Wire band for electronic cigarette mouthpiece, electronic cigarette mouthpiece and their manufacturing methods

Abstract

The filament band (64) for the electronic cigarette mouthpiece is a cellulose acetate filament band formed by combining a plurality of monofilaments (61) into a bundle and curling them, wherein the total denier is set to a value in the range of greater than 10,000 and less than 40,000, and the monofilament denier is set to a value in the range of greater than 6.0 and less than 20.0. When the total denier is set to TD and the breaking strength of the filament band is set to F, the ratio F / TD is set to a value greater than 0.0015 N / denier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a silk band for an electronic cigarette tip, a tip for an electronic cigarette, a method for manufacturing the silk band for the electronic cigarette tip, and a method for manufacturing the tip for an electronic cigarette. Background Art

[0002] In this specification, the following terms are used.

[0003] TD: is the total fiber density (total denier), which refers to the fiber density (grams per 9000m) of a tow band or a bundle of multiple monofilaments.

[0004] FD: Single fiber density (single filament denier), refers to the fiber density (grams per 9000m) of a single fiber (1 single filament). Also called single fiber denier.

[0005] Monofilament: refers to a continuous long fiber, especially a single fiber ejected from the spinning hole of a spinneret.

[0006] Spinning hole: The spinneret formed on the spinning cylinder, which ejects the single filament (spinning).

[0007] Tow band: A collection of monofilaments (single fibers) ejected from the spinnerets of multiple spinning cylinders, i.e., yarns, are combined into one, and multiple yarns are combined into one and the TD is set to a specified value, thereby forming a roving. The roving is curled. The curled roving (collection of monofilaments) is called a tow band. That is, the tow band has a TD and a crimp number. The tow band is packed into a bundle.

[0008] Roving: refers to a single-filament aggregate having a predetermined total denier obtained by integrating (bundling) a plurality of single-filaments discharged from the spinning holes of a plurality of spinning cylinders.

[0009] Yarn: refers to a bundle of filaments ejected from one spinning cone. Therefore, yarn is an aggregate of filaments before being combined into one.

[0010] Tip: refers to the filter that allows tobacco components to pass through when smoking a cigarette or using an electronic cigarette. The tip is formed by, for example, molding a predetermined air-permeable material into a rod shape and wrapping a wrapping paper around the outer circumference.

[0011] In recent years, heated electronic cigarettes have become popular. For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the electronic cigarette comprises: a substrate containing volatile components as tobacco components; a heating unit for heating the substrate; a cooling unit for cooling and condensing the volatile components from the heated substrate to form an aerosol; and a mouthpiece for filtering the aerosol passing through the cooling unit.

[0012] The mouthpiece is held in the mouth of the user when using the electronic cigarette. The mouthpiece is manufactured using, for example, a tow band (hereinafter also referred to simply as a tow band) formed of a plurality of crimped monofilaments of cellulose acetate as long fibers.

[0013] When manufacturing a cigarette holder, for example, a bundled tow band that has been curled and packaged is released from a packaging container, opened while being transported, and a plasticizer is added to form a rod. A wrapping paper is wound around the outer periphery of the molded body of the tow band. The molded body and the wrapping paper are cut into a specified size to manufacture a cigarette holder.

[0014] Prior art literature

[0015] Patent Literature

[0016] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-503335 Summary of the invention

[0017] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0018] In order to provide appropriate PD (air flow resistance) and hardness to the mouthpiece, a tow band used for the mouthpiece for an electronic cigarette has, for example, a tow band with a large FD and a small TD.

[0019] However, when manufacturing a tow band and a mouthpiece, due to the external force applied to the monofilament with a large FD, fragments of the monofilament (hereinafter also referred to as flying hair) may be generated. For example, if the fragments of the monofilament are mixed into the molded body in a state where the plasticizer is absorbed, the monofilament may melt and generate a melt hole. As a result, the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the mouthpiece may be reduced.

[0020] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the electronic cigarette mouthpiece from being reduced due to the generation of fragments of monofilaments when the electronic cigarette mouthpiece is manufactured using a tow band.

[0021] Means for solving problems

[0022] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one embodiment of the present invention involves a filament band for an electronic cigarette mouthpiece, which is a cellulose acetate filament band formed by combining multiple single filaments into a bundle and curling them, and its total denier is set to a value in the range of greater than 10,000 and less than 40,000, and the single filament denier is set to a value in the range of greater than 6.0 and less than 20.0. When the above-mentioned total denier is set to TD and the breaking strength is set to F, the ratio F / TD is set to a value greater than 0.0015N / denier.

[0023] According to the above configuration, by setting the TD and FD of the tow band to the desired values ​​within the above range and setting the ratio F / TD to the above value, the strength of each single filament can be increased. Thus, for example, when a tow band and a mouthpiece are manufactured using a single filament having a large FD, even if an external force is applied to the single filament, fragments of the single filament can be prevented from being generated, so that the mouthpiece for an electronic cigarette can be manufactured well. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the mouthpiece for an electronic cigarette from being reduced.

[0024] The total denier may be set to a value in the range of 20,000 to 40,000, and the single yarn denier may be set to a value in the range of 8.0 to 20.0.

[0025] The total denier may be set to a value in the range of 10,000 to 20,000, and the single yarn denier may be set to a value in the range of 6.0 to 12.0.

[0026] An electronic cigarette mouthpiece according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a molded body formed by molding any of the above-mentioned filament bands into a rod shape, and a rolling paper wound on the outer peripheral surface of the above-mentioned molded body. According to this structure, a molded body can be formed by a well-curled filament band while preventing the generation of monofilament fragments. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the electronic cigarette mouthpiece from being reduced.

[0027] The manufacturing method of the silk band for electronic cigarette mouthpieces according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: an aligning step, in which a plurality of monofilaments whose total denier is set to a value in the range of 10000 to 40000 and whose single filament denier is set to a value in the range of 6.0 to 20.0 are conveyed, and the plurality of monofilaments are aligned along the roller width direction of the pair of clamping rollers at a position upstream of the pair of clamping rollers in the conveying direction of the plurality of monofilaments; a curling step, in which the plurality of monofilaments are curled by the pair of clamping rollers. The plurality of monofilaments aligned in the alignment step are curled; and a monitoring step is performed to monitor the thickness dimension of a monofilament assembly formed by the plurality of monofilaments at at least one of the upstream side and the downstream side of the conveying direction closer to the pair of clamping rollers. In the curling step, the following pair of clamping rollers are used: when the total denier is set to TD and the roller width dimension of the pair of clamping rollers is set to D, the ratio TD / D is set to be greater than 800 denier / mm and less than 2000 denier / mm.

[0028] According to the above method, by monitoring the thickness of the filament assembly in the monitoring step, the aligning step can be performed so that the thickness of the filament assembly is controlled within the reference range when the thickness of the filament assembly greatly varies from the reference range.

[0029] In addition, by setting the TD and FD of the filament belt to the desired values ​​within the above range and setting the ratio TD / D to be greater than 800 denier / mm and less than 2000 denier / mm, multiple monofilaments can be evenly aligned along the roller width direction of a pair of clamping rollers and curled using an external force of moderate strength to manufacture a filament belt.

[0030] Thus, for example, it is possible to prevent the generation of monofilament fragments due to excessive external force applied to the monofilament when the monofilament is curled by a pair of clamping rollers. In addition, by preventing the generation of monofilament fragments in this way, the high breaking strength of the monofilament can be maintained. Therefore, it is also possible to prevent, for example, the generation of monofilament fragments due to external force acting on the curled monofilament in transportation. Therefore, for example, by forming the filament band into a rod shape, the electronic cigarette mouthpiece can be well manufactured, and the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the electronic cigarette mouthpiece can be prevented from decreasing.

[0031] In the crimping step, the pair of nip rolls in which the ratio TD / D is set to 800 denier / mm or more and 1300 denier / mm or less may be used.

[0032] In the crimping step, the plurality of monofilaments may be crimped with the total denier being set to a value in the range of 20,000 to 40,000 and the single yarn denier being set to a value in the range of 8.0 to 20.0.

[0033] In the crimping step, the plurality of monofilaments may be crimped with the total denier being set to a value in a range of 10,000 to 20,000, and the single yarn denier being set to a value in a range of 6.0 to 12.0.

[0034] A method for manufacturing an electronic cigarette mouthpiece according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a molding step of adding a plasticizer to the tow band manufactured by any of the above-mentioned manufacturing methods, and molding the tow band into a rod shape.

[0035] According to the above method, a molded body can be formed from a well-curled filament band while preventing the fragmentation of the monofilament. Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent the fragments of the monofilament from absorbing plasticizer and generating melt holes. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the electronic cigarette mouthpiece from decreasing.

[0036] Effects of the Invention

[0037] According to each aspect of the present invention, when manufacturing an electronic cigarette mouthpiece using a tow band, it is possible to prevent the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the electronic cigarette mouthpiece from being reduced due to the generation of fragments of the monofilaments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] [ Figure 1] is an overall diagram of the yarn band manufacturing device involved in the first embodiment.

[0039] [ Figure 2 ]for Figure 1 Top view of the curling device.

[0040] [ Figure 3 ] is an overall view of the mouthpiece manufacturing device involved in the first embodiment.

[0041] [ Figure 4 ] is a cross-sectional view of the heating type electronic cigarette involved in the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0043] (First embodiment)

[0044] [Cellulose acetate yarn band manufacturing device]

[0045] Figure 1 It is an overall view of a cellulose acetate (hereinafter, also referred to as CA) tow band manufacturing apparatus 1 . Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top view of the curling device 9. Figure 1 The CA tow band manufacturing apparatus 1 shown spins CA monofilaments 61 by dry spinning. The CA tow band manufacturing apparatus 1 manufactures yarns 62, rovings 63, and CA tow bands 64 using the CA monofilaments 61.

[0046] The CA tow band 64 is a tow band for a heated electronic cigarette mouthpiece. In the manufacturing device 1, a plurality of CA monofilaments 61 (CA tow band 64) are manufactured with TD set to a value in the range of 10000 to 40000 and FD set to a value in the range of 6.0 to 20.0.

[0047] The CA yarn band manufacturing device 1 includes a mixing device 2, a filtering device 3, a spinning unit 4, an oil agent applying unit 5, a guide roller 6, guide pins 7 and 8, a curling device 9, a swinging device 10, a guide device 12, a drying device 11, a monitoring system 84, and a transfer machine 85.

[0048] The CA tow band manufacturing apparatus 1 uses a spinning solution 60 in which CA flakes such as cellulose diacetate are dissolved in an organic solvent at a predetermined concentration (for example, a weight concentration value in the range of 20 wt % to 30 wt % of the spinning solution 60 ).

[0049] The spinning solution 60 is mixed by the mixing device 2 and then filtered by the filtering device 3. The spinning solution 60 that has passed through the filtering device 3 is ejected from a plurality of spinning holes 15a of a spinneret 15 provided on a spinning cylinder 14 of the spinning unit 4.

[0050] The peripheral shape of the spinning hole 15a is formed into a predetermined shape (for example, a circle). The diameter of the spinning hole 15a is appropriately set according to the FD of the manufactured CA monofilament 61. The spinning stock solution 60 ejected from each spinning hole 15a is heated by hot air supplied from a drying unit (not shown) into the spinning cylinder 14 to evaporate the organic solvent, thereby drying. Thus, a solid CA monofilament 61 is formed.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, a plurality of CA filaments 61 passing through one spinning cone 14 are bundled by guide pins 7 and 8 to form a yarn 62. The yarn 62 is wound by a godet roller 6 after the fiber oil is applied by the oil application unit 5.

[0052] A series of units for producing the yarn 62, namely, the spinning unit 4 for ejecting the spinning solution 60 from the spinneret 15 and spinning the CA filaments 61, the drying unit, the oil agent applying unit 5, and the winding unit having the godet roller 6 are collectively referred to as a station. Usually, a plurality of stations are arranged in a row.

[0053] The yarn 62 is pulled from the circumference of the godet roller 6 by means of a winding device. Figure 2 As shown, the yarn 62 passing through each station is guided by the guide pins 7 and 8, conveyed in the conveying direction P along the arrangement direction of the stations (in parallel), and sequentially gathered or stacked. Thus, a plurality of yarns 62 are bundled to form a roving 63 which is a flat aggregate of the yarns 62. The roving 63 is formed by bundling a plurality of yarns 62 and setting it to a predetermined TD. The roving 63 is conveyed and introduced into the crimping device 9.

[0054] like Figure 1 As shown, the crimping device 9 includes a pair of nip rollers 16 and 17 and a stuffer box 18. The pair of nip rollers 16 and 17 are arranged so that their rotation axes are parallel to each other. The pair of nip rollers 16 and 17 press the roving 63 between their outer peripheral surfaces.

[0055] The stuffer box 18 is arranged on the downstream side of the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17. The stuffer box 18 includes a pair of plate materials 86 and 87 having plate surfaces extending in the conveying direction P and a biasing member 88.

[0056] The pair of plates 86 and 87 are arranged such that their plate surfaces face each other with a gap therebetween and the gap decreases from the upstream side toward the downstream side. The roving 63 (plurality of CA monofilaments 61) that has passed through the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17 is conveyed in the gap.

[0057] The roving 63 is squeezed between the pair of nipping rollers 16 and 17 and then pushed into the stuffer box 18. The roving 63 is conveyed between the plate surfaces of the pair of plates 86 and 87 of the stuffer box 18 in a curved manner and is squeezed toward the plate surface of the plate 86 on one side by the urging member 88.

[0058] The roving 63 is pushed into the stuffer box 18 by a force greater than the resistance when the roving 63 is pushed into the stuffer box 18 by the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17, thereby imparting crimp to the roving 63. Thus, a CA tow band 64 is obtained.

[0059] The CA tow band 64 passing through the crimping device 9 is adjusted to be curved in the width direction by the swinging device 10, and is guided to the drying device 11 by the guide device 12. The CA tow band 64 is dried by the drying device 11. The CA tow band 64 passing through the drying device 11 is transferred to the packing container 19 by the transfer machine 85, and is gathered and compressed and packed into a bundle shape. Figure 1 The packaging container 19 shows a cross-sectional structure.

[0060] The monitoring system 84 monitors the thickness dimension of the filament aggregate (here, the roving 63 or the CA tow band 64) formed by the plurality of CA filaments 61 at at least one of the upstream side and the downstream side of the pair of clamping rollers 16 and 17. The monitoring system 84 of this embodiment monitors the thickness dimension of the roving 63 at the upstream side of the pair of clamping rollers 16 and 17. The monitoring system 84 includes an upper displacement meter 81, a lower displacement meter 82, and a monitoring device 83.

[0061] The upper displacement meter 81 detects the height position of the upper surface of the monofilament assembly. The lower displacement meter 82 detects the height position of the lower surface of the monofilament assembly. As for the displacement meters 81 and 82, as an example, they are non-contact type, and here they are laser displacement meters. As the displacement meters 81 and 82, for example, the laser displacement meter "LK-5000" series manufactured by KEYENCE can be used. The measurement results of the displacement meters 81 and 82 are sent to the monitoring device 83.

[0062] The monitoring device 83 is, for example, a personal computer, and includes, in addition to a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, an input unit for receiving information input by an operator, and a display unit for displaying predetermined information to the operator.

[0063] Here, if the arrangement of the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 in the monofilament assembly conveyed along the conveying direction P is disordered, the height position of either the upper surface or the lower surface of the monofilament assembly will change. When manufacturing the CA tow band 64, the monitoring device 83 calculates the thickness dimension of the monofilament assembly being conveyed based on the measurement results of the displacement meters 81 and 82, and determines whether the calculated thickness dimension of the monofilament assembly is a value within the allowable range. According to this method, the thickness dimension of the monofilament assembly can be continuously monitored in an online manner without sampling the monofilament assembly being conveyed.

[0064] When the monitoring device 83 determines that the thickness dimension of the monofilament assembly is not within the permissible range, the monitoring device 83 performs a warning process of displaying on the display unit or emitting a warning sound, thereby notifying the operator that the arrangement of the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 in the monofilament assembly is disordered. Based on the warning process, the operator adjusts the arrangement of the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 in the monofilament assembly so that the thickness dimension of the monofilament assembly becomes within the permissible range.

[0065] Here, the value of the allowable range of the thickness dimension of the monofilament aggregate can be appropriately set, and can be set to a value such that the occurrence of holes in the monofilament aggregate can be visually recognized when the monofilament aggregate is viewed from above.

[0066] It should be noted that the thickness dimension of the monofilament aggregate can also be monitored offline by sampling the transported CA tow band 64. In addition, the displacement meters 81 and 82 can be arranged in the following manner: before the CA tow band 64 is packaged in the packaging container 19 using the transfer machine 85, the height positions of the upper surface and the lower surface of the CA tow band 64 passing through the drying device 11 are measured.

[0067] In this way, the CA tow band 64 can be manufactured using the CA tow band manufacturing apparatus 1. The manufacturing method includes the following alignment step, curling step, and monitoring step. The alignment step is a step of conveying a plurality of CA monofilaments 61 whose TD is set to a value in the range of 10000 to 40000 and whose FD is set to a value in the range of 6.0 to 20.0, and aligning the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 (roving 63) along the roller width direction of the pair of clamping rollers 16 and 17 at the upstream side of the pair of clamping rollers 16 and 17.

[0068] Specifically, the alignment step is performed by adjusting the positions of the guide pins 7 and 8 that guide the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 (rovings 63) being conveyed, for example.

[0069] The crimping step is a step of crimping the plurality of CA filaments 61 (rovings 63) aligned in the aligning step by using a pair of nip rollers 16 and 17. The monitoring step is a step of monitoring the thickness dimension of a filament assembly formed of the plurality of CA filaments 61 at least on the upstream side and the downstream side relative to the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17. In the monitoring step, a monitoring system 84 is used.

[0070] When manufacturing a CA tow band 64 having a small TD and a large FD, when the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 included in the roving 63 are to be crimped by a pair of clamping rollers 16 and 17, the external force (clamping pressure) required to crimp the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 increases. This may cause the CA monofilaments 61 to be damaged or fragmented. In this case, the tensile strength of the CA monofilaments 61 decreases, and for example, the CA monofilaments 61 may be cut during transportation.

[0071] Here, according to the research of the inventor of the present application, it can be known that: as the number of CA filaments 61 overlapping in the gap between a pair of clamping rollers 16 and 17 increases and the CA filaments 61 become thicker, the clamping pressure required to curl the multiple CA filaments 61 contained in the roving 63 increases (in other words, the cross-sectional moment of inertia of the roving 63, which is an aggregate formed by the multiple CA filaments 61, increases).

[0072] Therefore, in this embodiment, the crimping step is performed using the following pair of nip rollers 16 and 17: when the total denier of the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 is set to TD and the roller width dimension of the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17 is set to D, the ratio TD / D is set to 800 denier / mm or more and 2000 denier / mm or less.

[0073] By setting the ratio TD / D in this way, the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 can be evenly aligned in the roller width direction of the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17, and can be crimped with an external force of appropriate strength to produce the CA tow band 64. This can prevent the generation of fragments of the CA monofilaments 61 due to excessive external force applied to the CA monofilaments 61 when crimping the CA monofilaments 61.

[0074] That is, by setting the ratio TD / D as described above, the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 are arranged while being widely distributed in the roller width direction of the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17, and the overlap of the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 in the gap between the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17 is reduced and made uniform. As a result, the thickness dimension of the roving 63 is uniformly thinned in the roller width direction.

[0075] Therefore, even when the CA single filaments 61 are thick, the plurality of CA single filaments 61 can be crimped with a small clamping pressure, and the CA single filaments 61 can be prevented from being broken by excessive external force applied to them.

[0076] In addition, by preventing the generation of fragments of the CA monofilament 61, it is possible to maintain the high breaking strength of the CA monofilament 61. Therefore, for example, it is also possible to prevent the generation of fragments of the CA monofilament 61 due to the external force acting on the CA monofilament 61 that is being conveyed after being curled. Therefore, as described later, the mouthpiece 67 can be well manufactured by molding the CA filament band 64 into a rod shape, and the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the mouthpiece 67 can be prevented from being reduced.

[0077] It should be noted that the "breaking strength" here refers to the tensile load required to break the fiber. The breaking strength can be defined as the load when the fiber band 64 is cut when the test sample is measured according to JIS L1015 "Test methods for chemical staple fibers 8.9 Loop strength".

[0078] Here, in the crimping step of the present embodiment, a pair of nip rollers 16 and 17 whose ratio TD / D is set to 800 denier / mm or more and 1300 denier / mm or less is used. As a result, the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 are more evenly arranged in the roller width direction of the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17, and a more evenly crimped CA tow band 64 can be obtained.

[0079] like Figure 2 As shown, the roller width (axial direction) dimension W2 of the pair of clamping rollers 16 and 17 of the present embodiment is set to a value larger than the width dimension W1 of the roving 63 introduced into the pair of clamping rollers 16 and 17. In order to allow the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 included in the roving 63 to be well spread in the roller width direction by the alignment step, the roller width dimension W2 is set to a value larger than the width dimension W1 of the roving 63. As an example, the roller width dimension W2 is set to a value larger than the width dimension W1 of the roving 63 by several mm or more.

[0080] In this embodiment, the thickness dimension of the filament assembly is monitored in the monitoring step, so that when the thickness dimension value of the filament assembly greatly changes from the reference range, the aligning step is performed so that the thickness dimension value of the filament assembly is controlled within the reference range.

[0081] This can further prevent the CA filament 61 from being broken into pieces due to external force applied to the CA filament 61 when the CA filament 61 is crimped by the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the manufacturing efficiency of the mouthpiece 67 from being reduced and the quality of the mouthpiece 67 from being reduced.

[0082] In the crimping step of another example, the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 whose TD is set to a value in the range of 20000 to 40000 and whose FD is set to a value in the range of 8.0 to 20.0 are crimped.

[0083] In the crimping step of another example, the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 whose TD is set to a value in the range of 10000 to 20000 and whose FD is set to a value in the range of 6.0 to 12.0 are crimped.

[0084] [Cigarette holder manufacturing device]

[0085] Figure 3 FIG. 2 is an overall diagram of a cigarette holder manufacturing device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the mouthpiece manufacturing device 20 includes a bunching ring 21, a first fiber opening unit 22, a deflection baffle 23, a second fiber opening unit 24, a pre-stretching roller pair 25, a first fiber opening roller pair 26, a second fiber opening roller pair 27, a third fiber opening unit 28, a plasticizer adding device 29, a transport roller pair 30, a transport jet 31, a winding tube 32, and a cutting device 33. Figure 3 The packaging container 19 shows a cross-sectional structure.

[0086] In the mouthpiece manufacturing device 20, the CA tow band 64 lifted from the packaging container 19 is inserted into the bunching ring 21 and then opened in the width direction by pressurized air in the first opening unit 22. Then, the CA tow band 64 is guided by the turning baffle 23.

[0087] Next, the CA tow band 64 is further spread in the width direction by pressurized air in the second spreading unit 24, and then inserted into the space between the pre-stretching roller pair 25, the space between the first spreading roller pair 26, and the space between the second spreading roller pair 27 in sequence, thereby spreading the CA tow band 64 in the conveying direction.

[0088] The CA tow band 64 passing between the second opening roller pair 27 is further opened in the width direction by pressurized air in the third opening unit 28 , and then plasticizer is added by the plasticizer adding device 29 .

[0089] The CA tow band 64 that has passed through the plasticizer applying device 29 is inserted between the conveying roller pair 30 , introduced into the transport jet section 31 , and conveyed into the winding tube section 32 by the jet airflow.

[0090] The winding tube portion 32 has a funnel 41, a tongue piece 42, and an attachment 43. The CA tow band 64 carried into the winding tube portion 32 is spirally wound in the funnel 41 and formed into a rod shape. Thus, a molded body (rod) 65 in which the CA tow band 64 is formed into a rod shape is formed.

[0091] The wrapping paper 40 is guided toward the molded body 65 by the tongue piece 42. The molded body 65 is carried by the attachment 43 while the wrapping paper 40 is wound around and fixed to the outer periphery. The cutting device 33 cuts the molded body 65 at intervals. Thus, a plug 66 is manufactured. By further cutting the plug 66, a mouthpiece 67 is manufactured.

[0092] In this way, the mouthpiece 67 is manufactured using the mouthpiece manufacturing apparatus 20. This manufacturing method includes a molding step of adding a plasticizer to the CA tow band 64 manufactured by the above-mentioned manufacturing method and molding the CA tow band 64 into a rod shape.

[0093] Here, when the plurality of CA filaments 61 included in the CA tow band 64 are fragmented, for example, the fragments may absorb plasticizer inside the plasticizer adding device 29 and be mixed into the molded body 65. In this case, the CA filaments 61 in the molded body 65 may be melted by the plasticizer included in the fragments, thereby generating melt holes.

[0094] In contrast, in the present embodiment, as described above, the generation of fragments of the plurality of CA monofilaments 61 can be appropriately prevented. Thus, when manufacturing the mouthpiece 67, the molded body 65 can be formed from the well-curled CA tow band 64 while preventing the CA monofilaments 61 from being fragmented. Therefore, for example, the generation of melt holes due to the absorption of plasticizer by the fragments of the CA monofilaments 61 can be prevented. Therefore, the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the mouthpiece 67 can be prevented from being reduced.

[0095] [Electronic cigarette holder]

[0096] Figure 4 FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a heating type electronic cigarette 50 according to an embodiment. Figure 4 As shown, the electronic cigarette 50 is in an elongated shape and includes an electronic cigarette unit 51 and an aerosol generating article 52. The electronic cigarette unit 51 includes a housing 53, a power source 54, a display unit 55, a control unit 56, a heating unit 57, and an operation unit 58.

[0097] The housing 53 is formed in a long strip shape. The power supply 54, the control unit 56, and the heating unit 57 are accommodated in the housing 53. The display unit 55 and the operation unit 58 are arranged on the outer surface of the housing 53 (here, the side surface of the housing 53 on the inner side of the paper). In this embodiment, the shape of the housing 53 is a straight tube with one end of the electronic cigarette unit 51 in the longitudinal direction closed, but it is not limited to this.

[0098] The control unit 56 is connected to the power supply 54, the display unit 55, and the heating unit 57 through the wiring 68. As an example, the control unit 56 is a single-chip microcomputer, and receives the user's operation input from the operation unit 58. Thus, the control unit 56 controls the power circuit of the electronic cigarette unit 51 to supply the power of the power supply 54 to the heating unit 57 at a predetermined timing, or cuts off the supply of the power to the heating unit 57. In addition, the control unit 56 controls the display unit 55 to display predetermined information to the user.

[0099] The heating unit 57 heats the substrate 70 of the aerosol generating article 52 using the power supplied by the power supply 54. The heating unit 57 has a blade 70a inserted into the substrate 70 and used to heat the substrate 70 from the inside using Joule heat. A flow path 59 is provided between the housing 53 and the heating unit 57, and the flow path 59 is used to allow external air to flow toward the substrate 70 from the gap between the insertion port 51a and the aerosol generating article 52.

[0100] When the electronic cigarette 50 is used, the aerosol generating article 52 is inserted into the insertion port 51a formed at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the electronic cigarette unit 51. The aerosol generating article 52 is in the shape of a rod and has a base material 70, a partition tube 71, an aerosol generating part 72, a mouthpiece 67, and a rolling paper 73. In the aerosol generating article 52, the base material 70, the partition tube 71, the aerosol generating part 72, and the mouthpiece 67 are arranged in order from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction. The rolling paper 73 integrally wraps the outer circumference of these elements 66, 70 to 72.

[0101] The substrate 70 is disposed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 52. The substrate 70 contains volatile components as tobacco components and is inserted into the electronic cigarette unit 51 from the insertion port 51a of the electronic cigarette unit 51. When the electronic cigarette 50 is used, the substrate 70 is heated by the heating unit 57 to generate volatile components.

[0102] The substrate 70 contains a flavor material that generates volatile components, such as nicotine. Specifically, the substrate 70 preferably contains at least one of tobacco leaves, tobacco rods, expanded tobacco, homogenized tobacco, and spice plant leaves. In addition, the substrate 70 may contain flavor materials other than nicotine.

[0103] The partition tube 71 extends in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 52 and is disposed between the substrate 70 and the aerosol generating section 72, thereby functioning as a partition separating the substrate 70 from the aerosol generating section 72. Thus, the partition tube 71 prevents the following situation: when the aerosol generating article 52 is inserted into the interior of the electronic cigarette unit 51 from the insertion port 51a, the aerosol generating article 52 is compressed in the longitudinal direction and crushed to the extent that the substrate 70 and the aerosol generating section 72 come into contact.

[0104] The partition tube 71 of this embodiment is formed in a hollow rod shape. In the hollow portion of the partition tube 71, volatile components generated from the base material 70 when the electronic cigarette 50 is used flow toward the mouthpiece 67.

[0105] The aerosol generating section 72 extends in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 52 , and generates aerosol by cooling and condensing volatile components from the substrate 70 passing through the partition tube 71 .

[0106] The aerosol generating section 72 is composed of, for example, a strip-shaped sheet body wound along the circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article 52, or a strip-shaped sheet body folded closely so that each fold extends in the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 52. In the aerosol generating section 72, a flow path of the aerosol is formed by gaps in the sheet body wound or closely folded in this way.

[0107] The mouthpiece 67 of the present embodiment is manufactured by the mouthpiece manufacturing apparatus 20 using the CA tow band 64 manufactured by the CA tow band manufacturing apparatus 1. The mouthpiece 67 is arranged at the other end of the aerosol generating article 52 in the longitudinal direction.

[0108] The mouthpiece 67 includes a molded body 65 formed by molding a CA tow band 64 into a rod shape, and a wrapping paper 40 wound around the outer peripheral surface of the molded body 65. When using the electronic cigarette 50, the mouthpiece 67 is held in the mouth of the user to filter the aerosol passing through the aerosol generating unit 72. A capsule containing a liquid containing a flavor component or the like may be arranged inside the molded body 65.

[0109] The length dimension of the mouthpiece 67 (the dimension of the mouthpiece 67 in the insertion direction relative to the insertion port 51a of the electronic cigarette 50) can be appropriately set, for example, set to a value in the range of 4 mm to 35 mm (here 7 mm). In addition, the length dimension of the mouthpiece 67 can be set to a value in the range of 4 mm, 7 mm, 10 mm as the lower limit and 17 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 28 mm, 30 mm, 35 mm as the upper limit, for example. In another example, the length dimension of the mouthpiece 67 is set to a value in the range of 7 mm to 12 mm. The circumference of the mouthpiece 67 can be appropriately set, for example, set to a value in the range of 16.5 mm to 24.5 mm.

[0110] Here, for the CA tow band 64 constituting the molded body 65, TD is set to a value in the range of 10000 to 40000, FD is set to a value in the range of 6.0 to 20.0, and the ratio F / TD is set to a value greater than 0.0015 N / denier.

[0111] In another example, regarding the CA tow band 64 constituting the molded body 65 , TD is set to a value in the range of 20000 to 40000, and FD is set to a value in the range of 8.0 to 20.0.

[0112] In another example, regarding the CA tow band 64 constituting the molded body 65 , TD is set to a value in the range of 10000 to 20000, and FD is set to a value in the range of 6.0 to 12.0.

[0113] When using the electronic cigarette 50, the user inserts the aerosol generating article 52 into the electronic cigarette unit 51 from the insertion port 51a, and operates the operation unit 58 to turn on the power of the electronic cigarette unit 51. In addition, when a capsule is arranged inside the mouthpiece 67, the user presses the side of the aerosol generating article 52 to crush the capsule.

[0114] Thus, the control unit 56 controls the power circuit so that the heating unit 57 is heated by the power from the power source 54. When a predetermined time has passed while the heating unit 57 is heated to a predetermined temperature, the control unit 56 displays a message to the user that smoking is allowed through the display unit 55.

[0115] The user holds the mouthpiece 67 and draws, whereby the volatile components from the base material 70 heated and volatilized by the heating unit 57 flow through the partition tube 71. The volatile components passing through the partition tube 71 cool and condense while flowing through the gaps of the aerosol generating unit 72. Thus, aerosol (liquid droplets) containing the volatile components are generated.

[0116] The aerosol passing through the aerosol generating unit 72 is appropriately filtered in the mouthpiece 67 and then inhaled by the user. The aerosol further cools down and is inhaled by the user as the aerosol collides with the CA band 64 used in the mouthpiece 67. In addition, the flavor components in the capsule diffused into the mouthpiece 67 by the user squeezing the capsule are inhaled by the user together with the aerosol.

[0117] Here, in the present embodiment, the molded body 65 can be formed from the well-curled CA filament band 64 while preventing the generation of fragments of the CA filament 61. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the mouthpiece 67 from being reduced. The user uses the aerosol generating article 52 having the mouthpiece 67 manufactured with stable quality, and can, for example, prevent the fragments of the CA filament 61 from entering the mouth together with the aerosol, and can inhale the electronic cigarette 50 well.

[0118] As described above, the CA tow band 64 of the present embodiment is a tow band of cellulose acetate formed by combining a plurality of monofilaments into a bundle and curling them, TD is set to a value in the range of greater than 10,000 and less than 40,000, FD is set to a value in the range of greater than 6.0 and less than 20.0, and the ratio F / TD is set to a value greater than 0.0015 N / denier.

[0119] According to this configuration, the strength of each CA monofilament 61 included in the CA monofilament 61 can be increased while setting the TD and FD of the CA monofilament band 64 to the desired values ​​within the above range. Thus, even if an external force is applied to the CA monofilament 61 during the manufacture of the CA monofilament band 64 and the mouthpiece 67, the generation of fragments of the CA monofilament 61 can be prevented, so the mouthpiece 67 can be manufactured well. Therefore, the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the mouthpiece 67 can be prevented from being reduced. It should be noted that the upper limit of the ratio F / TD can be appropriately set, for example, preferably 0.01 N / denier or less.

[0120] (Confirmation test)

[0121] Next, confirmation tests will be described, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0122] Based on the manufacturing method of the CA tow band 64 of the first embodiment, the CA tow bands 64 of Examples 1 to 4 were manufactured, each of which was set to the values ​​of FD and TD shown in Table 1. When manufacturing the CA tow bands 64 of Examples 1 to 4, the ratio TD / D was set to the value shown in Table 1, and the monitoring step was performed. The monitoring step was performed at a position upstream of the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17 and upstream of the position where the presence or absence of holes in the monofilament aggregate (roving 63) described later was checked.

[0123] CA tow bands 64 of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, whose FD and TD values ​​are set to the values ​​shown in Table 1, were manufactured based on the same manufacturing method as the manufacturing method of the CA tow band 64 of the first embodiment except that the monitoring step was omitted. CA tow bands 64 of Comparative Examples 3 and 4, whose FD and TD values ​​are set to the values ​​shown in Table 1, were manufactured based on the following manufacturing method, in which the monitoring step was only partially performed by visually monitoring only the arrangement of the CA monofilaments 61, and the same manufacturing method as the manufacturing method of the CA tow band 64 of the first embodiment. The width dimension D and TD / D of the nip roller used in the manufacturing of the CA tow bands of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were set to the values ​​shown in Table 1.

[0124] The breaking strength F and the ratio F / TD of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were measured, and the presence or absence of holes in the monofilament aggregate (roving) conveyed upstream of the pair of nip rollers in the conveying direction was visually confirmed.

[0125] In addition, the CA tow bands of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were used to manufacture an electronic cigarette mouthpiece using a mouthpiece manufacturing device 20 (a winder "KDF-2" manufactured by Hauni Co., Ltd.). At this time, the pressure of the pre-stretching roller pair 25 was set to 0.5 bar, and the pressure of the first opening roller pair 26 and the second opening roller pair 27 was set to 1.8 bar. In addition, the speed ratio V2 / V1 of the rotation speed V1 of the first opening roller pair 26 and the rotation speed V2 of the second opening roller pair 27 was set to 1.4, and the speed ratio V3 / V2 of the rotation speed V2 of the second opening roller pair 27 and the rotation speed V3 of the conveying roller pair 30 was set to 1.48.

[0126] In Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3, the circumferential length of the mouthpiece was set to 22.5 mm, and the amount of CA tow band loaded into the mouthpiece (net tow weight) was set to 0.47 g / rod. In Example 3, the circumferential length of the mouthpiece was set to 16.5 mm, and the amount of CA tow band loaded into the mouthpiece (net tow weight) was set to 0.30 g / rod.

[0127] In addition, the length of the mandrel (rod) in the middle of the manufacturing of Examples 1 and 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3 was set to 120 mm. In addition, the length of the molded body in the mouthpiece of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3 was set to 7 mm, and the length of the molded body in the mouthpiece of Example 3 was set to 8 mm.

[0128] When manufacturing the mouthpieces of Examples 1 and 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3, in the mouthpiece manufacturing device 20, a plasticizer (glycerol triacetate) equivalent to 7 wt% of the total weight of the CA tow band immediately after the plasticizer is sprayed is uniformly sprayed and attached to the surface of the CA tow band using the plasticizer attaching device 29. The amount of fly generated every 15 minutes during the manufacture of the mouthpiece is measured. When measuring the amount of fly generated, the fly remaining in the box containing the first opening roller pair 26 and the second opening roller pair 27 is collected by an air suction device and weighed by a balance.

[0129] In addition, the remaining portion after cutting off the mouthpiece of the aerosol-generating article "Heat Stick" (registered trademark) for "iQOS" manufactured by Philip Morris (KK) was connected to the mouthpieces of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3 to produce the aerosol-generating articles of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. In addition, the remaining portion after cutting off the mouthpiece of the aerosol-generating article "Neo Stick" (registered trademark) for "glo" manufactured by British American Tobacco (KK) was connected to the mouthpiece of Example 3 to produce the aerosol-generating article of Example 3.

[0130] The aerosol generating articles of Examples 1 and 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3 were used to measure the PD of each mouthpiece using a filter plug tester (automatic ventilation resistance tester) "QTM" manufactured by Celulean Co., Ltd. In addition, the appearance abnormality of the mouthpieces of Examples 1 and 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 3 was visually confirmed. The results are shown in Table 1. It should be noted that in Table 1, the amount of fly generated in Examples 2 and 4 and Comparative Examples 2 and 4 indicates the amount of fly generated in the process of manufacturing the CA tow band 64 by visual inspection.

[0131] [Table 1]

[0132]

[0133] As shown in Table 1, it can be seen that in Examples 1 to 4, the ratio F / TD is set to a value of 0.0015 N / denier or more, and the strength of the CA monofilament 61 is equal to or greater than the strength of the CA monofilament of Comparative Examples 1 and 2. In addition, it can be seen that in Examples 1 to 4, the monofilament aggregate has no open holes, and the amount of fly generated is small.

[0134] The reason for this is that, in Examples 1 to 4, by setting the F / TD of the CA tow band 64 to a value of 0.0015 (N / denier) or more, it is considered that the strength of the CA monofilament can be increased, thereby preventing the generation of fragments of the CA monofilament. In the test results of Examples 1 to 4, the F / TD of the CA tow band 64 was set to a value within the range of 0.0015 (N / denier) or more and 0.0021 (N / denier) or less.

[0135] In Examples 1 to 4, it is considered that the monitoring step was performed and the alignment step was appropriately performed so that the thickness dimension of the monofilament aggregate became uniform, thereby preventing the generation of fragments of the CA monofilament 61 and curling the CA monofilament 61, thereby maintaining the high breaking strength of the CA monofilament 61.

[0136] It should be noted that one of the reasons why the PD of the mouthpiece 67 of Example 3 is higher than that of the mouthpiece 67 of Example 1 is considered to be that the circumferential length of the mouthpiece 67 of Example 3 is smaller than that of the mouthpiece 67 of Example 1.

[0137] In contrast, in Comparative Example 1, the F / TD value is set lower than that of Examples 1 to 4, and the strength of the CA monofilament is lower than that of Examples 1 to 4. In addition, Comparative Example 1 has a larger amount of fly lint than Examples 1 to 4, and a molten hole of the mouthpiece is formed.

[0138] The reason for this is that in Comparative Example 1, the plurality of CA monofilaments are crimped with a large clamping pressure by the pair of clamping rollers 16 and 17, so that the CA monofilaments are damaged and the tensile strength of the CA monofilaments is reduced. In addition, due to the damage of the CA monofilaments, a large amount of fly is generated, and the fly absorbs the plasticizer and mixes into the mouthpiece, resulting in a melt hole.

[0139] In addition, it can be seen that, in Comparative Example 2, FD is the same value as that of Example 4, but the value of the ratio F / TD is lower than that of Example 4, and holes are generated in the monofilament aggregate. As a cause of the holes, it is considered that since Comparative Example 2 has a smaller TD and a smaller number of CA monofilaments than Example 4, when a plurality of CA monofilaments are conveyed in the production of the CA tow band, unevenness of the CA monofilaments occurs in the monofilament aggregate in the roller width direction of the pair of nip rollers 16 and 17. It is thus presumed that the curling of the CA tow band of Comparative Example 2 becomes uneven.

[0140] In addition, it can be seen that, in Comparative Examples 3 and 4, although only the arrangement of the CA filaments 61 was visually monitored, the value of the ratio F / TD was very low, and the performance was inferior to that of Examples 1 to 4. In Comparative Example 3, the amount of fly generated was large, and the generation of a molten hole was confirmed in the mouthpiece. In Comparative Example 4, although the amount of fly generated was small, the generation of an open hole in the filament aggregate was confirmed.

[0141] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the configuration and method may be changed, added, or deleted without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0142] Industrial Applicability

[0143] As described above, the present invention has the following excellent effect: when a thread band is used to manufacture an electronic cigarette mouthpiece, it is possible to prevent the manufacturing efficiency and quality of the electronic cigarette mouthpiece from being reduced due to the generation of monofilament fragments. Therefore, it is beneficial to widely apply the present invention to a thread band for an electronic cigarette mouthpiece, an electronic cigarette mouthpiece, a method for manufacturing a thread band for an electronic cigarette mouthpiece, and a method for manufacturing an electronic cigarette mouthpiece that can exert this effect.

[0144] Description of Reference Numerals

[0145] 16, 17 clamping roller

[0146] 61 CA monofilament (monofilament)

[0147] 64 CA Wire Band (Wire Band)

[0148] 65 Molding

[0149] 67 Cigarette Holder

[0150] 73 rolls of paper

Claims

1. A filament band for an electronic cigarette mouthpiece, which is a cellulose acetate filament band formed by bundling a plurality of monofilaments into a bundle and curling them together. The total denier of the tow band is set to a value in the range of 10,000 to 40,000, and the single yarn denier is set to a value in the range of 6.0 to 20.

0. When the total denier is TD and the breaking strength of the tow band is F, the ratio F / TD is set to a value of 0.0015 N / denier or more.

2. The silk band for the electronic cigarette mouthpiece according to claim 1, wherein: The total denier is set to a value in the range of 20,000 to 40,000, and the single yarn denier is set to a value in the range of 8.0 to 20.

0.

3. The silk band for the electronic cigarette mouthpiece according to claim 1, wherein: The total denier is set to a value in the range of 10,000 to 20,000, and the single yarn denier is set to a value in the range of 6.0 to 12.

0.

4. An electronic cigarette mouthpiece having: A molded body in which the tow band according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is molded into a rod shape; and A roll of paper is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the molded body.

5. A method for manufacturing a silk band for an electronic cigarette mouthpiece, comprising the following steps: an aligning step of conveying a plurality of monofilaments having a total denier set to a value in a range of 10,000 to 40,000 and a single filament denier set to a value in a range of 6.0 to 20.0, while aligning the plurality of monofilaments in a roller width direction of the pair of nip rollers at a position upstream of the pair of nip rollers in a conveying direction of the plurality of monofilaments; a crimping step of crimping the plurality of monofilaments aligned in the aligning step using the pair of clamping rollers; and A monitoring step of monitoring a thickness dimension of a monofilament assembly formed of the plurality of monofilaments at at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side in the conveying direction closer to the pair of nip rollers, In the curling step, a pair of nip rolls is used in which, when the total denier is TD and the roll width dimension of the pair of nip rolls is D, a ratio TD / D is set to 800 denier / mm or more and 2000 denier / mm or less.

6. The method for manufacturing a silk band for an electronic cigarette mouthpiece according to claim 5, wherein: In the curling step, the pair of nip rolls in which the ratio TD / D is set to 800 denier / mm or more and 1300 denier / mm or less is used.

7. The method for manufacturing a tow band for an electronic cigarette mouthpiece according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: In the crimping step, the plurality of monofilaments whose total denier is set to a value in a range of 20,000 to 40,000 and whose single yarn denier is set to a value in a range of 8.0 to 20.0 are crimped.

8. The method for manufacturing a tow band for an electronic cigarette mouthpiece according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: In the crimping step, the plurality of monofilaments, the total denier of which is set to a value in a range of 10,000 to 20,000, and the single yarn denier of which is set to a value in a range of 6.0 to 12.0, are crimped.

9. A method for manufacturing an electronic cigarette mouthpiece, comprising the step of adding a plasticizer to the filament band manufactured by the manufacturing method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, and molding the filament band into a rod shape.

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