US3604428A - Cigarette filter - Google Patents

Abstract

A combination tar-and-nicotine removal device which accelerates tobacco smoke and impinges same against a barrier in which each side of the accelerating device is enclosed by built-in plugs.

Description

United States Patent inventor A. K. Moukaddem Abu-Samra SL, Luiti Rabbara Building, Tripoli, Lebanon Appl. No. 833,889

Filed June 9, 1969 Patented Sept. 14, 1971 CIGARETTE FILTER 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. C1 131/l0.5, 131/10.7,131/201, 131/210 Int. Cl ..A24d 01/04, A24fO1/08,A24f01/16 Field of Search 13 l/10.5,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,250,280 5/1966 Hu 131/10.5 X 3,313,308 4/1967 Grasso 131/210 X 3,318,312 5/1967 Curtis, lr. 13l/l0.7 X 3,318,316 5/1967 Banderasetal. l3l/10.5X 3,343,547 9/1967 Gi1l,Jr 131/261 B 3,351,072 11/1967 Baum etaL. 131/10.5X 3,468,316 9/1969 Baumetal 131/210X Primary Examiner-Samuel Koren Assistant Examiner-J. F. Pitrelli Attorney-John J. Byrne ABSTRACT: A combination tar-and-nicotine removal device which accelerates tobacco smoke and impinges same against a barrier in which each side of the accelerating device is enclosed by built-in plugs.

IN VENTOR ABDUL -KADEI? MOUKADDE M PATENTED SEP] 4 Ian B Wg- W ATTORNEY CIGARETTE FILTER it is a principal objective of this invention to provide a device which efficiently separates harmful tars and nicotines from tobacco smoke.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a device which removes the deleterious material from the tobacco smoke without appreciably affecting the natural aromatic and taste qualities thereof.

Another objective of this invention provides a device for removing tar and other deleterious materials from cigarette smoke which is sufiiciently inexpensive to be used with each individual cigarette and discarded therewith.

A further objective of this invention is to provide the smoke path with an elongated passageway in which the smoke is speeded to high velocities and thereafter impinged upon a solid barrier. As the smoke departs from the barrier, it is caused to strike a second barrier prior to passing through a final filter prior to reaching the mouth of the smoker. The lighter weight aromatic smoke particles which comprise that part of the smoke leading to enjoyment, will traverse the above-mentioned path while leaving the deleterious material behind.

Another important objective of this invention is to provide such a filtering apparatus which can be made of low-cost plastic and which does not materially increase the smokers draw.

A still further objective of this invention is to provide a filter of the type described which does not increase the length of the filter beyond acceptable dimensions.

A still further objective of this invention is to provide a filtering arrangement wherein an accelerating passageway is centrally located which will thereby produce an even burning of the cigarette,

A still further objective of this invention is to provide a nicotine removal cotton filter in combination with a plastic tar-removal apparatus.

Another important objective of this invention is to provide a filter apparatus of plastic and cotton which provides a comfortable assembly to the mouth of the smoker and at the same time is sufficiently inexpensive for production by large-scale molding processes.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following detailed description when viewed in light of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the device of this invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of important elements thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a cross section of another embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, the numeral indicates generally the assembly of this invention. The assembly includes asleeve 12 which is adapted to receive the one end of a cigarette C. Cigarette C is circumscribed with a standard paper covering 14.

Disposed immediately adjacent the rearward end of cigarette C is a cotton plug orfiltering element 16. Theelement 16 aids in removing nicotine as the smoke passes therethrough. Another principal function of theplug 16 is to prevent bits of tobacco and other foreign matter from reaching the tar-removal device 18. in the described embodiment, thetar removal device 18 is an impervious plastic member formed with achamber 20 at one end thereof which, within anannular rim 19, is shaped by a conical surface 11. Thesurface 22 tapers to acentral passageway 24. Thefirst end 26 of the passageway is in communication with the chamber 21 An imperviousplastic member 28 is disposed at the opposite end of thepassageway 24. Themember 28 includes asemicircular spacer portion 29 which can be secured to theelement 18 by a screw or the like 30. Abarrier portion 32 of themember 28 is disposed in spaced axial relationship to thepassageway 24. As seen best in FIG. 2, thebarrier portion 32 forms acrosscut chamber 36 with the end portion of theelement 18. Note that the diameter of thebarrier portion 32 is slightly less than the diameter portion of themember 18 and thus there is formed an arcuate passageway 40 with the interior surface of thesleeve 12.

Asecond barrier 42 is also disposed within thesleeve 12. The second barrieris also of impervious plastic material and is located opposite the arcuate chamber 40. Coplanar with thesecond barrier 42 is asecond cotton plug 44 which is dampened with a water-alcohol solution. Theplug 44 can be adhered tobarrier 42 such as by glue or the like and the entire plug-barrier assembly is then adhered to the interior of thesleeve 12. Note that the inner surface of thebarrier 42 is curved at 48 and theouter surface 50 thereof is in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cigarette. Enclosing the outer end of thesleeve 12 is aconventional filtering element 52 which can be of cellulose, cotton or paper. Thefilters 44 and 52 will absorb tars and nicotine which have not been cleansed from the smoke by the previously described construction.

The operation of the invention can best be understood by following the path of the smoke as the smoker draws on theouter end 56 of thesleeve 12. The smoke is first drawn through thefilter 16 and collects in thechamber 20. The smoke is then guided topassageway 24 by theconical surface 22 where it gathers great speed because of the reduced diameter ofpassageway 24. It is suspected that velocities of 300 to 350 km./hr. are reached, depending on the length and width ofpassageway 24, at the time the smoke stream strikes thebarrier 32 and enters thechamber 36. impingement at such high speeds causes the lighter and more desirable elements of the smoke to pass through the arcuate passageway 40 while leaving much of the tar entrained in thecrosscut chamber 36. The smoke which leaves thechamber 36 passes the arcuate passageway 40 at a reduced velocity. However, the smoke strikes thecircular surface 48 prior to finding its way throughfilters 44 and 52.

As seen in FIG. 1, theelements 28 and 18 are separate pieces secured together by ascrew 30, If desired, however, these elements can be formed as a one-piece unit as seen in FIG. 4. The embodiment of FIG. 4 is hollow in cross section for purposes of maintaining a lightweight structure and for conserving materials, though it is to be understood that it could be formed of a solid cross section if desired.

It can be seen that there has been described an effective filter which combines a nicotine removal and tar removal apparatus into a very efficient, compact and inexpensive package.

I claim:

1. A tip device for use with a cigarette comprising a sleeve having a first portion at an inner end thereof receiving one end of said cigarette,

a plug of porous absorbent material located against said one end,

a cylindrical member having a chambered end disposed adjacent said plug and having a centrally disposed passageway having a first end leading to said chamber and having a second end,

a first barrier spaced from said second end and located along the axis of said passageway, said first barrier ex tending from said sleeve and having a free edge portion spaced from said sleeve on the opposite side thereof,

a second plug of porous absorbent material spaced from said barrier and forming a second chamber therewith,

a second barrier in said second chamber and transversely coplanar with said second plug and spaced from said first barrier, said second barrier being affixed to said opposite side of said sleeve and having a free edge portion extending into said second chamber and located at a distance from said opposite side of said sleeve greater than the space between said free edge portion of said first barrier and said opposite side ofsaid sleeve,

and a'filter enclosed in the outer end of said sleeve and located next to said second plug,

said first barrier spacing providing means communicating said passageway to said second chamber whereby a gas drawn from said inner end toward said outer end is accelerated when passing through said passageway and impinged against said barrier prior to reaching said outer end.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said means is an arcuate passageway between said sleeve and first barrier and axially nonaligned with said passageway.

3. The device of claim 1 where said cylindrical member is of a plastic material.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said cylindrical member and said first barrier are integral with one another forming a single element.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said element is of a plastic material.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said element is hollow.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said second barrier is of a plastic material.

8. A smoke-treating device comprising a sleeve, a cylindrical element within said sleeve and having a chamber at one end thereof having a surface leading to the first end of an axially disposed passageway through said cylindrical element and of a diameter substantially less than that of said element,

a first barrier overlapping the other end of said passageway and extending radially inwardly from said sleeve, said first barrier having a portion spaced from said sleeve to form a second axial passageway transversely offset from said first passageway means supporting said first barrier in spaced relationship to said other end of said passageway and a second barrier axially spaced from said first barrier and extending radially inwardly from said sleeve in a direction opposite that of said first barrier a distance sufficient to overlap said second passageway, said second barrier having a portion spaced from said sleeve to form a third axial passageway offset from said second passageway, said third passageway being filled by a porous absorbent disklike plug transversely coplanar with said second barrier.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein filter means are disposed at either end of said element

Claims (9)

1. A tip device for use with a cigarette comprising a sleeve having a first portion at an inner end thereof receiving one end of said cigarette, a plug of porous absorbent material located against said one end, a cylindrical member having a chambered end disposed adjacent said plug and having a centrally disposed passageway having a first end leading to said chamber and having a second end, a first barrier spaced from said second end and located along the axis of said passageway, said first barrier extending from said sleeve and havinG a free edge portion spaced from said sleeve on the opposite side thereof, a second plug of porous absorbent material spaced from said barrier and forming a second chamber therewith, a second barrier in said second chamber and transversely coplanar with said second plug and spaced from said first barrier, said second barrier being affixed to said opposite side of said sleeve and having a free edge portion extending into said second chamber and located at a distance from said opposite side of said sleeve greater than the space between said free edge portion of said first barrier and said opposite side of said sleeve, and a filter enclosed in the outer end of said sleeve and located next to said second plug, said first barrier spacing providing means communicating said passageway to said second chamber whereby a gas drawn from said inner end toward said outer end is accelerated when passing through said passageway and impinged against said barrier prior to reaching said outer end.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said means is an arcuate passageway between said sleeve and first barrier and axially nonaligned with said passageway.

3. The device of claim 1 where said cylindrical member is of a plastic material.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said cylindrical member and said first barrier are integral with one another forming a single element.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said element is of a plastic material.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said element is hollow.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said second barrier is of a plastic material.

8. A smoke-treating device comprising a sleeve, a cylindrical element within said sleeve and having a chamber at one end thereof having a surface leading to the first end of an axially disposed passageway through said cylindrical element and of a diameter substantially less than that of said element, a first barrier overlapping the other end of said passageway and extending radially inwardly from said sleeve, said first barrier having a portion spaced from said sleeve to form a second axial passageway transversely offset from said first passageway means supporting said first barrier in spaced axial relationship to said other end of said passageway and a second barrier axially spaced from said first barrier and extending radially inwardly from said sleeve in a direction opposite that of said first barrier a distance sufficient to overlap said second passageway, said second barrier having a portion spaced from said sleeve to form a third axial passageway offset from said second passageway, said third passageway being filled by a porous absorbent disklike plug transversely coplanar with said second barrier.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein filter means are disposed at either end of said element.

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