Plural Diverse Elements Patents (Class 131/341)
  • Patent number: 7610920
    Abstract: Smoking articles which use thiol-functionalized sorbents are provided. The thiol-functionalized sorbents comprise at least one thioalkylsilyl compound covalently bound to an inorganic molecular sieve substrate, where the thiol-functionalized sorbent is capable of removing at least one heavy metal constituent of mainstream smoke. The thiol-functionalized sorbents are particularly useful for the removal of mercury and/or cadmium from mainstream smoke. Methods for making cigarette filters and smoking articles using the thiol-functionalized sorbent, as well as methods for smoking a cigarette comprising the thiol-functionalized sorbent, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Jay A Fournier, Zhaohua Luan
  • Publication number: 20080230076
    Abstract: The present invention provides a smoke filter material, a filter and cigarettes with the filter, as well as methods for their manufacture. The filter material substantially is of an organic material and comprises covalently bound active thiol groups substantially free of complexing agents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: WICK, IMMUNOLOGISCHE DIAGNOSTICK U. BERATUNG KG
    Inventors: Georg Wick, David Bernhard
  • Patent number: 7243659
    Abstract: The invention relates to a recess filter with a cavity associated with the mouth and provided with a cavity wall, in addition to one or more filter elements associated with the tobacco. The cavity wall surrounds either the cavity or the cavity and, at the most, one part of the filter element(s), whereby ambient air can enter the filter element(s) from the side in order to provide sufficient ventilation. The invention also relates to a stack of several recess filters in addition to a smokeable article, especially a cigarette or cigarillo comprising one such recess filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Etienne Lecoultre, Thomas Badertscher
  • Patent number: 7237558
    Abstract: A filter element incorporating an adsorbent material is provided. The filter element may comprise a first section of filter material and a second section of filter material spaced apart to form a compartment therebetween. The compartment may be filled with one or more adsorbents or the compartment may be divided into two regions, wherein one compartment region is filled with an adsorbent and the other compartment region is either filled with an ion-exchange resin or remains empty. The section of filter material adjacent to the tobacco rod may include one or more channels therethrough for passaging smoke directly from the tobacco rod into the adsorbent-filled compartment. The mouth end section of filter material may contain a breakable capsule, wherein the breakable capsule is filled with a flavoring agent capable of altering the taste characteristics of mainstream smoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Melissa Ann Clark, Evon Llewellyn Crooks, Paul Eugene Braxton, Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Sharon Pitts Dunlap, Timothy Brian Nestor
  • Patent number: 7228861
    Abstract: A cigarette filter has filter sections including filter materials individually wrapped with plug wrap paper, forming paper for wrapping the filter sections integrally, and tipping paper covering the forming paper so as to connect the filter sections to a cigarette section to form a cigarette, wherein activated charcoal and an inorganic mineral-based porous material carrying ferrous sulfate/L-ascorbic acid are contained as adsorbents in at least one of the filter materials and a space between the filter materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Japan Tobacco, Inc.
    Inventors: Ichiro Atobe, Fumihiro Omori
  • Patent number: 7025067
    Abstract: A filter for tobacco smoke inhaling/generating/producing device, comprising stipulated amounts of specific grain sizes or combination of grain sizes of activated charcoal for effectively reducing from the mainstream smoke the level of p-benzosemiquinone (p-BSQ), a relatively stable highly reactive major harmful oxidant, without significantly affecting the flavor and taste of the smoke while providing comfortable mouthful of smoke and nicotine delivery, so that the charcoal filter cigarettes becomes potentially less hazardous safer cigarettes and may be acceptable to the smokers with marked reduction in health risk; the charcoal filters also effectively reduce the level of nitric oxide and tar from the mainstream smoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
    Inventor: Indu Bhusan Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 6857431
    Abstract: Nanocomposite copper-ceria catalysts are provided, which comprise copper oxide nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles, or a mixture thereof combined with ceria nanoparticles. Methods for making such catalysts are also provided, which involve the steps of (i) combining ceria nanoparticles in an aqueous suspension with copper 2,4-pentanedionate to form a slurry; (ii) heating the slurry formed in step (i) under an inert gas atmosphere or an oxygen-argon atmosphere, at a temperature and for a time sufficient to cause decomposition of the copper 2,4-pentanedionate to form copper nanoparticles and/or copper oxide nanoparticles that are combined with the ceria nanoparticles; and (iii) optionally, subjecting the product formed in step (ii) to a heat treatment process under conditions effective to convert at least some of the copper nanoparticles to copper oxide nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Sarojini Deevi, Sohini PalDey
  • Patent number: 6832613
    Abstract: A cigarette filter is surrounded by a wrapping paper, and the wrapping paper includes metal only on portion of a surface thereof, such that air can penetrate through the wrapping paper into the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Trierenberg Holding Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ernst Brunbauer
  • Publication number: 20040250824
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-segment filter (70) of the tobacco processing industry with at least two filter segments (60-62) arranged one behind the other in a longitudinally axial manner, and to a method for producing a multi-segment filter (70) of the tobacco processing industry, whereby a group of filter segments (60-62) is assembled and whereby the group of filter segments (60-62) is wrapped with a first wrapping material (65) to form a multi-segment filter (70). The multi-segment filter according to the invention is characterized in that a compressible and/or elastic first wrapping material (65) is arranged outside around the filter segments (60-62). The method according to the invention is characterized in that the first wrapping material (65) is compressible and/or elastic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Harald Gosebruch
  • Publication number: 20040237984
    Abstract: A cigarette filter that includes a multiple section filter which reduces the level of predetermined smoke constituents. The filter (130) consists of a fibrous filter plug (132) located at the mouth-end of the cigarette, a section (136) containing a selective adsorbent material, and a section (134) containing a general adsorbent material. The selective adsorbent material, such as a phenol-formaldchyde resin matrix surface-functionalized with mainly primary and secondary amine functional groups, removes specific smoke constituents from the tobacco smoke. The general adsorbent material, such as activated charcoal, is preferably capable of adsorbing a range of chemical compounds without a high degree of specificity. Structurally, the fibrous filter plug, the selective adsorbent section, and the general adsorbent section are co-axially aligned it tandem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: James N Figlar, Brian E Tucker, F Kelley St Charles
  • Publication number: 20040200490
    Abstract: A cigarette filter includes two or more filter sections of the following filter sections a filter section added with a liquid fatty acid ester or a liquid fatty acid having a viscosity of 1 to 300 cP, a filter section added with a glycol having a viscosity of 1 to 300 cP, and a filter section added with a charcoal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Michihiro Inagaki, Kazuhiko Katayama, Takako Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20040187881
    Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter comprising a bed of adsorbent and a flavor-releasing filter segment located downstream of the bed of adsorbent. In the preferred embodiment, the adsorbent is also flavor-bearing and comprises high surface area, activated carbon. As mainstream smoke is drawn through the upstream portion of the filter, gas phase smoke constituents are removed and flavor is released from the adsorbent bed. Thereafter additional flavor is released into the mainstream smoke as it passes through the flavor-releasing filter segment. Ventilation is provided to limit the amount of tobacco being combusted during each puff and is arranged at a location spaced downstream from the adsorbent bed to lower mainstream smoke velocity through the adsorbent bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Richard Jupe, Ronald William Dwyer, Don Earl Laslie, Arlington L. Finley, Barbara G. Taylor, Cecil M. Smith, Vivian E. Willis
  • Patent number: 6779529
    Abstract: A cigarette filter includes a multiple section filter which reduces the level of predetermined smoke constituents. The filter includes a fibrous filter plug section, a selective adsorbent section, and a general adsorbent section co-axially aligned in tandem. The selective adsorbent section includes a selective absorbent material which is a phenol-formaldehyde resin matrix surface-functionalized with mainly primary and secondary amine functional groups which removes specific smoke constituents from the tobacco smoke. The general adsorbent section is a material capable of adsorbing a range of chemical compounds without a high degree of specificity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation
    Inventors: James N. Figlar, Brian E. Tucker, F. Kelley St. Charles
  • Patent number: 6772768
    Abstract: Tobacco flavorants loaded into semi-open micro cavities of shaped fibers add flavor to tobacco smoke during the smoking process. The shaped fibers are end-capped shaped multi-lobals that form semi-open cavities between the lobals to effectively entrain solid and liquid flavorant materials. The flavorant material may be in solid particulate forms, such as menthol solids and menthol impregnated carbon or silica gels, and may also be in liquid form such as menthol in dissolved or melt forms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Lixin Luke Xue, Kent Brian Koller, John Bryant Paine, III
  • Patent number: 6761174
    Abstract: A cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a multi-component filter comprising a bed of adsorbent and a flavor-releasing filter segment located downstream of the bed of adsorbent. In the preferred embodiment, the adsorbent is also flavor-bearing and comprises high surface area, activated carbon. As mainstream smoke is drawn through the upstream portion of the filter, gas phase smoke constituents are removed and flavor is released from the adsorbent bed. Thereafter additional flavor is released into the mainstream smoke as it passes through the flavor-releasing filter segment. Ventilation is provided to limit the amount of tobacco being combusted during each puff and is arranged at a location spaced downstream from the adsorbent bed to lower mainstream smoke velocity through the adsorbent bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Jupe, Ronald William Dwyer, Don Earl Laslie, Arlington L. Finley, Barbara G. Taylor, Cecil M. Smith, Vivian E. Willis
  • Publication number: 20040107973
    Abstract: A system and method for adding material such as foam material to spaced cavities within a cigarette filter. A belt is provided and adapted to be driven synchronously with a moving cigarette filter rod. A plurality of injection needles protrude from the belt at spaced intervals, with the spacing between the needles coinciding with a spacing between the cavities within a cigarette filter rod. A chamber containing an expandable foam material is in fluid communication with one or more of the injection needles at one or more positions along a path traveled by the injection needles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventor: Charles Gary Atwell
  • Patent number: 6745777
    Abstract: A tobacco filter device includes a plurality of filter units superimposedly rechargeably filled in a sleeve member, having a bowl member connected to an outer end (smoking end) of the sleeve member and a mouthpiece connected to an inner end (mouth end) of the sleeve member, whereby upon smoking of tobacco or a cigarette as loaded or inserted in the bowl portion, the filter unit or units positioned on an outer portion of the sleeve member adjacent to the smoking end, after being saturated with smoking waste including tar and nicotine, may be pushed outwardly and discarded from the outer end of the sleeve member as thrusted and urged by a fresh (new) filter unit (or units) as recharged into the inner (mouth) end of the sleeve member, thereby still keeping use of those filter units not yet saturated and loaded in the rear portion of the sleeve member, without wasting the useful filter units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Inventor: Te-San Liu
  • Patent number: 6718989
    Abstract: A filter for a cigarette and a filter-tipped cigarette having a high degree of freedom in control of filtering-efficiency of smoke are provided. The filter has a core 10 and a sheath 12 made preferably of tow of cellulose acetate fibers. A plurality of axial passages 16 is formed between the core and the sheath and extend continuously between both end faces of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignees: Japan Tobacco Inc., Filtrona International Ltd.
    Inventors: Paul Clarke, John Charlton, Ichiro Atobe, Atsushi Tokida
  • Publication number: 20030213496
    Abstract: Filter and process for producing filter for articles of the tobacco processing industry. The filter includes at least one filter component of multiple-component fibers. The multiple-component fibers have lengths shorter than a length of the filter. The process includes producing a rod including at least one type of multiple-component fibers having lengths shorter than a length of the filter to be produced. Further, the multiple-component fibers have a casing. The process further includes heating the rod to a temperature above a melting temperature of the casing, and cooling the rod to a temperature below the melting temperature of the casing. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventors: Stephan Wolff, Sonke Horn
  • Publication number: 20030200973
    Abstract: A cigarette filter for removing gas phase constituents from mainstream cigarette smoke as the smoke is drawn through the filter primarily comprises an activated carbon fiber filter section including a bundle of activated carbon fibers. Particulate adsorbent materials such as granules, beads or course powders may be dispersed amongst the activated carbon fibers to aid in removal of the gas phase constituents. Additionally, the activated carbon fiber filter section may be used in combination with a separate bed or beds of particulate adsorbent material. In one embodiment, the activated carbon fibers are positioned within a helical groove on the outside of a threaded rod within the activated carbon fiber filter section. Relatively smaller amounts of activated carbon fibers produce the same smoke constituent reduction as larger amounts of particulate adsorbent material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Lixin Xue, Jose G. Nepomuceno, Shuzhong Zhuang, Timothy Scott Sherwood, John Bryant Paine, Jay A. Fournier, Charles Edwin Thomas, Kent Brian Koller, Liqun Yu
  • Publication number: 20030168070
    Abstract: A process of impregnating fine adsorbent particles such as carbon dust or APS silica gel powder into the micro-cavities of shaped fibers comprises the steps of continuously conveying shaped fibers with micro-cavities to a reservoir of the fine adsorbent particles. The fibers pass through the reservoir to thereby produce relative motion between the fibers and the particles. Additionally, impact forces are created between the shaped fibers and the fine particles to assist in impregnating the particles into the micro-cavities of the fibers. Any excess particles are removed from the fibers outside the reservoir, and subsequently the shaped fibers impregnated with fine adsorbent particles are collected for later use in filter applications such as cigarette filter and air filter applications, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Lixin Luke Xue, Kent B. Koller, Qiong Gao, Tim Sherwood, Charles E. Thomas, George R. Scott, Liqun Yu
  • Patent number: 6615843
    Abstract: A tobacco smoke filter synergist composition is provided comprised of antioxidants and minerals: the former are effective as free radical scavenger and the latter are capable of reducing the other harmful substances from tobacco smoke. In particular, minerals include the magnetized ferrite, which has great adsorbing capacity. The composition can be disposed within a one or more chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Inventor: Ivo E. Pera
  • Publication number: 20030154993
    Abstract: A smoking article such as a cigarette comprises a tobacco rod and a filter component having a cavity filled with spherical beaded carbon. As mainstream tobacco smoke is drawn through the filter component, targeted gas phase smoke constituents are removed as the smoke passes through the carbon. During the filter manufacturing process the spherical beaded carbon flows like a liquid and substantially completely fills the cavity. Point-to-point contact between the spherical beads together with substantially complete filling of the cavity produces minimal channeling of ambulatory gas phase as well as maximum contact between the gas phase and the carbon surface of the spherical beads during smoking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: John B. Paine, Zuyin Yang, Kent B. Koller, Jay A. Fournier, Charles E. Thomas, Timothy S. Sherwood, Zhaohua Luan, Shuzhong Zhuang, Jose M. G. Nepomuceno, Diane L. Gee, Georgios D. Karles
  • Patent number: 6591839
    Abstract: A filter material for reducing the content of harmful substances in tobacco smoke. The filter material comprises a ground and not additionally activated expanded clay produced without adding foreign substances, and zeolite as the filter material. The filter is suitable for tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, and for smoking articles such as tobacco pipes and cigarette and cigar holders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Inventors: Dieter Meyer, Hans-Peter Braun
  • Patent number: 6576034
    Abstract: A fiber spinning device and process for manufacturing a web of fibers including a homogeneous mixture of fibers of different characteristics. Monocomponent fibers of different polymers can be extruded side-by-side from the same die system. Sheath/core bicomponent fibers can be alternated with monocomponent fibers formed of the same core polymer as used in the bicomponent fibers. Bicomponent fibers having a common core polymer and different sheath polymers can be extruded from alternate spinneret orifices in the same die plate. Multiple distribution plates are provided with surface grooves or depressions to direct polymer materials from independent sources to only selected spinneret openings in an array of spinneret openings while maintaining the polymers segregated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Filtrona Richmond, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard M. Berger
  • Publication number: 20030098033
    Abstract: This invention relates to the provision in a cigarette filter element of a capsule containing a deodoriser. The capsule is resistant to the handling endured before and during smoking, yet ruptures to release or expose the deodoriser upon extinguishing of the smoked cigarette. The deodoriser may comprise neutralising or masking agents, or mixtures of both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 1994
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Inventors: KEVIN G. MACADAM, ROSEMARY E. O'REILLY, NIGEL D. WARREN
  • Publication number: 20030079755
    Abstract: A tobacco filter device includes a plurality of filter units superimposedly rechargeably filled in a sleeve member, having a bowl member connected to an outer end (smoking end) of the sleeve member and a mouthpiece connected to an inner end (mouth end) of the sleeve member, whereby upon smoking of tobacco or a cigarette as loaded or inserted in the bowl portion, the filter unit or units positioned on an outer portion of the sleeve member adjacent to the smoking end, after being saturated with smoking waste including tar and nicotine, may be pushed outwardly and discarded from the outer end of the sleeve member as thrusted and urged by a fresh (new) filter unit (or units) as recharged into the inner (mouth) end of the sleeve member, thereby still keeping use of those filter units not yet saturated and loaded in the rear portion of the sleeve member, without wasting the useful filter units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventor: Te-San Liu
  • Publication number: 20030070686
    Abstract: A cigarette filter includes a multiple section filter which reduces the level of predetermined smoke constituents. The filter includes a fibrous filter plug section, a selective adsorbent section, and a general adsorbent section co-axially aligned in tandem. The selective adsorbent section includes a selective absorbent material which is a phenol-formaldehyde resin matrix surface-functionalized with mainly primary and secondary amine functional groups which removes specific smoke constituents from the tobacco smoke. The general adsorbent section is a material capable of adsorbing a range of chemical compounds without a high degree of specificity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation
    Inventors: James N. Figlar, Brian E. Tucker, F. Kelley St. Charles
  • Publication number: 20030066539
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cigarette filter that includes a multiple section filter which reduces the level of predetermined smoke constituents. The filter consists of a fibrous filter plug located at the mouth-end of the cigarette, a section containing a selective adsorbent material, and a section containing a general adsorbent material. The selective adsorbent material, such as a phenol-formaldehyde resin matrix surface-functionalized with mainly primary and secondary amine functional groups, removes specific smoke constituents from the tobacco smoke. The general adsorbent material, such as activated charcoal, is preferably capable of adsorbing a range of chemical compounds without a high degree of specificity. Structurally, the fibrous filter plug, the selective adsorbent section, and the general adsorbent section are in tandem and are circumscribed with a plug wrap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventor: James N. Figlar
  • Patent number: 6481442
    Abstract: A smoking article including a wrapper surrounding a tobacco column and a selective filter element is disclosed. The selective filter element includes at least one carrier having a developed structure and a plurality of moieties capable of the nucleophilic attack of carbonyl-containing combustion products of the smoking article supported by the at least one carrier. The selective filter element may include at least one additional filter element such as cellulose acetate. The developed structure of the at least one carrier encourages the interaction of the carbonyl-containing combustion products and the plurality of moieties capable of the nucleophilic attack. Carries include polymers, which may have branch, such as partially oxidized cellulose and polyaniline. Carries may also be a zeolite or an inorganic oxide such as aluminum, of silicon, of aluminum and silicon, and combinations thereof. In yet another carrier is an activated carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Lorillard Licensing Company, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander J. Dyakonov, David A. Grider, Tatyana A. Dyakonov
  • Publication number: 20020148478
    Abstract: A tobacco smoke filter synergist composition is provided comprised of antioxidants and minerals: the former are effective as free radical scavenger and the latter are capable of reducing the other harmful substances from tobacco smoke. In particular, minerals include the magnetized ferrite, which has great adsorbing capacity. The composition can be disposed within a one or more chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventor: Ivo E. Pera
  • Patent number: 6367481
    Abstract: A cigarette includes an ignition element in contact with tobacco, surrounded by a composite outer wrapper. The outer wrapper is impervious to oxygen causing the tobacco to extinguish between puffs. The ignition element, however, has a longer static burn time than the tobacco and remains smoldering between puffs. Upon a subsequent puff, the smoldering ignition element re-ignites the tobacco. One or more initially-occluded perforations in the outer layer maintain the uniformity in combustion of the tobacco and the ignition element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Philip Morris Incorporated
    Inventors: Walter A. Nichols, John R. Hearn, F. Murphy Sprinkel, Jr., Jay A Fournier, Jerry F. Whidby
  • Publication number: 20010045215
    Abstract: A filter material for reducing the content of harmful substances in tobacco smoke. The filter material comprises a ground and not additionally activated expanded clay produced without adding foreign substances, and zeolite as the filter material. The filter is suitable for tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, and for smoking articles such as tobacco pipes and cigarette and cigar holders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: Dieter Meyer, Hans-Peter Braun
  • Patent number: 6309509
    Abstract: This invention relates to compositions, paper, thermoplastic sheets, and medical paper containing cellulose ester, alkylpolyglycoside (APG) or a mixture of APG and polyether glycol, and, optionally, cellulose. The process of incorporating APG or a mixture of APG and polyether glycol in paper composed of cellulose ester fibers and cellulose fibers and to calendaring of such paper is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Charles Michael Buchanan, Eric Eugene Ellery, Matthew Davie Wood
  • Patent number: 6273095
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a filter for use with tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars and pipes, which selectively absorbs toxic compounds and carcinogenic polynuclear aromatic compounds passing through it, but which permits most low molecular weight species, and in particular nicotine, to pass through. The filter is made from a middle-density polyurethane foam which is pre-treated to increase the number of binding sites for polynuclear aromatic compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Inventor: Jong-Pyng Hsu
  • Patent number: 6257243
    Abstract: The invention relates to a coaxial smoking article, particularly a coaxial cigarette, comprising a coaxial rod of smokable material, which rod has an inner segment (1) of smokable material surrounded by a covering (2), around which covering is an outer segment (3) of combustible or thermally destructible/decomposable material, which outer segment is also surrounded by a covering (4). The combustible or thermally destructible/decomposable material of the outer segment contains no or only a very small proportion of spot-forming substances. Further, the coverings of the inner and outer segments are such that spot-forming substances in the inner segment are essentially unable to reach the outside of the covering. Hence, a cigarette having reduced potential for the production of spotting is so formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation
    Inventors: Bernd-Henrik Müller, Adolf Schlüter, Werner Schneider, Christopher John Cook, Joseph Wanna, Frank Kelley St. Charles
  • Patent number: 6257242
    Abstract: A filter element for reducing or eliminating the harmful vapor phase components of air or smoke. The filter element includes a first section and a second section. The first section is positioned relative to and in fluid communication with the second section and contains an activated carbon fabric. The second section contains a mixture of catalytic activated carbon and coconut activated carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Inventor: Ioannis C. Stavridis
  • Patent number: 6207601
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a melt-blown non-woven fabric based on cellulose esters, with fibers of mean diameter less than about 10 microns. The fabric contains 0-10 wt. % extractable softener, has a reflection factor determined according to DIN 53 145 Part I (1992) of more than 60% and the cellulose ester has a degree of substitution DS of about 1.5-3.0. The softener is preferably water-extractable. A melt-blown non-woven fabric is produced with the cellulose ester as follows: a cellulose ester, cellulose acetate, with a DS of about 1.5-3.0, in particular 1.7-2.7, is mixed with softener in a weight ratio of about 2:1 to 1:4 and simultaneously heated and melted. The mixture of softener and cellulose ester has a melting index MFI (210/2.16) according to DIN 53 735 of about 400 to 5 g/10 min., in particular 300 to 50 g/10 min. The melt is worked in a melt-blown spinning device into a melt-blown non-woven fabric and the softener is then extracted with a softener solvent to leave a proportion of 0-10 wt. %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Rhodia Acetow AG
    Inventors: Gunter Maurer, Paul Rustemeyer, Eberhard Teufel
  • Patent number: 6206007
    Abstract: A cigarette with a dual-structure filter includes a dual-structure filter having a first filter element and a second filter element arranged downstream of the first filter element, a tobacco rod arranged upstream of the filter, and a tip paper covering a downstream end portion of the tobacco rod and a circumferential surface of the filter. At least one row of a plurality of holes are formed in the tip paper in a circumferential direction of the filter. An air-permeation resistance per unit length of the second filter element is at least twice that of the first filter element. An air inflow rate from the tip paper is at least 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Takaichi Yoshida, Hayato Hasebe, Kazuyo Kaneki, Shinichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6202650
    Abstract: A filter-tipped cigarette includes a tobacco portion having a tobacco material wrapped by a cigarette paper, and a filter portion which is connected to the tobacco portion. The filter portion has a filter body composed of a plurality of individual filter plug sections, a plurality of individual filter plug wrappers individually wrapping the filter plug sections and an integral filter wrapper integrally wrapping the filter plug sections wrapped by the filter plug wrappers. The tobacco filter portions are integrally connected by a tip paper. The tip paper has a plurality of ventilation holes. The individual filter plug wrapper corresponding to the ventilation holes has an air permeability lower than the integral filter wrapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuyo Kaneki, Keigo Miura, Osamu Komatsubara
  • Patent number: 6193841
    Abstract: This invention relates to compositions, paper, thermoplastic sheets, and medical paper containing cellulose ester, alkylpolyglycoside (APG) or a mixture of APG and polyether glycol, and, optionally, cellulose. The process of incorporating APG or a mixture of APG and polyether glycol in paper composed of cellulose ester fibers and cellulose fibers and to calendaring of such paper is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Charles Michael Buchanan, Eric Eugene Ellery, Matthew Davie Wood
  • Patent number: 6119699
    Abstract: A smoking article capable of delivering a regulated smoke composition to a smoker, includes: a) a combustible filler wrapped in a combustible sheath; and b) at least one affinity chromatographic filter unit designed to preferentially remove specific targeted components from the smoke disposed within the sheath adjacent the combustible filler. The filter unit includes a mass of silica or resin particles having chemically bonded to their surfaces functional groups which exhibit preferential affinity for the targeted components and which reversibly bind the targeted components to elute components having a lower affinity than a previously bound component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Inventor: Michael T. Sung
  • Patent number: 6089238
    Abstract: The invention relates to a coaxial cigarette including a coaxial tobacco rod comprising a rod core, a rod core wrapping, a rod jacket and a rod jacket wrapping and a multi-part ventilated filter wherein the filter comprises a filter wrapping as well as at least two longitudinal segments of which at least one is a coaxial filter segment having a core element, a core element wrapping and a jacket element and wherein the ratio of the resistance to draw of the rod core to the resistance to draw of the rod jacket is greater than unity and preferably in the range of 2 to 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation
    Inventors: Werner Schneider, Adolf Schluter, Erwin Kausch, Volker Heemann, Ursula Kopke, Wolfgang Metzner, Bernd-Henrik Muller, Heiner Ritter
  • Patent number: 6026819
    Abstract: Bicomponent fibers comprising a core of a thermoplastic material, preferably polypropylene, and a sheath of a blend of the core-forming polymer and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer are used to produce tobacco smoke filter elements which may be incorporated into tobacco smoke filter products such as filtered cigarettes. The addition of significant quantities of the core-forming material to the ethylene-vinyl acetate used to form the sheath avoids problems experienced heretofore in build-up of polymer in the forming dies using conventional filter-forming equipment. Additionally, the blended sheath-forming polymer improves adhesion between the sheath and the core of the bicomponent fiber and, with the use of polypropylene, improves the hardness of the resultant tobacco smoke filter elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Filtrona International Limited
    Inventor: Richard M. Berger
  • Patent number: 5967149
    Abstract: Using a slurry containing a particulate or fibrous cellulose ester and a wood pulp with a Canadian standard freeness of 100 to 800 ml in a ratio of 10/90 to 90/10 (weight %), a tobacco filter material in the form of a sheet having a nonwoven web structure is produced. The slurry may contain a microfibrillated cellulose in a proportion of 0.1 to 10 weight % on a nonvolatile matter basis. The cellulose ester may be a cellulose acetate with a combined acetic acid in the range of 30 to 62%. This tobacco filter material in a sheet form can be applied to a tobacco filter having a high dry strength and, yet, a high degree of wet disintegratability without adversely affecting the smoking quality of tobacco. Thus, the potential environmental pollution is mitigated by the tobacco filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tsugaya, Syu Shimamoto
  • Patent number: 5944025
    Abstract: A smoking article and its method of construction and operation to provide products of combustion which are used to form flavorable aerosol gases delivered to the smoker's mouth while controlling the composition of such gases of combustion. Hot gases generated in a catalytic section in which fuel and air combust aided by a honeycomb catalytically coated surface including alumina and a cerium compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Christopher J. Cook, Adriano Polo, Matthew H. Zoller, Beth E. Waltermire, Sandra F. Smith
  • Patent number: 5913311
    Abstract: A filter material comprises a cellulose acetate fiber tow containing 5-50% by weight of a water soluble material and/or a water dispersible material which are soluble in a solvent which dissolves cellulose acetate and which are not compatible with cellulose acetate. Due to the inclusion of the above-mentioned water soluble material and/or water dispersible material in the cellulose acetate fiber, in the presence of moisture, the fiber surface becomes porous by the elution of this water soluble material and/or water dispersible material from the fiber, and the surface area of the fiber is increased. Consequently, the shape of the cellulose acetate fiber tow is easily broken down, and the decomposability of the fiber by microorganisms and the like is increased. When a cigarette filter is made using this type of filter material, a cigarette filter is obtained which has easy decomposability in the natural environment and particularly in water, in atmospheres which contain large amounts of moisture, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd., Japan Tobacco Inc.
    Inventors: Katsutaka Ito, Tsuruyoshi Matsumoto, Atsushi Tokida, Tetsuro Shibata, Yoichiro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 5911224
    Abstract: A porous element particularly for use as a tobacco smoke filter plug in association with a cigarette or the like wherein the matrix comprises a multiplicity of biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol fibers bonded together at their points of contact to define a tortuous interstitial path for the passage of smoke. Because of the hygroscopic nature of polyvinyl alcohol, commercial production of such products require careful control of the moisture content of the polyvinyl alcohol fiber starting material, usually pre-drying the same to a residual moisture content of 7% by weight or less, and treatment of the low moisture fibrous mass by superheated steam to add about 2.5 to 5% moisture to a final moisture content of about 2.5 to 10%. The steam renders the fiber surface adhesive and, thus, bondable, and also lubricates the gathered fibers to improve processability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Filtrona International Limited
    Inventor: Richard M. Berger
  • Patent number: 5839449
    Abstract: A cigarette smoking article achieves very low levels of CO and other gas phase components by means of substantial air dilution, but has an acceptable pressure drop and sufficient delivery of particulate matter to provide a flavorful smoke. The filter has two sections, an upstream section which has substantially no pressure drop thereacross and a downstream section which provides substantially all the pressure drop of the filter. Dilution air is admitted to the upstream section of the filter to mix with mainstream smoke before it passes through the downstream section of the filter and thereby reduce the CO and gas phase levels in the smoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Chandra Kumar Banerjee, Timothy Brian Nestor, Jeffery Scott Gentry, Elbert Curtis Jones, Jr., Roger Grady Hayworth, Joanne Naomi Taylor
  • Patent number: 5826592
    Abstract: A cigarette smoke filter element is provided which permits a higher level of flavor to reach the smoker during initial smoking of the cigarette and consequently an enhanced flavor-to-tar ratio, by employing an elongate filter of microfine fibers which is provided with openings therethrough at the upstream end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. et al.
    Inventor: Warren A. Brackmann