Thermally Conductive Tobacco Composition, Method for Providing the Tobacco Composition, and Use

Abstract

A heat-conducting tobacco composition comprising at least one sort of tobacco in at least one confectioning of the tobacco for smoking tobacco consumption. The heat-conducting tobacco composition is configured or designed as a tobacco article for at least one smoking article selected from the following group: dry tobacco article for cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, semi-dry tobacco article for smoking tobacco pipes, moist tobacco article for water pipes; wherein the heat-conducting tobacco composition further comprises at least one metallic, in particular noble metallic component which performs a physical heat-conducting function during smoking, in particular when exposed to heat by ember/glow or by heating elements of the smoking article, and which is chemically inert at least in the temperature range required for smoking, and which is admixed to the tobacco and distributed in the tobacco composition in such a way that the heat distribution within the tobacco composition is homogenized during smoking.

Claims

1. Heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) comprising at least one sort of tobacco (11) or type of tobacco in at least one confectioning of the tobacco for smoking tobacco consumption, wherein the heat-conducting tobacco composition is configured or designed as a tobacco article for at least one smoking article from the following group: dry tobacco article for cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, semi-dry tobacco article for smoking tobacco pipes, moist tobacco article for water pipes; characterized in that the heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) further comprises at least one metallic, in particular noble metallic component (13) which performs a physical heat-conducting function during smoking, in particular when exposed to heat by ember/glow or by heating elements of the smoking article, and which is chemically inert at least in the temperature range required for smoking, and which is admixed to the tobacco and distributed in the tobacco composition (10) in such a way that the heat distribution within the tobacco composition is homogenized during smoking.

2. Heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metallic component is provided at least partly in the form of a powder or as an admixed bulk in the tobacco composition, in particular with a particle size in the spectrum of 0.01 μm to 10 mm, preferably 0.1 μm to 1 mm, further preferably 0.1 μm to 100 μm.

3. Heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metallic component (13) is at least partially designed in the form of flakes and/or fibers, for example at least partially as gold leaf; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component exhibits particles with a size or length of at least 10 μm and/or at most 30 mm, in particular at least 50 μm and/or at most 10 mm, or is formed entirely therefrom; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component exhibits particles having a particle size in the range of 10 μm to 1 mm, preferably 20 μm to 100 μm; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component comprises a sheet-like confectioning in the form of gold leaf, in particular having a thickness in the range of 0.001 μm to 100 μm, in particular 0.01 μm to 10 μm, especially 0.01 μm to 1 μm or 0.01 μm to 0.1 μm.

4. Heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metallic component (13) is provided at least partially as a coating on the tobacco, at least on a partial amount of the tobacco; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component (13) is at least partially vapor-deposited onto the tobacco, in particular with a layer thickness in the range of 0.001 μm to 100 μm, in particular 0.01 μm to 10 μm, especially 0.1 μm to 1 μm.

5. Heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting tobacco composition is designed by means of the at least one metallic component (13) in such a way that in a water pipe bowl (20) for receiving the tobacco composition, in particular with a receiving volume in the range from 20 to 50 ml, at a maximum temperature of 150° C., in particular 120° C., a temperature gradient of at most 50° C., in particular at most 40°, preferably at most 30° is maintained in the tobacco composition, in particular in the radial direction, in particular also in the vertical direction from top to bottom, when the water pipe is operated in the intended use; and/or wherein the heat-conducting tobacco composition is designed as a moist tobacco article for water pipes; and/or wherein a/the temperature distribution in a receiving volume having 20 to 50 ml, in particular within a conical or cylindrical receiving cavity, varies by a maximum of 30 to 40° C. in any direction over the total extension of the volume, when a maximum temperature in the tobacco composition in the range of 120 to 150° C. is generated externally.

6. Heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metallic component is provided with a mass fraction of at least 0.5 mass percent and/or at most 5 mass percent in the heat-conducting tobacco composition, in particular in the range of 1 to 2 mass percent, for example 0.1 to 0.2 grams of noble metallic component such as silver and/or gold.

7. Heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metallic component (13) consists at least partly of gold, in particular gold in purest form, or comprises at least one gold alloy; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component (13) consists at least partly of silver, or comprises at least one silver alloy; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component (13) consists at least partly of platinum, or comprises at least one platinum alloy; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component (13) consists at least partly of palladium, or comprises at least one palladium alloy; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component (13) consists at least partially of iridium or comprises at least one iridium alloy; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component (13) consists at least partially of osmium or comprises at least one osmium alloy; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component consists at least partially of an alloy of at least two of the aforementioned materials or alloys; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component comprises at least one thermally conductive food additive.

8. Heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one metallic component has a coefficient of thermal conductivity of at least 250, in particular at least 300, preferably at least 350, more preferably at least 375 or 400 W/mK.

9. (canceled)

10. Multicomponent heat-conducting tobacco composition provided by at least two components to be mixed together, comprising on the one hand at least a first component in the form of a tobacco composition without heat-conducting additive; and further comprising at least a second component in the form of a metallic, in particular noble-metallic component (13) which is configured for a physical heat-conducting function during smoking and which is chemically inert at least in the temperature range required for smoking, wherein the first and second components are provided, for example, as a kit for manual or mechanical mixing, and wherein the heat-conducting multicomponent tobacco composition is configured to constitute, in the mixed state, a heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) according to claim 1.

11. Heat-conducting tobacco composition (10), in particular a heat-conducting tobacco composition according to claim 1, processed by mixing at least two components to be mixed with each other and constituting a heat-conducting multicomponent tobacco composition, wherein at least a first component in the form of a tobacco composition without heat-conducting additive comprising at least one sort of tobacco (11) or type of tobacco in at least one confectioning of the tobacco for smoking tobacco consumption and further at least a second component in the form of a metallic, in particular noble metallic component (13) configured for a physical heat-conducting function during smoking are mixed with each other in such a way that the heat distribution within the tobacco composition is homogenized during smoking.

12. Method of producing a heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) comprising at least one sort of tobacco (11) or type of tobacco in at least one confectioning of the tobacco for providing a tobacco article selected from the following group, for smoking tobacco consumption by means of at least one smoking article: dry tobacco article for cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, semi-dry tobacco article for smoking tobacco pipes, moist tobacco article for water pipes; characterized in that the heat-conducting tobacco composition (10) is constituted by adding and distributing at least one metallic, in particular noble-metal and chemically inert component (13) providing for a physical heat-conducting function in such a way that the heat distribution within the tobacco composition (10) is homogenized during smoking.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one metallic component (13) is added or admixed at least partially in the form of a powder or as a bulk to the tobacco composition, in particular with a particle size in the spectrum of 0.01 μm to 10 mm, preferably 0.1 μm to 1 mm, further preferably 0.1 μm to 100 μm; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component (13) is added or admixed at least partially in the form of flakes and/or fibers; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component is added or admixed in the form of particles having a size or length of at least 10 μm and/or at most 10 mm, in particular at least 50 μm and/or at most 5 mm; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component is added or admixed in the form of particles having a particle size in the spectrum of 10 μm to 1 mm, preferably 20 μm to 100 μm; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component is added or admixed in sheet-like confectioning in the form of gold leaf, in particular with a thickness in the range of 0.001 μm to 100 μm, in particular 0.01 μm to 10 μm, especially 0.01 μm to 1 μm or 0.01 μm to 0.1 μm.

14. Method according to claim 12, wherein the distribution or mixing of the metallic component is carried out for an amount in the range from 10 to 10,000 grams, in particular with a mass fraction of the metallic component in the range from 0.5 to 5 mass percent.

15. Method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one metallic component (13) is provided at least partially as a coating on the tobacco, at least on a partial amount of the tobacco, in particular before the metallic component is mixed with the tobacco; and/or wherein the at least one metallic component (13) is at least partially vapor-deposited onto the tobacco, in particular with a layer thickness in the range of 0.001 μm to 100 μm, in particular 0.01 μm to 10 μm, in particular 0.1 μm to 1 μm, in particular before the metallic component is mixed with the tobacco.

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0131] In the following figures, the invention is described in even greater detail, with reference being made to the other figures for any reference signs which are not explicitly described in a respective figure. It is shown:

[0132] FIG. 1 in a partially sectional side view and in schematic exploded view a pipe bowl of a water pipe for applying a heat-conducting tobacco composition according to one embodiment;

[0133] FIGS. 2, 3, 4 each in schematic representation in a side view a heat-conducting tobacco composition in specific confectioning/configuration each according to one embodiment; and

[0134] FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D exemplary experiments illustrating heat conduction effects of a heat-conducting tobacco composition according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0135] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary application. Coal 1 or other combustible is arranged on a retainer 21 of a pipe bowl 20. A chimney cap 22 can be used to close a base body 24 in which a sieve 23 is provided for accommodating tobacco. By means of the sieve or the base body, a receiving volume is defined in which the tobacco resp. a heat-conducting tobacco composition 10 according to the invention can be accommodated, for example a quantity in the range from 10 to 40 grams. Gas, in particular air, can flow through via passages 25, in particular air holes. The extensions Δr, Δz of the receiving volume in radial (r) and vertical (z) direction are indicated by two arrows. It is worth mentioning that a heat-conducting tobacco composition 10 according to the invention can optionally be accommodated within the receiving volume defined by the base body 24 also without a sieve, depending on the size of the passages 25. This also allows a larger quantity of tobacco to be accommodated.

[0136] Gas flow during smoking is drawn through the base body from top to bottom and continues flowing at the lower end of the base body, in particular towards the tank (so-called bowl) of a water pipe.

[0137] FIG. 1 also shows a height position z1, which can be referred to as reference position “pipe bowl top” for temperature measurements described in more detail below.

[0138] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show examples of embodiments of a heat-conducting tobacco composition 10 comprising at least one sort/type of tobacco 11 and at least one metallic component 13 in at least one confectioning. FIG. 2 illustrates a confectioning of the metallic component 13 in the form of fibers. FIG. 3 illustrates a confectioning of the metallic component 13 in the form of flakes, for example gold leaf or silver leaf. FIG. 4 illustrates a confectioning of the metallic component 13 in the form of a coating and/or powder or comparatively small particles (admixed bulk). Reasonably, the particles are larger than the meshes of the sieve.

[0139] In FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, three experiments are illustrated, which were carried out with tobacco having a moisture content of about 5%, wherein the thermal energy has been generated by means of two to three applied thoroughly glowed coals in a standard water pipe bowl (FIG. 1). In each chart, the temperature in [° C.] is plotted against time (first measurement after five minutes of heating, then seven minutes later in each case). It has been shown that under comparable experimental conditions using conventional tobacco (without heat-conducting additives), a temperature range of only about 99 to 107° C. is obtained (FIG. 5A; especially measured outside at the top of the tobacco sieve; reference position z1). However, if a heat-conducting inert metallic component is used (for example gold leaf, silver leaf), a temperature range of approx. 109 to 121° C. can be ensured with a comparable experimental setup. FIG. 5B illustrates the effect of a heat-conducting tobacco composition in which six silver leaves were used, and in the heat-conducting tobacco composition shown in FIG. 5C, eight silver leaves were used. From about 35 to 40 minutes, the temperature level levels off again. In this respect, the advantages of the heat-conducting tobacco composition are particularly noticeable in the heating-up phase and the first 30 minutes. FIG. 5D summarizes the test results in a chart.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0140] 1 coal or other combustible [0141] 10 heat-conducting tobacco composition [0142] 11 sort/type of tobacco [0143] 13 metallic component [0144] 20 pipe bowl [0145] 21 retainer [0146] 22 chimney cap [0147] 23 sieve resp. receiving volume for tobacco composition [0148] 24 base body with cavity (receiving volume) for sieve [0149] 25 passages, especially air holes [0150] r radial direction [0151] Δr radial extension of the sieve or receiving volume [0152] z vertical direction resp. height direction orthogonal to radial direction [0153] z1 reference position for temperature measurement [0154] Δz height extension of the sieve resp. of the receiving volume