Flavor capsule for enhanced flavor delivery in cigarettes

Abstract

Improved delivery of additive materials to cigarettes is provided through the use of one or more capsules containing additive materials, such as flavor components, in the filter section of a cigarette. The sealed capsule or capsules are subjected to an external force, such as squeezing, by a smoker prior to or during smoking of the cigarette in order to release at least a portion of the additive material from the one or more capsules and expose the additive material to mainstream smoke passing through the filter. The sealed capsules provide a barrier between the additive materials and other cigarettes components, such as sorbents or filter materials, in order to reduce additive material migration into the other cigarette components prior to desired use.

1 - 12 . 
     
     
         13 . A method for delivering flavor to mainstream smoke of a cigarette which includes a filter comprising filter material, sorbent material and a two-part capsule, the capsule comprising a first part having an open end defining a first chamber containing a flavor material and a second part having an open end defining a second chamber, wherein the second part fits within the first part with the open ends facing the same direction, wherein the method comprises:
 subjecting the capsule to external force to release at least a portion of the flavor material from the first chamber into mainstream smoke.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the subjecting the capsule to external force comprises at least partially separating the first part of the capsule from the second part of the capsule;   wherein the subjecting the capsule to external force comprises releasing the flavor material from the first chamber, where the flavor material is absorbed by the filter material; or   wherein the subjecting the capsule to external force comprises pumping at least a portion of the flavor material from the first chamber to the second chamber then to the filter material.   
     
     
         15 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of forming a cigarette comprising:
 forming at least one flavor capsule, wherein the forming comprises:
 mixing a menthol flavor with a shell wall solution; 
 extruding the mixture drop-wise into a cationic solution; and 
 harvesting and drying the capsules; 
   incorporating the at least one flavor capsule into a filter of the cigarette, wherein the at least one flavor capsules has a distinct core and a distinct shell geometry and the menthol flavor is non-uniformly dispersed in the at least one flavor capsule; and   incorporating a sorbent into the filter of the cigarette upstream from the capsules.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the extruding the mixture comprises co-extruding a hydrophobic menthol flavor core and a hydrophilic shell wall solution, wherein the hydrophilic shell wall solution encapsulates the hydrophobic flavor core, further comprising controlling the size, content ratio and rupture strength of the capsule by controlling the extrusion rates of hydrophobic flavor and the hydrophilic shell wall independently from one another. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the extruding the mixture comprises:
 co-extruding a menthol flavor core and a polysaccharide shell wall solution;   co-extruding a menthol flavor core and a pectin shell wall solution; or   co-extruding a menthol flavor core and a low methoxy (LM) pectin shell wall solution.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the extruding the mixture drop-wise into a cationic solution comprises:
 gelling the shell wall solution in a calcium ion solution;   gelling the shell wall solution in a gelling solution and allowing the menthol flavor to form a core and to remain liquid; or   gelling the shell wall solution in a calcium ion solution and allowing the menthol flavor to form a core and the remain liquid.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the capsule has a burst strength of about 0.5-0.8, 0.8-1.2, 1.2-1.6, 1.6-2.0 or 2.0-2.4 kilograms force; and/or   wherein the capsule is round and has a diameter of about 0.3 to 6.0 mm.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 21 ,
 wherein the incorporating of the at least one flavor capsule into a filter of the cigarette comprises incorporating at least one menthol flavor capsule within a cavity of a filter of the cigarette or within filter material of a filter of the cigarette; and/or   wherein the incorporating of the sorbent into a filter of the cigarette comprises incorporating activated carbon within a cavity of a filter of the cigarette or within filter material of a filter of the cigarette.