OA16835A - Self-ignition device for a cigarette - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for the self-ignition of a cigarette comprising: - a primary chemical material (7) intended to be placed at the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1), - a secondary chemical material (8) incompatible with the primary material (7), said primary and secondary materials being liable to ignite when they are in contact with one another, characterized in that the secondary material (8) is arranged in a receptacle (9) configured to fit onto the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1) and bring said secondary material into contact with the primary material (7).

Description

CIGARETTE SELF-IGNITION DEVICE

Description

Technical field of the invention.

The invention relates to a device for self-ignition of a cigarette.

It relates to the technical field of pyrotechnic devices and more particularly those intended for lighting cigarettes and providing an alternative to traditional means such as lighters or matches.

State of the art.

The cigarette self-ignition devices illustrating the prior art are described in the following patent documents: FR 2 905 231 (Charli ABISDID), BG 407 714 (M. MARGOLIS), DE 3 509 293 (LIECHTENSTEIN RICHARD VON), EP 0 066 021 (YOO, BYUNG EON) FR 7 539 535 (TOKYO ENGINEERING CO.) D5: GB 314 145 (Piedad and Alejandro LIFCHUZ), FR 709 175 (Giulio TURRI), JP 2005 5 224 232 (ISHIKAWA JOJI), GB 406 153 (Ansley HERMAN FOX). These devices include an initiating material configured to ignite a flammable material upon impact or friction. The rubbing strips generally used, wear out as you light cigarettes. And the more worn the strip, the more difficult it becomes to light a cigarette.

To overcome this drawback, we know from documents FR 1 014 899 (Louis Thomas FONDO), BG 1 012 826 (Pierre JACQUET), BG 97 941

- 2 (BONCHEV MIROSLAV B.), GB 356 861 (Robert SUTHERLAND), GB 752 365 (Hans HANNO MOSER), GB 790 341 (Kurt KORBER), self-ignition devices comprising a primary chemical material placed at the end to lighting a cigarette, and a secondary chemical material incompatible with the primary material. These devices use the principle of incompatibility of chemical materials which ignite spontaneously when they come into contact with each other. In practice, the secondary chemical material is:

- is packaged on one side of the packet of cigarettes so that when handling said packet, said secondary chemical material may come off, causing, in fact, difficulties in subsequently lighting cigarettes,

- or packaged in unsuitable individual containers.

More particularly, from documents US Pat. No. 2,029,186 (PETERSON), or US 3,109,435 (PALEY), a cigarette equipped with an auto-ignition device is known comprising: a primary chemical material placed at the end to be ignited of cigarette, and a secondary chemical material incompatible with said primary material. The secondary material is contained in a removable receptacle configured to position against the end to be ignited, in an arrangement allowing the contact of said secondary material with the primary material. The secondary material is placed on a pad left in the open air. The properties of the secondary material therefore degrade rapidly over time.

In EP 0 171 601 (ESPARZA), the chemical material is contained in capsules designed to be broken. A grid forms the bottom of the receptacle attachment zone. This grid is not waterproof so the properties of the chemical material degrade over time.

Faced with this state of affairs, the main objective of the invention is to provide a device allowing easy lighting of a cigarette, while eliminating the

-3deficiencies related to the conditioning of the secondary chemical material known from the prior art.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easy-to-use self-ignition device, simple in design and inexpensive.

Disclosure of the invention.

The solution proposed by the invention is a device for self-igniting a cigarette comprising:

- a secondary chemical material incompatible with the primary material, said primary and secondary materials being liable to ignite when they are in contact with one another, said secondary material being disposed in a receptacle configured to fit on the end to be lit of the cigarette and bringing said secondary material into contact with said primary material, said receptacle being closed at one of its ends,

- The receptacle includes an attachment area in the form of a cylindrical portion configured to fit over the end to light a cigarette.

This device is remarkable in that a sealing cap forms the bottom of the fixing zone, the secondary material being disposed between said cap and the closed end of the receptacle, said cap being provided with a cannula oriented towards said zone. attachment, and configured so that said secondary material can flow out of said cannula when pressure is exerted on said receptacle.

The fact of using such a unitary receptacle allows the user to systematically have a sufficient dose of secondary material at his disposal, ensuring him an efficient lighting of his cigarettes. In addition, the design of such a receptacle is easily achievable at the industrial stage and its use

-4 attractive to users. Finally, the use of a cannula to deliver the secondary material is particularly advantageous:

- the secondary material is not in contact with air, which allows it to keep all its properties intact for a long time,

- the secondary material can be injected with precision and deep into the end to light the cigarette.

Other remarkable characteristics of the method which is the subject of the invention are listed below, each of these characteristics being able to be considered alone or in combination, independently of the characteristics defined above:

- the receptacle is advantageously in the form of a cylindrical tube, the outside diameter of which corresponds substantially to that of a cigarette,

- the receptacle may include an attachment zone in the form of a cylindrical portion configured to fit onto the end to be lit of a cigarette,

- a frangible sealing cap may form the bottom of the fixing zone, the secondary material being disposed between said cap and the closed end of said receptacle,

- A sealing cap forms the bottom of the fixing zone, the secondary material being placed between said cap and the closed end of the receptacle, a point being placed inside said receptacle, at the level of said bottom wall, said point being oriented towards said fixing zone,

- A sealing cap forms the bottom of the fixing zone, the secondary material being arranged between said cap and the closed end of the receptacle, said cap being provided with a cannula oriented towards said fixing zone, and configured so that said secondary material can flow out of said cannula when pressure is exerted on said receptacle,

- a sealing cap forms the bottom of the fixing zone, the secondary material being disposed between said cap and the closed end of the

-5 receptacle, said cover being slidably mounted in said receptacle made of rigid material, said cover being further provided with a cannula oriented towards said fixing zone, and configured so that said secondary material can flow out of said cannula when said cover slides in a direction which empties said receptacle,

- the secondary chemical material can be packaged in one or more capsules arranged in the receptacle, said receptacle comprising one or more flexible walls making it possible to break said capsules by crushing when a pressure force is exerted on said flexible wall or walls,

- preferably, the primary chemical material comprises potassium permanganate and the secondary chemical material comprises glycerin,

- the secondary material may be in solid, gel or cream form, said material being introduced directly into the receptacle,

the secondary material may also be in fluid form, a spongy material being inserted into the receptacle, so as to contain said secondary material, a simple pressure on said spongy material making it possible to release said secondary material.

Description of figures.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear better on reading the description of a preferred embodiment which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, produced by way of indicative and non-limiting examples and on which:

- Figures 1 to 4 schematically show the different steps for lighting a cigarette by means of a self-igniting device according to the invention, • 6 -

- Figures 5a to 5c are views in longitudinal section of a secondary material receptacle according to the invention, in different embodiments,

- Figures 6a to 6c show schematically different possible arrangements 5 of the primary material at the end of the cigarette to be lit,

- Figures 7a to 7b show schematically the placement of the receptacles of Figures 5 to 5c, at the end to light the cigarette.

Modes of Carrying Out the Invention.

The invention makes it possible to self-light a cigarette 1. The term "cigarette" means a conventional cigarette with or without a filter, a cigarillo, a cigar, or other similar object capable of being consumed by a smoker. As shown schematically in Figures 1 to 4, a cigarette 1 is generally in the form of a cylinder formed from a sheet of paper 2 and inside which are arranged chopped tobacco leaves 3. It has a diameter which can vary from 3 mm to 7 mm and a length which can vary from 60 mm to 100 mm. It has a light end 4 and an inhalation end 5 opposite said light end. The inhalation end 5 may in particular include a filter 6.

The self-igniting device which is the subject of the invention comprises a primary chemical material 7 (or “lighting” material) intended to be placed at the end to be lit 4 of the cigarette 1. The primary chemical material 7 can be placed in place by impregnation, coating, compression, insertion into the tobacco leaves 3, of a liquid, gel, solid, powder, microcapsules, crystals, granules, etc. In practice, the primary material 7 is present to a depth of a few millimeters from the end to be lit 4. The placement of the primary material 7 is preferably carried out at the time of manufacture of the cigarette 1.

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-7 Tobacco can be pre-impregnated with gum arabic to make the tobacco fibers sticky, before they are mixed with the primary material 7 in the form of solid, powder, microcapsules, crystals, granules, etc.

Depending on the form chosen, drying of the primary material 7 may be provided so as to ensure the compatibility of the technology before storing the cigarette 1 in a pack for a long period of time. Indeed, a non-dry material would risk polluting the packet, could cause the cigarettes to stick together, could soil the user's fingers, clothes or objects (such as tables or ashtrays) on which cigarette 1 would be. posed, etc.

Also, the use of a liquid primary material 7 previously encapsulated makes it possible to protect said primary material from being accidentally spilled, while allowing the user to break this encapsulation by an appropriate voluntary action (for example, by crushing by pressure. of the end of the cigarette 1 between two fingers). The encapsulation technique can also be envisaged with a solid primary material 7.

Referring to Figure 6a, the primary material 7 is placed directly at the end to be lit 4, for example with the aid of a spray. End 4 can then be covered with a hydrophobic varnish to prevent the penetration of water molecules into the cigarette 1.

In the example of FIG. 6b, a "plug" of tobacco impregnated with primary material 7 is placed at the igniting end 4 and then covered with a "plug" of untreated tobacco 70.

In the example of FIG. 6c, a “plug” of tobacco impregnated with primary material 7 is placed at the end to be lit 4. The end 4 can then be covered with a protection 71 previously cut from a sheet of paper. absorbent to retain the tobacco "plug" and prevent any loss of primary material 7.

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-8The self-igniting device object of the invention also comprises a secondary chemical material 8 (or “ignition” material) chosen to be incompatible with the primary chemical material 7. In fact, the primary and secondary materials are liable to react. and ignite when in contact with each other. By "ignite" is meant within the meaning of the present invention, producing thermal energy (for example from 150 ° C to 700 ° C), with or without flame, capable of igniting the cigarette 1. The secondary material 8 can be present as a liquid, gel, solid, microcapsules, crystals, granules, etc.

The primary material 7 / secondary material 8 pair may for example be an oxidizing / fuel pair of the potassium permanganate / glycol type; silver nitrate / red phosphorus; silver nitrate / sulfur; chlorates and boric acid / glycols; aluminum / tincture of iodine; sodium metal or other metals of the same family / water or alcohol-terminated reactants; Ranley nickel or phosphoric / oxidizing materials (MnO ₂ , chlorate); nitrocellulose / strong acids (sulfuric, chloridric); etc.

Additional substances can be used to dilute, bind, fix, activate or on the contrary slow down or passivate the incompatible basic chemical materials used in the invention. Other substances can also make it possible to reinforce the resistance of the primary 7 and secondary 8 materials to ambient conditions, in particular humidity (for example water-repellent substances). It is possible to improve the flammability of tobacco by impregnating the end to be ignited 4 with a “sensitizing” material such as nitrocellulose, before depositing the primary material 7. This has the advantage of making ignition more reliable while allowing the reduction of primary material 7 to the strict minimum.

The respective amounts of primary 7 and secondary 8 chemical material may vary from 0.1 mg to 5 mg per cigarette.

Preferably, in order to comply with the health standards in force and to eliminate any risk of toxicity, the primary material 7 can comprise potassium permanganate and the secondary material 8 can comprise glycerin. Glycerin is a product commonly used as a food additive: it comes in the form of a viscous, transparent, colorless, odorless, non-toxic and sweet tasting liquid. As for potassium permanganate, it is an inorganic salt commonly used as a disinfectant and as a deodorant. It is used in particular for the treatment of drinking water.

The chemical reaction initiated by this pair of chemical materials is not instantaneous, a small incubation period of a few seconds being necessary, without this leading the user to believe that the cigarette has not lit up. The reaction is announced by the prior release of non-toxic smoke consisting only of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The reaction is not too strong, the effect being similar to that caused by the flame of a lighter or a match. Once the reaction is complete, the 4 end of the cigarette is lit enough to allow time for the smoker to bring the cigarette to his lips and start to inhale the tobacco fumes, assuring him that he will not inhale them. fumes from the incompatibility reaction. This state of affairs secures the self-ignition of cigarette 1 and reassures the user. In addition, these two chemicals are sufficiently stable to ensure sufficient service life over time.

To provide the user, in a single operation, with everything he needs to light his cigarette as soon as he extracts it from the packet, the secondary material 8 is contained in a receptacle 9.

The receptacle 9 is preferably initially separated from the cigarette 1 and / or the pack. In this case, the user may have at his disposal a plurality of receptacles 9 packaged in a specific bag or box.

- 10The unitary packaging of the secondary material 8 makes it possible to limit to a minimum the quantity of said secondary material used.

In an alternative embodiment, the receptacle 9 may be initially placed at one of the ends of the cigarette, according to an arrangement preventing any contact of said secondary material with the primary material 7. In this case, this receptacle 9 is removable. , and configured to be positioned against the end to be lit 4, according to an arrangement allowing the secondary material 8 to be brought into contact with the primary material 7. When the user purchases a pack, each cigarette can therefore already be provided with its own. own receptacle 9, which makes it possible to limit the amount of secondary material used to a minimum.

Another solution consists in placing a single receptacle or a series of unit receptacles 9, directly on the cigarette pack, for example on the top of the closure flap.

In practice, the receptacle 9 is configured to fit on the end to be lit 4. By “fit” is meant within the meaning of the present invention, the possibility that the receptacle 9 is positioned on, against and / or. around the end to be lit 4, with the possibility of remaining or not attached to said end.

The receptacle 9 may have a cylindrical, spherical, parallelepipedal or other shape, and be made of paper, preferably plasticized cardboard, plastic, rubber, or a cotton or “foamed” material of the type used for the manufacture of cigarette filters, etc. It can have one or more open ends to the outside or be completely closed. In practice, the receptacle 9 is in the form of a cylindrical tube, preferably closed to one of its ends 12 and whose outer diameter corresponds substantially to that of the cigarette 1. The diameter of the receptacle 9 may for example vary from 2 mm to 8 mm. Its length can vary from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.

- 11 Referring to Figures 5a to 5b, the receptacle 9 comprises an attachment area 11 configured to fit over the end to be lit 4. This attachment area 11 is in the form of a cylindrical portion which is opposite to the closed end 12 of the tube forming the receptacle 9. A frangible sealing cap 10 forms the bottom of the fixing zone 11, the secondary material 8 being disposed between said cap and the closed end 12. The other end of the fixing zone 11 is open so as to allow it to fit on the end to be lit 4. The fixing zone 11 has an internal diameter equal to or greater (for example from 0.1 mm to 1 mm), than the diameter of the cigarette 1, and a length which may vary from 3 mm to 10 mm.

The secondary material 8 can be directly introduced into the receptacle 9 when it is in solid, gel or cream form. When it is in fluid form, a spongy material of the sponge type can be inserted into the receptacle 9, so as to contain said secondary material 8, a simple pressure on said spongy material making it possible to release said secondary material.

It can also be initially packaged in one or more capsules or capsules, themselves subsequently arranged in the receptacle 9. In such a configuration with capsules, the receptacle 9 preferably comprises one or more flexible walls making it possible to break said capsules by crushing when ' a lateral (perpendicular to the axis of the cigarette) or longitudinal (in the axis of the cigarette) pressure force is exerted on said flexible wall or walls.

Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 5a, and to prevent the secondary material 8 from escaping from the receptacle 9, the latter can be closed by a sealing cap 10. In this embodiment, the cap 10 is frangible, made of paper, plastic, aluminum, etc. Referring to figure 7a, a simple pressure from the end to light 4 on

- 12 this cover 10 makes it possible to open it and release the secondary material 8. In practice, the secondary material 8 being intended to leave the receptacle 9 from the fixing zone 11, the frangible sealing cover 10 is located at the level of this area.

Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 5b, a point 120 is disposed inside the receptacle 9, at the level of the bottom wall 12, said point being oriented towards the fixing zone 11. Following pressure on the receptacle 9, the tip 120 pierces the cover 10 to release the secondary material 8 (FIG. 7b). The latter then penetrates into the cigarette and ignites the primary material 7.

In the embodiment of Figure 5c, the cap 10 is provided with a cannula 100 oriented towards the attachment area 11. The cannula 100 is similar to an injection needle. Referring to Figure 7c, by pressure on receptacle 9, secondary material 8 is forced to flow through cannula 100 and then enters the cigarette. This solution is particularly advantageous when the primary material 7 is covered with untreated tobacco. In an alternative to this solution, the cap 10 can slide inside the receptacle 9 then made of a rigid material. All you have to do is insert the cigarette and press it against the cap 10 to slide the latter in a direction which empties the receptacle 9 into the cigarette through the cannula 100.

Other technical solutions can however be envisaged. The primary material 7 can for example be placed in a small receptacle the walls of which are configured (for example micro-perforated) to allow a fluid secondary material 8 to pass through. This solution has the advantage of being able to keep a primary material 7 in the pulverulent state, without prior treatment likely to change its crystalline characteristics.

Likewise, one can imagine that the primary material 7 is deposited by sprinkling on a paper covered with an adhesive on which the particles of said primary material stick. The adhesive loaded with particles of primary material 7 is then wound around the end to be lit 4 of the cigarette 1.

- 13The cigarette paper itself can also incorporate an adhesive strip on the side of the end to be lit 4 of the cigarette 1: the paper is previously loaded with particles of primary material 7 and used as such before the cigarette 1 is loaded with tobacco. .

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate how a smoker can light his cigarette with simple gestures, whether he is holding the cigarette in one hand or the unlighted door in his mouth.

The user takes hold of the receptacle 9 (FIG. 1) and positions it opposite the end to be lit 4. The receptacle 9 is then brought into contact with the end to be lit 4 so that the material secondary 8 comes to moisten the primary material with which the end to be lit 4 is coated (FIG. 2). When the receptacle 9 is closed, the user can contact the secondary material 8 with the primary material 7 by crushing said receptacle (Figure 3). When the receptacle 9 is closed by a sealing cap 10, the user can bring the secondary material 8 into contact with the primary material 7 by piercing said cap by means of the end to be lit 4 (FIG. 7a), or piercing said cover by means of the tip 120 (FIG. 7b) or directly by means of the cannula 100 (FIG. 7c). When the receptacle 9 is open to the outside, the user can contact the secondary material 8 with the primary material 7 by directly pushing the lighter end 4 of the cigarette 1 inside said receptacle. Once the secondary material 8 is in contact with the primary material 7, the user removes the receptacle 9 from the firing end 4 (Figure 4). The reaction initiates and the light 4 end ignites.

Claims (7)

Claims 1. Device for self-ignition of a cigarette comprising: - a primary chemical material (7) intended to be placed at the lighting end (4) of the cigarette (1), - a secondary chemical material (8) incompatible with the primary material (7), said primary and secondary materials being liable to ignite when they are in contact with one another, said secondary material being disposed in a receptacle (9) configured to fit onto the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1) and to bring said secondary material into contact with said primary material, said receptacle being closed at one of its ends (12), - the receptacle (9) comprises an attachment zone (11) in the form of a cylindrical portion configured to fit onto the end to be lit (4) of a cigarette (1), characterized in that 'a sealing cap (10) forms the bottom of the fixing zone (11), the secondary material (8) being disposed between said cap and the closed end (12) of the receptacle (9), said cap being provided a cannula (100) oriented towards said attachment area, and configured so that said secondary material can flow out of said cannula when pressure is exerted on said receptacle. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the receptacle (9) is in the form of a cylindrical tube whose outer diameter corresponds substantially to that of a cigarette (1). 3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the primary chemical material (7) comprises potassium permanganate and the secondary chemical material (8) comprises glycerin. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the secondary material (8) is in solid, gel or cream form, said material being introduced directly into the receptacle (9). 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cannula (100) is similar to an injection needle. 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized 10 in that the fixing zone (11) has an internal diameter equal to or greater than the external diameter of the cigarette (1), and a length varying from 3 mm to 10 mm. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized In that the primary material (7), liquid or solid, is encapsulated.