Sintered Ceramic Porous Filter for Conical Cigarette Smoke

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Solution Overview

Problem

Smoke filtration devices for conically shaped cigarettes face a challenge in balancing filtration efficiency and gas conductivity, leading to reduced flavor and taste due to excessive filtration measures.

Innovation Solution

A smoke filtration device with a frusto-conical tubular body made of sintered ceramic material featuring an open-cell porous structure with 75-85% effective porosity, formed through additive manufacturing, which provides a defined smoke passage while excluding lateral passage, enhancing user experience and cleaning capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a very tortuous path or high adsorption capability material is used in the filtration passage, then the trapping efficiency of condensable smoke components is improved, but the conductivity for smoke/air mixture is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrapping efficiency of condensable smoke componentsVSAvoidconductivity for smoke/air mixture
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a porous ceramic material with controlled porosity (30-70%) to create a filtration structure that allows smoke/air mixture to pass through while trapping condensable components. The porous structure provides both filtration capability and maintained conductivity, resolving the contradiction between trapping efficiency and gas conductivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the porosity parameter of the ceramic material within a specific range (30-70%) to balance filtration efficiency and conductivity. By controlling this physical parameter, the system achieves effective trapping of condensable smoke components while maintaining adequate smoke/air mixture conductivity for user comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If excessively strong filtration is applied, then the trapping efficiency of smoke components is improved, but the loss of flavor and taste increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrapping efficiency of smoke componentsVSAvoidloss of flavor and taste
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent carefully controls the porosity parameter within the optimal range of 30-70% to achieve balanced filtration. This parameter optimization ensures that harmful condensable components are trapped while preserving the flavor and taste compounds in the smoke, preventing excessive loss of desirable substances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The porous ceramic material provides different filtration characteristics at different scales - effectively trapping condensable smoke components while allowing lighter flavor and taste molecules to pass through, achieving selective filtration that preserves sensory qualities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If a sintered ceramic material with open-cell porous structure is used, then the smoke passage is well-defined and lateral passage is excluded, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmoke passage definition and lateral passage exclusionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses sintered ceramic material with an open-cell porous structure that inherently provides well-defined smoke passage paths while blocking lateral passage. The sintering process creates a reliable, consistent structure that ensures proper filtration function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

By controlling the porosity parameter within the optimal range and using additive manufacturing followed by sintering, the patent achieves reliable smoke passage definition without excessive manufacturing complexity. The process parameters are optimized to balance manufacturing feasibility with functional reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 device achieves a well-balanced filtration effect and pleasant user experience by optimizing smoke passage and air permeability, maintaining flavor and taste while ensuring effective smoke trapping.

Implementation Method 1

including a suitable particulate filtering material with a high adsorption capability, such as active charcoal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

the conductivity for the smoke/air mixture which is ultimately inhaled by the user

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

a well-balanced filtration effect and, furthermore, are pleasant for the user

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP4223156B1Smoke filtration device for making self- and machine-rolled conically shaped cigarettes and manufacturing method
Publication Date: 2024.11.27 WEEDWORKS GMBH
  • EP4223156B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4223156B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A smoke filtration device for making self- and machine-rolled conically shaped cigarettes (10) comprises a frusto-conical tubular body (2) with a proximal end (4), a distal end (6) and an internal smoke filtering passage (8) connecting said ends. To improve the device, said smoke filtering passage is integrally formed with said tubular body, said tubular body is made of a sintered ceramic material, and said smoke filtering passage is configured as an open-cell porous structure having an effective porosity of 75 to 85%. In a method of manufacturing the smoke filtration device, the frusto-conical tubular body including said open-cell porous structure is formed by additive manufacturing.