U.S. patent application number 10/740620 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-08 for paper for smoking articles.
Invention is credited to Fritzsching, Thomas, Trummer, Johannes M..
Application Number | 20040129283 10/740620 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32405723 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040129283 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Trummer, Johannes M. ; et
al. |
July 8, 2004 |
Paper for smoking articles
Abstract
Paper having a reduced smolder and burn tendencies for producing
wrappers for smoking articles, for example cigarettes, is provided
by adding phyllosilicates with water-absorbing capacities to the
paper.
Inventors: |
Trummer, Johannes M.;
(Hirschau, DE) ; Fritzsching, Thomas; (Neustadt,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
32405723 |
Appl. No.: |
10/740620 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/365 ;
162/139 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24D 1/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/365 ;
162/139 |
International
Class: |
D21F 011/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 24, 2002 |
EP |
02028960.9 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A paper for smoking articles comprising: cellulose; fillers; and
burn inhibitors that are water-emitting pigments of the mineral
group smectites.
2. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the burn inhibitors
belong to the montmorillonite group.
3. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the burn inhibitors
belong to the hectorite group.
4. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the burn inhibitors
belong to the beidellites group.
5. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the burn inhibitors
belong to the nontronite group.
6. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the burn inhibitors
belong to the stevensite group.
7. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the burn inhibitors
belong to the saponite group.
8. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the water-emitting
pigments have a specific surface area according to BET between 5
and 1000 m.sup.2/g.
9. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the water-emitting
pigments have a pore volume between 0,01 and 1,0 ml/g.
10. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the water-emitting
pigments have a water intake capacity of between 1 and 60%.
11. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the water-emitting
pigments have DTA-peaks for the disposal of the adsorptively bound
water in a temperature range of between 100.degree. and 200.degree.
C.
12. The paper according to claim 1, wherein air permeability of the
paper is between 0,5 and 20 CU.
13. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the water-emitting
pigments have been produced synthetically.
14. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the water-emitting
pigments are of natural origin.
15. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the water-emitting
pigments are distributed evenly in or on the paper.
16. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the water-emitting
pigments are distributed in or on the paper in a zone-shaped,
strip-shaped, and/or cross-shaped manner.
17. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the paper is used for
producing filter wrappers or mouth pieces.
18. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the smoking article is
a cigarette.
19. The paper according to claim 1, wherein the fillers are
selected from the group consisting of CaCO.sub.3, PCC, GCC,
titanium dioxide, calcined porcelain clay, and combinations
thereof;
20. A paper for cigarettes, the paper comprising burn inhibitors
added to the paper, the burn inhibitors being smectites and reduce
a burn tendency of the paper.
21. A method of manufacturing paper for smoking articles, the
method comprising: providing paper for the smoking articles, the
paper partially encompassing tobacco therein in a final
manufactured state; and adding burn inhibitors, which are
water-emitting pigments, to the paper, the burn inhibitors being
smectites.
Description
[0001] This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn. 119(a) on European Patent Application No. 02028960.9
filed in the European Patent Office on Dec. 24, 2002, which is
herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to paper for making filter
wrappers or mouth pieces of smoking articles.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0005] There is an almost incalculable number of formulas for
cigarette papers, filter wrappers and mouth piece papers. These
papers are made of cellulose, to which fillers are added. By adding
different fillers, the characteristics of the smoking article can
be manipulated as desired. For example, by adding the appropriate
fillers, a stabile or white band of ashes can be obtained. Other
fillers reduce the sidestream smoke. Yet other fillers regulate the
smolder characteristics etc.
[0006] A big problem are smoking articles, for example cigarettes,
which, when left unsupervised ignite their substrate. There has
been, therefore, no lack of attempts to alter the papers used in
the manufacture of smoking articles, for example cigarettes, in
such a way that the tobacco ember self-extinguishes when the smoker
does not take a puff for a certain period of time. See, for
example, DE 34 29 260 A, EP 0 262 550 A, U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,778,
and also U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,906.
[0007] The cigarette paper disclosed in DE 34 29 260 A has a base
wrapper construction containing cellulose fibers, which under
normal circumstances does not burn. This base wrapper receives a
plurality of zones, which are treated with a burn-promoting
additive. In the zones treated with the burn-promoting additive,
the tobacco part burns down until it reaches a non-treated paper
zone and extinguishes. The zones differ in their BMI (Burn Mode
Index) value. For burn-promoting additives, potassium citrate or an
alkali metal salt-equivalent is used.
[0008] The cigarette paper described in EP 0 262 550 A also has
varying zones, which differ in their combustibility. This cigarette
paper has a base wrapper, which contains 30% calcium carbonate as
filler and a portion of potassium citrate as a burn-promoting
additive. To this base wrapper, encircling bands of a filler-free
paper material are attached. The tobacco ember extinguishes when it
reaches this filler-free paper zone
[0009] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,906, a cigarette paper is described
that allegedly makes it possible to slow down the burning of a
smoking rod between two puffs. To accomplish this, bands of an
additional paper are glued to a paper base wrapper, which contains
potassium citrate as a burn-promoting additive. The features of
these zones are regulated in such a way, that the tobacco ember is
not extinguished but continues to smolder slowly.
[0010] In U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,778, it is suggested to attach bands
of alkali silicate, for example water glass (liquid, soluble sodium
or potassium silicate) to the cigarette paper.
[0011] GB 528 190 A discloses cigarette papers, the ashes of which
are stabilized. Non-combustible fibers are added to the cigarette
paper. These fibers are made from glass, asbestos, or clay.
According to this disclosure, the clay fibers are produced by
extruding a Bentonite-Gel, which is subsequently dried so that the
finished clay fibers have the microscopic, chemical, and heat
resistant characteristics of mica. The heat resistance of the clay
fibers is repeated several times in the patent. Because only burned
clay is heat-proof, ceramic fibers of burned clay are added to the
cigarette paper.
[0012] From U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,532 a cigarette paper is known that
is designed to reduce pollutants in the tobacco smoke. In this
invention, the cigarette paper is printed with pigments, which
contain bentonite, among other things. Bentonite, however, because
of its thixotropic characteristics, is a common additive to all
printer colors. It is also known that bentonite absorbs foreign
matter. Whether or not the cigarette paper disclosed in this patent
reduces or extinguishes the smolder zone is not disclosed.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,644 discloses a cigarette paper that
should reduce sidestream smoke. To accomplish this, fillers are
added to the paper, which, according to the explicit specification
in this patent, must be thermally stabile. This means that these
fillers do not have a liquid phase during heating, otherwise they
would transform. Furthermore, it is stated in this patent that the
paper ashes have a normal appearance. However, the pigments used in
the invention as burn inhibitors change the appearance of the
ashes, as will be illustrated in the drawings.
[0014] The solutions described in the patents listed above could
not, for various reasons, establish any practical importance. Some
papers alter the taste, others the appearance, some disrupted the
production, etc. There is still an urgent need for filter wrappers
or mouth piece papers, which can not be set on fire by the tobacco
ember, and at the same time do not produce health problems nor
optical or taste problems. The presently used chemicals diammonim
phosphate and polyaluminum chloride do not meet these conditions.
There are health concerns with diammonium phosphate and
polyaluminum chloride produces an acidulous taste when added in a
quantity necessary for safe burn inhibition.
[0015] The elements boron and bromine, that is, compounds thereof,
the flame-inhibiting characteristics of which are commonly known,
can also be eliminated.
[0016] Adding to the burn problem is the fact that the mouth piece
papers are printed with a cork-like pattern. The conventionally
used printer ink contains iron-3-oxide as dye and nitro-cellulose
as a bonding material. Both substances are good burn promoters so
that unprinted paper has the desired features, but loses these
features again once it is printed.
[0017] Tests with water-emitting fillers like aluminum hydroxide,
plaster and satin white, which even contains 37% of crystal water,
have also been unsuccessful.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a paper for producing filter wrappers and mouth pieces that
do not smolder and do not cause health, taste or optical problems,
regardless of whether or not it is printed.
[0019] Although, as stated above, the water-emitting minerals were
not successful, and although the silicates cited in the
conventional art above were not successful, it was found,
surprisingly, that the water-emitting silicates do meet the set
conditions. They remain neutral, alter neither taste nor optic, are
easy to process, and can be obtained everywhere and at a reasonable
price.
[0020] Phyllosilicates were found to be particularly suitable, and
particularly water-absorbing three-layer silicates, such as
smectites.
[0021] Particularly suited among the mineral group of the smectites
are montmorillonite, beidellite, hectorite and/or saponite.
[0022] Their ideal composition is as follows:
[0023] Montmorillonit:
(Na.sup.+).sub.o,8[(Al.sub.3.2Mg.sub.0.8)(OH).sub.4-
Si.sub.8O.sub.20].sup.0.8-
[0024] Hektorit: (Na.sup.+).sub.o,8[(Mg.sub.5.2Li.sub.0.8)(OH,
F).sub.4Si.sub.8O.sub.20].sup.0.8-
[0025] These contain adsorptively bound water, which they do not
lose during the paper manufacturing process, not even while passing
through the drying zone of the paper machine; rather, they dispose
of the adsorptively bound water only at higher temperatures, but
clearly below the temperature of the tobacco ember and at such a
speed that the extinguishing effect takes place early enough.
[0026] As the literature on this subject shows, layered silicates
have already been added to the cigarette paper to reduce sidestream
smoke. Bentonites in particular have been suggested for this
purpose. It was found, however, that for meeting the object of this
invention, bentonites are not unsuited.
[0027] In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the pigments
have a specific surface area according to BET between 5 and 1000
m.sup.2/g and/or a pore volume between 0.01 and 1.0 ml/g. Thereby
the faster the adsorptively bound water is released, the better the
burn-inhibiting effect is.
[0028] Furthermore, it is easily understood that the more water
that is adsorptively bound, the better the burn-inhibiting effect
is. In particular, those silicates with a water absorption capacity
of between 1 and 60% have been found to be of optimal
suitability
[0029] As mentioned previously, the layered silicates of this
invention only dispose of the adsorptively bound water at
temperatures, which are higher than the temperatures in the drying
zone of the paper machine. On the other hand, they should dispose
of the adsorptively bound water early and quickly enough so that
the burn-inhibiting effect takes place on time. Optimal effect in
this sense show pigments, which form DTA (Differential Thermal
Analysis) peaks for the disposal of adsorptively bound water at a
temperature range of between 100 and 200.degree. C.
[0030] The burn-inhibiting features of the pigments of this
invention are so good, that the paper can be produced with a
relatively high air permeability. Values of 0,5 up to 20 Coresta
Units (CU) have no influence on the burn-inhibiting effect. In
addition, the mouth piece papers can be perforated
electrostatically or by laser without causing production problems
as have been found, for example, with paper filled with china
(porcelain) clay.
[0031] Depending on the type and the origin of the pigments, they
can either be produced synthetically or be of natural origin. Thus,
a sufficiently large selection is available.
[0032] Furthermore, the processability of the pigments of this
invention is outstanding. They can already be mixed in with the
paper mass, before it is put onto the paper machine. In this
scenario, the pigments are evenly distributed in the paper.
[0033] The burn-inhibiting effect can also be achieved by
distributing the pigments evenly over the paper surface. This can
be done either on the paper machine itself or in a special
processing step.
[0034] Additionally, it is possible to distribute the pigments of
this invention in or on the paper in zones, that is, in bands.
These zones can be manufactured in the paper machine. It is not
necessary to adhere strips of a second paper.
[0035] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.
However, it should be understood that the detailed description and
specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various
changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying
drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are
not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:
[0037] FIG. 1 is an unprinted conventional mouth piece paper;
[0038] FIG. 2 is the printed mouth piece paper of FIG. 1;
[0039] FIG. 3 is an unprinted paper using hectorite as a
burn-inhibiting pigment, according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0040] FIG. 4 is the printed paper of FIG. 3;
[0041] FIG. 5 is an unprinted paper using montmorillonite as a
burn-inhibiting pigment, according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0042] FIG. 6 is the printed paper of FIG. 5;
[0043] FIG. 7 is a paper with pigments distributed in a zone-shaped
manner, according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0044] FIG. 8 is a paper with pigments being distributed in a
strip-shaped manner, according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0045] FIG. 9 is a paper with pigments distributed in a
cross-shaped manner, according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0046] In the following description of the drawings, the effect of
pigments according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is
illustrated in greater detail. Shown in the figurers is paper,
e.g., mouth piece paper, into which burn holes were burned using
the same method in each example.
[0047] FIG. 1 illustrates an unprinted conventional mouth piece
paper with burn holes. The bum holes were made by holding a
smoldering cigarette to the freely hanging paper. The result were
burn holes with a diameter of 50 mm and above.
[0048] FIG. 2 shows the mouth piece paper of FIG. 1, but printed.
The iron-3-oxide and the nitrocellulose contained in the printer's
ink have characteristics that promote the smoldering of the paper.
For that reason, the smoldering edges of the burn holes had to be
extinguished to avoid a complete burning of the paper.
[0049] FIG. 3 shows an unprinted mouth piece paper, to which
hectorite was added. The burn holes have a maximum diameter of 10
mm.
[0050] FIG. 4 shows the mouth piece paper of FIG. 3, but printed
with printer ink, as described herein above. Due to the
burn-promoting characteristics of the printer ink, the burn holes
have a larger diameter, whereby 15 mm, however, were not
exceeded.
[0051] FIG. 5 shows an unprinted mouth piece paper, with
montmorillonite being used as a burn-inhibiting pigment. It can be
seen that the burn holes are even smaller than the ones where
hectorite was used, as is shown in FIG. 3
[0052] FIG. 6 illustrates the outstanding effect of montmorillonite
even on a mouth piece paper that was printed with the
burn-promoting printer ink previously described. The burn holes are
only slightly larger than the ones in FIG. 5.
[0053] FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 each show a mouth piece paper, with the
burn-inhibiting pigments, according to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention, being distributed in a zone-shaped,
strip-shaped and/or cross-shaped manner, respectively.
[0054] In summary, it can be ascertained that the test results
illustrated in FIGS. 3-6 prove the outstanding burn-extinguishing
characteristics of the three-layer silicates with their
water-absorbing capacity. At the same time, it is noted that these
layered silicates alter neither the taste nor the optical features.
Because of their chemical stability in the temperatures common in
smoking articles, health effects can also be ruled out.
[0055] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in
the art are to be included within the scope of the following
claims.
* * * * *