The present invention relates to a hand-held device for inserting an object, particularly a capsule, into a mouthpiece of a tobacco industry product including the filter of a smoking article such as filter cigarettes, or the mouthpiece of a consumable of a tobacco heating device. A method of inserting an object into a tobacco industry product using the device according to the invention is also disclosed. Background

A filter of a filter cigarette is made from a cellulose acetate filter plug material. It is known for such a filter to have an object embedded within it. For example, a rupturable flavourant-containing capsule. Smoke from the cigarette may be selectively flavoured by squeezing the filter, thereby rupturing the capsule and releasing the flavourant. Capsules are inserted into the filter during the cigarette manufacturing stage. The consumable portion of a tobacco heating device also has a mouthpiece which may contain a capsule.

Summary

In accordance with embodiments of the invention, there is provided a hand-held device for inserting an object into a mouthpiece of a tobacco industry product, comprising a barrel having a longitudinal axis, a plurality of elongate elements elements extending at least partially in a direction towards said longitudinal axis, and a pusher slideable within the barrel, the arrangement being such that the elongate elements penetrate the mouthpiece of a tobacco industry product inserted into a distal end of the barrel and the elongate elements move radially apart in response to the subsequent sliding of the pusher along said axis towards the distal end to form a passage in the mouthpiece that allows an object located in the barrel to be pushed through the elongate elements and into the mouthpiece by the pusher.

Each elongate element may extend, at least partially, in a direction towards the longitudinal axis, and in a direction towards a distal end of the barrel.

Preferably, each elongate element tapers in a direction towards the longitudinal axis. Each elongate element may taper toward a tip. The tips may meet on said longitudinal axis.

Preferably, each elongate element is resiliently deformable in a radial direction away from said longitudinal axis toward the inner surface of the barrel in response to sliding the pusher along the axis towards said distal end.

An end of each elongate element remote from the longitudinal axis may be fixed to the barrel.

The end of each elongate element may be received in an angled-slot formed in the barrel.

The barrel may comprise a seat spaced from said distal end to prevent insertion of a tobacco industry product into the barrel beyond said seat. The elongate elements may extend towards said distal end beyond the seat.

The elongate elements may be axially movable relative to the seat to change the extent to which the elongate elements extend beyond the seat towards the open end.

The pusher may comprise a shaft having a distal end to contact an object received in the barrel.

The distal end of the shaft may be configured to engage the elongate elements when the pusher slides in a direction towards said distal end to move the elongate elements radially apart.

The distal end of the shaft may be recessed. Preferably, there are axially extending slots in the barrel and lugs extending from the pusher that slideably locate in the slots to guide the pusher.

A lateral passage maybe formed in the barrel to enable an object to be inserted into the barrel through the passage.

The passage may have a funnel-shaped opening. In one embodiment the device may comprise a container for containing a plurality of objects on the barrel, the container being configured to supply objects to the barrel through said opening.

A pair of handles may be formed on the barrel. The pusher may also include a handle.

In a preferred embodiment, each elongate element comprises a blade. Most preferably, each blade has a cutting edge.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a method of inserting an object into a mouthpiece of a tobacco industry product using a hand-held device comprising a barrel having a longitudinal axis, a plurality of elongate elements extending from an inner surface of the barrel at least partially in a direction towards said longitudinal axis, and a pusher slideable within the barrel, the method comprising:

(a) inserting a tobacco industry product into a distal end of the barrel such that the elongate elements penetrate the mouthpiece of the tobacco industry product;

(b) sliding the pusher along the axis within the barrel towards the distal end so that the elongate elements move radially apart to form a passage in the mouthpiece and so that an object located in the barrel is pushed through the elongate elements into the mouthpiece by the pusher.

(c) retracting the pusher, and

(d) removing the tobacco industry product from said distal end. The method preferably includes inserting an object into the barrel through a passage formed in the barrel prior to sliding the pusher along the axis within the barrel towards the distal end.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a hand-held device for inserting a capsule into a filter of a tobacco industry product according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the barrel of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the barrel of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view of the pusher of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 5A and 5B is a side elevation and a perspective view, respectively, of one of the blades which is mounted in the barrel of Figure 3.

Detailed Description

With reference to the drawings, there is shown a hand-held, manually-operated, device 1 for inserting an object into a mouthpiece of a tobacco industry product. The tobacco industry product may be a smoking article such as a filter cigarette, in which case the object is inserted into the filter by the device. Alternatively, the tobacco industry product may be a tobacco heating device, in which case the device may be used to insert an object into the mouthpiece of the consumable portion of the tobacco heating device.

The objects which are inserted are preferably capsules. Each capsule is preferably spherical, formed from a gelling material such as gelatin, carrageenan, gums such as gellan gum or gum Arabic, starch, agar-agar, polysaccharides, other materials or mixtures of these materials, and has an interior volume filled with flavourant. As used herein, the term "flavourant" refers to all common materials which, where local regulations permit, maybe used to create a desired taste or aroma in a product for adult consumers. Such flavourant is, in some embodiments, a liquid flavourant dissolved within a solvent. The objects, for instance capsules, can be substantially spherical in shape and have a diameter of between imm and 6mm, between 2mm and 5mm, between 3mm and 4mm or of about 3.0mm or about 3.5mm.

The device 1 comprises a barrel 2 defining an interior passage 3 open at both proximal and distal ends 4,5 and having a longitudinal axis A-A. Integrally formed looped handles 6 extend laterally in diametrically opposite directions adjacent to the proximal end 4 of the barrel 2. A pair of axially extending slots 7 extend through the wall of the barrel 2 between the handles 6, only one slot 7 being visible in each of Figures 1 and 2.

With reference to Figure 3, the interior passage 3 has an integrally moulded seat 8 close to the distal end 5 of the barrel 2 beyond which the mouth end of a filter cigarette will not pass when inserted into the distal end 5 of the barrel 2. A passage 9 extends in a lateral direction through the wall of the barrel 2 and has a conical or funnel-shaped opening 10. As shown, the passage 9 has a lid 10a and is of a size to receive and contain a plurality of capsules, although it is envisaged that capsules may be inserted into the passage 9 one at a time. The interior passage 3 of the barrel 2 has a wider diameter portion 11 extending from its proximal end 4, and a narrower diameter portion 12 extending from the wider diameter portion 11 to the distal end 5. The passage 9 extending laterally through the barrel wall communicates with the narrow diameter portion 12 of the interior passage 3 of the barrel 2. A distal end portion 13 of the interior passage 3 between the seat 8 and the distal end 5 of the barrel 2 is of a wider diameter sufficient to form an interference fit with the mouth end of a cigarette filter so that, upon insertion, the cigarette filter is held by the distal end portion 13 of the barrel 2. The device 1 also comprises a pusher 14 (see Figure 4) having a handle 15, a post 16 extending from the handle 15, and a narrower shaft 17 extending axially from the remote end of the post 16 to a distal end 18 of the shaft 17. The shaft 17 maybe hollow or its distal end 18 may be shaped so that a spherically shaped capsule will partly sit in, or be cupped by, the distal end 18 of the shaft 17. For example, the distal end 18 may be formed with a hemispherically-shaped or otherwise dished recess. The recess can have a maximum diameter corresponding to the diameter of the object, for instance a diameter of between about imm and about 6mm, between about 2mm and about 5mm, between about 3mm and about 4mm or of about 3.0mm or about 3.5mm. Lugs 19 extend laterally in opposite directions from the post 16. When the pusher 14 is received in the barrel 2 through its proximal end 4, the post 16 is slideably received in the wider portion 11 of the interior passage 3 of the barrel 2 and the shaft 17 is slideably received in the narrower portion 12 of the interior passage 3 of the barrel 2, with each of the lugs 19 slideably located in a corresponding slot 7 to retain the pusher 14 within the barrel 2 but allow it to slide between a fully inserted and a fully retracted positions upon the application of an axial force, in the direction along the axis A- A, to the pusher 14 via the handle 15.

A plurality of elongate elements 20, preferably three, flat-blades formed of a resiliently flexible material are received in the barrel 2. One blade is shown in Figures 5A and 5B. Two blades 20 are also shown fitted in the barrel 2 in the cross-sectional view of Figure 3. One end 21 of each blade 20 is immovably mounted in a slot 22 or other recess in the barrel 2 and the blades 20 extend at an angle towards the longitudinal axis A-A and towards the distal end 5 of the barrel 2. The blades 20 are positioned so that they extend into the distal end portion 13 of the interior passage 3 that extends between the seat 8 and the distal end 5 of the barrel 2. The remote end 23 of the blades 20 may taper towards a pointed tip 24. The tip 24 of each blade 20 may meet on the

longitudinal axis A- A. The blades 20 may each have a cutting edge.

Operation of the device will now be described. Assuming the pusher 14 is already slideably received in the barrel 2 with the lugs 19 engaged in their slots 7, a user initially retracts the pusher 14 so that the lugs 19 are at the far end of the slots 7, i.e. close to the proximal end 4 of the barrel 2. Next, the mouth end of a filter cigarette is axially inserted into the distal end region 13 through the distal end 5 until contact is made with the seat 8 and the cigarette can be inserted no further. During insertion, the blades 20 penetrate the filter due to the blades 20 extending beyond the seat 8 into the distal end region 13.

Once the cigarette is received in the distal end region 13 of the barrel 2, a capsule to be inserted into the filter is dropped into the funnel-shaped passage 9 in the barrel 2 so that it falls into the narrower portion 12 of the passage 9 in the barrel 2. At this point, the capsule is trapped between the blades 20 that extend into the interior passage 3 at an angle from the inner surface of the barrel 2 and, the distal end 18 of the shaft 17 of the pusher 14. Next, the user holds the barrel 2 via the handles 6 and, using the handle 15 on the pusher 14, slides the pusher 14 further into the barrel 2 so that the lugs 19 travel along their slots 7 and the capsule is pushed towards the distal end 5 of the barrel 2 by the distal end 17 of the pusher 14. The shaft 17 has a diameter or shape such that it engages the blades 20 and causes them to resiliently deflect in a radially outward direction away from the longitudinal axis A-A to allow the capsule, and the shaft 17, to pass between the blades 20. As the blades 20 deflect outwardly, the filter material in which the blades 20 are received is compressed and a tunnel or opening is formed within the filter. Continued movement of the pusher 14 towards the distal end 5 results in the capsule being pushed into the tunnel or opening formed by the blades 20 in the filter material. Once the pusher 14 has pushed the capsule to the end of the opening formed by the blades 20, the cigarette is removed from the distal end 5 of the barrel 2 by pulling it away, leaving the capsule behind within the filter. Rolling the filter between the fingers closes the passage formed by the blades 20 and encapsulates the capsule in filter material. The insertion process is now complete. In another modified embodiment, the relative position of the blades 20 and the seat 8are adjustable to change the extent to which the blades 20 protrude beyond the seat 8. For example, the blades 20 maybe received in a holder (not shown) which is slideably mounted within the barrel 2. By allowing this adjustment, the depth of penetration of the blades 20 into the filter can be varied and, consequently, the position of the capsule within the filter changed.

As used herein, the term“tobacco industry product” is to be understood as including smoking articles comprising combustible smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, tobacco for pipes or for roll-your-own cigarettes, (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smokable material), electronic smoking articles such as e-cigarettes, heating devices that release compounds from substrate materials without burning such as tobacco heating products; and hybrid systems to generate aerosol from a combination of substrate materials, for example hybrid systems containing a liquid or gel or solid substrate.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product is a smoking article for combustion selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo and a cigar.

In one embodiment, the tobacco industry product is a non-combustible smoking article.

In one embodiment the tobacco industry product is a heating device which releases compounds by heating, but not burning, a substrate material. The material may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment the heating device is a tobacco heating device.

If the device is a tobacco heating device, then the device of the invention may be used to insert a capsule into the mouthpiece of the consumable portion of the tobacco heating device. In this instance, the cutting elements may be modified, for example, made longer, to enable them to pass through any recess at the mouth end of the tobacco heating device and into the mouthpiece.

Certain tobacco industry products produce an aerosol during use, which is inhaled by a user. For example, smoking articles such as cigarettes burn tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke. Tobacco heating devices heat an aerosol generating material such as tobacco to form an aerosol by heating, but not burning, the material. Such tobacco industry products commonly include mouthpieces through which the aerosol passes to reach the user’s mouth.

In another embodiment the tobacco industry product is a hybrid system to generate aerosol by heating, but not burning, a combination of substrate materials. The substrate materials may comprise for example solid, liquid or gel which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel substrate and a solid substrate. The solid substrate may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel substrate and tobacco.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this disclosure shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed invention(s) maybe practiced and provide a superior device. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/ or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed features. It is to be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilised and

modifications maybe made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed, but which may be claimed in future.