Tobacco smoke filter
A tobacco smoke filter or filter element including a longitudinally extending core of tobacco smoke filtering material of circumference 14 to 17 mm which includes a channel which extends longitudinally from an end of the core; wherein the core further includes a plasticiser in an amount of 17 to 19% by weight of the tobacco smoke filtering material.
1. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a longitudinally extending core of tobacco smoke filtering material of circumference 14 to 17 mm which defines a channel which extends longitudinally from an end of the core; wherein the core further comprises a plasticiser in an amount of 17 to 19% by weight of the tobacco smoke filtering material; wherein the plasticiser is applied to a surface of the tobacco smoke filtering material; wherein the core has a hardness of 93% or more Filtrona hardness units; and wherein the channel has a circumference of 8.8 mm to 9.42 mm.
2. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 1 comprising a longitudinally extending core of tobacco smoke filtering material of circumference 16 to 17 mm.
3. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 1 wherein the tobacco smoke filtering material is cellulose acetate.
4. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 3 , wherein the cellulose acetate is of density in the range of 0.25 to 0.41 g/cc.
5. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 3 , wherein the cellulose acetate is of total filament denier of 30-36,000.
6. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 1 wherein the plasticiser is triacetin.
7. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 1 wherein the longitudinally extending core of tobacco smoke filtering material is substantially cylindrical.
8. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 1 wherein the channel is cylindrical.
9. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 1 wherein the channel extends from one end, to the other, of the longitudinally extending core.
10. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 1 further comprising a wrapper engaged around the longitudinally extending core.
11. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 1 of length 12 to 40 mm.
12. A tobacco smoke filter comprising a filter element according to claim 1 joined at its upstream end to a further filter element.
13. A filter cigarette comprising a filter or filter element according to claim 1 joined to a wrapped tobacco rod with one end of the filter towards the tobacco.
14. A multiple rod comprising a plurality of filters or filter elements according to claim 1 integrally joined end-to-end in a mirror image relationship.
15. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a longitudinally extending core of tobacco smoke filtering material of circumference 14 to 15 mm which defines a channel which extends longitudinally from an end of the core; wherein the core further comprises a plasticiser in an amount of 15 to 21% by weight of the tobacco smoke filtering material; wherein the plasticiser is applied to a surface of the tobacco smoke filtering material; wherein the core has a hardness of 93% or more Filtrona hardness units; and wherein the channel has a circumference of 8.8 mm to 9.42 mm.
16. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 15 wherein the channel extends from one end, to the other, of the longitudinally extending core.
17. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 15 wherein the channel is cylindrical.
18. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 15 wherein the tobacco smoke filtering material is cellulose acetate.
19. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 18 , wherein the cellulose acetate is of density in the range of 0.25 to 0.41 g/cc.
20. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 18 wherein the cellulose acetate is of total filament denier of 30-36,000.
21. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to claim 15 wherein the plasticiser is triacetin.
22. A tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a longitudinally extending core of tobacco smoke filtering material of circumference 14 to 17 mm which defines a channel which extends longitudinally from an end of the core; wherein the core further comprises a plasticiser in an amount of 15 to 20% by weight of the tobacco smoke filtering material; wherein the plasticiser is applied to a surface of the tobacco smoke filtering material; wherein the tobacco smoke filtering material is of wall density in the range of 0.25 to 0.41 g/cc; wherein the core has a hardness of 93% or more Filtrona hardness units; and wherein the channel has a circumference of 8.8 mm to 9.42 mm.
23. A method of production of a tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a longitudinally extending core of tobacco smoke filtering material of circumference 14 to 17 mm which defines a channel with extends longitudinally from an end of the core; wherein the core furthercomprises a plasticizer in an amount of 15.5 to 21% by weight of the tobacco smoke filtering material; wherein the core has a hardness of 93% or more Filtrona hardness units; and wherein the channel has a circumference of 8.8 mm to 9.42 mm; the method comprising: continuously d rawingthe tobacco smoke filtering material from a single source; applying plasticizerto a surface of the filtering material; and thermoforming tobacco smoke filtering material to which plasticizer has been applied.