MULTI-SEGMENT FILTER TUBE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a filter tube, the filter tube comprising an empty paper tube and a filter attached to the empty paper tube, wherein the filter comprises a first filter segment, a second filter segment and a third filter segment, wherein the first filter segment is located at the mouth end of the filter tube, the second filter segment is located upstream of the second filter segment and the third filter segment is located upstream of the second filter segment. The invention further concerns a method of making such a filter tube. The filter tube is suitable for make-your-own cigarettes.

Claims

1. A filter tube comprising an empty paper tube and a filter attached to the empty paper tube, wherein the filter comprises a first filter segment, a second filter segment and a third filter segment, wherein the first filter segment is located at the mouth end of the filter tube, the second filter segment is located upstream of the first filter segment and the third filter segment is located upstream of the second filter segment.

2. A filter tube according to claim 1, wherein the second filter segment comprises at least a first filter component and a second filter component, wherein the first filter component is a filtration material.

3. A filter tube according to claim 2, wherein the second filter component is one of a particulate material, a liquid, a thread or a capsule.

4. A filter tube according to claim 3, wherein the particulate material comprises activated charcoal particles.

5. A filter tube according to claim 4, wherein the carbon loading of the second segment is between about 2 mg/mm and about 7 mg/mm.

6. A filter tube according to claim 1, wherein the second segment has a diameter between about 4 mm and about 10 mm.

7. A filter tube according to claim 1, wherein the second segment has a length between about 4 mm and about 17 mm.

8. A filter tube according to claim 1, wherein the filter comprises at least one layer of plug wrap, wherein the plug wrap joins at least two segments to one another, and wherein the filter tube further comprises a tipping paper that joins the filter to the paper tube.

9. A filter tube according to claim 1, wherein the filter comprises a fourth segment located between the first segment and the third segment.

10. A smoking article comprising a tobacco rod and a filter tube, wherein the filter tube is a filter tube according to claim 1.

11. A container comprising one or more filter tubes according to claim 1.

12. A method of making a filter tube comprising the steps of providing a first filter segment; providing a second filter segment; forming a multi-segment filter with three, four or five segments, wherein the forming step comprises combining the first filter segment and the second filter segment; wrapping the filter with cigarette paper, thereby creating an empty paper tube.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the forming step comprises alternatingly combining first filter segment and second filter segments into a stream of adjacent filter segments.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the forming step further comprises wrapping the stream of adjacent filter segments into plug wrap.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the forming step further comprises severing at least some of the first filter segments such that third filter segments are created.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein providing the second filter segment comprises providing a second filter segment with at least a first filter component and a second filter component, wherein the second filter component is one of a particulate material, a liquid, a thread or a capsule.

17. A filter tube according to claim 3, wherein the empty paper tube defines an empty cavity upstream of the filter.

18. A filter tube according to claim 3, wherein the filter comprises at least one layer of plug wrap, wherein the plug wrap joins at least two segments to one another, and wherein the filter tube further comprises a tipping paper that joins the filter to the paper tube.

19. A filter tube according to claim 3, wherein the empty paper tube extends to one side of the filter and is suitable for housing a column of tobacco.

20. A smoking article comprising a tobacco rod and a filter tube, wherein the filter tube is a filter tube according to claim 18.

Description

[0026] It will be appreciated that any features described with reference to one aspect of the present invention are equally applicable to any other aspect of the invention. Further advantageous characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention with the aid of the attached figures in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a filter tube according to one embodiment of the invention; and

[0028] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a filter rod for forming the filter of a filter tube according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0029] In FIG. 1 a filter tube 1 according one embodiment of the invention is shown. The filter tube comprises a filter 10 and an empty paper tube 20. The empty paper tube 20 is made from a cigarette paper 21 that is wrapped around the filter 10 and extends to one side. The empty paper tube is suitable for housing a column of tobacco fine cut. The filter tube 1 further comprises tipping paper 19 that is wound around the cigarette paper in the area of the filter 10. The filter 10 comprises a first filter segment 11, a second filter segment 13 and a third filter segment 15. The filter segments are held together by a plug wrap 17. Further layers of plug wrap (not shown) may be used to hold segments 11, 13, 15 together or to maintain the form of the individual segments 11, 13, 15. The first segment 11 and the third segment 15 are cellulose acetate tow filter segments, for example with a length of about 5 mm each. The second filter segment 13 is a segment comprising cellulose acetate tow and activated charcoal. The loading of charcoal is about 5 mg/mm. The diameter of the filter tube is about 8 mm. The length of the second segment 13 is about 5 mm, such that the entire filter 10 has an overall length of about 15 mm. However, in some embodiments, the length of the second segment 13 is about 15 mm, such that the entire filter 10 has a length of about 25 mm.