Cigarette filter rod and process

Abstract

A filter substrate and binder filter rod making process with multiple connecting binding areas or binders throughout the filter substrate or other biodegradable materials, mono-fiber or multi-fiber, regardless of whether the paper(s)/substrate(s) has been crimped, embossed, or not, which improve the substrate properties including mechanical strength, filtration capability for both vapor/gases and particulate/solids phases, TAR, Nicotine and especially Carbon Monoxide, sensorial neutrality, visual improvements before and after use and substrate processability.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cigarette filter rod, comprising:
 a filter substrate including opposite surfaces;   a plurality of binding areas on at least one of the opposite surfaces,   wherein the filter substrate is folded multiple times into a rod shape and the plurality of binding areas bind at least one of the opposite surfaces together, the binding areas forming airflow barriers that function as air obstacles and cavities that trap gases and particulate matters and produce airstream flow turbulence, reducing airflow speed and increasing friction coefficient, enhancing entrapments for solids and gases as they travel through the filter rods.   
     
     
         2 . The cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , wherein the filter substrate is crimped, exposing filter substrate fibers and enhancing filtration capability. 
     
     
         3 . The cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , wherein the filter substrate is embossed with an embossing pattern, promoting filtration performance. 
     
     
         4 . The cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , wherein the filter substrate is a biodegradable material. 
     
     
         5 . The cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , wherein the filter substrate includes mono-fiber. 
     
     
         6 . The cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , wherein the filter substrate includes multi-fiber. 
     
     
         7 . The cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , wherein the filter substrate includes a fiber blend of at least one of abaca, sisal, and wood pulp, and 0-50% hemp, 0-50% flax, 0-95% abaca, 0-95% sisal, 0-50% wood pulp, 0-50% cotton, 0-50% regenerated cellulose, 0-30% natural binder. 
     
     
         8 . The cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , wherein the binding areas include an adhesive from one or more of water, glue, plant-based binder, synthetic binder, adherent, and agglutinant. 
     
     
         9 . The cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , further including a plug wrap that surrounds the filter substrate. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing the cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing the filter substrate;   adding binding material at a plurality of areas on at least one of the opposite surfaces of the filter substrate;   folding the filter substrate multiple times into an elongated rod so that the plurality of binding areas bind at least one of the opposite surfaces together where the binding material was added to the plurality of areas;   cutting the elongated rod into a plurality of individual filter rods.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein adding binding material including at least one of spraying a distribution of dots of binding material on at least one of the opposite surfaces of the filter substrate, spray jet, atomization, and continuous flow nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including funneling the sprayed filter material with a funnel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising crimping filter substrate, exposing filter substrate fibers and enhancing filtration capability, prior to adding the binder material to the filter substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising embossing the filter substrate with an embossing pattern, promoting filtration performance, prior to adding the binder material to the filter substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the filter substrate includes a fiber blend of at least one of abaca, sisal, and wood pulp, and 0-50% hemp, 0-50% flax, 0-95% abaca, 0-95% sisal, 0-50% wood pulp, 0-50% cotton, 0-50% regenerated cellulose, 0-30% natural binder. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the binder material is an adhesive from one or more of water, glue, plant-based binder, synthetic binder, adherent, and agglutinant. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising surrounding the filter substrate with a plug wrap. 
     
     
         18 . A method of using the cigarette filter rod of  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing a cigarette including a filter rod that is one of the individual filter rods;   forming airflow barriers and cavities with the binding areas that function as air obstacles that trap gases and particulate matters and produce airstream flow turbulence, reducing airflow speed and increasing friction coefficient, enhancing entrapments for solids and gases as they travel through the filter rod.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the filter substrate includes a fiber blend of at least one of abaca, sisal, and wood pulp, and 0-50% hemp, 0-50% flax, 0-95% abaca, 0-95% sisal, 0-50% wood pulp, 0-50% cotton, 0-50% regenerated cellulose, 0-30% natural binder. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the binding areas include an adhesive from one or more of water, glue, plant-based binder, synthetic binder, adherent, and agglutinant.