CA2069290C

CA2069290C - Simulated smoking article

Info

Publication number: CA2069290C
Application number: CA 2069290
Authority: CA
Inventors: Leroi King Templeton
Original assignee: Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corp
Current assignee: Brown and Williamson Holdings Inc
Priority date: 1992-05-22
Filing date: 1992-05-22
Publication date: 2002-01-15
Anticipated expiration: 2012-05-22
Also published as: CA2069290A1

Abstract

A simulated smoking article comprising a non-combustible hollow cylindrical body, a filter rod coaxially located at one end of the hollow cylindrical body and a combustible fuel element at the other end of the hollow cylindrical body. A hollow thermal conducting member is located between the fuel element and adjacent and of the cylindrical body. A porous substrate cylinder, which is impregnated with an aerosol generating material, is located within the cylindrical rod between the fuel element and the filter rod. A flow accelerating means is located next to the porous substrate cylinder facing the filter rod. Upstream of the porous substrate cylinder is a gas inlet chamber and downstream toward the filter rod is a gas/aerosol mixing chamber. A conventional cigarette wrapping paper circumscribes the smoking article.

Description

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'' i ;I _3_ , i , v t o ;j BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ' ;i The present invention relates to a smoking article, preferably =i simulated smoking device in the form of a cigarette, which produces a flavored aerosol. -,' i Various smokin articles which generate aerosols are known.
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For example,.U.S. Patent No. 4,655,229 teaches an aspiration ;
device having a paper tube with a filter at the inlet end and a ' plug of flavoring material inside the tube downstream of the filter, the plug being located in the tube downstream of the :, plug of flavoring material and an outlet filter is located at the outlet end~of the tube.
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U.S. Patent No. 4,657,032 teaches an aspiration device for delivering a controlled flow of fluid to the smoker's mouth.
i ' The device includes a tobacco column with a filter at one end , with a container filled with a drug disposed within the i i filter. The container includes an air inlet port open to the . ambient at the side wall of the filter and an outlet port at i '' the mouth end of the filter.
~i il 1 U.S. Patent No. 4,714,082 teaches a smoking article including a ~f tube having a fuel element at one end with a hole through the fuel element, a substrate impregnated with an aerosol i enerating substance immediately downstream of the substrate, a i tobacco plug immediately downstream of the substrate, a j' i ;;
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;~ cylinder of filter material with a concentric tube located downstream of the tobacco plug, and a filter rod at the end of ' ' the tube from the fuel element.
'', l i i U.S. Patent No. 4,732,168 teaches a smoking article which i has a ~ j fuel element with passages therethrough.and a packet of tobacco j i i located immediately downstream of the fuel element. A

container containing a substrate including an aerosol I ' generating substance is embedded in the packet of tobaczo.
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' cellulose acetate cylinder including an aerosol passage is t ; i ij located immediately downstream of the 3acket of tobacco, and a ' ' filter rod is located at the end of the cylinder.

'~ i U.S. Patent No. 4,765,347 teaches a smoking device including a :, ~~ container for a flavorant liquid with a tube located inside a i cylindrical outer container resembling a cigarette. A tube 5 15 ~ extends from the container to the mouth end of the outer i ;a container. When a person draws on the mouth end of the outer container liquid flavorant passes from the container through the tube to the person s mouth.
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,. 1 ~j SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

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~, The present invention provides a simulated smoking article I
i ~f having a non-combustible hollow cylindrical body having a i ~i filter rod at one end, a fuel element at the other end, v and a .' porous substrate cylinder impregnated with an aerosol/flavorant , i ..
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i' generating material located in the cylindrical rod between the ' I' fuel element and filter rod.
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~~ More particularly, the present invention provides a simulated smoking article comprising: a hollow cylindrical body of i;
~~ non-combustible material; a filter rod coaxially located at one .I~ end of the hollow, cylindrical rod; a cylindrical fuel element , ~j having a central bore opening therethrough coexially located at i i' the other end of the hollow cylindrical body; a thermal°
i conducting member located adjacent the cylindrical fuel element ~; having a hollow cylindrical inlet section substantially the i 'i same circumference as the bore opening through the fuel element I
' and a hollow cylindrical outlet section of substantially the same circumference as the hollow cylindrical body, the hollow s ,, outlet section being coaxially located witr, the hollow cylindrical body at the other end of the cylindrical body from !
the filter rod, and the hollow inlet section being received in ~~ the bore opening through the cylindrical fuel element; a porous I
substrate cylinder impregnated with an aerosol generating material disposed in the hollow cylindrical body between the ~~ thermal conducting member and the filter rod; and, a flow 'j accelerating means located at the one end of the cylindrically ~~ shaped porous substrate facing the filter rod.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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~I A better understanding of the present invention will be had i I, i In ~I

upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the smoking device of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the smoking device as seen in the direction of arrows 2-2 in Figure 1; and, Figure 3 is another preferred embodiment of a thermal conducting member of the present invention as shown in longitudinal cross-section exploded view.
IS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a smoking article, generally denoted as the numeral 10.
The smoking article 10 includes a hollow cylindrical body 12 fabricated of a non-combustible material such as, for example a ceramic or burn retardant treated paper. A
filter rod 14 is coaxially located at one end of the hollow cylindrical body 12, and a fuel element 16 is coaxially located to the other end of the hollow cylindrical body 12.
The filter rod 14 can be a conventional filter used with conventional cigarettes fabricated of, for example, cellulose acetate.

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_,_ , i ~' The fuel element 16 is cylindrical having a circumferential ,!
i! dimension substantially the same as the circumferential .

j dimension of the hollow cylindrical body 12. Fuel element is provided with a central bore 18 therethrough. The fuel j element 16 can be fabricated of various materials such as !

carbon, charcoal particles, and combustible metals, such as, y for example magnesium and aluminum.
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li The smoking article 10 also includes a thermal conducting f member which is located adjacent the cylindrical fuel 10 The thermal conducting member includes a hollow ment '~
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e e cylindrical inlet section and a cylindrical outlet section ral with the inlet section 24.
The hollow outlet t ;22 i n eg i ction has substantially the same circumferential dimension ~~

se circumferential dimension of the cylindrical body 12, s th e a .

~' 15 and the hollow inlet section has substantially.the same !
circumferential dimension as the circumferential dimension of ' :;

the bore opening l8 through the fuel element 16.

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The outlet section and inlet section are axially :, i aligned. The thermal conducting member 20, which can be conductin material such as 20 ~ fabricated of various heat 9 ~
minum co per, and graphite, further includes a transverse s alu , P .

circular disc section 26 interconnecting the outlet section and the inlet section 24. The thermal conducting member 20 is i xiall aligned and disposed between the cylindrical body 12 a y i 25 ' and the fuel element 16.
The outlet section is unitary with !

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~i i li , ~~ the inlet cylindrical section 24 and the transverse circular I

ij disc section 26. The fuel element 16 circumscribes the bore !1 opening 18 and is in abutment with the transverse circular disc ,~ section 26.
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8 ;! A porous substrate cylinder 28 having a circumferential ~i dimension substantially equal to the inside circumferential i i, dimension of the cylindrical body 12 is concentrically located i ~~ .
' I in the cylindrical body 12 between the fuel element 16 hand the filter rod 14.

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The porous substrate cylinder cooperates with the wall of . ' the cylindrical body and the thermal conducting member to define a gas inlet chamber in the hollow outlet section I

upstream of the porous substrate cylinder 28, and cooperates with ' the wall of the cylindrical body and the filter rod 15 , to define a gas/aerosol mixing chamber downstream of porous .' substrate cylinder 28.
The porous substrate material of the cylinder can be, for example, alumina, charcoal, silica, i ceramic beads erlite vermiculite, and the like.
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The porous Substrate cylinder is impregnated with an aerosol 20 ~ ~ generating material such as, for example, Propylene glycol, l I i .

'i ~ ' glycerin, methyl palmitate, triacetin, and the like. In ~ another preferred embodiment, the porous substrate cylinder ;
can also be impregnated with a flavor releasing material such .. , , as, for example, tobacco, tobacco powder, tobacco extract, :.

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menthol, and the like.

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i II _9_ i~ i A flow accelerating means 34 is located at the downstream end of the porous substrate cylinder 28. The flow accelerating i; means 34 is shown as a diverging truncated hollow cone having a I I base circumferentfal dimension substantially equal to the b ~ circumferential dimension of the porous substrate cylinder I , with the base of the conical nozzle being immediately adjacent I

~ the downstream end of the porous substrate cylinder 28.
The l . '' ~
conical nozzle can be fabricated of virtually any convenient ;

ii material, such as a plastic or a metal.
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conventional cigarette wrapping paper is shown as ;i circumscribing the cylindrical body to give the smoking :i article ., 10 the~outward appearance of a conventional cigarette.
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i ' In use of tt~e smoking article 10, the smoker ignites the fuel element and draws on the mouth end of tt,e article to 15- ~~
cause ambient air to flow through the inlet section of the ;i thermal conducting member and into the gas inlet chamber I
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The heat of the ignited fuel element heats the hollow ~;
? inlet cylindrical section 24, the hollow outlet section 22, and I
;~ the transverse circular disc section.26 of the thermal 20 ~~ conducting member 20. The heated inlet section 24 heats the ~I sir passing therethrough into the gas inlet chamber 30, and the ::' ~ i heated outlet section 22 heats the air within the gas inlet ,,r chamber. And, the inlet section 24 and the transverse circular .. ~
disc section 26 of the thermal conducting member 20 prevent the ~~ flow of combustion gases generated by the ignited fuel element i I

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_2069290 ~i , 'i ;' 16 from entering the gas inlet chamber 30. The heated air ~I passes from the inlet chamber 30 and through the porous ~~ substrate cylinder 28, volatilizing the flavor generating l imaterial and aerosol generating material impregnating !the I ~porous substrate cylinder 28. The air, and volatilized flavorant and aerosol pass from the porous substrate cylinder 28 and through the flow accelerating means 34. The flow accelerating means 34 concentrates the air stream, and ~ ~accelerates it toward the filter rod 14 as it passes i~ito the gas/aerosol mixing chamber 32. As the air/flavorant/aerosal :

i s ~a ;~ mixture passes into the gas/aerosol mixing chamber 32 it I;
',,~ decelerates and expands filling the gas/aerosol mixing chamber ~~ 32 resulting in a homogeneous mixture of the air, flavorant, '' and aerosol before passing out of the gas/aerosol mixing chamber 32 through the filter rod 14 into the smokers mouth.

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With reference to Figure 3, there is shown another preferred embodiment of a thermal conducting member of non-unitary construction. Thermal conducting member 120 comprises a hollow 'i inlet cylinder 124, a hollow outlet cylinder 122, and a itransverse circular disc 126. These components have i substantially the same dimensions as previously described for the sections of the thermal conducting member 20 of unitary construction.
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;, The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for.
;i clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modifications'can be made by ~i those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may I
~~ be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and j scope of the appended claims.
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Claims

1. a smoking article comprising:
a) a combustible fuel element having a longitudinally extending opening therethrough;

b) a hollow circular thermal conducting member having an inlet section and an outlet section, said inlet section extending through said longitudinally extending opening of said combustible fuel element, said outlet section being larger in diameter than said inlet section;

c) a gas inlet chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet in flow communication with the inlet section of said hollow circular thermal conducting member;

d) a porous substrate cylinder impregnated with an aerosol generating material, said porous substrate having an upstream end and a downstream end, said upstream end of said porous substrate cylinder being adjacent to and in flow communication with the outlet of said gas inlet chamber;

e) a flow accelerating means having an opening therethrough, said flow accelerating means being adjacent to said downstream end of said porous substrate cylinder;

f) a gas/aerosol mixing chamber having an inlet and an outlet, said chamber inlet being adjacent to and in flow communication with said opening of said flow accelerating means;

g) a filter rod adjacent to said outlet of said gas/aerosol mixing chamber;

h) a combustible wrapper circumscribing the entire smoking article.

2. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein a flavor releasing material is added to said porous substrate cylinder.

3. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein said hollow thermal conducting member is of unitary construction.

4. The smoking article of claim 2, wherein the hollow thermal conducting member is of unitary construction.

5. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein said inlet section of said hollow thermal conducting member is a first cylinder and said outlet section of said hollow thermal conducting member is a second cylinder, said inlet and outlet sections being connected by a transverse circular disc having an opening therethrough, said first cylinder having an inner diamter of substantially the same diameter as the opening in said disc, said second cylinder having an outer diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said disc.

6. The smoking article of claim 5, wherein said inlet section, outlet section, and disc are constructed of heat conducting materials.

7. The smoking article of claim 2, wherein said inlet section of said hollow thermal conducting member is a first cylinder and said outlet section of said hollow thermal conducting member is a second cylinder, said inlet and outlet sections being connected by a transverse circular disc having an opening therethrough, said first cylinder having an inner diameter of substantially the same diameter as the opening in said disc, said second cylinder having an outer diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said disc.

8. The smoking article of claim 7, wherein said inlet section, outlet section, and disc are constructed of heat conducting materials.

9. The smoking article of claim 1 wherein the flow accelerating means is a hollow conical shaped nozzle, said nozzle being open at its vertex, said nozzle having a base adjacent to and of substantially the same diameter as said porous substrate cylinder, said vertex being directed toward said filter rod.

10. The smoking article of claim 2 wherein the flow accelerating means is a hollow conical shaped nozzle, said nozzle being open at its vertex, said nozzle having a base adjacent to and of substantially the same diameter as said porous substrate cylinder, said vertex being directed toward said filter rod.

11. The smoking article of claim 3 wherein the flow accelerating means is a hollow conical shaped nozzle, said nozzle being open at its vertex, said nozzle having a base adjacent to and of substantially the same diameter as said porous substrate cylinder, said vertex being directed toward said filter rod.

12. The smoking article of claim 4 wherein the flow accelerating means is a hollow conical shaped nozzle, said nozzle being open at its vertex, said nozzle having a base adjacent to and of substantially the same diameter as said porous substrate cylinder, said vertex being directed toward said filter rod.

13. The smoking article of claim 5 wherein the flow accelerating means is a hollow conical shaped nozzle, said nozzle being open at its vertex, said nozzle having a base adjacent to and of substantially the same diameter as said porous substrate cylinder, said vertex being directed toward said filter rod.

14. The smoking article of claim 6 wherein the flow accelerating means is a hollow conical shaped nozzle, said nozzle being open at its vertex, said nozzle having a base adjacent to and of substantially the same diameter as said porous substrate cylinder, said vertex being directed toward said filter rod.

15. The smoking article of claim 7 wherein the flow accelerating means is a hollow conical shaped nozzle, said nozzle being open at its vertex, said nozzle having a base adjacent to and of substantially the same diameter as said porous substrate cylinder, said vertex being directed toward said filter rod.

16. The smoking article of claim 8 wherein the flow accelerating means is a hollow conical shaped nozzle, said nozzle being open at its vertex, said nozzle having a base adjacent to and of substantially the same diameter as said porous substrate cylinder, said vertex being directed toward said filter rod.

17. The smoking article of any one of claims 1 to 16 further comprising a non-combustible hollow cylindrical body adjoining said thermal conducting member and circumscribing the porous substrate chamber, the flow accelerating means, the gas/aerosol outlet chamber, and the filter rod.

18. The smoking article of claim 17, wherein the non-combustible hollow cylindrical body adjoining said thermal conducting member also circumscribes a small portion of the gas inlet chamber.

19. The smoking article of any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein said outlet of said gas inlet chamber is substantially co-extensive with said outlet of said thermal conducting member.