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 upstream of said ventilation arrangement.

1 . A smoking article comprising:
 a filter section for receiving smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article, the filter section comprising filtration material;   a variable ventilation arrangement configured to provide a user controllable level of ventilation into the filter section; and   a flavour source disposed in the filtration material of the filter section and 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 upstream 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 , further comprising a further ventilation arrangement configured to provide a level of ventilation into the filter section which is not user controllable. 
     
     
         7 . A smoking article according to  claim 6 , 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. 
     
     
         8 . 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. 
     
     
         9 . 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. 
     
     
         10 . A smoking article according to  claim 9 , 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. 
     
     
         11 . A smoking article according to  claim 10 , 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. 
     
     
         12 . 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. 
     
     
         13 . 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.   
     
     
         14 . A smoking article according to  claim 13 , 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. 
     
     
         15 . A smoking article according to  claim 13 , wherein the second filter section comprises at least one air passage extending longitudinally through the length thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A smoking article according to  claim 13 , wherein the second filter section comprises fibrous filtration material formed having an annular cross section. 
     
     
         17 . A smoking article according to  claim 13 , 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. 
     
     
         18 . A filter section for a smoking article for receiving smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article, the filter section comprising:
 filtration material;   a variable ventilation arrangement configured to provide a user controllable level of ventilation into the filter section; and   a flavour source disposed in the filtration material and 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 upstream of said ventilation arrangement.   
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing a smoking article, the method comprising:
 forming a filter section for receiving smoke and/or other aerosol generated by said smoking article, the filter section comprising filtration material;   providing a variable ventilation arrangement configured to provide a user controllable level of ventilation into the filter section; and   providing a flavour source in the filtration material of the filter section 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 upstream of said ventilation arrangement.