Abstract: A novel photonic-electronic smoking system comprising a cigarette and a photonic operated electronic lighter, together with methodologies of smoking a cigarette, the lighter comprising a receptacle for removably receiving a cigarette; a photonic source; an optical train establishing a plurality of optical pathways from said photonic source to a plurality of locations at the received cigarette; a source of electrical power; a puff sensor responsive to a drawing action upon a cigarette received by said receptacle; and a controller responsive to said puff sensor for controllably communicating said source of electrical power with said photonic source so that upon drawing action upon the received cigarette, the photonic source discharges along said optical pathway to heat a region of said cigarette adjacent at least one of said locations.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing cigarettes including the steps of establishing a succession of 2-up hollow plugs in alternating relation to 2-up tobacco plugs and wrapping same in a tobacco web and overwrap, severing the resultant continuous rod at mid points of preselected 2-up tobacco plugs and severing again to establish associated pairs of singular tobacco rod plugs, separating the members of associated pairs of tobacco rod plugs and placing 2-up filter tipping plugs therebetween, and subsequently wrapping the interposed 2-up filter tipping plug together with adjacent portions of the singular tobacco rod plugs and severing the resultant tipped structure into individual cigarettes. Also provided are cigarettes constructed in accordance with the novel method.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for mechanically and electrically bonding metallic materials and semiconductor materials. The method according to the invention may be used, for example, in forming a semiconductor electrical heater, particularly for use in electrical smoking articles. A metallic element, such as a copper alloy power supply tab, is laser welded to a semiconductor element, such as a doped silicon resistive heater element. A laser beam is directed through a hole in the copper alloy tab to melt some silicon material, which flows into the hole in the copper tab, reacts and intermixes with the copper and solidifies to form a slug containing copper silicide. A protective material such as nickel may be applied to protect the copper silicide from oxidation if desired. An ohmic, low resistance contact and high strength bond is provided between the parts.

Abstract: A process for expanding tobacco is provided which employs carbon dioxide gas. Tobacco temperature and OV content are adjusted prior to contacting the tobacco with carbon dioxide gas. The disclosed process is suitable for impregnating and expanding tobacco having a high bulk density. In order to achieve a high bulk density, the tobacco may be compacted or compressed to achieve an increased and more uniform bulk density prior to its impregnation with carbon dioxide. The process may be carried out with a short cycle impregnation in an apparatus according to the invention. A thermodynamic path is followed during impregnation which allows a controlled amount of the carbon dioxide gas to condense on the tobacco. This liquid carbon dioxide evaporates during depressurization helping to cool the tobacco bed uniformly. After impregnation, the tobacco may be expanded immediately or kept at or below its post-vent temperature in a dry atmosphere for subsequent expansion.

Abstract: A smoking article is provided in which a replaceable tobacco flavor unit containing tobacco flavor material is electrically heated by a set of permanent reusable heaters to evolve flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form for delivery to a smoker. Each heater heats only a portion of the available tobacco flavor material so that a plurality of individual puffs of tobacco flavor substance can be delivered sequentially to the smoker. The replaceable tobacco flavor unit can also include a filter to reduce the effect of residual aerosol which settles or condenses on the permanent portions of the article and which can result in off-tastes when reheated. A method and apparatus for manufacturing the replaceable tobacco flavor unit is also provided.

Abstract: Substantially circular objects such as the ends of the filters of filter tipped cigarettes are inspected for acceptable appearance utilizing a blob analysis which includes imaging a peripheral region so as to provide resolution along the edge of the circular object.

Abstract: Reconstituted tobacco sheet having improved homogeneity and wet and dry tensile strength are produced by a process including mixing a water-soluble polysaccharide and a humectant under a first high shear; subjecting the resulting aqueous binder composition to a second high shear mixing operation; mixing the resulting aqueous binder composition with tobacco dust under a third shear, the third shear being lower than the first and second shears to form a slurry; casting the slurry onto a supportive surface such as a stainless steel conveyor belt; drying the cast slurry to form a reconstituted tobacco sheet; and recovering the reconstituted tobacco sheet for use such as cut filler for cigarettes.

Abstract: A tobacco expansion apparatus and method comprising a source of tower gas, an obloid transfer duct, in communication with the gas source, a tobacco feeder at a location along the obloid transport duct and a separator for recovering tobacco from the expansion apparatus. The tobacco feeder is adapted to introduce tobacco uniformly across the width of the obloid transfer duct. The apparatus improves the filling power of the processed tobacco and can be operated at higher production rates with less tobacco breakage, thereby improving tobacco yield.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for delivering free-flowing material into discrete receiving spaces separating filter plugs in partially constructed cigarette filter assemblies. The method includes rapidly feeding a free-flowing material such as charcoal into partially constructed cigarette filter assemblies. The free-flowing material is dispensed to a first conveyance and is subsequently transferred to a second conveyance that is positioned parallel and above the first conveyance. Vacuum is used to hold the free-flowing particulate material onto the first conveyance and is used to transfer the free-flowing material to the second conveyance and to hold it there. The free-flowing material is next transferred onto receiving spaces formed between articles such as cigarette filter plugs that are disposed on a third conveyance. The transfer of the free-flowing material to the receiving spaces and retention is also facilitated by application of vacuum.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of embossing a sheet of material with a background pattern together with additional selectable indicia, wherein the method comprises the steps of removably securing an indicia-bearing element to a first one of embossing rollers and removably securing a yieldable element to a second one of embossing rollers, passing the sheet material through the nip of rigid embossing rollers while synchronously moving the embossing rollers so as to impart a background, embossed pattern to a first portion of the sheet material and secondly imparting additional indicia to second portions of the sheet material by repetitively bringing into opposing relationship at the nip the indicia-bearing element and the yieldable element.

Abstract: Images such as product images are identified as substantially similar to one or more reference images by finding pixels which have substantially the same value or values in all or substantially all of the reference images. Image erosion and/or dilation may be used in processing the reference image data to help identify pixels which can always be expected to have the same value in all acceptable images. The values associated with the corresponding pixels in a product image are combined and compared to an expected value. The values associated with pixels which correspond to regions not similar in substantially all of the reference images are combined to produce a discriminant function. The product image is identified as substantially similar to the reference image or images only if the combined values from the product image compare favorably with the expected value, and the dot product between the product image and the discriminant function is equal to a predetermined value.

Abstract: This invention relates to the treatment of paper with material in repetitive patterns. The treatment patterns made with this invention can be altered by changing apparatus operating parameters.

Abstract: A heater having a generally cylindrical or tubular configuration comprised of a selected plurality of thermally conductive heater blades and adjacent heat sink and aerosol barrier blades interposed between the heater blades to form an interdigitated structure. A respective gap is defined between a heater blade and an adjacent heat sink blade to prevent heat loss during an electrical pulse which heats the heater blade. During the subsequent cooling period and puff interval, the adjacent heat sink blades prevent heat from propagating to other parts of the aerosol generating tube, i.e., the cigarette. In addition to the thermal function, the barrier blades also block the escape of moisture generated by the aerosol generating medium, thereby limiting the propagation of condensation. The respective gaps between the interdigitated blades are defined to be wide enough to prevent heat losses during pulsing from a heater blade to adjacent blades yet small enough to prevent escape of significant amounts of vapor.

Abstract: A process for reordering tobacco or other suitable hygroscopic organic material, which results in no significant decrease in the equilibrium CV of the tobacco or other hygroscopic organic material, or significant degradation of the tobacco or other hygroscopic organic material, is provided. Material to be reordered is contacted with an air stream having a relative humidity near the equilibrium conditions of the material. As the OV content of the hygroscopic organic material increases, the relative humidity of the air stream contacting the hygroscopic organic material is increased to affect reordering of the material. Also provided is a process for drying tobacco or other suitable hygroscopic organic material, which results in no significant change in the equilibrium CV of the tobacco or other hygroscopic organic material or significant degradation of the tobacco or other suitable hygroscopic organic material.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that comprises a self-stacking spiral conveyor that traverses through a circulating atmosphere. The atmosphere is manipulated by one or more chambers having an open side adjacent to the perforated sides of the spiral conveyor. Additional control over the circulating atmosphere may be achieved by injection or ejection of gas into one or more chambers.

Abstract: A smoking article is provided in which a replaceable tobacco flavor unit containing tobacco flavor material is electrically heated by a set of permanent reusable heaters to evolve flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form for delivery to a smoker. Each heater heats only a portion of the available tobacco flavor material so that a plurality of individual puffs of tobacco flavor substance can be delivered sequentially to the smoker. The replaceable tobacco flavor unit can also include a filter to reduce the effect of residual aerosol which settles or condenses on the permanent portions of the article and which can result in undesirable flavor generation when reheated. A method and apparatus for manufacturing the replaceable tobacco flavor unit is also provided.

Abstract: A novel cigarette adapted for use in an electrical cigarette system comprising a tobacco rod having filled and untilled tobacco rod portions and being arranged so that electrical heater elements may overlap the filled and untilled tobacco rod portions. The tobacco rod includes a tobacco web rolled into tubular form. The tobacco web is constructed in accordance with a novel process comprising the steps of converting tobacco feedstock into a continuous sheet of tobacco web and converting the continuous sheet of tobacco web into one or more bobbins of tobacco web suitable for automated manufacture of cigarettes.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for mechanically and electrically bonding metallic materials and semiconductor materials. The method according to the invention may be used, for example, in forming a semiconductor electrical heater, particularly for use in electrical smoking articles. A metallic element, such as a copper alloy power supply tab, is laser welded to a semiconductor element, such as a doped silicon resistive heater element. A laser beam is directed through a hole in the copper alloy tab to melt some silicon material, which flows into the hole in the copper tab, reacts and intermixes with the copper and solidifies to form a slug containing copper silicide. A protective material such as nickel may be applied to protect the copper silicide from oxidation if desired. An ohmic, low resistance contact and high strength bond is provided between the parts.

Abstract: An electrical smoking article is provided in which tobacco flavor medium is carried past a heater by a continuous web. The web, which preferably is substantially non-combustible, may bear continuous tobacco flavor medium or spaced-apart portions of tobacco flavor medium. A flavor cassette for such an electrical smoking article is also provided. The cassette resembles a conventional recording tape microcassette, having the web in place of magnetic tape. The cassette may also include the heater past which the tape is indexed to heat individual portions of tobacco flavor medium.