Flow Control Device for a Smoking Article

Abstract

A flow control device 4 for a smoking article comprises a body having first and second longitudinally arranged body portions 7, 10 rotatable relative to one another between a first position and a second position. The first 7 and second 10 body portions are configured to define a first smoke flow path through the device 4 in the first position and a second smoke flow path through the device 4 in the second position and to cause an adjustment to the direction of smoke flow upon rotation from the first position to the second position, thereby to allow smoke to pass through the second smoke flow path.

1 . A flow control device for a smoking article, comprising a body having first and second longitudinally arranged body portions rotatable relative to one another between a first position and a second position, the first and second body portions being configured to define a first smoke flow path through the device in the first position and a second smoke flow path through the device in the second position and to cause an adjustment to the direction of smoke flow upon rotation from the first position to the second position, thereby to allow smoke to pass through the second smoke flow path. 
     
     
         2 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment to the direction of smoke flow comprises directing the smoke flow at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the device. 
     
     
         3 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the second smoke flow path is longer than the first smoke flow path. 
     
     
         4 . A flow control device as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a smoke-modifying agent arranged along the second smoke flow path so that smoke may be selectively modified by rotating the body portions relative to one another from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         5 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the smoke-modifying agent is a flavourant. 
     
     
         6 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 4  or  claim 5 , wherein the smoke-modifying agent is in granular form. 
     
     
         7 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the smoke-modifying agent is contained in a chamber having wall portions comprising smoke apertures sized so as to prevent the granular agent from leaving the chamber. 
     
     
         8 . A flow control device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the adjustment to the direction of smoke flow comprises reversing the direction of smoke flow so that smoke flows through the smoke-modifying agent in a direction towards the tobacco end of the flow control device. 
     
     
         9 . A flow control device as claimed in any preceding claim, the second body portion comprising an inlet smoke channel and the first body portion comprising a smoke-refluxing member aligned with said inlet channel in the second position, wherein the smoke-refluxing member is configured to cause said adjustment by receiving smoke from the inlet channel in the second position and reversing the direction of smoke flow. 
     
     
         10 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 9 , the second body portion comprising a smoke-refluxing recess configured to receive smoke from the first body portion in the second position and to direct smoke towards the mouth end of the flow control device. 
     
     
         11 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 10 , the first body portion further comprising an outlet channel aligned with the inlet channel in the first position and with the smoke refluxing recess of the second body portion in the second position 
     
     
         12 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 11  wherein:
 the first smoke flow path comprises a path through the inlet smoke channel and a path through the outlet smoke channel; and 
 the second smoke flow path comprises a path through the inlet smoke channel, a path through the smoke refluxing member of the first body portion, a path through the smoke-refluxing recess of the second body portion and a path through the outlet smoke channel. 
 
     
     
         13 . A flow control device as claimed in any of  claims 9  to  12 , wherein the smoke refluxing member of the first body portion comprises a smoke channel and a smoke refluxing recess. 
     
     
         14 . A flow control device as claimed in any of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein:
 the second body portion has a smoke channel; 
 the first body portion has an insertion member received by the second body portion, the insertion member comprising a first peripheral region which is smoke permeable and a second peripheral region which is smoke impermeable, the second peripheral region defining an interior wall of the smoke channel in the first position and the first peripheral region defining an interior wall of the smoke channel in the second position; 
 wherein in the first position the second peripheral region prevents smoke from passing through the second smoke flow path and wherein rotation from the first position to the second position allows smoke to pass through the second smoke flow path via said first peripheral region, thereby adjusting the direction of smoke flow. 
 
     
     
         15 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 14 , having a chamber for containing smoke-modifying agent, wherein at least part of the chamber is comprised in the insertion member and wherein in the second position smoke can pass into the chamber via the first peripheral region. 
     
     
         16 . A flow control device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said at least part of the chamber comprises a tubular cavity formed in the insertion member. 
     
     
         17 . A flow control device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second body portions are formed from moulded plastic. 
     
     
         18 . A smoking article comprising a flow control device as claimed in any preceding claim. 
     
     
         19 . A smoking article filter comprising a flow control device as claimed in any of  claims 1  to  17 .