Smoking articles

• US 5,738,120 A
• Filed: 06/06/1996
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Chard, Brian Chester
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLIN, VINCENT A
• Application Number:
  US08/628,618
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 131/331, 131/332, 131/335-337, 131/338, 131/339, 131/340, 131/198.1, 131/198.2, 131/349
• US Class Current: 131/335
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/041 with adjustable means for modifying the degree of filtration of the filter

Abstract

A smoking article comprising a smoking rod, a filter and ventilation means incorporated in the filter and communicating with the outside of the smoking article, viscous fluid in the ventilation means closing or partially closing the ventilation means, the viscous fluid being displaceable during use of the smoking article enabling ventilation to occur.

Claims

1. A smoking article comprising a smokable rod and a ventilation means located within said smokable article and communicating with the outside of said article, viscous fluid in said ventilation means closing or partially closing said ventilation means, said viscous fluid being displaceable during use of said smoking article enabling ventilation to occur.

2. A smoking article as claimed in claim 1 wherein the viscous fluid has a viscosity of between 0.01 Poise (0.01 Stokes) and 1000 Poise (1000 Stokes).

3. A smoking article as claimed in claim 1 wherein the viscous material is plastic deformable under load without returning to its original shape after the load is removed.

4. A smoking article as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ventilation means is biodegradable.

6. A smoking article as claimed in claims 1 and 5 wherein the ventilation means includes vents in the periphery of the smoking article.

7. A smoking article as claimed in claim 6 wherein the ventilation means is comprised of one or more tubes or one or more channels located in the periphery of the ventilation means.

8. A smoking article as claimed in claim 7 wherein the ventilation means is comprised of one or more tubes.

9. A smoking article as claimed in claim 8 wherein the viscous fluid is disposed in one or more of said tubes.

10. A smoking article as claimed in claim 9 wherein the tubes vary in cross-section along their length.

11. A smoking article as claimed in claim 8 wherein said one or more tubes are open-ended and have a larger internal cross-sectional area towards the lower pressure end of the user'"'"'s end of the said smoking article.

12. A smoking article as claimed in claim 11 wherein the tube or tubes are conical.

13. A smoking article as claimed in claim 7 wherein the ventilation means is comprised of one or more channels located in the periphery of the ventilation means.

14. A smoking article as claimed in claim 13 wherein the viscous fluid is disposed in one or more of said channels.

15. A smoking article as claimed in claim 7 wherein removal means are provided around the fluid exit end of the channels or tubes to assist the removal of viscous fluid.

16. A smoking article as claimed in claim 15 wherein the removal means comprises an absorbent material to wick away the fluid.

17. A smoking article as claimed in claim 15 wherein the removal means comprises slits, channels or tubes.

18. A smoking article as claimed in claim 15 wherein the removable means comprises an outer concentric channel or tube.

19. A smoking article as claimed in claim 7 wherein the channels or tubes contain particles and/or fibers.

5. A smoking article comprising a smoking rod, a filter and ventilation means incorporated in said filter and communicating with the outside of said smoking article, viscous fluid in said ventilation means closing or partially closing said ventilation means, said viscous fluid being displaceable during use of said smoking article enabling ventilation to occur.

20. A filter for a smoking article comprising a filter and ventilation means incorporated in said filter and communicating with the outside of said filter, said ventilation means containing a viscous fluid closing or partially closing said ventilation means, said viscous fluid being displaceable during use of said filter with a smokable rod.

21. A filter as claimed in claim 20 wherein the ventilation means is comprised of one or more tubes.

22. A filter as claimed in claim 20 wherein the ventilation means is comprised of one or more channels located in the periphery of the ventilation means.

23. A filter as claimed in claim 22 wherein the tube or tubes are open-ended and have a larger internal cross-sectional area towards one end of the filter.

24. A filter as claimed in claim 21 or claim 22 wherein the channels and tubes also contain particles and/or fibers.

25. A filter as claimed in claim 20 wherein the ventilation means incorporates vents in the periphery of the filter.

26. A filter as claimed in claim 25 wherein said vents communicate only with one or more tubes in which said viscous fluid is disposed.

27. A filter as claimed in claim 26 wherein said one or more tubes have ends of wider board to prevent capillary loss of the viscous fluid.

28. A filter as claimed in claim 25 wherein the vents communicate with one or more channels located in the periphery of the filter and have viscous fluid disposed therein.

29. A filter as claimed in claim 26 or claim 28 wherein removal means are provided around the fluid exit end of the channels or tubes to assist the removal of viscous fluid.

30. A filter as claimed in claim 29 wherein the removal means comprise slits, channels or tubes.

31. A filter as claimed in claim 29 wherein the removal means comprises an outer concentric channel or tube.

32. A filter as claimed in claim 31 wherein the tube or tubes are conical.

33. A filter as claimed in claim 20 wherein the viscous fluid has a viscosity between 0.01 Poise (0.01 Stokes) and 1000 Poise (1000 Stokes).

34. A filter as claimed in claim 20 wherein the viscous fluid is plastic deformable under load without returning to its original shape after the load is removed.

35. A filter as claimed in claim 20 wherein the ventilation means is biodegradable.