Smoking article with movable vapour release component

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smoking article having a movable vapour release portion to allow the vapour release portion to be isolated from, or exposed to, a smoke pathway. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such smoking articles. In particular, there is provided a smoking article comprising a first segment, a second segment, and an aerosol generating substrate coupled to the first and second segments. At least one of the first and second segments comprises a vapour release portion, whereby the first and second segments are movable relative to each other from a first configuration to a second configuration, whereby in the first configuration the vapour release portion is substantially isolated from an airflow pathway and in the second configuration the vapour release portion is exposed to the airflow pathway.

Claims

1. A smoking article comprising: a first segment; a second segment; and an aerosol generating substrate coupled to the first and second segments; wherein at least one of the first and second segments comprises a vapour release portion; wherein the first and second segments are movable relative to each other from a first configuration to a second configuration such that the smoking article is provided with a changeable length; wherein in the first configuration the first segment and the second segment interact to form an airflow pathway that does not incorporate the vapour release portion, the vapour release portion being thus substantially isolated from the airflow pathway, wherein in the second configuration the vapour release portion is exposed to the airflow pathway, wherein the first segment comprises the vapour release portion and the second segment defines a cavity that is adapted to receive at least a section of the vapour release portion, wherein in the second configuration a section of said vapour release portion remains partially within the cavity, and wherein said vapour release portion has substantially impermeable end surfaces and a permeable side surface, and said cavity has a substantially impermeable inner surface such that in the first configuration the impermeable surfaces form a vapour container to isolate the vapour release portion from the airflow pathway.

2. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the first segment is movable relative to the second segment, such that in the first configuration the longitudinal length of the smoking article is shorter than in the second configuration.

3. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein in the first configuration the vapour container acts to substantially seal the vapour release portion from the airflow pathway.

4. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second segments comprise filtration material.

5. A smoking article according to claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical filter segment, wherein said first segment is coupled to the filter segment.

6. A smoking article according to claim 5, further comprising a first tipping paper wrapped around the second segment, and a second tipping paper wrapped around the filter segment, wherein in the first configuration one of the first tipping paper and the second tipping paper overlays the respective other tipping paper, and in the second configuration the first tipping paper and second tipping paper act to define a cavity surrounding at least a portion of the first segment.

7. A smoking article according to claim 6, wherein the first and second tipping papers comprise retention means adapted to retain the first tipping paper and second tipping paper together when the first segment and the second segment are in the second configuration.

8. A smoking article according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first tipping paper and the second tipping paper comprises at least one indicator, wherein in the first configuration the indicator is not exposed, and in the second configuration the at least one indicator is exposed.

9. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the first segment and the second segment are movable to a third configuration, wherein a first section of the vapour release portion is exposed and a second section of the vapour release portion is substantially isolated in the second configuration, and the first section of the vapour release portion is substantially isolated and the second section of the vapour release portion is exposed in the third configuration.

10. A smoking article according to claim 9, wherein the first section of the vapour release portion comprises a first vapour component, and the second section of the vapour release portion comprises a second vapour component.

11. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the first segment and the second segment are movable from the second configuration to the first configuration, wherein the vapour release portion is substantially isolated.

12. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the first segment and second segment are adapted to form a multi-component filter, and the aerosol generating substrate is a tobacco rod, wherein, in the first configuration, the vapour release portion is substantially isolated from a smoke pathway, and, in the second configuration, the vapour release portion is exposed to the smoke pathway.

13. A smoking article comprising: a first segment; a second segment; and an aerosol generating substrate coupled to the first and second segments; wherein at least one of the first and second segments comprises a vapour release portion; wherein the first and second segments are movable relative to each other from a first configuration to a second configuration such that the smoking article is provided with a changeable length; wherein in the first configuration the first segment and the second segment interact to form an airflow pathway that does not incorporate the vapour release portion, the vapour release portion being thus substantially isolated from the airflow pathway, wherein in the second configuration the vapour release portion is exposed to the airflow pathway, and wherein the second segment comprises the vapour release portion and defines a cavity that is adapted to receive at least a section of the first segment, said first segment has permeable end surfaces and a substantially impermeable side surface, and said second segment has a permeable inner surface and substantially impermeable end surfaces, such that in the first configuration the impermeable surfaces form a vapour container to isolate the vapour release portion from the airflow pathway.

14. A smoking article according to claim 13, wherein the first segment is movable relative to the second segment, such that in the first configuration the longitudinal length of the smoking article is shorter than in the second configuration.

15. A smoking article according to claim 13, wherein in the first configuration the vapour container acts to substantially seal the vapour release portion from the airflow pathway.

16. A smoking article according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said first and second segments comprise filtration material.

17. A smoking article according to claim 13, further comprising a cylindrical filter segment, wherein said first segment is coupled to the filter segment.

18. A smoking article according to claim 17, further comprising a first tipping paper wrapped around the second segment, and a second tipping paper wrapped around the filter segment, wherein in the first configuration one of the first tipping paper and the second tipping paper overlays the respective other tipping paper, and in the second configuration the first tipping paper and second tipping paper act to define a cavity surrounding at least a portion of the first segment.

19. A smoking article according to claim 18 wherein the first and second tipping papers comprise retention means adapted to retain the first tipping paper and second tipping paper together when the first segment and the second segment are in the second configuration.

20. A smoking article according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the first tipping paper and the second tipping paper comprises at least one indicator, wherein in the first configuration the indicator is not exposed, and in the second configuration the at least one indicator is exposed.

21. A smoking article according to claim 13, wherein the first segment and the second segment are movable to a third configuration, wherein a first section of the vapour release portion is exposed and a second section of the vapour release portion is substantially isolated in the second configuration, and the first section of the vapour release portion is substantially isolated and the second section of the vapour release portion is exposed in the third configuration.

22. A smoking article according to claim 21, wherein the first section of the vapour release portion comprises a first vapour component, and the second section of the vapour release portion comprises a second vapour component.

23. A smoking article according to claim 13, wherein the first segment and the second segment are movable from the second configuration to the first configuration, wherein the vapour release portion is substantially isolated.

24. A smoking article according to claim 13, wherein the first segment and second segment are adapted to form a multi-component filter, and the aerosol generating substrate is a tobacco rod, wherein, in the first configuration, the vapour release portion is substantially isolated from a smoke pathway, and, in the second configuration, the vapour release portion is exposed to the smoke pathway.

Description

(1) The invention will now be further described with reference to the following exemplary drawings in which:

(2) FIGS. 1 show perspective views of a smoking article, according to the present invention, in non-extended and extended configurations respectively;

(3) FIGS. 2 show schematic representations on the smoking article shown in FIGS. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the process for manufacturing a smoking article according to the present invention; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of a smoking article according to the present invention.

(6) FIG. 1(a) shows a perspective view of a smoking article 100, the smoking article comprises a first segment 102, a second segment 104, a wrapped tobacco rod 106, and a mouth end segment 108. The components of the smoking article are coupled together by wrapper papers 110 and 112. The first segment 102 is coupled to the mouth end segment 108, and is slidably positioned within the second segment 104. The second segment 104 is coupled to the tobacco rod 106 by wrapper material 110, such as a tipping paper. The wrapper material 112, such as a tipping paper, is wrapped over the wrapper material 110, and is glued to the mouth end segment 108. The wrapper material 112 overlaps the wrapper material 110 by approximately 6 mm in this example.

(7) In this first configuration, a flavour release portion, loaded with a flavour substance such as menthol, of the first segment 102 is substantially isolated from the smoke pathway. The smoke pathway proceeds through the tobacco rod 106, through the second segment 104, and then through the mouth end segment 108. As described in further detail below, the end surfaces of the first segment 102 and the inner side surface of the second segment 104 are impermeable, and thus the smoke does not pass through the first segment 102.

(8) FIG. 1(b) shows the smoking article 100 shown in FIG. 1(a) in a second configuration. In this second configuration, the smoking article has been extended by moving the mouth end segment 108, which is directly coupled to the first segment 102, longitudinally relative to the second segment 104, which is directly coupled to the tobacco rod 106. Thus, the permeable outer side surface of the first segment 102 is exposed to the smoke pathway, and the flavour substances are released into the smoke pathway.

(9) In this second configuration, the first segment 102 is prevented from being removed from the second segment 104 be the retaining means 114 and 116. The retaining means 114 and 116 are folds in the wrapper material 110 and 112 respectively. The fold 114 is towards the exterior of the smoking article, and the fold 116 is towards the interior of the smoking article. In this example, the folds are approximately 1 mm in width. The retaining means 114 and 116 are arranged such that the folds engage when the smoking article is in the second, extended, configuration. In this example, the smoking article is approximately 5 mm longer in the second configuration than in the first configuration.

(10) FIGS. 2 show a cross-sectional view of the smoking article 100 shown in FIGS. 1. As can be seen in FIG. 2(a), the wrap 200 of the tobacco rod 106 is shown. As described above, the tobacco rod 106 is directly coupled to the second segment 104 by the wrapper 110. The second segment 104 is wrapped by plug wrap 202, and then over-wrapped by the wrapper 110. The mouth end segment 108 is wrapped by plug wrap 204, and then over-wrapped by the wrapper 112. The first segment 102 comprises a flavour release portion that is loaded with a flavour substance. The end surfaces 206 of the first segment 102 are impermeable to the flavour substance. The second segment 104 is provided with an impermeable inner side surface 208. The inner side surface 208 of the second segment 104 are impermeable to the flavour substance loaded in the flavour release portion, forming a compartment such as a container.

(11) FIG. 2(b) shows a cross-sectional view of the smoking article 100 in the second configuration. In this second configuration, the retaining flaps 114 and 116 engage to prevent the mouth end segment 108 and first segment 102 from being removed from the second segment 104 and tobacco rod 106. As can be seen, the first segment remains partially within the second segment to provide additional flexural rigidity to the smoking article. In this example, approximately 7 mm of the first segment remains within the second segment. As described above, in this second configuration the flavour release portion in the first segment 102 is exposed to the smoke pathway via the outer side surface 210 of the first segment 102. Thus the flavour substance is released into the smoke to provide the smoker with a desired organoleptic experience. The cavity 212 defined by the second segment 104 is shown.

(12) The cavity 214 defined by an end surface of mouth end segment, an end surface of the second segment 104, the inner side surface of the wrapper 112, and the outer side surface of the first segment 102, allows for the flavour substance to mix with the smoke.

(13) The portion 216 of the wrapper material 110 is provided with an indicator to show the smoker that the smoking article is in the second, extended configuration. The indicator may be a different colour, a series of printed bands, or numbers.

(14) In use, the smoker may either light and smoke the smoking article in the conventional way, or the smoker may extend the filter to expose the flavour substance prior to smoking, or during the smoking, of the smoking article. If required, the smoker may move the smoking article into the first configuration during smoking to substantially isolate the flavour release portion and thus stop flavour delivery.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a method of manufacturing the filter of the smoking article 100. The first segment 102 comprising the flavour release portion is manufactured from cellulose acetate tow and wrapped with a high porous paper plug wrap. The flavour substance is added to the filter material just before manufacture of the continuous rod 300 of first segment filter. The continuous rod 300 is then cut to form the first segments 102. The first segments 102 are then provided with impermeable end surfaces 206. The impermeable surfaces are manufactured by cauterising the end surface of the cut first segment or by a coating process to deposit a plasticiser or the like. The process of providing impermeable surfaces is conducted off-line.

(16) The first segments are then introduced into a filter combiner, and wrapped with impermeable material. No glue is applied between the first segment outer surface and the impermeable material since the impermeable material will act as the inner side surface of the second segment. Filter material 302, such as cellulose acetate tow, is then introduced, and glued 208 to the outside of the impermeable material to form the second segment. In addition, a permeable wrapper material 202 is introduced around the filter material of the second segment to complete the combination of first segment and second segments. Since no glue is applied between the impermeable material and the first segment, the first segment and second segment are slidable longitudinally relative to each other. The continuous second segment 302 is then cut into double length sections.

(17) Finally, the mouth end segments 108 are introduced and glued 304 to the first segments 102, and then the filters are cut to form individual filter elements.

(18) Either in the same online process, or in a separate off-line process the filter elements are then combined with the tobacco rods. In this process, the second segment 104 is coupled to the tobacco rod 106 using wrapper material 110. The wrapper material 110 is pre-folded with retaining means 114. The wrapper material 112 is then wrapped over the wrapper 110 to complete the smoking article. The wrapper material 112 is pre-folded with retaining means 116.

(19) FIGS. 4 show an alternative embodiment of a smoking article 400 according to the invention. The smoking article 400 is similar to the smoking article 100 described above. In this embodiment, the first segment 402 comprises a flavour release portion with two sections. In a first configuration, the two sections are substantially isolated from the airflow pathway by the second segment 404. The second segment 404 is movable relative to the first segment 402. When the second segment 404 is moved to a second configuration by sliding the second segment longitudinally along the first segment in a first direction (shown in FIG. 4(b)), the first section of the flavour release portion is exposed to the airflow pathway. In this second configuration, the second section of the flavour release portion is substantially isolated from the airflow pathway. When the second segment 404 is moved to a third configuration by sliding the second segment longitudinally along the first segment in a second direction (shown in FIG. 4(c)), the second section of the flavour release portion is exposed to the airflow pathway. In this third configuration, the first section of the flavour release portion is substantially isolated from the airflow pathway.

(20) The first segment 402 is positioned within the second segment 404, and the first segment 402 is directly coupled to the tobacco rod 406 via an upstream plug (not shown) and the mouth end segment 408. The wrapper material 410 is attached to the tobacco rod 406, and allows the second segment 404 to slide relative to the first segment 402. The wrapper material 412 is attached to the second segment 404, and is slidable inside of the wrapper material 410, and outside of the mouth end segment 408.

(21) The second segment is slidably positioned on the first segment, and can be moved from the first configuration shown in FIG. 4(a), to a second configuration shown in FIG. 4(b), and to a third configuration shown in FIG. 4(c).

(22) The first segment 402 comprises two flavour release portions positioned. Each flavour release portion is loaded with a different flavour, such that when the smoking article is in the second configuration a first flavour is released into the mainstream smoke, and in the third configuration a second flavour is released into the mainstream smoke.

(23) It will be appreciated that whilst the specific embodiments described above relate to smoking articles comprising a filter and a tobacco rod, a similar arrangement of the flavour release portion could also be used on a non-combustible smoking article, as described above.