Fibrous Smoke Filter with Embedded Adsorbents to Prevent Channeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current filter technologies for smoking articles face challenges such as contamination of mainstream smoke by particulate additives, channeling of smoke around loose particles, and deactivation of adsorbents due to the use of plasticizers or adhesives, necessitating a need for multifunctional filter elements that can provide both particulate and gas phase filtration without free particulate adsorbents.
Innovation Solution
A multifunctional fibrous filter material is developed, where adsorbent particles are encapsulated within the filament structure and coated with reactive groups, allowing for filtration of both particulate and gaseous components of mainstream smoke without the need for free particulate adsorbents, using a combination of cellulose acetate or polyolefin filaments, activated carbon, ion exchange, and catalytic fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If free particulate adsorbent materials are used in filter elements, then gas phase filtration capability is improved, but smoke contamination and channeling problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds adsorbent particles within the hollow core of fibrous filaments, creating a nested structure where particles are contained inside the filament matrix. This prevents particle dispersion and channeling while maintaining gas phase filtration capability through the filament walls and internal particle surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fibrous filter material combining filaments with hollow cores containing adsorbent particles. This composite structure integrates the filtration functions of both the fibrous matrix and the embedded adsorbent particles, achieving reliable gas phase filtration without the harmful effects of loose particulate materials.
2Stability of the object's composition
If plasticizers or adhesives are used to bind adsorbent particles, then particle retention in filter element is improved, but adsorbent deactivation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The adsorbent particles are nested within the hollow cores of filaments during the fiber formation process, eliminating the need for plasticizers or adhesives to bind particles. The filament structure itself provides containment, preserving adsorbent functionality while ensuring particle retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful binding agents (plasticizers and adhesives) from the filter element composition. By using the filament hollow core structure for particle containment, the invention removes the source of adsorbent deactivation while maintaining particle retention.
3Productivity
If traditional filter manufacturing processes are used, then production efficiency is maintained, but manufacturing complexity increases due to particle incorporation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The adsorbent particles are incorporated into the filament structure during the fiber formation process, before the filter element is assembled. This preliminary incorporation eliminates subsequent particle addition steps and reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining high production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The fibrous filter material serves multiple functions simultaneously: the fibrous matrix provides particulate filtration, while the embedded adsorbent particles provide gas phase filtration. This multi-functionality is achieved within a single manufacturing process, avoiding the need for separate particle incorporation steps and reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
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 solution provides effective filtration of mainstream smoke through multiple mechanisms, minimizing contamination and deactivation issues, while maintaining the functionality of adsorbents, and can be manufactured with minimal modification to existing equipment and processes.
Implementation Method 1
each individual filament comprises a plurality of adsorbent material particles at least partially encapsulated with a removable encapsulant imbedded therein
Implementation Method 2
Each individual filament further comprises an outer coating comprising a plurality of reactive groups adapted for reaction with one or more components of mainstream smoke
Implementation Method 3
The filter element provides filtration of both particulate material and at least one gaseous component of mainstream smoke
Data Source
AI summary
A filter element for use in a smoking article and providing filtration of particulate material and gaseous components of mainstream smoke is provided. The filter element includes a segment of fibrous tow comprising a plurality of individual filaments, wherein each individual filament includes a plurality of adsorbent material particles at least partially encapsulated with a removable encapsulant imbedded therein. The individual filaments may further include an outer coating that provides a plurality of reactive groups adapted for reaction with one or more components of mainstream smoke. Alternatively, the multifunctional filter element combines different fibrous filter materials, such as cellulose acetate or polyolefin filaments combined with activated carbon filaments and at least one of ion exchange filaments and catalytic filaments. A method of providing a cellulose acetate fibrous tow containing an imbedded adsorbent material is provided, wherein a plurality of encapsulated adsorbent particles are mixed with a cellulose acetate dope.