Article For Smoking

Abstract

An improved filter-type cigarette has a wrapper filled with tobacco and a special mouthpiece at one end. A non-tobacco filter is located within the wrapper behind the tobacco fill and is effective to absorb a maximal percentage of the combustion products of the tobacco. A non-absorbent, non-porous capsule is retained within the mouthpiece behind the filter and contains a small fill of aromatic tobacco. The capsule is perforated. In use, the filter entraps most of the undesirable constituents of the cigarette smoke but permits some hot smoke to pass through the filter and into and through the capsule. The hot smoke releases the volatile flavoring within the capsule. The process is enhanced by locating a thread or small ribbon of heat conductive material, such as aluminum, within the capsule to enhance heat and volatilization. Additionally, the flow passage through the cigarette is enhanced by providing a seal above the mating surface of the capsule in the internal surface of the mouth piece. The outer surface of the capsule also is roughened to preclude separation of the capsule from the mouthpiece.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an improved cigarette construction, and, more particularly, to improvements in a cigarette of the type disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,041 granted Nov. 23, 1965. That patent describes a cigarette construction in which a higher percentage of the undesirable constituents in the combustion products are removed by a filter. The hot smoke flowing through and out of the filter material then passes through a capsule in the mouthpiece of the cigarette containing tobacco which may be impregnated with a volatile flavoring agent. The flavor of the tobacco in the capsule together with any supplemental flavoring agents are absorbed by the smoke flowing through the filter. These flavors and aromas are transmitted to the smoker.

This invention relates to an improved in such a cigarette in which the natural tobacco flavoring and flavoring additives, if any, within the capsule are released more effectively. Additionally, the capsule is sealed and retained more effectively within the mouthpiece.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In brief, the release of aroma and flavor additives in the capsule is accelerated by providing a filament or ribbon of heat conductive material, such as aluminum within the capsule intermingled with the tobacco in the capsule. The warm air flowing through the capsule heats the filament to maintain the encapsulated material warm throughout the life of the burning cigarette.

The capsule is retained firmly within the mouthpiece by roughening its external surface. The mating surfaces of the capsule and the mouthpiece of the cigarette are sealed by an appropriate sealing agent which insures that all of the material passing through the filter will also pass through the capsule.

It is among the primary objects of the invention to provide an improved cigarette in which the taste and flavor of tobacco may be transmitted to the smoker from a non-burning tobacco-filled capsule.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cigarette of the type described in which the volatilization of the materials within the capsule is increased substantially and in which the capsule is retained more effectively in the cigarette mouthpiece.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette of the type described in which the capsule includes a heat conductive material intermingled with the materials within the capsule to increase the volatilization of the encapsulated materials.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood more fully from the following detailed description thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a collapsed side view, partly in section of an embodiment of the cigarette constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the improved capsule.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention is embodied in a cigarette of the type shown in FIG. 1 and which is described more fully and in detail in my aforementioned U.S. patent. In brief, the cigarette includes a wrapper 10 of appropriate combustible material, such as cigarette paper. A mouthpiece extension 12 of stiff paper, or plastic or the like is attached to or formed integrally with the wrapper 10 at one end. The cigarette wrapper contains a long fill of tobacco 14, a filter element 16 and a capsule 18. The tobacco fill 14 and capsule 18 are separated by the filter element 16. The filter 16 is of a high efficiency construction in which a greater percentage of the undesirable constituents of cigarette smoke are absorbed. The filter 16 may be formed from a variety of filtering materials such as activated charcoal, couprous chloride, aluminum hydroxide, granulated vermiculite, fibrous materials or other suitable materials.

By eliminating the greater percentage of the undesirable constituents in the tobacco smoke, the smoke is extremely mild and, by itself, would convey little taste or satisfaction to the smoker. As described in detail in the aforementioned U.S. patent, the flavor and taste required to satisfy the smoker's taste is added by the material in the capsule 18. The unfiltered constituents of the smoke pass through the capsule 18 and act as a carrier to absorb the flavor from the material in the capsule 18 and transmit that flavor to the smoker. Thus, the smoker is isolated from a larger percentage of undesirable cigarette smoke constituents.

The capsule 18 is fabricated from a harmless, non-porous and non-absorbent material such as gelatin, aluminum, plastic or other thin lightweight formable material which will not melt from the warm smoke. As shown in the drawing, the capsule is opened at its forward end to receive the smoke from the tobacco fill 14. The rearward end of the capsule is perforated at 20 to allow the smoker to draw normally through the cigarette. The capsule 18 contains a short fill of tobacco 22 which preferably is considerably stronger than normal cigarette tobaccos. The small tobacco fill 22 supplies the flavor and aroma to the filtered smoke and air which leaves the filter 16. The warm smoke drawn through the capsule volatilizes the short tobacco fill 22 and it absorbs the flavor to satisfy the smoker. The short tobacco fill also may be impregnated for artificial flavoring with a variety of substances such as methol, mint, perfumed substanced, or the like.

An important aspect of this invention resides in an arrangement for increasing the volatilization of the volatile substances within the short tobacco fill 22. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, this is achieved by providing a thread or filament 24 of heat conductive material within the capsule 18. The filament is intermingled throughout the short tobacco fill 22 and may be arranged in the preferred helical configuration as shown or other configuration. As the warm smoke is drawn through the capsule 18, it heats the filament 24. The filament tends to remain warm during the intervals in which the smoker does not draw on the cigarette. By maintaining the short tobacco fill continually at a warmer temperature, the volatile constituents of the short tobacco fill 22 are given off more effectively. Additionally, the filament is of substantial length and is in contact with a substantial quantity of the short tobacco fill 22 to increase its effectiveness. The shape of the capsule 18 also aids in retaining any heat developed within the capsule 18 because of its substantially closed end.

In order to achieve maximum effectiveness, it is important that the outer surface of the capsule 18 is sealed effectively to the internal surface of the mouthpiece to insure that all the smoke drawn through the filter also passes directly through the short tobacco fill within the capsule. Additionally, it is important that the capsule be retained in place throughout use. For these purposes, the outer surface 26 of capsule 18 is preferably roughened as suggested at 27 so that it may fit tightly within the inner surface 28 of the mouthpiece extension 12. Additionally, in order to effect a complete seal between the surfaces 26, 28 on the capsule 18 of the mouthpiece extension 12, an appropriate sealant may be provided where these surfaces mate. A variety of sealing materials may be employed such as those used to bind the wrapper to the cigarette or other appropriate bonding agents. This arrangement provides both an effective seal and also precludes any tendency for the capsule to become dislodged within the mouthpiece as, for example, when the smoker shakes or taps a cigarette from the package.

Thus, I have described an improved cigarette construction in which a minimal amount of harmful cigarette smoking constituents reach the smoker, yet which provide satisfying flavor and aroma to the smoker, more particularly, this is achieved by passing the highly filtered warm smoke through a capsule containing volatilization materials which are absorbed into the smoke and gas and are transmitted to the smoker without burning any of the materials within the capsule. Volatilization is enhanced by the provision of a heat conductive filament intertwined with the material within the capsule to maintain the encapsulated material within at a steadily higher temperature. Additionally, the capsule is retained more effectively within the mouthpiece of the cigarette.

It should be understood, however, that the foregoing description of the invention is intended to be merely illustrative thereof and that other embodiments and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit.

Claims

Having thus described the invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cigarette comprising:

a wrapper;

a long fill of tobacco extending inwardly from one end of the wrapper;

a non-tobacco filter disposed behind a long fill of tobacco and constructed to absorb a substantial percentage of the products of the combustion from the tobacco and to permit a highly filtered smoke to emerge therefrom;

a cup-shaped volatilization capsule disposed behind the filter and open in the direction of the filter, said capsule having a rear wall extending across the cross section of said capsule that closes the capsule at its rear end, said capsule being substantially non-absorbent and non-porous, said capsule having perforations formed in said rear wall thereof to enable the smoker to draw through it;

a short fill of aromatic tobacco disposed within the capsule to release volatiles in said capsule from said short fill of tobacco when said highly filtered smoke is introduced for flavoring said smoke after passing from said capsule from said filter;

a filament disposed solely within said capsule and being intertwined intimately throughout substantially the entire portion of said short fill of tobacco, said filament made of heat conductive material, said filament being effective to maintain the material within said capsule at an elevated temperature to accelerate the volatilization within said capsule.

2. A cigarette as defined in claim 1, wherein said wrapper terminates in a mouthpiece extension, said capsule being disposed concentrically within said mouthpiece extension and further comprising:

the external surface of said capsule which is in engagement with said mouthpiece being of a roughened texture.

3. A cigarette as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

a sealant interposed between the outer surface of said capsule and the inner surface of said mouthpiece, said sealant being effective to aid in retaining said capsule within said mouthpiece and to effect a seal therebetween whereby all of said smoke emitted from said filter will pass through said capsule.