Smoking article with contoured filter portion

Abstract

A smoking article includes a contoured filter element having a cylindrical rod end portion and a cylindrical mouth end portion and a contoured portion between the cylindrical rod end portion and the cylindrical mouth end portion. The contoured portion defines an exterior surface of the smoking article and having a first cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of either the cylindrical rod end portion or the cylindrical mouth end portion.

Claims

1. A smoking article comprising: a contoured filter element having a cylindrical rod end portion and a cylindrical mouth end portion and a contoured portion with a predetermined shape or form imposed between the cylindrical rod end portion and the cylindrical mouth end portion, the contoured portion having a first cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of either the cylindrical rod end portion or the cylindrical mouth end portion, an exterior surface in the area of the contoured filter, wherein the exterior surface has a contour defined by the contoured portion, and the contour of the exterior surface of the smoking article is configured to mate via direct contact with fingers of a user of the smoking article; and a plug wrap in contact with and disposed about the contoured filter segment, wherein the plug wrap is a polymeric shrink wrap film which conforms to the contoured portion and forms the contoured exterior surface of the smoking article.

2. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the exterior surface of the smoking article is contoured to match the contour of the contoured filter element.

3. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the contoured filter element exterior surface defines a planar surface along the contoured filter element.

4. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the contoured filter element exterior surface defines opposing planar surfaces along the contoured filter element.

5. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the contoured filter element exterior surface defines a curvilinear surface along a longitudinal cross-section of the contoured filter element.

6. A smoking article according to claim 5, wherein the curvilinear surface or curvilinear surfaces define an hourglass shape along a longitudinal cross-section of the contoured filter element.

7. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the contoured filter element exterior surface defines opposing curvilinear surfaces along a longitudinal cross-section of the contoured filter element.

8. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the plug wrap fixes the contoured filter segment, mouth end segment and a rod end segment together in axial alignment.

9. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the contoured filter element comprises opposing cylindrical ends.

10. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the contoured filter portion is hollow.

11. A method of forming a smoking article comprising, forming a smoking article having a contoured filter element having a cylindrical rod end portion and a cylindrical mouth end portion and a contoured portion with a predetermined shape or form imposed between the cylindrical rod end portion and the cylindrical mouth end portion, the contoured portion having a first cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of either the cylindrical rod end portion or the cylindrical mouth end portion; disposing a shrink wrap film about the contoured filter element; and heating the shrink wrap film to conform the shrink wrap film about the contoured filter element; wherein an exterior surface of the smoking article has a contour defined by the contoured portion, and the contour of the exterior surface of the smoking article is configured to mate via direct contact with fingers of a user of the smoking article.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the forming step comprises aligning a contoured filter segment between a mouth end segment and rod end segment to from the contoured filter element and fixing the contoured filter segment, mouth end segment and a rod end segment together with the shrink wrap film.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the contoured filter element exterior surface defines opposing curvilinear surfaces along a longitudinal cross-section of the contoured filter element.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the curvilinear surface or curvilinear surfaces define an hourglass shape along a longitudinal cross-section of the contoured filter element.

Description

(1) The disclosure will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section view of a smoking article according to the present disclosure having a contoured filter element; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section view of a smoking article according to the present disclosure having a three segment contoured filter element.

(4) The finished smoking article 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a tobacco substrate or tobacco rod 12 (or aerosol generating substrate) attached to an axially aligned contoured filter element 20. The contoured filter element 20 includes a filter material 16 that can include cellulose acetate wrapped in plug wrap 18. Tipping paper 19 joins the tobacco rod 12 (or aerosol generating substrate) to the axially aligned contoured filter element 20

(5) The contoured filter element 20 has a cylindrical rod end portion 21 and a cylindrical mouth end portion 22 and a contoured portion 23 between the cylindrical rod end portion 21 and a cylindrical mouth end portion 22. The contoured portion 23 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes opposing planar surfaces 24, 25 along a longitudinal cross-section of the contoured filter element 20 and forming a segment of a cylinder or a horizontal cylinder segment. Plug wrap 18 is in contact with and is disposed about the contoured filter element 20 and conforms to the exterior surface of the contoured portion 23.

(6) The finished smoking article 10 shown in FIG. 2 includes a tobacco substrate or tobacco rod 12 attached to an axially aligned contoured filter element 20 with tipping paper 19. The contoured filter element 20 includes three segments. A contoured filter segment 23 separates a mouth end segment 22 and a rod end segment 21.

(7) The contoured filter segment 23, mouth end segment 22 and a rod end segment 21 can be abutted together in axial alignment to form the contoured filter element 20. The contoured filter segment 23 illustrated includes opposing ends 28 and 29 that are cylindrical and register with the adjacent ends of the mouth end segment 22 and a rod end segment 21.

(8) Plug wrap 18 can be disposed about at least a portion of the contoured filter segment 23, mouth end segment 22 and a rod end segment 21 to fix the three segments together. The plug wrap 18 is in contact with and is disposed about the contoured filter element 20 and conforms to the exterior surface of the contoured segment 23 and at least a portion of the mouth end segment 22 and a rod end segment 21.

(9) The contoured segment 23 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes opposing curviliner surfaces 26, 27 along a longitudinal cross-section of the contoured filter element 20 and forming a segment of a cylinder or a horizontal cylinder segment. The opposing curviliner surfaces 26, 27 along a longitudinal cross-section can be symmetrical about a central longitudinal axis of the contoured filter segment 23 forming an hourglass shape.

(10) The mouth end segment and a rod end segment can include a filter material 16 that can include cellulose acetate wrapped in plug wrap 18. Tipping paper 19 joins the tobacco rod 12 to the axially aligned contoured filter element 14. The tipping paper 19 is illustrated being disposed on top of the plug wrap 18 and about the mouth end segment 22 and a rod end segment 21 and not disposed about the contoured segment 23.