Abstract: A rigid tubular mouthpiece for a smoking article may include a cushioning wrapping material thereabout. The wrapping material may be configured to form several layers, encompassed by a polymeric label, which may include indicia. The wrapping material will provide a lower durometer, as applied, than the unwrapped mouthpiece, which may be incorporated as part of a smoking article.

Abstract: A rigid tubular mouthpiece for a smoking article may include a cushioning wrapping material thereabout and/or a tipping cover that may be configured as overmolding, a shrink sleeve, or other cover. The wrapping material, if present, may be configured to form one or several layers, encompassed by a polymeric shrink-label, which may include visual indicia. The tipping cover and/or wrapping material will provide a lower durometer and more elastic contact mouthpiece surface, as applied, than present in an uncovered mouthpiece, which may be incorporated as part of a smoking article.

Abstract: A smoking article includes a smokable rod manufactured using a paper wrapping material having an additive material applied thereto as a pattern. The additive material is applied as coating formulation (e.g., an aqueous coating formulation) incorporating a film-forming agent such as alginate, starch, or another polymer. The wrapping material includes at least one coated region with a porosity of less than about 20 CORESTA and a diffusion capacity no greater than about 0.2 cm/sec, where the coated region is on a base sheet with a porosity of greater than about 120 CORESTA and a diffusion capacity of at least 1.7 cm/sec.

Abstract: A filter material configured for use as a filter element of a smoking article is provided, the filter material including at least one segment of fibrous tow having a plurality of superabsorbent objects dispersed therein, the superabsorbent objects comprising a starch material. Exemplary starch materials include naturally-occurring starch, hydroxyalkylated starch, starch esters, ionically modified starch, oxidized starch, hydrolyzed starch, plasticized starch, gelatinized starch, grafted starch, crosslinked starch, transglycosylated starch, starch ethers, and mixtures thereof, as well as blends of starch with other polymers. Filter elements and smoking articles, such as cigarettes, that contain the filter material are also provided. A method of preparing polymer fibers for use in filter elements is also provided, the method including adding the starch material to a fiber precursor solution prior to fiber extrusion or dry-blending the starch material with the polymer material to be formed into fibers.

Abstract: Cigarettes which yield low levels of visible sidestream smoke upon use employ a paper wrapping material having about 30 weight percent calcium carbonate and about 70 weight percent flax. The paper wrapper includes a coating or a film of polymeric material and an organic filler material. A preferred polymeric material is nitrocellulose, and a preferred inorganic filler material of the coating is particulate magnesium hydroxide. The coating weighs about 0.05 to about 0.5 pound per 3,000 square feet of wrapping material.