Abstract: Smoke constituent reduction is achieved by resolving from puff-to-puff analysis at which location along a tobacco rod production of a particular smoke constituent is maximized, and locally applying an attenuator at said resolved location to reduce production of the constituent. A remainder of the rod is left untreated so as to minimize impact on taste and burn characteristics of the cigarette. Reduction of the first puff formaldehyde formation is achieved by treating the cigarette tip with salts, using Burley tobacco in the tip, increasing the rod density, ventilation at the tip, and thermal treatment of the tip. Other classes of smoke constituents such as TSNAs (tobacco specific nitrosamines), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), etc., in particular the PAHs of naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, flouranthene and benzo(a)pyrene may be reduced with placement of a carbon-based and/or metallic disc at the tip and with practices of the invention herein.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering predetermined amounts of particulate material and/or plasticizer to a location remote from the particulate material, and a cigarette filter and a cigarette made according to the method and apparatus.

Abstract: A printhead includes a common ink chamber or reservoir bounded on one side by a membrane having nozzle apertures. The membrane forms a print face of the printhead. Piezoelectric elements (piezos) are located on the membrane near the nozzles. The piezos flex segments of the membrane surrounding the nozzles to eject ink droplets from the nozzle apertures. Ribs are also provided on the membrane and define boundaries of the membrane segments corresponding to the nozzles. The ribs can isolate each nozzle from the other nozzles, in two ways. First, the ribs act as stiffeners so that when piezos attached to one membrane segment flex that membrane segment, the other membrane segments are not significantly flexed. Second, when the ribs are provided on an interior surface of the membrane, they deflect the pressure pulse in the ink fluid from a flexing membrane segment, upwards, away from adjacent membrane segments/nozzles.

Abstract: An assembly and method enhances particulate matter retention during the filling of a moving cavity. The assembly further reduces the tendency of particulate matter to come to rest at a point other than in the moving cavity. The assembly for enhancing particulate matter retention comprises a transport for continuously moving a stream of empty cavities in a downstream direction. The assembly further includes a feed for depositing particulate matter from a supply into the empty cavities on the transport. A vibrator engages the cavities on the transport thereby vibrating the cavities to enhance particulate matter retention within the cavities and to remove any excess particulate matter from areas adjacent the cavities. The assembly and method are particularly suited for efficiently filing cavities in a multiple component cigarette filter preform with carbon or similar type granules.

Abstract: Smoke constituent reduction is achieved by resolving from puff-to-puff analysis at which location along a tobacco rod production of a particular smoke constituent is maximized, and locally applying an attenuator at said resolved location to reduce production of the constituent. A remainder of the rod is left untreated so as to minimize impact on taste and burn characteristics of the cigarette. Reduction of the first puff formaldehyde formation is achieved by treating the cigarette tip with salts, using Burley tobacco in the tip, increasing the rod density, ventilation at the tip, and thermal treatment of the tip. Other classes of smoke constituents such as TSNAs (tobacco specific nitrosamines), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), etc., in particular the PAHs of naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, flouranthene and benzo(a)pyrene may be reduced with placement of a carbon-based and/or metallic disc at the tip and with practices of the invention herein.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for preparing a plurality of filter holders for use in a smoking machine both include assembling a plurality of such filter holders, each holder having upper and lower portions constructed and arranged for fitting engagement with one another. A filter element is placed between the upper and lower portions of each filter holder, and each holder is loosely assembled by fitting the upper and lower portions together with the filter element therebetween. The loosely assembled filter holders are placed on a portable tray having a plurality of individual compartments, one for each loosely assembled filter holder. The portable tray is placed within a press for pressing the filter holder portions together to thereby simultaneously seal the upper and lower portions of each filter holder together with the filter element therebetween.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting, locating, isolating and controlling variations in the manufacturing process by transient thermography. A heat source (200) imparts heat to a surface which is radiated in the infrared region. Infrared sensors (204, 206, 208, 210) are coupled to a processor which tracks the physical characteristics of the sample, and provides feedback to a central process controller to make adjustments to the manufacturing process. The sample can be a continuous product such as a green powder metal sheet or tobacco product.

Abstract: An electrical smoking system comprising a cigarette and an electric lighter, wherein the cigarette comprises a tubular tobacco mat partially filled with material tobacco so as to define a filled tobacco rod portion and an unfilled tobacco rod portion. The cigarette and the lighter are mutually arranged so that when the cigarette is received in the lighter, the electrical heater element of the lighter at least partially superposes at least a portion of the filled tobacco rod portion. The cigarette and the lighter are also mutually arranged so that when the cigarette is received in the lighter, the free end of the cigarette is occluded. The cigarette includes a zone of perforations at a location along the filled tobacco rod portion, with the cigarette being free of perforations along the unfilled tobacco rod portion. An apparatus for perforating a cigarette which can be smoked in an electrical smoking device includes a drum link-up assembly and a laser perforating apparatus.

Abstract: A method of cold fabricating an intermetallic alloy composition, comprising steps of coating an article of an intermetallic alloy composition with a viscous medium which provides a moisture resistant barrier on the surface of the article, fabricating the coated article into a desired shape, and optionally removing the coating from the shaped article. The coating step can be carried out by applying oil to the surface of the article or immersing the article in oil. The intermetallic article can be an iron aluminide and the fabrication step can include stamping, bending, drawing, forming, cutting, shearing or punching. During the fabrication step a surface oxide film is cracked and metal surfaces exposed by the cracked oxide film are protected from exposure to moisture in the air by the viscous medium.

Abstract: An in-line insert folder system includes a continuous roll of preprinted inserts, and a cutter for cutting individual inserts from the roll. A transport serially conveys the individual inserts in a downstream direction to a buckle folder that receives the inserts and folds each one along at least one fold line. An applicator serially receives the folded inserts from the buckle folder and applies the inserts to consumer packs such as cigarette packs, for example. The folded inserts may be directly applied to the packs before placement of flexible outer wrap or the folded inserts may be applied onto the flexible outer wrap before that wrap is placed around the packs.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for monitoring the viewability of a display, and includes a point-of-sale display, at least one sensor that detects at least one of presence, placement and viewability of a display, a central processing unit that receives an output from the sensor and compares the output with a predetermined value to determine if an abnormal condition affecting viewability of the display exists, and a communication device that communicates an alarm signal produced by the central processing unit under abnormal conditions to a remote recipient or to a storage device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compacting particles or granules in discrete cavities spaced along an article or articles such as a cigarette filter rod moved underneath the compacting system. The compacting system can be provided with spaced lugs or other protrusions that selectively compact particles within cavities, or a smooth outer periphery that results in progressive compaction of the entire article being moved underneath the compaction system. The article having cavities with particles that need to be compacted can be supported on a support rail with side support rails that maintain the shape of the article during the compaction process.

Abstract: A tax stamp perforator and notcher applies a diagonal line of spaced apart perforations on a tax stamp for subsequent application to a cigarette pack. The stamp is glued or otherwise applied to the cigarette pack normally across the back of the pack and one of the sides thereof. When the cigarette pack is opened the tax stamp is torn along the line of perforations. In order to facilitate rapid application of tax stamps to a production line of cigarette packs, notches in the form of lines of increased densification are applied to each stamp in the area where the stamp is bent around the side of the cigarette pack. These lines of increased densification are arranged parallel to the edge of the cigarette pack, and preferably one of the lines lies along the edge of the cigarette pack to thereby reduce the ability of the tax stamp to spring back away from the pack when glued to the pack. This feature enables the stamps to be applied to the packs at high production rates.

Abstract: A tobacco smoking mixture is provided that includes tobacco and at least one inorganic particulate material. The at least one inorganic particulate material is effective to reduce the temperature of a burning portion of the tobacco smoking mixture upon combustion/pyrolysis thereof. The at least one inorganic particulate material can be an inorganic carbonate, an inorganic hydrate, an inorganic oxide, an inorganic phosphate, a carbon material or combinations thereof.

Abstract: An electrical smoking system comprising a cigarette and an electric lighter, wherein the cigarette comprises a wrapper surrounding a tubular tobacco mat partially filled with material tobacco so as to define a filled tobacco rod portion and an unfilled tobacco rod portion. The wrapper includes an ammonium containing compound filler therein effective to reduce gaseous components of the tobacco smoke produced during smoking of the cigarette. The system includes a lighter comprising at least one heating blade and a controller adapted to control heating of the heater blade, the lighter arranged to at least partially receive the cigarette such that the heater blade heats a heating zone of the cigarette.

Abstract: A cigarette filter having a reagent which chemically reacts with and removes a gaseous component of a smoke stream. The reagent contains functional groups covalently bonded to a non-volatile inorganic substrate which is incorporated in the filter. The filter can remove gaseous components such as aldehydes from tobacco smoke. Preferred functional groups are 3-aminopropylsilyl groups covalently bonded to silica gel (APS silica gel). The reagent can be contained in a space in the filter or incorporated in one or more filter elements such as tipping paper, shaped paper insert, mouthpiece plug, solid filter element, or free-flow filter element. The reagent can be part of or coated on paper such as tipping or filter paper or incorporated in non-paper filter elements formed from fibrous materials such as cellulose acetate or polypropylene fibers. Other preferred reagents include aminoethylaminopropylsilyl (AEAPS) silica gel and aminoethylaminoethylaminopropylsilyl (AEAEAPS) silica gel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of manufacturing a web which is striped with add-on material, comprising: a first slurry supply which forms a sheet of base web and moves the sheet along a first path; a second slurry supply; and a moving orifice applicator operative so as to repetitively discharge the second slurry upon the moving sheet of base web. The moving orifice applicator includes a chamber box arranged to establish a reservoir of the second slurry across the first path, an endless belt having slotted orifices, the endless belt received through the chamber box, and a drive arrangement operative upon the endless belt to continuously move the orifices along an endless-path and repetitively through the chamber box. The orifices communicate with the reservoir to discharge the second slurry as bands of add-on material to the base web. The slotted orifices can be spaced apart along the belt and oriented so as to be angled with respect to the travel direction of the belt and parallel to each other.

Abstract: This invention is a highly efficient filter containing fibers that contain small particle size adsorbents/absorbents such as carbon and/or silica to selectively reduce targeted components in mainstream cigarette smoke. The invention relates to a novel class of highly efficient cigarette smoke filters made from much smaller solid fine particles (preferably 1-50 micrometers in diameter) impregnated in shaped fibers that possess open or semi-opened micro-cavity. The invention further relates to a cigarette having a plug/space/plug or plug/space configuration and having the impregnated filters resided in the space in bonded non-woven or freely unbounded manner to allow controlled TPM delivery.