Method for Manufacturing a Smoking Article Filter

Abstract

A method for producing filters for smoking articles includes: providing a filter rod, the filter rod having a cylinder shape with a first filter rod end, a second filter rod end and a circumferential filter rod surface; providing an outer wrapper; wrapping the outer wrapper around the filter rod along a filter rod circumferential direction covering at least parts of the circumferential filter rod surface; obtaining a wrapped filter rod; cutting the wrapped filter rod perpendicular to a filter rod longitudinal direction into outer and inner wrapped filter rod segments, wherein first and second outer wrapped filter rod segments include the first and second filter rod ends, respectively, and have a length being less than 10% of a total length of the filter rod and/or less than 10 mm; and obtaining the inner wrapped filter rod segments as the filters and disposing the outer wrapped filter rod segments.

1 . A method for producing filters for smoking articles, comprising the steps:
 providing a filter rod, the filter rod having a cylinder shape with a first filter rod end, a second filter rod end and a circumferential filter rod surface;   wrapping an outer wrapper around the filter rod along a filter rod circumferential direction covering at least parts of the circumferential filter rod surface to obtain a wrapped filter rod;   cutting the wrapped filter rod perpendicular to a filter rod longitudinal direction into outer wrapped filter rod segments and an inner wrapped filter rod segment, wherein the outer wrapped filter rod segments include a first outer wrapped filter rod segment comprising the first filter rod end and a second outer wrapped filter rod segment comprising the second filter rod end, each of the first outer wrapped filter rod segment and the second outer wrapped filter rod segment having a length being less than 10% of a total length of the filter rod and/or less than 10 mm; and   obtaining the inner wrapped filter rod segments as the filters and disposing the outer wrapped filter rod segments.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the step of cutting the wrapped filter rod includes obtaining at least two inner wrapped filter rod segments.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the length of each of the first outer wrapped filter rod segment and the second outer wrapped filter rod segment is less than 8% of the total length of the filter rod.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the length of each of the first outer wrapped filter rod segment and the second outer wrapped filter rod segment is less than 8 mm.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outer wrapper is fixed to the filter rod by a glueing connection, wherein the glueing connection is arranged on an inner surface of the outer wrapper, the inner surface of the outer wrapper being in contact with the circumferential filter rod surface.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 at least parts of the inner surface of the outer wrapper are self-adhesive.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 an outer surface of the outer wrapper is printed.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the filter rod comprises a filter tow and a plug wrap.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the filter rod comprises a fibrous material, the fibrous material being selected from the group of cellulose acetate, cellulose, flax, hemp, cotton and polylactic acid.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first flavoring element and a second flavoring element arranged inside the filter rod, wherein a central plane of the filter rod extending perpendicular to the filter rod longitudinal direction defines a first side and a second side of the filter rod, wherein the first flavoring element is arranged on the first side of the filter rod and the second flavoring element is arranged on the second side of the filter rod, wherein the first flavoring element and the second flavoring element are each arranged at a distance to the central plane, the distance being between 3 mm and 20 mm.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the distance at which each of the first flavoring element and the second flavoring element are arranged to the to the central plane of the filter rod is between 5 mm and 15 mm.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outer wrapper consists of a paper, carton and/or cardboard material, wherein the outer wrapper ( 30 ) is textured, structured, coated and/or perforated.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 length of the outer wrapper in the filter rod longitudinal direction is the same as the total length of the filter rod in the filter rod longitudinal direction.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 when the step of cutting the wrapped filter rod includes cutting the filter rod and/or the outer wrapper perpendicular to the filter rod longitudinal direction.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the length of each of the first outer wrapped filter rod segment and the second outer wrapped filter rod segment is less than 4% of the total length of the filter rod.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the length of each of the first outer wrapped filter rod segment and the second outer wrapped filter rod segment is 3.85% of the total length of the filter rod.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the length of each of the first outer wrapped filter rod segment and the second outer wrapped filter rod segment is less than 4 mm.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the length of each of the first outer wrapped filter rod segment and the second outer wrapped filter rod segment is 3 mm.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the distance at which each of the first flavoring element and the second flavoring element are arranged to the to the central plane of the filter rod is between 8 mm and 12 mm.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the distance at which each of the first flavoring element and the second flavoring element are arranged to the to the central plane of the filter rod is 10 mm.