Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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RAYD:009
NICOTINE ENHANCED SI~OKING DEVICE
The present invention relates to a nicotine-enrich-
ment device for enhancing nicotine output of tobacco con-
taining ite~s being conventionally used.
Tobacco has been used for hundreds of years by many
cultures throuqhout the world. Presently, the most
popular method is smoking in the for~ of a ci~arette.
However, smoking ci~arettes is associated with inherent
health hazards. Cigarettes low in both tar and nicotine
are the result of recent efforts to provide a safer
cigarette.
~ edical research has established that nicotine is the
active inqredient in tobacco. Small doses of nicotine
provide the user with certain pleasurable effects result-
ing in the desire for additional doses. However, recentmedical research published by Russell et al, "Nasal Nico-
tine Solution, A Potential Aid To Giving Up Smoking?",
British ~1edical Journal, Volume 286 p. 683 (February 26,
1983), indicates that the nicotine itself is not a car-
cinoqen. There is also evidence that nicotine is notresponsible for the high rate of Premature death among
cigarette smokers, for example, see Wald, N. J. et al.,
Serum Nicotine Levels in Pipe Smokers; Evidence A~ainst
,,- ~,
,
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Nicotine As Cause of Coronary Heart Disease, The Lancet,
October 10, 1981, p. 1977. However, one who uses tobacco
in the form of conventional ciqarettes for the pleasurable
effects of nicotine must also risk the dangers of coronary
heart disease and cancer. These damages may arise from
other components of the smoke which may not contribute to
the pleasurable effects that nicotine may produce. As
Russell stated in the British Medical Journal (pp. 1~30-
1433, 1431 (12th June, 1976)), "People smoke for nicotine
but they die from the tar."
Medical research also indicates that there is no
correlation between the blood nicotine levels of smokers
and the nicotine yields of their cigarettes. Thus, many
smokers who switch to low nicotine brands for health
reasons usually end up smokinq more ciqarettes to maintain
the same blood nicotine levels. Russell, Nicotine Intake
and its Requlation, Journal of Psychosomatic Research,
Volume 24, p. 253 (December 1979~. Russell also points
out that smokers who cannot stop smokinq because they are
dependent on nicotine are not likely to be able to reduce
their nicotine intake by switching to ciqarettes which
deliver hardly any nicotine. A need therefore exists for
a cigarette with a hi~her nicotine to tar ratio. Such a
ci~arette would satisfy the desire for nicotine in an
individual unahle to quit smoking, while reducing poten-
tial health risks associated with the inhalation of tar or
other smoke components which are not pleasure-enhancing.
Previous attempts to increase the nicotine delivered
by a ciqarette do not provide for an efficient release of
nicotine from the ciqarette. For example, ~.S. Patent
3,280,823 to Bavley et al. discloses the incorporation of
a nicotine-cation exchanqe resin in a ciqarette filter.
Example 1 in column 9, reveals that the addition of 6.6
milligrams of nicotine (33~ times mg. of resin) results in
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the release of 0.15 milligrams nicotine, or 2.2% of the
nicotine added. Similarly, in Example 2, the nicotine
release efficiency is 2.1%. Incorporation of the
nicotine-cation e~change resin into the tobacco instead of
the filter as in U.S. Patent 3,109,436, to Bavley, et al.,
imPrOveS the nicotine release efficiency (2.9~ in Example
5 to 9.0~ in Example 7), but results in the introduction
of ion exchange resin combustion products into the smoke.
U.S. Patent 3,584,630 to Inskeep discloses the addi-
tion of carbon black having nicotine adsorbed on its sur-
face to ciqarettes. Incorporating the carbon black-ad-
sorbed nicotine into the filter portion of the ciqarette
results in a nicotine release efficiency ranging from 1.7
in Example 3 to 5.6% in Example 2. Adding the carbon
black-adsorbed nicotine to the tobacco portion of the
cigarette results in an efficiency of 12.4%, but aqain,
carbon black and nicotine combustion products are intro-
duced into the smoke. These patents also disclose that it
is not feasible to add nicotine per se to tobacco products
because of the volatility and chemical instability of
nicotlne .
The use of ciqarette holders to contain filters for
entrapment of tar and nicotine is well known. Addition-
ally U.S. Patent No. 4,227,540, issued to Edison,
describes a cigarette holder comprising a cartridge con-
taining menthol crystals for the menthol fortification of
ciqarette smoke inhaled therethrou~h. These menthol
crystals are also therein speculated as removing at least
some tar and nicotine from tobacco smoke.
A nicotine-dispensing device comprising a housing and
a gas-permeable nicotine-dispensing unit. The housing is
resistant to n;cotine absorption and has a mouthpiece end
with an opening and a cigarette-receiving end with an
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opening. The housing defines a passageway between the
openings. The nicotine-dispensing unit comprises nicotine
and a gas-permeable substance adsorptive for nicotine and
resistant to nicotine absorption.
The nicotine dispensing device may be disposable with
an affixed nicotine dispensing unit. This device may also
be semi-permanent or reusable with :replaceable nicotine
dispensing unit cartridges.
This nicotine-dispensing unit is interposed in the
passageway of the housing so that gases passing through
the passageway become enriched in vaporous nicotine.
In a further embodiment, the invention contemplates a
nicotine-enhanced smoking device which comprises a first
portion comprising combustible material and a housing with
the material contained in the housing, and a second portion
attached to the first portion which is characterized by
containing filter fibers and a nicotine solution, with the
configuration of the first and second portions permitting
interaction of combustion products of the first portion with
the nicotine solution.
The nicotine solution of the smoking device can comprise
5-15~ by weight of total solution, of nicotine or a nicotine
salt in a solvent.
Additionally, the invention includes a method for
enhancing the nicotine content of inhaled cigarette smoke which
includes emplacing in the path of smoke to be inhaled a
nicotine-dispensing unit comprising a gas-permeable substance
adsorptive for nicotine and resistant to nicotine absorption,
and nicotine with the unit being interposed in a passageway
defined by a housing with a mouthpiece end and a cigarette-
~ receiving end.
~2~53~L
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Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of an embodi-
ment of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodi-
ment of the present invention taken along the sectional
S lines 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a sectional view of an embodiment of
the present invention taken along -the sectional lines 3-3
of Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows a sectional view of an embodiment of
the present invention taken along the sectional lines 4-4
of Figure 1.
Figure 5 shows an exploded perspective view of a
two-pieced housing embodiment and cartridge of an embodi-
ment of the present invention.
Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional assembly view of the
embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5.
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Fiqure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodi-
ment of the present invention taken alonq the section
lines 7-7 in Fiqure 6.
Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodi-
ment of the present invention taken along the section
lines 8-8 in Figure 6.
The nicotine-dispensing device of the present inven-
tion may take the form and appearance of a conventional
cigarette holder with a housing having a cigarette receiv-
ing end with a first opening and a mouthpiece end, with a
second openinq. The housinq is shaped to contain a nico-
tine dispensing unit and may also contain a tar filter
which may be the same as, or an addition to the nicotine
dispensinq unit. The unit and, if desired, the tar
filter, may be contained in a removable cartridge.
The housinq may be a sinqle piece with an affixed
nicotine dispensinq unit and be constructed, for example,
to be disposed of after usaqe with a single pack of
cigarettes or when it is substantially exhausted of vapor-
izable nicotine.
Alternatively, the housing may comprise two rever-
sibly attachable sections, a first section having a mouth-
piece end and a second section having a ciqarette-receiv-
ing end. This two-section housing is adapted to rever-
sibly receive a cartridqe-like nicotine dispensin~ unit.
The nicotine dlspensing unit may also have tar ~iltration
capabilities in the form of a tar filter, most preferably
comprisinq cellulose acetate fibers. With a two-piece
housing, the cartridge-like nicotine dispensing unit may
be chanqed after usaqe, for example, with one pack of
ciqarettes.
:124~S3~
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In certain embodiments it may be desired to have
cartridge-like nicotine dispensing units with both ends
sealed to retain nicotine prior to usaae. In this case
the first housing piece and the second housing piece would
have internal puncturinq means situated to puncture both
ends of the cartridge-like nicotine dispensing unit when
said unit is inserted in the housing and the housinq
pieces are assembled. Durin~ usage of this embodiment,
ci~arette smoke may pass through the punctured cartridqe
ends and be inhaled enriched in nicotine.
A broad aspect of the present invention concerns a
porous nicotine dispensinq unit which enriches ci~arette
smoke with nicotine. This unit is preferably part of a
ciqarette holder of conventional shape and desi~n.
Materials ~referably utilized for the housing as well
as the cartridqe for a nicotine dispensing device of the
present invention preferably should absorb little or no
nicotine and be chemically non-reactive with nicotine
under ambient conditions. Substances such as polybutylene
terephthalate, polyvinylfluoride, reinforced plastic such
as Fiberglass, polyesters, tetrafluoroethylene fluoro-
carbon polymers such as Teflon, nylon or mixtures thereof,
for example are suitable synthetics for production of the
housinq or cartridqe of the present invention.
The nicotine-dispensinq units of the present inven-
tion most preferably neither chemically react with,
stronqly bond nor absorb nicotine. These units should
physically have lar~e surface areas and be permeable by
qases because of a fibrous or porous structure. The
materials of which these units are preferably made are
substances which adsorb rather than absorb nicotine. The
various synthetics mentioned above as preferably used for
construction of the housin~ are also usable for the nico-
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tine dispensin~ units if their physical form is one of a
hiqh surface to volume ratio and in permeable to gases.
Additionally, numerous polyesters having he a~ove charac-
teristicsare available.
In Figure 1, and Fiqure 2, generally designated by
the numeral 10, is a nicotine dispensing device of the
present invention in the form of a one piece cigarette
holder. The device 10 comprises a housing 12 having a
ciqarette receiving end 14 and a mouthpiece end 16. A
cigarette 18 is positioned for insertion into the cylin-
drical port 20 opening at the cigarette receiving end 14.
As shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 the device 10 com-
prises a nicotine dispensing unit 22 contained within thehousing 12. The nicotine dispensing unit 22 in this em-
bodiment is schematically shown as a fibrous or porous
gas-permeable barrier in the passageway 2~ defined by the
ar~ows 26, 28 and enclosed by the inner housing walls 30.
The passa~eway 24 has an openinq 25 in the mouthpiece end
16 and an opening 27 in the cigarette receiving end 14
corresponding to the port 20. The passa~eway 24 may also
contain conventional cigarette smoke filtering material
(not shown) between the nicotine dispensing unit 22 and
the port 20.
The nicotine dispensing unit 22, as schematically
designated in Figure 2 and Figure 3, completely occludes
the passageway 24 so that all smoke from a cigarette 18
inserted in the device 10 and inhaled through the device
10 permeates the nicotine dispensing unit 22. It-is also
possible, as schematically shown in Figure 4, to utilize a
nicotine dispensing unit 22a contained within a conven-
tional tar or cigarette smoke filter unit 32, so that only
a proportion of smoke inhaled through a device 10 passes
throu~h the nicotine dispensing unit 22a, the rest of the
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smoke passing through the conventional tar or cigarette
smoke filter unit 32. In this manner, the usable nicotine
productive life of the nicotine dispensing unit may be
extended. Such a parallel alignment of nicotine dispens-
ing unit 22a and tar filter 32 may be replaced, forexa~ple by a tar filter (not shown) between a nicotine
dispensing unit 22 and the cigarette receiving end 24,
this being in series.
Another embodiment of the nicotine-dispensing device
of the present invention is shown in Figure S and gener-
ally designated by the numeral 40. The housinq 42 of the
device 40 has a first section 44 with a mouthpiece end 46
and an externally threaded end 48. The second section 50
of the housing 42 has a cigarette receiving end 52 and an
internally threaded end 54~ The threaded ends 48 and 54
are adapted to be threaded together~ as shown cross-
sectionally in Figure 6. A cigarette 56 is also shown in
an inserted position. While a threaded attachment is
visualized as a preferred method o~ attachment ~or the
sections 44 and 50 many means of such reversible attach-
ment are well known and considered within the scope of the
present invention.
The device 40 has a nicotine dispensing unit 58 en-
cased in a cartridqe 60. This nicotine-dispensing unit 58
is removably insertable into the disassembled device 40 as
shown in Fiqure 5. In this embodiment the cartridge 60
has openinqs 62 at both ends 64 and 66. The nicotine
dispensing unit 58 may be contained in a sealed cartridge
(not shown) without end openings. When such a sealed
cartrid~e is utilized, the housing sections 44 and 50 may
be ~odified to contain puncturing means such as sharp
conical metal edges (not shown) positioned to pierce the
sealed ends 64 and 66 of the modified cartridge upon
threaded engagement of the two housing sections 44 and 50.
3L24~iS3~L
g
When the cartridge 60 is mounted in the housing 42,
the outer surface of wall 68 of the cartridge 60 is
closely engaqed by the inner surface of cylindrical wall
70 of the housina 42 so that smoke from an inserted
ciqarette passing throuqh the device 40 will essentially
all pass through the nicotine dispensinq unit 58. As
discussed in relation to the earlier embodiment o~ the
nicotine-dispensing device 10, the nicotine disbursement
unit 58 may be arranged in series or parallel with a
conventional cigarette tar-removing filter.
EXAMP~E 1
MODIFIED CO VENTIONAL CIGARETTE HOLDER
A Tar-Guard~ cartridge-type cigarette holder plus
several cartridges (Venturi, Inc., 2345 Walker Ave., Grand
Rapids, Mich.) were obtained. Each cartridge had the
holes in each end enlarged. The baffles of the cartridge
were removed and replaced by about 50 mg of polyester
fibers. An amount of free (at least 9~% pure as sold by
East~an Kodak and further purified by vacuum distillation)
nicotine between about 1 and 2 mg was loaded in and
adsorbed by the fibers in each of three cartridqes. Each
cartridge in turn was retested in a ciqarette holder.
Ultra-mild, (i.e., heavily filtered) cigarettes,
relatively tasteless to the inveterate smoker, were
inserted into this modified Tar-Guard~ cigarette holder.
Upon lighting the cigarette and inhaling throuqh the
nicotine-containing cartridge, several participating
smokers acknowledged sensations of inhaling smoke from a
li~htly filtered or unfiltered cigarette. The amount of
nicotine in the polyester fiber was found to be related to
the sensed strength of the inhaled smoke.
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As a nicotine-containing cartridge was used, an
apparent deposit of tars began to appear on fibers nearest
the cigarette. Thus, carcino~enic tars from the "ultra
mild" cigarette smoke were further removed while nicotine
was enhanced.
The nicotine-enhanced smokinq device of the present
invention may take the form and appearance of any
conventional smokinq device such as a cigarette. The
davice includes a first portion that is combustible to
produce smoke that may be inhaled by the user. The first
portion may include any nicotine or non-nicotine bearing
material, including tobacco, cocoa or the like which
produces a relatively pleasant, inhalable smoke. The
first portion also includes a shell that contains the
combustible material. The shell is subject to
considerable variety, dependent solely on the user's
personal tastes and preferences. The shell may be paper
such as that used in forming ciqarettes In addition, the
shell may be dried tohacco leaves~such as used with
cigars.
The second portion, typically a cigarette filter, is
connected to the first portion so as to be in the line of
passaqe of the smoke produced in the first portion in
route to a user's lungs. The second portion may be
permanently affixed to or removably secured to the first
portion. For example, the second portion may have t'ne
appearance of a paper wrapped ciqarette and may be bound
within the same paper that covers the first portion. Also
the second portion may have the tobacco wrapped
confiquration of a cigar and may be bound within the same
tobacco wrappex as the first portion.
The first and second portions may be a conventional
filter-tipped ciqarette having the nicotine solution con-
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tained in the filter. Preferably, the conventional ciqa-
rette is a low tar cigarette.
The nicotine solution of this invention may be incor-
porated into the filter by injection after the cigaretteis manufactured. Alternatively, the nicotine solution may
be coated on the fibers comprisin~ the filter before they
are made into filters which are used in cigarette manufac-
ture.
The nicotine in the nicotine solution of this inven-
tion is selected from the qroup consisting of nicotine
(d), nicotine (1), nicotine (dl) and nicotine salts.
Nicotine is colorless or yellow in color and is character-
ized by being oily and very hy~roscopic. Nicotine turnsto the familiar brown color on exposure to liqht or air.
Nicotine is obtained by extraction from dried tobacco
leaves where it occurs to the extent o~ 2% to 8%, combined
with citric, maleic and other acids. The commercial nico-
tine which is available in the marketplace is entirely a
byproduct of the tobacco industry. Extraction and purifi-
cation procedures are generally well-known in this indus-
try.
In one embodiment of the present invention, nicotine
may be complexed with another substance to form a nicotine
moiety which is resistant to evaporation and degradation.
Materials found to be useful in forming the nicotine
moiety include alcohols, esters, hydrocarbons, aldehydes,
ketones and ethers. The preferred complexing materials
are polysiloxanes, such as polyphenylmethylsiloxane.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the
nicotine solution comprises nicotine salts in a solvent.
The solvent may be organic, but is preferably aqueous.
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The nicotine salts are easily obtained by reacting an acid
with nicotine. The acid may be organic or inor~anic.
Inorganic acids are preferred because they result in less
tar being delivered to the smoker.
The nicotine solution of this invention may contain
5% to 15~ nicotine, by weight of the total solution. The
preferred amount is 10%.
Example 1
A nicotine solution was prepared by mixing nicotine,
obtained from Eastman Chemical, Stock No. 1242, with Poly-
synlane obtained from Dow Chemical, Stock No. 556, in a 1
to 10 volume ratio of nicotine/Polysynlane. Ten milli-
grams of the nicotine solution was injected intermediately
into the filter of a Kent brand 8S millimeter low tar
ci~arette. Vsing standard FTC determinations of tar and
nicotine the nicotine-enhanced ciqarette delivered an
avera~e of 0.48 milliqrams nicotine per cigarette and 3.34
milligrams tar per cigarette, compared to the FTC standard
of 0.3 milli~rams nicotine ~er cigarette and 2.0 milli-
qrams tar per cigarette. Thus, the nicotine release effi-
ciency was 12.4~. When smoked, the cigarette had the
effect of a strong ciqarette such as Marlboro brand or
Camel hrand.
* * * * *
Further modifications of the presen-t invention will
be apparent to those skilled in the art who have had the
benefit of this disclosure. Such modifications however
lie within the spirit and scope of the invention as
defined by the following claims.
