CIGARETTE PRODUCTION METHOD, CIGARETTE, AND DOUBLE CIGARETTE

Abstract

 A double cigarette (11) includes mouth-end filter bodies (1) located on a mouth-end side when the double cigarette 11 is turned into cigarettes, a filter plug (8) in which the mouth-end filter bodies (1) are placed in a line along an axial direction, cigarette rods (9) placed on opposite sides of the filter plug (8), and tipping paper adapted to integrally wrap the filter plug (8) and the cigarette rods (9), wherein a distinguishing indicator (15) is formed on each of mouth-side end faces (16) which are opposing end faces of the mouth-end filter bodies (1), the distinguishing indicator (15) has a normal view pattern viewed from a side of the mouth-side end face (16) and a reverse view pattern viewed from a side opposite the mouth-side end face (16), the reverse view pattern being plane-symmetrical to, and different from, the normal view pattern, and the filter plug (8) is formed by placing the mouth-end filter bodies (1) such that the normal view patterns face each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cigarette production method, a cigarette, and a double cigarette.

Background Art

[0002] A filter which is used for a cigarette and whose end face is patterned is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The pattern which appears on the end face is formed by extending along the length of the filter, and consequently, the same pattern appears on the end face of the filter no matter what part of the filter may be cut during production of the filter.

[0003] In the case of a hollow filter with a through-hole formed longitudinally, a cross-sectional shape of the through-hole appears on the end face. (See, for example, Patent Document 2). Other examples of distinguishing indicators, such as patterns and shapes, provided separately from filter material such as a filter tow and configured to be visually distinguishable and recognizable in this way include a colored thread provided along the length of the filter (see, for example, Patent Document 3) and a blind hole which extends from the end face of the filter and whose shape is used for distinction (see, for example, Patent Document 4).

[0004] On the other hand, a double cigarette is known (see, for example, Patent Document 5). The double cigarette is produced by arranging filters for two cigarettes in a line to form a filter plug, placing cigarettes at opposite ends of the filter plug, and integrating the filter plug and cigarettes using tipping paper. Finally, the double cigarette is cut in the middle (between the two filters), producing two cigarettes.

[0005] The distinguishing indicators described above are also applicable to double cigarettes. That is, filter tips with a distinguishing indicator provided on the end face are sent out, facing in the same direction and the filter tips are wrapped in inner plug wrapper, thereby forming a filter plug. Then, cigarette rods are placed at opposite ends of the filter plug, thereby integrating the filter plug and cigarette rods, and the filter plug is cut in the middle, thereby producing two cigarettes with the distinguishing indicator provided on their end faces.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0006] 

Patent Document 1: International Publication No. WO 2011/148130

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-352862

Patent Document 3: International Publication No. WO 2012/114437

Patent Document 4: British Patent Laid-Open No. 2347607

Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-24035

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be solved by the Invention

[0007] However, if a bilaterally asymmetrical figure or character is used as a distinguishing indicator, when the filter plug is cut, one of the halves can be recognized as the intended figure or character, but the other half appears as a figure or character plane-symmetrical to the intended figure or character. No such problem is found with the distinguishing indicators described in Patent Documents 1 to 4 because the distinguishing indicators are bilaterally symmetrical. For example, a character or the like, when used as a distinguishing indicator, does not make sense. Thus, cigarettes cannot be produced using a double cigarette when such a distinguishing indicator is presented.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the conventional techniques described above and has an object to provide a cigarette production method, cigarette, and double cigarette which make it possible to present completely identical, rather than plane-symmetrical, distinguishing indicators upon cutting a filter plug even when a double cigarette with cigarette rods placed at opposite ends of the filter plug is used.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cigarette production method comprising: a send-out step of arranging and sending out a plurality of filter tips each containing filter fibers and extending in an axial direction; a filter plug forming step of forming a filter rod by butting the plurality of filter tips in the axial direction and cutting the filter rod into filters for two cigarettes with the filters being placed facing each other; and an exposure step of placing cigarette rods at opposite ends of the filter plug and wrapping the filter plug and the cigarette rods in tipping paper to form a double cigarette and cutting the filter plug and thereby exposing end faces of the filter tips, wherein those of the filter tips which are placed on a side exposed in the exposure step are set as mouth-end filter bodies, a distinguishing-indicator forming step of forming a distinguishing indicator on mouth-side end faces of the mouth-end filter bodies is carried out before the send-out step, the distinguishing indicator being visually distinguishable from the filter fibers, the distinguishing indicator has a normal view pattern viewed from a side of the mouth-side end face and a reverse view pattern viewed from a side opposite the mouth-side end face, the reverse view pattern being plane-symmetrical to, and different from, the normal view pattern, and the respective distinguishing indicators of the mouth-end filter bodies facing each other are arranged such that the normal view patterns face each other when the filter plug is formed in the send-out step.

[0010] Preferably, the distinguishing indicator is expressed by a cross-sectional shape of a through-hole penetrating the mouth-end filter body in a longitudinal direction.

[0011] Preferably, the distinguishing indicator is expressed by coloring an end face of the mouth-end filter body.

[0012] Preferably, the distinguishing indicator is expressed by a plurality of thread-like bodies embedded along a length of the mouth-end filter body.

[0013] Preferably, the distinguishing indicator is expressed by a cross-sectional shape of a blind hole made in an end face of the mouth-end filter body.

[0014] Also, the present invention provides a cigarette comprising: the mouth-end filter body; and the cigarette rod.

[0015] Also, the present invention provides a double cigarette comprising: mouth-end filter bodies to be located on respective mouth-end sides of finished cigarettes, the mouth-end filter bodies containing filter fibers and extending along an axial direction; a filter plug in which the mouth-end filter bodies are placed in a line along the axial direction; cigarette rods placed on opposite sides of the filter plug; and tipping paper adapted to integrally wrap the filter plug and the cigarette rods, wherein a distinguishing indicator visually distinguishable from the filter fibers is formed on each of mouth-side end faces which are opposing end faces of the mouth-end filter bodies, the distinguishing indicator has a normal view pattern viewed from a side of the mouth-side end face and a reverse view pattern viewed from a side opposite the mouth-side end face, the reverse view pattern being plane-symmetrical to, and different from, the normal view pattern, and the filter plug is formed by placing the mouth-end filter bodies such that the normal view patterns face each other.

Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a cigarette which presents completely identical, rather than plane-symmetrical, distinguishing indicators upon cutting a filter plug even when a double cigarette with cigarette rods placed at opposite ends of the filter plug is used.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] 

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view describing a cigarette production method according to the present invention in sequence.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view describing the cigarette production method according to the present invention in sequence.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view describing the cigarette production method according to the present invention in sequence.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view describing the cigarette production method according to the present invention in sequence.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view describing the cigarette production method according to the present invention in sequence.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mouth-end filter body.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mouth-end filter body.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mouth-end filter body.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a filter plug.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a filter plug.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a filter rod making machine.

Mode for Carrying out the Invention

[0018] First, a cigarette production method according to the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, in production of cigarettes, a send-out step is carried out. In this step, plural filter tips 1 and 2 formed by wrapping filter fibers 4 in inner plug wrapper 3 and arranged in a line are sent out in the direction of arrow A (axial direction). In the example of FIG. 1, two filter tips 1 are arranged one after the other and sent out with a filter tip 2 being placed therebetween, where the filter tip 1 is a plain filter while the filter tip 2 is a charcoal filter in which activated carbon particles are distributed in filter fibers 4. The filter fibers 4 used are, for example, an acetate or other fiber bundle or a cellulose fiber sheet, to which a hardening agent (triacetin in the case of acetate fibers) has been added as required. The inner plug wrapper 3 is made of highly air-permeable paper having, for example, an air permeability of 10000 cu, basis weigh of 24.0 g/m², and width of 26.0 mm. Note that although the present embodiment shows an example in which inner plug wrapper is used as the filter tip 1, a so-called non-wrap filter in which an outer circumferential surface of filter fibers is hardened by heating may be used as the filter tip 1.

[0019] Next, a filter plug forming step is carried out as shown in FIG. 2. In this step, distances among the delivered plural filter tips 1 and 2 are narrowed and the filter tips are integrated by being wrapped in outer plug wrapper 5, thereby forming a filter rod 6. In the example of FIG. 2, a distance 7 is provided between the filter tips 1 facing each other. Subsequently, the filter rod 6 is cut at a position indicated by the cutting plane line B. This results in formation of a filter plug 8 (see FIG. 3) in which filters for two cigarettes are placed facing each other.

[0020] Next, an exposure step is carried out as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. First, as shown in FIG. 3, cigarette rods 9 are placed at opposite ends of the filter plug 8 and these are wrapped in tipping paper 10 to form a double cigarette 11. The cigarette rod 9 is formed by wrapping cut tobacco 12 in cigarette paper 13, where the cut tobacco 12 is produced by shredding tobacco leaves. This is shown as a simplified perspective view in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, after a double cigarette 11 is formed, the filter plug 8 is cut in the middle (between filter tip 1 and filter tip 1) along the cutting plane line C. Consequently, two cigarettes 14 are produced as shown in FIG. 5. Since the double cigarette 11 (filter plug 8) has been cut along the cutting plane line C, end faces of the filter tips 1 are exposed on the cigarettes 14. Note that the cigarettes 14 (recessed filter cigarettes) shown in the example of FIG. 5 are shaped such that when the cut is made along the cutting plane line C, the tipping paper 10 protrudes further from the end faces of the filter tips 1 toward the front. For that, in the filter plug forming step, the distance 7 is provided between the filter tips 1 facing each other. In producing such recessed cigarettes, preferably highly-stiff paper having, for example, a basis weight of 100.0 g/m² and width of 26.5 mm is used as the outer plug wrapper 5.

[0021] Here, according to the present invention, a distinguishing-indicator forming step is carried out before the send-out step described above. The distinguishing-indicator forming step involves forming a distinguishing indicator 15 visually distinguishable from the filter fibers 4 on each of the end faces of the filter tips 1 exposed in the exposure step. Since the filter tip 1 on which the distinguishing indicator 15 has been formed is placed on the mouth-end side of the finished cigarette 14, the filter tip 1 is also referred to as a mouth-end filter body. Hereinafter, the filter tip 1 will be referred to as a mouth-end filter body 1. The distinguishing indicator 15 is formed on a mouth-side end face 16 of the mouth-end filter body 1 at least when the cigarette 14 is formed. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the distinguishing indicator 15 is a pattern created by coloring the mouth-side end face 16 of the mouth-end filter body 1, and specifically the character F is used as the distinguishing indicator 15. As shown in FIG. 4, as patterns, the distinguishing indicator 15 presented on the mouth-side end face 16 of the mouth-end filter body 1 has a normal view pattern viewed from the side of the mouth-side end face 16, i.e., a pattern recognizable as the character F when viewed from the front, and a reverse view pattern viewed from the side (cigarette rod 9 side) opposite the mouth-side end face 16, the reverse view pattern being plane-symmetrical to, and different from, the normal view pattern.

[0022] The mouth-end filter bodies 1 with the distinguishing indicator 15 formed thereon are arranged such that the normal view patterns face each other in the send-out step described above. With this arrangement, the normal view patterns remain facing each other even on the resulting double cigarette such as shown in FIG. 4, and when the double cigarette is cut along the cutting plane line C, the normal view patterns of the distinguishing indicator 15 is always exposed on the side of the mouth-side end face 16. This prevents the reverse view pattern from being exposed on the mouth-side end face when a cut is made. Thus, when the indicator whose reverse view pattern does not make sense is adopted as the normal view pattern of the distinguishing indicator 15, the normal view pattern is always exposed on the mouth-side end face 16. Consequently, cigarettes 14 on which a distinguishing indicator 15 made up of exactly the same normal view pattern is exposed on the respective mouth-side end faces 16 can be obtained from a double cigarette 11.

[0023] This effect is also available when the distinguishing indicator 15 is expressed by a cross-sectional shape of a through-hole 17 penetrating the mouth-end filter body 1 in a longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. 6. Namely, this is when the mouth-end filter body 1 is formed by a hollow filter. In so doing, if the adjacent filter tip 2 is colored, since the color of the filter tip 2 can be recognized through the through-hole 17, the color can be made to be visually recognized as a background color of the distinguishing indicator 15. To color the filter tip 2, specifically, an acetate tow colored in advance can be used. Also, the distinguishing indicator 15 may be represented by plural thread-like bodies 18 embedded along the length of the mouth-end filter body 1 as shown in FIG. 7. Note that only a single thread-like body 18 is shown in FIG. 7. In this way, the distinguishing indicator 15 can also be formed by exposing plural cross sections of the thread-like bodies on the mouth-side end face 16. Besides, as shown in FIG. 8, the distinguishing indicator 15 may also be expressed by a cross-sectional shape of a blind hole 19 made in an end face of the mouth-end filter body 1.

[0024] When an element which represents the distinguishing indicator 15 extends inward from the mouth-side end face 16 as shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, it is not necessary to provide a distance 7 to allow the tipping paper 10 to protrude from the mouth-side end face 16, as in the case of the above-described recessed filter cigarette. That is, even if the mouth-end filter bodies 1 are in face-to-face contact with each other as shown in FIG. 9, if cuts are made along the cutting plane lines D at two locations on opposite sides of a boundary between the mouth-end filter bodies 1 facing each other, it is possible to obtain cigarettes 14 on each of which the tipping paper 10 is flush with the mouth-side end face 16 of the mouth-end filter body 1. Alternatively, if a hollow filter 20 of a hollow cylindrical shape is placed further on the mouth-end sides of the mouth-end filter bodies 1, when the hollow filter 20 is cut along the cutting plane line E, it is possible to obtain cigarettes 14 on each of which the distinguishing indicator 15 can be visually recognized through a hollow portion of the hollow filter 20.

[0025] The send-out step and filter plug forming step described above are carried out using a filter rod making machine 21 such as shown in FIG. 11. A case in which the filter rod 6 such as shown in FIG. 2 is produced will be described below. The making machine 21 is equipped with a suction conveyor 22, and supply units 23 to 25 adapted to supply the suction conveyor 22 with the mouth-end filter bodies 1 and filter tips 2 are installed in the vicinities of the suction conveyor 22. Each of the supply units 23 to 25 are equipped with a hopper 26, which is filled with the mouth-end filter bodies 1 or filter tips 2. Specifically, the hoppers 26 of the supply units 23 and 24 are filled with the mouth-end filter bodies 1 while the hopper 26 of the supply unit 25 is filled with the filter tips 2. Each hopper 26 is equipped with circular knives 27 and the mouth-end filter bodies 1 and filter tips 2 in the hoppers 26 are cut to predetermined lengths. Specifically, when supplied to the hopper 26, each mouth-end filter body 1 is 60 mm in total length, but cut to 10 mm by the circular knives 27. Also, each filter tip 2 is 112 mm in total length, and cut to 28 mm. Note that the circumferential length of both mouth-end filter body 1 and filter tip 2 is 24.0 mm. Looking now at the supply unit 23, the mouth-end filter bodies 1 cut to the predetermined length advance just as they are along a conveying route 28, and intervals at which the mouth-end filter bodies 1 are supplied to the suction conveyor 22 are adjusted by a delivery wheel 30 equipped with separation claws 29. Specifically, the delivery wheel 30 rotates in the direction of arrow G, and adjusts the timing for the separation claws 29 to supply the mouth-end filter bodies 1 to the suction conveyor 22. The mechanism for supply to the suction conveyor 22 is similar between the supply units 24 and 25.

[0026] When supplied to the suction conveyor 22, the mouth-end filter bodies 1 from the supply unit 23 are supplied in such a way that the mouth-side end faces 16 are located on the front side in the traveling direction. That is, the mouth-end filter bodies 1 are supplied in such a way that the normal view pattern of the distinguishing indicator 15 is located on the front side in the traveling direction. On the other hand, the mouth-end filter bodies 1 from the supply unit 24 are supplied to the suction conveyor 22 in such a way that the mouth-side end faces 16 are located on the rear side in the traveling direction. That is, the mouth-end filter bodies 1 are supplied in such a way that the normal view pattern of the distinguishing indicator 15 is located on the rear side in the traveling direction. The filter tips 2 from the supply unit 25 are supplied between the mouth-end filter bodies 1 whose mouth-side end faces 16 face away from each other. The mouth-end filter bodies 1 and filter tips 2 are conveyed as they are by the suction conveyor 22 and sent out while a spacer drum 31 places them in close contact with each other as appropriate and adjusts the distances 7 between them. Then, the mouth-end filter bodies 1 and filter tips 2 are wrapped in outer plug wrapper 5, thereby forming the filter rods 6. Note that to place a hollow filter 20 such as shown in FIG. 10 between the mouth-end filter bodies 1, a supply unit for use to supply hollow filters 20 to the suction conveyor 22 can be installed separately.

[0027] Possible methods for supplying the mouth-end filter bodies 1 to the suction conveyor 22 with their mouth-side end faces 16 facing each other in this way include a method which involves turning the mouth-end filter bodies 1 in opposite directions when supplying the mouth-end filter bodies 1 to the hoppers 26, a method which involves turning the mouth-end filter bodies 1 in the same direction when supplying the mouth-end filter bodies 1 to the hoppers 26 and reversing one of the hoppers 26 subsequently, and a method which involves turning the mouth-end filter bodies 1 from one of the supply units, e.g., the supply unit 24, one by one when the mouth-end filter bodies 1 are supplied from the hoppers 26 to the suction conveyor 22.

[0028] The filter rod 6 formed in this way is cut in a midsection of the filter tip 2 to become the filter plug 8. Then, the cigarette rods 9 are placed on opposite sides of the filter plug 8 and the cigarette rods 9 and filter plug 8 are wrapped in the tipping paper 10 to form a double cigarette as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. That is, the double cigarette 11 according to the present invention includes the mouth-end filter bodies 1 located on the mouth-end side at least when the double cigarette 11 is turned into cigarettes 14 (see FIG. 5). Also, the double cigarette 11 includes the filter plug 8 made up of the mouth-end filter bodies 1 facing each other. Also, the double cigarette 11 includes the cigarette rods 9 placed on opposite sides of the filter plug 8. Also, the double cigarette 11 includes tipping paper 10 used to integrally wrap the filter plug 8 and the cigarette rods 9. Being located on the mouth-end side of the finished cigarettes 14, the opposing end faces of the mouth-end filter bodies 1 become the mouth-side end faces 16, and the distinguishing indicator 15 has been formed on each of the mouth-side end faces 16. The distinguishing indicator 15 is visually distinguishable from the filter fibers 4 forming the mouth-end filter bodies 1. The distinguishing indicator 15 has a normal view pattern viewed from the side of the mouth-side end face 16, and a reverse view pattern viewed from the side (cigarette rod 9 side) opposite the mouth-side end face 16, the reverse view pattern being plane-symmetrical to, and different from, the normal view pattern. The filter plug 8 keeps the mouth-side end faces 16 of the mouth-end filter bodies 1 facing each other.

[0029] Note that although not illustrated, another filter tip may be installed between the filter tip 2 and filter tip 1 to make up a triple filter, where the filter tip 2 is a charcoal filter.

[0030] Also, regarding the thread-like body 18, although an example in which plural thread-like bodies are provided is shown in FIG. 7 above, an integral thread-like body having a predetermined cross-sectional shape may be provided alternatively.

[0031] Furthermore, as the distinguishing indicator 15, filter fibers colored, for example, in green may be buried in the through-hole. This allows cigarette smoke during smoking to be filtered by the colored filter fibers.

Explanation of Reference Signs

[0032] 

1

Filter tip (mouth-end filter body)

2

Filter tip

3

Inner plug wrapper

4

Filter fibers

5

Outer plug wrapper

6

Filter rod

7

Distance

8

Filter plug

9

Cigarette rod

10

Tipping paper

11

Double cigarette

12

Cut tobacco

13

Cigarette paper

14

Cigarette

15

Distinguishing indicator

16

Mouth-side end face

17

Through-hole

18

Thread-like body

19

Blind hole

20

Hollow filter

21

Filter rod making machine

22

Suction conveyor

23

Supply unit

24

Supply unit

25

Supply unit

26

Hopper

27

Circular knife

28

Conveying route

29

Separation claw

30

Delivery wheel

31

Spacer drum

Claims

1. A cigarette production method comprising:

a send-out step of arranging and sending out a plurality of filter tips each containing filter fibers and extending in an axial direction;

a filter plug forming step of forming a filter rod by butting the plurality of filter tips in the axial direction and cutting the filter rod into filters for two cigarettes with the filters being placed facing each other; and

an exposure step of placing cigarette rods at opposite ends of the filter plug and wrapping the filter plug and the cigarette rods in tipping paper to form a double cigarette and cutting the filter plug and thereby exposing end faces of the filter tips,

wherein those of the filter tips which are placed on a side exposed in the exposure step are set as mouth-end filter bodies,

a distinguishing-indicator forming step of forming a distinguishing indicator on mouth-side end faces is carried out before the send-out step, the distinguishing indicator being visually distinguishable from the filter fibers,

the distinguishing indicator has a normal view pattern viewed from a side of the mouth-side end face and a reverse view pattern viewed from a side opposite the mouth-side end face, the reverse view pattern being plane-symmetrical to, and different from, the normal view pattern, and

the respective distinguishing indicators of the mouth-end filter bodies facing each other are arranged such that the normal view patterns face each other when the filter plug is formed in the send-out step.

2. The cigarette production method according to claim 1, wherein the distinguishing indicator is expressed by a cross-sectional shape of a through-hole penetrating the mouth-end filter body in a longitudinal direction.

3. The cigarette production method according to claim 1, wherein the distinguishing indicator is expressed by coloring an end face of the mouth-end filter body.

4. The cigarette production method according to claim 1, wherein the distinguishing indicator is expressed by a plurality of thread-like bodies embedded along a length of the mouth-end filter body.

5. The cigarette production method according to claim 1, wherein the distinguishing indicator is expressed by a cross-sectional shape of a blind hole made in an end face of the mouth-end filter body.

6. A cigarette produced by the cigarette production method according to claim 1, comprising:

the mouth-end filter body; and the cigarette rod.

7. A double cigarette comprising:

mouth-end filter bodies to be located on respective mouth-end sides of finished cigarettes, the mouth-end filter bodies containing filter fibers and extending along an axial direction;

a filter plug in which the mouth-end filter bodies are placed in a line along the axial direction;

cigarette rods placed on opposite sides of the filter plug; and

tipping paper adapted to integrally wrap the filter plug and the cigarette rods,

wherein a distinguishing indicator visually distinguishable from the filter fibers is formed on each of mouth-side end faces which are opposing end faces of the mouth-end filter bodies,

the distinguishing indicator has a normal view pattern viewed from a side of the mouth-side end face and a reverse view pattern viewed from a side opposite the mouth-side end face, the reverse view pattern being plane-symmetrical to, and different from, the normal view pattern, and

the filter plug is formed by placing the mouth-end filter bodies such that the normal view patterns face each other.

Drawing