Cigarette

• US 5,247,947 A
• Filed: 06/28/1991
• Issued: 09/28/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Clearman, Jack F., Meiring, Robert L., Wilkinson, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doyle, J.
• Application Number:
  US07/723,350
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 131/370, 131/359, 131/369, 131/353, 131/194
• US Class Current: 131/194
• 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 1/22 Cigarettes with integrated combustible heat sources, e.g. with carbonaceous heat sources

Abstract

A cigarette including a longitudinally segmented combustible fuel element, and a substrate carrying tobacco extract and glycerin positioned physically separate from the fuel element is disclosed. The substrate is a gathered paper-type material, and is positioned in a spaced apart relationship from the fuel element. One preferred smoking article of the present invention is a cigarette which comprises (i) a symmetrical and longitudinally segmented combustible fuel element; (ii) a physically separate aerosol generating means including at least one aerosol forming material; and (iii) means for securing, maintaining or retaining the fuel element within the smoking article. The symmetrical fuel element of the present invention comprises two substantially identical end segments; a longitudinally disposed intermediate segment; and two, preferably identical, reduced cross-sectional area (or reduced circumference) segments (also called "isolation" segments) located between each of the end segments and the intermediate segment. The symmetrical nature of the fuel element allows it to be inserted into the cigarette without concern as to any particular longitudinal orientation. Thus, when placed in a cigarette, one end segment of the fuel element serves as a burning segment, while the other end segment serves as a base segment.

Claims

1. A fuel element for smoking articles, the fuel element having a longitudinal axis, and comprising two end segments longitudinally displaced along the axis, each end segment having substantially the same cross-sectional area;

at least one intermediate segment disposed longitudinally between the end segments having a cross-sectional area substantially the same as the end segments; and

at least two reduced cross-sectional area isolation segments disposed longitudinally between the end segments and the intermediate segments, the fuel element further comprising more than one intermediate segment, each of which is separated by an isolation segment having a cross-sectional area less than that of any one of the isolation segments.

2. The fuel element of claim 1, wherein the isolation segments are on the same longitudinal plane of the fuel element.

3. The fuel element of claim 1, wherein the isolation segments are on opposite sides of a plane through the longitudinal axis of the fuel element.

4. The fuel element of claim 3, wherein the carbonaceous materials comprise at least 75 percent of the combustible composition of the fuel element.

5. The fuel element of claim 1, which comprises a combustible composition selected from carbonaceous material and tobacco materials and a binder.

6. The fuel element of claim 5, wherein the carbonaceous materials comprise at least 75 percent of the combustible composition of the fuel element.

7. A front-end assembly for smoking articles comprising a fuel element having two end segments having substantially the same cross-sectional area, at least one intermediate segment having a cross-sectional area the same as the end segments;

and at least two reduced cross-sectional area isolation segments disposed between the end segments and the intermediate segment(s), the fuel element being circumscribed by a jacket of resilient fibers, wherein the jacket extends beyond the end segments of the fuel element, recessing the fuel element within the jacket.

8. The front-end assembly of claim 7, wherein the fuel element is recessed within the jacket at each end by up to about 3 mm.

9. The front-end assembly of claim 7, wherein the resilient fibers of the circumscribing jacket comprise glass fibers.

10. The front-end assembly of claim 7, wherein the resilient fibers of the circumscribing jacket comprise alternating layers of glass fibers and tobacco materials.

11. The front-end assembly of claim 7, wherein the two end segments of the fuel element have substantially the same size, in length and width.

12. The front-end assembly of claim 7, wherein the two end segments of the fuel element have substantially the same cross- sectional shape.

13. The front-end assembly of claim 7, wherein the two isolation segments of the fuel element have substantially the same size, in length and width.

14. The front-end assembly of claim 7, wherein the two isolation segments of the fuel element have substantially the same cross-sectional shape.

15. The front-end assembly of claim 7, wherein the two isolation segments of the fuel element are spaced substantially the same distance from the respective ends of the fuel element.

16. A smoking article comprising:

(a) a combustible fuel element comprising two end segments having substantially the same cross-sectional area, at least one intermediate segment having a cross-sectional area the same as the end segments; and

at least two reduced cross-sectional area isolation segments disposed between the end segments and the intermediate segment(s), and

(b) an aerosol generating means longitudinally disposed behind the fuel element and physically spaced apart therefrom.

17. The smoking article of claim 16, wherein the two isolation segments of the fuel element are substantially the same in shape and size.

18. The smoking article of claim 16 or 17, wherein the two isolation segments of the fuel element are spaced substantially the same distance from each end of the fuel element.

19. The smoking article of claim 16 or 17, further comprising a circumscribing insulating jacket of resilient fibers, surrounding the periphery of the fuel element and extending beyond the ends thereof, recessing the fuel element within the insulating jacket.

20. The smoking article of claim 19, wherein the insulating jacket comprises fibers which shrink upon heating.

21. The smoking article of claim 20, wherein the fibers of the insulating jacket comprise glass fibers.

22. The smoking article of claim 19, wherein the resilient fibers of the circumscribing jacket comprise alternating layers of glass fibers and tobacco materials.

23. A cigarette comprising:

(a) a combustible fuel element having two end segments having substantially the same cross-sectional area, at least one intermediate segment having the same cross-sectional area as the end segments; and

at least two isolation segments having a cross-sectional area less than that of the end segments, wherein the isolation segments are positioned between each of the end segments and the intermediate segment(s);

(b) an aerosol generating means longitudinally disposed behind the fuel element and physically spaced apart therefrom; and

(c) a mouthend piece.

24. The cigarette of claim 23, wherein the two isolation segments of the fuel element are substantially the same in shape and size.

25. The cigarette of claim 23 or 24, further comprising a circumscribing insulating jacket of resilient fibers, surrounding the periphery of the fuel element and extending beyond the ends thereof, recessing the fuel element within the insulating jacket.

26. The cigarette of claim 25, wherein the insulating jacket comprises fibers which shrink upon heating.

27. The cigarette of claim 26, wherein the fibers of the insulating jacket comprise glass fibers.

28. The cigarette of claim 25, wherein the resilient fibers of the circumscribing jacket comprise alternating layers of glass fibers and tobacco materials.

38. The cigarette of claim 23 or 24, wherein the two isolation segments of the fuel element are spaced substantially the same distance from each end of the fuel element.

29. A cigarette comprising:

(a) a symmetrical combustible fuel element having two substantially identical end segments, two isolation segments having a cross-sectional area less than that of the end segments, said isolation segments respectively being positioned longitudinally adjacent one end segment; and

a heat sinking segment having a cross-sectional area substantially the same as the end segments, positioned between the segments of reduced cross-sectional area;

(b) an aerosol generating means longitudinally disposed behind the fuel element and physically spaced apart therefrom; and

(c) a mouthend piece.

30. The cigarette of claim 29, wherein the isolation segments are substantially the same in shape, size and distance from the end segments of the fuel element.

31. The cigarette of claim 29, wherein the cross-sectional area of the end segments and the cross-sectional area of the heat sinking segment are substantially the same.

32. The cigarette of claim 29, 30 or 31, which further comprises a jacket of resilient fiber material circumscribing the periphery of the fuel element and extending beyond the ends thereof, recessing the fuel element within the jacket.

33. The cigarette of claim 29, 30, or 31, wherein the aerosol generating means further includes a substrate for carrying the aerosol forming material.

34. The cigarette of claim 33, wherein the substrate is a cellulosic material.

35. The cigarette of claim 34, wherein the cellulosic substrate material is paper.

36. The cigarette of claim 34, wherein the cellulosic substrate material is tobacco paper.

37. The cigarette of claim 32, wherein the insulating jacket means comprises fibers which shrink upon exposure to heat from the burning fuel element.