Smoking articles enhanced to deliver additives incorporated within electrospun microfibers and nonofibers, and related methods

• US 8,602,036 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philip Morris USA Incorporated (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marquez, Manuel, Ogle, Samuel Isaac, Shen, Zhihao
• Primary Examiner(s): Crispino, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mayes, Dionne Walls
• Application Number:
  US11/878,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20080149119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,329 Days
• Field of Search: 131/341, 131/345, 131/332, 131/331, 131/334, 131/335
• US Class Current: 131/332
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/28 by chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/283 by encapsulation of the chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/0287 for composite filters
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/04 Tobacco smoke filters characterised by their shape or structure
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/048 containing additives
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/065 with sheath/core of bi-component type structure
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/08 of organic materials as carrier or major constituent of ion exchange materials A24D3/12
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0069 characterised by the spinning section, e.g. capillary tube, protrusion or pin
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/24 with a hollow structure; Spinnerette packs therefor D01D5/38 takes precedence; producing tubes of plastic material B29D; addition of agents forming hollow filaments D01F1/08
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/34 Core-skin structure; Spinnerette packs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/10 Other agents for modifying properties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2927 including structurally defined particulate matter

Abstract

A large variety of electrospun fibers can be produced to encapsulate a large variety of additives within the subcompartments or substructures of the manufactured electrospun fiber. Furthermore, the manufactured electrospun fibers can be electrostatically arranged within a filter component of a smoking article during the manufacturing process. By modifying the various parameters that control the electrospinning process, a diverse set of electrospun fibers can be manufactured that vary in composition, in substructural organization, and in dimension. The electrospun fiber produced by electrospinning comprises at least one type of polymeric material that encapsulates or supports the retention of at least one type of a flavorant or a non-flavorant within the electrospun fiber. A polymeric material provides a supporting structure for encapsulating at least one type of a flavorant or a non-flavorant. The electrospun fibers that can be produced by various electrospinning processes described below include microfibers in a micro-scaled range, nanofibers in a nano-scaled range, and various mixtures of microfibers and nanofibers.

Claims

1. A filter component of a smoking article, the filter component comprising:

a plurality of electrospun fibers having an inner core and an outer shell, the electrospun fiber comprising at least one type of flavorant and/or a non-flavorant additive contained in the inner core; and

at least one type of polymer,

wherein a substantial portion of the electrospun fibers is arranged in a parallel alignment with respect to the longitudinal direction of the filter component and in parallel alignment with respect to the direction of a mainstream smoke,

wherein the polymer is a sacrificial polymer selected from the group consisting of;

polyetherketone, polyoxytrimethylene, poly(alkyl siloxane), poly(butylene adipate), polyacrylate, polyitaconate, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), polyglycolide (PGA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), polyhydroxyvalerate (PHBV), and combinations thereof, and

wherein each of the electrospun fibers is a hollow-core, sacrificial shell electrospun fiber comprising;

at least one type of flavorant and/or nonflavorant combined with a first sacrificial polymer that forms the inner core of the electrospun fiber; and

a second sacrificial polymer that forms the outer shell of the electrospun fiber encapsulating the inner core containing the flavorant and/or the nonflavorant and the first sacrificial polymer.

2. The filter component of claim 1, wherein each of the electrospun fibers has a substantially cylindrical cross-sectional shape, a substantially constant diameter throughout the length of the electrospun fiber, an outer diameter from about 10 nanometers (nm) to about 50 micrometers (μ

m), and a length from about 1 millimeters (mm) to about 20 millimeters (mm).

3. The filter component of claim 2, wherein each of the electrospun fibers has an outer diameter from about 10 nanometers (mm) to about 10 micrometers (μ

m), or from about 20 nanometers (mm) to about 3 micrometers (μ

m).

4. The filter component of claim 1, wherein the polymer stabilizes the retention of the flavorant and/or the nonflavorant additive in an initial unsmoked state.

5. The filter component of claim 1, wherein the sacrificial polymer loses structural integrity by thermal transition and/or chemical decomposition, and wherein the structural integrity is reduced by at least 1% from that of the initial unsmoked state of the filter component.

6. The filter component of claim 1, wherein each of the electrospun fibers comprises a flavorant selected from the group consisting of menthol, eugenol, spearmint, peppermint, cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, licorice, citrus flavor, fruit flavors, and a combination thereof.

7. A smoking article comprising the filter component of claim 1.