U.S. patent application number 10/511681 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-28 for filter unit for filter-cigarettes and filter cigarettes.
Invention is credited to Rozim, Peter.
Application Number | 20050161055 10/511681 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 10976022 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050161055 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rozim, Peter |
July 28, 2005 |
Filter unit for filter-cigarettes and filter cigarettes
Abstract
The filter unit according the invention contains wood cuttings
of a particle size of 0.2-1.2 mm impregnated with sodium chloride
solution, preferably with a solution of 20-40% sodium chloride and
80-60% of water. The wood cutting may be in a loose form or the
wood cutting particles (9) may be arranged on a rib (8) made of
cellulose-acetate. The filter cigarette containing a filter unit
according to invention may contain the filter unit (5) between the
filter-tip (4) and the tobacco body (1) or between two parts of the
filter-tip (4). Preferably, the filter unit (5) is separated from
the filter-tip (4) and/or from the tobacco body (1) by a web
(6).
Inventors: |
Rozim, Peter; (Budapest,
HU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITCH, EVEN, TABIN & FLANNERY
P. O. BOX 65973
WASHINGTON
DC
20035
US
|
Family ID: |
10976022 |
Appl. No.: |
10/511681 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
May 15, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/HU02/00041 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/341 ;
131/331; 131/345 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24D 3/06 20130101; A24D
3/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/341 ;
131/331; 131/345 |
International
Class: |
A24D 003/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 17, 2002 |
HU |
P0201257 |
Claims
1. Filter unit for filter-cigaretes containing tobacco body and
filter-tip, characterized in that it contains wood cuttings of a
particle size of 0.2-1.2 mm impregnated with sodium chloride
solution.
2. Filter unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the wood
cutting is impregnated with a solution of 20-40% sodium chloride
and 80-60% of water.
3. Filter unit according to claim 2, characterized in that it
contains the wood cutting in a loose form.
4. Filter unit according to claim 2, characterized in that it
contains wood cutting particles (9) arranged on a rib (8) made of
cellulose acetate.
5. Filter cigarette containing tobacco body, filter-tip and a
filter unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter
unit (5) is between the filter-tip (4) and the tobacco body
(1).
6. Filter cigarette unit according to claim 5, characterized in
that the filter unit (5) is between two parts of the filter-tip
(4).
7. Filter cigarette according to claim 6, characterized in that the
filter unit (5) is separated from the filter-tip (4) and/or from
the tobacco body (1) by a web (6).
8. Filter cigarette according to claim 5, characterized in that the
filter unit (5) is separated from the filter-tip (4) and/or from
the tobacco body (1) by a web (6).
9. Filter unit according to claim 1, characterized in that it
contains the wood cutting in a loose form.
10. Filter unit according to claim 1, characterized in that it
contains wood cutting particles (9) arranged on a rib (8) made of
cellulose acetate.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a filter unit for reducing
the tar and nicotine content of the smoke of cigarettes containing
a tobacco body and a filter tip. Furthermore the invention relates
to cigarettes containing filter unit.
[0002] The tobacco industry makes efforts all over the world to
sell tobacco products with the possibly lowest tar and nicotine
content with preserving, at the same time, their delight value. In
the USA and in Europe, there are statutory regulations putting a
ban from 2004, on cigarette products with tar content exceeding 10
mg.
[0003] The tobacco raw material is grown in improved breeding in
order to obtain a plant with increased aroma, resin and sugar
content at the lowest harmful nitrogen compound content and, at the
same time, plants with finer leaves. After harvesting the leaves,
the tobacco is fermented, in which process the tobacco heats up,
its weight decreases and changes caused by enzymes and bacteria
occur. The fermented tobacco is processed to tobacco products:
cigars, cigarettes and cigarette- or pipe-tobacco.
[0004] The two most harmful components of tobacco smoke are
nicotine and tar. At smoking, they get into the human organism
where they deposit and absorb, exerting there their heavily harmful
influence on health.
[0005] The main alkaloid of tobacco is nicotine, but in its leaves,
it contains a series of other chemically related compounds. At
smoking, about 30-60% of the nicotine content gets into the smoke,
and 20-90% of this amount is absorbed in the human organism,
depending on the mode of smoking, whether it occurs fast or slowly,
or whether the smoke is inhaled directly into the lungs. In spite
of its harmful and toxic effect, the delight of smoking is provided
by nicotine.
[0006] However, a more serious danger than nicotine is for human
organism and for human health the tar present in smoke, as it
contains carcinogenic substances (e.g. benzpyrene). Passive smokers
are subjected involuntarily to coexistence with tobacco smoke, thus
smokers damage not only themselves, but also people living in their
surrounding as well. Therefore solutions should be searched for a
significant reduction of these dangers.
[0007] Numerous smoke filters have been developed for reducing the
amount of nicotine, and especially tar, present in cigarette smoke
introduced into human organism. They may be filters containing
additives (e.g. active carbon, charcoal), promoting ventilation or
heating, or filters suitable for dispersing smoke. Such are
described e.g. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,958,579; 3,882,877; 3,762,422;
DE-OS 29 02 120 and DE-OS 23 56 569. Their common draw-back is that
the air resistance is significantly increases by the filter and
thus their smoking is rather difficult. Further on, they impair the
aroma of the tobacco, the habitual character of the cigarette has
changed. In this way, a cigarette with a new nature and an impaired
delight value was received from the traditional cigarette of known
and enjoyed characteristics.
[0008] Last but not least, applying such amendments in an existing
production technology is rather complicated and expensive due to
the necessary change of the whole machinery. Thus, these solutions
would mean only a disadvantage for the tobacco industry.
[0009] The object of the present invention is to develop a filter
unit which is applicable in cigarettes provided with filter-tip,
the production of which can be fitted into traditional production
technology, in a way that the original nature of the cigarette, its
smokability, aroma and delight value remain and, at the same time,
the carcinogenic tar and nicotine content of the smoke is reduced
significantly.
[0010] Accordingly, the filler unit contains wood cuttings of
particle sizes of 0.2-1.2 mm impregnated with sodium chloride,
preferably with a solution of 20-40% of sodium chloride and 80-60%
of water. The wood cuttings may be present loose, or alternatively,
applied on a strip made of cellulose-acetate.
[0011] It should be noted that the wood cuttings should preferably
be in a loose form, as the cellulose-acetate strip has been proven
to be carcinogenic, similarly to all other filter-tips with
additional filters. At every puff, together with the smoke, some of
the cellulose-acetate gets into the lung, and may cause lung cancer
by accumulating there.
[0012] The filter unit according to this invention contains natural
and harmless materials instead of the harmful and carcinogenic
cellulose-acetate, in addition to its capacity for the significant
reduction of the amount of carcinogenic tar and toxic and harmful
nicotine.
[0013] The filter unit can be applied between the tobacco body and
the filter tip, or between two parts of the filter tip, and can be
separated from the filter by a closing web.
[0014] Wood cuttings alone are capable of some filtering. However,
they become an excellent adsorber upon impregnating them by sodium
chloride. The big surface area of the impregnated wood cuttings
becomes porous after drying, due to the presence of sodium chloride
crystals, further increasing thereby the original surface area.
[0015] Wood cuttings impregnated with sodium chloride solution as
filter perform increased physical filtering of the cigarette smoke
due to the increased crystalline and porous surface. it, The tar
and nicotine content of the smoke can deposit on and adhere to an
increased surface area when the cigarette smoke passes through.
[0016] On the other hand, the sodium chloride solution increases
the filtering effect not only by increasing the surface area, but
also by forming a crystallized film capable of dissolving and
crystallizing again and again. The crystalline sodium chloride
becomes a good adsorbent when it gets into contact with the hot and
moistureous cigarette smoke, and its surface becomes activated by
some dissolution and softening. Than, the tar and nicotine
particles adhere to its surface, then penetrate into the filtering
medium. At the time the hot and moistureous smoke leaves the
filter, the slightly heated sodium chloride cools down and
crystallizes, adsorbing thereby the tar and nicotine therein. At
every new puff the adsorption is repeated.
[0017] In addition, the filter unit according to the invention
directs the smoke passing through it to the whole surface area of
the filter and distributes it on the surface uniformly. Thus, the
whole surface area is utilized and the efficiency increases. In
traditional filters, filtering occurs only on part of the surface,
since the air-smoke mixture swirls to the central part of the
filter and the deposition and adsorption of tar and nicotine
concentrates on this part.
[0018] The use of wood cuttings is advantageous as it is a waste
material, it is cheap and it is a natural substance (which is
important in view of environmental protection). Its weight is also
small: the weight of the filter unit made of it does not reach the
weight of the charcoal filter applied on a cellulose-acetate tape
used world-wide in filter cigarettes. It is a soft material, thus
it can be fitted into every technology of cigarette and filter
manufacture, and due to its polygonal shape, it has a large surface
area. Further on, its structure is fibrous and, owing to all this,
it has a very high adsorption capacity.
[0019] The sodium chloride solution can be absorbed and it can
impregnate the wood cuttings. After drying, the thin film forms a
crystalline and porous surface, the unevennesses of which increase
the whole surface area, increasing thereby the filtering capacity.
At contacting with the hot and moistureous air, the surface gets
slightly dissolved and softened, and as a result, the
microparticles of tar and nicotine adhere to the surface
immediately. After cooling, the sodium chloride solution
crystallizes, gets solid and porous again.
[0020] By applying the filter unit according to the invention, the
tar content of cigarette smoke can be reduced by 10-30%, whereas
its nicotine content by 12-32%, depending on the nature and quality
of the tobacco, on the length of the cigarette body, without
influencing or changing the aroma, delight value and character of
the cigarette.
[0021] Further details of the invention will be explained by
examples, with reference to the enclosed drawings.
[0022] FIG. 1 is the longitudinal section of a cigarette provided
with a filter unit according to the invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 is the cross-section of a filter unit;
[0024] FIG. 3 is the cross-section of another embodiment of the
filter unit;
[0025] FIG. 4 is the section of another embodiment of a cigarette
provided with a filter unit according to the invention.
[0026] FIG. 1 shows the longitudinal section of a filter-tip
cigarette. Body 1 of the cigarette consists of tobacco 3 covered by
cigarette paper 2, while filter tip 4 contains the traditional
filtering element: a helically wound strip. Filter unit 5 according
to the invention is arranged between body 1 and filter tip 4. They
are separated by a web 6.
[0027] Cross sections of the two embodiments of filter unit 5 are
shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0028] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the structure of filter
unit 5 is similar to that of filter tip 4. The wood cuttings 9
according to the invention are spread on the surface of a helically
wound acetate strip 8 in paper covering 7.
[0029] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, wood cuttings 9 are
arranged loose in paper covering 7. Their spillage is hindered in
both cases by web 6 shown in FIG. 1.
[0030] The filter unit according to the invention can be arranged
not only between the cigarette body 1 and the filter tip 4, but
also within the filter tip 4. FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment in
which filter tip 4 is separated into two parts, and the filter unit
5 according to the invention is inserted between these two parts.
Between filter unit 5 the right part of filter tip 4 there is a web
6.
[0031] In the following, the invention will be explained more in
details by examples.
[0032] In Tables 2-5, the tar and nicotine contents of a
traditional filter-tip cigarette and those of cigarettes provided
with the filter unit according to the invention will be compared.
Tests have been performed on cigarettes according to Table 1.
different embodiments of filter units according to the invention
have been built into this cigarette, and the original cigarette has
been used as control.
[0033] Characteristics of the original cigarette were the
following:
1 TABLE 1 Full length of the cigarette 98.6 mm Body length 72.6 mm
Filter length 26.0 mm Diameter of the cigarette 7.9 mm Total weight
1.1153 g Tar content 0.5 mg Nicotine content 0.93 mg
[0034] The tests have been carried out by a routine analytical
cigarette smoking machine according to the following standards:
[0035] ISO 3308 (smoking)
[0036] ISO 4387 (determination of the total and nicotine-free dry
material by using routine analytical cigarette smoking machine)
[0037] ISO 10 315 (determination of the nicotine content in smoke
condensates of cigarettes by gas chromatography)
[0038] ISO 10362-2 (determination of water in smoke condensates of
cigarettes by the Karl Fischer method).
[0039] In Table 2, results are shown for the embodiment containing
the filter unit of cigarettes shown in FIG. 1, in which the
impregnated wood cuttings were applied onto an acetate strip shown
in FIG. 2. The wood cuttings have been impregnated with a solution
of 20% NaCl and 80% water.
2 TABLE 2 Control Invention Tar (mg/cigarette) 11.5 9.22 Nicotine
(mg/cigarette) 0.93 0.79 Tar reduction (%) 12.2 Nicotine reduction
(%) 15.12
[0040] Table 3 shows the results for samples made according to FIG.
1 as well, but the wood cuttings in the filter unit were loose.
3 TABLE 3 Control Invention Tar (mg/cigarette) 10.5 9.0 Nicotine
(mg/cigarette) 0.93 0.77 Tar reduction (%) 14.28 Nicotine reduction
(%) 17.20
[0041] Samples in Table 4 were prepared according to the embodiment
shown in FIG. 4; the filter unit consisted of acetate strip
according to FIG. 2.
4 TABLE 4 Control Invention Tar (mg/cigarette) 10.5 9.34 Nicotine
(mg/cigarette) 0.93 0.80 Tar reduction (%) 11.10 Nicotine reduction
(%) 14.02
[0042] Samples in Table 5 were prepared according to FIG. 4, the
filter unit in them contained loose, impregnated wood cutting
particles.
5 TABLE 5 Control Invention Tar mg/cigarette) 10.5 9.10 Nicotine
(mg/cigarette) 0.93 0.78 Tar reduction (%) 13.40 Nicotine reduction
(%) 16.32
[0043] It is well seen from the Tables that the filter unit
according to the invention reduces the tar and nicotine content of
cigarette smoke in each case. At the same time, the smoke
distribution became more uniform and, as a consequence, the
efficiency of the filter was increased.
[0044] In the case of cigarettes tested, the density (0.4
g/cm.sup.3) and weight (0.25 g) of the filter unit met the
requirements applied in the known filter-tip manufacturing
technologies and were about the minimum values of density and
weight allowed for the technology used for the tests, while the
corresponding reduction in tar and nicotine content was between 10
and 20%. At the same time, the delight value of the cigarette and
the air resistance of the filter did not increase with respect to
the control samples.
[0045] According to the technology applied nowadays throughout the
world, the density and weight of the filter unit according to the
invention can be increased, thus the amount of tar and nicotine
filtered out can also be increased. By increasing the compactness
of the filter unit (which must not exceed the compactness of the
tobacco chippings in the body), as well as by increasing the size
of the filter unit, the tar and nicotine content can be further
decreased without changing the delight value of the cigarette or
increasing the air resistance of the filter, i.e. the smokability
of the cigarette was not deteriorated.
[0046] The embodiments shown in the examples illustrate the
invention only, and the cigarettes can be prepared in numerous
other versions within the scope claimed.
* * * * *