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Degradable filter element for smoking article

a filter element and smoking article technology, applied in the field of cigarettes filters, can solve the problems of slow degradation or dispersion of cigarettes filters in the environment, and achieve the effects of increasing the rate of degradation of cigarettes filters, increasing the available surface area, and enhancing degradation

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-01-05
R J REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention relates to a smoking article, such as a cigarette, with a filter element at the mouth end. The filter element includes a fibrous tow material with a degradable starch material dispersed throughout. This starch material increases the rate of degradation of the filter material when exposed to water or other liquid. The invention also provides a method for preparing a cigarette filter with a superabsorbent material. The technical effect of this invention is to enhance the degradability of the filter material upon disposal, which helps to reduce the negative impact on the environment.

Problems solved by technology

Cigarette filters are slow to degrade or disperse in the environment.

Method used

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  • Degradable filter element for smoking article
  • Degradable filter element for smoking article
  • Degradable filter element for smoking article

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Embodiment Construction

[0027]Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the drawings in which like elements are generally referred to by like numerals. The relationship and functioning of the various elements of this invention may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description. However, the embodiments of this invention are not limited to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and in certain instances details may have been omitted which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention, such as conventional fabrication and assembly. As used in this specification and the claims, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0028]As shown in FIG. 1, a smoking article 100 may be embodied as a cigarette. The cigarette 100 includes a generally cylindrical rod 102 of a charge or roll of smokable filler material con...

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Abstract

A filter material configured for use as a filter element of a smoking article is provided, the filter material including at least one segment of fibrous tow having a plurality of superabsorbent objects dispersed therein, the superabsorbent objects comprising a starch material. Exemplary starch materials include naturally-occurring starch, hydroxyalkylated starch, starch esters, ionically modified starch, oxidized starch, hydrolyzed starch, plasticized starch, gelatinized starch, grafted starch, crosslinked starch, transglycosylated starch, starch ethers, and mixtures thereof, as well as blends of starch with other polymers. Filter elements and smoking articles, such as cigarettes, that contain the filter material are also provided. A method of preparing polymer fibers for use in filter elements is also provided, the method including adding the starch material to a fiber precursor solution prior to fiber extrusion or dry-blending the starch material with the polymer material to be formed into fibers.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a non-provisional application which claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61 / 360,201, filed Jun. 30, 2010, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to products made or derived from tobacco, or that otherwise incorporate tobacco, and are intended for human consumption, and in particular, to filters for cigarettes. The invention is directed to additives for filter elements configured for increasing the rate of degradation.BACKGROUND[0003]Popular smoking articles, such as cigarettes, have a substantially cylindrical rod-shaped structure and include a charge, roll or column of smokable material, such as shredded tobacco (e.g., in cut filler form), surrounded by a paper wrapper, thereby forming a so-called “smokable rod” or “tobacco rod.” Normally, a cigarette has a cylindrical filter element aligned in an end-to-end relationship with the...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A24D3/08A24D3/06
CPCA24D3/068A24D3/14A24D3/10
Inventor POTTER, DENNISOGLESBY, ROBERT L.CHAPMAN, PAUL S.SEBASTIAN, ANDRIES D.POUND, ROBERT J.
Owner R J REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
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