SMOKING ARTICLE FILTER

Abstract

A mouthpiece or filter (1) comprising a longitudinally extending (e.g. cylindrical) rod (2) of filtering material including a longitudinally extending channel (3) which extends along the full length of the mouthpiece or filter.

Claims

1. A mouthpiece or filter comprising a longitudinally extending rod of filtering material including at least one longitudinally extending channel which extends along the full length of the mouthpiece or filter.

2. A mouthpiece or filter comprising a longitudinally extending tubular rod of filtering material, the inner surface of the tubular rod of filtering material defining at least one channel which extends along the full length of the mouthpiece or filter.

3. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1, wherein the channel has a uniform cross-section along the full length of the mouthpiece or filter.

4. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1, wherein the channel which extends the full length of the mouthpiece or filter is helical or substantially helical.

5. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1, wherein the channel which extends the full length of the mouthpiece or filter is semi-cylindrical.

6. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1, wherein the filtering material comprises cellulose acetate filamentary tow.

7. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1 wherein the filtering material comprises a thermoplastic or otherwise spinnable polymer.

8. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1, wherein the filtering material comprises a plasticizer.

9. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1, wherein the filtering material comprises a pigment and/or a flavourant.

10. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 9, wherein the filtering material comprises multiple pigments and/or multiple flavourants.

11. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 8, wherein the flavourant is provided within a flavour capsule.

12. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 9, wherein the channel which extends along the full length of the mouthpiece or filter is semi-cylindrical and the flavour capsule is provided in the rod of filtering material adjacent the semi-cylindrical channel.

13. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 8, wherein the flavourant is provided in and/or on a thread or extruded element extending longitudinally through the rod of filtering material.

14. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 11, wherein the channel which extends along the full length of the mouthpiece or filter or is semi-cylindrical and the thread or extruded element is provided in the rod of filtering material adjacent the semi-cylindrical channel.

15. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1, wherein the filtering material comprises carbon.

16. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1, further comprising a wrapper or plug wrap.

17. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 14, wherein the wrapper or plug wrap is derived from a plant in the Cannabis genus.

18. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 14, wherein ventilation holes are provided within the wrapper and/or the plug wrap.

19. A multiple rod comprising a plurality (e.g. 2, 4, 6 etc.) of mouthpieces or filters according to claim 1 integrally joined end-to-end in a mirror image relationship.

20. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1 for use with a smoking article comprising one or more smokable material(s) other than tobacco.

21. A mouthpiece or filter for use according to claim 20, wherein the smokable material other than tobacco is prepared from a plant in the Cannabis genus.

22. A mouthpiece or filter for use according to claim 20, wherein the smokable material other than tobacco comprises oregano and/or hemp.

23. A method of using a mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1 for filtering the smoke of a smoking article comprising one or more smokable material(s) other than tobacco.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the smokable material other than tobacco is prepared from a plant in the Cannabis genus.

25. The method of use of claim 23, wherein the smokable material other than tobacco comprises oregano and/or hemp.

26. A smoking article comprising the mouthpiece or filter according to claim 1 joined to a wrapped rod comprising a smokable material other than tobacco.

27. A smoking article according to claim 26, wherein the smokable material other than tobacco is prepared from a plant in the Cannabis genus.

28. A smoking article according to claim 26, wherein the smokable material other than tobacco comprises oregano and/or hemp.

29. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 7, wherein the thermoplastic or otherwise spinnable polymer is selected from one or more of the group consisting of: polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyactide.

30. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 8, wherein the plasticizer is selected from one or more of the group consisting of: triacetin, triethyleneglycol diacetate (TEGDA), or polyethylene glycol (PEG).

31. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 15, wherein the filtering material is activated carbon.

32. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 17, wherein the Cannabis genus of said wrapper or plug wrap is selected from one or more of the group consisting of: Cannabis sativa sativa, Cannabis sativa indica, and Cannabis sativa ruderalis.

33. A mouthpiece or filter according to claim 21, wherein the Cannabis genus of said smokable material other than tobacco is selected from one or more of the group consisting of: Cannabis sativa sativa, Cannabis sativa indica, and Cannabis sativa ruderalis.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the Cannabis genus of said smokable material other than tobacco is selected from one or more of the group consisting of: Cannabis sativa sativa, Cannabis sativa indica, and Cannabis sativa ruderalis.

35. A smoking article according to claim 27, wherein the Cannabis genus of said smokable material other than tobacco is selected from one or more of the group consisting of: Cannabis sativa sativa, Cannabis sativa indica, and Cannabis sativa ruderalis.

Description

[0039] The present invention will now be illustrated with reference to the following Examples and the attached drawings in which

[0040] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a mouthpiece or filter according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0041] FIGS. 2 and 3 schematically illustrate a mouthpiece or filter according to another embodiment of the invention; and

[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates a mouthpiece or filter according to another embodiment of the present invention.

EXAMPLES

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a smoking article filter 1 of 27 mm length and 24.5 mm circumference comprising a longitudinally extending annular rod 2 of filtering material. The filtering material comprises cellulose acetate filamentary tow. The annular rod 2 of filtering material defines a longitudinally extending cylindrical channel 3 which extends along the full length of the filter.

[0044] Smoking article filter 1 may be manufactured by pulling a continuous bundle of cellulose acetate filamentary tow, optionally with triacetin already applied thereto, through a fix die having an external diameter equal to that of the desired external diameter of the filter, the fix die including a protruding inner rod (or mandrel) extending through the die having a cross-sectional profile equal to that of the desired cross-section of the channel 3. When the filamentary tow is pulled through the die, it passes around the inner rod such that on exiting the die, a filter 1 including an annular rod 2 of filtering material is formed, the filter 1 having a channel 3 having a cross-sectional profile equivalent to that of the inner rod. Heated steam may be applied to the filamentary tow whilst the filamentary tow is in the die. The heated steam may be applied via a duct in the die. The heated steam may be for curing plasticizer applied to the filamentary tow (if present), allowing the filter 1 to maintain the shape of the die after exiting the die.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a smoking article filter 101, of 27 mm length and 24.5 mm circumference comprising a longitudinally extending annular rod 102 of filtering material. The filtering material comprises cellulose acetate filamentary tow. The annular rod 102 of smoking filtering material includes a longitudinally extending channel 103 of semi-circular (D-shaped) cross-section which extends along the full length of the filter. A flavour capsule 104 is provided within the filtering material which forms the annular rod 102, approximately half way along the full length of the rod. Smoking article filter 101 may be manufactured using the same method as used to manufacture smoking article filter 1. The insertion of flavour capsule 104 into the annular rod 102 of filtering material may be carried out using methods well known in the art.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the smoking article filter 101 of FIG. 2 (denoted by the plane 105-105 shown in FIG. 2), showing the D-shaped cross section of channel 103 and the capsule 104 within the filtering material.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a smoking article filter 201 of 27 mm length and 24.5 mm circumference comprising a longitudinally extending rod 202 of filtering material. The filtering material comprises cellulose acetate filamentary tow. The rod 202 defines three longitudinally extending cylindrical channels 203 arranged in a triangular pattern which extend the full length of the filter. The smoking article filter 201 may be produced by the same method of manufacture used to produce the smoking article filter 1 of FIG. 1, wherein three mandrels will be used to produce the three channels 203.