Cigarette filter

• US 4,580,584 A
• Filed: 02/21/1984
• Issued: 04/08/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Inventors: Frank, Dorothy M., Riehl, Tilford F., Reynolds, Martin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Macey, H.
• Application Number:
  US06/581,516
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 131/336, 131/340, 131/339, 131/341, 131/361
• US Class Current: 131/336
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/043 with ventilation means, e.g. air dilution A24D3/041 takes precedence

Abstract

A filter for a cigarette includes a porous filter rod having a capillary smoke passageway extending coaxially therethrough. The filter rod is circumscribed by a non-porous wrapper and the filter rod with the non-porous wrapper therearound is provided with at least one groove extending from one end thereof a preselected distance longitudinally therealong. The groove preferably extends from the mouth end of the filter rod. Tipping material circumscribes the non-porous wrapper and is provided with flow-through openings therein in flow communication with the groove. In one embodiment, the filter rod includes a cylindrical collar coaxially located at the mouth end defining a recess, the thickness of the wall of the collar being less than the depth of the groove. In a further embodiment, the filter collar includes a concentric open core member coaxial with and open to the capillary flow passageway with the area between the core member and collar wall being open to the groove. In a still further embodiment, the filter rod includes a cylindrical filter collar located at the mouth end defining a recess, the filter collar covering the open end of the groove at the mouth end of the filter rod.

Claims

1. A filter for a cigarette comprising:

a porous filter rod of cylindrical configuration having a smoke flow capillary passageway formed concentrically with the longitudinal axis of the filter rod and extending longitudinally therethrough;

an impervious wrapper extending longitudinally along said rod and circumscribing said rod leaving flow-through opposed ends of said rod, said wrapper having at least one longitudinally extending groove embedded into the filter rod and that portion of the wrapper defining the groove remaining impervious, said at least one groove being open ended at and extending from the mouth end of the rod a distance less than the length of the filter rod;

tipping material extending longitudinally of and circumscribing said wrapper, said tipping material extending a preselected distance beyond the mouth end of the filter rod thereby defining a recess at the mouth end of the filter, said tipping material including means to introduce ventilating air into said groove, said ventilating air being the only fluid flowing through said groove when the filter is used in combination with a cigarette during normal smoke draw; and

,

a coaxially disposed collar in said recess, said collar being radially spaced inwardly from said tipping material with filter material disposed in the space between the tipping material and the collar.

2. The filter of claim 1, wherein the filter material in the space between the tipping material and the collar covers the open end of the at least one groove at the mouth end of the filter rod.

3. A filter for a cigarette comprising:

a porous filter rod of cylindrical configuration having a smoke flow capillary passageway formed concentrically with the longitudinal axis of the filter rod and extending longitudinal therethrough;

an impervious wrapper extending longitudinally along said rod and circumscribing said rod leaving flow-through opposed ends of said rod, said wrapper having at least one longitudinally extending groove embedded into the filter rod and that portion of the wrapper defining the groove remaining impervious, said at least one groove being open ended at and extending from the mouth end of the rod a distance less than the length of the filter rod;

tipping material extending longitudinally of and circumscribing said wrapper, said tipping material extending a preselected distance beyond the mouth end of the filter rod thereby defining a recess at the mouth end of the filter, said tipping material including means to introduce ventilating air into said groove, said ventilating air being the only fluid flowing through said groove when the filter is used in combination with a cigarette during normal smoke draw; and

,

a generally cylindrical band of filter material coaxially disposed in said recess, the band of filter material covering the open end of the at least one groove at the mouth end of the filter rod.

4. A filter for a cigarette comprising:

a porous filter rod of cylindrical configuration having a smoke flow capillary passageway formed concentrically with the longitudinal axis of the filter rod and extending longitudinally from one end to the other end of the filter rod;

an impervious wrapper extending longitudinally along said rod and circumscribing said rod leaving flow-through opposed ends of said rod, said wrapper having at least one longitudinally extending groove embedded into the filter rod and that portion of the wrapper defining the groove remaining impervious, said at least one groove being open ended at and extending from the mouth end of the rod a distance less than the length of the filter rod;

a generally cylindrical band of filter material coaxially located at the mouth end of the filter rod, the inside wall surface of the cylindrical filter band defining a recess at the mouth end of the filter rod, and the filter band covering the open end of the at least one groove at the mouth end of the filter rod; and

,

tipping material extending longitudinally of and circumscribing wrapper and circumscribing the cylindrical filter band, said tipping material being air pervious and permitting ventilating air flow therethrough into said groove, said ventilating air being the only fluid flowing through said groove when the filter is used in combination with a cigarette during normal draw.

5. The filter of claim 4, wherein the wall of the filter band is at least as thick as the depth of the groove at the mouth end of the filter rod.

6. The filter of claim 4, further comprising a collar concentrically located within the cylindrical filter band, the outside diameter of the collar being substantially equal to the inside diameter of the filter band.

7. The filter of claim 6, wherein the filter band is attached to the collar.

8. The filter of claim 6, wherein the collar wall is impermeable.