Kind of microburst-microcapsule used for cigarettes and smoking articles with such microburst-microcapsules

Abstract

This invention discloses a kind of microburst-microcapsule designed for cigarettes and a smoking article with such microburst-microcapsules. Wherein the microburst-microcapsule is composed of a microcapsule wall and an aerosol generation material encapsulated by the microcapsule wall. The microburst-microcapsule can be filled in cigarette. When the cigarette lights, the high temperature generated from its combustion zone will vaporize the nearest aerosol generation materials packaged in the aforesaid microburst-microcapsule. The vapor pressure will cause the microcapsule wall burst. As a result, the aerosol from the aforesaid aerosol generation materials will vapor out of the microcapsule wall. Tobacco-free carbonaceous fuels or solid carbonaceous from high temperature vacuum destructive distillation of tobacco filament can be used as combustion materials for aforesaid cigarettes.

Claims

1. A smoking article comprising, a microburst-microcapsule, the microburst-microcapsule is filled into a body of the smoking article, the microburst-microcapsule consists of a microcapsule wall, the wall is formed without the use of film-forming substances, and an aerosol generation material packaged therein, wherein the smoking article is a cigarette and when the cigarette is lit, heat generated from a combustion zone of the cigarette vaporizes the adjacent aerosol generation material in the microburst-microcapsule and a vapor pressure causes the microcapsule wall to burst and an aerosol generated from the aerosol generation material flows out of the microcapsule wall, the body comprises a mixture of a combustion material and the microburst-microcapsule.

2. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the heat from the combustion zone causes a fusing deformation of the microcapsule wall.

3. The smoking article of claim 2, wherein the microcapsule wall is one of metal foil, low temperature glass, having sufficiently high temperature resistant polymer material, ceramic material and cellulose.

4. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the heat from the combustion zone does not cause a fusing deformation of the microcapsule wall.

5. The smoking article of claim 4, wherein the microcapsule wall is made of a capsule wall material with sufficiently high temperature resistance, wherein the capsule wall material is one of aluminum foil, copper foil, nickel foil, polymer material with sufficiently high temperature resistance, and ceramic material.

6. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein a lateral diameter of the microburst-microcapsule perpendicular to a direction of a length of the cigarette is less than 2 mm.

7. The smoking article of claim 6, wherein the aerosol generation material packaged in the microburst-microcapsule has the weight of 0.0001 mg to 50 mg.

8. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein a shape of the microburst-microcapsule is one of strip shaped, spherical, hemispherical, oblong, semi-oblong, flat, cylindrical, square shaped, granular, and filamentary, wherein the microburst-microcapsule has a wall with a surface and the surface of the wall has pre-burst cracks formed therein.

9. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the aerosol generation material consists essentially of the following ingredients by mass: propylene glycol 20-100%, glycerol 0-80%, tobacco extracts (dry weight) 0-30%, nicotine 0-10%, monobasic and dibasic C1-C6 organic acids 0-10%, tobacco Flavors 0-10%, ethanol 0-10%, and water 0-10%.

10. A smoking article comprising, a siamesed microburst-microcapsule, the siamesed microburst-microcapsule is filled into a body of the smoking article, the siamesed microburst-microcapsule consists of a microcapsule wall, the wall is formed without the use of film-forming substances, and an aerosol generation material packaged therein, the smoking article is a cigarette and when the cigarette is lit, heat generated from a combustion zone of the cigarette vaporizes the adjacent aerosol generation material in the siamesed microburst-microcapsule and a vapor pressure causes the microcapsule wall to burst and an aerosol generated from the aerosol generation material flows out of the microcapsule wall, the body comprises a mixture of a combustion material and the siamesed microburst-microcapsule, and the siamesed microburst-microcapsule comprises a plurality of microburst-microcapsules connected through a microcapsule wall by a sealing part in between the microcapsule wall.

11. The smoking article of claim 10, wherein a shape of the microcapsule wall is tubular, and the siamesed microburst-microcapsule is made by stretching a metal foil, low temperature glass, polymer material or ceramic material, depositing into the siamesed microburst-microcapsule an aerosol generation material and enclosing the microburst-microcapsule to define the capsule.

12. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the microburst-microcapsule is used as a signal product having one or more cavities filled with the aerosol generation material, wherein the microburst-microcapsule is wrapped in the cigarette or inserted into the cigarette by a smoker to use.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For better understanding of the following figures, reference to the application embodiments is recommended. These illustrative figures do not serve as restrictions to technological solutions of this invention.

(2) FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of microburst-microcapsule cigarette in application embodiment I of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of microburst-microcapsule cigarette with heat insulation layers in application embodiment II of the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is the status diagram of a lighted smoking article in this invention. The diagrammatic sketch of the microburst-microcapsule in high-temperature bursting zone A behind the hot combustion zone B during the combustion process of cigarettes is displayed here.

(5) FIG. 4 is the front view of microburst-microcapsule application embodiment I in the invention. Here we can see microburst-microcapsule made of metal foil and filled with liquid aerosol generation materials or liquid-solid mixtures.

(6) FIG. 5 displays the side view of FIG. 4.

(7) FIG. 6 is the front view of the microburst-microcapsule application embodiment II in the invention. A globular microburst-microcapsule filled with liquid aerosol generation materials is in display.

(8) FIG. 7 displays the front view of microburst-microcapsule application embodiment III in the invention. A kind of representative fine-fiber-like microburst-microcapsule filled with aerosol generation materials can be seen here.

(9) FIG. 8 is the front view of the embodiment I for siamesed microburst-microcapsules in this invention, in which the siamesed microburst-microcapsules are in a flat state. After filling liquid, the metal foil is successively encapsulated into the single string-like microburst-microcapsules.

(10) FIG. 9 is the front view of the embodiment II for siamesed microburst-microcapsules in this invention, in which the siamesed microburst-microcapsules are in a flat state. After filling liquid, the metal foil is successively encapsulated into the single string-like microburst-microcapsules.

(11) FIG. 10 is the front view of the embodiment III for siamesed microburst-microcapsules in this invention, wherein the siamesed microburst-microcapsules are in a flat state, viewed from above, which shows that, after filling liquid, the metal foil is successively encapsulated into multi-column string-like microburst-microcapsules, wherein the microburst-microcapsules is elongated columnar.

(12) FIG. 11 is the front view of the embodiment IV for siamesed microburst-microcapsules in the invention, in which the siamesed microburst-microcapsules are in a flat state, viewed from above, which shows that, after filling liquid, the metal foil is successively encapsulated into multi-column string-like microburst-microcapsules, wherein the microburst-microcapsules has square shape.

REFERENCE DESIGNATORS

(13) 1the body of cigarette, 2the cigarette paper, 3combustible material, 4microburst-microcapsules, 41,42,43the capsule wall, 411preloading pit, 412pre-burst-crack, 5filter, 6insulation layer, 7aerosol generation material, 8sealing portion, 91,92,93,94siamesed microburst-microcapsules, high temperature burst zoneA, the hot combustion zoneB.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) The following drawings and specific embodiment will further describe the present invention in detail. For the terms used herein, the combustion material refers to any filling material used in the smoking articles, particularly the cigarettes, which can be either the conventional material, such as cut tobacco, shredded tobacco, tobacco particles, or the tobacco handled by particular approach, such as tobacco leaf and stem filament through destructive distillation or extraction (of course, different degree of carbonization or extraction of tobacco leaf filament can provide different grade of tobacco taste), tobacco with low content of nitrosamine, tobacco with low content of tar, protein removed tobacco, tobacco with low protein by carbonization and the like. The carbonaceous fuel preferably used in the present invention, in particular, is porous carbide made by cutting the tobacco leaf, tobacco flakes or other artificial plant stems and leaves into filaments, then through high-temperature vacuum destructive distillation. As an option, the carbonaceous fuel hereof can be further added with the important tobacco extract components (such as nicotine, tobacco flavor substance, etc.); or further added the one or a mixture of more kinds of filler material, such as aluminum, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, silicon diatomaceous earth, calcium carbonate and other materials, to improve the ash characteristics. As for the specific addition ratio, it is upon the purpose to maintain the desired smoldering combustion rate of the cigarette. Of course, alternatively, the combustion material may employ the carbon rod used in the prior art, a carbonized solid fuel.

(15) The above-mentioned aerosol generation materials refer to those suitable for tobacco products. The invention can adopt, but not limited to, the random compounds or composition of two or more than two of the following substances: propylene glycol, glycerol, tobacco extracts (dry weight), nicotine, monobasic and dibasic C1-C6 organic acids, tobacco spice, ethanol and water. Alternatively only propylene glycol is used as aerosol generation material. To satisfy the demands of smokers and enrich the flavor of cigarettes, an appropriate amount of tobacco spices, such as sweetener, agilawood, mint, licorice, flavor and so on, can be added to the aerosol generation materials. Based on market demands, the priority practice is to add an appropriate amount of nicotine and/or tobacco extracts to minimize the addition amount of conventional tobaccos or without using tobaccos. For an accurate adjustment of the bursting temperature of microburst-microcapsules, the addition amount of propylene glycol and glycerol can be altered during the manufacturing process. With more glycerol added, the microburst-microcapsules burst at a certain high temperature and the aerosol generation materials produce smaller vapor drops, in the form of bluish smoke. Increasing the proportion of propylene glycol will result in reduced bursting temperature, however, the aerosol generation materials produce relatively big vapor drops, in the form of whitish smoke. For an accurate adjustment of the bursting pressure of the microburst-microcapsules, the addition amount of water and ethanol can be increased. This will significantly reduce the bursting temperature of microburst-microcapsules. Besides, the addition of more water will minimize the nicotine irritation to respiratory tract.

(16) Filter tip, the back part of cigarettes, can be either used simply as a component or a practical element integrating different functions. For example, it can be used to filter out solid ashes from cigarettes; furthermore it can remove a part of tar and other harmful substances from the cigarette, and minimize the post-smoking discomforts to smokers. The filter tip can be made of such common materials as cellulose acetate, polyester mesh, and polypropylene mesh and so on. Certainly there are other filter tips with special functions and structural designs. There are no restrictions to the structure, material and function of filter tip in the invention.

(17) As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention provides a microburst-microcapsule smoking article, comprising a tobacco body 1 and a filter 5. The cigarette is rolled by paper 2, and sealed into a synthesis rod. The fuel material 3 of the tobacco body 1 is homogeneous. A rear portion of the tobacco body 1 is the filter 5. Tobacco body 1 includes a combustion material 3 and a plurality of microburst-microcapsules 4, the combustion material 3 hereof employs the traditional tobacco, such as tobacco cut filaments, and it can also employ the extract-treated processed tobacco, such as the filaments made by solvent extraction and shredding of tobacco leaf and reconstituted tobacco sheet, the solvent hereof may be, but not be limited to, an organic solvent or carbon dioxide. Further favorably, choose the carbonaceous fuel as the combustion material, to reduce the harmful substances in tobacco. The carbonaceous fuel hereof may adopt the porous carbide. It's made by cutting tobacco leaf, reconstituted tobacco sheet or other plant stems into filaments, and then using high temperature vacuum destructive distillation. Based on different materials of the wall and processing technology, microburst-microcapsules 4 can be made into, but not be limited to the shape of strip (FIG. 2), spherical with a convex (FIG. 4), spherical (FIG. 6) and filamentous (FIG. 7) and the like. Microburst-microcapsules structure will be described in detail later. As shown in FIG. 1, before rolling, microburst-microcapsules 4 is uniformly mixed with the filamentous combustion fuel 3, and then warped by the cigarette paper roll 2 by machine into the cigarette body 2, and assembled with the filter 5, get the finished cigarette.

(18) As shown in FIG. 2, the different of present embodiment and the aforementioned embodiment is the insulation layer 6 and the shape of microburst-microcapsules. The insulation layer 6 is disposed between the cigarette paper 1 and the combustion fuel 3. The layer is non-woven, made from fiber, ceramic fiber or quartz fiber, to keep the combustion ashes. In the present embodiment, microburst-microcapsules 4 can be selected the shape of bar as shown in the graph, whose cross section is a rectangular.

(19) In the following part, microburst-microcapsule 4 will be elaborated. FIGS. 4,5,6,7 show three different morphologies of microburst-microcapsule 4. In order to clearly illustrate features of the present invention, the capsule wall is transparent, and the aerosol generation material can be visually seen in the capsule wall. In fact, whether the wall is transparent or not, depends on the materials of the wall of capsule in use.

(20) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the material of the wall 41 of microburst-microcapsule 4 applies metal foil, and the metal foil includes, but not limited to, aluminum foil, copper foil, nickel foil or the corresponding aluminum alloy foil, copper alloy foil, tin alloy foil, nickel alloy foil, etc. The aerosol generating material used to produce aerosols is encapsulated inside the wall, whose morphology is preferable to apply a liquid or solid-liquid mixture. In this embodiment, the aerosol generation material 7 is made by 50% of propylene glycol, 30% glycerol 5% of nicotine, 1.5% tobacco extract, 0.5% tobacco flavor, 3% of water, 10% of ethanol, a trace amount of zeolite powder or alumina powder. Take the outer side of the wall as a baseline of measurement (not including the outwardly projecting sealing portion), the average diameter of the single microburst-microcapsule 4 is between 0.1-2 mm, preferably in 0.3-1 mm, the diameter hereof refers to the lateral diameter, i.e., the lateral diameter perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cigarette. The weight of the aerosol generation material 7 encapsulated in each microburst-microcapsules 4 is between 0.0001 mg to 5 mg.

(21) As is known to technicians of this focusing area, any one of the current workable encapsulating technologies will do if metal foil is used as material for capsule wall 41. As to the manufacturing technologies, one way is to conduct die-based prepressing of pre-loading pit 411 with two pieces of metal foils. Each pre-loading pit 411 can be made, but not limited to, in hemispherical and semi-elliptical shapes (semi-long- and circular shape). After being filled with aerosol generation material 7, the pre-loading pit 411 is sealed through ultrasonic welding or laser scanner welding. After trimming the rim charge at sealing portion 8 between capsule walls with stamping die, the manufacturing of pre-loading pit 411 is completed. Taking another manufacturing process for example, the metal foil coated with thermo sensitive glue is used for prepressing of pre-loading pit 411. After being filled with aerosol generation material 7, the pre-loading pit 411 undergoes thermo compression at the die to form encapsulated microburst-microcapsule 4. According to FIGS. 4 and 5, if the sealing portion 8 of the metal-foil capsule wall 41 of microburst-microcapsule 4 remains, in a bulge manner, at the microburst-microcapsule due to different processing technologies, it is likely to form a ring of closed bulge as shown in the figure. For an optimal effect, pre-burst-crack can be etched at the capsule wall 41 of microburst-microcapsule 4. There are no restrictions to the shape and depth of the pre-burst-cracks, which can vary from straight-line shape to cross shape and Union Jack shape. What is shown in FIG. 4 is a cross-shaped pre-burst-crack. This is to weaken the bursting sound from microburst-microcapsule 4 during smoking. Additionally appropriate reduction in the quantity of liquid filled in microburst-microcapsule 4 is able to minimize such bursting sound as well.

(22) When the cigarette embedded with microburst-microcapsule 4 is lighted and puffed on, the combustion material 3 begins burning and the burning speeds up every time the cigarette is puffed on. A hot combustion zone B, which moves gradually toward the filter tip 5, is formed. Accordingly microburst-microcapsule 4 adjacent the hot combustion zone B is within a high-temperature zone which then forms the high-temperature bursting zone A of the microburst-microcapsule, as shown in the dashed box of the figures. On conditions of high temperature, the liquid aerosol generation materials in microburst-microcapsule 4 located in the high-temperature bursting zone A will vapor and thus the internal microcapsule pressure rises, resulting in bursting of microburst-microcapsule 4. The liquid is first vaporized by high temperature and then cooled by incoming air to form filmy and visible aerosol which is breathed by smokers through the filter tip 5. During this process, the pre-loading pit 411 and pre-burst-crack 412 in the capsule wall will expand and bulge outward until finally burst with the rise in internal capsule pressure.

(23) Referring to FIG. 6, there is a substantially spherical microburst-microcapsules 4, which comprises the wall 42 and liquid aerosol generation material 7 packaged therein. The aerosol generating material 7 is made from 50% of propylene glycol, 30% of glycerin, 2% of nicotine, 9% tobacco extract, 4% of water and 5% ethanol. The capsule wall 42 employs low-temperature glass or ceramic materials, after the aerosol generation material 7 is filled into the wall 41, it is sealed. The average diameter of the single microburst-microcapsules 4 is between 0.1 to 2 mm, preferably between 0.2-0.8 mm. The weight of the aerosol generation material 7 encapsulated in each microburst-microcapsules 4 is between 0.0001 mg to 5 mg. If the wall employs high temperature resistant polymer material with the melting point higher than 350 C., such as aramid membrane, the diameter of microburst-microcapsules 4 can be further narrowed, less than 0.05 mm.

(24) The microburst-microcapsule is fillable into a body of the smoking article; the microburst-microcapsule consists of a microcapsule wall and an aerosol generation material packaged in it; when the cigarette is lighted, high temperature generated from its combustion zone will vaporize adjacent aerosol generation materials in the microburst-microcapsule, vapor pressure causes the capsule wall to burst, as a result, aerosol generated from the aforesaid aerosol generation materials will flow out of the capsule wall.

(25) Preferably, in the above-described embodiment, to make the combustion process stable, short cotton fibers and/or carbon fiber can be incorporated into the carbonaceous fuel, and the glass fibers and/or silicide can also be incorporated into the carbonaceous fuel to keep the ash morphology after combustion.

(26) The above mentioned embodiments, the microburst-microcapsule is fillable into a body of the smoking article; the microburst-microcapsule consists of a microcapsule wall and an aerosol generation material packaged in it. If the material of the capsule wall (like aluminum foil, other metal foil, low temperature glass and suitable polymer) can be fused under cigarette burning temperature, then when the cigarette is lighted, heat generated from its combustion zone will vaporize adjacent aerosol generation materials in the microburst-microcapsule, vapor pressure causes the capsule wall to burst, and aerosol generated from the aforesaid aerosol generation materials will flow out of the capsule wall. The heat results in partly or completely fusing deformation of the capsule wall. If the microburst-microcapsule wall is made of copper foil, nickel foil or others with high temperature resistance properties, when the cigarette is lighted, heat generated from its combustion zone will vaporize adjacent aerosol generation materials in the microburst-microcapsule, vapor pressure will cause the capsule wall to burst. However due to the high temperature resistance, the capsule wall will not result in fusing deformation, aerosol vapor flows directly out of the capsule wall with burst. After burning, burst capsule wall material will be remained in cigarette, drop out with ash. Through experiments discovered, the materials of microburst-microcapsule wall which can be fused or not, especially metal foil, low temperature glass and ceramic, will not generate harmful chemicals during the cigarette burning.

(27) As shown in FIG. 7, a typical filament-like microburst-microcapsule with liquids filled internally, the capsule wall 43 of such filamentous microburst-microcapsules is made of low-temperature alloy with high flexibility, preferably the aluminum alloy foil, copper alloy foil, tin alloy foil, nickel alloy foil, at a suitable temperature, fill aerosol generation material 7, while stretching. As an alternative, it can be made of low-temperature glass with low melting point less than 250 C. through the same method. The rolling process of microburst-microcapsules and carbonaceous fuel mentioned above will have good usability. So when smokers smoke, the burst noise will be small. In this embodiment, weighted by percentage, the aerosol generation material comprises 60% of propylene glycol, 30% glycerol, 5% of water and 5% ethanol. As for the weight of the filed aerosol in each microburst-microcapsule, it can be controlled between 1 mg to 50 mg.

(28) Preferably, take cellulose as raw materials like nature cellulose and any other kind of synthetic fiber; dissolve it by the solvent, then use spinning process to make it into a hollow fiber, forming the capsule wall 43 of microburst-microcapsules. In the spinning process, simultaneously add the aerosol generation material 7, forming the filamentous microburst-microcapsules with cellulose capsule wall and liquid filled internally. After such filamentous microburst-microcapsules mixed with combustion materials, roll it into a cigarette with a wrapping paper.

(29) When the smoking article is lighted, low flash point cellulose will be combusted and decomposed. Cellulose with high flash point will fuse to deformation; and cellulose with even higher flash point will not fuse and no deformation.

(30) FIGS. 8 and 9 show that a representative thin metal foil tubule, after filling liquid, by successive encapsulations, becomes siamesed microburst-microcapsules 91 and 92, that is, between two microburst-microcapsules 4 is the sealing portion 8 of the capsule wall, which is formed in the packaging process, dividing each independent microburst-microcapsules 4. When producing a cigarette, one or more siamesed microburst-microcapsules 91, 92 should set longitudinally within the combustion material of the tobacco. Two siamesed microburst-microcapsules can be adjacent, but also may be spaced apart, substantially are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette, thus making the smoke generated more continuous and stable. Particularly preferred, the siamesed microburst-microcapsules 91, 92 are longitudinally set in the central axis of the combustion material.

(31) As is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the individual microburst-microcapsule 4 in siamesed microburst-microcapsules appear in differentiated shapes. The above-mentioned sealing portion 8 is where the capsule walls are jointed. If it is cut here and the trim charge removed, a number of independent microburst-microcapsules 4 will become available.

(32) The siamesed microburst-microcapsule 91 and 92 are directly filled together with combustion materials, in appropriate length, based on actual circumstances. The optimal quantity of aerosol generation materials added into siamesed microburst-microcapsule 91 and 92 ranges from 5 mg to 150 mg.

(33) As is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the invention provides another two kinds of siamesed microburst-microcapsules93 and 94. Similarly the capsule wall is made of the metal foil coated with thermo sensitive glues and undergoes die-based thermo compression sealing with regularly-arranged flanges. During the thermo compression sealing process, the liquid aerosol generation materials are filled. The finished product is strip-shaped and composed of lots of independently-sealed and well-arranged microburst-microcapsules 4. Lots of microburst-microcapsules 4 are jointed together by the sealing portion 8 in between capsule walls. The individual microburst-microcapsule 4 shown in FIG. 10 is long and circular, and sealing portion 8 joints the two individual ones together. The individual microburst-microcapsule 4 in FIG. 4 is in squared shape, and the two individual ones are jointed together by the sealing portion 8 which is uniformly distributed in vertical and horizontal lines. During practices, the microburst-microcapsules can be cut in random size, based on product requirements and the number of microburst-microcapsules. For each siamesed microburst-microcapsule, the total quantity of filled liquid can range from 5 mg to 150 mg. During the cigarette manufacturing process, the siamesed microburst-microcapsules 93 and 94 are each placed, in procumbent or columnar manner, in the middle of the cigarette combustion materials. Alternatively they are wrapped along cigarette sides. Based on actual circumstances, 2 or more than 2 siamesed microburst-microcapsules can be placed within cigarette. The application of siamesed microburst-microcapsules in this invention is helpful for generating of uniform, continuous and stable aerosol. Besides, it makes the cigarette manufacturing easier.

(34) The microburst-microcapsule can be a column or flake shaped. The microburst-microcapsule can has one or more cavities which filled with aerosol generation material, and the microburst-microcapsule can be wrapped in cigarette or insert into a normal cigarette.

(35) What has been discussed above constitutes only part of the modes of execution in the invention. Aforesaid descriptions of specific modes of execution aim to explain the technical solutions involved in the invention. Such modes of execution are described to reveal the optimal modes of execution of the invention, giving ordinary technicians of the focusing area an access to various modes of execution exclusive to the invention and lots of other alternatives to achieve goals of the invention. Those obvious alterations or substitutes inspired by the invention should be deemed as a component of the invention.