# US 11,439,177 B2 · Hydrophobic plug wrap

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- Number: US 11,439,177 B2
- Document ID: US11439177B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/030,956
- Filed: 2015-10-15
- Published: 2017-08-17
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-20
- Assignees: Philip Morris Products S.A.
- Applicants: Philip Morris Products S.A.
- Inventors: Clement Besso; Aurelien Guyard; Alen Kadiric
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439177B2

## CPC

- A24D 1/02: with special covers
- A24D 3/061: {containing additives entrapped within capsules, sponge-like material or the like, for further release upon smoking}
- D21H 17/11: Halides
- D21H 21/16: Sizing or water-repelling agents
- A24D: CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES OF CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
- D21H: PULP COMPOSITIONS; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A smoking article includes a tobacco substrate and a filter segment comprising filtration material axially aligned in an abutting end to end relationship with the tobacco substrate. A hydrophobic plug wrap is disposed about the filtration material. The plug wrap is hydrophobic via hydrophobic groups chemically bonded to the plug wrap.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A smoking article comprising:
a tobacco substrate;
a filter segment at a mouth end of the smoking article, comprising filtration material axially aligned in an abutting end to end relationship with the tobacco substrate;
a plug wrap disposed about the filtration material and comprising a downstream end at the mouth end of the smoking article and an upstream end opposite of the downstream end, wherein the plug wrap has a hydrophobic surface due to hydrophobic groups covalently bonded to the plug wrap, wherein the hydrophobic surface of the plug wrap has a water contact angle of at least about 100 degrees, wherein the hydrophobic surface is not present at the upstream end of the plug wrap; and
a tipping paper circumscribing the plug wrap;
wherein the hydrophobic surface comprises at least 100 discrete islands defining a pattern of hydrophobic area on the surface of the plug wrap, and the at least 100 discrete islands having an average lateral dimension of 5 μm to 100 μm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the filter segment comprises a liquid releasing component which comprises a liquid flavourant.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the plug wrap comprises cellulosic material and a hydrophobic group is covalently bonded to the cellulosic material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the plug wrap has a basis weight in a range from about 20 to about 100 grams per square meter and the hydrophobic group has a basis weight in a range from about 0.1 to about 3 grams per square meter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic group is covalently bonded to cellulosic material by reacting in situ a fatty acid chloride with the cellulosic material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic plug wrap comprises fatty acid esters of cellulose.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

A smoking article according to claim 5, wherein the fatty acid chloride is palmitoyl chloride, stearoyl chloride, behenoyl chloride, or a mixture of palmitoyl chloride and stearoyl chloride.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the plug wrap is paper and exhibits a Cobb measurement value (60 s) of less than 20 g/m2.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic plug wrap is produced by a process comprising the steps of: applying a liquid composition comprising a fatty acid halide to at least one surface of a plug wrap, maintaining the surface at a temperature of about 120° C. to about 180° C., wherein the fatty acid halide reacts in situ with protogenic groups of material in the plug wrap resulting in the formation of fatty acid esters.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A smoking article according to claim 9, wherein the process comprises applying a liquid composition comprising stearoyl chloride or palmitoyl chloride to at least one surface of a plug wrap paper at a temperature of about 120° C. to about 180° C., wherein hydroxyl groups in the cellulosic material of the plug wrap paper reacts in situ with the stearoyl chloride or palmitoyl chloride.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

A smoking article according to claim 9, wherein the process comprises applying the liquid composition to the at least one surface of a plug wrap paper at a rate of in a range from about 0.1 to about 3 grams per square meter to render the at least one surface of a plug wrap paper hydrophobic.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

A smoking article according to claim 10, wherein the process comprises applying the liquid composition to the at least one surface of a plug wrap paper at a rate of in a range from about 0.1 to about 3 grams per square meter to render the at least one surface of a plug wrap paper hydrophobic.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

A smoking article according to claim 10, wherein the hydrophobic plug wrap paper exhibits a Cobb measurement value (60 s) of less than 20 g/m2.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

A smoking article according to claim 10, wherein the filter segment comprises a liquid releasing component which comprises a liquid flavourant.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic surface comprises at least 500 discrete islands having an average lateral dimension of 5 μm to 50 μm forming the hydrophobic surface.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the plug wrap comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, and wherein the hydrophobic surface is present on the outer surface.