Cigarette smoke filter system

A sidestream cigarette smoke filter cartridge for use in a smoker's accessory for filtering sidestream smoke emitted from a burning cigarette, said cartridge comprising:

• a cigarette tube in which a burning cigarette may be placed, said cigarette tube being at least as long as a cigarette to be smoked, said cigarette tube being non-porous to sidestream cigarette smoke,
• a porous low pressure drop tubular filter element connected to an end of said cigarette tube for removing sidestream smoke, said filter element having an inlet end for sidestream cigarette smoke to enter an inner elongate chamber within said tubular filter, said tubular filter having an end opposite said inlet end that is closed and not porous to smoke particles,
• means for connecting a first end of said cigarette tube to said inlet end of said filter element whereby sidestream smoke to be filtered flows along said cigarette tube through said inlet, into said inner chamber, and radially outwardly through said tubular filter element, and
• a second end of said cigarette tube being open to permit insertion of a lit cigarette into said cigarette tube, said second end of said cigarette tube being adapted to be received by a holder for a lit cigarette.

An exhale cigarette smoke filter cartridge for use in filtering cigarette smoke exhaled by a cigarette smoker, said cartridge comprising:

• an inner tubular filter consisting essentially of micro-fibres for removing particulate material from exhaled cigarette smoke, said tubular filter having an inlet end for exhaled cigarette smoke to enter an inner elongate chamber within said tubular filter, said tubular filter having a closed end opposite said inlet end, whereby cigarette smoke exhaled into said elongate chamber passes radially through said tubular filter, said micro-fibres having an average diameter in the range of about 0.5 to about 10 microns and being made from a suitable micro-fibre forming composition,
• an outer filter shell surrounding said inner filter, said outer filter shell consisting essentially of activated carbon material held by a support matrix which is porous to air flow,
• said inner tubular filter being of sufficient thickness to remove substantially all particulate material from exhaled cigarette smoke passing radially from said inner elongate chamber through said tubular filter, said micro-fibre filter material having a low pressure drop to permit an air stream to flow through said filter with minimal resistance to such flow,
• said activated carbon outer filter shell being of sufficient thickness for adsorbing substantially all gaseous components of cigarette smoke from such filtered exhaled cigarette smoke stream,
• said cartridge having an end portion adjacent said inlet end, said end portion being received by an exhale mouthpiece to facilitate a user exhaling cigarette smoke through said inlet and into said elongate chamber, and
• said inner tubular filter in combination with activated carbon outer filter providing a filtered air stream substantially free of cigarette smoke for discharge into surroundings.