A smoking article, a smoking article filter section and a method of manufacturing a smoking article

Abstract

A smoking article and a method of manufacturing a smoking article A smoking article has a filter section for receiving smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article, a variable ventilation arrangement configured to provide a user controllable level of ventilation into the filter section and a flavour source configured to release flavour to said smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article at a location in said smoke and/or other aerosol downstream of said ventilation arrangement.

1 . A smoking article comprising:
 a filter section comprising filtration material arranged to filter smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article;   a variable ventilation arrangement configured to provide a user controllable level of ventilation into the filter section; and   a flavour source configured to release flavour to said smoke and/or other aerosol passing through the filtration material of the filter section at a location in said smoke and/or other aerosol downstream of said ventilation arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein said flavour source is configured to selectively release flavour to said smoke and/or other aerosol. 
     
     
         3 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein said flavour source comprises one or more capsules. 
     
     
         4 . A smoking article according to  claim 3 , wherein said one or more capsules each have a diameter of from 2 mm to 6 mm. 
     
     
         5 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein said flavour source comprises at least one selected from plant material, a thread loaded with flavourant, flavourant dispersed in filter tow, flavour impregnated particles and a sheet material comprising a flavourant. 
     
     
         6 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavour source is located within said filter section. 
     
     
         7 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , further comprising a further ventilation arrangement configured to provide a level of ventilation into the filter section which is not user controllable. 
     
     
         8 . A smoking article according to  claim 7 , wherein the level of ventilation provided by said further variable ventilation arrangement is within the range of from 5% to 50% of the volume of smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article passing through the filter section when said variable ventilation is at its minimum level. 
     
     
         9 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein said variable ventilation arrangement provides ventilation which is user controllable within a sub-range within the range of from 0% to 90% of the volume of smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article passing through the filter section. 
     
     
         10 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein said filter section forms at least a component of a first part of the smoking article and further comprising a second part movable relative to the first part in order to control the level of ventilation provided by the variable ventilation arrangement. 
     
     
         11 . A smoking article according to  claim 10 , wherein said first or second part comprises a sleeve configured to move relative to the other of the first or second part to control the level of ventilation provided by the variable ventilation arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . A smoking article according to  claim 11 , wherein the sleeve is rotatable with respect to the filter section, and the level of ventilation is varied by altering an angular position of the sleeve relative to the filter section. 
     
     
         13 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter section comprises a first filter section having a length of 5 to 25 mm, the smoking article further comprising a second filter section having a length of 5 to 25 mm, and the variable ventilation arrangement provides ventilating air at a position between 6 and 20 mm from a mouth end of the smoking article. 
     
     
         14 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter section comprises a first filter section and the smoking article further comprises a second filter section, the first and second filter sections forming a filter arrangement, and the second filter section being located downstream of the first filter section; and wherein
 a resistance to gaseous flow through the length of the second filter section is lower than a resistance to gaseous flow through the length of the first filter section; and   the resistance to gaseous flow through the length of the filter arrangement remains substantially constant as the level of ventilation is varied.   
     
     
         15 . A smoking article according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second filter sections comprise tow filaments, and the first filter section differs from the second filter section by one or more of: tow weight, number of tow filaments in unit volume, cross-section of tow filaments and degree of crimping. 
     
     
         16 . A smoking article according to  claim 14 , wherein the second filter section comprises at least one air passage extending longitudinally through the length thereof 
     
     
         17 . A smoking article according to  claim 16 , wherein the second filter section comprises fibrous filtration material formed having an annular cross section. 
     
     
         18 . A smoking article according to  claim 17 , wherein the second filter section comprises a tube of fibrous filtration material and the air passage extends along a central longitudinal axis through the length of the second filter section. 
     
     
         19 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavour source comprises a flavour additive release component configured to release a plurality of discrete deliveries of flavour additive. 
     
     
         20 . A smoking article according to  claim 19 , wherein the flavour additive release component comprises an open cell structure which comprises the flavour additive and is at least partially surrounded by an additive-impermeable layer. 
     
     
         21 . A smoking article according to  claim 20 , further comprising an encapsulating structure which at least partially surrounds the open cell structure and additive-impermeable layer. 
     
     
         22 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein said flavour source is provided in a filter unit which is provided separately from the smoking article and is attachable to the smoking article by a user. 
     
     
         23 . A smoking article according to  claim 22 , further comprising a sealing member configured to restrict the ingress of air into the smoking article between the filter unit and the smoking article. 
     
     
         24 . A smoking article according to  claim 22 , wherein the smoking article comprises a recess and at least part of the filter unit is arranged to be received in the recess when the filter unit is attached to the smoking article. 
     
     
         25 . A smoking article according to  claim 24 , wherein the recess is formed by a tubular filter element provided at the downstream end of the smoking article. 
     
     
         26 . A smoking article according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter section comprises a further flavour source configured to release flavour to said smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article at a location in said smoke and/or other aerosol downstream or upstream of said ventilation arrangement. 
     
     
         27 . A smoking article according to  claim 26 , wherein the further flavour source comprises one or more capsules. 
     
     
         28 . A filter section for a smoking article comprising filtration material arranged to filter smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article, the filter section comprising:
 a variable ventilation arrangement configured to provide a user controllable level of ventilation into the filter section; and   a flavour source configured to release flavour to said smoke and/or other aerosol passing through the filtration material of the filter section at a location in said smoke and/or other aerosol downstream of said ventilation arrangement.   
     
     
         29 . A filter section according to  claim 28 , wherein the flavour source comprises a flavour additive release component configured to release a plurality of discrete deliveries of flavour additive. 
     
     
         30 . A smoking article according to  claim 28 , wherein said flavour source is provided in a filter unit which is provided separately from remaining components of the filter section and is attachable to the filter section by a user. 
     
     
         31 . A method of manufacturing a smoking article, the method comprising:
 forming a filter section comprising filtration material arranged to filter smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article;   providing a variable ventilation arrangement configured to provide a user controllable level of ventilation into the filter section; and   providing a flavour source configured to release flavour to said smoke and/or other aerosol passing through the filtration material of the filter section at a location in said smoke and/or other aerosol downstream of said ventilation arrangement.