Bicomponent Fibre Tip for Cigars with Hollow Channel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tips for cigars and cigarillos are costly to manufacture, difficult to connect using high-speed machinery, and provide an unappealing 'mouthfeel' and aesthetic issues due to their material and design, while filtered variants alter the sensory characteristics of the smoke.
Innovation Solution
A tip comprising a longitudinally extending element made of bicomponent fibres that form a hollow channel, offering a pleasant mouthfeel, uniform appearance, and ease of connection to cigars or cigarillos using conventional machinery, without affecting the smoke's sensory characteristics, achieved through a melt blowing process that eliminates binders and plasticizers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If plastic or wood tips are used for cigars, then the tip structure is rigid and durable, but the manufacturing cost is high and the mouthfeel is cold and unyielding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters from rigid plastic or wood to flexible natural fibres, altering the physical properties to achieve both durability and improved mouthfeel. The fibre composition and processing parameters are optimized to maintain structural integrity while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The tip is constructed using composite natural fibres (such as flax, hemp, or sisal) bound together with natural binders, creating a material that combines the durability needed for tip structure with the flexibility and warmth of natural materials, eliminating the need for expensive plastic manufacturing processes.
2Strength
If plastic or wood tips are used for cigars, then the tip structure is rigid and durable, but the connection to cigar column using high speed machinery is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the tip material to enable high-speed automated connection. The fibre-based tip is designed with consistent density and bonding characteristics that allow for rapid attachment to the cigar column using conventional machinery, eliminating the orientation and alignment issues associated with asymmetric plastic or wood tips.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If filtered variants are used, then the filtering effect on smoke is provided, but the sensory characteristics of smoke are affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the filtering function from the tip structure itself, allowing the tip to provide cooling and comfort without interfering with the smoke's sensory characteristics. The natural fibre construction and hollow channel design enable selective interaction with smoke particles while preserving the essential taste and aroma properties that cigar smokers expect.
4Ease of operation
If plasticizers are applied to filter material, then the flexibility of filter is improved, but the transfer of plasticizers to smoke occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses disposable natural fibre tips that inherently possess flexibility without requiring plasticizers. The natural fibres (flax, hemp, sisal) provide the necessary pliability for comfortable mouthfeel and easy connection, eliminating the need for chemical additives that could transfer to smoke and compromise safety or sensory quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The bicomponent fibre tip is cost-effective to produce, provides a pleasant smoking experience, maintains the sensory characteristics of unfiltered smoke, and allows for efficient high-speed assembly, while being harder and more durable than conventional cigarette filter tips.
Implementation Method 1
achieved through a melt blowing process that eliminates binders and plasticizers
Data Source
AI summary
A tip for a smoking article such as a cigar is disclosed. The tip comprises a longitudinally extending element comprising a plurality of bicomponent fibers which define at least one channel extending longitudinally of the element.