Smoking article

Abstract

A cigarette having reduced ignition propensity and machine for making the cigarette is disclosed. The machine applies a material in longitudinal bands onto the cigarette wrapper for reducing the ignition propensity of the cigarette. The material may be applied by roller, spray or printing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/376,494, filed on Apr. 30, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to a process for making a smoking article and more particularly for a process for applying an additive to cigarette paper prior to the cigarette paper entering a cigarette maker.

[0003] It is common place in the manufacturing of smoking articles, particularly cigarettes, to treat cigarette papers with additives to control the burn rate of the cigarettes. Particularly, it is common practice to add additives, such as chalk and the like in the manufacturing of cigarette wrapping paper to lower the permeability of papers as this reduces the ability of a burning cigarette to ignite a combustible material. Moreover, in some cases the lower permeable paper provides for a self-extinguishing cigarette if the cigarette is left to burn undisturbed for a period of time. It is well known to coat cigarette wrapping papers in either the initial manufacturing of the paper itself or shortly thereafter. The cigarette wrapping papers with additives are then stored for a period of time prior to their use in the manufacturing of a smoking article.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to apply additives to a cigarette wrapping paper in the cigarette making process just upstream of a cigarette maker.

[0005] It is another object of the present invention to provide a smoking article wherein the cigarette paper has been treated online in a cigarette making process with the addition of additives either from a printing, spraying, or hot melt application.

[0006] It is another object of the present invention to use any type of cigarette wrapping paper having a paper porosity of 10 Coresta units or higher in the manufacturing of a smoking article with controlled burn rate properties.

[0007] Particularly, the present invention is directed to a process for making a smoking article wherein a spool of cigarette wrapping paper is fed to a cigarette maker and just before the paper enter the cigarette maker, a selected additive, such as a burn control agent, is applied to the paper.

[0008] Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view depicting the process of making the smoking article of the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 2A shows a paper sample of the present invention including a plurality of longitudinal bands of additives to a long piece of cigarette paper;

[0012] FIG. 2B shows a sample of a cigarette wrapping paper have transversely extending bands of additives on the paper;

[0013] FIG. 2C shows a sample of a cigarette paper with continuous longitudinal bands of additives;

[0014] FIG. 2D shows a sample of a cigarette wrapping paper with random longitudinal bands of additives on the paper;

[0015] FIG. 2E shows a sample of cigarette wrapping paper with random longitudinal bands of additives;

[0016] FIG. 2F shows a sample of a cigarette wrapping paper with continuous longitudinal bands of additives on the paper;

[0017] FIG. 2G shows a sample of a cigarette wrapping paper with random longitudinal bands of additives; and,

[0018] FIG. 2H shows a sample of a cigarette wrapping paper with random longitudinal bands of additives.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, a supply roll of cigarette wrapper paper 10 is fed to a cigarette making machine 16. The cigarette wrapper paper 10 may be any commercially available type and preferably has a porosity higher than 10 Coresta units with or without citrate or other burn additives. The cigarette making machine 16 may be any known in the art such as a Hauni Protos 90 type. Between the supply roll of paper 10 and the entrance to the cigarette maker 16 is an additive station 13 which applies a selected additive to the paper from an additive supply source identified by the numeral 12. The additives may be applied to the cigarette wrapper paper 10 at the additive station 13 and includes, for example, starch, modified starch, such as starch esters, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), pectins, carrageenans, alginates, cellulose base compounds (for example hydroxy propyl cellulose (hydroxy ethyl cellulose), shellac (confectioner's glaze), waxes polyols (for example, mannitol, isomalt), and polysaccharides. Furthermore, tobacco dust may be used as an additive. Any mixtures of these additives may also be combined with plasticers, waxes, fillers, oils, pigments, flow modifiers, or other compounds that can be applied on the paper in order to form a film or become an integral part of the cigarette paper 10. At the additive application station 13, the additives may be applied to the paper in any well known technique, such as printing, spraying, or preferably a hot melt application. Moreover, drying can be used with any of these means of applying the additives to the paper. The additive is also generally applied in stripes or bands along the paper as the paper is fed to the cigarette maker 16.

[0020] The cigarette wrapper paper 10 such as the additive stripes 102, as shown in FIG. 2A on the paper wrapper sample 100, is received in the tobacco rod forming assembly 20 which includes a garniture for wrapping the tobacco which is received from a tobacco fed metering assembly 18. The metering assembly 18 receives tobacco from a selected tobacco source, as identified by the numeral 14. Upon leaving the tobacco rod forming assembly 20 in the cigarette maker 16, the resulting wrapped tobacco rod is cut and a filter from a filter supply source identified by the numeral 21 attaches the filter to the paper wrapped tobacco rod. The resulting finished cigarette is then removed by conveying means, identified by the numeral 24, to a packaging machine for insertion into a package of cigarettes.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 2A-2H are cigarette paper samples having additive stripes applied thereto as illustrations of some of the different types of geometric configurations which may be applied to a cigarette paper. FIG. 2A shows an elongated section of cigarette paper having four longitudinal stripes or bands therealong. Additive material is generally 2 mg or more per 50 mm of paper. For example, in using ethyl vinyl acetate, 22 mg of EVA were used per 56 mm of paper whereas for shellac, 16 mg of shellac was used per 56 mm of paper. Also, 80% mannitol to 20% starch may be applied at a concentration of 11 mg per 56 mm of paper. In a preferred application the compounds are applied through a hot melt applicator and the type of nozzle used with the applicator will depend upon the type of material used and the concentration.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2B, the additive bands may also be transverse of the cigarette paper as illustrated by the example of the cigarette sample paper 110 having the transversely extending bands 112 therealong. As shown in FIG. 2C, the cigarette wrapper sample 120 includes three bands of additive 122 and the bands have a width of 5 mm, are spaced 4 mm apart, and are 2 mm from each side. FIG. 2D shows a cigarette sample paper 130 having three bands identified by the numeral 132 which are 5 mm in width and spaced 4 mm apart and 2 mm from the side. Each of the three bands is 20 mm long. Two middle bands of additives, identified as 132a have a width of 4 mm and are also 20 mm long and fit in between the gaps of the opposing ends of the three bands 132.

[0023] FIG. 2E illustrates another cigarette paper 140 having a plurality of random longitudinal bands identified by the numeral 142. In this sample each band has a width of 7 mm and is 12 mm in length. An offset of 2 mm exist between adjacent bands with a distance between the aligned ends is 15 mm. FIG. 2F illustrates another cigarette paper wrapper sample 150 which has four continuous longitudinal bands, identified as 152. Each band is 4 mm in width and spaced 3 mm apart and 1 mm from each side. FIG. 2G depicts another cigarette paper sample 160 which has a plurality of random longitudinal bands, three bands at each end identified by the numeral 162 and two middle bands identified as 162A. The additives bands 162 have a width of 5 mm and are spaced 4 mm apart and 2 mm from each side. Each band 162 is 20 mm in length. The two middle bands 162a have a width of 4 mm and are 28 mm. long which fits in between the gaps of the 3 ends bands 162 on each end with an overlap of 4 mm. with each of the three end bands 162. In the cigarette wrapper sample of FIG. 2H the cigarette wrapper paper 170 is shown with a plurality of random longitudinal bands identified by the numeral 172. Each additive band 172 has a width of 7 mm and is 21 mm in length. An offset of 7 mm exists between adjacent bands 172. The distance from axially aligned bands from the first row of bands 172 to the second row of bands 172 is 20 mm.

[0024] The foregoing description has been set forth with reference to a preferred process and specific examples of geometric configurations illustrating additive stripes or bands on cigarette paper. It is realized that other geometric configurations can also be used, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Moreover, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as understood by one skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing a controlled burn rate cigarette, comprising:

a cigarette maker having an additive station in fluid communication with a additive supply source, said additive applied to said additive applied to a web of cigarette wrapper material having porosity of at least 10 coresta units in a plurality of transverse bands each between about 2 mm and 8 mm in width and spaced at least about 2 mm to 4 mm apart onto said wrapper of said controlled burn rate cigarette, said maker further having a drying station positioned between said additive station and a garniture formed on said maker, said additive station applying said additive at a rate of about 2 mg. or more per 50 mm of paper.

2. An apparatus for manufacturing a controlled burn rate cigarette, comprising:

a cigarette maker having an additive station said additive station applying an additive onto said controlled burn rate cigarette, said additive applied in a plurality of transverse bands, each of said bands between about 2 mm and 8 mm in width on a wrapper for said controlled burn rate cigarette, said wrapper having porosity of at least 10 coresta units, said plurality of transverse bands being up to about 20 mm in length and spaced at least about 2 mm to 4 mm apart onto said wrapper of said controlled burn rate cigarette;

said wrapper passing through said cigarette maker and through said additive station to a drying station.

3. The apparatus for manufacturing a controlled burn rate cigarette of claim 2 wherein said additive station is a hot melt application station.

4. The apparatus for manufacturing a controlled burn rate cigarette of claim 2 wherein said additive station is a spraying station having a nozzle, said nozzle in fluid communication with a container having said additive.

5. The apparatus for manufacturing a controlled burn rate cigarette of claim 2 wherein said additive station is a printing station for applying said additive to said wrapper.

6. The apparatus for manufacturing a controlled burn rate cigarette of claim 2 wherein said additive station is selected from the group consisting of starch, modified starch, starch esters, ethylene vinyl acetate, shellac, cellulose base compounds and waxes polyols.