Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21~198
A TOBACCO PRODUCT AND APPARATUS FOR l l~UI:llNl; A
USER-PREPARED CI~ARETTE - =
The present invention relates to a tobacco product and
5 apparatus for constructing a user-prepared cigarette, in
particular a filter cigarette.
User-prepared cigarettes are known wherein tobacco
portions each corresponding to the tobacco filling of a
10 f inished cigarette are factory prepared so that the user
must locate a tobacco portion within the tobacco-receiving
space of a cigarette-paper sheath to produce the cigarette.
In such tobacco portions, the circumferential surface of
the portion i9 defined by a strand casing made of
15 noncombustible, in particular nonsmokable material. In this
way the tobacco portion i5 stable in shape and matched at
least with respect to its cross section to the tobacco-
receiving space within the cigarette-paper sheath.
In patent US-A-3 822 710 is described a tobacco
product of the kind mentioned above, such that after said
product has been placed within the tobacco-receiving space
of an associated cigarette-paper sheath, the strand casing,
which comprises nonsmokable material, is pulled away from
the tobacco supply, i.e. out of the cigarette-paper sheath.
All that remains in the tobacco-receiving space of the
cigarette-paper sheath is then the tobacco supply itself.
The removal of the strand casing is accomplished by a clamp
that ~rasps it at its end, the tobacco supply ~eing
retained within the tobacco-receiving space in the
cigarette-paper sheath by a disk-shaped tobacco-retaining
element as the strand casing is pulled away and out.
However, the apparatus necessary to trans~er the tobacco
out of the nonsmokable strand casing into the tobacco-
receiving space of an associated cigarette-paper sheath is
relatively elaborate.
2 21~19g
It the object of the present invention to provide a
tobacco product and an associated apparatus for use in the
construction of a user-prepared cigarette, in particular a
filter cigarette, which facilitates the transfer of the
tobacco out of the strand casing into the tobacco-receiving
~pace of an associated cigarette-paper sheath.
According to a first aspect of the present invention
there is provided a tobacco product for use in the
construction of a user-prepared cigarette comprising a
tobacco portion corresponding to the tobacco fillins of a
finished cigarette, a strand casing made of a
noncombustible material which is located around the
circumferential surface of the tobacco portion whereby the
tobacco portion i9 made stable in shape and matched, at
least in its cross section, to a tobacco-receiving space
defined by a cigarette-paper sheath 80 that the tobacco
portion can be placed within the tobacco-receiving space of
the cigarette-paper sheath, and means disposed on the
strand casing for the removal thereof after the tobacco
portion has been placed in the tobacco-receiving space of
the cigarette-paper sheath.
According to a E~econd aspect of the present invention
there is provided apparatus for the preparation by the user
of a cigarette using a tobacco product according to the
first aspect of the invention, comprising a tube or a means
de~ining a trough-shaped receptacle capable o~ receiving
the tobacco product together with a cigarette-paper sheath,
and a tobacco-retaining member located at one of the tube
or said receptacle between which and either the tube or the
means de~ining said receptacle there is def ined a gap
through which the means for removing the strand casing from
the tobacco portion of the product can project out of the
tube.
21S6198
The tobacco product of the invention thus comprises
features that, in particular in combination with the
apparatus of the second aspect of the invention,
considerably facilitate the removal of the strand casing
5 from the tobacco and hence the transfer of the tobacco into
the tobacco-receiving space of an associated cigarette-
paper sheath. This is especially the case with regard to
especially to the state of the art as described in US-A-3
822 710, as detailed above, and also in DE-U 83 09 186. At
10 the same time, the advantages of the conventional
arrangements are not lost, namely:
- exact preportioning of tobacco by industrial manufacture;
- constant uniformity of taste;
- uniform smoking characteristics (smoking duration,
15 drawing properties); and
- a uniform predetermined content of noxious substances.
The various aspects of the present invention will now
be described by way of example with reference to the
20 accompanying drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a to~acco product
according to the f irst aspect of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tobacco product as
shown in Fig. 1 enclosed in a transfer apparatus according
to the second aspect of the invention;
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of the
apparatus shown in Fig. 2 enclosing a tobacco product as
s hown i n F i g . 1 c on ta i n ed w i th i n a p r e f a}: r i ca t ed f i 1 ter
cigarette-paper sheath; and
Fig . ~ is a perspective view of a modif ied tobacco
product according to the f irst aspect of the invention
positioned in a second embodiment of transfer apparatus.
4 21~61~8
In Fig. 1 i5 shown a tobacco product for constructing
a user-prepared cigarette, in particular a filter
cigarette. The tobacco product comprises a tobacco portion
10 corresponding to the tobacco filling of a finished
cigarette, the circumferential surface of which portion is
defined by a strand casing 11 made of a noncombustible and
in particular a nonsmokable material. Preferably, the
material of which the strand casing is made is aluminum-
backed paper. The shape of the tobacco portion 10 is kept
stable by the strand casing 11. Furthermore, the tobacco
portion 90 formed is matched in cross section and length to
the tobacco-receiving space 12 of a cigarette-paper sheath,
here cigarette-paper tube 13, in such a way that the
tobacco portion 10 can be placed within to completely fill
the tobacco-receiving space 12 of the cigarette-paper tube
13. For this purpose, the tobacco portion 10 is pushed
wholly into the tobacco-receiving space 12 of the
cigarette-paper tube by way of its end. The arrangement of
tobacco product 10 and cigarette-paper tube 13 with respect
to one another can be seen in Fig. 3. The cigarette-paper
tube 13 here is a filter cigarette-paper tube. The filter
tip is identified by the reference numeral 14.
On the strand casing 11 of the tobacco portion 10 two
diametrically opposed strips 15, 16 are disposed, typically
by being affixed using an adhesive. Each of the strips 15,
16 pro]ects beyond the end of the tobacco portion 10. In
the illustrated embodiment the strips 15, 16 are adhered to
the strand casing 11 over almost its full length, and hence
that of the associated tobacco portion 10. The strand
casing 11 further comprises two predetermined break-lines
in the form of perforation lines 17 which are located
diametrically opposite one another and longitudinally
oriented, their positions as viewed in transverse cross-
section being offset by 90- from those of the strips 15, 16
attachéd to the strand casing 11. Within the apparatus
2156198
described below for transferring the tobacco from the
strand casing 11 into the tobacco-receiving space 12 of the
cigarette-paper tube with removal of the strand casing 11,
these break-lines or perforation lines 17 are aligned with
5 blade- or knife-like cutting means so that when the strips
15, 16 are pulled, the strand casing i5 drawn away from the
tobacco and simultaneously cut along the perforation lines
17 while the tobacco is left behind. If the strips 15, 16
are appropriately arranged and strongly constructed, and
10 the strand casing 11 is relatively thin-walled, the above-
mentioned break-lines, in particular perforation lines 17,
do not need to be provided. However, the perforation lines
17 additionally ensure that the tobacco product or tobacco
portion 10 cannot be smoked unless it is enclosed in a
15 closely apposed cigarette-paper sheath.
In Figs . 2 and 3 is shown a f irst embodiment of an
apparatus for use in the preparation by the user of a
cigarette, in particular a filter cigarette, using a
20 tobacco product as shown in Fig. 1. This apparatus defines
a tube 18 designed to receive the tobacco portion 10
together with a cigarette-paper sheath, which will usually
be a ready-made filter cigarette-paper tube 13. One end of
the tube 18 is open so that the tobacco portion with
25 cigarette-paper sheath can be inserted whilst at the other
end is located a tobacco-retaining member in the form of a
centrally positioned disk 19, such that between the disk 19
and the tube 18 or its inner surface there is def ined a gap
20, through which the strips 15, 16 can be guided outward
30 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The disk 19 is joined to the
tube 18 or its inner surface by way of two diametrically
opposed bridges 21. ~ach of these connecting bridges 21
defines on its inner surface a knife- or blade-like cutting
edge 22 to divide the strand casing 11 as it is pulled out
35 of the cigarette-paper tube 13 by means of the strips 15,
16. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, the
2~ 8
strand casing 11, which is divided into two halves by the
cutting edges 22, is simultaneously pulled out of the tube
18 by means of the strips 15, 16, through the gap 20
between the tube 18 and the disk 19. In this way the
tobacco i5 retained in the tobacco-receiving space of the
cigarette-paper tube by the disk l9 while the strand casing
11 is removed by being pulled away from the tobacco supply
and out of the cigarette-paper tube. Preferably the filter
cigarette-paper tube filled with the tobacco portion 10 is
positioned within the tube 18 so that the cutting edges 22
of the bridges 21 that hold the disk lg in place act along
the above-mentioned perforation lines 17. To assist correct
positioning, a mark 23 can be provided on the outer edge of
the tube 18 at the end bearing the disk 19, offset by 90-
from the bridges 21. One of the two strips 15, 16 is to be
aligned with this mark. Then the perforation lines 17 will
be positioned at the level of the bridges 21 and hence of
their cutting edges 22.
The length of the tube 18, which is preferably
constructed from thin sheet metal or plastics, corresponds
approximately to the length of the tobacco portion 10 and
thus to the length of the tobacco-receiving space 12 of the
associated cigarette-paper sheath. The direction in which
the strips 15, 16 are to be pulled is shown by the arrows
24 in Fig. 3.
In Fig. 4 is shown a second embodiment of an apparatus
for preparation by the user of a cigarette, in particular a
filter cigarette, using a tobacco product or tobacco
portion 10 of the kind described above. This apparatus
comprises means defining a trough-shaped receptacle 25 for
the tobacco portion 10 together with cigarette-paper
sheath, here a ready-made filter cigarette-paper tube 13.
At one end of the receptacle, the front end in Fig. 4,
again is provided a tobacco-retaining member in the form of
21 S6~ .98
a disk 19, between which and said means defining the
trough-shaped receptacle 25 there is defined a gap 28
through which the strips 15, 16 extend and through which
the strand-casing material can be pulled and removed. In
5 the illustrated embodiment the tobacco-retaining disk 19 is
connected to the means def ining the trough-shaped
receptacle 25 by only one, somewhat more strongly
dimensioned bridge 21. The inner surface of the bridge 21
again comprises a cutting edge of the kind described above.
10 Nhen, after the cigarette-paper tube 13 filled with the
tobacco portion 10 has been positioned within the trough-
shaped receptacle 25 as shown in Fig. 4, the strips 15, 16
are pulled, the strand casing 11 of the tobacco portion 10
described above is cut by the cutting edge of the bridge
15 21. In this way the strand casing 11 can be pulled away
from the tobacco retained by the disk 19 and withdrawn from
the tobacco-receiving space of the cigarette-paper tube 13.
Preferably, a predetermined break-line, in particular a
line along which the material is weakened such as a
20 per~oration line or the like, is provided and aligned with
the bridge 21. The alignment can be achieved in a manner
such as described above, by re~erence to a mark f or one of
the two strips 15, 16 on the end of the trough-shaped
receptacle 25 that bears the disk 19.
The tobacco-retaining disk 19 can of course be held in
place by more than one bridge 21. Two or three such
connecting bridges 21 may be provided, each with a cutting
edge on its inner sur~ace. It is only necessary to ensure
30 that these bridges do not impede the positioning of the
cigarette-paper tube 13 ~illed with the tobacco portion 10
within the trough-shaped receptacle 25.
In Fig. 4 it is also indicated that the free ends of
35 the strips 15, 16 can be joined to one another by a curved
section 26, to form a loop. Such a loop facilitates the
21~198
pulling away and withdrawal of the strand casing 11 that
originally kept the tobacco together. The loop can also
incorporate a movement rod that can be moved in the
direction of pulling by means of a mechanism not
5 illustrated. Such an elaboration would be suitable for
incorporation in a "luxury" embodiment of the apparatus.
The perimeter of the trough-shaped receptacle 25
preferably extends over somewhat more than 180, so that
10 once the cigarette-paper tube 13 filled with the tobacco
portion 10 has been positioned in the receptacle, the two
long edges prevent it from accidentally falling out. Apart
from this, the cross section of the space within the
trough-shaped receptacle 25 i5 approximately semicircular.
15 The length of the trough-shaped receptacle 25 corresponds
to at least about half the length of the tobacco portion 10
or the tobacco--receiving space of the cigarette-paper tube
13 .
It is also possible to make the length of the tobacco
portion 10 somewhat greater than the length of the tobacco-
receiving space of the associated cigarette-paper sheath.
This allows for an axial compression of the tobacco, which
cannot always be avoided when the strand casing 11 is
pulled away against the action of the tobacco-retaining
disk 19. The dimensioning or length of the tobacco portion
10 ultimately depends on the consistency of the tobacco,
i.e. its moisture, density, and degree of previous
compress i on .
