Filter cigarillo and process of manufacturing filter cigarillos

• US 9,326,546 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2011
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Imperial Tobacco Limited (Imperial Tobacco Group PLC)
• Inventors: Garcia Urbano, Miguel Angel, Rueda, Jorge Alonso, Wolfgramm, Regine, Seidel, Henning, Rieth, Fabian
• Primary Examiner(s): FELTON, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US13/814,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20130206152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A24C 5/475 adapted for composite filters
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 1/045 with smoke filter means A24D1/047 takes precedence

Abstract

A filter cigarillo comprises a bunch, which includes tobacco surrounded by a binder. A first section, different from a general bunch and providing some strengthening effect, is arranged at one end of the bunch. A natural-leaf wrapper surrounds the general bunch and the first section. A second section, which comprises filter material, is arranged downstream of the first section. The second section is connected to the natural-leaf wrapper by an outer tipping.

Claims

1. Filter cigarillo comprising:

a bunch, which comprises tobacco and a binder surrounding the tobacco, with a general bunch being defined by at least part of the bunch;

a first section arranged at one end of the bunch and different from the general bunch;

a natural-leaf wrapper surrounding the general bunch and the first section; and

a second section arranged downstream of the first section and comprising filter material,

wherein the second section is connected to the natural-leaf wrapper by an outer tipping.

2. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein the first section is designed as a part independent of the bunch.

3. Filter cigarillo according to claim 2, wherein the first section is connected to the bunch by an inner tipping, which is arranged underneath the natural-leaf wrapper.

4. Filter cigarillo according to claim 3, wherein the inner tipping comprises one of the following materials:

paper, porous paper, stiff wrapper material, carton, fleece, reconstituted tobacco, printed paper, flavoured paper, flavoured fleece, flavoured reconstituted tobacco.

5. Filter cigarillo according to claim 3,

wherein each of said outer tipping, said inner tipping, and said second section presents a respective length,

wherein the length of the outer tipping corresponds to the length of the inner tipping plus the length of the second section.

6. Filter cigarillo according to claim 2, wherein the first section comprises filter material.

7. Filter cigarillo according to claim 6, wherein the filter material of the first section comprises at least one of the materials of the following list:

cellulose acetate, cellulose, regenerated cellulose, lyocell, paper, tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, polypropylene, polyethylene.

8. Filter cigarillo according to claim 2, wherein the first section comprises at least one of the materials of the following list:

adsorbents, active carbon, silica;

humidifying agents, glycerol, injected humidifying agents;

flavourants, encapsulated flavourants, thread-incorporated flavourants, injected flavourants;

acidifying agents, citric acid, malic acid;

plasticisers.

9. Filter cigarillo according to claim 2, wherein the first section comprises one of the following devices:

hollow tube, flow restriction device, plurality of hollow tubelets, insert of fixed-propeller design, insert of open-pore sponge design.

10. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein the first section includes an integral portion of the bunch and comprises a generally higher tobacco density than the general bunch.

11. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein the first section is surrounded by at least one layer of stiffening material.

12. Filter cigarillo according to, claim 1, wherein the filter material of the second section comprises at least one of the materials of the following list:

cellulose acetate, cellulose, regenerated cellulose, lyocell, paper, tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, polypropylene, polyethylene.

13. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein the second section comprises at least one of the materials of the following list:

adsorbents, active carbon, silica;

humidifying agents, glycerol, encapsulated humidifying agents, injected humidifying agents;

flavourants, encapsulated flavourants, thread-incorporated flavourants, injected flavourants;

acidifying agents, citric acid, malic acid;

plasticisers.

14. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein the outer tipping comprises one of the following materials:

paper, porous paper, fleece, reconstituted tobacco, flavoured paper, flavoured fleece, flavoured reconstituted tobacco.

15. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein the outer tipping comprises at least one of the designs of the following list:

coloured, partially coloured, provided with relief, provided with imprint, provided with water mark, provided with punching, provided with embossing, provided with flavourant.

16. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein the second section comprises a free end side comprising at least one of the designs of the following list:

coloured, partially coloured, provided with relief, provided with imprint, provided with punching, provided with embossing.

17. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein the filter cigarillo comprises perforations.

18. Filter cigarillo according to claim 17, wherein the outer tipping is provided with perforations.

19. Filter cigarillo according to claim 17, wherein at least part of the perforations is longitudinally arranged.

20. Filter cigarillo according to claim 17, wherein the perforations are of one of the following types:

online-made laser perforations, offline-made laser perforations, online-made electrically-provided perforations, offline-made electrically-provided perforations, online-made mechanical perforations, offline-made mechanical perforations.

21. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein said filter cigarette has a diameter in one of the following ranges:

5 mm to 6 mm, 6 mm to 7 mm, 7 mm to 8 mm, 8 mm to 9 mm, 9 mm to 10 mm, 10 mm to 12 mm, 12 mm to 14 mm.

22. Filter cigarillo according to claim 1, wherein the binder is made from paper.

23. Process of manufacturing filter cigarillos having the features of a filter cigarillo according to claim 2, including the following steps:

a) providing two axially aligned bunches having a first axial space with respect to each other;

b) inserting a first segment into the first axial space, wherein the first segment comprises two first sections of a filter cigarillo;

c) enveloping the two bunches and the first segment with the natural-leaf wrapper to produce an intermediate double article;

d) separating the intermediate double article into two intermediate articles and axially spacing the intermediate articles to provide a second axial space;

e) inserting a second segment into the second axial space, wherein the second segment comprises two second sections of a filter cigarillo;

f) connecting the second segment to each of the intermediate articles by an outer tipping wrap to provide a double filter cigarillo; and

g) separating the double filter cigarillo to provide two filter cigarillos.

24. Process according to claim 23, wherein, prior to step c), the first segment is connected to each of the bunches by an inner tipping wrap.

25. Process of manufacturing filter cigarillos having the features of a filter cigarillo according to claim 10, including the following steps:

a) providing a double bunch comprising two axially aligned bunches and two first sections, wherein the first sections, are located in a centre area of the double bunch,

b) enveloping the double bunch with the natural-leaf wrapper to produce an intermediate double article;

c) separating the intermediate double article into two intermediate articles and axially spacing the intermediate articles to provide an axial space;

d) inserting a segment into the axial space, wherein the segment comprises two second sections of a filter cigarillo;

e) connecting the segment to each of the intermediate articles by an outer tipping wrap to provide a double filter, cigarillo; and

f) separating the double filter cigarillo to provide two filter cigarillos.

26. Process of manufacturing filter cigarillos having the features of a filter cigarillo according to claim 11, including the following steps:

a) providing a double bunch comprising two axially aligned bunches and two first sections, wherein the first sections are surrounded by at least one layer of stiffening material and are located in a centre area of the double bunch,

b) enveloping the double bunch with the natural-leaf wrapper to produce an intermediate double article;

c) separating the intermediate double article into two intermediate articles and axially spacing the intermediate articles to provide an axial space;

d) inserting a segment into the axial space, wherein the segment comprises two second sections of a filter cigarillo;

e) connecting the segment to each of the intermediate articles by an outer tipping wrap to provide a double filter, cigarillo; and

f) separating the double filter cigarillo to provide two filter cigarillos.

27. Process according to claim 23, further including the step of, in each filter cigarillo, trimming an end remote from the second section.

28. Filter cigarillo according to claim 10, wherein the first section is surrounded by sheet material in addition to the binder.

29. Filter cigarillo according to claim 11, wherein the first section includes an integral portion of the bunch.

30. Filter cigarillo according to claim 22, wherein the binder is made from a porous paper fleece.

31. Process according to claim 25, further including the step of, in each filter cigarillo, trimming an end remote from the second section.

32. Process according to claim 25, wherein the first sections are surrounded by sheet material in addition to the binder.

33. Process according to claim 26, further including the step of, in each filter cigarillo, trimming an end remote from the second section.