Smoke filtration device for making self- and machine-rolled conically shaped cigarettes and manufacturing method

Abstract

A smoke filtration device for making self- and machine-rolled conically shaped cigarettes (10) comprises a frusto-conical tubular body (2) with a proximal end (4), a distal end (6) and an internal smoke filtering passage (8) connecting said ends. To improve the device, said smoke filtering passage is integrally formed with said tubular body, said tubular body is made of a sintered ceramic material, and said smoke filtering passage is configured as an open-cell porous structure having an effective porosity of 75 to 85%. In a method of manufacturing the smoke filtration device, the frusto-conical tubular body including said open-cell porous structure is formed by additive manufacturing.

Claims

1. A smoke filtration device for making self- and machine-rolled conically shaped cigarettes, comprising: a frusto-conical tubular body with a proximal end, a distal end and an internal smoke filtering passage connecting said ends, wherein said smoke filtering passage is integrally formed with said tubular body, said tubular body is made of a sintered ceramic material, and said smoke filtering passage is configured as an open-cell porous structure having an effective porosity of 75 to 85%.

2. The smoke filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the open-cell porous structure is configured as a gyroid mesh structure.

3. The smoke filtration device according to claim 1, wherein said tubular body has a length of 15 mm to 35 mm, an outer diameter of 6 to 10 mm, and an aperture angle of 0.4° to 5.5°.

4. The smoke filtration device according to claim 1, having an air permeability of 10 to 100 K.

5. A method of manufacturing a smoke filtration device according to claim 1, wherein said frusto-conical tubular body including said open-cell porous structure is formed by additive manufacturing.

6. The smoke filtration device according to claim 2, wherein said tubular body has a length of 15 mm to 35 mm, an outer diameter of 6 to 10 mm, and an aperture angle of 0.4° to 5.5°.

7. The smoke filtration device according to claim 2 having an air permeability of 10 to 100 K.

8. The smoke filtration device according to claim 3 having an air permeability of 10 to 100 K.

9. The method of manufacturing a smoke filtration device according to claim 5, wherein the open-cell porous structure of the smoke filtration device is configured as a gyroid mesh structure.

10. The method of manufacturing a smoke filtration device according to claim 5, wherein said tubular body of the smoke filtration device has a length of 15 mm to 35 mm, an outer diameter of 6 to 10 mm, and an aperture angle of 0.4° to 5.5°.

11. The method of manufacturing a smoke filtration device according to claim 5, wherein the smoke filtration device has an air permeability of 10 to 100 K.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of achieving them will become more apparent and this invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of various embodiments of this invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a smoke filtration device with a rolled-on conically shaped cigarette, in a longitudinal sectional view;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows the smoke filtration device of FIG. 1, also in a longitudinal sectional view; and

[0029] FIG. 3 shows the internal smoke filtering passage of the smoke filtration device of FIG. 1, in a perspective view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] It will be understood that the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. In some instances, relative dimensions are substantially distorted for ease of visualization. Identical or corresponding features in the various figures will generally be denoted with the same reference numerals.

[0031] A smoke filtration device generally shown in FIG. 1 comprises a frustoconical tubular body 2 with a longitudinal axis A, a proximal end 4, a distal end 6 and an internal smoke filtering passage 8 connecting the two ends. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a self- or machine-rolled cigarette 10 comprising a portion of smokable product 12 surrounded by an external layer of cigarette paper 14. In the presently shown example, the cigarette paper is arranged in a manner covering the entire external surface of the tubular body 2.

[0032] The tubular body 2 is made of a sintered ceramic material. As shown in FIG. 2, the smoke filtration device according to the invention has a filtering passage 8 integrally formed with the tubular body 2. The filtering passage is configured as an open-cell porous structure having an effective porosity of 75 to 85%

[0033] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the filtering passage is configured as a gyroid mesh structure 16. In the particular example shown, the gyroid mesh structure is substantially uniform and comprises twelve unit cells in longitudinal direction and one unit cell in radial direction. Other embodiments can be used.