Smoking article with dual function cap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9801412-B2
Application number	US-201314370546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2013
Priority date	Jan 9, 2012
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A smoking article is formed from two component parts. These parts are a rod comprising an aerosol-forming substrate and a removable cap. The removable cap can be coupled to the rod in two configurations. In a first configuration, the removable cap is coupled to a first end of the rod and a heat source located at or near a second end of the rod heats the aerosol-forming substrate to generate an inhalable aerosol. In a second configuration, the removable cap is coupled to the second end of the rod and at least substantially covers the heat source. The smoking article is arranged in the second configuration for disposal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A smoking article, comprising:
a rod having a first end and a second end;
a combustible heat source located at or proximate to the second end of the rod; and
a removable cap, the removable cap being removably couplable to both the first end and the second end of the rod,
wherein in a first configuration of the smoking article the removable cap is coupled to the first end of the rod such that air may be drawn from the rod through the removable cap,
wherein in a second configuration of the smoking article the removable cap is coupled to the second end of the rod such that the second end is at least substantially covered by the removable cap, such that in the second configuration the removable cap facilitates disposal of the smoking article after use,
wherein the removable cap comprises a material to thermally isolate the combustible heat source when the removable cap is coupled to the second end of the rod, and
wherein the removable cap further comprises one or more materials that, when the removable cap is coupled to the second end of the rod:
undergo decomposition to produce a decomposition product that extinguishes the heat source, or
undergo a phase change to consume heat energy produced by the heat source, the one or more phase change materials comprising a polymer, a wax, or both a polymer and a wax.

2. The smoking article according to claim 1 , wherein the removable cap comprises a tubular sheath, the tubular sheath being dimensioned to receive both the first end and the second end of the rod to enable the removable cap to be coupled to either the first end or the second end of the rod.

3. The smoking article according to claim 1 , in which the rod comprises an aerosol-forming substrate located between its first end and second end.

4. The smoking article according claim 1 , in which the rod comprises a tobacco-containing material.

5. The smoking article according to claim 1 , in which the removable cap further comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of non-combustible materials and flame-retardant materials.

6. The smoking article according to claim 2 , in which the tubular sheath is formed from, or lined with, one or more materials selected from the group consisting of aluminium foil, graphite, phase-changing materials, and foams.

7. The smoking article according to claim 1 , in which the removable cap comprises a filter positioned such that, when the removable cap is coupled to the first end of the rod in the first configuration, air may be withdrawn from the rod through the filter.

8. The smoking article according to claim 1 , in which the removable cap further comprises one or more thermochromatic pigments or materials.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Products Sa

Inventors

• Grant Christopher John

Classifications

• A24D3/18

  Mouthpieces of cigars or cigarettes; Manufacture thereof (manufacture of tobacco smoke filters A24D3/02) · CPC title

• A24F7/04

  with smoke filters · CPC title

• A24D1/042

  with mouthpieces (A24D1/047 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A24D1/04

  with mouthpieces or filter-tips · CPC title

• A24F13/18 Primary

  Extinguishers for cigars or cigarettes · CPC title