U.S. patent application number 13/689147 was filed with the patent office on 2013-04-04 for cigarette filter and cigarette.
This patent application is currently assigned to JAPAN TOBACCO INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Japan Tobacco Inc.. Invention is credited to Yasuhiro NAKAGAWA, Kazuhiro NODA, Susumu YOKOGAWA.
Application Number | 20130081644 13/689147 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45066683 |
Filed Date | 2013-04-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130081644 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
NODA; Kazuhiro ; et
al. |
April 4, 2013 |
CIGARETTE FILTER AND CIGARETTE
Abstract
A cigarette filter includes filter plugs separated from each
other and arranged through a cavity, a flavor capsule encapsulating
a content liquid including a flavor in a shell and provided in the
cavity between the filter plugs, and a liquid-impermeable tipping
paper and/or filter wrapper wrapped around the filter plugs and the
flavor capsule, wherein the content liquid comprises the flavor and
a thickener and has a viscosity of 30 mPas or more.
Inventors: |
NODA; Kazuhiro; (Tokyo,
JP) ; NAKAGAWA; Yasuhiro; (Tokyo, JP) ;
YOKOGAWA; Susumu; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Japan Tobacco Inc.; |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
45066683 |
Appl. No.: |
13/689147 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/JP2011/062251 |
May 27, 2011 |
|
|
|
13689147 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
131/337 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24D 3/04 20130101; A24D
3/061 20130101; A24D 3/14 20130101; A24D 1/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/337 |
International
Class: |
A24D 3/06 20060101
A24D003/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 31, 2010 |
JP |
2010-125222 |
Claims
1. A cigarette filter comprising: filter plugs separated from each
other and arranged through a cavity; a flavor capsule encapsulating
a content liquid including a flavor in a shell and provided in the
cavity between the filter plugs; and a liquid-impermeable tipping
paper and/or filter wrapper wrapped around the filter plugs and the
flavor capsule, wherein the content liquid comprises the flavor and
a thickener and has a viscosity of 30 mPas or more.
2. The cigarette filter according to claim 1, wherein the content
liquid has a viscosity of 80 mPas or more.
3. The cigarette filter according to claim 1, wherein the thickener
is selected from the group consisting of liquid thickeners and
solid thickeners.
4. The cigarette filter according to claim 3, wherein the liquid
thickener is fat and oil or sucrose diacetate hexaisobutyrate
(SAIB).
5. The cigarette filter according to claim 1, wherein the content
liquid further comprises a solvent and/or a dye and/or an
emulsifier.
6. The cigarette filter according to claim 1, wherein the shell of
the flavor capsule further comprises a dye.
7. The cigarette filter according to claim 1, wherein the
liquid-impermeable tipping paper and/or filter wrapper is a
oilproof paper.
8. A cigarette comprising: a tobacco rod; and the cigarette filter
according to claim 1.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation Application of PCT
Application No. PCT/JP2011/062251, filed May 27, 2011 and based
upon and claiming the benefit of priority from prior Japanese
Patent Application No. 2010-125222, filed May 31, 2010, the entire
contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a cigarette filter
including a flavor capsule, and a cigarette.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Conventionally, a flavor capsule is incorporated in a
cigarette filter and the flavor capsule is crushed in order to
enjoy the flavor of the content liquid in smoking or in order to
mask odor of a cigarette butt after the cigarette is extinguished
(Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-250665; Jpn. Pat. Appin.
KOKAI Publication No. 2003-304856; Jpn. PCT National Publication
No. 2007-520204; Jpn. PCT National Publication No. 2008-528053; and
Jpn. PCT National Publication No. 2008-539717). The details of the
flavor capsule are described in, for example, Jpn. PCT National
Publication No. 2008-546400. Such cigarette filters including the
flavor capsule have various problems.
[0006] FIG. 1(a) shows a cigarette in which a tobacco rod 10 is
connected to a filter 20 with a tipping paper 30, wherein the
tobacco rod 10 is prepared by wrapping a tobacco filler 11 with a
cigarette paper 12 and the filter 20 is prepared by wrapping a
filter plug 22 having a flavor capsule 21 embedded therein with a
plug wrapping paper 23. The flavor capsule 21 has a structure in
which content liquid 21b is encapsulated with a shell 21a. When the
shell 21a of the flavor capsule 21 is crushed in smoking of such a
cigarette, the content liquid 21b flowed out of the capsule is
absorbed by the filter plug 22, and thus the fluid is not soaked
through the tipping paper 30 to the surface thereof, as shown in
FIG. 1(b). Good usability, however, is not obtained because the
flavor capsule 21 embedded in the filter plug 22 does not give a
sense that the capsule is crushed.
[0007] A filter having a structure in which filter plugs are
separated from each other and arranged through a cavity, with a
flavor capsule provided in the cavity, can give the sense that the
flavor capsule is crushed, and thus has a good usability.
[0008] FIG. 2(a) shows a cigarette in which a tobacco rod 10 is
connected to a filter 20 with a tipping paper 30, wherein the
tobacco rod 10 is prepared by wrapping a tobacco filler 11 with a
cigarette paper 12 and the filter 20 has a structure that a flavor
capsule 21 is provided in a cavity between two filter plugs 25. A
material paper 26 is wrapped around each of the two filter plugs
25, and a shaping paper 27 is wrapped around the periphery where
both plugs are separated from each other and arranged through the
cavity. There is also a filter plug having either the material
paper or the shaping paper, or having no material paper or shaping
paper (in the case of FIG. 1, the plug has only the plug wrapping
paper which serves as the material paper and the shaping paper).
When a shell 21a of the flavor capsule 21 is crushed in smoking of
such a cigarette, the content liquid 21b flowed out of the capsule
is soaked through the tipping paper 30 to the surface thereof, as
shown in FIG. 2B, because the shaping paper is generally made of a
high-permeable material.
[0009] In order to suppress the soakage of the content liquid
through the tipping paper to the surface thereof, it may be
considered to use a liquid-impermeable tipping paper and/or filter
wrapper (a material paper, a shaping paper or a plug wrapping
paper). These materials are not limited to paper, and may be a
wrapping material made of cellophane or plastic, or a composite
material. When the shaping paper 27 is liquid-impermeable, the
content liquid 21b flowed out of the capsule moves toward the
tobacco rod 10 or the mouthpiece end along the gap between the
inside of the liquid-impermeable shaping paper 27 and the filter
plugs 25, as shown in FIG. 2(c). The liquid is finally passed
through the tobacco filler 11 in the tobacco rod 10, and is soaked
through the tipping paper 30 to the cigarette paper 12 of the
tobacco rod 10. The liquid which moves toward the mouthpiece end
along the gap between the inside of the shaping paper 27 and the
filter plug 25 is soaked to the end face of the filter plug 25.
[0010] This disadvantage can be solved by coating the inside of the
liquid-impermeable shaping paper 27 with wax or paste to fill the
gap between the inside of the shaping paper 27 and the filter plug
25, thereby preventing the migration of the content liquid 21b.
However, the residue of wax or paste adheres to a filter making
machine, and thus it is difficult to perform mass production.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide a
cigarette filter including a flavor capsule, capable of preventing
soakage of the content liquid to the surface of the tipping paper,
the cigarette paper of the tobacco rod and the filter mouthpiece
end face when it is used, without causing trouble in the filter
production; and a cigarette including this cigarette filter.
[0012] According to the present invention, there is provided a
cigarette filter comprising: filter plugs separated from each other
and arranged through a cavity; a flavor capsule encapsulating a
content liquid including a flavor in a shell and provided in the
cavity between the filter plugs; and a liquid-impermeable tipping
paper and/or filter wrapper (a material paper, a shaping paper or a
plug wrapping paper) wrapped around the filter plugs and the flavor
capsule, wherein the content liquid comprises the flavor and a
thickener and has a viscosity of 30 mPas or more.
[0013] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
cigarette comprising: a tobacco rod; and the above cigarette.
[0014] The cigarette filter and the cigarette of the present
invention can prevent the soakage of the content liquid to the
surface of the tipping paper, the cigarette paper of the tobacco
rod and the filter mouthpiece end face when it is used, by adding a
thickener to the content liquid in the flavor capsule to adjust a
viscosity of the content liquid to 30 mPas or more.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing absorption of the content
liquid in a flavor capsule embedded in a conventional cigarette
filter to a filter plug.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing soakage of the content
liquid in a flavor capsule to the surface of a tipping paper, a
cigarette paper of a tobacco rod and a filter mouthpiece end face
in another conventional cigarette filter.
[0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a cigarette
filter of Example of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a state in which soakage
of the content liquid in a flavor capsule to the surface of a
tipping paper, a cigarette paper of a tobacco rod and a filter
mouthpiece end face can be suppressed in a cigarette filter of
Example of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a graph showing a relationship between a viscosity
of the content liquid in a flavor capsule and a length of the
content liquid soaked to a cigarette paper after one week from
breakage of the shell of the flavor capsule in a cigarette filter
of Example of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] In the cigarette filter of the present invention, a flavor
capsule provided in a cavity between filter plugs contains a
content liquid including a flavor and a thickener and having a
viscosity of 30 mPas (25.degree. C.) or more.
[0021] In the present invention, if the viscosity of the content
liquid is less than 30 mPas (25.degree. C.), particularly less than
18 mPas (25.degree. C.), the content liquid is soaked to a surface
of a tipping paper, a cigarette paper of a tobacco rod and a filter
mouthpiece end face when the flavor capsule is crushed. The
viscosity of the content liquid is preferably 30 mPas (25.degree.
C.) or more, more preferably 80 mPas (25.degree. C.) or more.
[0022] In the present invention, as the flavor, for example,
menthol and refined vegetable oil can be used.
[0023] In the present invention, liquid thickeners and solid
thickeners can be used as the thickener which is added to the
content liquid in the flavor capsule. Fat and oil such as
tocopherol, rapeseed oil, olive oil, cottonseed oil and sucrose
diacetate hexaisobutyrate (SAIB) can be used as the liquid
thickener. Of these, rapeseed oil and SAIB are more preferable.
[0024] When the fat and oil is used as the thickener, it is
preferably used in an amount within a range of 19.1 to 57.4% by
weight of the content liquid. When SAIB is used as the thickener,
it is preferably used in an amount within a range of 40% by weight
or more of the content liquid, preferably 60% by weight or
more.
[0025] In the present invention, as a solvent for the flavor and
the thickener contained in the content liquid, for example,
medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides (MCTs) can be used.
[0026] In the present invention, the content liquid may further
contain other additives such as a solvent, a dye and an
emulsifier.
[0027] In the present invention, the shell of the flavor capsule
may be formed using, for example, starch, dextrin, polysaccharides,
agar, gellan gum, gelatin, various natural gelling agents,
glycerol, sorbitol, calcium chloride, or the like, and the shell
may further contain a flavor and a coloring agent.
[0028] In the present invention, the tipping paper and/or filter
wrapper (a material paper, a shaping paper or a plug wrapping
paper) is liquid-impermeable, which means that they are
oil-resistant. It is preferable to use an oilproof paper for the
shaping paper 27, for example, of at least the tipping paper and/or
the filter wrapper, which is directly brought into contact with the
flavor capsule 21. Of the oilproof papers, for example, a oilproof
paper manufactured by Nippon Paper Papylia Co., Ltd. is preferable,
because it does not use a film or a fluorine-containing resin.
Properties of the oilproof paper manufactured by Nippon Paper
Papylia Co., Ltd. are shown in Table 1.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Basis weight Thickness Tensile Strength
(g/m2) (.mu.m) (kN/m) Oilproof paper 1 35 40 3.0 Oilproof paper 2
50 52 5.0
[0029] In the present invention, the flavor capsule may be provided
in a cavity between filter plugs, or it may be embedded in the
filter plug as in FIG. 1.
[0030] The flavor capsule of the present invention can be applied
to chewing tobacco, SNUS, and a non-combustible flavor inhalation
pipe described in International Application PCT/JP2010/052835.
EXAMPLES
[0031] Examples of the present invention will be described
below.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing sizes of a cigarette
filter produced in this Example. A material paper (not shown) is
wrapped around the two filter rods 25 made of acetate at a side of
a tobacco rod and a side of a mouthpiece. The two filter rods 25
are separated from each other and arranged through a cavity, and a
liquid-impermeable (oil-resistant) shaping paper 27 is wrapped
around the rods. A flavor capsule 21 is put in a cavity between the
two filter rods 25. The flavor capsule 21 has a structure that a
content liquid 21b is encapsulated with a shell 21a. Length L1 of
the filter rod 25 at the tobacco rod side is 11.0 mm; length L2 of
the filter rod 25 at the mouthpiece side is 10.0 mm; length S of
the cavity is 6.0 mm; total length TL is 27.0 mm; and diameter D of
the flavor capsule 21 is 4.5 mm. In the present invention, the
content liquid 21b in the flavor capsule 21 has a viscosity of 30
mPas or more.
[0033] The production method of the flavor capsule is not
particularly limited, and it is preferable to use, for example, a
dropping method, because a flavor capsule having a seamless shell
can be produced by this method. According to this method, the
content liquid and a liquid shell material are discharged at the
same time from an inside nozzle and an outside nozzle respectively,
using a double nozzle, whereby the content liquid can be
encapsulated seamlessly with the shell liquid.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 4, the cigarette filter of this Example can
suppress soakage of the content liquid 21b, which is flowed out by
crushing the shell 21a of the flavor capsule 21, to the surface of
the tipping paper, the cigarette paper of the tobacco rod, and the
filter mouthpiece end face, because the content liquid 21b in the
flavor capsule 21 has a viscosity of 30 mPas (25.degree. C.) or
more. In addition, a filter making machine is not adversely
affected.
Example 1
[0035] Menthol and refined vegetable oil as a flavor, and
medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride (MCT) as a solvent were
provided (no thickener), and they were mixed in a ratio of each
sample A to C in Table 2 to prepared a content liquid of a flavor
capsule. The viscosity of the content liquid was measured by using
a rotary viscometer (TVB-10M manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co.,
Ltd.).
[0036] Eight percent by weight or 20% by weight of a mixture of
starch, dextrin and polysaccharides as a shell material was mixed
with 92% by weight or 80% by weight of the content liquid described
above, and a flavor capsule having a diameter of 4.5 mm was
produced by a dropping method. A cigarette filter shown in FIG. 3
was produced using the flavor capsule, and further a cigarette
similar to that shown in FIG. 2(a) was produced.
Example 2
[0037] Menthol and refined vegetable oil as a flavor, medium-chain
fatty acid triglyceride (MCT) as a solvent, and rapeseed oil as a
thickener were provided, and they were mixed in a ratio of each
sample D to H in Table 2 to prepare a content liquid of a flavor
capsule. The viscosity of the content liquid was measured by using
a rotary viscometer (TVB-10M manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co.,
Ltd.).
[0038] Eight percent by weight or 20% by weight of a mixture of
starch, dextrin and polysaccharides as a shell material was mixed
with 92% by weight or 80% by weight of the content liquid described
above to produce a flavor capsule having a diameter of 4.5 mm by a
dropping method. A cigarette filter shown in FIG. 3 was produced
using the flavor capsule, and further a cigarette similar to that
shown in FIG. 2(a) was produced.
Example 3
[0039] Menthol and refined vegetable oil as a flavor, medium-chain
fatty acid triglyceride (MCT) as a solvent, and sucrose diacetate
hexaisobutyrate (SAIB) as a thickener were provided, and they were
mixed in a ratio of each sample I to K in Table 2 to produce a
content liquid of a flavor capsule. The viscosity of the content
liquid was measured by using a rotary viscometer (TVB-10M
manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.).
[0040] Twenty percent by weight of a mixture of starch, dextrin and
polysaccharides as a shell material was mixed with 80% by weight of
the content liquid described above to produce a flavor capsule
having a diameter of 4.5 mm by a dropping method. A cigarette
filter shown in FIG. 3 was produced using the flavor capsule, and
further a cigarette similar to that shown in FIG. 2(a) was
produced.
[0041] The shell of the flavor capsule of each cigarette of samples
A to K was broken, and after 10 minutes, soakage of the content
liquid to the surface of the tipping paper, the cigarette paper of
the tobacco rod and the filter mouthpiece end face were checked.
The results are also shown in Table 2.
[0042] It can be found from the results of Table 2 that when the
content liquid in the flavor capsule had a viscosity of 30 mPas
(25.degree. C.) or more, the soakage of the content liquid to the
surface of the tipping paper, the cigarette paper of the tobacco
rod and the filter mouthpiece end face can be suppressed. In
addition, it is found that when the content liquid in the flavor
capsule has a viscosity of 80 mPas (25.degree. C.) or more, the
soakage of the content liquid to the surface of the tipping paper,
the cigarette paper of the tobacco rod and the filter mouthpiece
end face can be more certainly suppressed.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Test results Capsule formulation Number of
Number of Content liquid cigarettes cigarettes Note Diameter Shell
Flavor Solvent Thickner Viscosity tested soaked Type of Sample (mm)
(wt %) (wt %) (wt %) (wt %) (mPa s) (cigarettes) (cigarettes)
thickner Example 1 A 4.5 8.0 15.4 76.6 0.0 16.9 10 8 None B 4.5
20.0 13.7 66.3 0.0 17.7 10 4 C 4.5 20.0 13.7 66.3 0.0 17.7 10 7
Example 2 D 4.5 8.0 15.4 57.4 19.1 36.2 10 0 Rapeseed oil E 4.5 8.0
15.4 38.3 38.3 88.1 10 0 F 4.5 8.0 15.4 19.1 57.4 352.8 10 0 G 4.5
8.0 22.1 17.5 52.4 124.1 10 0 H 4.5 20.0 19.2 15.2 45.6 124.1 10 0
Example 3 I 4.5 20.0 17.6 14.4 48.0 58.7 10 0 SAIB J 4.5 20.0 17.6
9.6 52.8 90.0 10 0 K 4.5 20.0 17.6 4.8 57.6 137.1 10 0
Example 4
[0043] According to the tests of Examples 1 to 3, the soakage of
the content liquid to the surface of the tipping paper, the
cigarette paper of the tobacco rod and the filter mouthpiece end
face was checked within 10 minutes from the breakage of the shell
of the flavor capsule, which was a usual smoking time. It is
preferable, however, that only a small amount of the content liquid
soaks to the cigarette paper of the tobacco rod, even if a longer
time elapses from the breakage of the shell of the flavor capsule.
The soakage of the content liquid after a long time was checked as
described below. In the following tests, the content liquid in the
capsule did not contain any flavor.
[0044] Sample L
[0045] Only medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride (MCT) as a solvent
was used for a content liquid in a capsule.
[0046] Sample M
[0047] A content liquid in a capsule was prepared by mixing 43% by
weight of medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride (MCT) as a solvent
with 57% by weight of rapeseed oil as a thickener.
[0048] Samples N, O and P
[0049] A content liquid in a capsule was produced by mixing 60% by
weight, 50% by weight or 40% by weight of medium-chain fatty acid
triglyceride (MCT) as a solvent with 40% by weight, 50% by weight
or 60% by weight of SAIB as a thickener.
[0050] The viscosity of the content liquid was measured by using a
rotary viscometer (TVB-10M manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.).
The composition and the viscosity of the content liquid in the
capsule are shown in Table 3.
[0051] Twenty percent by weight of a mixture of starch, dextrin and
polysaccharides as a shell material was mixed with 80% by weight of
the content liquid described above to produce a capsule having a
diameter of 4.5 mm by a dropping method. A cigarette filter shown
in FIG. 3 was produced using the capsule, and further a cigarette
similar to that shown in FIG. 2(a) was produced.
[0052] The shell of the flavor capsule of each cigarette of samples
L to P was broken, and after one week, soakage of the content
liquid to the cigarette paper of the tobacco rod was checked. In
this case, the length of the content liquid soaked refers to a
distance measured from the end of the tobacco rod 10 in contact
with one filter plug 25, to a position in the cigarette paper to
which the soaked content liquid reached. The results are also shown
in Table 3.
[0053] FIG. 5 is a graph showing a relationship between the
viscosity of the content liquid and the length of the content
liquid soaked in samples M to P.
[0054] As shown in Table 3, in the case of sample L containing no
thickener, the length of the content liquid soaked was 57 mm after
one week, and the content liquid reached the cigarette paper at the
tip end of the tobacco rod in all of the 10 cigarettes checked. On
the other hand, in the case where the rapeseed oil or SAIB was used
as the thickener, the content liquid did not reach the cigarette
paper at the tip end of the tobacco rod even after one week. In
addition, it can be seen from Table 3 and FIG. 5 that the length of
the content liquid soaked in the case where the rapeseed oil is
used is shorter than that in the case where SAIB is used, even if
the content liquid has the same viscosity.
[0055] When the soakage length of the content liquid is large, a
problem that components of the content liquid penetrating into the
cigarette paper are separated by a paper chromatograph phenomenon
may sometimes occur. The content liquid containing SAIB as the
thickener, however, can suppress the separation of the components
of the content liquid, which is caused by the paper chromatograph
phenomenon, even after one week, because the soakage length is
small.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Length of soakage Content liquid Viscosity
(25.degree. C.) Number of Rapeseed Number of cigarettes MCT oil
SAIB samples Average tested Average Sample (wt %) (wt %) (wt %)
tested (mPa s) (cigarettes) (mm/week) SD L 100.0 -- -- 3 17.7 10
57.0 -- M 43.0 57.0 -- 3 88.1 10 40.0 5.5 N 60.0 -- 40.0 3 58.7 10
31.9 2.8 O 50.0 -- 50.0 3 90.0 10 16.8 6.3 P 40.0 -- 60.0 3 137.1
10 8.6 2.5
* * * * *