Abstract: Sheath-core bicomponent fibers comprising a core of a low-cost, high strength, thermoplastic material, preferably polypropylene or polybutylene terephthalate, completely covered with a sheath formed of polyethylene terephthalate or a copolymer thereof are produced, preferably melt blown to an average diameter of 12 microns or less, and formed into a self-sustaining, three-dimensional, porous element having various applications, principally as an ink reservoir element for a marking or writing instrument, although the porous element may also find utility as a tobacco smoke filter. Other forms of the product have utility in diverse applications where its excellent capillary, absorption and filtering properties are advantageous. The resultant products retain or improve upon the desirable features and processing capabilities of conventional elements, but are substantially less expensive, requiring less high cost polyester for equivalent or better properties.

Abstract: A method for forming successive spaced crimps in a tow of fibrous material by passing the tow along a path defined by an apparatus comprising a plurality of crimping wheels disposed around the path, each wheel including teeth having crimping surfaces and adjacent sealing surfaces which slide over one another during crimping to prevent material from being squeezed between the teeth thereby forming crimped sections with elongate edges which are substantially free of flashing connecting non-crimped sections. A second crimping step may be incorporated to form longitudinal grooves in alternate non-crimped sections. The rod-like member produced by these techniques may be overwrapped to provide pockets surrounding the crimped sections which may be filled with a smoke-modifying material, for example, activated charcoal particles. Discrete elements cut from the rod-like member may be used in cigarettes and the like such as in the production of filtered cigarettes.

Abstract: Sheath-core bicomponent fibers comprising a core of a low-cost, high strength, thermoplastic material, preferably polypropylene or polybutylene terephthalate, completely covered with a sheath formed of polyethylene terephthalate or a copolymer thereof are produced, preferably melt blown to an average diameter of 12 microns or less, and formed into a self-sustaining, three-dimensional, porous element having various applications, principally as an ink reservoir element for a marking or writing instrument, although the porous element may also find utility as a tobacco smoke filter. Other forms of the product have utility in diverse applications where its excellent capillary, absorption and filtering properties are advantageous. The resultant products retain or improve upon the desirable features and processing capabilities of conventional elements, but are substantially less expensive, requiring less high cost polyester for equivalent or better properties.

Abstract: Sheath-core bicomponent fibers comprising a core of a low-cost, high strength, thermoplastic material, preferably polypropylene or polybutylene terephthalate, completely covered with a sheath formed of polyethylene terephthalate or a copolymer thereof are produced, preferably melt blown to an average diameter of 12 microns or less, and formed into a self-sustaining, three-dimensional, porous element having various applications, principally as an ink reservoir element for a marking or writing instrument, although the porous element may also find utility as a tobacco smoke filter. Other forms of the product have utility in diverse applications where its excellent capillary, absorption and filtering properties are advantageous. The resultant products retain or improve upon the desirable features and processing capabilities of conventional elements, but are substantially less expensive, requiring less high cost polyester for equivalent or better properties.

Abstract: Sheath-core bicomponent fibers comprising a core of a low-cost, high strength, thermoplastic material, preferably polypropylene, completely covered with a sheath formed preferably of plasticized cellulose acetate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol or ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, are produced, preferably melt blown to an average diameter of 10 microns or less, and formed into tobacco smoke filters. The resultant filters retain the desirable taste properties and processing capabilities of conventional cellulose acetate filter elements, but are substantially less expensive. Because the core material is non-absorbent, less plasticizer or additive is required for comparable properties, and a web, roving or filter made of such materials has a longer shelf-life. The very fine fibers can be formed of various cross-sections, providing higher surface area and requiring less air in the melt blowing and manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A cigarette filter having a core of synthetic fibrous filter material and an outer plug wrap is provided with a group of longitudinal bores and a group of peripheral channels in the core to improve the filtration efficiency and to balance the distribution of smoke flow over the cross-sectional area of the filter.

Abstract: A single field ionizing electrically stimulated filter utilizing a non-conductive filter medium is charged by an electric field created between an ionizer space-apart from the upstream face of the filter media and an electrode placed in close proximity with the downstream face of the filter media. The ionizer and electrode are respectively supplied with differing high voltage potentials. For optimum efficiency, the electrode at least loosely contacts the downstream face of the filter media. HEPA glass filter media in sheet form is pleated and sealingly mounted in a nonconductive frame, with the pleats spaced apart by non-conductive spacer means applied across the filter media faces. The ionizer includes a plurality of ionizer wires extending across a nonconductive frame and spaced back from the frame's downstream face so that gap is maintained between the ionizer wires and the filter medium.

Abstract: An ultra-high efficiency cigarette filter is formed from a web of entangled ultra-fine melt blown plastic fibers of extremely low bulk density, the fibers on average having a diameter in the range of 0.1 to 4 microns. The web is formed into a substantially cylindrical rod having a bulk density in the range of 0.029 to 0.046 gram per cc and is encapsulated in and supported by an external plastic tube which adheres to the outer surface of the rod over the entire area of contact therebetween. Cigarette filters in accordance with the invention may have filtration efficiencies in excess of 80%. The disclosure also includes processes and apparatus for manufacturing the high efficiency filters.

Abstract: An electrically stimuated filter assembly includes a filter unit in which an air gap is maintained between the filter medium and electrodes disposed on opposite sides of that medium, thereby preventing degradation of filter efficiency by humid filtered fluid. The filter medium is a sheet-like member folded in multiple accordion pleats and disposed between two plate electrodes, one of which is grounded to the chassis, the other of which is at high voltage. The air gaps are established by insulative plastic combs having bases secured to the electrode plates and teeth projecting from the bases into troughs of the folded filter. The high voltage plate is on the downstream side of the filter and mounted recessed from the downstream opening by insulative tubes secured to both the filter housing and the high voltage plate. A precharger is disposed in the assembly upstream of the filter unit and includes plural individual high voltage wires suspended in mutually spaced parallel relation across the flow path.

Abstract: An ink pen, particularly a roller type marker, includes a pen body provided with a fibrous body ink reservoir for holding ink, and a pen tip is provided on the pen body for drawing ink from the ink reservoir. The fibrous body ink reservoir is composed of a gathered bundle of unbonded continuous false twist stretch yarn fibers having twist and curl which are oriented generally parallel to one another and which entangle one another and are sufficiently randomly oriented with one another so as to form a strong tangled fibrous mass having high capillarity for good ink-holding properties while preventing leakage. The ink reservoir can be used with a film overwrap or extruded coating layer.

Abstract: A method and means for making an improved tobacco smoke filter is characterized by the production of longitudinally continuous grooves running from end-to-end in the peripheral surface of a smoke-impervious filter plug wrap with the grooves having a transverse cross-sectional area that varies as a function of longitudinal displacement. Smoke-impervious tipping surrounds the plug wrap to seal the grooves except for small ventilation holes in the tipping which permit communication between the grooves and the ambient air. In the preferred embodiment, the grooves are restricted toward the mouth end of the filter and the degree of restriction determines the direction of air and smoke flow in the grooves. The grooves are each preferably formed as two longitudinal sections of different cross-section.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for use in the manufacture of rod like elements, for example cigarette filters formed of filamentary tow, for dissipating conveying gas from a conduit through which the tow is conveyed pneumatically through a series of processing stations. To effectively dissipate the gas from the conduit, the invention provides axially spaced rings of gas dissipation ports in the conduit. The ports in the upstream rings are inclined rearwardly to provide gas dissipation in a direction which is counter-current the direction of travel of the tow through the conduit. The ports in adjacent rings are offset circumferentially so as to improve the distribution of ports around the circumference of the conduit in the section used for gas dissipation.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing an ink reservoir material, the reservoir material itself, and a method for making the ink reservoir material, include use of false twist stretch yarn. The yarn is used together with a steam die heater to cause crimping of a yarn bundle, so as to tangle, forming a relatively strong, relatively stable fibrous body usable as an ink reservoir material having good ink-holding properties and to prevent leakers. The ink reservoir can be used with a film overwrap or extruded coating layer. An ink pen uses the ink reservoir material.

Abstract: A tobacco smoke filter includes a smoke pervious rod of plastic material about which a smoke impervious plastic overwrap film is extruded. In the preferred embodiment, the overwrap and the rod are made of the same material, e.g., cellulose acetate. By using the same material, waste from the normal filter-making processes can be formed into granules or pellets and rendered molten for re-cycling as the raw material for the overwrap film. The resulting filter can be used with or without a tipping paper cover and can be perforated or not, as desired, to ventilate the filter rod.

Abstract: An improved tobacco smoke filter is characterized by longitudinally continuous grooves running from end-to-end in the peripheral surface of a smoke-impervious filter plug wrap. Smoke-impervious tipping surrounds the plug wrap to seal the grooves except for small ventilation holes in the tipping which permit communication between the grooves and the ambient air. In a preferred embodiment, the grooves are restricted toward the mouth end of the filter and the degree of restriction determines the direction of air and smoke flow in the grooves. The grooves are each preferably formed as two longitudinal sections of different cross-section. Apparatus and method for manufacturing the filter are disclosed.

Abstract: A tobacco smoke filter includes a smoke pervious rod of plastic material about which a smoke impervious plastic overwrap film is extruded. In the preferred embodiment, the overwrap and the rod are made of the same material, e.g., cellulose acetate. By using the same material, waste from the normal filter-making processes can be formed into granules or pellets and rendered molten for re-cycling as the raw material for the overwrap film. The resulting filter can be used with or without a tipping paper cover and can be perforated or not, as desired, to ventilate the filter rod.

Abstract: A filter for separating constituent components of fluids includes a plural-layer sheet-like member which is multiply pleated to provide layers of the same or different porosity or to provide structural support layers for pleating a soft or membrane-like filter layer. The multiple layers may be pre-joined or delivered from individual locations to a pneumatic conveyor passage of predetermined cross-section through which the adjacent layers are conveyed by a conveyor gas. The layers are crimped to form pleats by withdrawing the material at a lower linear speed than that at which it is supplied to the passage. Pleating is facilitated by venting the conveyor gas at a passage section of enlarged cross-section. The pleating material is subjected to a hot gas, such as steam, and then cooled by a cooling gas to effect bonding of the layers in the pleated state.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing particulate matter suspended in low conductivity liquids employs extrinsic ions to electrically charge suspended particles. A unipolar current of the extrinsic ions is passed through the flowing liquid to efficiently charge the particles. The charged particles may then be removed by agglomeration and sedimentation techniques, or by other means. A stripping section is disposed upstream of the region in which the particles are charged, in order to strip the double layer of counter ions from the particles before the particles are charged.

Abstract: An improved tobacco smoke filter is characterized by grooves defined in its outer periphery and extending to the smoke discharging end of the filter. The grooves are totally exposed to ambient air along their entire length and serve as open air dilution passages to conduct air into the smoker's mouth with each puff or draw. In one embodiment, the filter rod contains no plug wrap and is joined to a tobacco rod with tipping paper, the grooves being defined in both the tipping paper and the filter rod. These grooves may be defined in the final assembled product by forming the grooves in the tipping paper and the filter rod at the same time. Alternatively, the filter rod is pre-grooved and the tipping paper is attached thereto so as to conform to the grooves.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing tobacco smoke filter having an improved tar/carbon monoxide ratio is disclosed. The filter is obtained by sealing off the center portion of the filter with an inner member which is impermeable to the passage of smoke, thus directing all of the smoke to the periphery of the filter. In one embodiment, the inner member is formed as a thin walled tube of a material such as polypropylene, with the tube being crimped to seal one end of the tube. The crimped tube is then overwrapped with a smoke permeable material.