Systems and Methods for a Smoking Product Filter

Abstract

A smoking product with one or more filters, such as a cigar or cigarette. The filters may comprise micro-fibers, nano-fibers, or a combination thereof, wherein the fibers are provided by electrospinning. The filters may be disc-shaped, hemispherical-shaped, convex lens-shaped, and/or may comprise one or more folding structures. The smoking product may be a tobacco product, and may comprise a plurality of filters comprising one or more materials and one or more sizes and/or shapes, and the filters may comprise fibers of provide a size gradient from a first end of the product to the second end. In addition, the filters may further comprise one or more catalysts adapted to adsorb or filter to reduce or remove one or more materials, which may be toxic. Methods of making the filters and tobacco products are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tobacco product comprising:
 a body portion and a filter tip portion;   tobacco within the body portion;   wherein at least one filter is located within the body portion.   
     
     
         2 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a cone shape. 
     
     
         3 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a hemisphere shape. 
     
     
         4 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a folding structure. 
     
     
         5 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a disc shape. 
     
     
         6 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein there are at least two layers in at least one filter, with the first layer located closer to a first end of the cigarette and the second layer located closer to the second end portion of the tobacco product. 
     
     
         7 . The tobacco product of  claim 6 , wherein different layers in a filter have different filtration or adsorption characteristics. 
     
     
         8 . The tobacco product of  claim 7 , wherein the first layer is configured to block, adsorb, or disintegrate particles with larger sizes than the second layer. 
     
     
         9 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , comprising at least two filters in the body portion of a cigarette, with the first filter closer to a first end of the cigarette and the second filter closer to the second end of the cigarette. 
     
     
         10 . The tobacco product of  claim 9 , wherein different filters have different filtration or adsorption capabilities. 
     
     
         11 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein at least one filter in the body portion is adapted to burn, or partially or completely disintegrate during combustion of the tobacco. 
     
     
         12 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of filters in the body portion and wherein the filters are evenly spaced apart from each other within the body portion. 
     
     
         13 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of filters in the body portion and wherein the filters are unevenly spaced apart from each other within the body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein at least one filter is adapted to reduce at least one material from the smoke or aerosol resulting from combustion of the tobacco. 
     
     
         15 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein at least one filter is configured to reduce or remove from the smoke or aerosol resulting from combustion of the tobacco at least one of the following chemicals: carbon monoxide, ammonia, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, acraldehyde, acrylonitrile, hydrogen cyanide, 0-toluidine, 2-naphthylamine, nitrosamine, nitrogen oxide, benzene, NNN, phenol, catechol, benzoanthracene, and benzopyrene. 
     
     
         16 . The tobacco product of  claim 15 , wherein at least one filter comprises one or more catalysts adapted to reduce or remove one or more materials from the smoke or aerosol resulting from combustion of the tobacco. 
     
     
         17 . The tobacco product of  claim 16 , wherein the catalyst or catalysts is active or can be activated at temperatures of between 600 and 900 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         18 . The tobacco product of  claim 1 , wherein at least one filter is configured to adsorb or block tar or particles resulting from combustion of the tobacco. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a tobacco product, comprising:
 electrospinning non-toxic fibers;   forming a filter comprising the fibers;   locating the filter within a tubular body of a tobacco product; and   locating tobacco within the remainder of the tubular body on at least one side of the filter,   wherein the fibers comprise micro-fibers, nano-fibers, or a combination thereof, and   wherein the fibers are adapted to combust when the tobacco combusts.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  further comprising the step of adding one or more catalysts to the filter. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19  further comprising the step of locating a second filter within the tubular body of the tobacco product and spaced apart from the filter, wherein tobacco is located within the tubular body between the filter and the second filter. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 19  wherein the tobacco product comprises a cigarette. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 20  wherein the filter is adapted to reduce or remove at least one of carbon monoxide, ammonia, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, acraldehyde, acrylonitrile, hydrogen cyanide, 0-toluidine, 2-naphthylamine, nitrosamine, nitrogen oxide, benzene, N-Nitrosonornicotine, phenol, catechol, benzoanthracene, and benzopyrene. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  21  wherein the filter and second filter comprise fibers having different porosities from one another, thereby providing a filtering size gradient from one end of the tubular body to a second end, and wherein each of the filter and the second filter comprise a catalyst that is different from one another.