U.S. patent application number 10/706038 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-20 for wrapper paper for smoking articles decreasing the amount of visible sidestream smoke of tobacco.
Invention is credited to Inoue, Kaoru, Ishikawa, Satoshi, Sato, Makoto, Tsutsumi, Takeo.
Application Number | 20040094174 10/706038 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18992170 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040094174 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ishikawa, Satoshi ; et
al. |
May 20, 2004 |
Wrapper paper for smoking articles decreasing the amount of visible
sidestream smoke of tobacco
Abstract
A wrapper paper for a smoking article, which permits decreasing
an amount of visible sidestream smoke of tobacco, contains at least
30 g/m.sup.2 of calcium carbonate and at least 3% by mass of a burn
adjusting agent.
Inventors: |
Ishikawa, Satoshi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Tsutsumi, Takeo; (Yokohama-shi, JP) ;
Sato, Makoto; (Fuji-shi, JP) ; Inoue, Kaoru;
(Fuji-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
18992170 |
Appl. No.: |
10/706038 |
Filed: |
November 13, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10706038 |
Nov 13, 2003 |
|
|
|
PCT/JP02/04650 |
May 14, 2002 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/365 ;
162/139 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D21H 27/00 20130101;
D21H 17/675 20130101; D21H 17/14 20130101; A24D 1/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/365 ;
162/139 |
International
Class: |
D21F 011/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 16, 2001 |
JP |
2001-146537 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A wrapper paper for a smoking article, which decreases an amount
of visible sidestream smoke of tobacco, the wrapper paper
containing at least 30 g/m.sup.2 of calcium carbonate and at least
3% by mass of a burn adjusting agent.
2. The wrapper paper according to claim 1, wherein the calcium
carbonate is contained in the wrapper paper in an amount of 30
g/m.sup.2 to 50 g/m.sup.2.
3. The wrapper paper according to claim 1, wherein the burn
adjusting agent is contained in the wrapper paper in an amount of 3
to 15% by mass.
4. The wrapper paper according to claim 1, wherein the burn
adjusting agent is selected from the group consisting of potassium
citrate and sodium citrate.
5. The wrapper paper according to claim 1, wherein an ash content
in a surface layer on at least one side of the wrapper paper is not
higher than 35% by mass.
6. The wrapper paper according to claim 1, wherein an ash content
in a surface layer on each of a top side and a bottom side of the
wrapper paper is not higher than 35% by mass.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a Continuation Application of PCT Application No.
PCT/JP02/04650, filed May 14, 2002, which was not published under
PCT Article 21(2) in English.
[0002] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No.
2001-146537, filed May 16, 2001, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates to a wrapper paper for a
smoking article, which decreases the amount of visible sidestream
smoke of tobacco.
[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0006] A low sidestream smoke cigarette having a small amount of a
sidestream smoke generated has been developed in recent years.
Whether or not such a cigarette actually has a small amount of the
sidestream smoke generated is determined by a so-called fishtail
method. The fishtail method is described in detail in Japanese
Patent Disclosure (Kokai) No. 10-81 with reference to drawings.
Briefly stated, the fishtail method utilizes a smoke chamber having
an open lower end portion, which is shaped like a fishtail. A
Cambridge filter having a diameter of 44 mm is mounted on an upper
portion of the smoke chamber. A prescribed length of a cigarette is
subjected to a static burn in the lower end portion of the smoke
chamber while sucking the air at a rate of 3 liters/min through the
upper end portion of the smoke chamber. The particulate matter
contained in the sidestream smoke that is generated in this stage
is allowed to be attached to the Cambridge filter and to the inner
wall of the smoke chamber, and the mass of the attached particulate
matter is measured. To be more specific, the mass of the original
Cambridge filter is subtracted from the mass of the Cambridge
filter catching the particulate matter so as to obtain first the
mass of the particulate matter attached to the Cambridge filter.
Then, each of the particulate matter attached to the Cambridge
filter and the particulate matter attached to the inner wall of the
smoke chamber is extracted with a solvent so as to measure the
absorbance. Further, the mass of the particulate matter attached to
the inner wall of the smoke chamber is calculated from the ratio of
absorbance values thus obtained and from the mass of the
particulate matter attached to the Cambridge filter calculated
first (i.e., the value obtained by the subtraction referred to
above). The sidestream smoke amount per cigarette (mg/cig) is
obtained by adding the mass of the particulate matter attached to
the Cambridge filter to the mass of the particulate matter attached
to the inner wall of the smoke chamber. Also, the sidestream smoke
amount per unit time (mg/min) is obtained in this method by
measuring the time required for the static burn of a prescribed
length of the cigarette and by dividing the sidestream smoke amount
per cigarette by the time thus measured. In the development of the
conventional low sidestream smoke cigarette, the sidestream smoke
amount per unit time thus obtained was regarded as approximating
the apparent sidestream smoke amount.
[0007] On the other hand, an apparatus is proposed for
consecutively or instantly measuring the sidestream smoke amount of
the cigarette by an optical method without relying on measurement
of mass (Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 3-120444). In this optical
apparatus, the sidestream smoke generated from a cigarette burnt
within a burn chamber is irradiated with a light flux, and the
intensity of the light flux transmitted through the sidestream
smoke is measured. The light flux intensity thus measured
corresponds to the concentration of the sidestream smoke and, thus,
reflects the amount of all the particulate matter.
[0008] It has been found, however, that, when it comes to the
cigarettes which permit suppressing the amounts of the sidestream
smoke to an equally low level when evaluated by the mass of all the
particulate matter as in the fishtail method, the amounts of the
sidestream smoke often differ from each other when actually
measured visually in the smoking stage. This supports that the
amount of the sidestream smoke measured by the mass of all the
particulate matter does not necessarily correspond to the amount of
the sidestream smoke measured by the visual observation. Since the
optically measured amount of the sidestream smoke referred to above
also corresponds to the concentration of the sidestream smoke, it
is reasonable to state that the optically measured amount of the
sidestream smoke does not necessarily correspond to the amount of
the sidestream smoke measured by the visual observation.
[0009] It is desirable for the smoking article such as a cigarette
to be small not only in the mass of all the particulate matter but
also in the amount of the sidestream smoke actually measured by the
visual observation.
[0010] Under the circumstances, an object of the present invention
is to provide a wrapper paper for a smoking article, which can
decrease the amount of sidestream smoke measured by the visual
observation (sometimes referred to also as an amount of the visible
sidestream smoke hereinafter).
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] As a result of an extensive research that has been made in
an attempt to achieve the object referred to above, the present
inventors have found that the amount of the visible sidestream
smoke can be markedly lowered by mixing calcium carbonate in a
prescribed amount and a burn adjusting agent in a prescribed amount
in the wrapper paper for a smoking article. The present invention
has been achieved on the basis of the finding.
[0012] Thus, the present invention provides a wrapper paper for a
smoking article, which decreases an amount of visible sidestream
smoke of tobacco, the wrapper paper containing at least 30
g/m.sup.2 of calcium carbonate and at least 3% by mass of a burn
adjusting agent.
[0013] In the present invention, the burn adjusting agent is
preferably selected from the group consisting of potassium citrate
and sodium citrate.
[0014] Also, in the present invention, it is desirable for the ash
component in the surface layer on at least one side of the wrapper
paper to be not larger than 35% by mass and for the ash component
in the surface layer on each of the top side and the bottom side of
the wrapper paper to be not larger than 35% by mass.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0015] FIG. 1 is an oblique view schematically showing the
construction of an apparatus used in the present invention for
measuring the amount of the visible sidestream smoke for a smoking
article;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the
construction of an apparatus used in the present invention for
measuring the amount of the visible sidestream smoke for a smoking
article;
[0017] FIG. 3 schematically shows the construction of an apparatus
for evaluating the amount of the visible sidestream smoke that can
be used in the organoleptic inspection;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the
amount of the visible sidestream smoke measured by the visual
observation and the value detected by using the apparatus for
measuring the amount of the visible sidestream smoke shown in FIG.
1;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a graph showing the result of the measurement of
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke by the fishtail method
in respect of a cigarette wrapped in a wrapper paper for Example 1
described herein later;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a graph showing the result of the measurement of
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke by the apparatus shown
in FIG. 1 in respect of a cigarette wrapped in a wrapper paper for
Example 1 described herein later;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a graph showing the result of the measurement of
the amount of the sidestream smoke by the fishtail method in
respect of a cigarette wrapped in a wrapper paper for Example 2
described herein later;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a graph showing the result of the measurement of
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke by the apparatus shown
in FIG. 1 in respect of a cigarette wrapped in a wrapper paper for
Example 2 described herein later;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the result of the measurement of
the amount of the sidestream smoke by the fishtail method in
respect of a cigarette wrapped in a wrapper paper for Example 3
described herein later; and
[0024] FIG. 10 is a graph showing the result of the measurement of
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke by the apparatus shown
in FIG. 1 in respect of a cigarette wrapped in a wrapper paper for
Example 3 described herein later.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The present invention will now be described more in
detail.
[0026] Pulp used for a wrapper paper for a smoking article
according to the present invention is comprised of a flax pulp, a
wood pulp or the like pulp used for an ordinary wrapper paper for
smoking articles (particularly cigarettes). It is practical to use
the pulp in an amount sufficient to maintain the mechanical
strength required for the paper making process or for the wrapping
of the tobacco. Preferably, the pulp amount is 20 to 50
g/m.sup.2.
[0027] The wrapper paper for a smoking article according to the
present invention contains at least a prescribed amount of calcium
carbonate and is added with at least a prescribed amount of a burn
adjusting agent. The calcium carbonate is contained in an amount of
30 g/m.sup.2 or more and 50 g/m.sup.2 or less, and the burn
adjusting agent is added in an amount of 3 to 15% by mass. Where
the amount of calcium carbonate is smaller than 30 g/m.sup.2 and/or
where the amount of the burn adjusting agent is smaller than 3 mass
%, a sufficient effect of suppressing the amount of the visible
sidestream smoke may not be obtained.
[0028] Calcium carbonate is added in the form of particles. It is
desirable for the particle diameter of calcium carbonate, which can
be selected appropriately in view of the cost and the convenience
in the paper making process, to fall within a range of 0.02 .mu.m
to 10 .mu.m.
[0029] It is desirable for the wrapper paper to have a basis weight
of 50 g/m.sup.2 to 100 g/m.sup.2.
[0030] It is desirable to use an alkali metal salt of citric acid
as the burn adjusting agent. Particularly, it is desirable to use
potassium citrate and sodium citrate as the burn adjusting agent.
Potassium citrate and sodium citrate can be used singly or in
combination.
[0031] It should be noted that, in the paper internally added with
a loading material, which is manufactured by the Fourdrinier
machine, the amount of the loading material on the wire side is
rendered smaller than that on the felt side in accordance with the
dehydration from the wire side in the paper layer-forming stage. As
a result, a bias is generated in the distribution of the loading
material and the fiber in the paper in the thickness direction of
the paper (or in the Z-direction). It follows that the paper is
caused to have bilateral properties. It is possible for the
bilateral properties to bring about defects in terms of the
printing quality and the characteristics of the paper in the field
of the printing paper. However, in the conventional wrapper paper,
the bilateral properties are desirable in terms of the convergence
of the ash in the burn stage of the cigarette, and the other
influences scarcely lead to a practical problem.
[0032] However, if a wrapper paper containing a very large amount
of the loading material as in the present invention is manufactured
by the conventional Fourdrinier machine, the loading material
contained in a large amount in the surface on the felt side is
dropped during the manufacturing process of the cigarette so as to
promote the generation of problems such as the paper powder trouble
and the wrapping defect. It follows that the manufacture of the
cigarette at a high speed is caused to be impaired.
[0033] For overcoming the problem described above, it is necessary
to decrease the loading material alone distributed in the vicinity
of the surface while maintaining the amount of the loading material
contained within the wrapper paper. As a means for decreasing the
loading material alone distributed in the vicinity of the surface
while maintaining the amount of the loading material contained
within the wrapper paper, it is possible to use a paper making
machine in which the paper layer is formed by a double-side
dehydration type wire part. The double-side dehydration type wire
part denotes a twin wire type wire part. Such a paper making
machine includes a twin wire machine, or a paper making machine
provided with a wire pat which is a so-called on-top type wire or
hybrid wire in which a twin wire is used in a part of a Fourdrinier
machine. In the general Fourdrinier machine, the dehydration is
carried out on the wire side alone in the stage of forming a paper
layer. In the twin wire type machine, however, the paper layer is
formed by the dehydration from two wires in contact with the upper
and lower surfaces of the paper material used for the paper making
so as to make it possible to decrease the amount of the loading
material contained in the surface region of the wrapper paper. The
wrapper paper manufactured by the general Fourdrinier machine has
the highest loading material content on the felt surface, and the
loading material content is gradually lowered toward the wire
surface. On the other hand, in the wrapper paper manufactured by
the twin wire type paper making machine, the difference in the
content of the loading material between the inner region and the
surface region of the paper layer is small and, thus, the
difference in the loading material content between the entire paper
layer and each layer is considerably small. Incidentally, in the
present invention, the region in the thickness direction from the
surface of the wrapper paper, which corresponds to 18 to 20% by
mass of the entire mass of the wrapper paper, is defined as the
surface layer, and the ash component in the particular region is
defined as the ash component of the surface layer. Also, where the
wrapper paper is manufactured by the conventional Fourdrinier
machine, the front and back surfaces of the manufactured wrapper
paper are generally called the surface on the felt side and the
surface on the wire side, respectively. On the other hand, where
the wrapper paper is manufactured by the twin wire type paper
making machine, the front and back surfaces of the manufactured
wrapper paper are called the surface on the top wire side and the
surface on the bottom wire side, respectively. In the present
invention, the felt side and the top wire side are called the top
side, and the wire side and the bottom wire side are called the
bottom side. In the present invention, it is desirable for the ash
component in at least one surface layer on the top side or the
bottom side of the wrapper paper to be not larger than 35% by mass,
and it is more desirable for the ash component in the surface layer
on each of the top side and the bottom side of the wrapper paper to
be not larger than 35% by mass.
[0034] It should be noted that, for determining the ash component
in the surface layer, the wrapper paper sample is divided into
several sections in the thickness direction of the wrapper paper
sample, and the ash component in the surface layer corresponding to
18 to 20% by mass of the entire mass in the thickness direction
from the surface of the sample can be determined in accordance with
JIS P 8128. Briefly stated, the ash component in the surface layer
noted above is determined as follows.
[0035] A sample sized at 40 mm.times.200 mm is taken from a wrapper
paper, and the mass of the sample is measured. Then, an adhesive
tape (width of 50 mm, tesa #4267) is attached to the surface of the
sample such that an air layer is not formed over the entire region
of the sample ranging between one edge and the other edge of the
sample. After those regions of the adhesive tape which overhang the
sample are cut off, load is applied from above the adhesive tape so
as to cause the adhesive tape to be attached strongly to the
sample. The mass of, the sample having the adhesive tape attached
thereto is measured again so as to obtain the mass of the adhesive
tape. Then, another adhesive tape is attached to the opposite
surface of the sample, and the sample sandwiched between the two
adhesive tapes is divided in its longitudinal direction into two
sections by utilizing the adhesive force of the adhesive tapes. To
be more specific, the sample is divided by the T-shaped peeling, in
which the sample sandwiched between the two adhesive tapes is held
vertical and is slowly peeled in the horizontal direction at a
constant speed. An additional adhesive tape is attached again to
the peeling surface of the sample subjected to the first peeling
process, and the similar procedure is repeated until the mass of
the surface layer amounts to 18 to 20% by mass of the mass of the
original sample. Ten points per sample of the surface layer thus
obtained are strongly heated at 900.degree. C. together with the
adhesive tape so as to obtain the ash component in accordance with
JIS P 8128, and the ash component thus obtained is corrected by the
ash component of the adhesive tape so as to obtain the value of the
ash component of the surface layer. Also, the ash component of the
sample before the division of the sample is also measured
separately so as to obtain the total ash component.
[0036] The wrapper paper for a smoking article (particularly,
cigarette) according to the present invention permits markedly
decreasing the amount of the visible sidestream smoke of tobacco,
compared with the conventional wrapper paper. The measurement of
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke, which can be performed
by the organoleptic inspection, can also be performed easily by
using an apparatus for measuring the amount of the visible
sidestream smoke disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No.
2000-268910.
[0037] FIG. 1 is an oblique view schematically showing the
construction of an apparatus for measuring the amount of the
visible sidestream smoke disclosed in Japanese Patent Application
No. 2000-268910, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically
showing the construction of the apparatus for measuring the amount
of the visible sidestream smoke referred to above.
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus 10 for measuring
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke comprises a static burn
chamber 11 for a smoking article, a visible light irradiating unit
12 for irradiating the sidestream smoke generated by the static
burn of the smoking article and naturally rising upward within the
static burn chamber 11 with a prescribed visible light beam in a
direction substantially perpendicular to the flowing direction of
the sidestream smoke, and a scattered light intensity detecting
unit 14 for detecting, as the index of the amount of the visible
sidestream smoke, the intensity of the scattered light scattered by
the sidestream smoke in a direction substantially perpendicular to
the direction of the visible light beam.
[0039] The static burn chamber 11 is formed of a light shielding
material, and is comprised of, for example, a hollow parallelepiped
body having a longer side in the vertical direction and defined by
four side walls 11a to 11d. A smoking article insertion port 111
for inserting a smoking article SA such as an ignited cigarette
into the static burn chamber 11 is formed in a lower portion of the
side wall 11a. Air flowing windows 112 to 115 such as mesh windows,
which permit supplying the air required for the static burn of the
smoking article SA into the static burn chamber 11, are formed in
the lowermost end portions of the four side walls 11a to 11d
defining the static burn chamber 11. It is desirable for the
insertion port 111 of the smoking article to be formed such that
the sidestream smoke SSS generated from the smoking article SA
inserted into the static burn chamber 11 through the insertion port
111 is prevented from being affected by the disturbance of the
external air entering the static burn chamber 11 through the air
flowing windows 112 to 115 and to be positioned such that the
distance between the smoking article SA and the upper edge of the
static burn chamber 11 is long enough to prevent substantially the
sidestream smoke SSS from being swayed.
[0040] It is possible to load glass beads (not shown) in the free
space in the bottom portion of the static burn chamber 11
surrounded by the air flowing windows 112 to 115 so as to form an
air flow rectifying layer, thereby preventing the sidestream smoke
SSS rising upward within the static burn chamber 11 by the static
burn of the smoking article from being disturbed. The upper end of
the static burn chamber 11 is left open. It is possible to mount an
evacuating hood 15 on the open upper end of the static burn chamber
11 for evacuating the static burn chamber 11. It is necessary to
evacuate the static burn chamber 11 such that the static burn of
the smoking article SA is not substantially affected. For
evacuation, it is desirable to mount a flow rectifying filter 16 in
a manner to cross the upper open end of the static burn chamber 11
so as to not to disturb the sidestream smoke SSS naturally rising
upward within the static burn chamber 11 by the static burn of the
smoking article. An evacuating duct 151 is mounted on the top
portion of the evacuating hood 15, and the evacuating duct 151 is
connected to an evacuating system (not shown).
[0041] The visible light irradiating unit 12 is mounted outside the
static burn chamber 11. In the example shown in the drawing, the
visible light irradiating unit is mounted outside the side wall 11b
facing the side wall 11a of the static burn chamber 11 into which
the smoking article SA is inserted. A visible light transmitting
window 116 is formed in that portion of the side wall 11b which is
positioned to face the visible light irradiating unit 12. The
visible light irradiating unit 12 comprises a visible light source
(not shown) and serves to irradiate the sidestream smoke SSS
generated by the static burn of the smoking article SA and
naturally rising upward within the static burn chamber 11 with a
visible light beam VLB in a direction substantially perpendicular
to the flowing direction of the sidestream smoke. The visible light
source used is not particularly limited as far as a visible light
can be emitted. For example, it is possible to use a visible light
laser, a visible light emitting diode, or a halogen lamp as the
visible light source. In the typical case, a light source A
stipulated by the International Illumination Committee is used as
the visible light source.
[0042] The visible light beam (visible light flux) VLB emitted from
the visible light irradiating unit 12 has a substantial cross
section large enough to cover sufficiently the sidestream smoke SSS
naturally rising upward within the static burn chamber 11 even if
the sidestream smoke SSS is somewhat swayed. For example, it is
possible for the visible light beam VLB to have a width w in a
direction perpendicular to the irradiating direction (FIG. 2) and
to have a rectangular cross section having a height in a direction
substantially perpendicular to the irradiating direction of the
visible light beam VLB so as to conform with the view field in
performing the organoleptic evaluation in view of the view field of
the human being. It is desirable for the width w to be at least
equal to the swaying width of the visible sidestream smoke SSS in a
direction perpendicular to the irradiating direction of the visible
light beam. Incidentally, the cross sectional shape of the visible
light beam is not limited to a rectangular shape. The cross
sectional shape of the visible light beam may be elliptical,
circular, etc. The shaping of the visible light beam can be
effected by the known method. For example, it is possible to use a
mask having an aperture conforming to the cross sectional shape of
the visible light beam. It is also possible to use a lens system
including a convex lens and a concave lens used in combination.
[0043] It is desirable to arrange a light absorption unit 13
outside the static burn chamber 11, in the example shown in FIG. 1,
outside the sidewall 11a, such that the light absorption unit 13 is
positioned to face the visible light irradiating unit 12, to permit
all the light components generated from the visible light
irradiating unit 12 and transmitted through the sidestream smoke
SSS to be absorbed and removed. A visible light transmitting window
117 is formed in that portion of the side wall 11a which is
positioned to face the light absorption unit 13.
[0044] The scattered light intensity detecting unit 14 is arranged
outside the static burn chamber 11 in a direction perpendicular to
the direction of the irradiating light beam emitted from the
visible light irradiating unit 12. In the example shown in FIG. 1,
the scattered light intensity detecting unit is arranged outside
the side wall 11d. A visible light transmitting window 118 is
arranged in that portion of the side wall 11d which is positioned
to face the scattered light intensity detecting unit 14. As
described previously, the scattered light intensity detecting unit
14 serves to detect the intensity of the scattered light SLV
(90.degree.-scattered light), which is scattered in a direction
substantially perpendicular to the irradiating direction of the
visible light beam VLB, among the light beams irradiating the
sidestream smoke SSS and scattered by the sidestream smoke SSS. The
scattered light intensity detecting unit 14 comprises an optical
system (not shown) for converging the 90.degree.-scattered light
SLV and a light-electricity conversion device (not shown), known
per se, for converting the converged 90.degree.-scattered light SLV
into an electric signal and outputting the electric signal. A
photomultiplier for converting the light into a voltage signal can
be used desirably as the light-electricity conversion device
referred to above. The converted voltage signal is subjected to,
for example, an A/D conversion and, then, can be used for the data
sampling using a personal computer. The data acquisition interval
and the acquisition time can be set optionally. Typically, 300
points can be measured at an interval of 0.2 second in one
minute.
[0045] The intensity of the detected 90.degree.-scattered light SLV
and the amount of the visible sidestream smoke correlate very well
to each other. Therefore, it is possible to judge that the amount
of the visible sidestream smoke is rendered relatively large with
increase in the intensity of the detected 90.degree.-scattered
light. Incidentally, it has been found that the intensity of the
90.degree.-scattered light and the amount of all the particulate
matter contained in the sidestream smoke do not correlate to each
other.
[0046] In order to prevent the external stray light from being
incident from each of the visible light transmitting windows, it is
desirable to arrange external stray light shielding boxes 17 to 19
between the visible light irradiating unit 12 and the visible light
transmitting window 116, between the light absorption unit 13 and
the visible light transmitting window 117, and between the
scattered light intensity detecting unit 14 and the visible light
transmitting window 118.
[0047] Concerning the typical examples of the entire size of the
apparatus 10, the static burn chamber 11 is a hollow parallelepiped
having a cross section sized at 11 cm.times.11 cm and a height of
80 cm. The smoking article insertion port 111 is formed at a
position 50 cm apart from the lower edge of the static burn
chamber. The distance between the smoking article SA and the center
of the visible light beam is 10 cm. Further, the visible light beam
emitted from the visible light beam irradiating unit has a cross
sectional area sized at 5 cm.times.5 cm.
[0048] As shown in FIG. 2, it is desirable for the apparatus for
measuring the amount of the visible sidestream smoke used in the
present invention to comprise a conversion table means 20 for
converting the intensity of the 90.degree.-scattered light detected
by the scattered light intensity detecting unit 14 into the amount
of the visible sidestream smoke based on the relationship between
the intensity of the 90.degree.-scattered light and the amount of
the visible sidestream smoke measured by the visual observation and
for outputting the converted amount of the visible sidestream
smoke. The relationship obtained in advance between the intensity
of the 90.degree.-scattered light and the amount of the visible
sidestream amount obtained by the visual observation is inputted in
the conversion table means 20 as a conversion formula, a
calibration curve, etc., so as to permit the intensity signal of
the 90.degree.-scattered light outputted from the scattered light
intensity detecting unit 14 to be converted into the amount of the
visible sidestream smoke. The amount of the visible sidestream
smoke thus converted is generated from the conversion table means
20. In order to obtain the correlation between the intensity of the
90.degree.-scattered light and the amount of the visible sidestream
smoke measured by the visual observation, the amount of the visible
sidestream smoke of the smoking article such as a large number of
cigarettes is evaluated by the organoleptic inspection by the pair
test so as to determine numerically the amount of the visible
sidestream smoke. The intensity of the 90.degree.-scattered light
detected by the apparatus is measured in respect of the same
smoking article. It is possible to obtain a calibration curve by
plotting the measured values in a graph comprising the ordinate
directed to, for example, the amount of the visible sidestream
smoke and the abscissa directed to, for example, the intensity of
the 90.degree.-scattered light. It is possible to obtain the
conversion formula from the intensity of the 90.degree.-scattered
light into the amount of the visible sidestream smoke on the basis
of the calibration curve thus obtained.
[0049] The organoleptic inspection by the pair test can be
performed by using, for example, an apparatus for evaluating the
amount of the visible sidestream smoke shown in FIG. 3. To be more
specific, a standard cigarette CIG1 and a target cigarette CIG2 are
subjected to the static burn within two static burn chambers 31 and
32, respectively, which are arranged in symmetry in the right-left
direction. In this case, a question-and-answer system is employed
in which the observed amount of the sidestream smoke generated from
the target cigarette CIG2 is asked to be evaluated numerically
within a range of point 0 to point 10 relative to point 5 given to
the standard cigarette CIG1. The static burn chambers 31 and 32 are
provided with peeping windows 311 and 321, respectively, each
having a prescribed width in the vertical direction. Also, visible
light sources 33 and 34 are provided in the upper portions of the
static burn chambers 31 and 32, respectively. It is desirable for
the width of each of the peeping windows 311 and 321 in the
vertical direction to correspond to the height of the visible light
beam emitted from the visible light irradiating unit 12 included in
the apparatus for measuring the amount of the visible sidestream
smoke. It is also desirable for the distance between the cigarettes
CIG1, CIG2 and the lower ends of the peeping windows 311, 321 to
correspond to the distance of the lower end of the visible light
beam emitted from the visible light irradiating unit 12 included in
the apparatus for measuring the amount of the visible sidestream
smoke as measured from the smoking article SA. Side stream smokes
SS1 and SS2 are irradiated from above with the visible light beams
emitted from the visible light sources 33 and 34, and these
sidestream smokes SS1 and SS2 can be observed through only the
peeping windows 311 and 321.
[0050] The present invention will now be described more in detail
with reference to Examples of the present invention, though the
present invention is not limited by the following Examples.
REFERENCE EXAMPLE 1
[0051] Values corresponding to the amounts of the visible
sidestream smoke generated from 15 kinds of cigarettes were
evaluated by the organoleptic inspection by the pair test referred
to previously. The evaluation was performed by 10 panelists by
using the apparatus for evaluating an amount of the visible
sidestream smoke shown in FIG. 3. The average value of the obtained
points for each kind of the cigarettes was defined as the point of
the cigarette of the particular kind. Also, the above values were
normalized by defining as 1 the value corresponding to the amount
of the visible sidestream smoke generated from the cigarette that
acquired the highest point. On the other hand, the intensity of the
90.degree.-scattered light was detected as the voltage in respect
of the amounts of the sidestream smoke of the same 15 kinds of the
cigarettes by using the apparatus for measuring the amount of the
visible sidestream smoke of the cigarette shown in FIG. 1, and the
voltage values of the cigarettes were normalized such that the
voltage data of the cigarette that was defined as 1 in the
organoleptic inspection referred to previously would become 1.
These data are plotted in a graph of FIG. 4 comprising the abscissa
directed to the normalized intensity of the scattered light and the
ordinate directed to the normalized value corresponding to the
amount of the sidestream smoke measured by the organoleptic
inspection. As apparent from FIG. 4, the intensity of the
90.degree.-scattered light obtained by the apparatus for measuring
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke correlates very well to
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke measured by the
organoleptic inspection.
EXAMPLE 1
[0052] Wrapper papers were prepared, having a pulp in an amount of
30 g/m.sup.2, and containing about 4.5% by mass of potassium
citrate with amounts of calcium carbonate varied as shown in Table
1. Flax pulp was used as the pulp, and calcite type spindle-shaped
calcium carbonate having a particle diameter of 3.0 .mu.m was used
as the calcium carbonate. Cigarettes were prepared by using the
resultant wrapper paper. The prepared cigarette had an ordinary FK
size, in which the circumferential length was 4.9 mm, the tobacco
column length was 59 mm, the filter length was 25 mm, and the chip
paper length was 32 mm. The shredded tobacco used was of the
ordinary American blend type used in the cigarette available on the
market, and its loading amount was 0.580 g/cigarette. These
cigarettes were conditioned at a temperature of 22.degree. C. and a
relative humidity of 60%, followed by the weight selection with the
weight of a single cigarette set at 0.885.+-.0.01 g. Then, the
cigarette was tested.
[0053] Each of the selected cigarettes was subjected to the static
burn with the burn length set at 49 mm. Table 1 also shows the burn
time, the amount of the sidestream smoke per cigarette, and the
amount of the sidestream smoke per unit time, measured by the
fishtail method. The amount of the sidestream smoke per cigarette
is also shown in FIG. 5. Also, the amount of the visible sidestream
smoke generated from each cigarette was measured by using the
apparatus shown in FIG. 2, with the result as shown in Table 1 and
FIG. 6. The experimental data support that, where the amount of
calcium carbonate is small, the amount of the sidestream smoke per
cigarette is large (FIG. 5). However, since the burn time is
prominently long, the amount of the sidestream smoke per unit time
determined by the fishtail method is small. On the other hand,
where the amount of calcium carbonate is large, the burn time is
short. Although the amount of the sidestream smoke per unit time is
small because the amount of the sidestream smoke per cigarette is
prominently small, the amount of the sidestream smoke per unit time
determined by the fishtail method is not changed prominently. On
the other hand, the experimental data given in FIG. 6 support that
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke can be rapidly lowered
if the wrapper paper is allowed to contain calcium carbonate in an
amount of at least 30 g/m.sup.2.
1 TABLE 1 Amount of Fish tail method Amount of burn Amount of
Amount of calcium adjusting sidestream sidestream Wrapper carbonate
agent Burn time smoke smoke Amount of visible paper (g/m.sup.2) (%)
sec/49 mm mg/cig mg/min. sidestream smoke 1-1 10 4.4 406 16.6 2.45
0.70 1-2 15 4.4 388 16.4 2.53 0.66 1-3 20 4.5 377 16.5 2.63 0.66
1-4 25 4.6 365 15.9 2.62 0.64 1-5 30 4.5 357 15.4 2.59 0.50 1-6 35
4.6 352 14.8 2.52 0.49 1-7 40 4.6 349 14.0 2.40 0.46
EXAMPLE 2
[0054] Wrapping papers were prepared by adding varied amounts of
potassium citrate as shown in Table 2 to the wrapper paper
containing 35 g/m.sup.2 of calcium carbonate which was found to
permit markedly decreasing the amount of the visible sidestream
smoke in Example 1. The other conditions were the same as those for
Example 1. Table 2 also shows the burn time, the amount of the
sidestream smoke per cigarette, and the amount of the sidestream
smoke per unit time, measured by the fishtail method. The amount of
the sidestream smoke per cigarette is also shown in FIG. 7. Also,
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke for each cigarette was
measured by using the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and the result is
shown in Table 2 and FIG. 8. The experimental data support that,
where the amount of potassium citrate is large, the burn time is
long. However, since the amount of the sidestream smoke is
prominently large (FIG. 7), the amount of the sidestream smoke per
unit time, which was measured by the fishtail method, was large. On
the other hand, if the amount of potassium citrate is increased,
the burn time is shortened. However, since the amount of the
sidestream smoke per cigarette is prominently decreased (FIG. 7),
the amount of the sidestream smoke per unit time, which was
determined by the fishtail method, was decreased, though the rate
of decrease was not prominently high. However, the experimental
data given in FIG. 8 support that the amount of the visible
sidestream smoke was prominently decreased by allowing the wrapper
paper to contain at least 3% of potassium citrate.
2 TABLE 2 Amount of Fish tail method Amount of burn Amount of
Amount of calcium adjusting sidestream sidestream Wrapper carbonate
agent Burn time smoke smoke Amount of visible paper (g/m.sup.2) (%)
sec/49 mm mg/cig mg/min. sidestream smoke 2-1 35 0.0 427 21.3 3.00
1.00 2-2 35 1.0 369 16.9 2.75 0.72 2-3 35 1.9 360 15.4 2.57 0.56
2-4 35 2.9 354 14.9 2.53 0.49 2-5 35 4.5 352 14.8 2.52 0.49 2-6 35
6.2 351 14.5 2.48 0.43
EXAMPLE 3
[0055] Wrapping papers were prepared by adding varied amounts of
potassium citrate as shown in Table 3 to the wrapper paper
containing 30 g/m.sup.2 of calcium carbonate which was found to
permit markedly decreasing the amount of the visible sidestream
smoke in Example 1. The other conditions were the same as those for
Example 1. Table 3 also shows the burn time, the amount of the
sidestream smoke per cigarette, and the amount of the sidestream
smoke per unit time, measured by the fishtail method. The amount of
the sidestream smoke per cigarette is also shown in FIG. 9. Also,
the amount of the visible sidestream smoke for each cigarette was
measured by using the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and the result is
shown in Table 3 and FIG. 10. The experimental data support that,
where the amount of potassium citrate is small, the burn time is
long. However, since the amount of the sidestream smoke per
cigarette is prominently large (FIG. 9), the amount of the
sidestream smoke per unit time, which was measured by the fishtail
method, was large. On the other hand, if the amount of potassium
citrate is increased, the burn time is shortened. However, since
the amount of the sidestream smoke per cigarette is prominently
decreased (FIG. 9), the amount of the sidestream smoke per unit
time, which was determined by the fishtail method, was decreased,
though the rate of decrease was not prominently high. However, the
experimental data given in FIG. 10 support that the amount of the
visible sidestream smoke was prominently decreased by allowing the
wrapper paper to contain at least 3% of potassium citrate.
3 TABLE 3 Amount of Fish tail method Amount of burn Amount of
Amount of calcium adjusting sidestream sidestream Wrapper carbonate
agent Burn time smoke smoke Amount of visible paper (g/m.sup.2) (%)
sec/49 mm mg/cig mg/min. sidestream smoke 3-1 30 0.0 435 22.5 3.10
1.00 3-2 30 0.9 383 18.1 2.83 0.84 3-3 30 1.8 365 16.4 2.69 0.62
3-4 30 2.9 359 15.5 2.59 0.51 3-5 30 4.6 357 15.4 2.59 0.50 3-6 30
6.1 354 14.9 2.52 0.49
REFERENCE EXAMPLE 2
[0056] Wrapper papers A to C were prepared, containing the total
ash components as shown in Table 4.
[0057] Wrapping paper A was a wrapper paper made by adding calcium
carbonate used as a loading material to the wood pulp and by using
a Fourdrinier machine in which a twin wire was substituted for a
part of the wire part. Wrapping paper B was a wrapper paper made by
the process similar to that for making wrapper paper A, except that
its addition amount of calcium carbonate was larger than wrapper
paper A. Further, wrapper paper C was a wrapper paper made by using
the ordinary Fourdrinier machine such that its calcium carbonate
content was made equal to that for wrapper paper A. Table 4 shows
the result of the measurement in respect of the ash component in
the surface layer and the ash component of the entire sample.
4 TABLE 4 Total Ash in surface ash layer (%) Paper machine (%)
T.S/B.S* Wrapper paper A On-top type 30.0 30.8/27.3 Fourdrinier
machine Wrapper paper B On-top type 33.4 32.7/28.8 Fourdrinier
machine Wrapper paper C Fourdrinier machine 30.9 36.9/23.8
*T.S/B.S: top side/bottom side
[0058] No problem was generated in the cigarette manufacture when
it comes to wrapper paper A and wrapper paper B, which are made by
using a Fourdrinier machine in which a twin wire was substituted
for a part of the wire part. However, when it comes to wrapper
paper C in which the ash content in the vicinity of the surface
exceeded 35%, a large amount of the loading material was found to
have dropped from the surface of the paper in the manufacturing
process of the cigarette. The dropped paper powder formed a dust,
and the wrapping defect was generated in the cigarette, with the
result that it was difficult to manufacture the cigarette. Such
being the situation, it has been found that the wrapper paper, in
which the ash content in the surface layer exceeds 35%, is not
suitable for use in the manufacture of the cigarette.
[0059] As described above, the present invention provides a wrapper
paper for a smoking article, which permits significantly decreasing
the amount of the sidestream smoke of the smoking article as
measured by the visual observation.
* * * * *