Tobacco smoke filter

Abstract

A tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a cylindrical plug of a substantially homogeneous filtering material of circumference between 14.0 and 23.2 mm, wherein the substantially homogeneous filtering material comprises a plurality of randomly oriented staple fibres.

1 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a cylindrical plug of a substantially homogeneous filtering material of circumference between 14.0 and 23.2 mm, wherein the substantially homogeneous filtering material comprises a plurality of randomly oriented staple fibres. 
     
     
         2 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the plug of substantially homogeneous filtering material is of circumference between 16.0 and 23.2 mm. 
     
     
         3 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the staple fibres are crimped. 
     
     
         4 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the staple fibres are natural and/or synthetic fibres and/or fibres formed from natural plant material(s). 
     
     
         5 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the staple fibres are cellulose acetate fibres or polypropylene fibres. 
     
     
         6 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  including two or more types of staple fibres. 
     
     
         7 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  further comprising a liquid additive or a particulate additive. 
     
     
         8 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the staple fibres are of length between 4 mm and 20 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the staple fibres are formed from a tow of total denier of between 14,000 g and 55,000 g per 9,000 m length. 
     
     
         10 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  including staple fibres which are plasticised. 
     
     
         11 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  including cellulose acetate staple fibres plasticized with triacetin, triethyleneglycol diacetate (TEGDA), or polyethylene glycol (PEG). 
     
     
         12 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  wherein the circumference of the cylindrical plug is between 16.2 mm and 23.2 mm. 
     
     
         13 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  further comprising a wrapper or plugwrap. 
     
     
         14 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  including a particulate additive on the wrapper or plugwrap. 
     
     
         15 . A tobacco smoke filter or filter element according to  claim 1  further comprising a water soluble binder material. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A filter cigarette including a filter according to  claim 1 , or a filter which includes a filter element, joined to a wrapped tobacco rod. 
     
     
         18 . A multiple rod comprising a plurality of filters or filter elements according to  claim 1  integrally joined end-to-end. 
     
     
         19 . Use of a tobacco smoke filter or filter element comprising a cylindrical plug of a substantially homogeneous filtering material comprising a plurality of randomly oriented staple fibres for selectively reducing one or more phenolic compounds in tobacco smoke. 
     
     
         20 . Use of a cylindrical plug of a substantially homogeneous filtering material comprising a plurality of randomly oriented stable fibres as, or in the manufacture of, a filter or filter element having enhanced degradability.