Filter element, mouthpiece and cooling element

Abstract

There is disclosed a mouth piece, filter element or cooling element 100 comprising: a longitudinally extending core of filtering material 102; one or more channels 104 extending longitudinally from an end of the core 102; wherein the or each channel 104 has a non-circular transverse cross section which varies in the longitudinal direction by rotating about a longitudinal axis I of the mouth piece, filter element or cooling element 100.

1 . A mouth piece or filter element comprising: a longitudinally extending core of filtering material; one or more channels extending longitudinally from an end of the core; wherein the or each channel has a non-circular transverse cross section which varies in the longitudinal direction by rotating about a longitudinal axis of the mouth piece or filter element. 
     
     
         2 . The mouthpiece or filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the or each channel has a transverse cross section which is a modified circle having one or more protuberant portions extending towards the centre of the circle. 
     
     
         3 . The mouthpiece or filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the or each channel has a cross shaped or rectangular transverse cross section. 
     
     
         4 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the or each channel comprises one or more ridges which extend helically about a longitudinal axis of the mouth piece or filter element. 
     
     
         5 . A mouth piece or filter element comprising: a longitudinally extending core of filtering material; and one or more channels extending longitudinally from an end of the core, wherein the or each channel has an inner surface; wherein the inner surface of the or each channel comprises one or more ridges which extend helically about a longitudinal axis of the mouth piece or filter element. 
     
     
         6 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the or each channel is defined by the filtering material. 
     
     
         7 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the or each channel extends along the entire length of the core. 
     
     
         8 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 4 , wherein the one or more ridges extend along the entire length of the inner surface of the channel. 
     
     
         9 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 4 , wherein the one or more ridges are integrally formed with the inner surface of the channel. 
     
     
         10 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 4 , wherein the inner surface of the or each channel comprises two ridges. 
     
     
         11 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 1 , comprising two, three or four channels. 
     
     
         12 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the circumference of the longitudinally extending core of filtering material is from 14 mm to 25 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinally extending core of filtering material has a total denier from 20000 to 100000 g per 9000 m. 
     
     
         14 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the filtering material comprises cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         15 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 1 , wherein the filtering material comprises a plasticiser. 
     
     
         16 . A filter, comprising a filter element according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A filter according to  claim 16 , comprising a further filter element joined to the first filter element. 
     
     
         18 . A filter according to  claim 17 , wherein the further filter element comprises an additive. 
     
     
         19 . A filter according to  claim 16 , further comprising second filter element joined to the first filter element, wherein the second filter element comprises a longitudinally extending core of smoke filtering material and a capsule fully enclosed within the core of smoke filtering material, wherein the capsule comprises a smoke modifying agent. 
     
     
         20 . A filter according to  claim 16 , wherein the or each channel has a cross shaped transverse cross section. 
     
     
         21 . A multiple rod, comprising a plurality of mouthpieces or filter elements according to  claim 1  joined end-to-end in a mirror image relationship. 
     
     
         22 . A smoking article, comprising a mouthpiece or filter element according to  claim 1 , the mouthpiece or filter element being joined to a rod of smokable material. 
     
     
         23 . A cooling element, comprising a longitudinally extending core of filtering material; and one or more channels extending longitudinally from an end of the core; wherein the or each channel has a non-circular transverse cross section which varies in the longitudinal direction by rotating about a longitudinal axis of the cooling element. 
     
     
         24 . A cooling element comprising: a longitudinally extending core of filtering material; and one or more channels extending longitudinally from an end of the core, the or each channel having an inner surface; wherein the inner surface of the or each channel comprises one or more ridges which extend helically about a longitudinal axis of the cooling element. 
     
     
         25 . A heated aerosol generating system comprising the cooling element according to  claim 23 . 
     
     
         26 . A method of making a mouthpiece, filter element or cooling element comprising: drawing filtering material through a shaping element to form a longitudinally extending core of filtering material, wherein the shaping element comprises one or more rotating rods having a non-circular transverse cross section, the or each rotating rod forming one or more channels within the core of filtering material, wherein the or each channel has a transverse cross section that varies in the longitudinal direction by rotating about a longitudinal axis of the mouth piece, filter element or cooling element. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the or each rod comprises one or more grooves which form one or more ridges on the inner surface of the or each channel, the one or more ridges extending helically about a longitudinal axis of the mouth piece, filter element or cooling element. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the filtering material comprises a plasticiser. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein heat is applied to the filtering material as it passes through the shaping element. 
     
     
         30 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the or each channel is defined by the filtering material. 
     
     
         31 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the or each channel extends along the entire length of the core. 
     
     
         32 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the one or more ridges extend along the entire length of the inner surface of the channel. 
     
     
         33 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the one or more ridges are integrally formed with the inner surface of the channel. 
     
     
         34 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the inner surface of the or each channel comprises two ridges. 
     
     
         35 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , comprising two, three or four channels. 
     
     
         36 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the circumference of the longitudinally extending core of filtering material is from 14 mm to 25 mm. 
     
     
         37 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the longitudinally extending core of filtering material has a total denier from 20000 to 100000 g per 9000 m. 
     
     
         38 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the filtering material comprises cellulose acetate. 
     
     
         39 . The mouth piece or filter element according to  claim 5 , wherein the filtering material comprises a plasticiser. 
     
     
         40 . A filter, comprising a filter element according to  claim 5 . 
     
     
         41 . A filter according to  claim 40 , comprising a further filter element joined to the first filter element. 
     
     
         42 . A filter according to  claim 41 , wherein the further filter element comprises an additive. 
     
     
         43 . A filter according to  claim 40 , comprising a first filter element according to  claim 5  and a second filter element joined to the first filter element, wherein the second filter element comprises a longitudinally extending core of smoke filtering material and a capsule fully enclosed within the core of smoke filtering material, wherein the capsule comprises a smoke modifying agent. 
     
     
         44 . A filter according to  claim 40 , wherein the or each channel has a cross shaped transverse cross section. 
     
     
         45 . A multiple rod, comprising a plurality of mouthpieces or filter elements according to  claim 5  joined end-to-end in a mirror image relationship. 
     
     
         46 . A smoking article, comprising a filter according to  claim 16 , the filter being joined to a rod of smokable material. 
     
     
         47 . A smoking article, comprising a mouthpiece or filter element according to  claim 5 , the mouthpiece or filter element being joined to a rod of smokable material. 
     
     
         48 . A smoking article, comprising a filter according to  claim 40 , the filter being joined to a rod of smokable material.