-up tobacco
rods, the laser drum delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to the
cutting drum at which the 2-up tobacco rods are cut in half, the
cutting drum delivering tobacco rods to the separating drum at
which the cut tobacco rods are separated apart, and the separating
drum delivering the tobacco rods to an assembly drum of a tipping
apparatus at which a 2-up filter rod is placed between the
separated tobacco rods.
44. The method of claim 38, further comprising producing the
tobacco rods in the combining machine by wrapping alternating 2-up
tobacco plugs and 2-up free-flow filter plugs within a tobacco matt
and an outer paper wrapper to form a continuous tobacco rod,
cutting the continuous tobacco rod into 2-up tobacco rods, and
delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to the drum link-up assembly, the
laser perforating apparatus being set to a power level sufficient
to burn the perforation holes at locations along the 2-up tobacco
rods such that the perforation holes pass through the outer paper
wrapper and the tobacco matt into the tobacco plugs.
45. The method of claim 38, further comprising producing cigarettes
by delivering the perforated tobacco rods to the tipping apparatus
and attaching the perforated tobacco rods to filter rods by
locating a 2-up filter rod in a space between a pair of the
perforated tobacco rods, wrapping tipping paper around the 2-up
filter rod such that the tipping paper overlaps portions of the
perforated tobacco rods, gluing ends of the tipping paper together,
and cutting the 2-up filter rods to produce a pair of
cigarettes.
46. The method of claim 44, further comprising producing cigarettes
by delivering the perforated tobacco rods to the tipping apparatus
and attaching the perforated tobacco rods to filter rods by
locating a 2-up filter rod in a space between a pair of the
perforated tobacco rods, wrapping tipping paper around the 2-up
filter rod such that the tipping paper overlaps portions of the
perforated tobacco rods, gluing ends of the tipping paper together,
and cutting the 2-up filter rods to produce a pair of
cigarettes.
47. The method of claim 46, further comprising a step of
perforating the cigarettes in the tipping apparatus by delivering
the cigarettes to a laser perforating station at which the
cigarettes are provided with additional perforation holes, the
laser perforating station including a lens arrangement which bums
at least one circumferentially extending row of perforations into
the tobacco rod at a location such that the perforation holes pass
into the tobacco plug.
48. An apparatus for manufacturing a cigarette, said apparatus
comprising a combining apparatus wherein a continuous tobacco rod
is formed by placing 2-up tobacco plugs and 2-up hollow plugs in
spaced, alternating relation from one another and wrapping a
tobacco web and an overwrap about said spaced apart plugs after
which the continuous tobacco rod is cut into 2-up tobacco rods; a
tipping apparatus wherein the 2-up tobacco rods are attached to
filter rods by tipping paper; and a transfer apparatus which
directly links the combining apparatus to the tipping apparatus,
and allows for the transfer of the 2-up tobacco rods from the
combining apparatus to the tipping apparatus.
49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the transfer apparatus
includes a swash drum which aligns the 2-up tobacco rods, a cutting
drum which cuts the aligned 2-up tobacco rods in half, a separating
drum which separates the cut tobacco rods, and/or a catch drum
which is directly linked to the combining apparatus.
50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the transfer apparatus
includes a laser system which burns perforations into the 2-up
tobacco rods, the laser system optionally burning at least one
circumferential band of perforations at two longitudinally
spread-apart locations on the 2-up tobacco rod.
51. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the combining apparatus cuts
the continuous tobacco rod into 2-up tobacco rod portions
comprising a 1-up tobacco plug on each end and one of said 2-up
hollow plugs therebetween.
52. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the transfer apparatus
includes a series of drums which transfer 2-up tobacco rods to the
tipping machine, the drums including a catch drum, a transfer-drum,
a swash plate drum, a laser drum, a separator drum and a cutting
drum, the catch drum delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to the
transfer drum, the transfer drum delivering the 2-up tobacco rods
to the swash plate drum, the swash plate drum delivering the 2-up
tobacco rods to the laser drum at which laser perforations are
burned into the 2-up tobacco rods, the laser drum delivering the
2-up tobacco rods to the cutting drum at which the 2-up tobacco
rods are cut in half, the cutting drum delivering the tobacco rods
to the separating drum at which the tobacco rods are separated, the
separating drum delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to the tipping
machine.
53. The apparatus according to claim 51, wherein an assembly drum
in the tipping machine receives the spaced apart tobacco rods which
are combined with 2-up filter rods by placing a 2-up filter rod
between a pair of spaced apart tobacco rods and the tipping
apparatus includes means for wrapping tipping paper around the 2-up
filter rod such that the tipping paper overlaps portions of the
tobacco rods, gluing ends of the tipping paper together, and
cutting the 2-up filter rods to produce a pair of cigarettes.
54. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the tipping apparatus
includes a laser perforating station at which the cigarettes are
perforated.
55. A method of manufacturing a tobacco rod portion of a cigarette,
said method comprising forming a continuous tobacco rod in a
combining apparatus by placing 2-up tobacco plugs and 2-up hollow
plugs in spaced alternating relation from one another and wrapping
a tobacco web and overwrap about said spaced apart plugs; and
severing said continuous tobacco rod into 2-up tobacco rods at an
outlet portion of the combining apparatus, the 2-up tobacco rods
comprising two 1-up tobacco plugs on opposite ends thereof and one
of said 2-up hollow plugs located between said two 1-up tobacco
plugs.
56. The method of claim 55, further comprising using a transfer
apparatus to transfer the 2-up tobacco rods from the combining
apparatus to a tipping apparatus, using the transfer apparatus to
cut the 2-up tobacco rods to tobacco rods of unit length, using the
transfer apparatus to align the 2-up tobacco rods prior to cutting
them to unit length, and/or using the transfer apparatus for
spacing apart the cut tobacco rods of unit length.
57. The method of claim 56, wherein the transfer apparatus includes
a series of drums which transfer the 2-up tobacco rods to the
tipping apparatus, the drums including a catch drum, a transfer
drum, a swash plate drum, a laser drum, a cutting drum and a
separator drum, the catch drum delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to
the transfer drum, the transfer drum delivering the 2-up tobacco
rods to the swash plate drum, the swash plate drum delivering the
2-up tobacco rods to the laser drum at which a plurality of laser
perforations are burned into the 2-up tobacco rods, the laser drum
delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to the cutting drum at which the
2-up tobacco rods are cut in half, the cutting drum delivering the
tobacco rods to the separating drum at which the tobacco rods are
separated, the separating drum delivering the tobacco rods to the
tipping apparatus.
58. The method of claim 55, wherein the transfer apparatus a series
of drums which transfer 2-up tobacco rods to the tipping apparatus,
the drums including a catch drum, a transfer drum, a cutting drum
and a separator drum, the catch drum delivering the 2-up tobacco
rods to the transfer drum, the transfer drum delivering the 2-up
tobacco rods to the cutting drum at which the 2-up tobacco rods are
cut in half, the cutting drum delivering the tobacco rods to the
separating drum at which the tobacco rods are separated, the
separating drum delivering the tobacco rods to the tipping
apparatus.
59. The method of claim 55, wherein the tobacco rods are
transferred from the combining apparatus to the tipping apparatus
by a series of interengaging drums which minimize damage to the
tobacco rods during such transfer.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to electrical smoking systems
and methods of increasing delivery in electrical smoking
systems.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] Traditional cigarettes are consumed by lighting an end of a
wrapped tobacco rod and drawing air predominately through the lit
end by suction at a mouthpiece end of the cigarette. Traditional
cigarettes deliver smoke as a result of combustion, during which a
mass of tobacco is combusted at temperatures which often exceeds
800.degree. C. during a puff. The heat of combustion releases
various gaseous combustion products and distillates from the
tobacco. As these gaseous products are drawn through the cigarette,
they cool and condense to form a smoke containing the tastes and
aromas associated with smoking. Traditional cigarettes produce
sidestream smoke during smoldering between puffs. Once lit, they
must be fully consumed or be discarded. Relighting a traditional
cigarette is possible but is usually an unattractive proposition to
a discerning smoker for subjective reasons (flavor, taste,
odor).
[0003] In an electrical smoking system, it is desirable to deliver
smoke in a manner that meets the smokers experiences with more
traditional cigarettes, such as an immediacy response (smoke
delivery occurring immediately upon draw), a desired level of
delivery (which correlates with FTC tar level), together with a
desired resistance to draw (RTD) and consistency from puff to puff
and from cigarette to cigarette.
[0004] Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,388,594 and 5,692,525
disclose electrical smoking systems and methods of manufacturing a
cigarette, which patents are incorporated by reference. The former
patent describes an electrical smoking system including a novel
electrically powered lighter and a novel cigarette that cooperates
with the lighter. The preferred embodiment of the lighter therein
included a plurality of metallic serpentine heaters disposed in a
configuration that slidingly receives a tobacco rod portion of the
cigarette. The preferred embodiment of the cigarette therein
comprised a tobacco-laden tubular carrier, a cigarette paper
overwrapped about the tubular carrier, an arrangement of
flow-through filter plugs at a mouthpiece end of the carrier and a
filter plug at the free (distal) end of the carrier. The cigarette
and the lighter were configured such that when the cigarette is
inserted into the lighter and as individual heaters are actuated
for each puff, localized charring occurs at spots about the
cigarette in the locality where each heater was bearing against the
cigarette (hereinafter referred to as a "heater footprint" or "char
zones"). Once all the heaters had been actuated, the cigarette is
discarded.
[0005] In the latter patent, the cigarette includes a tobacco plug
and the cigarette and the heater fixture are mutually configured
such that the heater footprints (char zones) at least partially
overlap the tobacco plug as well as a hollow portion of the tobacco
rod. Such arrangement provides an immediacy of response from the
early initiation of pyrolysis at the void, together with inclusion
of a fuller flavor contribution from the plug of tobacco(s).
[0006] It has been desirous to produce an electrical smoking system
of the type described above that produces delivery levels of
substantially greater than 3 milligrams tar (FTC). A greater
segment of smokers prefer the higher levels of delivery from their
more traditional cigarettes of choice. Obtaining such levels of
delivery in electrical smoking systems has heretofore been a
challenging proposition.
[0007] For example, the previously described electrical smoking
systems are battery operated, so that the total energy expended per
puff needs to be kept at acceptable levels. Too much power
application in the heater elements during a puff can lead to
bum-throughs and sometimes undesired degrees of combustion.
[0008] In systems such as taught in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No.
5,692,525, in which heater footprints (char zones) at least
partially overlap a hollow portion of the tobacco rod and partially
overlap a tobacco plug, bum-throughs will usually first appear in
the region of the hollow portion of the tobacco rod. Upon such
occurrence, the smoke tends to be hotter than the other puffs, with
less contribution of the fuller flavor usually generated by the
heating of the tobacco plug portion of the cigarette rod.
Consistency in the smoking experience are compromised if
bum-throughs are not somehow avoided.
[0009] In commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594, the smoked
portion of the tobacco rod is preferably entirely hollow and the
heater footprint is entirely superposed over a the hollow portion
of the tobacco rod. Bum-throughs in the "wholly hollow" system of
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594 tend to make the smoke all the more hot
and/or harsh tasting. Providing expedients to increase delivery in
the "wholly hollow" system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594, such as
providing perforations as suggested at column 10 lines 36-51
thereof, aggravate the risks of burn-throughs , with adverse
consequences upon taste and consistency.
[0010] Resistance to draw (RTD) of traditional cigarettes is the
pressure required to force air through the full length of a
cigarette at the rate of 17.5 ml per second. RTD is usually
expressed in inches or millimeter of water. Smokers have certain
expectations when drawing upon a traditional cigarette in that too
little RTD or too much can detract from smoking enjoyment. More
traditional cigarettes of moderate delivery have RTD's generally
within the range of approximately 100 to 130 mm water.
[0011] Establishing a desired RTD in electrical smoking systems is
complicated by the circumstance that in smoking systems such as
shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,388,594 and 5,692,525, air is first drawn
through passages within the cigarette lighter before being drawn
out through the cigarette. The filter tipping of the cigarettes of
those systems are preferably flow-through and/or low particulate
efficiency filters so as to minimize loss of whatever smoke is
produced. Such filters produce little pressure drop and therefore
do not contribute much RTD. Consequently, prior practices have
included the establishment of RTD (or pressure drop) predominantly
in the lighter portion of the electrical smoking system, such as
with an annular frit (porous body) adjacent the air admission port
of the lighter as taught in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No.
5,954,979. Because pressure drop varies widely with any change in
size of the constriction, it has been found that the use of frits
or other forms of tiny flow constrictions in the lighter body must
be manufactured with care. It therefore adds expense and other
production and quality concerns. Furthermore, tiny flow passages
are prone to clog, particularly in lighters wherein any smoke is
allowed to linger after completion of a puff.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0012] An object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette
containing cut filler or other form of shredded tobacco, which
cigarette is adapted to cooperate with an electrical lighter and
render satisfying levels of delivery and taste.
[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
cigarette for an electrical smoking system which includes cut
filler, yet provides improved consistency in delivery from puff to
puff.
[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
cigarette adapted for use in electrical smoking systems, which
cigarette is resistive to breakage during the withdrawal of the
cigarette from the lighter thereof.
[0015] It is still a further object of this invention to provide a
novel cigarette that is operative with an electrical lighter and
conducive to cost-effective methods of manufacture, even at
production speeds.
[0016] These and other objects are achieved with the present
invention which provides an electrical smoking system comprising a
cigarette and an electric lighter, wherein the cigarette comprises
a tubular tobacco mat partially filled with material tobacco so as
to define a filled tobacco rod portion and an unfilled tobacco rod
portion. The filled tobacco rod portion is situated adjacent a free
end of said cigarette. The lighter comprises an electrical heater
element and a system for electrically actuating said heater
element, with the lighter being arranged to at least partially
receive said cigarette. The cigarette and the lighter are mutually
arranged so that when the cigarette is received in the lighter, the
electrical heater element of the lighter at least partially
superposes at least a portion of the filled tobacco rod portion.
The cigarette and the lighter are also mutually arranged so that
when the cigarette is received in the lighter, the free end of the
cigarette is occluded. Furthermore, the cigarette includes a zone
of perforations at a location along the filled tobacco rod portion,
with the cigarette being free of perforations along the unfilled
tobacco rod portion.
[0017] By such arrangements and others, the delivery (total
particulate matter ("TPM") per FTC testing methodology) of the
electrical smoking system may be increased without producing a hot,
harsh-tasting smoke. Importantly, the enhanced delivery is achieved
without overdriving the heater element of the lighter. The elevated
delivery is achieved without additional load upon the batteries of
the lighter and without driving the heater element to excessive
peak temperatures.
[0018] A further aspect is provision of cooperative features within
the lighter and the cigarette such that a large majority of the
resistance to draw of the smoking system originates along the side
walls of cigarette, with a lesser portion originating from flow
passages within the lighter.
[0019] A further aspect of the present invention is provision of an
air-flow deflector along an interior portion of the lighter to
favorably direct air toward the cigarette.
[0020] In addition to the above, the invention provides an
apparatus for perforating a tobacco rod prior to assembly of the
tobacco rod to a filter rod via tipping paper, comprising a drum
link-up assembly adapted to transfer a tobacco rod from a combining
apparatus to a tipping apparatus wherein the tobacco rod is
attached to a filter rod by tipping paper; and a laser perforating
apparatus adapted to burn one or more holes in an outer surface of
the tobacco rod while the tobacco rod is in the drum link-up
assembly.
[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the laser
perforating apparatus includes a lens arrangement which burns at
least one circumferentially extending row of perforations around
the tobacco rod. According to another embodiment, the drum link-up
assembly includes a drum having flutes on an outer surface thereof,
the laser perforating apparatus being adapted to rotate the tobacco
rod about its axis while pulsing a laser to bum the at least one
row of perforations into the tobacco rod as the tobacco rod is
rolled from one flute to an adjacent flute. If desired, the laser
perforating apparatus can include a beam splitter which separates a
beam from a pulsed laser into at least two beams which burn at
least two rows of elongated holes into the tobacco rod to form a
laser perforated tobacco rod. Preferably, the drum link-up assembly
comprises at least one rotating drum having flutes sized to carry
2-up tobacco rods.
[0022] According to a preferred embodiment, the drum link-up
assembly includes a series of drums which transfer 2-up tobacco
rods to the tipping machine, the drums including a catch drum, a
transfer drum, a swash plate drum, a laser drum, a cutting drum,
and a separating drum, the catch drum receiving 2-up tobacco rods
from a delivery device of a combining apparatus and delivering the
2-up tobacco rods to the transfer drum, the transfer drum
delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to the swash plate drum, the swash
plate drum aligning the 2-up tobacco rods and delivering the
aligned 2-up tobacco rods to the laser drum, the laser drum
orienting the 2-up tobacco rods such that the laser perforating
apparatus bums at least two longitudinally spaced apart rows of
perforations on each of the 2-up tobacco rods, the laser drum
delivering the 2-up tobacco rods to the cutting drum, the cutting
drum cutting the 2-up tobacco rods into a pair of tobacco rods of
unit length and delivering the pair of tobacco rods to the
separating drum at which the pair of tobacco rods are spaced
longitudinally apart, the separating drum delivering the tobacco
rods to an assembly drum of a tipping apparatus at which the pair
of tobacco rods are combined with a 2-up filter rod by placing the
2-up filter rod between the pair of spaced apart tobacco rods.
[0023] The apparatus can further comprise a combining machine which
includes means for wrapping a tobacco plug and a free-flow filter
plug within a tobacco matt and an outer paper wrapper to form a
continuous tobacco rod, the combining machine including a cutting
apparatus which cuts the continuous tobacco rod into 2-up tobacco
rod segments, the laser perforating apparatus being adapted to burn
perforating holes at locations on the 2-up tobacco rods such that
the perforating holes pass through the outer paper wrapper and the
tobacco matt and into the tobacco plugs of the 2-up tobacco rod
segments. Further, the apparatus can include a tipping apparatus
which includes means for attaching the perforated tobacco rods to
filter rods by locating a 2-up filter rod in a space between a pair
of the perforated tobacco rods, wrapping tipping paper around the
2-up filter rod such that the tipping paper overlaps portions of
the perforated tobacco rods, gluing ends of the tipping paper
together, and cutting the 2-up filter rods to produce a pair of
cigarettes. If desired, the tipping apparatus can include a laser
perforating station at which the cigarettes are provided with
additional perforation holes, the laser perforating station
including a lens arrangement which provides at least one
circumferentially extending row of the additional perforations at.
a location along the tobacco rod.
[0024] The invention also provides a method of perforating a
tobacco rod prior to assembly of the tobacco rod to a filter rod
via tipping paper, comprising supplying a tobacco rod to a drum
link-up assembly wherein the tobacco rod is moved from a combining
apparatus to a tipping apparatus wherein the tobacco rod is
attached to a filter rod by tipping paper, and forming a perforated
tobacco rod by actuating a laser perforating apparatus so as to
burn one or more perforating holes in an outer surface of the
tobacco rod while the tobacco rod is in the drum link-up
assembly.
[0025] Another object of the present invention is to establish a
method of manufacturing with high speed production. machinery a
cigarette of the type operable with an electric lighter and
containing cut filler.
[0026] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
cigarette suited for consumption with a lighter of an electrical
smoking system and a method of manufacturing same, wherein the
cigarette is not subjected to forces which would tend to collapse
or break the cigarette during its manufacture.
[0027] It is still a further object of this invention to provide a
novel cigarette that is operative with an electrical lighter and a
cost-effective method of manufacturing the cigarette.
[0028] These objects and other advantages are provided by the
present invention which provides a cigarette operable with an
electrically operated lighter, which lighter includes a plurality
of electrical heaters, with each of the heaters being adapted to,
either singularly or in concert, to generate tobacco smoke by
applying heat to the cigarette along portions of the cigarette
adjacent the heaters as a result of activation of the heater or
heaters.
[0029] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the
cigarette comprises a tubular tobacco web, wherein a first portion
of the tubular tobacco web is filled with a column of tobacco,
preferably in the form of cut filler, and a second portion of the
tubular tobacco web is left unfilled or hollow so as to define a
void in the tobacco column.
[0030] More particularly, the aforementioned cigarette preferably
comprises a tobacco rod formed from a tubular tobacco web and a
plug of tobacco located within the tubular tobacco web. The tobacco
rod is adapted to be slidingly received by an electrical heater
fixture such that the heater elements locate alongside the tobacco
rod at a location between the free end and an opposite end of the
tobacco rod. Preferably the plug (or column) of tobacco extends
from the free end of the tobacco rod to a location that is spaced
from the opposite end of the tobacco rod so as to define a void (or
hollow portion) adjacent the opposite end.
[0031] Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide
a filler containing cigarette that is operative with an electrical
lighter, which cigarette includes a tobacco rod having a free-flow
filter and a filler-free rod portion adjacent the free flow filter
so as to promote consistent aerosol production.
[0032] A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a
method of manufacturing such cigarettes, wherein the method
comprises the steps of establishing a succession of 2-up hollow
plugs in alternating, spaced apart relation to 2-up tobacco plugs
and wrapping the succession of plugs in a tobacco web and overwrap
so as to produce a continuous rod; severing the resultant
continuous rod to establish associated pairs of singular tobacco
rod plugs; separating the members of each associated pair of
singular tobacco rod plugs so as to establish a space therebetween;
placing a 2-up filter tipping plug in the space between each a pair
of separated, singular tobacco rod plugs; bringing the 2-up filter
tipping plug and said singular tobacco rod plugs together into an
abutting relation; and subsequently wrapping tipping paper about
the placed 2-up filter tipping plug together with adjacent portions
of the abutting singular tobacco rod plugs to form a 2-up cigarette
rod; and severing the 2-up cigarette into individual
cigarettes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] The features and advantages of the present invention are
well understood by reading the following detailed description in
conjunction with the drawings in which like numerals indicate
similar elements and in which:
[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a smoking system in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
with a cigarette of the system inserted into the electrically
operated lighter;
[0035] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the smoking system of FIG.
1, but with the cigarette withdrawn from the lighter upon
conclusion of a smoking;
[0036] FIG. 3A is a partial perspective detail view of portions of
the heater fixture of FIG. 1, including wavy hairpin heater
elements and portions of a preferred air admission system;
[0037] FIG. 3B is a sectional side view of a preferred heater
fixture which includes the wavy hairpin heater elements of FIG.
3A;
[0038] FIG. 3C is a side view of the cigarette shown in FIG. 4
inserted into the heater fixture of FIG. 6, with the latter being
shown in cross-section;
[0039] FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the cigarette shown in FIG. 1, with certain
components of the cigarette being partially unraveled;
[0040] FIG. 5 is a schematic, block-diagram of a preferred control
circuit for the lighter shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0041] FIG. 6 is a side cross sectional view of the cigarette shown
in FIG. 4 wherein a free end of the cigarette is in contact with a
stop piece in the lighter;
[0042] FIG. 7 is a representation of steps and apparatus in a
preferred process of manufacturing tobacco rod portions of the
cigarette shown in FIG. 4 in accordance with a preferred method of
manufacturing such cigarettes;
[0043] FIGS. 8A-8E are successive cross-sectional views at lines
A-A to E-E, respectively at the garniture in FIG. 7, as components
of the cigarette shown in FIG. 4 progress through the
garniture;
[0044] FIG. 9 is a diagram of a tipping apparatus which is adapted
to attach filter tipping to the tobacco rod portions produced in
accordance with the process in FIG. 7;
[0045] FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the relative movement
and placement of cigarette pieces during execution of the tipping
operation of the preferred method of manufacturing cigarettes of
the type shown in FIG. 4;
[0046] FIG. 11 shows a perspective side view of a laser perforating
apparatus which can be used to burn perforation holes in tobacco
rods in accordance with the invention;
[0047] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG.
11 but from an opposite side thereof;
[0048] FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 11;
[0049] FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of a beam splitting
arrangement which can be used in the apparatus shown in FIG. 11;
and
[0050] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a combining apparatus
directly linked to a tipping apparatus by a transfer apparatus in
accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0051] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the
present invention provides a smoking system 21 which preferably
includes a partially-filled, filter cigarette 23 and a reusable
lighter 25. The cigarette 23 is adapted to be inserted into and
removed from a cigarette receiver 27 which is open at a front end
portion 29 of the lighter 25. Once the cigarette 23 is inserted,
the smoking system 21 is used in much the same fashion as a more
traditional cigarette, but without lighting or smoldering of the
cigarette 23. The cigarette 23 is discarded after one or more puff
cycles. Preferably, each cigarette 23 provides a total of eight
puffs (puff cycles) or more per smoke; however it is a matter of
design expedient to adjust to a lesser or greater total number of
available puffs. In the preferred embodiment, the cigarette 23
includes at least one peripheral ring of perforations 12 located
adjacent the free end 15 of the cigarette 23 and optionally a
second ring or rings of perforations 14 and optionally a plurality
of holes 16 underneath the outer wrapper of the cigarette 23.
[0052] Further particulars of the smoking system is described also
in the commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,388,594; 5,505,214;
5,591,368 and 5,499,636, all which are hereby incorporated by
reference in their entireties.
[0053] The lighter 25 includes a housing 31 having front and rear
housing portions 33 and 35. One or more batteries 35a are removably
located within the rear housing portion 35 and supply energy to a
heater fixture 39 which includes a plurality of electrically
resistive, heating elements 37 (shown in FIGS. 3A-C). The heating
elements 37 are arranged within the front housing portion 33 to
slidingly receive the cigarette 23 along an intermediate portion of
the cigarette receiver 27. A stop 183 located at the base 300 of
the heater fixture 39 defines a terminus of the cigarette receiver
27.
[0054] A control circuit 41 in the front housing portion 33
selectively establishes electrical communication between the
batteries 35a and one or more the heater elements 37 during
execution of each puff cycle. The preferred embodiment of the
present invention includes details concerning an air management
system for effecting the admission and routing of air within the
lighter, including aspects which are discussed in greater detail
beginning with reference to FIG. 3C.
[0055] Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, preferably the rear
portion 35 of the lighter housing 31 is adapted to be readily
opened and closed, such as with screws or snap-fit components, so
as to facilitate replacement of the batteries. If desired, an
electrical socket or contacts may be provided for recharging the
batteries in a charger supplied with house current or the like.
Preferably, the front housing portion 33 is removably joined to the
rear housing portion 35, such as with a dovetail joint or a socket
fit.
[0056] The batteries 35a are sized to provide sufficient power for
the heaters 37 to function as intended and preferably comprise a
replaceable and rechargeable type. Alternate sources of power are
suitable, such as capacitors. In the preferred embodiment, the
power source comprises four nickel-cadmium battery cells connected
in series with a total, non-loaded voltage in the range of
approximately 4.8 to 5.6 volts. The characteristics of the power
source are, however, selected in view of the characteristics of
other components in the smoking system 21, particularly the
characteristics of the heating elements 37. Commonly assigned U.S.
Pat. No. 5,144,962, hereby incorporated by reference, describes
several types of power sources useful in connection with the
smoking system of the present invention, such as rechargeable
battery sources and power arrangements which comprise a battery and
a capacitor which is recharged by the battery.
[0057] Referring specifically to FIG. 2, preferably, the circuitry
41 is activated by a puff-actuated sensor 45 that is sensitive to
either changes in pressure or changes in rate of air flow that
occur upon initiation of a draw on the cigarette 23 by a smoker.
The puff-actuated sensor 45 is preferably located within the front
housing portion 33 of the lighter 25 and is communicated with a
space inside the heater fixture 39 adjacent the cigarette 23 via a
port 45a extending through a side wall portion 182 of the heater
fixture 39. A puff-actuated sensor 45 suitable for use in the
smoking system 21 is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No.
5,060,671 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594, the disclosures of which are
incorporated herein by reference. The puff sensor 45 preferably
comprises Fujikura Ltd. Model FSS-02 PG. Another suitable sensor is
a Model 163PCO1D35 silicon sensor, manufactured by the MicroSwitch
division of Honeywell, Inc., Freeport, Ill. Flow sensing devices,
such as those using hot-wire anemometry principles, have also been
successfully demonstrated to be useful for actuating an appropriate
one of the heater elements 37 upon detection of a change in air
flow. Once actuated by the sensor 45, the control circuitry 41
directs electric current to an appropriate one of the heater
elements 37.
[0058] An indicator 51 is provided at a location along the exterior
of the lighter 25, preferably on the front housing portion 33, to
indicate the number of puffs remaining in a smoke of a cigarette
23. The indicator 51 preferably includes a seven-segment liquid
crystal display. In the preferred embodiment, the indicator 51
displays a segmented image which correlates with the digit "8"when
a cigarette detector 57 detects the presence of a cigarette in the
heater fixture 39. The detector 57 preferably comprises an
inductive coil 1102 adjacent the cigarette receiver 27 of the
heater fixture 39 and electric leads 1104 that communicate the coil
1102 with an oscillator circuit within the control circuitry 41.
The cigarette 23 internally bears a foil ring or the like which can
affect inductance of the coil winding 1102 such that whenever a
cigarette 23 is inserted into the receiver 27, the detector 57
generates a signal to the circuitry 41 indicative of the cigarette
being present. The control circuitry 41 in turn provides a signal
to the indicator 51. The display of the digit "8"on the indicator
51 reflects that the eight puffs provided on each cigarette 23 are
available, i.e., no puff cycle has been undertaken and none of the
heater elements 37 have been activated to heat the cigarette 23.
After the cigarette 23 is fully smoked, the indicator displays the
digit "0". When the cigarette 23 is removed from the lighter 25,
the cigarette detector 57 no longer detects a presence of a
cigarette 23 and the indicator 51 is turned off.
[0059] The operation and details of the inductive cigarette
detector 57 is provided in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No.
5,902,501, which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety. Other detectors may be employed instead of the
above-described one for the detector 57, such as a Type OPR5005
Light Sensor, manufactured by OPTEX Technology, Inc., 1215 West
Crosby Road, Carrollton, Tex. 75006.
[0060] In the alternative to displaying the remainder of the puff
count, the detector display may instead be arranged to indicate
whether the system is active or inactive ("on" or "off").
[0061] As one of several possible alternatives to using the
above-noted cigarette detector 57, a mechanical switch (not shown)
may be provided to detect the presence or absence of a cigarette 23
and a reset button (not shown) may be provided for resetting the
circuitry 41 when a new cigarette is inserted into the lighter 25,
e.g., to cause the indicator 51 to display the digit "8", etc.
Power sources, circuitry, puff-actuated sensors, and indicators
useful with the smoking system 21 of the present invention are
described in commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,060,671; 5,388,594
and 5,591,368, all which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0062] Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the front housing portion
33 of the lighter 25 encloses a substantially cylindrical heater
fixture 39 whose heater elements 37 slidingly receive the cigarette
23. The heater fixture 39 is adapted to support an inserted
cigarette 23 in a fixed relation to the heater elements 37 such
that the heater elements 37 are positioned alongside the cigarette
23 at approximately the same location along each newly inserted
cigarette 23. In the preferred embodiment, the heater fixture 39
includes eight mutually parallel heater elements 37 which are
disposed concentrically about the axis of symmetry of the cigarette
receiver 27. The locations where each heater element 37 bears
against (or is in thermal communication with) a fully inserted
cigarette 23 is referred to herein as the heater footprint or char
zone 42. In the preferred embodiment, the char zone may extend
approximately 14 mm in length, beginning approximately 9 mm from
the free-end 15 of the cigarette 23. Of course, these relations may
be varied amongst different lighter and cigarette designs. In
another model for example, the char zone 42 extends from 12 mm to
23 mm from the free-end of the cigarette 23.
[0063] Referring also to FIG. 3C, to assure consistent placement of
the heating elements 37 relative to each cigarette 23 from
cigarette to cigarette, the heater fixture 39 is provided with a
base portion 300 having a cupped stop-piece 183 against which the
free end 15 of the cigarette 23 is urged during its insertion into
the cigarette receiver 27 of the lighter 25. The cupped shape of
the stop-piece 183 is configured to close-off (occlude) the free
end 15 of the cigarette 23 upon full insertion of the cigarette 23
so that air cannot be drawn through the free end 15, but instead
only from along the side walls of the cigarette 23.
[0064] Still referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, most preferably the
heater elements 37 are of a design referred to herein as a wavy
hairpin heater element 37, wherein each heater element 37 includes
at least first and second serpentine, elongate members 53a and 53b
which are adjoined at an end portion (tip) 54. The tips 54 are
adjacent the opening 55 of the cigarette receiver 27. The opposite
ends 56a and 56b of each heater element 37 are electrically
connected to the opposite poles of the power source 35a as
selectively established by the controller 41. More specifically, an
electrical pathway through each heater fixture 37 is established,
respectively, through a terminal pin 104, a connection 121 between
the pin 104 and a free end portion 56a of one of the serpentine
members 53a, through at least a portion of the tip 54 to the other
serpentine member 53b and its end portion 56b. Preferably, an
integrally formed, common connection ring 110 provides a common
electrical connection amongst all the end portions 56b of the
elongate member 53b. In the preferred embodiment, the ring 110 is
connected to the positive terminal of the power source 35a (or
common) through a connection 123 between the ring 110 and a pin
105. Further details of the construction and establishment of
electrical connections in the heater fixture 39 are illustrated and
described in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,060,671;
5,388,594 and 5,591,368, all which are incorporated herein by
reference.
[0065] The heater portions 53a, 53b and 54 establish what is here
referred to as a heater blade 120.
[0066] Other preferred designs of the heater fixture 39 include
heater elements in the form of a straight hairpin heater elements
37, which are set forth in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No.
5,591,368 and "singular serpentine" heater elements each which are
set forth in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,594, said
patents being incorporated herein by reference in their
entireties.
[0067] Additional heater fixtures 37 that are operable as part of
the lighter 25 include those disclosed in commonly assigned, U.S.
Pat. No. 5,665,262; and commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,855,
all which are incorporated herein by reference in their
entireties.
[0068] Preferably, the heaters 37 are individually energized by the
power source 35a under the control of the circuitry 41 to heat the
cigarette 23 preferably eight times at spaced locations about the
periphery of the cigarette 23. The heating renders eight puffs from
the cigarette 23, as is commonly achieved with the smoking of a
more traditional cigarette. It may be preferred to activate more
than one heater simultaneously for one or more or all of the
puffs.
[0069] Referring now to FIG. 4, the cigarette 23 is preferably
constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment set forth
in commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,636, herein incorporated
by reference in its entirety.
[0070] Referring particularly to FIG. 3A, 3B, and 3C, preferably
the puff sensor 45 is communicated to the interior of the heater
fixture 39 through a port 45a. Preferably, the port 45a is located
adjacent the base portion 300 of the heater fixture 39. Such
location minimizes the risk that the port 45a and adjacent
passageways leading thereto through the body of the heater fixture
39 would become clogged by the debris or smoke condensates.
[0071] The heater fixture 39 includes an air inlet port 1200, which
communicates with a manifold 1202 that is at least partially
defined by a perforated annulus 1204 and the body of the receiver
27. The annulus 1204 includes preferably four holes 1206 of
approximately 0.029 inch diameter for effecting a minimal pressure
drop as air is drawn into the lighter through the air inlet port
1200 and the manifold 1202. The size and number of the holes 1206
may be varied, but such are configured to provide sufficient
pressure drop that upon drawing action upon an inserted cigarette
23, a pressure drop is induced upon the air entering the lighter
such that the puff sensor 45 is operative to recognize initiation
of a puff. In the preferred embodiment, the holes 1206 of the
annulus 1204 induce an RTD of approximately 25 mm water plus or
minus 5 mm. The range of pressure drop induced at the annulus 1204
should be selected such that it is within the range of pressure
drop detectable by the pressure sensor 45, but minimized to that
need so that the remainder of desired RTD (Resistance To Draw) is
effected predominantly by the cigarette 23. In the preferred
embodiment, a grand total RTD of 4 to 5 inches water (100 to 130 mm
water) is desired and approximately 25 mm of that is produced at
the annulus 1204. Accordingly, the RTD of the cigarette 23 is
preferably in the range of approximately 75 to 105 mm water RTD,
when inserted in lighter 25 and the induced pressure drop of the
lighter 25 is approximately 25 mm water. Adjustment of cigarette
RTD in accordance with the present invention includes provision of
and adjustment of the number and extent of perforations 12 (and
optionally 14) in the filled portion 88 of the cigarette 23.
[0072] Advantageously, the holes 1206 of the annulus 1204, being
located adjacent the receiver 27, is positioned away from sources
of debris and condensates which might otherwise tend to clog the
holes 1206.
[0073] Air that has been drawn into the lighter upon initiation of
a puff enters alongside the cigarette with a substantial
longitudinal (axial) velocity component toward the base portion 300
of the heater fixture 300. It has been discovered that a flow
deflector or annular air-swoop 1210 adjacent the base portion 300
enhanced smoke output (delivery) of the system 21 by directing at
least a portion of the entering airflow back toward the inserted
cigarette 23. Not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed
that the air-swoop 1210 tends to direct airflow toward regions of
the cigarette 23 bearing perforations 12. Preferably, the annular
air-swoop 1210 is located relative to a fully inserted cigarette 23
such that the air-swoop 1210 circumscribes the general location
along the cigarette 23 of the perforations 12.
[0074] It has discovered that the functioning of the air-swoop 1210
is improved if it is constructed from metal, or alternatively, all
body portions of the heater fixture 39 are constructed from a metal
such as a stainless steel, or at least those portions of the heater
fixture 39 that are disposed adjacent an inserted cigarette 23.
Such provision can provide an increase of delivery of 1 mg TPM
(FTC).
[0075] The cigarette 23 comprises a tobacco rod 60 and a filter
tipping 62, which are joined together with tipping paper 64.
[0076] The tobacco rod 60 of the cigarette 23 preferably includes a
tobacco web or "mat" 66 which has been folded into a tubular
(cylindrical) form about a free-flow filter 74 at one of its ends
and a tobacco plug 80 at the other. In the alternative, a plug of
cellulose acetate might be used in place of the tobacco plug 80.
The longitudinal (axial) extent of the tobacco plug 80 defines a
tobacco filled portion 88 of the partially-filled cigarette 23.
[0077] An overwrap 71 is intimately enwrapped about the tobacco web
66 and is held together along a longitudinal seam as is common in
construction of more traditional cigarettes. The overwrap 71
retains the tobacco web 66 in a wrapped condition about a free-flow
filter 74 and a tobacco plug 80.
[0078] The tobacco web 66 itself preferably comprises a base web 68
and a layer of tobacco material 70 located along the inside surface
of the base web 68. At the tipped end of the tobacco rod 60, the
tobacco web 66 together with the overwrap 71 are wrapped about the
tubular free-flow filter plug 74. Preferably, the tobacco plug 80
is constructed separately from the tobacco web 66 and comprises a
relatively short column of cut filler tobacco that preferably has
been wrapped within and retained by a plug wrap 84.
[0079] As a general matter, the length of the tobacco plug 80 is
preferably set relative to the total length of the tobacco rod 60
such that a void 90 is established along the tobacco rod 60 between
the free-flow filter 74 and the tobacco plug 80. The void 90
corresponds to an unfilled portion of the tobacco rod 60 and is in
immediate fluid communication with the tipping 62 through the free
flow filter 74 of the tobacco rod 60.
[0080] The tipping 62 preferably comprises a free-flow filter 92
located adjacent the tobacco rod 60 and a mouthpiece filter plug 94
at the distal end of the tipping 62 from the tobacco rod 60.
Preferably, the free-flow filter 92 is tubular and transmits air
with very little pressure drop. Other low efficiency filters of
standard configuration could be used instead, however. The inside
diameter for the free flow filter 92 is preferably at or between 2
to 6 mm and is preferably greater than that of the free flow filter
74 of the tobacco rod 60.
[0081] The mouthpiece filter plug 94 closes off the free end of the
tipping 62 for purposes of appearance and, if desired, to effect
some filtration, although it is preferred that the mouthpiece
filter plug 94 comprise a low efficiency filter of preferably about
15 to 25 percent efficiency.
[0082] Still referring to FIG. 4, preferably, the partially-filled
cigarette 23 includes at least one row of perforations 12 at a
location adjacent the free end 15 of the tobacco rod portion of the
cigarette 23. Preferably, the row of perforations 12 are twelve
holes in count and may be formed as slits 17 (perf-holes) at a 400
microsecond pulse width setting of a Hauni Model 500-1 on-line
laser perforator system. Each perf-hole 17 of the row of
perforations 12 preferably extends through the outer wrapper 71,
through the tobacco mat 66 and the plug wrap 84.
[0083] Referring now also FIG. 2, preferably, the row of
perforations 12 is located at or adjacent to end portion 42a of the
char zone 42. Such placement is believed to promote entrance of
heated air into the tobacco plug 80 and create other additional
favorable effects upon pyrolysis during a puff cycle such that
delivery (TPM-FTC) is enhanced.
[0084] To further improve delivery, additional row or rows of
perforations 14 comprising perf holes 17 as previously described
may be provided at a location along the filled portion 88 of the
tobacco rod 60 preferably, at a location superposed, or at least
partially superposed, by the heater char zone or footprint 42
and/or alternatively, adjacent the free end 15 of the cigarette 23.
In the latter alternate embodiment, the second row of perforations
14 is established at approximately 4 mm from the free end of the
cigarette 23. Either or both of the perforation rows 12 or 14 may
comprise a single row or a dual row of perf-holes 17.
[0085] The number and extent of perf-holes 17 are resolved in
accordance with two countervailing considerations. The addition of
rows of perforation 12, 14 as described above contributes to
enhanced delivery of the cigarette 23. However, each additional row
of perforations 12, 14 reduces RTD along the side walls of the
cigarettes 23. Preferably, the grand total RTD of the electrical
smoking system 21 should provide the smoker a resistance to draw
approximately the same as that experience with traditional
cigarettes of approximately 4 to 5 inches water (approximately
100-130 mm water) or thereabouts, 80-130 mm water.
[0086] It has been found that at a total energy input of 23.8
Joules to a heater element 37, a cigarette 23 bearing a dual row of
perforations 12 at a location 12 mm from the free end 15 of the
cigarette (dual rows of 12 holes each) can produce deliveries
substantially greater than 3 milligrams TPM (FTC). Further
deliveries may be obtained by addition of a second row or rows of
perforations 14.
[0087] However, each additional row of perf-holes 17 lowers RTD,
which preferably is to remain at or above 100 mm water for the
whole system 21. Should one find that for a given cigarette 23,
additional delivery is desired yet the RTD level is nearing its
lower limit, additional delivery can be obtained by provision of a
plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart holes 16 placed in the
mat 66 itself. Preferably, the mat holes 16 are each approximately
one mm in diameter and preferably 6 in number so that the requisite
tensile strength of the mat material 66 is maintained and may
withstand machine manufacturing. Preferably, these holes are formed
by an opposing punch-and-die roller assembly 240 as shown in FIG. 7
which is located along the feed-path of the mat in the cigarette
making operation, as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,976, which
patent is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0088] For example, in the preferred embodiment, the mat holes 16
are preferably produced utilizing opposing rollers bearing
hole-punching elements. Other devices may be employed instead, such
as a disk or endless belt arrangement located along the feed path
of the mat, with the disk or endless belt including multiple
hole-punching dies which are brought to approximate feed speed of
the mat by the movement of the disk or endless belt.
[0089] Preferably, the holes 16 in the mat 66 are covered by the
outer wrapper 71. Preferably, any row of perforations 12, 14 is
displaced away from the location of the row of mat holes 16 so that
they do not overlap. In a preferred embodiment, the mat holes 16
are located approximately 7 mm from the free-end 15 of the
cigarette 23, and a dual row of perforations 12 is established
approximately 12 mm from the end 15 of the cigarette 23. So
arranged, the cigarette achieves a 6 mg TPM (FTC) or more.
Advantageously, the mat holes 16 can contribute an additional
delivery to the cigarette 23 without the same extent of reduction
in RTD as is experienced with each addition of row of perf-holes
17. Accordingly, one may utilize the rows of perforations 12, 14 to
approximate desired delivery levels for the cigarette 23, with the
mat holes 16 being used to adjust or increase delivery with a
lesser effect on RTD.
[0090] More traditional cigarettes exhibit a resistance to draw
(RTD) of approximately 80 mm to 130 mm water. The lighter of the
electrical smoking system according to the present invention when
tested without a cigarette exhibits an RTD of approximately 20-30
mm water. The cigarettes according to the present invention having
the laser perforations and mat holes as taught herein exhibit an
RTD of approximately 20-30 mm water when drawn upon by themselves
(outside of the lighter of the electrical smoking system), but when
inserted; the electrical smoking system (the lighter and the fully
inserted cigarette) generate an RTD of approximately 50-75 mm
water. Table 1 sets forth results of RTD measurements for
cigarettes without perforations or mat holes, cigarettes with mat
holes only and cigarettes with mat holes and a double row of laser
perforations. The cigarettes had a circumference of 24 to 25 mm,
the mat holes consisted of a single row of 6 mat holes 7 mm from
the end of the cigarettes and the double row of perforations
consisted of 12 holes in each row at a location about 12 mm from
the end of the cigarette with the rows about 1 mm apart.
1 TABLE 1 Circumference RTD-OE RTD-BE Run (mm) (mm) (mm) 1 24.58 32
875 2 24.53 35 551 3 24.57 30 57 circumference and RTD values are
average of results obtained for 25 cigarettes tested during each
run OE RTD of cigarettes tested in smoking machine with tobacco end
of cigarettes open to atmosphere BE RTD of cigarettes tested in
smoking machine with tobacco end of cigarettes blocked by cup
fitted over cigarette end.
[0091] In order to compare various aspects of cigarettes having
various combinations of perf-holes 17 and mat holes 16 to
cigarettes having no perforations or holes, test cigarettes having
circumferences of 24 to 25 mm were constructed having the features
set forth in Table 2.
[0092] The control cigarette had no perforations nor mat holes and
test cigarettes 1-7 included laser perforations located 12 mm from
the tobacco end of the cigarette and/or mat holes located 7 mm from
the tobacco end of the cigarette.
[0093] The test cigarettes with laser perforations included either
a single row of evenly spaced laser cut slits extending
circumferentially around the cigarette or a double row of such
laser perforations wherein the rows are located approximately 1 mm
apart.
[0094] The test cigarettes with mat holes included a single row of
six evenly spaced mat holes having diameters of 1 mm
circumferentially spaced about the cigarette. As shown in the test
results, the sample having a double row of 12 laser holes and the
six 1 mm diameter mat holes provided tobacco smoke having the
highest TPM. In the tests, the electrical smoking system was
mounted in a conventional cigarette smoking machine that measures
that portion of the smoke which is collected on a pad, its tar,
nicotine and water. During the tests, the cigarette smoking machine
was operated under FTC smoking conditions wherein a 2 second puff
is taken every 60 seconds for a total of 8 puffs.
2TABLE 2 TPM, Tar, Nicotine, Water, Description mg/cig. mg/cig.
mg/cig mg/cig Control 5.24 2.18 0.15 2.91 1 single row of 6 5.67
2.36 0.18 3.12 laser perforations 2 single row of 12 5.25 2.15.
0.17 2.92 laser perforations 3 double row of 6 5.28 2.08 0.15 2.73
laser perforations per row 4 double row of 12 5.57 2.06 0.17 3.34
laser perforations per row 5 single row of 6 5.41 2.25 0.18 2.97
laser perforations and 6 mat holes 6 double row of 12 6.44 2.39
0.19 3.86 laser perforations and 6 mat holes. 7 6 mat holes only
5.56 2.07 0.16 3.33
[0095] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 5, the electrical control
circuitry 41 of the lighter 25 includes a logic circuit 195, which
preferably comprises a micro-controller or an application specific,
integrated circuit (or "ASIC"). The control circuitry also includes
the cigarette sensor 57 for detecting the insertion of a cigarette
23 in the cigarette receiver 27 of the lighter 25, the puff sensor
45 for detecting a draw upon the inserted cigarette 23, the LCD
indicator 51 for indicating the number of puffs remaining on a
cigarette, the power source 35a and a timing network 197.
[0096] The logic circuit 195 may comprise any conventional circuit
capable of implementing the functions discussed herein. A
field-programmable gate array (e.g., a type ACTEL A1280A FPGA PQFP
160, available from Actel Corporation, Sunnyvale, Calif.) or a
micro controller can be programmed to perform the digital logic
functions with analog functions performed by other components. An
ASIC or micro-controller can perform both the analog and digital
functions in one component. Features of control circuitry and logic
circuitry similar to the control circuit 41 and logic circuit 195
of the present invention are disclosed, for example, in commonly
assigned, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,388,594; 5,505,214; 5,591,368; and
5,499,636, all which are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entireties. Further details are also provided in the copending,
commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560, hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
[0097] In the preferred embodiment, eight individual heater
elements 37 are connected to appositive terminal of the power
source 35a and to ground through corresponding field effect
transistor (FET) heater switches 201-208. Individual (or selected)
ones of the heater switches 201-208 will turn on under control of
the logic circuit 195 through terminals 211-218, respectively,
during execution of a power cycle by the logic circuit 195. The
logic circuit 195 provides signals for activating and deactivating
particular ones of the heater switches 201-208 to activate and
deactivate the corresponding heater element 37 of the heater
fixture 39.
[0098] The logic circuit 195 cooperates with the timing circuit 197
to precisely execute the activation and deactivation of each heater
element 37 in accordance with a predetermined total cycle
period-("T.sub.total") and to precisely divide each total cycle
period into a predetermined number of phases, with each phase
having its own predetermined period of time ("t.sub.phase"). In the
preferred embodiment, the total cycle period T.sub.total has been
selected to be 1.6 seconds (so as to be less than the two-second
duration normally associated with a smoker's draw upon a cigarette,
plus provision for margin) and the total cycle period T.sub.total
is divided preferably into two phases, a first phase having a
predetermined time period ("t.sub.phase 1") of 1.0 seconds and a
second phase having a predetermined time period ("t.sub.phase 2")
of 0.6 seconds. The total cycle period T.sub.total, the total
number of phases and the respective phase periods are parameters,
among others, that are resolved in accordance with the teachings
which follow for establishing within the control circuit 41, a
capacity to execute a power cycle that precisely duplicates a
preferred thermal interaction ("thermal profile" or
"thermo-histogram") between the respective heater element 37 and
adjacent portions of the cigarette 23. Additionally, once the
preferred thermo-histogram is established, certain parameters
(preferably, duty cycles within each phase) are adjusted
dynamically by the control circuit 41 so as to precisely duplicate
the predetermined thermo-histogram with every power cycle
throughout the range of voltages v.sub.in encompassed by the
aforementioned battery discharge cycle.
[0099] The puff-actuated sensor 45 supplies a signal to the logic
circuit 195 that is indicative of smoker activation (i.e., a
continuous drop in pressure or air flow over a sufficiently
sustained period of time). The logic circuit 195 includes a
debouncing routine for distinguishing between minor air pressure
variations and more sustained draws on the cigarette to avoid
inadvertent activation of heater elements in response to errant
signal from the puff-actuated sensor 45. The puff-actuated sensor
45 may include a piezoresistive pressure sensor or an optical flap
sensor that is used to drive an operational amplifier, the output
of which is in turn used to supply a logic signal to the logic
circuit 195. Puff-actuated sensors suitable for use in connection
with the smoking system include a Model 163PC01D35 silicon sensor,
manufactured by the MicroSwitch division of Honeywell, Inc.,
Freeport, Ill., or a type NPH-5-02.5G NOVA sensor, available from
Lucas-Nova, Fremont, Calif., or a type SLP004D sensor, available
from SenSym Incorporated, Sunnyvale, Calif.
[0100] The cigarette sensor 57 is located at the cigarette receiver
27 and supplies a signal to the logic circuit 195 that is
indicative of insertion of a cigarette 23 in the lighter 25.
Optionally a second sensor may be located adjacent the stop 183 so
as to determine whether the cigarette has been fully inserted into
the receiver 27.
[0101] In order to conserve energy, it is preferred that the
puff-actuated sensor 45 and the cigarette sensor 57 be cycled on
and off at low duty cycles (e.g., from about a 2 to 10% duty
cycle). For example, it is preferred that the puff actuated sensor
45 be turned on for a 1 millisecond duration every 10 milliseconds.
If, for example, the puff actuated sensor 45 detects pressure drop
or air flow indicative of a draw on a cigarette during four
consecutive pulses (i.e., over a 40 millisecond period), the puff
actuated sensor sends a signal through a terminal 221 to the logic
circuit 195. The logic circuit 195 then sends a signal through an
appropriate one of the terminals 211-218 to turn an appropriate one
of the FET heater switches 201-208 ON.
[0102] Similarly, the cigarette sensor 57 is preferably turned on
for a 1 millisecond duration every 10 milliseconds. If, for
example, the cigarette sensor 57 detects four consecutive reflected
pulses, indicating the presence of a cigarette 23 in the lighter
25, the light sensor sends a signal through terminal 223 to the
logic circuit 195. The logic circuit 195 then sends a signal
through terminal 225 to the puff-actuated sensor 45 to turn on the
puff-actuated sensor. The logic circuit 195 also sends a signal
through terminal 227 to the indicator 51 to turn it on. The
above-noted modulation techniques reduce the time average current
required by the puff actuated sensor 45 and the cigarette sensor
57, and thus extend the life of the power source 37.
[0103] The logic circuit 195 includes a PROM (programmable
read-only memory) 301, which includes preferably at least two data
bases or "look-up tables" 302 and 304, and optionally, a third data
base (look-up table) 306 and possibly a fourth look-up table 307.
Each of the look-up tables 302, 304 (and optionally 306, 307)
converts a signal indicative of battery voltage v.sub.in to a
signal indicative of the duty cycle ("dc.sub.1" for the first phase
and "dc.sub.2"for the second phase) to be used in execution of the
respective phase of the immediate power cycle. Third and fourth
look-up tables 306 and 307 function similarly.
[0104] Upon initiation of a power cycle, the logic circuit receives
a signal indicative of battery voltage v.sub.in, and then
references the immediate reading v.sub.in to the first look-up
table 302 to establish a duty cycle dc, for the initiation of the
first phase of the power cycle. The first phase is continued until
the timing network 197 provides a signal indicating that the
predetermined time period of the first phase (t.sub.phase) has
elapsed, whereupon the logic circuit 195 references v.sub.in and
the second look-up table 304 and establishes a duty cycle dc.sub.2
for the initiation the second phase. The second phase is continued
until the timing network 197 provides a signal indicating that the
predetermined time period of the second phase (t.sub.phase 2) has
elapsed, whereupon the timing network 197 provides a shut-off
signal to the logic circuit 195 at the terminal 229. Optionally,
the logic circuit 195 could initiate a third phase and establish a
third duty cycle dc.sub.3, and the shut-off signal would not be
generated until the predetermined period of the third phase
(t.sub.phase 3) had elapsed. A similar regimen could optionally be
established with a fourth phase (t.sub.phase 4). The present
invention could be practiced with additional phases as well.
[0105] Although the present invention can be practiced by limiting
reference to the look-up tables to an initial portion of each phase
to establish a duty cycle to be applied throughout the substantial
entirety of each phase, a refinement and the preferred practice is
to have the logic circuit 195 configured to continuously reference
V.sub.in together with the respective look-up tables 302, 303, 306
and 307 so as to dynamically adjust the values set for duty cycles
in response to fluctuations in battery voltage as the control
circuit progresses through each phase. Such device provides a more
precise repetition of the desired thermo-histogram.
[0106] Other timing network circuit configurations and logic
circuits may also be used, such as those described in the commonly
assigned, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,388,594; 5,505,214; 5,591,368;
5,499,636; and 5,372,148, all which are hereby incorporated by
reference in their entireties.
[0107] During operation, a cigarette 23 is inserted in the lighter
25 and the presence of the cigarette is detected by the cigarette
sensor 57. The cigarette sensor 57 sends a signal to the logic
circuit 195 through terminal 223. The logic circuit 195 ascertains
whether the power source 35a is charged or whether the immediate
voltage is below an acceptable minimum v.sub.in min. If, after
insertion of a cigarette 23 in the lighter 25, the logic circuit
195 detects that the voltage of the power source 35a is too low,
below v.sub.in min, the indicator 51 blinks and further operation
of the lighter will be blocked until the power source 35a is
recharged or replaced. Voltage of the power source 35a is also
monitored during firing of the heater elements 37 and the firing of
the heater elements 37 is interrupted if the voltage drops below a
predetermined value.
[0108] If the power source 35a is charged and voltage is
sufficient, the logic circuit 195 sends a signal through terminal
225 to the puff sensor 45 to determine whether a smoker is drawing
on the cigarette 23. At the same time, the logic circuit 195 sends
a signal through the terminal 227 to the indicator 51 so that the
LCD will display the digit "8", reflecting that eight puffs are
available.
[0109] When the logic circuit 195 receives a signal through
terminal 221 from the puff-actuated sensor 45 that a sustained
pressure drop or air flow has been detected, the logic circuit 195
sends a signal through terminal 231 to the timer network 197 to
activate the timer network, which then begins to function phase by
phase in the manner previously described. The logic circuit 195
also determines, by a down-count routine, which one of the eight
heater elements is due to be heated and sends a signal through an
appropriate terminal 211-218 to turn an appropriate one of the FET
heater switches 201-208 ON. The appropriate heater stays on while
the timer runs.
[0110] When the timing network 197 sends a signal through terminal
229 to the logic circuit 195 indicating that the timer has stopped
running, the particular ON FET heater switch 211-218 is turned OFF,
thereby removing power from the particular heater element 37. The
logic circuit 195 also down-counts and sends a signal to the
indicator 51 through terminal 227 so that the indicator will
display that one less puff is remaining (e,g., "7", after the first
puff). When the smoker next puffs on the cigarette 23, the logic
circuit 195 will turn ON another predetermined one of the FET
heater switches 211-218, thereby supplying power to another
predetermined one of the heater elements. The process will be
repeated until the indicator 51 displays "0", meaning that there
are no more puffs remaining on the cigarette 23. When the cigarette
23 is removed from the lighter 25, the cigarette sensor 57
indicates that a cigarette is not present, and the logic circuit
195 is reset.
[0111] Other features, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,505,214; 5,388,594; and 5,372,148 which are incorporated by
reference, may be incorporated in the control circuitry 41 instead
of or in addition to the features described above. For example, if
desired, various disabling features may be provided. One type of
disabling feature includes timing circuitry (not shown) to prevent
successive puffs from occurring too close together, so that the
power source 35a has time to recover. Another disabling feature
includes means for disabling the heater elements 37 if an
unauthorized product is inserted in the heater fixture 39. For
example, the cigarette 23 might be provided with an identifying
characteristic that the lighter 25 must recognize before the
heating elements 37 are energized.
[0112] Referring now to FIG. 6, the cigarette 23, as constructed in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
comprises a tobacco rod 60 and a filter tipping 62, which are
joined together with tipping paper 64. During manufacture of the
cigarette, perforation holes 263 can be provided in one or more
locations in the outer surface of the tobacco rod 60.
[0113] The partially-filled, filler cigarette 23 preferably has an
essentially constant diameter along its length and, which like more
traditional cigarettes, is preferably between approximately 7.5 nun
and 8.5 mm in diameter so that the smoking system 21 provides a
smoker a familiar-"mouth feel". In the preferred embodiment, the
cigarette 23 is approximately 62 mm in overall length, thereby
facilitating the use of conventional packaging machines in the
packaging of the cigarettes 23. The combined length of the
mouthpiece filter 94 and the free-flow filter 92 is preferably 30
mm. The tipping paper preferably extends approximately 6 mm over
the tobacco rod 60. The total length of the tobacco rod 60 is
preferably 32 mm. Other proportions, lengths and diameters may be
selected instead of those recited above for the preferred
embodiment.
[0114] The tobacco rod 60 of the cigarette 23 preferably includes a
tobacco web or mat 66 which has been folded into a tubular
(cylindrical) form.
[0115] An overwrap 71 intimately enwraps the tobacco web 66 and is
held together along a longitudinal seam as is common in
construction of more traditional cigarettes. The overwrap 71
retains the tobacco web 66 in a wrapped condition about a free-flow
filter 74 and a tobacco plug 80.
[0116] Preferably, the cigarette overwrap paper 71 is wrapped
intimately about the tobacco web 66 so as to render external
appearance and feel of a more traditional cigarette. It has been
found that a better tasting smoke is achieved when the overwrap
paper 71 is a standard type of cigarette paper, preferably a flax
paper of approximately 20 to 50 CORESTA (defined as the amount of
air, measured in cubic centimeters, that passes through one square
centimeter of material, e.g., a paper sheet, in one minute at a
pressure drop of 1.0 kilopascal) and more preferably of about 30 to
45 CORESTA, a basis weight of approximately 23 to 35 grams per
meter squared (g/m.sup.2) and more preferably about 23 to 30
g/m.sup.2, and a filler loading (preferably calcium carbonate) of
approximately 23 to 35% by weight and more preferably 28 to 33% by
weight. The overwrap paper 71 preferably contains little or no
citrate or other burn modifiers, with preferred levels of citrate
ranging from 0to approximately 2.6% by weight of the overwrap paper
71 and more preferably less than 1%.
[0117] The tobacco web 66-itself preferably comprises a base web 68
and a layer of tobacco material 70 located along the inside surface
of the base web 68. At the tipped end 72 of the tobacco rod 60, the
tobacco web 66 together with the overwrap 71 are wrapped about the
tubular free-flow filter plug 74. The free-flow filter 74 (also
known in the art as "whistle-through" plugs) provides structural
definition and support at the tipped end 72 of the tobacco rod 60
and permits aerosol to be withdrawn from the interior of the
tobacco rod 60 with a minimum pressure drop. The free-flow filter
74 also acts as a flow constriction at the tipped end 72 of the
tobacco rod 60, which is believed to help promote the formation of
aerosol during a draw on the cigarette 23. The free-flow filter is
preferably at least 7 millimeters long to facilitate machine
handling and is preferably annular, although other shapes and types
of low efficiency filters are suitable, including cylindrical
filter plugs.
[0118] At the free end 78 of the tobacco rod 60, the tobacco web 66
together with the overwrap 71 are wrapped about a cylindrical
tobacco plug 80. Preferably, the tobacco plug 80 is constructed
separately from the tobacco web 66 and comprises a relatively short
column of cut filler tobacco that has been wrapped within and
retained by a plug wrap 84.
[0119] Preferably the tobacco plug 80 is constructed on a
conventional cigarette rod making machine wherein cut filler
(preferably blended) is air formed into a continuous rod of tobacco
on a traveling belt and entrapped with a continuous ribbon of plug
wrap 84 which is then glued along its longitudinal seam and heat
sealed. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the plug wrap 84 is preferably constructed from a
cellulosic web of little or no filler, sizing or burn additives
(each at levels below 0.5% weight percent) and preferably little or
no sizing. Preferably, the tobacco plug wrap 84 has a low basis
weight of below 15 grams per meter squared and more preferably
about 13 grams per meter squared. The tobacco plug wrap 84
preferably has a high permeability in the range of about 20,000 to
35,000 CORESTA and more preferably in the range of about 25,000 to
35,000 CORESTA, and is constructed preferably from soft wood fiber
pulp, abaca-type cellulose or other long fibered pulp. Such papers
are available from Papierfabrik Schoeller and Hoescht GMBH,
Postfach 1155, D-76584, Gernsback, GERMANY; another paper suitable
for use as the plug wrap 84 is the paper TW 2000 from DeMauduit of
Euimperle FRANCE, with the addition of carboxy-methyl cellulose at
a 2.5 weight percent level.
[0120] The tobacco rod making machine is operated so as to provide
a tobacco rod density of approximately 0.17 to 0.30 grams per cubic
centimeter (g/cc), but more preferably in a range of at least 0.20
to 0.30 g/cc and most preferably between about 0.24 to 0.28 g/cc.
The elevated densities are preferred for the avoidance of loose
ends at the free end 78 of the tobacco rod 60. However, it is to be
understood that the lower rod densities will allow the tobacco
column 82 to contribute a greater proportion of aerosol and flavor
to the smoke. Accordingly, a balance must be struck between aerosol
delivery (which favors a low rod density in the tobacco column 82)
and the avoidance of loose-ends (which favors the elevated ranges
of rod densities).
[0121] The tobacco column 82 preferably comprises cut filler of a
blend of tobaccos typical of the industry, including blends
comprising bright, burley and oriental tobaccos together with,
optionally, reconstituted tobaccos and other blend components,
including traditional cigarette flavors. However, in the preferred
embodiment, the cut filler of the tobacco column 84 comprises a
blend of bright, burly and oriental tobaccos at the ratio of
approximately 45:30:25 for the U.S. market, without inclusion of
reconstituted tobaccos or any after cut flavorings. Optionally, an
expanded tobacco component might be included in the blend to adjust
rod density, and flavors may be added.
[0122] The continuous tobacco rod formed as described above is
sliced in accordance with a predetermined plug length for the
tobacco plug 80. This length is preferably at least 7 mm in order
to facilitate machine handling. However, the length may vary from
about 7 mm to 25 nm or more depending on preferences in cigarette
design which will become apparent in the description which follows,
with particular reference to FIG. 7.
[0123] As a general matter, the length of the tobacco plug 80 is
preferably set relative to the total length of the tobacco rod 60
such that a void 91 is defined along the tobacco rod 60 between the
free-flow filter 74 and the tobacco plug 80. The void 91
corresponds to an unfilled portion of the tobacco rod 60 and is in
immediate fluid communication with the tipping 62 through the free
flow filter 74 of the tobacco rod 60.
[0124] Referring particularly to FIG. 6, the length of the tobacco
plug 80 and its relative position along the tobacco rod 60 is also
selected in relation to features of the heater elements 37. When a
cigarette is properly positioned against a stop 182 within the
lighter 25, a portion 93 of each heater element 37 will contact the
tobacco rod 60 along a region of the tobacco rod 60. This region of
contact is referred to as a heater footprint 95. The heater
footprint 95 (as shown with a double arrow in FIG. 2) is not part
of the cigarette structure itself, but instead is a representation
of that region of the tobacco rod 60 where the heater element 37
would be expected to reach operative heating temperatures during
smoking of the cigarette 23. Because the heating elements 37 are a
fixed distance 96 from the stop 182 of the heater fixture, the
heater foot print 95 consistently locates along the tobacco rod 60
at the same predetermined distance 96 from the free end 78 of the
tobacco rod 60 for every cigarette 23 that is fully inserted into
the lighter 25.
[0125] Preferably, the length of the tobacco plug 80, the length of
the heater footprint 95 and the distance between the heater
footprint 95 and the stop 182 are selected such that the heater
footprint 95 extends beyond the tobacco plug 80 and superposes a
portion of the void 91 by a distance 98. The distance 98 by which
the heater footprint 95 superposes the void 91 (the unfilled
portion of the tobacco rod 60) is also referred to as the
"heater-void overlap" 98. The distance by which the remainder of
the heater footprint 95 superposes the tobacco plug 80 is referred
to as the "heater-filler overlap" 99.
[0126] The tipping 62 preferably comprises a free-flow filter 92
located adjacent the tobacco rod 60 and a mouthpiece filter plug 94
at the distal end of the tipping 62 from the tobacco rod 60.
Preferably the free-flow filter 92 is tubular and transmits air
with very little pressure drop. Other low efficiency filters of
standard configuration could be used instead, however. The inside
diameter for the free flow filter 92 is preferably at or between 2
to 6 millimeters and is preferably greater than that of the free
flow filter 74 of the tobacco rod 60.
[0127] The mouthpiece filter plug 94 closes off the free end of the
tipping 62 for purposes of appearance and, if desired, to effect
some filtration, although it is preferred that the mouthpiece
filter plug 94 comprise a low efficiency filter of preferably about
15 to 25 percent efficiency.
[0128] The free-flow filter 92 and the mouthpiece filter plug 94
are preferably joined together as a combined plug with a plug wrap
101. The plug wrap 101 is preferably a porous, low weight plug wrap
as is conventionally available to those in the art of cigarette
making. The combined plug is attached to the tobacco rod 60 by the
tipping paper 64 of specifications that are standard and
conventionally used throughout the cigarette industry. The tipping
paper 64 may be either cork, white or any other color as decorative
preferences might suggest.
[0129] Preferably, a cigarette 23 constructed in accordance with
the preferred embodiment has an overall length of approximately 62
mm, of which 30 mm comprises the combined plug of the tipping 62.
Accordingly, the tobacco rod 60 is 32 mm long. Preferably, the
free-flow filter 74 of the tobacco rod 60 is at least 7 mm long and
the void 91 between the free-flow filter 74 and the tobacco plug 80
is preferably at least 7 mm long. In the preferred embodiment, the
heater foot print 95 is approximately 12 mm long and located such
that it provides a 3 mm heater-void overlap 98, leaving 9 mm of the
heater foot print 95 superposing the tobacco plug 80.
[0130] It is to be understood that the length of the void 91, the
length of the tobacco plug 80, and the distribution of the
perforation holes 263 may be adjusted to facilitate manufacturing
and more importantly, to adjust the smoking characteristics of the
cigarette 23, including adjustments in its taste, draw and
delivery. The pattern of holes 263, the length of the void 91 and
the amount of heater-filler overlap (and heater-void overlap) may
also be manipulated to adjust the immediacy of response, to promote
consistency in delivery (on a puff-to-puff basis as well as between
cigarettes) and to control condensation of aerosol at or about the
heaters.
[0131] In the preferred embodiment, the void 91 (the filler-free
portion of the tobacco rod 60) extends approximately 7 mm to assure
adequate clearance between the heater foot print 95 and the
free-flow filter 74. In this way, margin is provided such that the
heater foot print 95 does not heat the free-flow filter 74 during
smoking. Other lengths are suitable, for instance, if manufacturing
tolerances permit, the void 91 might be configured as short as
approximately 4 mm or less, or in the other extreme, extended well
beyond 7 mm so as establish an elongate filler-free portion along
the tobacco rod 60. The preferred range of lengths for the
filler-free portion (the void 91) is from approximately 4 mm to 18
mm and more preferably 5 to 12 mm.
[0132] Referring to FIG. 7, a preferred method of manufacturing
cigarettes 23 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention may initiate with the production of a plug
comprising a multiple of tobacco plugs 80, preferably in a 2-up
configuration and enwrapped with the plug wrap 84.
[0133] It is to be understood that reference to a 2-up tobacco plug
80 refers to a plug construction such that if it were divided into
two pieces, would render two complete tobacco plugs 80 of the
preferred cigarette 23. Likewise, a 2-up tipping plug 62, if
separated into 2 pieces, would provide a pair of tippings 62, each
comprising free-flow filter 92, a mouth piece filter 94 and a plug
wrap 84 as described in connection with the partially-filled
cigarette 23 of the preferred embodiment. As a further example, a
2-up tobacco rod plug 60, if severed, would render two complete
tobacco rods 60.
[0134] Referring back to FIG. 7, production of the 2-up tobacco rod
plugs 60 initiates with the construction of 2-up tobacco plugs 80
and the establishment of a supply of 12-up free-flow filter plugs
74.
[0135] Preferably the tobacco plug 80 is constructed on a
conventional cigarette rod making machine 122 (such as a Molins
Mark 9 tobacco rod maker) wherein cut filler (preferably blended)
is air formed into a continuous rod of tobacco on a traveling belt
and enwrapped with a continuous ribbon of plug wrap 84 which is
then glued along its longitudinal seam and heat sealed. The output
of the tobacco rod maker 122 is then cut at a cutter 124 and
delivered by a suitable arrangement 126 to a first hopper 128 of a
combining machine such as a Molins double-action plug-tube
combiner. The delivery arrangement 126 may include a HCF tray
filler or some other equally suitable arrangement to load the first
hopper 128 with the 4-up tobacco plugs 80. Other suitable plug
delivery systems might be employed such as mass flow conveyors or
pneumatic tubes or the like.
[0136] Similarly, the 12-up free-flow filter plugs 74 are produced
in continuous fashion from a tubular filter rod maker 130, such as
with a maker as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,447 to Berger et
al, particularly at column 4. The continuous rod of tubular filter
material from the rod maker 130 is cut at a cutter 132 into the
12-up free-flow filter plugs 74 and delivered to a second hopper
134 of the Molins double-action plug-tube combiner ("DATPC") via a
suitable delivery arrangement 136 which preferably comprises a HCF
tray filler, although other delivery arrangements as previously
described might be used instead.
[0137] The 12-up free-flow filter plugs 74 from the second hopper
134 are cut into six 2-up free-flow filter plugs 74 and the 4-up
tobacco plugs from the first hopper 128 are cut into two 2-up
tobacco plugs 80. These 2-up tobacco plugs 80 and 2-up free-flow
filter plugs 74 are then placed in alternating relation to one
another upon a conveyor 140 leading to a garniture belt 142. Such
mechanical action can be provided at the front end of a Molins
DAPTC combiner. The spacing between the 2-up tobacco plugs 80 and
the 2-up free-flow filter plugs 74 is set to equal the desired
amount of void 91 desired in the tobacco rod 60 of the cigarette 23
being produced.
[0138] In most Molins DAPTC combiners, this spacing 91 between the
2-up plugs on the conveyor 140 is set precisely with a
collator/spacer drum 139 located at or about the location where the
compression belt 141 and the garniture belt 142 receive the 2-up
free-flow filter plugs 74 and the 2-up tobacco plugs 80. Other
suitable arrangements for assuring proper placement of the 2-up
plugs 74 and the 2-up tobacco plugs 80 would be readily apparent to
one of ordinary skill in the art of combining plugs.
[0139] Just upstream of the garniture belt 142, a continuous ribbon
of tobacco web 66 is reeled from a bobbin 144 through a series of
slack and tension controlling rollers generally designated 146 and
past a glue applicator 148 prior to its arrival at the final roller
150, which then directs the ribbon of tobacco web 66 toward the
path of the garniture belt 142.
[0140] Likewise, a continuous ribbon of overwrap 71 is reeled from
a bobbin 152 through an arrangement for adjusting slack and/or
tension in the ribbon 71 generally designated 154, past a plurality
of glue applicators 156 and then about a final roller 158 which
directs the ribbon of overwrap 71 toward the path of the garniture
belt 142 and between the garniture belt 142 and the tobacco web
66.
[0141] During passage through the garniture 160, the continuous
ribbon of tobacco web 66 and the overwrap 71 are folded about the
spaced apart 2-up tobacco plugs 80 and the 2-up free-flow filter
plugs 74 to produce a continuous rod 162 which is then cut at the
cutter head of the DAPTC machine to produce tobacco rod portions
164. The cutter head 166 is arranged to cut every other 2-up
tobacco plug 80 so as to produce 2-up tobacco rods 164 having a
1-up tobacco plug 80 at opposite ends thereof and a 2-up free-flow
filter 74 separated from the tobacco plugs 80 by spaces 91. The
2-up tobacco rods 164 are delivered from the output of the
combining machine to a drum link-up assembly 220 which cuts the
2-up tobacco rods in half to form tobacco rods of unit length and
delivers the cut tobacco rods to an assembly drum of the tipping
apparatus.
[0142] The apparatus according to the invention eliminates the need
to load cut tobacco rods into a hopper of a tipping machine and
thereby minimizes damage which could occur to the tobacco rods
during transport through such a hopper system. For instance,
commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,976 discloses an arrangement
wherein 4-up tobacco rods are delivered to a tray filler and then
to a hopper of a tipping machine wherein the 4-up tobacco rods are
transported through a series of drums which effect cutting of the
4-up tobacco rods into 2-up tobacco rods and then into 1-up tobacco
rods. Such an arrangement exposes the 4-up tobacco rods to
mechanical abrasion which can damage the tobacco rods. The
apparatus according to the invention obviates the need for a hopper
to receive the tobacco rods since the output of the combining
apparatus wherein the tobacco rods are manufactured is directly
linked to the tipping machine by the drum link-up assembly.
[0143] The DAPTC machine shown in FIG. 7, is hard-linked to the
cigarette tipping machine 200 (shown in FIG. 9) by the drum link-up
assembly 220. The drum link-up assembly can be comprised of a
plurality of drums in any suitable arrangement. A preferred
arrangement which allows optional laser perforation of the tobacco
rod is shown in FIG. 9. It should be appreciated that this
connection between the DAPTC machine and the tipping machine 200,
allows for a smooth transition from the DAPTC to the tipping
machine 200 in a quick and efficient manner.
[0144] Referring back to the garniture 160 of FIG. 7 and in
specific reference to FIGS. 8A-8E, as the various components of the
tobacco rod 60 are pulled through the garniture 160, a progression
of folding steps wraps the continuous ribbon of tobacco mat 66 and
the continuous ribbon of overwrap 71 about the alternating
succession of 2-up plugs 80 and 74.
[0145] Referring now to FIG. 8A, upon their arrival at the
garniture belt 142, the plugs 74 and 80, the tobacco web 66 and the
overwrap 71 are urged against one another and the garniture belt
142 by the compression belt 141. A continuous bead of adhesive 172
is located at or about the center region of the continuous ribbon
of tobacco web 66 as applied by the glue applicator 148. This bead
of adhesive 172 anchors the 2-up tobacco plugs 80 and 2-up
free-flow filter plugs 74 to the ribbon of tobacco web 66.
[0146] Likewise, a glue applicator can be used to lay down
intermittent beads of adhesive or plural glue applicators 156 can
be used to lay down continuous beads of adhesive 174, 176 and 178
on the side 180 of the continuous ribbon of overwrap 71 which is to
come into contact with the continuous ribbon of tobacco web 66 at
the garniture 160. It is preferred that these "laminating" beads of
adhesive 174, 176 and 178 are not allowed to set prior to entry
into the garniture 160 so the tobacco web 66 and the overwrap 71
may slip slightly relative to one another as they are folded about
the 2-up plugs 80 and 74 in the garniture 160. This provision for
at least some "give" avoids breaks and tears in the materials.
[0147] Referring now to FIGS. 8B and 5C, the garniture 160
progressively folds the continuous ribbon of tobacco web 66,
together with the continuous ribbon of overwrap 71 about the 2-up
plugs 74 and 80. It is to be noted that the relative placements of
the tobacco web 66 and the overwrap 71 are slightly offset from one
another so that along one side of the plugs 74 and 80 an edge
portion 182 of the overwrap 71 extends only slightly beyond the
adjacent edge of the tobacco mat 66, preferably at about 1
millimeter or so, whereas along an opposite side of the plugs 74
and 80, an edge portion 384 of the overwrap 71 extends at least
several millimeters beyond the adjacent edge of the tobacco web 66.
Such provision allows for the application of a bead of adhesive
along the edge portion 184 by a glue applicator 186 as shown in
FIG. 8D, prior to the edge portion 184 being folded completely down
and over the plugs 74 and 80 as shown in FIG. 8E to form a seam
189.
[0148] It is to be noted that the tobacco web 66 is folded such and
its width is selected such that it does not overlap upon itself at
its seam 188. Preferably, no adhesive is applied at or about the
seam 188 of the tobacco web 66 so as to minimize the application of
adhesive to the structure of the tobacco rod structure 60.
[0149] It has also been found effective to locate the laminating
adhesive beads 174, 176 and 178 at 4 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 8
o'clock positions relative to the cross-sectional form of the 2-up
plugs 74 and 80 at the garniture 160.
[0150] The preferred adhesive for all adhesive beads 174, 176, 178,
172 and 190 is a liquid starch adhesive such as obtainable from
National Starch. The bead of adhesive 190 is sufficiently strong
enough to retain the tobacco web 66 in its completely folded
condition.
[0151] According to a preferred embodiment, the output of the
combining apparatus is a 2-up tobacco rod plug 164 which is
directly linked to a catch drum 222 of the drum link-up assembly
220 at the entrance to a cigarette tipping machine 200 such as a
Hauni Max that has been modified to operate in the manner as
described with reference to FIGS. 10A and 10B. A preferred layout
of the modified Hauni Max is shown in FIG. 9. However, other
tipping machines or the like could be arranged to execute the steps
of cigarette manufacture that are described below.
[0152] Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10A-10B, a hopper 192 of the
tipping machine 200 receives 4-up tipping plugs 62 which are the
product of a combining operation 194 (FIG. 10A), wherein 2-up
free-flow filter plugs 92 from a tubular filter rod maker 196 and
2-up mouthpiece filter plugs 94 from another filter rod maker 198,
such as a KDF-2, are combined, together with plug wrap 84, to
produce the aforementioned 4-up tipping plugs 62 (a plug which when
severed into four pieces provides four tippings 62, each comprising
a free-flow filter 92, a mouthpiece filter 94 and plug wrap 84).
The 4-up tipping plugs 62 are delivered to the hopper 192 of the
tipping machine 200 by suitable delivery arrangement.
[0153] The description of further steps in the preferred method of
producing the cigarettes 23 will now be described with reference to
the relative movement and position of the cigarette components as
shown in FIGS. 10A-10B, with cross-reference to respective drum
stations along the mechanical pathway of the machine 200 as shown
in FIG. 9. FIGS. 10A-10B include dashed lines that bear
designations which correlate to drums in the machine 200 of the
same designation.
[0154] The 2-up tobacco rod portions 164 are transferred directly
from the combining apparatus to the drum link-up assembly 220. In
the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the 2-up tobacco rods are
transferred to a catch drum 222 of the drum link-up assembly. The
drums of the drum link-up assembly include flutes for receiving
tobacco rods and vacuum arrangements which apply vacuum to the
flutes at rotational positions of the drums where it is desired to
hold the tobacco rods via suction. The vacuum is terminated at
rotational positions of the drum where it is desired to release the
tobacco rods for transfer to an adjacent drum. To facilitate
transfer of the tobacco rods from one drum to another, the drums
rotate in opposite directions, i.e., a tobacco rod traveling in a
clockwise direction on one drum is picked up by an adjacent drum
rotating in a counterclockwise direction after which the tobacco
rod is picked up by a drum rotating in a clockwise direction and so
on.
[0155] As shown in FIG. 9, the next member to receive the tobacco
rods 60 from the catch drum 222 is a transfer drum 224. which
transfers the tobacco rods onto the next component. The main
purpose of the transfer drum 224 is to properly orient the tobacco
rods 164 to be transferred to the next component. Another purpose
of the transfer drum is to allow the tobacco rods to be properly
passed so a desired delivery of the tobacco rods may be achieved
due to the rotation of the various drums. For example, the drum 232
in FIG. 9 currently is rotating in a counterclockwise
direction.
[0156] Next, the tobacco rods are transferred to a swash-plate drum
226. The main purpose of the swash-plate drum 226 is to center the
tobacco rods, and to properly align the tobacco rods, before the
tobacco rods are transferred to the next component..
[0157] Subsequently, the tobacco rods are transferred to a laser
drum 228 which can be used to form perforations on the tobacco
rods. The laser drum 228 may be set up as needed by the user to
create perforations either circumferentially or longitudinally, but
in the preferred method the perforations are positioned
circumferentially. Any type of laser system may be used that can
accomplish the objective of creating perforations. However, the
perforations can be omitted or formed by another suitable
technique.
[0158] After passing around the laser drum 228, the tobacco rods
are transferred to a cutting drum 230, wherein the tobacco rods are
cut by a cutter (not shown). In the preferred apparatus, the
tobacco rods are cut by a cutter which is rotating in a direction
opposite to that of the cutting drum 230. Preferably, the cutter
cuts the tobacco rods in half from a 2-up 64 mm tobacco rod to two
32 mm tobacco rods 60, 60'.
[0159] After the tobacco rods 60, 60' are cut, to a length desired
by the user, the tobacco rods 60, 60' are transferred to a
separator drum 232. The primary purpose of the separator drum 232
is to separate the two tobacco rods 60, 60' to create a space
between the two tobacco rods 60, 60' so that a 2-up tipping plug 62
may be placed in between the two tobacco rods 60, 60'.
[0160] The tipping plugs are combined with the tobacco plugs as
follows. First, 4-up tipping plugs 62 from the hopper 192 are
delivered onto a third cutting drum 242 and cut into two, 2-up
tipping plugs 240 and 240'. Each 2-up tipping plug 240 comprises a
1-up free-flow filter 92 at one end, a centrally located 2-up
mouthpiece filter 94 and another 1-up free-flow filter 92 at the
other end of the 2-up tipping plug 240.
[0161] The 2 two-up tipping plugs 240 and 240' are then graded at a
grading drum 244 and aligned on a alignment drum 246. The aligned
two-up tipping plugs 240 and 240' are then transferred through an
accelerator drum 248 onto a central portion of the assembly drum
238 so as to-locate the 2-up tipping plugs 240 and 240' centrally
between the pairs of separated tobacco plugs 60, 60'. At the
conclusion of this operation, on each flute of the assembly drum
238, the free ends of the free-flow filters 92 of a 2-up tipping
plug face the free-flow filters 74 of a separated pair of tobacco
rods 60'.
[0162] Next, the aforementioned components placed at the assembly
drum 238 are transferred to a swash-plate drum 250 whose outer rail
pushes the associated pairs of tobacco rods 60, 60' into abutting
relationship with the respective 2-up tipping plug 240 situated
therebetween. Meanwhile, a continuous ribbon of tipping paper is
drawn from a bobbin 254 and directed through a glue applicator 255
and severed into double-wide pieces 256 at a cutter 257. Once the
cigarette components are positioned by the swash plate, an
edge-portion of a double-wide piece of tipping paper 64 is attached
to the respective 2-up tipping plug 240 and abutting portions of
the pair of tobacco rods 60, 60' so as to initiate connection of
these components to form 2-up cigarette rods 252. The tipping
operation is then continued on a roll drum 260 which rolls the
double-wide pieces of tipping paper 256 about the 2-up cigarette
rods 252. The 2-up cigarette rods 252 are then transferred to drum
261, wherein a plurality of perforations are optionally created on
the 2-up cigarette rods 252. In the preferred embodiment, the
perforations 263 are created by a laser system. The perforations
263 are oriented circumferentially around the cigarette rods 252,
and are preferably located anywhere from 4 mm to 20 mm, e.g. 4 to
12 mm from the free end 15 of the cigarette such that the
perforations extend into the tobacco plugs 80. The rods 252 are
then cut in two at a final cut drum 262 to produce a pair of
cigarettes 23 and 23' from each of the rods 252. At a turning drum
264, one of the cigarettes 23 is turned and aligned with the other
cigarette 23'.
[0163] The continuous stream of cigarettes 23 produced from the
tipping machine 200 is then directed to packers 266 and cartoners
268 and finally case packers 270 for shipment from the
manufacturing facilities.
[0164] It will be understood that any type of perforating system
can be used to perforate the tobacco rods prior to being attached
to the filter rods and/or after the tobacco rods are attached to
the filter rods. A preferred perforating system is a laser
perforating system, many forms of which are available commercially.
FIG. 11 shows a perspective side view of portions of a Hauni 500
laser perforating system which is commercially available from Hauni
Maschinenbau AG, located in Hamburg, Germany. According to the
invention, the laser system can be used to burn perforation holes
in tobacco rods at a location in the drum link-up assembly 220
located between a combining apparatus and a tipping apparatus. In
addition, another Hauni 500 laser system can be used to burn
perforation holes in a tobacco rod of a completed cigarette at a
location near the exit of the tipping apparatus.
[0165] As shown in FIG. 11, the laser perforating apparatus 298
includes the laser perforating drum 228, flutes 302 for holding
tobacco rods (or completed cigarettes in the case where the laser
perforating apparatus is located in the tipping apparatus), rolling
cams 304 which engage the rods/cigarettes located in the flutes 304
so as to roll the rods/cigarettes from a first portion of the flute
to a second portion of the flute (see FIG. 13), and a laser beam
directing device 306 which splits a laser beam into two beams for
perforating two locations on the tobacco rods/cigarettes. The
preferred location for burning the perforating holes in the 2-up
tobacco rods passing through the drum link-up apparatus 220 (or in
the tobacco rods of the completed cigarettes) is with an area
located 4 to 20 mm from the end of the tobacco rod at which the
tobacco plug 80 is located. With reference to FIG. 6, the
perforating holes 263 thus formed will pass through the tobacco rod
outer overwrap 71, the tobacco mat 66, the overwrap 84 surrounding
the tobacco plug 80 and into the tobacco plug 80.
[0166] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG.
11 but from an opposite side thereof. As shown in FIG. 12, the
laser beam directing device 306 includes a focusing device 308
wherein a plurality of beams are focused on an individual tobacco
rod 164. Further details of the focus device 308 can be seen in
FIGS. 13 and 14. As shown in FIG. 13, the focusing device directs a
focused laser beam 310 onto the tobacco rod 164 as the tobacco rod
is rotated about its axis along the surface of the flute 302 by the
rolling cam 304. The laser (not shown) is actuated by a controller
(not shown) which is programmed to deliver a pulsed beam during
rotation of the tobacco rod in the flute after which the beam is
shut off until the next tobacco rod is in a location suitable for
perforation by the beam. FIG. 14 shows a beam 312 from the laser
(not shown), a first mirror 314 for deflecting a portion of the
beam 312 to a first lens 316, and a second mirror 318 for
deflecting a second portion of the beam 312 to a second lens 320.
As a result, the beam splitter arrangement shown in FIG. 14 directs
a pair of beams onto the 2-up tobacco rod 164 at locations near the
free ends thereof.
[0167] The laser system can be set up to provide any desired
perforation hole pattern in the tobacco rods. According to a
preferred embodiment, the laser is programmed to burn 12 to 24
holes having a width of about 0.06 mm into the outer surface of
each tobacco rod. The holes can be provided in a single row or
multiple rows extending around the circumference of the tobacco rod
and depending on the length of the laser pulse width (the amount of
time the laser is in the "on" portion of a pulse cycle), the length
of the holes in the circumferential direction can vary accordingly.
Further, the row or rows can be provided at longitudinally spaced
apart locations along the tobacco rod. For example, a row of
perforations could be provided at a location about 4 mm from the
end of the tobacco rod and another row of perforations could be
provided at a location about 7 to 12 mm from the end. Moreover, by
focusing the beam such that the focal point is inside the tobacco
rod, a pair of adjacent holes can be burned into the tobacco rod
during each pulse of the laser, i.e., a single beam focused in this
way can provide a double row of perforations extending around the
tobacco rod.
[0168] In terms of operational parameters, the laser system should
be capable of penetrating the outer layers of-the tobacco rod and
provide a desired pattern of holes while the tobacco rods travel
through the drum link-up assembly at speeds capable of producing
over 4000 rods/cigarettes per minute. As an example, a 300 watt
laser having a pulse duration of 1000 .mu.s can be operated with a
pulse width of 200 to 400 .mu.s (the amount of time the laser is
"on" during the pulse duration) to obtain a single or double row of
perforations in a 2-up tobacco rod traveling through the drum
link-up assembly at a speed sufficient to produce 5000 cigarettes
per minute. In such a system, a double row of 24 perforations with
12 perforations in each row can be obtained using a pulse width of
400 .mu.s. However, the actual power settings used will depend on
the particular laser system and the set-up associated
therewith.
[0169] FIG. 15 shows a schematic layout of a combining apparatus
(DAPTC) 400, a link-up 402, a first laser perforating station 404,
a tipping apparatus (MAX S) 406, a second laser perforating station
408, and a conveying apparatus 410 for transporting, loading and
packaging the finished cigarettes. As shown, the DAPTC 400 conveys
tobacco rods in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which
the tobacco rods are attached to filter rods in the tipping
apparatus.
[0170] It is to be understood that the present invention may be
embodied in other specific forms and process the use without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the
present invention. For example, the cutting and slitting operations
may be reconfigured to cut different multiples of plugs. Although
the disclosure specifies certain machines as being preferred, one
of ordinary skill in the art, once familiar with these teachings,
would be able to select other machines for executing the disclosed
process. Additionally, certain plug structures might be altered
such as replacing tubular plugs with those that may have a filled
central portion. Thus, while the invention has been illustrated and
described in accordance with various preferred embodiments, it is
recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without
departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.
* * * * *