This invention relates to a smoking article, especially a kind of gas heating smoking article.
Ordinary tobacco product, for example cigarette, is made by wrapping cigarette paper around cut tobaccos in the shape of round bar or rod. More often than not, a filtering device, for example a filter tip made of cellulose acetate, is attached to the smoking end of cigarettes. When the smoker lights a cigarette and puffs, the cut tobaccos in cigarette will get burnt and carbonized to form a flame-free hot combustion zone. The combustion zone, gradually expanding backward, will give rise to high-temperature air flow which exerts a carbonization effect on neighboring cut tobaccos. Besides, the high-temperature air flow will vaporize the volatiles contained in the cut tobaccos and generate visible aerosol, namely whitish and lightly-bluish vapor, when such volatiles are cooled by the incoming cooling air. The nicotine contained in such vapor will be breathed into human blood system through respiratory tract as well as pulmonary alveoli and then excite cerebral nerve cells, exposing smokers to the pleasant feeling exclusive to nicotine. However, the decomposition and double-decompose reactions of various chemicals from tobaccos will give rise to large quantities of tar and diversified harmful substances. Hence it comes as a constant challenge to cigarette manufacturers to bring smokers the pleasant feeling created by mildly-harmful nicotine while minimizing tar and hazardous substances. To significantly improve the public health environment and weaken the harm of tobaccos and the resulting law conflicts, great efforts are being made in relevant technological improvements and inventions. R.J Reynolds Tobacco Company has described, in a number of technological patents, the low-tar cigarettes with segment-based combustion element fueled by carbon. Also relevant technologies have been disclosed in such USA patents as U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,220,301, 9,149,072 and the U.S. Pat. No. 9,185,939 of Philip Morse.
The present inventor also applied to patents of electronic cigarette powered by battery, including the Chinese utility model patents ZL03211903.8, ZL03212882.7 and ZL200420031182.0, etc. in 2003 and 2004. Patent from Philip Morse U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,439 disclosed an electrical powered ceramic heating device, for lighting and heating cigarette. These patents are all focusing on providing low tar cigarette with traditional cigarette's advantages to smokers, and reduce incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. So, e-cigarette begins standing out on global cigarette market, recent e-cigarette products are welcomed by the world due to its free tar, easy to use. There are 10 million people using e-cigarette. However, there are still some technic problems of e-cigarette without ideal solution, like the problem from lithium battery, heating element over heating causing carbon degradation makes it is impossible to add tobacco extraction to liquid, this limited the taste of e-vapor, makes long term smokers will not accept it.
Targeting the lighting method of cigarette, China utility model patent CN204682514U disclosed a filter mouth piece with lighter, by a supporting structure combined cigarette and lighter together, for smoker smoking. However, cigarette need lighter to ignite directly, harmful combustion products filtered. China invention patent CN1328992C disclosed a smoking simulation article and its fuel units, using clean fuel to combust, like ethanol, methyl alcohol, isopropanol or propyl alcohol, etc. Obviously, enjoy the happiness of nicotine but reduce the damage of tar and other harmful product is a problem of tobacco companies. To significantly improve the public health environment, reduce the damage of tobacco and legal conflicts, related technical improvement and science invention are all working on these problems. People are looking for a tobacco substitution which could reduce the harmful products from combustion, and provides a good, convent smoking experience.
To solve the problems mentioned above, this invention disclosed a cigarette substitute which is safer, no need battery or charge. This invention is a low temperature cigarette heated by premixed gas flame. Core idea of this invention is using the heat generated by gas combustion baking cigarette consumable items or heating aerosol generation consumable items, and generate aerosol very similar to normal cigarette.
To archive the purpose above, this invention provides following solution:
A gas heating smoking article, with puff mouth piece, such smoking article has smoking article housing, combustion device on housing, cigarette consumable items or aerosol generation consumable items; such combustion device using propane and butane gas premixed with air as fuel to generate heat, such heat is for baking cigarette consumable items or heating aerosol generation consumable items.
Selected baking cigarette consumable items could be: cigarette consumable items could be normal cigarette, or cigarette rolled with one of following materials, heat resistance paper, heat resistance member, and metal foil. Such cigarette consumable item is placed in the baking chamber inside the housing, such housing is designed with inlet air hole and puff mouth piece at each side; baking chamber designed at least one combustion gas spread path and exhaust; such premixed gas flame from combustion device is targeting the high-temperature gas hole of the baking chamber which connected to the combustion gas spread path, to bake the cigarette consumable items; there is no air flow path between baking chamber and puff mouth piece.
Furthermore, such combustion device can move along the cigarette consumable items, by ignite premixed gas flame multiple times to bake the cigarette consumable items section by section. Optimized, such cigarette consumable items baking section should be 3-20 sections, corresponding high-temperature spread path should also be 3-20.
Furthermore, such baking chamber is divided into multiple separate chambers by partitions, such partitions designed with a space for cigarette consumable items; there is high-temperature gas spread path and exhaust gas exit for each separate chambers, gap between cigarette consumable item and the housing of the smoking article is the high-temperature gas spread path; combustion device is attached to the outside of the housing, it can move along the smoking article step by step, and at each stop place high-temperature gas inlet hole to separate chambers, single combustion and step motion of the combustion device is controlled manually.
Furthermore, the combustion device is connected the an escapement system to let it move step by step, such escapement system is located outside the housing and each stop point makes the combustion device targeting at least one of the high-temperature gas inlet holes.
Furthermore, there is a manual switch controls the combustion device and escapement system or two switches control these separately.
Furthermore, there is a lid on the housing provides an easy way for user to replace consumable items.
Furthermore, the high-temperature gas spread path could be filled with metal foam or metal fiber, which could let the premixed flame and premixed flameless combustion coexistence.
Furthermore, the combustion device includes fuel chamber, ignition device, gas refill port, inlet air control switch and premix chamber, such premix chamber designed with combustion-supporting air inlet and nozzle, the premixed flame spurt out of the nozzle, optimized, the flame should targeting the high-temperature hole of the baking chamber.
Furthermore, the nozzle is designed with metal wire to stabilize the flame and prevent sudden flameout.
Furthermore, such premix chamber is designed with flame muffler net, to prevent housing damage or housing overheat.
Furthermore, the premix chamber is made of heat resistance ceramic, with multiple inlet air flow hole at the side; or with wave shaped dual metal sheet, which could extended and press to close an air flow valve, multiple inlet air flow holes at the side.
consumable item inserted into silicon. Air flows into the spiral air flow path through opening, the spiral air flow path attached with heat releasing part of heat collector to heat air flows in, high temperature air flows out of the spiral air flow path and targeting cigarette consumable item to heat and generate aerosol.
If using aerosol generation consumable items, the optimized solution should be: the housing is designed with combustion zone and aerosol generation zone, such combustion zone has at least one inlet air hole and exhaust hole; the aerosol generation zone has an inlet air hole for puffing; there is no air flow path between combustion zone and aerosol generation zone; such combustion device is located in combustion zone, the premixed gas combusts in a heat collection system; the aerosol generation consumable item is placed in the aerosol generation zone; heat collected by the heat collection system is released to the aerosol generation zone and generate aerosol.
Furthermore, the aerosol generation consumable items have liquid conduction system, such liquid conduction system is connected to heat releasing units.
Furthermore, the heat collection system is cellular structure, which premixed gas combust in it with or without flame, the heat collection system designed multiple air flow holes on its side wall, there is a heat release unit at its close end.
Furthermore, the heat collection system is designed as multi-fence metal column, filled with metal foam metal column or filled with metal fiber mat metal column. Optimization is, between the heat collection system and housing there is a flame muffler net.
Furthermore, the combustion device includes fuel chamber, ignition device, air flow adjust valve, gas refill port, control switch and premix chamber, such premix chamber designed with air inlet hole and nozzle, premixed gas flame connected to the heat collection system through the nozzle. In the system, the premix chamber is made of heat resistance ceramic with multiple gas exhaust; or with wave shaped dual metal sheet, which could extended and press to close an air flow valve after heated, multiple gas exhaust at the side.
Furthermore selectively, the nozzle is designed with metal wire to stabilize the flame and prevent sudden flameout.
From the perspective of product design, that the combustion device and aerosol generation consumable items are coaxial designed, the smoking article is rod like; or the combustion device is protrude out of the housing of aerosol generation consumable items, the smoking article is pistol like.
This invention also provides a simplified smoking article design, which includes smoking article housing, combustion device on the housing, cigarette consumable items; such combustion device using propane or butane premixed with air before combustion, heat from combustion transferred to air path to heat air inside the air path, the high temperature air outlet targeting cigarette consumable items to heat it and generate aerosol, in this invention, combustion device and cigarette consumable item placed in combustion zone and aerosol generation zone, there is no air flow between them.
Furthermore, such combustion device has heat collection unit, premixed air combusts in heat collection unit, generate heat to heat air inside the air flow path.
Furthermore, air flow path is made of heat conduction material in spiral shape, its inlet air hole connected to the housing to outside air.
Furthermore, inside the aerosol generation zone designed with heat resistant layer prevent combustion and store heat.
Furthermore, end of smoking article housing designed with silicon tube to insert cigarette consumable items, puff mouth piece of cigarette consumable item is outside the silicon tube.
Optimized, the end part of the smoking article designed with removable puff mouth piece, such cigarette consumable items insert into housing or placed in puff mouth piece.
By using aerosol generation consumable item, this invention provides a simplified solution, similar combustion device, different heat collection device. A smoking article, includes smoking article housing, combustion device attached on the housing, aerosol generation consumable item; such combustion device using propane or butane premixed with air before combustion, heat generated from the combustion is transferred to aerosol generation consumable item; the housing designed with combustion zone and aerosol generation zone. Such combustion zone placed with supporting air inlet and at least one waste gas exhaust for exhausting combustion waste gas. Such aerosol generation zone placed with puff air inlet path and puff aerosol outlet path. There is no air flow between the combustion zone and aerosol generation zone, combustion device placed in combustion zone, premix gas combusts in premix chamber, aerosol generation consumable item is in aerosol generation zone. Heat from combustion transfers to aerosol generation consumable item by heat collection device to generate aerosol, such heat collection device located on aerosol generation consumable item. In this design, combustion device includes combustion chamber, ignition device, gas flow adjust valve, gas refill port, control switch and premix chamber. Such premix chamber designed with support air inlet and nozzle, flame mixed with air conducted to heat collection device through such nozzle.
Furthermore, the heat collection device separates the combustion zone and aerosol generation zone. Heat resistance fiber of such aerosol generation consumable item closely attached on heat collection device, to generate aerosol from the aerosol generation material absorbed by the heat resistance fiber.
Optimized, the heat collection device is made of heat resistance metal foil, and shaped in a structure which could attach close to the heat resistance fiber, located in the end of aerosol generation consumable item housing. Especially, the heat collection device designed with a hollow, inner side of the hollow is shaped closely attached on heat resistance fiber. Specifically, the heat collection device is in cone shape, such heat resistance fiber closely attached on the inner side of the heat collection device. The point of the heat collection device is placed close to the premix chamber.
Furthermore, the heat collection device is sealed on aerosol generation consumable item housing by heat resistance soft part. When inserting aerosol generation consumable item into the smoking article's housing, deformation of the soft part will compress the heat collection device, to make it closely attached on the heat resistance fiber to transfer heat.
Furthermore, the aerosol generation consumable item and heat collection form one consumable item together. Such aerosol generation consumable item designed with air inlet path. One side of the air inlet path connected to outside, the other side connected to the hollow between heat collection and the housing.
Furthermore, the aerosol generation consumable item designed with puff mouth piece connected to puff air outlet, in one piece or separately.
In this invention, since there is no tobacco burning or heating aerosol generation materials, this could reduce or prevent harmful products from tobacco burning and degradation, there is no tar, carbon monoxide and ash, no secondhand smoke issue, no environmental pollution, thus will significantly reduce the damage from traditional tobacco. Considering the propane, butane gas combustion process could produce waste gas, this technical solution designs single puffing air flow path which is isolated with combustion waste gas path, in the baking chamber and consumable items chamber, to prevent the health of smokers.
For better understanding of the following figures, reference to the application embodiments is recommended. These illustrative figures do not serve as restrictions to technological solutions of the invention at all. In particular, structures, ratio, sizes are only for instruction for people familiar with the technology, reading and understanding, there is no limit to the invention's implementation.
The following drawings and specific embodiments will describe the present invention in detail.
For the terms used herein, cigarette consumable items refers to any filling material used in the smoking articles, particular the cigarettes, which can be either the conventional material, such as normal tobacco, nontobacco plant, signal or hybrid carbon fuel material, there is no limitation of materials in this invention, and there is no limitation of manufacture process and supporting materials. In this invention, traditional tobacco materials like cut tobacco, broken tobacco and tobacco particles, or other special processed tobacco, like being dry distillation or extracted of tobacco leaf (of course by changing the distillation or extraction level could provide different tobacco taste), low nitrosamine content tobacco, low tar tobacco, protein removed tobacco, low protein carbonized processed tobacco, etc. also can add PG, VG, nicotine, tobacco extract, tobacco flavor, ethanol may apply one or more compositions, among tobacco flavors, like sweeteners, aloes, mint, licorice, essence, etc., could be used to change the taste or flavor of cigarette. Carbon fuel material is porous carbide, solid carbon fuel like charcoal rod, porous carbide herein is carbide made from tobacco leaf, tobacco artificial sheet, by high temperature vacuum distillation partially or completely. Currently, solid carbon rod fuel materials have been commercialized and could be customized and sell, like Premier brand released in 1988 and Eclipse released in 1995 from R.J. Reynolds tobacco are heat-not-burn tobacco products. Apparently, in this invention, cigarette consumable items are working as one time products, it could be traditional cigarette, or tobacco rolled with heat resistance paper, member and aluminum foil. The outside of the cigarette could apply a high temperature baking material as packing, however the packing is the focusing point of this invention, so for examples blow will using aluminum foil, but there is no limitation for this invention.
Aerosol generation consumable items, aerosol generation material refers to liquid which form aerosol after heating and cooling, any liquid in current tobacco product could be applied, like liquid in e-cigarette. As we known, liquid could be categorized into two classes: with nicotine and without nicotine, main composition are PG, VG, nicotine, tobacco extract, tobacco flavor, ethanol may apply one or more compositions, among tobacco flavors, like sweeteners, aloes, mint, licorice, essence, etc., could be used to change the taste or flavor of cigarette; optimized, to fulfill needs, can also add appropriate nicotine and/or tobacco extracts, to replace traditional cigarette products. Aerosol generation material is usually placed in proper container, and conducted by good liquid conduction material like fiber mat, fiber wick consist replaceable or liquid refillable consumable items. In current technology, aerosol generation consumable items are wildly used in e-cigarette, thousands of recipes; there is no limitation in this invention.
Combustion device refers to combustion device using propane gas or butane gas premixed with air to generate flame, ignition and combustion structure is similar to premix lighter. The theory of premix lighter is premix gas with air then combust. Main parts of combustion device are: ignition device and gas storage tank, ignition device can generate and shoot spark to combustion zone to generate flame. Common ignition devices are: piezoelectric ceramic element, magnetic inductance and battery, etc. By using piezoelectric ceramic element, for example, applying mechanical stress on piezoelectric ceramic will cause the element's internal chargers' center change and polarize the element and generate free chargers at both sides of the element. So once the piezoelectric ceramic element being compressed, it could convert mechanical energy to electrical energy, and release high voltage spark at a sharp point to ignite gas. Technicians in this field should understand, the premix lighter is a mature technology. This invention has no limitation to premix lighter, only use it as a combustion device for baking cigarette, will do some necessary modification on its appearance, premix chamber, nozzle and cooperate structure with smoking articles.
Filtering element placed in the cigarette consumable item's puff area or in front of puff mouth piece, filtering element could be used for removing tar and other harmful materials in the smoke, reduce the uncomfortable feel after puff, typical filtering material is made of acetate fiber, polyester, polypropylene mesh. Of course there are some filters with special functions and structures. This invention has no limitation to filters' structure, material and function.
The main idea of this invention is providing a cigarette substitute, with propane gas or butane gas as energy, premixed flame to heat low temperature cigarette, and heat from combustion is for baking cigarette consumable items or aerosol generation consumable items, and generates smoke similar to traditional cigarette.
Applying cigarette consumable items in the smoking article need design reasonable baking chamber in the smoking article. Depends on the length of the consumable item, there could be 1 or more baking chamber, optimized 3-20 baking chamber, the purpose of the baking chamber is match up smoker's smoking habit and rhythm, also bake the cigarette consumable item as uniform as possible. For baking chamber, since the propane gas or butane gas produce waste gas during combustion, should place waste gas emission outlet to the outside world.
As shown in
Inside the smoking article's housing 1, there are baking chambers 11, separated by partitions 12, all these partitions have reserved with center holes for inserting cigarette consumable items. When inserted with cigarette consumable items 2, each baking chamber 11 is a sealed space, each baking chamber 11 designed a high-temperature gas inlet hole 13 and waster gas outlet hole 14, also the gap between the cigarette consumable item 2, the smoking article's housing 1 and the partition 12 is a high-temperature gas separation path 7, to realize the uniform baking of the cigarette consumable items. Optimized, the high-temperature gas separation path 7 could be designed in 3 to 20's, which means the cigarette consumable item 2 is divided into 3 to 20 sections for baking. Furthermore optimized, to increase the heat efficiency metal fiber or metal foam could be add into the high-temperature gas separation path 7, let the premixed flame and premixed flameless combustion coexistence.
One side of combustion device 3 is placed with liquid propane or butane gas tank 302 and the tank has gas charging valve and gas flow adjust valve, the other side of the gas tank 302 is placed with a push button 303 and stop valve 304, stop valve 304 connected to gas nozzle 305, gas nozzle 305 placed in premix chamber 80 and close to high voltage ignition wire 307, push button 303 connected with piezoelectric ceramic or high frequency device 308 through high voltage ignition wire 307 to premix chamber 80.
Step escapement system is placed on the smoking article's housing; main purpose is to realize the step movement of combustion device on the housing. Control a device moving in steps is a mature technology; there is no limitation for this design. Connection between housing 1, combustion device and step escapement device could apply any current technology. In this invention, to provide a good experience, the push button 303 on combustion device controls not only the single ignition but also the step movement of the escapement system. In
In
As one option, in
By pressing push button 303 continually, pawl 502 moves around pawl shaft 503, the device moves along one tooth on rack 501, to complete one step movement. At the same time, the push button 303 also moves stop valve 304 and piezoelectric ceramic 308, to complete ignition process. At every step movement stop point, nozzle on combustion device 3 always facing a baking chamber's high-temperature hole 13. Before puffing, press push button 303, continually, until whole cigarette consumable item finished baking. Remove cigarette consumable item 2 by open the lid 15, or just remove cigarette consumable item 2, and discard it away.
As shown in
In this invention, escapement system 5 and push button 6 connected to pawl 502 and rack 501 to complete step movement. When user press push button 306, stop valve 304 will open, piezoelectric ceramic 308 triggered and generated high voltage. Based on the Bernoulli Equation, propane and butane gas ejected from nozzle drag combustion supporting air into premix chamber, ignited by electrical arc. Once the push button 306 pressed, the ignition process triggers, from
In the following example, optimized the structure once more, removed the escapement system, and replaced the cigarette consumable items to aerosol generation consumable items. The aerosol generation consumable items have metal or plastic housing, filled with aerosol generation liquid, such aerosol generation liquid includes but not only propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine and tobacco extract, flavor, water, and in the alumina powder mixture composed of one or more of the following, and using heat resistance fiber wick or mat to conduct liquid by capillary effect.
As shown in
In
Optional heat collectors as shown in
When user press push button 716, wave shaped dual metal sheet premix chamber 83, inside wave shaped premix chamber 83 form premixed gas ignited by arc combust in flameless inside heat collector 61. Liquid conduction wick 721 absorbs heat from heat collector and generate aerosol, aerosol cooled by air from puff inlet air hole 40 and puffed by smoker.
Similar to above mentioned theory, as shown in
Premix gas combust in heat collector 61, heat collector 61 rounded with flame muffler, heat released through heat releasing unit from heat collector 61 to heat aerosol generation consumable item. Upper housing 901 designed with support air inlet hole 50 and multiple waste gas exhaust hole 60, upper housing also designed with puff air inlet hole 70.
Lower housing 904 placed with aerosol generation consumable items, at the end of it designed with puff mouth piece 905. Aerosol generation consumable items designed with air flow path 923. In this example, liquid conduction device is made of heat resistant fiber mat 921, two end point of liquid conduction mat 921 attached to fiber column 902 absorbed aerosol generation liquid.
As shown in
In this example, heat collector 1124 could be made of metal foil like nickel foil and shaped in cone shape, heat resistance soft part silicon 1112 seal it with aerosol generation consumable item 1104 at heat resistance fiber 1123, compress the cone shaped heat collector 1124 to make it closely attached with heat resistance fiber 1123 to transfer heat fast. Once the aerosol generation consumable item 1104 inserts in smoking article 1101, top point of heat collector 1124 placed close to the premix chamber 1117, premix chamber 1117 surrounded by flame muffler net 1106. The top of cone shaped heat collector 1124 could be designed round or flat, to increase the contact area of flame, furthermore to increase the aerosol generation speed, optimized a bullet head shape. The space between cone shaped heat collector 1124 and premix chamber 1117 is combustion zone, space between heat collector 1124 and heat resistance fiber 1123 is aerosol generation zone, the combustion zone and aerosol generation zone separated by heat collector 1124. The housing of aerosol generation consumable item 1104 designed with an air inlet path 1118, such air inlet path 1118 connects outside air and space in heat collector, such structure refers to current e-cigarette's similar structure, place an outside inlet air path 1118 in aerosol generation zone, to cool down and from aerosol, meanwhile, such aerosol generation consumable item 1104 also designed with a puff path 1125. Press push button 1116, piezoelectric or high frequency device 1111 ignite premixed gas in premix chamber 1117 generates flame, cone shaped heat collection device transfer heat to heat resistance fiber 1123, liquid in heat resistance fiber 1123 transferred to aerosol, aerosol puffed out by path 1125 and mouth piece 1127. This design has an advantage is fast heat transfer without thermal inertia, heat resistance metal foil heat collector and aerosol generation consumable item 1104 could be disposed together, no carbonyl from repeated usage of heat collector.
As shown in
As shown in
As another solution for above example,
The invention is not limited to the implementation of above examples. The above description of the specific implementation ways to explain this invention involved technical solutions. The specific implementation of the above ways used to reveal the best implementation method of the invention and to make technician in the field of application of the invention to achieve the purpose of the invention. Based on the invention revealed obvious transform or alternative should be considered in the scope of protection for the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2016 2 1111124 U | Oct 2016 | CN | national |
This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 15/579,584 filed on Dec. 4, 2017 which is a national phase entry of International Application No. PCT/CN2017/071902, filed on Jan. 20, 2017, which is based upon and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. CN2016211111248, filed on Oct. 10, 2016.
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Number | Date | Country |
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103712246 | Apr 2014 | CN |
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Entry |
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Machine Translation of CN 103712246 (Year: 2014). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20180098570 A1 | Apr 2018 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15579584 | Dec 2017 | US |
Child | 15831373 | US |