Abstract: A heater fixture for use in an electrically heated cigarette smoking system having a source of electrical energy for heating a cigarette includes an inner wall or barrel having at least one opening through the inner wall extending from an outer peripheral surface to an inner surface of the inner wall, and at least one flow distributing element positioned within the at least one opening and extending inwardly from the inner surface. The flow distributing element or elements are provided with a plurality of openings that are in fluid communication with an interior of the heater.

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: 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 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: 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 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.

Abstract: A novel cigarette adapted for use in an electrical cigarette system comprising a tobacco rod having filled and unfilled tobacco rod portions and being arranged so that electrical heater elements may overlap the filled and unfilled 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 novel cigarette adapted for use in an electrical cigarette system comprising a tobacco rod having filled and unfilled tobacco rod portions and being arranged so that electrical heater elements may overlap the filled and unfilled 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 novel cigarette adapted for use in an electrical cigarette system comprising a tobacco rod having filled and unfilled tobacco rod portions and being arranged so that electrical heater elements may overlap the filled and unfilled 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 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 unfilled tobacco rod portions and being arranged so that electrical heater elements may overlap the filled and unfilled 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 smoking system is provided in which a replaceable cigarette containing tobacco flavor material is electrically heated by a set of electrical heater elements contained within a lighter to evolve tobacco flavors or other components in vapor or aerosol form for delivery to a smoker. The cigarette and lighter are adapted to provide air flow patterns through the smoking system such that air flows transversely into the cigarette. Such patterns improve aerosol and flavor delivery to the smoker and reduce the condensation of residual heater-region vapor/aerosol in the smoking system.

Abstract: Reconstituted tobacco sheets manufactured from tobacco dust and binder are described herein. More particularly, the tobacco dust has a mean particle size in the range of from about 60 mesh to about 400 mesh to afford reconstituted tobacco sheets having about 80% to about 90% tobacco content with improved quality and survivability. The reduced particle size of the tobacco dust allows an increase in the solids content of the slurry without an increase in slurry viscosity. The increased solids content reduces the drying load of the cast sheet thereby allowing an increased production rate. The reconstituted tobacco sheets may be prepared from a slurry comprising tobacco dust and binder that may be subjected to a means for removing air trapped within the slurry before casting the slurry into sheets. An apparatus for determining the amount of air trapped within the slurry prepared according to the process of the present invention is also described herein.

Abstract: A novel cigarette of an electrical cigarette system and method of making same, the cigarette comprising a tubular tobacco web and a plug disposed within said tubular tobacco web which provides a structural connection that remains intact after a smoking of the cigarette. The disclosure includes a double-belled plug extending between a free end and a tipped end of a tobacco rod, or in the alternative, a column of tobacco with higher and lower density segments. The disclosure includes a method comprising the steps of producing a continuous plug, passing same through a die, overwrapping the rod with tobacco mat and overwrap, and severing the rod.

Abstract: A cigarette adapted for use in an electrical cigarette system having a tobacco rod having filled and unfilled tobacco rod portions and being arranged so that electrical heater elements may overlap the filled and unfilled tobacco rod portions. The tobacco rod includes a tobacco web rolled into tubular form. The tobacco web is constructed in accordance with a process having 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.