Filter for a Smoking Article

Abstract

The invention relates to a filter ( 1 ) for a smoking article, a method of production thereof, a smoking article and a device for inserting a first fibrous filter material ( 3 ) into a second fibrous filter material ( 4 ) to form a filter for a smoking article. Particularly but not exclusively the invention relates to a smoking article filter segment including a region of first fibrous filter material ( 3 ) disposed within a region of second fibrous filter material ( 4 ) and a method of production thereof. The first fibrous filter material ( 3 ) in some embodiments comprises greater than 5% by volume of the total filter segment volume and in some embodiments the first fibrous material comprises PLA fibres and the second fibrous filter material comprises CA fibres.

1 . A filter segment for a smoking article, the filter segment comprising
 a region of first fibrous filter material disposed at least substantially within a region of second fibrous filter material,   wherein the first fibrous filter material comprises greater than 5% by volume of the total filter segment volume,   the second fibrous filter material is a plasticised filter material and the first fibrous filter material is a non-plasticised filter material.   
     
     
         2 . A filter segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fibrous filter material is disposed in a plurality of regions of the filter segment. 
     
     
         3 . A filter segment according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of regions can each comprise greater than 3% of the total filter segment volume. 
     
     
         4 . A filter segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fibrous filter materials comprise crimped fibres. 
     
     
         5 . A filter segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fibrous filter material comprises polylactide (PLA) fibres and/or the second fibrous filter material comprises cellulose acetate fibres. 
     
     
         6 . A filter segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fibrous filter material comprises from 5 to 60% by volume of the total filter segment volume. 
     
     
         7 . A filter segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fibrous filter material comprises from 10 to 60% by volume of the total filter segment volume. 
     
     
         8 . A filter segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fibrous filter material comprises from 200 to 10,000 fibres having a denier from 2 to 10 denier per filament. 
     
     
         9 . A filter segment according to  claim 1 , wherein the region of first fibrous filter material comprises a region extending longitudinally through the region of second fibrous filter material. 
     
     
         10 . A filter segment for a smoking article, the filter segment comprising
 a region of first fibrous material disposed at least substantially within a region of second fibrous material,   wherein the first fibrous material comprises polylactide (PLA) fibres.   
     
     
         11 . A filter segment according to  claim 10 , wherein the second fibrous material comprises cellulose acetate (CA) fibres. 
     
     
         12 . A smoking article comprising a filter segment according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A method of producing a filter segment for a smoking article, the method comprising:
 feeding a supply of a first fibrous filter material into a second fibrous filter material to form a filter segment,   controlling the delivery speed of the first fibrous filter material into the second fibrous filter material to meter the first fibrous material into the second fibrous filter material;   forming a region of first fibrous filter material disposed substantially within a region of second fibrous filter material,   wherein the first fibrous filter material comprises greater than 5% by volume of the total filter segment volume,   the second fibrous filter material is a plasticized filter material and the first fibrous filter material is a non-plasticized filter material.   
     
     
         23 . The method of producing a filter segment for a smoking article of  claim 13  wherein the step of feeding a supply of a first fibrous filter material into the second fibrous filter material includes adjusting a terminating end of needle within a tongue into which the second fibrous material flows. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , further comprising applying a plasticiser to said second fibrous filter material prior to feeding the supply of the first fibrous material into the second fibrous filter material. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , further comprising
 crimping said first and second fibrous filter materials prior to feeding the supply of the first fibrous material into the second fibrous filter material.   
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 13 , further comprising
 compressing said second fibrous filter material to form a filter rod and   feeding the supply of the first fibrous filter material into the second fibrous filter material while compressing the second fibrous filter material to form the filter rod.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first fibrous filter material is fed into the second fibrous filter material in a tongue section of a filter making apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first fibrous filter material comprises a thread of first fibrous filter material. 
     
     
         19 . A method of producing a filter for a smoking article, the method comprising:
 generating a fluid stream; and   transferring a first fibrous material along a transfer path through the fluid stream, and then into a flow of a second fibrous filter material.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein said fluid stream is generated using air pressure. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the first fibrous filter material is transferred into the flow of the second fibrous filter material in a tongue or stuffer jet section of a filter making apparatus. 
     
     
         22 . A device for inserting a first fibrous filter material into a second fibrous filter material to form a filter for a smoking article, the device comprising a pressure generator to generate a fluid stream, wherein said first fibrous material is transferred through said fluid stream generated by said pressure generator along a transfer path and then into a flow of said second fibrous filter material.