EP0634113A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Tobacco filters and method of producing the same
Assignee: Daicel Corp
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Filing: 1994-07-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-07-13
Abstract
Abstract A filter rod is produced by adding a water-soluble polymer in the form of an aqueous solution or dispersion, or in a particulate form, to a tow of cellulose ester fiber, with the amount of any water used being controlled within 25 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow, and wrapping the treated tow in wrapping paper. The water contained in the filter rod is removed or the particulate water-soluble polymer is melted by heating to bond the fiber to provide a tobacco filter. The proportion of the water soluble polymer is 0.5 to 30 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight of the tow. To reduce the amount of water relative to the tow, a hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer may be employed. As the amount of water added to the tow is thus decreased, the tow can be smoothly wrapped up even at a high speed so that filter productivity is improved. This tobacco filter is highly wet-disintegratable and, hence, contributes to mitigation of the environmental pollution.
Inventors
- 👤 Hitoshi Tsugaya
- 👤 Hiroki Taniguchi
- 👤 Nobuyuki Oji
- 👤 Kanae Nishimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:01
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24D; A24D3/00; A24D3/06; A24D3/14; A24D3/02; A24D3/08; A24D3/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
50 words
A tobacco filter comprising a tow of cellulose ester fiber and a water-soluble polymer contained in said tow for bonding said fiber, said tow having been processed into a rod using not more than 25 parts by weight of water with respect to 100 parts by weight of the tow.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
A tobacco filter comprising a tow of cellulose ester fiber and a water-soluble polymer contained in said tow for bonding said fiber, said tow having been processed into a rod using not more than 25 parts by weight of water with respect to 100 parts by weight of the tow.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the amount of said water-soluble polymer based on 100 parts by weight of the tow is 0.5 to 30 parts by weight.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water-soluble polymer has a melting point in the range of 50 to 200°C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water-soluble polymer is at least one species selected from the group consisting of natural polysaccharides, animal and plant proteins, modified starches, starch derivatives, cellulose derivatives, vinyl polymers, acrylic polymers, polyalkylene oxides, polyesters and polyamides.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
87 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water-soluble polymer bonding the fiber is provided by an aqueous solution or dispersion of the polymer which is at least one species selected from the group consisting of (1) natural polysaccharides, (2) soluble starches and starch derivatives, (3) carboxymethylcellulose and its salt, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and cellulose acetate having an average degree of acetylation within the range of about 0.3 to 1, (4) polyvinyl alcohol, and (5) polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl ether, acrylic polymers and vinyl alkyl ether-maleic acid copolymers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
185 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water-soluble polymer is at least one species selected from the group consisting of (1) natural polysaccharides which show viscosities in the range of 2 to 500 cps as measured at 10% concentration in water, (2) soluble starches and starch derivatives which show viscosities in the range of 2 to 100 cps as measured at 10% concentration in water, (3) carboxymethylcellulose and its salt which show viscosities in the range of 10 to 500 cps as measured at 4% concentration in water, and hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and cellulose acetate having an average degree of acetylation of about 0.3 to 1, which show viscosities in the range of 5 to 500 cps as measured at 10% concentration in water, (4) polyvinyl alcohol which has a saponification degree of not less than 85% and a viscosity, as measured at 4% concentration in water, of 1 to 100 cps, and (5) polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl ether, acrylic polymers and vinyl alkyl ether-maleic acid copolymers which show viscosities in the range of 1 to 500 cps as measured at 10% concentration in water.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
A tobacco filter comprising a tow of a cellulose ester fiber having a degree of crimping in the range of 5 to 75 crimps per linear inch and a water-soluble polymer in a proportion of 1 to 10 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said tow, said water-soluble polymer being provided by an aqueous solution of the water-soluble polymer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
A tobacco filter comprising a tow of a cellulose ester fiber having a degree of crimping in the range of 5 to 75 crimps per linear inch and a water-soluble polymer in a proportion of 1 to 10 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said tow, said water-soluble polymer being provided by an aqueous solution of the water-soluble polymer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tobacco filter comprising a tow of cellulose ester fiber and a particulate water-soluble polymer bonding said cellulose ester fiber as contained in said tow.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tobacco filter comprising a tow of cellulose ester fiber and a particulate water-soluble polymer bonding said cellulose ester fiber as contained in said tow.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 8, wherein said water-soluble polymer is a hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer is at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyalkylene oxides, acrylic polymers, polyesters and polyamides.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 9, wherein the water-soluble polymer has a mean particle diameter of 1 to 500 µm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 9, which contains 3 to 25 parts by weight of a particulate water-soluble polymer relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 9, which contains 5 to 20 parts by weight of a particulate hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer having a melting point of 50 to 150°C, a melt viscosity of 150 to 75,000 cps at 150°C and a mean particle diameter of 30 to 300 µm relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cellulose ester fiber is additionally bonded by 0 to 10 parts by weight of a particulate hot-melt adhesive non-water-soluble polymer relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
A tobacco filter as claimed in claim 14, wherein the proportion of said non-water-soluble polymer is 0.5 to 8 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow and the ratio of the water-soluble polymer to the non-water-soluble polymer is 60-99/40-1 (by weight).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
87 words
A tobacco filter comprising a tow of a crimped cellulose ester fiber having a degree of crimping in the range of 10 to 50 crimps per linear inch and a particulate hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer having a melt viscosity of 200 to 50,000 cps at 150°C and a mean particle diameter of 50 to 200 µm, said particulate water-soluble polymer being contained in a proportion of 5 to 17 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow and bonding said cellulose ester fiber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
87 words
A tobacco filter comprising a tow of a crimped cellulose ester fiber having a degree of crimping in the range of 10 to 50 crimps per linear inch and a particulate hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer having a melt viscosity of 200 to 50,000 cps at 150°C and a mean particle diameter of 50 to 200 µm, said particulate water-soluble polymer being contained in a proportion of 5 to 17 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow and bonding said cellulose ester fiber.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter which comprises a adding step for adding an aqueous solution or dispersion of a water-soluble polymer to a tow of cellulose ester fiber, a processing step for processing the tow into a filter rod, and a drying step for removing the solvent from the filter rod, the level of addition of water in the adding step being controlled within the range of 0.5 to 20 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter which comprises a adding step for adding an aqueous solution or dispersion of a water-soluble polymer to a tow of cellulose ester fiber, a processing step for processing the tow into a filter rod, and a drying step for removing the solvent from the filter rod, the level of addition of water in the adding step being controlled within the range of 0.5 to 20 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter as claimed in claim 18, wherein said water-soluble polymer and water are used in an amount of 1 to 10 parts by weight and 1 to 15 parts by weight, respectively, relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow in the adding step and the tow is wrapped into the filter rod at a speed of 200 to 800 m/min. in the processing step.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter which comprises a first step for opening a tow of 3,000 to 1,000,000 monofilaments of a crimped cellulose ester fiber, each monofilament weighing 1 to 16 deniers, to a width of 100 to 500 mm, a second step for adding to the opened tow a water-soluble polymer in the form of an aqueous solution or dispersion such that 1 to 5 parts by weight of the water-soluble polymer and 1 to 15 parts by weight of water are applied to each 100 parts by weight of the tow, a step for wrapping the thus-treated tow in wrapping paper to provide a filter rod at a speed of 300 to 800 m/min., and a step for drying the filter rod.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter which comprises a first step for opening a tow of 3,000 to 1,000,000 monofilaments of a crimped cellulose ester fiber, each monofilament weighing 1 to 16 deniers, to a width of 100 to 500 mm, a second step for adding to the opened tow a water-soluble polymer in the form of an aqueous solution or dispersion such that 1 to 5 parts by weight of the water-soluble polymer and 1 to 15 parts by weight of water are applied to each 100 parts by weight of the tow, a step for wrapping the thus-treated tow in wrapping paper to provide a filter rod at a speed of 300 to 800 m/min., and a step for drying the filter rod.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
41 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter which comprises a step for adding or depositing a particulate hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer to a tow of cellulose ester fiber and a step for processing the water-soluble polymer-containing tow into a filter rod.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
41 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter which comprises a step for adding or depositing a particulate hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer to a tow of cellulose ester fiber and a step for processing the water-soluble polymer-containing tow into a filter rod.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter as claimed in claim 21, which comprises a step for adding a particulate hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer to an opened tow of cellulose ester fiber, a step for wrapping the water-soluble polymer-containing tow in wrapping paper to provide a filter rod, and a step for heating either the tow or the rod in or after the wrapping stage to melt the water-soluble polymer and cooling it to solidify the polymer for bonding said fiber.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter as claimed in claim 21 which comprises a step for spraying a melt hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer onto an opened tow of cellulose ester fiber and a step for wrapping the polymer melt-containing tow in wrapping paper to provide a filter rod.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter as claimed in claim 21, wherein a particulate water-soluble polymer having a mean particle diameter of 10 to 500 µm is deposited on the cellulose ester fiber.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter as claimed in claim 21, wherein the particulate hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer and a particulate hot-melt adhesive non-water-soluble polymer are added to the tow of cellulose ester fiber.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
108 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter which comprises a step for opening a tow of 5,000 to 500,000 monofilaments of cellulose ester fiber with a degree of crimping in the range of 15 to 50 crimps per linear inch, each monofilament weighing 1 to 10 deniers, to a width of 100 to 500 mm, a step for adding to the opened tow a particulate hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer in a proportion of 5 to 17 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow, and a step for wrapping the water-soluble polymer-deposited tow in wrapping paper at a speed of 300 to 800 m/min.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
108 words
A method for producing a tobacco filter which comprises a step for opening a tow of 5,000 to 500,000 monofilaments of cellulose ester fiber with a degree of crimping in the range of 15 to 50 crimps per linear inch, each monofilament weighing 1 to 10 deniers, to a width of 100 to 500 mm, a step for adding to the opened tow a particulate hot-melt adhesive water-soluble polymer in a proportion of 5 to 17 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the tow, and a step for wrapping the water-soluble polymer-deposited tow in wrapping paper at a speed of 300 to 800 m/min.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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