Tobacco smoke filter and method of production

Abstract

A product rod comprising a plurality of individual tobacco smoke filters or filter elements abutted end to end; and a wrapper engaged around the plurality of filters or filter elements, the wrapper including perforations.

1 . A method of forming a cigarette:
 providing a plurality of individual tobacco smoke filters or filter elements abutted end to end;   engaging a wrapper around the plurality of filters or filter elements;   perforating the wrapper with a line of 16 to 39 perforations in register with each junction between abutted filters or filter elements;   removing at least one of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements from the rest of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements; and   employing the at least one of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements removed from the rest of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements as a filter while rolling the cigarette.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the individual tobacco smoke filters, or individual tobacco smoke filter elements, are identical or substantially identical. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the wrapper is paper or other sheet material. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein the paper has basis weight of 15-50 gsm. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the perforations are symmetrical. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the perforations are oval or rectangular. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the perforations are of approximate dimensions 0.1 mm to 0.7 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the perforations are spaced at 10 to 25 holes per cm. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein:
 removing at least one of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements from the rest of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements includes removing a portion of the paper around the removed at least one of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements; and 
 further including maintaining the portion of the paper around the removed at least one of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements while rolling the cigarette. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the individual tobacco smoke filters or filter elements include a substantially cylindrical core of tobacco smoke filtering material. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the individual tobacco smoke filters or filter elements include a self-sustaining longitudinally extending cylindrical core of tobacco smoke filtering material. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the individual tobacco smoke filters or filter elements include a self-sustaining longitudinally extending cylindrical core comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending substantially continuous filaments of tobacco smoke filtering material which are bonded at their points of contact. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the individual tobacco smoke filters or filter elements include a self-sustaining longitudinally extending cylindrical core comprising a plurality of randomly oriented fibres of tobacco smoke filtering material which are bonded at their points of contact. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the individual tobacco smoke filters or filter elements include one or more continuous components extending substantially longitudinally of the cylindrical core. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a cigarette:
 providing a plurality of individual tobacco smoke filters or filter elements abutted end to end;   engaging a wrapper around the plurality of filters or filter elements;   perforating the wrapper with a line of perforations extending from one end of the product rod to the other end and defining a helix about the periphery of the product rod;   removing at least one of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements from the rest of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements; and   employing the at least one of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements removed from the rest of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements as a filter while rolling the cigarette.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the pitch of the helix defined by the line of the perforations is the length of a single individual filter or filter element. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the perforations are symmetrical. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the perforations are oval or rectangular. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the perforations are of approximate dimensions 0.1 mm to 0.7 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the perforations are spaced at 5 to 25 holes per cm. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the individual tobacco smoke filters, or individual tobacco smoke filter elements, are identical or substantially identical. 
     
     
         22 . A method of forming a cigarette:
 providing a plurality of individual tobacco smoke filters or filter elements abutted end to end;   engaging a wrapper around the plurality of filters or filter elements;   perforating the wrapper with a line of 16 to 39 perforations in register with each junction between abutted filters or filter elements;   removing one of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements from the rest of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements; and   employing the one of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements removed from the rest of the tobacco smoke filters or filter elements as a filter while rolling the cigarette.