Rotatable Filter Cigarette Ventilation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing filter cigarettes lack a simple and intuitive mechanism for consumers to adjust ventilation levels during smoking, affecting the taste and flavor experience.

Innovation Solution

A filter cigarette design featuring a rotatable mouthpiece with a ventilation indicator, comprising a scale and cursor that visually or tactilely indicates the ventilation level, allowing users to easily select desired ventilation settings by rotating the mouthpiece between high and low positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a rotatable mouthpiece mechanism is added to vary ventilation levels, then the adaptability of the cigarette is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventilation level adjustmentVSAvoidmouthpiece structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mouthpiece is designed to be rotatable relative to the filter cigarette, allowing dynamic adjustment of ventilation levels. The rotatable element can be positioned at different angular orientations to vary the alignment between openings in the mouthpiece and openings in the filter, thereby dynamically changing the ventilation characteristics during use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a ventilation indicator with scale and cursor is added, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventilation level selectionVSAvoidindicator mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A ventilation indicator comprising a scale and cursor is provided to give visual feedback to the user about the current ventilation level. The scale is divided into graduated markings indicating different ventilation levels, and the cursor position relative to the scale shows the current setting, enabling the user to understand and adjust the ventilation to the desired level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple bands with openings are used to control ventilation, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventilation controlVSAvoidopening alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation control system is segmented into multiple independent components: a mouthpiece with openings, a filter cigarette with openings, and optionally intermediate bands with openings. Each component can be manufactured separately with standard tolerances, and the ventilation control is achieved through the relative positioning and alignment of these segmented parts rather than requiring high precision in each individual component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2552260B1Filter cigarette with variable ventilation
Publication Date: 2015.05.06 PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS SA
  • EP2552260B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2552260B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

A filter cigarette (10, 20, 30) with variable ventilation comprising: a rod (1) of smokable material; a mouthpiece (3) comprising an element (34) rotatable relative to the rest of filter cigarette about the longitudinal axis thereof to vary the ventilation of the filter cigarette; and a ventilation indicator (5) comprising a scale (9) extending circumferentially about the periphery of the filter cigarette and a cursor (7). The scale is symmetric about the longitudinal axis of the filter cigarette and the cursor and the scale are rotatable relative to one another about the longitudinal axis of the filter cigarette, one of the cursor and the scale rotating with the rotatable element of the mouthpiece, the level of ventilation being indicated by the longitudinal distance between the cursor and a longitudinally aligned point on the scale.