DEVICE FOR SELF-LIGHTING OF A CIGARETTE, COMPRISING INCOMPATIBLE CHEMICAL MATERIALS THAT GENERATE SUFFICIENT THERMAL ENERGY TO LIGHT THE END OF SAID CIGARETTE WHEN THEY ARE IN CONTACT WITH ONE ANOTHER

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for self-lighting of a cigarette (1), comprising a primary chemical material and a secondary chemical material, said chemical materials being incompatible and generating sufficient thermal energy to light the end (4) of said cigarette when they are in contact with one another, —the primary chemical material is placed in a capsule (70) intended to be fixed at the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1), —the secondary chemical material is disposed in a receptacle (80) designed to be positioned at the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1) in an arrangement that allows said secondary material to be brought into contact with the primary material, characterized in that: —the capsule (70) is made of an airtight and moisture-tight combustible material, said capsule having at least one puncturing zone, —the receptacle (80) incorporates a sealed container containing the secondary chemical material, said reservoir comprising a pointed end piece (82) the rigidity of which is sufficient to pierce the capsule (7) in its puncturing zone and through which said secondary chemical material can flow.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for self-lighting of a cigarette, comprising incompatible chemical materials generating sufficient thermal energy to light the end of said cigarette when they are in contact with one another.

It relates to the technical field of pyrotechnic devices and more particularly those intended for lighting cigarettes and providing an alternative to the conventional means of the lighter or match type.

State of the Art

Devices for self-lighting cigarettes illustrating prior art are described in the following patent documents: FR 2 905 231 (Charli ABISDID), BG 407 714 (M. MARGOLIS), DE 3 509 293 (LIECHTENSTEIN RICHARD VON), EP 0 066 021 (YOO, BYUNG EON) FR 7 539 535 (TOKYO ENGINEERING CO.) D5: GB 314 145 (Piedad and Alejandro LIFCHUZ), FR 709 175 (Giulio TURRI), JP 2005 5 224 232 (ISHIKAWA JOJI), GB 406 153 (Ansley HERMAN FOX). These devices include a priming material configured to ignite a flammable material under the effect of an impact or friction. The contact strips generally used, are worn away as cigarettes are lit. And the more the strip is worn, the more difficult it is to light a cigarette.

Documents FR 1 014 899 (FONDO), BE 1 012 826 (JACQUET), BE 1 015 826 (JACQUET), BE 97 941 (BONCHEV MIROSLAV B.), GB 356 861 (Robert SUTHERLAND), GB 2 342 560 (ZYGMUNT MAREK NIEWIADOMSKI), GB 752 365 (Hans HANNO MOSER), GB 790 341 (Kurt KORBER) or U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,186 (PETERSON), WO 2012/123647 (ABISDID et al.), describe devices for self-lighting comprising a primary chemical material placed at the end to be lit of the cigarette, and a secondary chemical material that is incompatible with the first material. These devices use the principle of incompatibility of chemical materials which spontaneously ignite when they are placed in contact with one another. In practice, the secondary chemical material is:

• • either conditioned on one of the faces of the pack of cigarettes in such a way that when manipulating said pack, said secondary chemical material can be detached, resulting, in fact, difficulties in subsequently lighting cigarettes,
  • or conditioned in individual containers that are poorly adapted.

In order to overcome these imperfections, it is known in document U.S. Pat. No. 3,109,435 (PALEY), a device for self-lighting wherein potassium permanganate is placed in a capsule made of porous material fixed at the end to be lit of the cigarette. The secondary chemical material is arranged in a receptacle able to fit onto the end to be lit of the cigarette and place said secondary material into contact with the primary material. This device is relatively practical but however has disadvantages. Indeed, the secondary material for lighting imbibes an absorbent material that is positioned inside the receptacle. After aging for several days in the ambient conditions (moisture content of the air in particular), the secondary material oxidizes and/or dries, in such a way that it becomes difficult to light the cigarette in a reliable manner. The properties of the potassium permanganate are also deteriorated by the moisture of the air and that contained in the tobacco of the cigarette. Also note that using a capsule to contain the permanganate introduces an additional material that can produce a supplement of slag, which can be a significant disadvantage from the standpoint of smokers if it is not suitably chosen. Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,109,435 does not address the nature of the material of the capsule. The document WO 2012/123679 (ABISDID et al.) considers encapsulating the primary material, without however revealing the nature of the capsule.

In light of this state, the invention has for main objective to provide a device that allows for an easy lighting of a cigarette, while still suppressing the deficiencies linked to the conditionings of the chemical materials known in prior art.

The invention also has for object to provide a device for self-lighting that is easy to use, of simple design and inexpensive.

Disclosure of the Invention

The solution proposed by the invention is a device for self-lighting of a cigarette comprising a primary chemical material and a secondary chemical material, said chemical materials being incompatible and generating sufficient thermal energy to light the end of said cigarette when they are in contact with one another. The primary chemical material is placed in a capsule intended to be fixed at the end to be lit of the cigarette. The secondary chemical material is disposed in a receptacle designed to be positioned at the end to be lit of the cigarette in an arrangement that allows said secondary material to be brought into contact with the primary material.

This device is remarkable in that the capsule is made of an airtight and moisture-tight combustible material, said capsule having at least one puncturing zone, and in that the receptacle incorporates a sealed container containing the secondary chemical material, said reservoir comprising a pointed end piece the rigidity of which is sufficient to pierce said capsule in its puncturing zone and through which said secondary chemical material can flow.

The use of a capsule made of an airtight and moisture-tight material makes it possible to protect the primary chemical material from the moisture in the air and that contained in the tobacco of the cigarette. Moreover, this choice of combustible material for the capsule makes it possible to facilitate the inflammation of the tobacco in the case where the smoker would want to use a conventional means of lighting such as a match, a lighter or another cigarette.

Using such a receptacle makes it possible to deposit the secondary chemical material with care on the primary chemical material, in order to avoid drowning it and inhibiting the self-lighting reaction, or at the very least slow it down to the point that it cannot generate sufficient thermal energy to light the cigarette.

The choice of the material of the capsule and the design of the receptacle, therefore act in synergy in order to provide an effective lighting of cigarettes, even after a relatively long aging time.

Other remarkable characteristics of the device object of the invention are listed hereinbelow, with each of these characteristics able to be considered individually or in combination, independently of the remarkable characteristics defined hereinabove:

• • this puncturing zone can have the form of a seal that is thinner and/or less resistant than the rest of the wall of the capsule,
  • the capsule is advantageously mostly comprised of nitrocellulose,
  • the capsule is advantageously maintained in position at the end to be lit of the cigarette, by the intermediary of a collodion of nitrocellulose,
  • the receptacle advantageously has the shape of a cylindrical tube of which the outer diameter correspond substantially to that of a cigarette, with the reservoir being housed in said tube, with a flexible filling material surrounding said reservoir being placed inside said tube,
  • the receptacle, the reservoir and the flexible filling material, are advantageously made from biodegradable and/or bio-fragmentable materials,
  • the receptacle and the reservoir are advantageously made from a flexible material, in such a way that a pressure on the wall of said receptacle causes the secondary chemical material to exit via the pointed end piece,
  • in an alternative embodiment, the reservoir can be provided with a piston of which the displacement causes the secondary chemical material to exit via the pointed end piece,
  • the reservoir contains between 0.005 ml and 0.05 ml of liquid glycerin,
  • the primary chemical material is preferentially mostly constituted of potassium permanganate in the form of powder of which the granulometry is between 10 μm and 200 μm, advantageously between 20 μm and 30 μm,
  • a portion of the capsule is advantageously configured to serve as a guide to the receptacle during the fitting of said receptacle on the end to be lit of the cigarette,
  • the capsule can have a tapered shape, with the widest portion of said capsule being located on the side of the end to be lit of the cigarette,
  • the capsule can comprise a portion configured to serve as a guide to the receptacle during the fitting of the latter onto the end to be lit of the cigarette. This portion forming a guide can also be used to give the primary material a shape that is better suited for putting it into contact with the secondary material. Indeed, according to the type of contact between the primary material and the secondary material, the lighting can be performed more or less well. The best results are obtained when the contact is made at the surface of the primary material, or is limited to the first layers, more particularly when said primary material is potassium permanganate and the secondary material is liquid glycerin.
  • the primary chemical material is preferentially mostly comprised of potassium permanganate and the secondary chemical material is mostly comprised of glycerin,
  • the sealed container and the pointed end piece can have the form of a single-block part obtained by molding or can consist of two separate parts.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a cigarette comprising an inhalation end and an end to be lit, said cigarette being provided with the device for self-lighting in accordance with one of the preceding characteristics, with the receptacle being initially arranged at one of the ends of the cigarette, in an arrangement that prevents any placing into contact of said secondary material with the primary material, said receptacle being removable, and designed to be positioned against the end to be lit, in an arrangement that allows for putting the secondary material in contact with the primary material.

Other remarkable characteristics of the cigarette object of the invention are listed hereinbelow, with each of these characteristics able to be considered individually or in combination, independently of the remarkable characteristics defined hereinabove:

• • the receptacle comprises advantageously a fastening zone arranged around the pointed end piece, with said fastening zone being configured to:
    • fit onto the inhalation end opposite the end to be lit of the cigarette, in such a way that said pointed end piece is embedded into said inhalation end,
    • and fit onto the end to be lit, in such a way that said pointed end piece is embedded into the capsule,
  • the receptacle can comprise:
    • a first fastening zone arranged around the pointed end piece, said fastening zone being configured to fit onto the end to be lit, in such a way that said pointed end piece is embedded into the capsule,
    • a second fastening zone, opposite said first zone, configured to fit onto the end to be lit or onto the inhalation end, in such a way that said pointed end piece is separated from the capsule.
  • the receptacle can be maintained in the extension of the cigarette by means of a detachable adhesive tab, of a cut according to dotted lines (or by any other similar means of fastening), with the pointed end piece embedded into the inhalation end of said cigarette.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention shall appear better when reading the following description of a preferred embodiment, in reference to the annexed drawings, carried out by way of indicative and unrestricted examples and wherein:

FIGS. 1 to 4 diagrammatically show the various steps that make it possible to light a cigarette by means of a device for self-lighting in accordance with the invention,

FIGS. 5 a, 5b and 5c are diagrammatical longitudinal cross-section views of a receptacle of secondary material in accordance with the invention, according to three alternative embodiments,

FIGS. 6 a to 6h diagrammatically show different configurations of the capsule containing the primary material, said capsule being arranged at the end to be lit of the cigarette,

FIG. 60 is a front view of the cigarette, showing the visible portion of the capsule or of a pellet arranged at the end to be lit,

FIGS. 7 a and 7b show the use of a receptacle in accordance with FIG. 5a, on a cigarette in accordance with FIG. 6e,

FIGS. 8 a and 8b show the use of a receptacle in accordance with FIG. 5b, on a cigarette in accordance with FIG. 6e,

FIGS. 9 a and 9b show the use of a receptacle in accordance with FIG. 5c, on a cigarette in accordance with FIG. 6e.

The configuration of FIGS. 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b can of course be transposed to cigarettes in accordance with FIGS. 6a, 6b 6c, 6d, 6f, 6g and 6h.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The invention makes it possible to self-light a cigarette 1. “Cigarette” means a conventional cigarette with or without a filter, a cigarillo, a cigar, or other similar object that can be consumed by a smoker. As diagrammed in the annexed figures, a cigarette 1 generally has the form of a cylinder formed from a sheet of paper 2 and inside of which are arranged chopped tobacco leaves 3. It has a diameter that can range from 3 mm to 7 mm and a length that can vary from 60 mm to 100 mm. It comprises an end to be lit 4 and an inhalation end 5 opposite said end to be lit. The inhalation end 5 can in particular comprise a filter 6.

The device for self-lighting objet of the invention comprises a primary chemical material 7 (or material “to be lit”) and a secondary chemical material 8 (or material “for lighting”). These two chemical materials are incompatible and generate sufficient thermal energy (for example from 150° C. to 700° C.), with or without a flame, to light the end 4 of the cigarette 1 when they are in contact with one another.

The primary material 7/secondary material 8 pair can be for example an oxidizer/fuel pair of the type potassium permanganate/glycol; silver nitrate/red phosphorus; silver nitrate/sulfur; chlorates and boric acid/glycols; aluminum/tincture of iodine; sodium metal or other metals of the same family/water or alcoholic termination reactants; Raney nickel or phosphoric/oxidizer materials (MnO2, chlorate); nitrocelluloses/strong acids (sulfuric, hydrochloric); etc.

The best results are obtained with a primary chemical material 7 mostly constituted of potassium permanganate and a secondary chemical material 8 mostly constituted of glycerin. In the sense of this inventions, “mostly” means that the percentage by weight of potassium permanganate, respectively of glycerin, with respect to the total weight of the primary material 7, respectively of the secondary material 8, is greater than 50% w/w_{primary or secondary material}, advantageously greater than 70% w/w_{primary or secondary material}, preferentially greater than 95% w/w_{primary or secondary material}. This pair of materials further has the advantage of complying with the sanitary standards in effect and eliminating any risk of toxicity. Indeed, glycerin is a product commonly used as a food additive: it has the form of a viscous, transparent, colorless, odorless, non-toxic liquid with a sweet taste. Potassium permanganate is an inorganic salt commonly used as a disinfectant and as a deodorizer. It is in particular used for treating drinking water.

The reaction between the potassium permanganate and the glycerin is a surface chemical reaction. That is to say that the reaction kinetics are directly proportional to the size of the zone of contact between the solid (potassium permanganate) and the liquid (glycerin). It is preferable to use potassium permanganate in the form of a relatively fine powder. The finer this powder is, the greater the zone of contact between the solid (potassium permanganate) and the liquid (glycerin) is, and therefore the faster the reaction kinetics are. The best reactivity (reaction starting in a few seconds) is obtained with a fine powder of potassium permanganate, of which the granulometry is between 10 μm and 200 μm, advantageously between 20 μm and 30 μm. An average granulometry of 25 μm gives good results.

The chemical reaction initiated by a primary chemical material 7 mostly constituted of potassium permanganate and a secondary chemical material 8 mostly constituted of glycerin, is not instantaneous, as a short incubation period of a few seconds is required, without this leading the user into thinking that the cigarette 1 did not light. The reaction is announced by a prior release of non-toxic smoke consisting solely of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The reaction is not too strong, as the effect is similar to that provoked by the flame of a lighter or of a match. Once the reaction is completed, the end 4 of the cigarette is sufficiently lit to allow for the time for the smoker to bring the cigarette to his slips and to begin inhaling the tobacco smoke by ensuring that he does not inhale the smoke of the incompatibility reaction. This state of things secures the self-lighting of the cigarette 1 and reassures the user. Furthermore, these two chemical materials are sufficiently stable to provide for a sufficient duration of use over time.

Additional substances can be used to dilute, bind, fix, activate or on the contrary slow down or passivate the source incompatible chemical materials implemented in the invention. In particular, by adding sodium thiosulfate to the permanganate, a substantial improvement was observed in the reactivity of the permanganate with the glycerin and good reproductivity in lighting time. Other substances can furthermore make it possible to reinforce the resistance of the primary 7 and secondary 8 material in ambient conditions, in particular moisture (for example waterproof substances).

In reference to FIGS. 6a to 6h, the primary chemical material 7 is placed in a capsule 70 intended to be fixed at the end to be lit 4 of the cigarette 1. The capsule 70 can be positioned at the very edge of the end to be lit 4 (FIGS. 6a to 6g), or slightly withdrawn (FIG. 6h). In this latter case, and as is shown in FIG. 6h, the capsule 70 can be covered with tobacco fibers, over a depth of a few millimeters, in such a way that the end to be lit 4 retains an aspect similar to that of a conventional cigarette. In practice, the capsule 70 contains between 0.1 mg to 5 mg of potassium permanganate. The capsule 70 is mostly constituted of nitrocellulose, i.e. the percentage by weight of nitrocellulose with respect to the total weight of the capsule (not filled with primary material 7) is greater than 50% w/w_capsule, advantageously greater than 70% w/w_capsule, preferentially greater than 95% w/w_capsule. In practice, the capsule is formed from a sheet of nitrocellulose, for example Nitrofilm® or celluloid. Nitrocellulose has many advantages:

• • this material is airtight and watertight which makes it possible to protect the primary chemical material 7 against the moisture of the air and that contained in the tobacco of the cigarette 1;
  • the combustion of the nitrocellulose releases only gaseous species, without generating solid residue or only with a very low quantity of slag or ash;
  • the combustion time is very fast, less than 1 or 2 seconds. The smoker therefore does not risk inhaling the combustion products since the capsule 70 has had all the time needed to burn before he brings the cigarette to his mouth,
  • the desired formatting of the capsule 70 is easy.

Choosing this material also has the advantage of facilitating the industrial fabrication of the cigarettes object of the invention: on the one hand, the capsules 70 can be carried out beforehand and loaded with primary chemical material 7 according to an industrial process that is easy to automate, and on the other hand, setting the capsules 70 in place at the end 4 of the cigarettes 1 is a purely mechanical operation which can also easily be automated, which is important for tobacco companies.

Other materials that have properties similar to those of nitrocellulose, and suitable for those skilled in the art, can be used, for example pongee silk, or biodegradable pongee.

When a primary chemical material 7 mostly constituted of potassium permanganate is in contact with a secondary chemical material 8 mostly constituted of glycerin, the mixtures heats up quickly, possible without a flame, to a temperature of several hundred degrees. This thermal energy is then transmitted to the nitrocellulose, of which the self-ignition temperature is between 150° C. and 200° C. This “activation” material therefore ignites as soon as this self-ignition temperature is reached.

The end to be lit 4 of the cigarette 1 can be impregnated beforehand with a collodion of nitrocellulose before depositing the capsule 70. Such an impregnation is in particular interesting for: improving the reliability of the transmission to the tobacco fibers of the flame generated by the reaction of the two incompatible materials 7, 8, and increasing the maintaining in position of the capsule 70 on the end 4 to be lit. For example, in industrial manufacture, the prior impregnation material can have the form of a glue-gel that, once dry, provides the adhesion of the capsule 70 containing the primary chemical material 7, to the tobacco 3 of the cigarette 1. The capsule 70 can also be glued onto the end 4 by means of gum arabic, food-grade adhesive, or any other product suitable to those skilled in the art.

In reference to FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c, the secondary chemical material 8 is disposed in a receptacle 80. In the example shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b, this receptacle 80 is configured to fit onto the end 4 to be lit of the cigarette 1 and place said secondary material into contact with the primary material 7. In the sense of this invention, “fit” means the possibility that the receptacle 80 has to be positioned on, against and/or around the end to be lit 4, with the possibility of remaining or not remaining fixed to said end. In the example shown in FIG. 5c, the receptacle 80 is more generally designed to be positioned against the end to be lit 4 in an arrangement that allows the secondary material 8 to be put into contact with the primary material 7.

The receptacle 80 is removable, i.e. it can be detached from the cigarette 1. It can have one or more ends open outwards or be entirely closed. In practice, the receptacle 80 has the form of a cylindrical tube, preferentially closed at one of its ends 12 and of which the outer diameter correspond substantially to that of the cigarette 1. The diameter of the receptacle 80 can for example vary from 2 mm to 8 mm. Its length can vary from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.

The receptacle 80 incorporates a sealed container 81 containing the secondary chemical material 8. Possibly, a flexible filling material 83 surrounding the reservoir 81, can be placed inside the tube forming the receptacle 80. The filling material 83 has for function to position the reservoir 81 at the center of the receptacle 80.

In order to be able to deposit a drop of secondary material 8 onto the primary material 7 (or, at the most, in a thin external layer of the load of primary material 7 contained in the capsule 70), the sealed container 81 is of small size, preferentially in the form of a flexible metering pipette, with any form suitable to those skilled in the art able to be considered. In practice, the reservoir 81 contains between 0.005 ml and 0.05 ml of liquid glycerin. It can be of an extended shape (with its diameter being less than its height) or chunky (its diameter being greater than its height).

The reservoir 81 comprises a pointed end piece 82 the rigidity of which is sufficient to pierce the capsule 70 and through which the secondary chemical material 8 can flow. The tip 82 preferentially has a shape similar to that of the needles of hypodermic syringes. This shape is particularly well suited to the piercing of the capsule 70 by pressing according to the axis of the cigarette 1, with or without a movement of rotation in order to facilitate the piercing.

In order to facilitate its perforation, the wall of the capsule 70 comprises advantageously a puncturing zone (FIGS. 6a to 6h) intended to be pierced by the tip 82 of the reservoir 80 (FIGS. 7a to 8b). This puncturing zone 71 advantageously has the form of a seal that is thinner and/or less resistant than the rest of the wall of the capsule 70. The seal 71 can also be made of a material of the food-grade plastic or aluminum film type, watertight. The adhesion of such a film on the external (or internal) wall of the capsule 70 is provided via suitable gluing, also watertight.

The receptacle 80 is initially arranged at one of the ends of the cigarette, in an arrangement that prevents any putting of the secondary material 8 into contact with the primary material 7. The removable receptacle 80 is then positioned at the end to be lit 4, in an arrangement that allows the secondary material 8 to be put in contact with the primary material 7.

In reference to the embodiment of FIGS. 5a, 7a and 7b, the receptacle 80 comprises a fastening zone 11 arranged around the pointed end piece 82 and configured to fit onto the end to be lit 4 in such a way that said pointed end piece is embedded into the capsule 70. This fastening zone 11 has the form of a cylindrical portion which is opposite the closed end 12 of the tube that forms the receptacle 80. The fastening zone 11 is open in such a way as to allow it to be fitted onto the end to be lit 4. The fastening zone 11 has an inner diameter greater than or equal (for example from 0.1 mm to 1 mm), to the outer diameter of the cigarette 1, and a length that can vary from 3 mm to 10 mm. The configuration of the fastening zone 11 makes it possible to fit the receptacle 80 onto the inhalation end 5 opposite the end to be lit 4 of the cigarette 1, in such a way that the pointed end piece 82 is embedded into said inhalation end and more particularly into the filter 6. A more rigid connection is thus obtained between the receptacle 80 and the inhalation end 5. In practice, the receptacle 80 is initially fit onto the inhalation end 5 (FIG. 7a). When the user wants to light the cigarette, he disengages the receptacle 80 from the inhalation end 5 and fits it onto the end to be lit 4 in such a way that the pointed end piece 82 pierces the capsule 70 (FIG. 7b).

In reference to the alternative embodiment of FIGS. 5b, 8a and 8b, the receptacle 80 comprises a first fastening zone 11a arranged around the pointed end piece 82 and configured to fit onto the end to be lit 4 in such a way that said pointed end piece is embedded into the capsule 70. This first fastening zone 11a is identical to the fastening zone 11 defined hereinabove. It can be provided with a closing cap, said cap makes it possible to protect the pointed end piece 82 and prevents the reservoir 81 from being emptied following an unintentional pressing on the walls of the receptacle 80. The receptacle 80 comprises a second fastening zone 11b, opposite the first zone 11a. This second fastening zone 11b is open in such a way as to allow it to be fitted onto the end to be lit 4 or onto the inhalation end 5, in such a way that the pointed end piece 82 is separated from the capsule 70. The second fastening zone 11b has an inner diameter greater than or equal (for example from 0.1 mm to 1 mm), to the outer diameter of the cigarette 1, and a length that can vary from 3 mm to 10 mm. In practice, the second fastening zone 11b is initially fitted onto the end to be lit 4 or onto the inhalation end 5 (FIG. 8a). When the user wants to light the cigarette, he disengages the receptacle 80 and fits the first fastening zone 11a onto the end to be lit 4 in such a way that the pointed end piece 82 pierces the capsule 70 (FIG. 8b).

In reference to the alternative embodiment of FIGS. 5c, 9a and 9b, the receptacle 80 is devoid of a fastening zone. The receptacle 80 is no longer fitted onto the end 4, but directly pierces the capsule 70. This configuration provides better visibility of the operation of piercing the capsule 70. In reference to FIG. 60, in order to provide a piercing at the center of the visible portion of the capsule 70, said point of piercing can be identified by a suitable marking 73. The latter has for example the shape of a cross, a point or a target carried out in the center of the visible portion of the capsule 70 when the latter is arranged at the very edge of the end 4 to be lit, or is carried out on a pellet 74 arranged on said end to be lit when said capsule is covered with tobacco (FIG. 6h).

When the receptacle 80 is initially arranged on the inhalation end 5 (FIG. 9a), it is advantageous to retain the diameter of the cigarette 1 over the entire length, in particular in order to not force the tobacco companies to modify the size of their pack. To do this, the receptacle 80 is maintained in the extension of the cigarette 1 by means of a detachable adhesive tab 13, of a cut according to dotted lines (for example, by exercising a traction-rotation movement on the receptacle) or by any other similar means of fastening. The adhesive tab 13 can for example be partially coated with an adhesive of the type similar to that which is found on a POST-IT®.

The entire receptacle 80 must be globally flexible so that the distribution of the secondary material 8 takes place without effort, on the first attempt, as a single press on said receptacle. The tip 82 is more rigid, which is not contradictory with the objective of overall flexibility of the receptacle 80 and is very easily carried out industrially.

The material preferentially used for carrying out the receptacle 80 and the reservoir 81 is flexible polyethylene due to its good compatibility with liquids and the flexibility that it retains sustainably over time. It is preferred however to use biodegradable and/or bio-fragmentable materials in order to respond to the concern for minimum pollution of the environment, such as paper or a carton that is preferentially plasticized, an aliphatic polymer such as polycaprolactone and polytetramethylene succinate, a copolyester, a polyesteramide or a vinyl polymer, a biopolymer of the polysaccharide type of a hydrocarbon elastomer such as natural rubber. The flexible material is chosen in such a way that a pressing on the wall of the receptacle 80 causes the secondary chemical material 8 to exit via the pointed end piece 82. In the case where the reservoir 81 is of extended shape, the user can empty it by pressing (or pinching) on the lateral walls. In the case where the reservoir 81 is of chunky form, the user can empty it by pressing it in the axis of the cigarette.

In an alternative embodiment, the receptacle 80 and/or the reservoir 81 can be made from a rigid material, said reservoir being provided with a piston of which the displacement causes the secondary chemical material 8 to exit via the pointed end piece 82 (in the manner of a syringe). Choosing a receptacle 80 made from a transparent material allows the user to see that he is indeed piercing the fragile zone 71. Of course, this operation can be done blindly, with the user knowing that the capsule 70 is pierced when the end 4 of the cigarette 1 abuts against the filling material 83.

In another alternative embodiment not shown, the reservoir 81 can have the form of a bellows (or accordion), allowing it to be emptied via axial pressure. The materials that comprise the receptacle 80 and the filling material 83 are in this case sufficiently flexible to authorize this axial pressure.

The tip 82 can be carried out in the same flexible material as the reservoir 81 (in which case it is its conformation that makes it more rigid) or in a more rigid material, such as a thermosetting polymer. In order to simplify the design of the receptacle 80, the sealed container 81 and the pointed end piece 82 advantageously have the form of a single-block part obtained via molding. However, in the case where the material of the reservoir is too flexible, it can be considered to use a separate tip 82 made from a more rigid material. For example, it is possible to use a tip 82 that has the form of a more rigid insert (metal, PVC, etc.) added via gluing or welding onto the reservoir 81 or whereon said reservoir is molded.

The filling material 83 can be foam or a material similar to that used for cigarette filters. It is preferred however to use a biodegradable and/or bio-fragmentable material in order to respond to the concern for minimum pollution of the environment, such as a felt plant.

In reference to FIG. 6a, the capsule 70 can have the shape of a cylindrical pellet that is entirely integrated into the end to be lit 4. However, the fitting of the receptacle 80 to the end 4 of the cigarette 1, can lead to unacceptable deformations of said cigarette. This comes from the fact that the end of the cigarette 1 is not rigorously cylindrical. The closer the diameter of the receptacle 80 is to that of the cigarette 1, the more difficult the fitting will be. It thus seems important that the cylindrical nature of the end 4 of the cigarette 1 be guaranteed. In order to achieve this, the capsule 70 preferentially comprises a portion 72 configured to serve as a guide to the receptacle 80 when it is fitted onto the end to be lit 4. The capsule 70 can as such play the role of a shaper of the end 4 of the cigarette so that it remains cylindrical. A solution consists in placing at the end 4 of the cigarette 1, a capsule of hemispherical (FIG. 6b), tapered (FIG. 6c), or spherical (FIG. 6d) shape, and of which the narrowest portion is arranged beyond the end to be lit 4, in such a way as to provide good guidance for the fitting of the receptacle 80. In FIGS. 6e, 6f, 6g and 6h, the capsule 70 is of tapered shape, with its widest portion being located on the side of the end to be lit 4. This shape offers a more centered conditioning of the primary material 7, and allows for the depositing of the secondary material 8 over the entire free surface of said primary material, as such providing a more regular lighting. In FIGS. 6f and 6g the portion 72 forming the guidance consists of a flange of which the diameter correspond to that of the end 4, said flange is covered by a sheet of paper 2. Its height is of a few millimeters. In FIG. 6f, the flange is oriented towards the inhalation end 5 and in FIG. 6g, it is oriented in the other direction.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show how a smoker can light the cigarette with simple gestures, whether he is holding said cigarette in the hand or is holding it not yet lit in the mouth.

The user takes the receptacle 80 (FIG. 1) and positions it with regards to the end to be lit 4 in such a way that the pointed end piece 82 pierces the capsule 70 (FIG. 2). The user can place the secondary material 8 in contact with the primary material 7 by pressing the receptacle 80 between his fingers (FIG. 3) and said secondary material flows through the pointed end piece 82. Once the secondary material 8 is in contact with the primary material 7, the user withdraws the receptacle 80 from the end to be lit 4 (FIG. 4). The reaction is initiated and the end to be lit 4 is ignited.

The arrangement of the various elements and/or means and/or steps of the invention, in the embodiments described hereinabove, must not be understood as requiring such an arrangement in all of the implementations. In any case, it will be understood that diverse modifications can be made to these elements and/or means and/or steps, without leaving the frame of mind and the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A Device for self-lighting of a cigarette (1) comprising a primary chemical material (7) and a secondary chemical material (8), said chemical materials being incompatible and generating sufficient thermal energy to light the end (4) of said cigarette when they are in contact with one another, the primary chemical material (7) is placed in a capsule (70) intended to be fixed at the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1),the secondary chemical material (8) is disposed in a receptacle (80) designed to be positioned at the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1) in an arrangement that allows said secondary material to be brought into contact with the primary material (7), whereinthe capsule (70) is made of an airtight and moisture-tight combustible material, said capsule having at least one puncturing zone (71), andthe receptacle (80) incorporates a sealed container (81) containing the secondary chemical material (8), said reservoir comprising a pointed end piece (82) the rigidity of which is sufficient to pierce the capsule (70) in its puncturing zone and through which said secondary chemical material can flow.

2. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the puncturing zone (71) has the form of a seal that is thinner, less resistant than the rest of the wall of the capsule (70), or both.

3. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the capsule (70) is mostly constituted of nitrocellulose.

4. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the capsule (70) is maintained in position at the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1), by the intermediary of a collodion of nitrocellulose.

5. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle (80) has the shape of a cylindrical tube of which the outer diameter corresponds substantially to that of a cigarette (1), with the reservoir (81) being housed in said tube, a flexible filling material (83) surrounding said reservoir being placed inside said tube.

6. The Device according to claim 5, wherein the receptacle (80), the reservoir (81) and the flexible filling material (83), are made from biodegradable and/or bio-fragmentable materials.

7. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle (80) and the reservoir (81) are made from a flexible material, in such a way that a pressing on the wall of said receptacle causes the secondary chemical material (8) to exit via the pointed end piece (82).

8. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir (81) is provided with a piston of which the displacement causes the secondary chemical material (8) to exit via the pointed end piece (82).

9. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir (81) contains between 0.005 ml and 0.05 ml of liquid glycerin.

10. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the primary chemical material (7) is mostly constituted of potassium permanganate having the form of a powder of which the granulometry is between 10 μm and 200 μm.

11. The Device according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the capsule (70) is configured to serve as a guide to the receptacle (80) during the fitting of said receptacle onto the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1).

12. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the capsule (70) is of tapered shape, with the widest portion of said capsule being located on the side of the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1).

13. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the capsule (70) comprises a portion (72) configured to serve as a guide to the receptacle during the fitting of the latter onto the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1).

14. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the primary chemical material (7) is mostly constituted of potassium permanganate and the secondary chemical material (8) is mostly constituted of glycerin.

15. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the sealed container (81) and the pointed end piece (82) have the form of a single-block part obtained via molding.

16. The Device according to claim 1, wherein the sealed container (81) and the pointed end piece (82) are two separate parts.

17. A Cigarette comprising an end to be lit (4) and an inhalation end (5), the cigarette is provided with a device for self-lighting according to claim 1, with the receptacle (80) being initially arranged at one of the ends of the cigarette, in an arrangement that prevents any placing into contact of said secondary material with the primary material (7), said receptacle being removable, and designed to be positioned against the end to be lit (4), in an arrangement that allows for putting the secondary material (8) in contact with the primary material (7).

18. The Cigarette according to claim 17, wherein the receptacle (80) comprises a fastening zone (11) arranged around the pointed end piece (82), said fastening zone being configured to: fit onto the inhalation end (5) opposite the end to be lit (4) of the cigarette (1), in such a way that said pointed end piece is embedded into said inhalation end,and fit onto the end to be lit (4), in such a way that said pointed end piece is embedded into the capsule (70).

19. The Cigarette according to claim 17, wherein the receptacle (80) comprises: a first fastening zone (11a) arranged around the pointed end piece (82), said fastening zone being configured to fit onto the end to be lit (4), in such a way that said pointed end piece is embedded into the capsule (70), anda second fastening zone (11b), opposite said first zone (11a), configured to fit onto the end to be lit (4) or onto the inhalation end (5), in such a way that said pointed end piece is separated from the capsule (70).

20. The Cigarette according to claim 17, wherein the receptacle (80) is maintained in the extension of the cigarette (1) by means of a detachable adhesive tab (13) or a cut according to dotted lines, with the pointed end piece (82) being embedded into the inhalation end (5).