NON-COMBUSTIBLE CIGARETTE BASED ON FLOCKING TECHNOLOGY AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

A non-combustible cigarette based on flocking technology and a manufacturing method of the cigarette are disclosed. The cigarette includes a cigarette paper layer, which is a hollow cylindrical structure. The inner wall of the cigarette paper layer is provided with an adhesive layer, and tobacco filler granules, tobacco filler filaments or tobacco filler fibers are fixedly bonded on the adhesive layer. The manufacturing method includes a flocking process and a cigarette-rolling process. The process automatically flocks filamentous, fibrous or granular tobacco to the surface of the cigarette paper, and then connects to the cigarette-rolling process to obtain the non-combustible cigarette. When the cigarette is filled with the tobacco filler granules, the complex process of using a plugging device at the open end of the cigarette is eliminated.

Claims

1. A non-combustible cigarette based on a flocking technology, comprising a cigarette paper layer, wherein the cigarette paper layer is a hollow cylindrical structure; an inner wall of the cigarette paper layer is provided with an adhesive layer, and tobacco filler granules, tobacco filler filaments or tobacco filler fibers are fixedly bonded on the adhesive layer.

2. The non-combustible cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco filler granules are arranged circumferentially along the inner wall of the cigarette paper layer to form a tobacco filler granule layer; a number of the tobacco filler granule layer is at least one, and a number of the adhesive layer is at least one; the tobacco filler filaments or the tobacco filler fibers are arranged radially along a circumference of the inner wall of the cigarette paper layer, and numerous radial channels are formed in an interior of the cigarette paper layer.

3. The non-combustible cigarette according to claim 2, wherein the interior of the cigarette paper layer is filled with the tobacco filler granules to form a hollow or solid structure; when the number of the tobacco filler granule layer is greater than one, the tobacco filler granule layer and the adhesive layer are alternately arranged in a radial direction of the non-combustible cigarette.

4. The non-combustible cigarette according to claim 2, wherein the interior of the cigarette paper layer is filled with the tobacco filler filaments or the tobacco filler fibers to form a hollow or solid structure; a first end of the tobacco filler filaments or the tobacco filler fibers is fixedly bonded with the adhesive layer, and a second end of the tobacco filler filaments or the tobacco filler fibers extends out of the adhesive layer.

5. The non-combustible cigarette according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is formed by coating an adhesive, and the adhesive is selected from an emulsion-based pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising acrylates, natural and synthetic rubbers, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA).

6. A manufacturing method of the non-combustible cigarette according to claim 1, comprising a flocking process and a cigarette-rolling process; wherein the flocking process comprises a flocking step, and the flocking step is performed by flocking a tobacco filler on a surface of a cigarette paper (3); and the tobacco filler is the tobacco filler granules, the tobacco filler filaments, or the tobacco filler fibers.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 6, wherein the flocking step adopts an electrostatic flocking, a mechanical flocking, or a combination of the electrostatic flocking and the mechanical flocking; and the flocking process comprises a cloth-rolling step, an adhesive-coating step, the flocking step, a drying step and a washing step in sequence.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein a specific operation of each step of the flocking process is as follows: the cloth-rolling step: placing a reel of the cigarette paper in a paper feeding system; the adhesive-coating step: spraying and coating an adhesive on an inner surface of the cigarette paper; the flocking step: embedding and fixing the tobacco filler in the adhesive coated on an inner wall of the cigarette paper of the non-combustible cigarette; the drying step: drying and solidifying the adhesive on the inner surface of the cigarette paper flocked with the tobacco filler at a predetermined temperature to enable the adhesive to be fixedly bonded on the inner surface of the cigarette paper, and the tobacco filler to be fixedly bonded on the adhesive at a same time; and the washing step: removing an excess tobacco filler (1) on the inner surface of the cigarette paper.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein a method of the electrostatic flocking comprises: enabling a charged tobacco filler to move orderly and directionally towards a surface of the cigarette paper coated with the adhesive under an action of an electrostatic field and enabling the charged tobacco filler to be embedded in the adhesive to form a flocking layer on the surface of the cigarette paper; wherein, the electrostatic field is a direct current (DC) high-voltage electrostatic field or an alternating current (AC) high-voltage electrostatic field; and a depth of the tobacco filler embedded in the adhesive, a flocking density, and an orientation of the tobacco filler on the adhesive are regulated by regulating an electric field strength of the electrostatic field, a distance between electrodes, a flocking time, or a water content of the tobacco filler.

10. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein a method of the mechanical flocking comprises: enabling the cigarette paper coated with an adhesive to pass through a group of polygonal rollers, and enabling the polygonal rollers to rotate to vibrate the cigarette paper and drive the tobacco filler dropped from a hopper into the adhesive, and bonding the tobacco filler on the a surface of the cigarette paper to form a flocking layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] FIG. 1 is a process flow chart showing the flocking process in the manufacturing method of the non-combustible cigarette based on flocking technology according to Embodiment 1, wherein the flocking method is electrostatic flocking.

[0050] FIG. 2 is a process flow chart showing the flocking process in the manufacturing method of the non-combustible cigarette based on flocking technology according to Embodiment 2, wherein the flocking method is mechanical flocking.

[0051] FIG. 3 is a radial cross-sectional view showing the tobacco section of the non-combustible cigarette flocked with the tobacco filler granules 11 according to Embodiment 3, wherein FIG. 3-1 is a cross-sectional view showing the hollow tobacco section flocked with a single layer of the tobacco filler granules 11 according to Embodiment 3, FIG. 3-2 is a cross-sectional view showing the hollow tobacco section flocked with multiple layers of the tobacco filler granules 11 according to Embodiment 3, and FIG. 3-3 is a cross-sectional view showing the solid tobacco section flocked with multiple layers of the tobacco filler granules 11 according to Embodiment 3.

[0052] FIG. 4 is a radial cross-sectional view showing the tobacco section of the non-combustible cigarette flocked with tobacco filler fibers according to Embodiment 4, wherein FIG. 4-1 is a cross-sectional view showing the hollow tobacco section 0flocked with the tobacco filler short fibers 12 according to Embodiment 4, FIG. 4-2 is a cross-sectional view showing the hollow tobacco section flocked with the tobacco filler long fibers 13 according to Embodiment 4, and FIG. 4-3 is a cross-sectional view showing the solid tobacco section flocked with the tobacco filler long fibers 13 according to Embodiment 4.

[0053] In the Figures:

[0054] 1. tobacco filler; 11. tobacco filler granule; 12. tobacco filler short fiber; 13. tobacco filler long fiber; 2. adhesive; 3. cigarette paper; 4. hopper; 5. electrode; 6. grounding electrode; 7. roller; 8. adhesive-coating step; 9. drying step; 10. washing step; 20. flocking layer; 21. adhesive layer; 31. cigarette paper layer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0055] The content of the present invention is further described by specific embodiments.

Embodiment 1

[0056] A manufacturing method of a non-combustible cigarette based on flocking technology includes a flocking process and a cigarette-rolling process. Specifically, the flocking process includes a cloth-rolling step, the adhesive-coating step 8, a flocking step, the drying step 9 and the washing step 10 in sequence. The flocking step adopts the electrostatic flocking method.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 1, the specific operation of each step of the flocking process is as follows.

[0058] Cloth-rolling step: a reel of the cigarette paper 3 is placed in a paper feeding system.

[0059] Adhesive-coating step 8: the adhesive 2 is sprayed and coated on the inner surface of the cigarette paper 3.

[0060] Flocking step: the tobacco filler 1 is embedded and fixed in the adhesive 2 coated on the inner wall of the cigarette paper 3 of the cigarette.

[0061] Drying step 9: the adhesive 2 on the surface of the cigarette paper 3 flocked with the tobacco filler 1 is dried and solidified at a predetermined temperature, so that the adhesive 2 is fixedly bonded on the inner surface of the cigarette paper 3, and the tobacco filler 1 is fixedly bonded on the adhesive 2 at the same time.

[0062] Washing step 10: the excess tobacco filler 1 on the surface of the cigarette paper 3 is removed by suction, brushing, beating, etc.

[0063] The equipment used in the electrostatic flocking step may be current electrostatic flocking equipment, and the mechanical and electrical parameters of the equipment are adjusted only according to the characteristics of the cigarette paper and the tobacco filler.

[0064] The electrostatic flocking is that the charged tobacco filler 1 moves orderly and directionally towards the surface of the cigarette paper 3 coated with the adhesive 2 under an action of an electrostatic field and is embedded in the adhesive 2.

[0065] The specific operation of the electrostatic flocking method is as follows.

[0066] The tobacco filler 1 is placed in the hopper 4. The tobacco filler 1 is charged by the electrode 5 placed at the lower part of the hopper 4. The grounding electrode 6 is arranged under the cigarette paper 3, and is configured to attract the tobacco filler 1 to the cigarette paper 3. The electric property of the electric charge carried on the grounding electrode 6 is opposite to that of the electrode 5, so that the tobacco filler 1 with the same electric property as that of the electrode 5 is attracted to move towards the grounding electrode 6. The tobacco filler 1 is vertically bonded on the surface of the cigarette paper 3 under the action of the electric field to form the dense piled flocking layer 20.

[0067] The electrostatic field is a DC or AC high-voltage electrostatic field. The depth of the tobacco filler 1 embedded in the adhesive, the flocking density, and the orientation of the tobacco filler 1 on the adhesive are related to the electric field strength of the electrostatic field, the distance between electrodes, and the flocking time.

[0068] The tobacco filler 1 belongs to hydrophilic fibers, and is capable of carrying and maintaining the charges. The tobacco filler 1 has one end carrying positive charges and the other end carrying negative charges, and thus moves in the direction of potential gradient. By controlling or regulating the water content or humidity of the tobacco filler 1, the tobacco filler 1 can be ensured to move freely in the electrostatic field and keep the electrostatic activity without bunching or bonding together, so as to be evenly flocked in the adhesive 2 on the surface of the cigarette paper 3.

[0069] The subsequent cigarette-rolling processes may employ the conventional cigarette-rolling processes.

[0070] FIG. 1 is a process flow chart showing the flocking process in the manufacturing method of the non-combustible cigarette based on flocking technology according to Embodiment 1, in which the flocking method is electrostatic flocking.

Embodiment 2

[0071] A manufacturing method of a non-combustible cigarette based on flocking technology, which is only different from Embodiment 1 in that the flocking step adopts the mechanical flocking method.

[0072] The equipment used in the mechanical flocking step may be currently available standard mechanical flocking equipment, and the mechanical and electrical parameters of the equipment are adjusted only according to the characteristics of the cigarette paper and the tobacco filler.

[0073] The specific operation is as follows.

[0074] The cigarette paper 3 coated with the adhesive 2 passes through a group of the polygonal rollers 7, and the rollers 7 rotate rapidly to vibrate the cigarette paper 3 and drive the tobacco filler 1 into the adhesive 2. The tobacco filler 1 is applied to the cigarette paper 3 from the hopper 4 by gravity. The tobacco filler 1 is bonded on the surface of the cigarette paper 3 to form the dense piled flocking layer 20.

[0075] FIG. 2 is a process flow chart showing the flocking process in the manufacturing method of the non-combustible cigarette based on flocking technology according to Embodiment 2, in which the flocking method is mechanical flocking.

Embodiment 3

[0076] FIG. 3-1 in FIG. 3 is a radial cross-sectional view showing the tobacco section of the non-combustible cigarette manufactured by the manufacturing method of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The cigarette includes a tobacco section, and the tobacco section includes the cigarette paper layer 31 wrapped on the outermost periphery. The cigarette paper layer 31 is a hollow cylindrical structure. The inner wall of the cigarette paper layer 31 is provided with the adhesive layer 21, and the tobacco filler granules 11 are fixedly bonded on the adhesive layer 21. The tobacco filler granules 11 are arranged circumferentially along the inner wall of the cigarette paper layer 31 to form a tobacco filler granule layer. The number of the tobacco filler granule layer is one, and the number of the adhesive layer is one. The interior of the cigarette paper layer 31 is filled with the tobacco filler granules 11 to form a hollow structure. The adhesive layer 21 is formed by coating the adhesive 2. The adhesive 2 is selected from an acrylate emulsion-based (water-based) pressure-sensitive adhesive. The TDS of the adhesive 2 is 40 wt %-65 wt %.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 3-2, the present embodiment further provides a second arrangement mode of the tobacco filler granule layer in the cigarette.

[0078] The number of the tobacco filler granule layers is three. The tobacco filler granule layers and the adhesive layers 21 are alternately arranged in the radial direction of the cigarette. The interior of the cigarette paper layer 31 is filled with the tobacco filler granules 11 to form a hollow structure.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 3-3, the present embodiment further provides a third arrangement mode of the tobacco filler granule layer in the cigarette.

[0080] The tobacco filler granule layers and the adhesive layers 21 are alternately arranged in the radial direction of the cigarette. The interior of the cigarette paper layer 31 is filled with the tobacco filler granules 11 to form a solid structure. The adhesive layers 21 coated on the tobacco filler granule layers are not shown.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 3-2 and FIG. 3-3, in order to form a multi-layer arrangement of granules, the adhesive-coating step 8 and the flocking step may be repeatedly performed on a single granule layer. The adhesive layer 21 coated on the tobacco filler granule layer is not shown.

Embodiment 4

[0082] FIG. 4-1 is a radial cross-sectional view showing the tobacco section of the non-combustible cigarette manufactured by the manufacturing method of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The cigarette includes a tobacco section, and the tobacco section includes the cigarette paper layer 31 wrapped on the outermost periphery. The cigarette paper layer 31 is a hollow cylindrical structure. The inner wall of the cigarette paper layer 31 is provided with the adhesive layer 21, and tobacco filler fibers are fixedly bonded on the adhesive layer 21. The tobacco filler fibers are the tobacco filler short fibers 12. In this application, the length of the short fibers 12 is 2-3.5 mm. The tobacco filler fibers are arranged radially along the circumference of the inner wall of the cigarette paper layer, and numerous radial channels are formed in the interior of the cigarette paper layer. The interior of the cigarette paper layer is filled with the tobacco filler fibers to form a hollow structure. One end of the tobacco filler fibers is fixedly bonded with the adhesive layer, and the other end of the tobacco filler fibers extends out of the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer 21 is formed by coating the adhesive 2, and the adhesive 2 is selected from a natural rubber emulsion-based (water-based) pressure-sensitive adhesive. The TDS of the adhesive is 40 wt %-65 wt %.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 4-2, the present embodiment further provides a second arrangement mode of the tobacco filler fibers in the cigarette as follows: compared with FIG. 4-1, the difference is that the tobacco filler fibers are the tobacco filler long fibers 13. In this application, the length of the long fibers 13 is greater than 3.5 mm.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 4-3, the present embodiment further provides a third arrangement mode of the tobacco filler fibers in the cigarette as follows: compared with FIG. 4-1, the difference is that the tobacco filler fibers are the tobacco filler long fibers 13, and the interior of the cigarette paper layer 31 is filled with the tobacco filler fibers to form a solid structure.

[0085] The above only describes the specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any modifications or replacements easily made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention shall all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be governed by the protection scope of the claims.