JPH0262228B2 - - Google Patents

Abstract

A cigarette is provided which comprises a wrapped filter plug 202,203 aligned in end-to-end abutting relationship with a substantially cylindrical tobacco rod 201. The filter plug and tobacco rod are circumscribed and joined by a substantially air permeable first layer of tipping paper 204. Circumscribing the first layer of tipping paper is a second layer of substantially air impermeable tipping paper 206. The second layer has a circumferentially extending row of closely spaced perforations 210 intermediate the two ends of the second layer which divides it into a mouth-end sleeve 207 attached to the first layer at the mouth end of the cigarette and a second rod-end sleeve 208 detachable from the mouth end sleeve by rotating the sleeve relative to the first sleeve so that it can move axially between the mouth-end sleeve and positions along the tobacco rod allowing air to enter the filter through the exposed portions of the air permeable layers.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to cigarettes, and more particularly to adjustable cigarettes, which allow for free air dilution of the smoke over a wide range of degrees.

Various prior patents disclose filtered adjustment mechanisms designed to adjust the degree of air dilution to cigarette smoke. While a number of filtered adjustment mechanisms have been disclosed, a simpler mechanism is schematically described herein, which involves one or more apertures in a substantially air-impermeable paper wrapper surrounding a filter plug. a substantially air-impermeable tipping paper (having apertures aligned with the apertures) is superimposed and affixed to the wrapping paper; By providing a sleeve adapted to be moved in a direction or rotatable, forming one or more apertures in the sleeve, and then rotating or moving the sleeve in an axial direction. The degree to which the two sets of apertures are aligned can be adjusted.

In other adjustment mechanisms, the filter plug is axially movable within a cylinder formed by tipping paper, with an aperture formed in the tipping paper and a winding that wraps around the filter plug. Corresponding apertures are formed in the paper so that by moving the filter plug axially, the degree of alignment of the two sets of apertures can be varied and the degree of air dilution can be adjusted.

The problem with these adjustment mechanisms is that the sleeve and filter plug tend to separate from the cigarette, and once removed, they are difficult to return to their original positions. Yet another problem is that conventional cigarette manufacturing machines cannot be readily applied to high-speed production of these products.

The present invention is a smoking article comprising a column of combustible smoking material and an end area open to allow air and smoke to pass through, the end area being a surrounding area suitable for the passage of air. the peripheral region is surrounded by a substantially air-impermeable sheet material, the sheet material comprising a first band secured to the end region of the smoking article and the peripheral region. a second band that is movable relative to the mouth end region and is adapted to vary the amount of air admitted into the mouth end region to dilute the smoke within the mouth end region.

In one preferred embodiment, said end region includes a filter plug opposite said post, said filter plug comprising a substantially air permeable wrapping paper, a first substantially air permeable tipped paper, and a second substantially air-impermeable tipping paper, said first tipping paper being located on said post adjacent to the post end of the filter plug from the mouth end of the filter plug. the second tipping paper extends from the mouth end to substantially the end of the column of the first tipping paper, and the second tipping paper is affixed to the first tipping paper. a smoking article that is divided into an end sleeve and a post end sleeve that is movable axially over said first tipping paper and adapted to expose said air permeable first tipping paper to varying degrees; It is becoming.

The cigarettes of the present invention can be manufactured using conventional cigarette manufacturing equipment with only minor modifications. Thus, a cigarette is obtained in which the mechanism for adjusting the degree of air dilution does not come off the filter plug.

The cigarette of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one step in manufacturing the cigarette of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a completed cigarette, and FIG.
The figure is a perspective view showing a cigarette that has been adjusted to a suitable degree of air dilution. In these figures, 2
01 is a tobacco stick, 202 is a filter plug, 2
03 is a substantially air-permeable wrapping paper, 204 is a substantially air-permeable first tipping paper, 205 is a boundary line where the filter plug 202 and the tobacco rod 201 meet, and 206 is a substantially air-permeable paper. 207 is a permeable second tipping paper; 207 is a mouth end sleeve that is a part of the second tipping paper; 208 is a bar end sleeve that is a part of the second tipping paper; 209 is a part of the mouth end sleeve 207 The adhesive 210 that adheres to the tipping paper 204 is a row of perforations that divide the second tipping paper 206 into an end sleeve 207 and a rod end sleeve 208.

A conventional cylindrical filter plug 202, which may be made of cellulose acetate or the like, is used as an air-permeable wrapping paper 20.
It is wrapped by 3. The wrapped filter plug 202 is arranged in axially aligned, end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod 201 and has a substantially air permeable first tipping paper 202 attached thereto.
Filter plug 20 by winding 4
2 and the tobacco rod 201 are joined. The first tipping paper 204 extends from the mouth end of the filter plug 202 to a location on the tobacco rod adjacent the rod end of the filter plug. A filter plug 202 is provided on the inner surface of this first tipping paper 204.
A band of adhesive is applied, with the center line being the boundary line 205 between the tobacco rod 201 and the tobacco rod 201 (this center line does not necessarily have to coincide with the boundary line 205), and the tobacco rod 201 and the filter plug 202 are connected.

Substantially air impermeable second tipping paper 20
6 extends from the mouth end to the rod end of the filter plug 202 and surrounds the first tipping paper 204. The second tipping paper 206 is formed with a row of closely spaced perforations 210 so that the second tipping paper 206 is connected to the end sleeve 20.
7 and a rod end sleeve 208. End sleeve 207 is secured to first tipping paper 204 adjacent its end by adhesive 209. The rod end sleeve 208 has the first tipping paper 20
4 is not attached with any adhesive. The second tipping paper 206 is substantially air impermeable and the rod end sleeve 208 is separable along the row of perforations 210. With the stick end sleeve 208 attached to the mouth end sleeve 207, the cigarette has a set air dilution. If desired by the smoker, end sleeve 208 is rotated to separate end sleeve 208 from end sleeve 207. and rod end sleeve 208
move in the axial direction. This causes the substantially air permeable first tipping paper 204 to be attached to the rod end sleeve 204.
It is exposed from below 8. The first tipping paper 2 is
The exposed area of 04 changes. The amount of air sucked changes depending on this exposed area. Thus, the smoker can adjust the degree of air dilution of cigarette smoke as desired. This axially slidable rod end sleeve 208 is prevented from slipping out of the mouth end of the cigarette by means of the end sleeve 207.

In another embodiment of the invention, not shown, the filter plug wrapper and the first tipping paper are substantially air impermeable with a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. The plurality of apertures are exposed by moving the rod end sleeve 208 axially toward the end opposite the mouth end (smoke end).

The cigarette of the present invention can be readily produced in conventional cigarette manufacturing equipment by making slight modifications to the same, including forming a cigarette rod, forming a filter plug, and forming these into a predetermined length. Cutting is done in a conventional manner. Furthermore, arranging the filter plugs in an axially straight line in an end-to-end relationship with the cigarette stick and wrapping the first tipping paper around them means that the adhesive applicator is part of the first tipping paper. This is accomplished in the same manner as in conventional cigarettes, with the exception that the adhesive is applied only to the area near and on both sides of the filter plug and tobacco rod interface. Similarly, the second tipping paper is also attached to the first tipping paper, except that the adhesive applicator is modified to apply a band of adhesive only to the end sleeve portion of the second tipping paper. It is achieved in the same way as on paper.

The rows of perforations 210 in the second tipped paper 206 may be formed, preferably in advance, by any conventional means, such as laser perforation, electrostatic perforation, or mechanical perforation using a needle or knife. To make the perforations very small, it is preferable to use a laser device, through which the tipping paper is fed in a running manner through the perforation zone, and on which the laser beam is focused. . The traveling speed of the tipped paper, the intermittent light emission between the laser beams, and the degree of focusing are determined by the fact that the smoker inserts the tipped paper into the mouth end sleeve 207 and the rod end sleeve 208 along the perforation row 210 in FIG. It is chosen so that it can be separated into two parts. Preferably using a laser device, approx.
Make 39 perforations (about 100 per inch).

Various modifications can be made to the embodiments described above. For example, a mouthpiece without a filter plug may be used.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one step in manufacturing the cigarette of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the completed cigarette, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the cigarette after the cigarette has been adjusted to an appropriate degree of air dilution. It is a perspective view showing a cigarette. In the figure, 201 is a tobacco stick, 202 is a filter plug, 203 is a substantially air-permeable wrapping paper, 204 is a substantially air-permeable first tipping paper, and 205 is a filter plug 202 and a tobacco stick 201. 206 is a substantially air-impermeable second tipping paper, and 207 is an end sleeve 208 that is a part of the second tipping paper.
is a bar end sleeve which is part of the second chip paper, 20
9 attaches the end sleeve 207 to the first tipping paper 20
4, an adhesive 210 is used to attach the second tipping paper 206 to the mouth end sleeve 207 and the rod end sleeve;
208. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A smoking article consisting of a column of combustible smoking material and an end region open to allow air and smoke to pass through, the end region opening to allow air to pass through. a first band having a suitable peripheral area, the peripheral area being surrounded by a substantially air-impermeable sheet material, the sheet material being secured to the end area of the smoking article; and a second band movable relative to said peripheral region to vary the amount of air admitted into said end region to dilute smoke within said end region. 2. A smoking article consisting of a column of combustible smoking material and an end section open to allow air and smoke to pass through, the end section including a filter plug in contact with the column; The filter plug is surrounded by a substantially air-permeable wrapper, a substantially air-permeable first tipping paper, and a substantially air-impermeable second tipping paper; The first tipping paper extends from the mouth end of the filter plug to a position on the post adjacent to the post end of the filter plug, and the second tipping paper extends from the mouth end to a position on the post adjacent to the post end of the filter plug. the second tipping paper is axially movable over the end sleeve secured to the first tipping paper and the first tipping paper, and the second tipping paper is movable in the axial direction over the first tipping paper; 1. A smoking article characterized in that the article is divided into a column end sleeve adapted to expose the tipped paper to varying degrees.