Smoking article

• US 20070215168A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Sears, Stephen, Taylor, JoAnne, Banerjee, Chandra
• Granted Patent: US 9,220,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/335
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/165 comprising as heat source a carbon fuel or an oxidized or thermally degraded carbonaceous fuel, e.g. carbohydrates, cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: A24C 5/00 Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 1/08 with lighting means pyrophoric compositions C06C15/00; lighters per se F23Q
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 1/22 Cigarettes with integrated combustible heat sources, e.g. with carbonaceous heat sources
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/067 characterised by functional properties
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/16 of inorganic materials

Abstract

A smoking article, such as a cigarette, includes a carbonaceous heat source. A mouth end piece segment is located at the mouth end of the smoking article, and the mouth end piece segment allows the smoking article to be placed in the mouth of the smoker to be drawn upon. The smoking article further incorporates an aerosol-generating segment located between the heat generation segment and the mouth end piece segment. The aerosol-generating segment incorporates an aerosol-forming material (e.g., glycerin and flavors). The heat generation segment is in a heat exchange relationship with the aerosol-generating region such that heat generated by the burning fuel element acts to volatilize aerosol-forming material for aerosol formation. The carbonaceous heat source is in intimate contact with coarse, fine or ultrafine particles of materials such as cerium oxide, or mixtures of cerium oxide and palladium chloride.

Claims

1. A smoking article comprising:

a lighting end;

a mouth end; and

an aerosol-generation system, the aerosol generation system comprising an aerosol-generating segment and a heat generation segment, said heat generation segment having a length and including a heat source, each segment being physically separate and in a heat exchange relationship, wherein the heat source comprises a carbonaceous material in intimate contact with coarse, fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide and a metal halide.

2. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide have average particle sizes ranging from about 1 nm to about 100 nm.

3. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the coarse particles of cerium oxide have average particle sizes ranging from about 2.5 micrometers to about 200 micrometers.

4. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide have average particle sizes of greater than about 10 nm.

5. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide have average particle sizes of greater than about 50 nm.

6. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the cerium oxide particles have an average particle sizes ranging from about 100 nm to about 2.5 micrometers.

7. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the coarse, fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide are disposed on a metal oxide substrate.

8. The smoking articles of claim 7, wherein the metal oxide substrate comprises titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, copper oxide, individually or as combinations thereof.

9. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the heat source comprises from about 5 mg to about 20 mg of cerium oxide, and an amount of cerium oxide to metal halide in a ratio from about 1:

2 to about 1;

10,000, on a weight basis.

10. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the metal halide comprises a group VIII(B) metal chloride.

11. The smoking articles of claim 10, wherein the group VIII(B) metal comprises platinum, palladium, or combinations thereof.

12. The smoking article of claim 11, wherein the group VIII(B) metal comprises palladium.

13. A fuel element for a smoking article comprising:

a carbonaceous material;

coarse, fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide; and

a metal halide.

14. The fuel element of claim 13, wherein the fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide have average particle sizes ranging from about 1 nm to about 100 nm.

15. The fuel element of claim 13, wherein the coarse particles of cerium oxide have average particle sizes ranging from about 2.5 micrometers to about 200 micrometers.

16. The fuel element of claim 13, wherein the fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide have average particle sizes of greater than about 10 nm.

17. The fuel element of claim 13, wherein the fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide have average particle sizes of greater than about 50 nm.

18. The fuel element of claim 13, wherein the cerium oxide particles have an average particle sizes ranging from about 100 nm to about 2.5 micrometers.

19. The fuel element of claim 13, wherein the coarse, fine or ultrafine particles of cerium oxide are disposed on a metal oxide substrate.

20. The fuel element of claim 19, wherein the metal oxide substrate comprises titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, copper oxide, individually or as combinations thereof.

21. The fuel element of claim 13, wherein an amount of metal halide and an amount of cerium oxide is present in a ratio from about 1:

2 to about 1;

10,000, on a weight basis.

22. The fuel element of claim 21, wherein the metal halide comprises a group VIII(B) metal chloride.

23. The fuel element of claim 22, wherein the group VIII(B) metal comprises platinum, palladium, or combinations thereof.

24. The fuel element of claim 23, wherein the group VIII(B) metal comprises palladium.

25. A method for making a fuel element for a smoking article, comprising:

forming a rod of carbonaceous material;

applying cerium oxide particles to the carbonaceous material, wherein the particles have a size less than about 100 nm; and

applying a metal halide to the carbonaceous material.