Make your own cigarettes

This invention relates to a new or improved non-smokable tobacco product, to a method for its manufacture, and to the non-smokable tobacco product in combination with an element which can render it smokable.

There has long been a demand among a certain segment of the smoking population for self-made or roll-your-own cigarettes. Traditionally these have involved the smokers purchasing a supply of fine-cut cigarette tobacco and a supply of wrapping material such as cigarette papers, and making cigarettes by rolling a charge of tobacco onto a cigarette paper, forming the latter into a tubular rod-like form and sealing it around the tobacco. This process when performed manually is quite difficult and in fact it is virtually impossible for the user to fabricate anything approximating a machine-made cigarette.

Over the years various aids have been devised for facilitating the roll-your-own cigarette fabricating process, and while some of these have had a fair measure of success, in terms of the quality of the product even the best of them has scarcely been able to produce an adequate substitute for a machine-made cigarette. Still the demand for roll-your-own cigarette-making supplies persists, this being in part due to the more favourable tax treatment enjoyed by these in comparison to conventional machine-made cigarettes.

One system for self-made cigarettes that has enjoyed a measure of commercial success is that described in Canadian Patent 1,271,389 of EFKA-Werke Frita Kiehn GbmH. In this system a preformed factory made product in the form of a rod of tobacco having an air permeable outer surface is provided for use in combination with a preformed cigarette paper tube having a filter element at one end thereof. To assemble a smokable cigarette the tobacco rod is inserted into the cigarette paper tube, the latter having a diameter corresponding to that of the rod. This system is not entirely satisfactory however since some people have difficulty in inserting the tobacco rod into the paper tube. The empty tubes are of very delicate form and are easily crushed, thus making the insertion step even more difficult. Finally the combined volume of the rod and the tube is approximately twice that of the made-up cigarette so that very capacious packaging is required. Furthermore the packaging must be strong to protect the delicate tubes from crushing.

Other examples of non-smokable tobacco products are shown in DE 93 19 938 U Fabriques de Tabac Réunies S. A. where all or part of the mouthpiece surrounding the filter may be porous, the product being rendered smokable by a flat-shaped sheet or by a casing that can be moved over the most extremely porous part of the filter. Where a casing is to be used for this purpose, there is no disclosure as to how the casing is matched to the circumference of the filter or how air leakage past the casing can be avoided.

The present invention provides a tobacco product comprising: a rod-shaped element of cigarette tobacco coaxially interconnected to a rod-shaped filter element, with respective first ends of said elements adjoining; a tubular wrapper enclosing said tobacco element, said wrapper being of smokable material; the first end of said filter element being wrapped by and adhered to a circumferential strip of material that is carried by said tobacco element; said filter element having a peripheral surface that is highly porous thus rendering said product unsmokable in that when air is drawn from said product through the second free end of said filter element, the major portion of such air is drawn through said highly porous peripheral surface and any air flow drawn longitudinally through said tobacco element is insufficient to propagate combustion at the tip end thereof or to cause any appreciable amount of smoke to flow through said filter element to the second end thereof; in combination with a preformed tubular band of flexible substantially impervious material having a width corresponding to that of the highly porous surface of said filter element, and a circumference corresponding to that of said product, said band being slidable on said product to a position overlying said highly porous peripheral surface to render said product smokable.

The total area of the porous surface is selected to ensure that less than 9% of the air flow drawn from the filter will enter the product through the tip of the tobacco element and preferably 90% or more of such air flow will enter the product through the perforations. As is known, auxiliary ventilation holes may be included in the peripheral surface of the filter element and through which some air will enter when air is drawn through the filter. In the present invention, the total porous area is selected to ensure that the sum total of the air flow through the porous area is 90% or more of the air flow that passes longitudinally through the free second end of the filter element. The porous area provides a permeability of at least 1500 and preferably from 5,000 to 10,000 Coresta units (cc/min/cm

2

). The permeability may vary over a large range provided that in the resultant product the porous area ensures that insufficient air, i.e. less than 9%, can be drawn through the product from the tip end. This ensures that the product cannot be smoked.

When air is drawn through the filter as in the act or simulated act of smoking, although by far the major part of such air will enter through the porous area, some small percentage of air flow may still enter at the tip end of the article and pass longitudinally through the tobacco rod. The amount of such air flow must be minimized to the extent that it is insufficient to propagate the combustion of the tobacco, so that even if the tip end of the tobacco rod is lit, there will be insufficient air flow to propagate combustion during puffing. Such air flow through the tobacco rod can be controlled to some extent by control of the packing density of the tobacco of the rod, and in this connection it is preferred that the packing density be greater in the vicinity of the tip end than elsewhere in the length of the tobacco rod. Alternatively such air flow through the tobacco rod may also be controlled to some extent by controlling the packing density to an extent that will provide an increase in the resistance to flow in the tobacco element relative to that resistance to flow as offered by the porous surface area of the filter element. The porous peripheral surface of the filter element may extend over the entire length thereof, or over a limited region of the length.

The tubular tobacco wrapper is of a smokable material. In a preferred embodiment it is of a burn-retardant cigarette paper which has a limited permeability to the flow of air therethrough. Other materials of course could be used, for example real or reconstituted tobacco leaf etc.

In yet another embodiment there may be an additional short tobacco element positioned between the main tobacco element and the filter element. In all cases the components of the product are secured together by a flexible strip of paper or the like wrapped around their adjoining ends. This strip may be of highly porous material, or may be substantially impervious.

The invention will further be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1

is a side elevational view of an embodiment of a non-smokable tobacco product;

FIG. 2

is a perspective view to a smaller scale illustrating a step in converting the product of

FIG. 1

into a smokable cigarette;

FIG. 3

is a view similar to

FIG. 2

showing the cigarette that is produced;

FIG. 4

is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of non-smokable tobacco product;

FIG. 5

is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of non-smokable tobacco product;

FIGS. 6A and 6B

are side elevational views showing still further embodiments of non-smokable tobacco products; and

FIGS. 7A through 7D

are side elevational views showing further embodiments of non-smokable tobacco products.

Referring to

FIG. 1

, the non-smokable tobacco product

10

illustrated therein comprises a rod-shaped element

11

of fine cut tobacco which is abutted against a rod-shaped filter element

12

, the elements

11

and

12

being enclosed within a tubular wrapper

13

. The product

10

is unsmokable because of a series of elongate perforations or holes

14

extending in a peripheral band completely around the article in a region

15

which registers with the end of the tobacco element

11

adjacent the junction

16

between the latter and the filter element

12

. In addition there are a series of ventilation holes

17

which penetrate the wrapper

13

within the length of the filter rod

12

. The non-smokable product

10

has dimensions corresponding to those of a normal machine-made cigarette, having a diameter of approximately 8 mm, and a length corresponding to some standard cigarette length, e.g. regular size or king size. The cigarette dimensions could also be of luxury length (99 mm to 102 mm), or of a different circumference such as 23 mm or less (diameter of 7.3 mm or less). The tobacco element

11

is packed to a density corresponding to or higher than that of the tobacco in a machine-made cigarette, and the filter element

12

may be any of the types of filter commonly used in cigarettes. The holes

14

extend over a region

15

in the length of the product which is of the same order as its diameter and have a total area which gives permeability to air flow of 1500±500 Coresta units (cc/min/cm

2

). With this arrangement, the product

10

is unsmokable because of the holes

14

such that when air is drawn from the filter end of the product as in a simulated act of smoking, over 90% of the air flow enters the product through the holes

14

so that only a minimal amount of the air flow enters through the tip end of the tobacco element

11

, such minimal amount being insufficient to propagate combustion of the tobacco during puffing.

The material of the wrapper

13

is a conventional cigarette wrapper, e.g. phosphate treated paper of low permeability to the flow of air therethrough. The use of a low-permeability paper is also generally effective to slow the smouldering of cigarette products once lit. In the embodiment shown, a small amount, of the order of 20%, of the air flow drawn from the filter element

12

will enter through the ventilation holes

17

and another amount, of the order of 70%, will enter through the ventilation holes

14

.

To convert the non-smokable product

10

into a smokable cigarette, it is used in combination with a flexible sealing band

20

which has a length somewhat greater than the circumference of the product

10

and a width which exceeds the length of the region

15

. The band is self-adhesive, and once brought into contact with the product

10

in alignment with the holes

14

as shown in

FIG. 2

can be wrapped therearound in the direction of the arrow

21

to completely encircle the product

10

, closing off the holes

14

and thus converting the article

10

into a smokable cigarette

22

as seen in FIG.

3

.

The non-smokable products

10

can be packaged in any convenient quantities and in this respect are dimensionally quite similar to cigarettes which typically are provided in packs of 20 or 25 articles. The combination of the non-smokable product

10

and the corresponding sealing band

20

occupies approximately the same space as a regular cigarette. In the embodiment shown, the sealing band

20

has a dimension of approximately 8 mm in width by 27 mm to 30 mm in length. A package containing

25

units of the non-smokable product

10

will include a corresponding number of sealing bands

20

provided on a backing sheet (not shown) and peelable therefrom at the time of use. The backing sheet can be fitted readily within the package containing the non-smokable products

10

and will not significantly increase the thickness of the package.

The non-smokable product

10

can with modification to the machinery, be manufactured on conventional cigarette making machinery since most of its components are standard items used in the fabrication of machine-made cigarettes, namely the tobacco element

11

in the filter element

12

. The paper wrapper

13

although not necessarily the same as the paper wrapper of a conventional cigarette nonetheless is similar and can be handled in a similar manner by the cigarette making machine. Thus to manufacture the product

10

a continuous strip of wrapper material is drawn into the machine (not shown), formed into a trough into which tobacco elements

11

separated by filter elements

12

are added in a continuous manner. The wrapper material is sealed around the tobacco and filler into a tube which is then cut into discrete lengths each including at one end a filter element

12

. The strip of wrapper material can be pre-formed with the holes

14

, or alternatively the machine could be modified to form these holes in the manufacturing process.

Although a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above in relation to

FIGS. 1

to

3

, it will be appreciated that within the scope of the invention, many details of the product combination can be varied. Thus the region

15

where the holes are located could be longer than shown, e.g. it could have a length corresponding to twice the diameter of the product, or even a length of 50% or more of the length of the tobacco element

11

. In the embodiment shown the sealing band

20

is of smokable or non-smokable material. However if the region

15

is lengthened as contemplated above, then it would obviously be desirable to utilize a smokable material for the sealing band since otherwise the useful length of the cigarette produced would be unacceptably curtailed.

Furthermore, although the band

20

in the example shown completely covers the holes

14

, this is not essential. A band that is narrower than the region of the holes or shorter than the circumference of the article could be used and an acceptable cigarette would result provided that the band covered a sufficient area of the holes

14

to allow an adequate air flow to be drawn through the tip end when the cigarette is smoked.

The sealing band

20

may be provided with any suitable form of adhesive, e.g. a permanently tacky adhesive that is covered by a release sheet, or a water activated adhesive.

The ventilation holes

17

opening into the filter element

12

can be of any desired size to provide a predetermined amount of ventilation into the smoke that is drawn through the filter when the non-smokable product

10

is made up into a cigarette

22

as shown in FIG.

3

. Resistance to air flow through the ventilation holes

17

will be substantially constant whether the article is in the raw product condition as shown at

10

in

FIG. 1

, or made up into a cigarette

22

as shown in FIG.

3

. Also for a given size of ventilation holes

14

, the air flow through these holes will be substantially different depending on the size of the ventilation holes

17

. Therefore as the size of the ventilation holes

17

is increased, the required minimum size for the holes

14

is reduced. For example if the ventilation holes

17

provide 30% ventilation, then the combined area of the holes

14

can be reduced since these holes are then only required to provide from 60% to 65% of the air flow to ensure that the product

10

is unsmokable.

Although in the embodiments described above the sealing band

0

is self-adhesive and mounted on a backing sheet, a more economical product can be made if instead the sealing band is gummed, i.e. has on one side a dry coating of gum which can be e.g. water-activated at the time of use. This would eliminate the backing sheet (which otherwise would be thrown away) and is obviously lighter and more compact than the sealing band—backing sheet combination.

Alternative means for rendering the non-smokable tobacco product into a smokable condition or possible. Although the embodiments described above utilize an adhesive sealing band

22

, the same effect could be achieved by providing a preformed cylindrical band (not shown), adapted to closely surround the periphery of the tubular wrapper

13

and slidable longitudinally thereof to cover the holes

14

. The preformed band can have dimensions similar to the made-up sealing band as shown in

FIG. 3

, but of course since it is preformed it need not include any means to effect adhesion to the wrapper

13

around the holes

14

. Such a preformed cylindrical band could be provided in the form of a flattened cylinder of cigarette paper of suitable dimensions, the cylinder being perforated to provide for its easier separation into lengths corresponding to the width of the sealing band

20

, such lengths when separated being readily expanded to cylindrical form so that they can be slipped over the product

10

from one end or the other. The preformed band or ring will preferably have a circumference that is very closely matched to that of the product

10

so as to minimize leakage of air past the preformed band when installed in position over the openings

14

. Such a preformed band can however still be readily positioned since the product

13

can be readily compressed by hand to ease passage of the preformed band therealong.

The non-smokable tobacco product

10

.

4

shown in

FIG. 4

comprises a rod-shaped tobacco element

11

.

4

arranged coaxially end-to-end with a filter element

12

.

4

and interconnected thereto by an attachment strip

24

comprising a narrow band which is wrapped around and adheres to the adjacent ends of the tobacco element and the filter element. The tobacco element

11

.

4

has a tubular wrapping

13

.

4

of normal cigarette paper or other appropriate foil which is substantially impermeable to the flow of air therethrough, although as is known, the wrapper may be slightly permeable so as to allow some air to mix with the smoke as in the conventional application of cigarette ventilation. The product

10

is rendered unsmokable by the fact that the filter element

12

.

4

is not wrapped, or is wrapped with a highly porous foil, e.g. such as is used in a tea bag, having a permeability to air flow of the order of 10,000 to 30,000 Coresta units. This permeability in the filter region is sufficient to render the product

10

.

4

unsmokable since it will prevent any significant air flow from passing through the tobacco element

11

.

4

.

To render the product

10

.

4

of

FIG. 4

into a smokable condition a foil (not shown) which is impermeable (or only slightly permeable) to air flow therethrough is wrapped around the filter element

12

.

4

to inhibit air flow through the peripheral surface thereof, whereupon the product can be smoked in the manner of a conventional cigarette. This foil may take many forms, for example it may have a water activated adhesive on one surface, or may have a permanently tacky adhesive covered by a peelable release sheet. In another version the foil may be of a preformed tubular shape sized to be slipped over the filter element to closely surround the surface thereof.

The non-smokable tobacco product

10

.

5

shown in

FIG. 5

comprises a rod-shaped tobacco element

11

.

5

and a rod-shaped filter element

12

.

5

coaxially arranged end-to-end. The tobacco element

11

.

5

is wrapped by a conventional cigarette paper or foil

13

.

5

having a low or no permeability to the flow of air therethrough, with the exception of a short porous section

25

adjacent the filter, the wrapper of this porous section having a permeability to the flow of air therethrough greater than 10,000 Coresta units. The filter element

12

.

5

is of conventional form being wrapped in a known tipping layer of low or no air permeability. The product

10

.

5

can be rendered smokable by any of the techniques described in relation to the embodiment of

FIGS. 1

to

3

, e.g. by using a strip form or tubular sealing band.

The porous section

25

of the wrapper

13

.

5

could conceivably extend as much as the full length of the tobacco element

11

and in that case the entire length would have to be wrapped in an outer foil to render the product smokable, the resulting cigarette being of “double wrap” construction having a conventional cigarette paper superimposed over the highly porous paper.

Referring now to the embodiments of

FIG. 6

, the non-smokable tobacco product

10

.

6

A in

FIG. 6A

has a tobacco element

11

.

6

A covered in a conventional tubular wrapper having a short porous section

26

adjacent the filter. The filter element

12

.

6

A has at the end thereof an unwrapped section

27

which has a highly porous surface. The product

10

.

6

A is thus rendered unsmokable by virtue of the porous sections

26

and

27

, and can be converted into a smokable condition by the application to the sections of a substantially impervious wrapper as described in the foregoing.

The non-smokable tobacco product

10

.

6

B of

FIG. 6B

is similar to that of

FIG. 6A

except that the porous section

26

B of the tobacco element thereof is provided by a series of vent holes much as described in relation to the embodiment of

FIGS. 1

to

3

. As before, the vent holes and the porous section of the filter can be covered by one or two wrappers to make the product smokable.

FIGS. 7A through 7D

show embodiments that include further developments of the concepts described above in relation to

FIGS. 1 through 6B

, with the additional aspect that each product is of double length, designed to be separated in the middle thereof to provide two smokable cigarettes. Thus it will be seen that

FIG. 7A

shows a non-smokable tobacco product

28

A which includes two tobacco elements

11

.

7

A arranged at opposite lengths of a double length filter element

12

.

7

A. The tobacco elements

11

.

7

A and the filter element

12

.

7

A are covered by conventional foils of no or low permeability. However each of the tobacco elements

11

.

7

A has at the end thereof adjacent the filter element a band of peripheral perforations

29

A. Thus when the product is severed at the mid-point of its length, the two resulting products are also unsmokable because of the presence of the perforations

29

A, these half products being in fact similar to the non-smokable tobacco product

10

of FIG.

1

.

Similarly, the non-smokable tobacco product

28

B of

FIG. 7B

comprises two tobacco elements

11

.

7

B as in

FIG. 7A and a

common filter element

12

.

7

B, the latter however including an unwrapped central section

30

B as described in relation to FIG.

4

. It will be appreciated that the product

28

B is unsmokable as illustrated and when cut in half will render two unsmokable products which are substantially the same as the product shown in FIG.

6

B.

The product

28

C shown in

FIG. 7C

is similar to that shown in

FIG. 7A

except that the band of perforations

29

A is replaced by a band

29

C of high porosity or permeability to air flow as described above in relation to the embodiment of

FIG. 5

, so that when cut in half it will result in two products substantially identical to FIG.

5

. The embodiment of FIG.

7

D shows a non-smokable tobacco product

28

D that combines features from the embodiments of

FIGS. 7B and 7C

so that in the center of the filter element

12

.

7

D there is an unwrapped filter section

30

D, and each adjacent end of the tobacco elements

11

.

7

D has a porous section

29

D therein.

The products and features described above and illustrated in the drawings can be used in various combinations to produce unsmokable tobacco products which can be converted into smokable cigarettes by the consumer. The foregoing are given by way of example only, and the invention extends to all such products that fall within the scope of the appended claims.