Tobacco-containing smoking article

• US 8,899,238 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. (British American Tobacco PLC)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Robinson, John Howard, Griffith, David William Jr., Conner, Billy Tyrone, Crooks, Evon Llewellyn, Brewer, Dempsey Bailey Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crispino, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHU HOANG
• Application Number:
  US13/297,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20120060853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 131/200
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 13/02 Flakes or shreds of tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/12 of reconstituted tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/167 in liquid or vaporisable form, e.g. liquid compositions for electronic cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 3/14 Forming reconstituted tobacco products, e.g. wrapper materials, sheets, imitation leaves, rods, cakes; Forms of such products delustering A24C1/40
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 1/002 with additives, e.g. for flavouring preparing tobacco, e.g. flavouring, A24B
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 1/20 Cigarettes specially adapted for simulated smoking devices
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/10 Devices using liquid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/20 Devices using solid inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/40 Constructional details, e.g. connection of cartridges and battery parts
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 40/42 Cartridges or containers for inhalable precursors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/021 Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/42 non-flexible

Abstract

A smoking article may include a cigarette incorporated within an electrically powered aerosol generating device that acts as a holder for that cigarette. The smoking article possesses at least one form of tobacco. The smoking article also possesses a mouth-end piece that is used by the smoker to inhale components of tobacco that are generated by the action of heat upon components of the cigarette. A representative smoking article possesses an outer housing incorporating a source of electrical power (e.g., a battery), a sensing mechanism for powering the device at least during periods of draw, and a heating device (e.g., at least one electrical resistance heating element) for forming a thermally generated aerosol that incorporates components of tobacco. During use, the cigarette is positioned within the device, and after use, the used cigarette is removed from the device and replaced with another cigarette.

Claims

1. A tobacco-containing, electrically-powered smoking article comprising:

(a) a tubular outer housing having a mouth-end and an end distal to the mouth-end, the housing comprising an opening adapted for intake of air into the smoking article;

(b) an electrical power source within the outer housing;

(c) at least one electrical resistance heater within the outer housing, the heater being configured to allow air flow therethrough and being powered by said electrical power source;

(d) a controller adapted for regulating current flow through the heater; and

(e) a rod-shaped carrier device removably engaged with the mouth-end of the outer housing and comprising a tubular mouth-end piece and a tubular cartridge with two open ends allowing air to flow therethrough, wherein the cartridge includes a substrate that comprises a tobacco material and an aerosol-generating material, wherein the cartridge is operatively positioned within the outer housing and adjacent to the heater such that the electrical resistance heater is adapted for heating at least a portion of the tobacco material and the aerosol-generating material and such that air drawn into the outer housing passes through at least a portion of the heater, through the cartridge, and through the mouth-end piece,

wherein the substrate comprises an absorbent material and the absorbent material is configured such that the aerosol-generating material is in contact with the electrical resistance heater.

2. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the aerosol-forming material comprises glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof.

3. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent material comprises a paper material.

4. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the absorbent material comprises a paper-type reconstituted tobacco.

5. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a paper material with a tobacco extract and the aerosol-generating material absorbed thereon.

6. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate fibers.

7. The smoking article of claim 6, wherein polyethylene terephthalate fibers are blended with tobacco cut filler.

8. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises a flavoring agent.

9. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises carbon particles or calcium carbonate particles therein.

10. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises a fibrous carbonaceous material.

11. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a laminate of metallic foil and paper.

12. The smoking article of claim 11, wherein the paper comprises reconstituted tobacco.

13. The smoking article of claim 11, wherein the paper includes a tobacco extract and the aerosol-generating material absorbed thereon.

14. The smoking article of claim 13, wherein the paper further includes a flavoring agent absorbed thereon.

15. The smoking article of claim 1, further comprising a sensor adapted for sensing draw on the smoking article.

16. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the heater comprises at least one elongated portion extending downstream therefrom.

17. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the cartridge is circumscribed by a wrapping material.

18. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is conductive and in electrical contact with an electrical circuitry within the smoking article such that electrical resistance heating can be provided by the cartridge.

19. The smoking article of claim 18, wherein the substrate incorporates a conductive material that conducts heat produced by the electrical resistance heater.

20. The smoking article of claim 18, wherein the conductive material comprises aluminum or copper.

21. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the tobacco material is a tobacco derived material.

22. A tobacco-containing, electrically-powered smoking article comprising:

(a) a tubular outer housing having a mouth-end and an end distal to the mouth-end, the housing comprising an opening adapted for intake of air into the smoking article;

(b) an electrical power source and associated electrical circuitry within the outer housing;

(c) a puff-actuated controller including a sensor capable of selectively powering electrical components of the smoking article; and

(d) a rod-shaped carrier device removably engaged with the mouth-end of the outer housing and comprising a tubular mouth-end piece and a tubular cartridge with two open ends allowing air to flow therethrough, wherein the cartridge includes a substrate that comprises a tobacco material and an aerosol-generating material, wherein the cartridge is operatively positioned within the outer housing such that air drawn into the outer housing passes through the cartridge and through the mouth-end piece, and wherein the cartridge is conductive and in electrical contact with the electrical circuitry such that electrical resistance heating can be provided by the cartridge.

23. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein the aerosol-forming material comprises glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture thereof.

24. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein the substrate comprises an absorbent material.

25. The smoking article of claim 24, wherein the absorbent material comprises a paper material.

26. The smoking article of claim 24, wherein the absorbent material comprises a paper-type reconstituted tobacco.

27. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein the substrate comprises a paper material with a tobacco extract and the aerosol-generating material absorbed thereon.

28. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein the substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate fibers.

29. The smoking article of claim 28, wherein polyethylene terephthalate fibers are blended with tobacco cut filler.

30. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein the substrate further comprises a flavoring agent.

31. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein the substrate further comprises carbon particles or calcium carbonate particles therein.

32. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein the substrate further comprises a fibrous carbonaceous material.

33. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein the substrate is a laminate of metallic foil and paper.

34. The smoking article of claim 33, wherein the paper comprises reconstituted tobacco.

35. The smoking article of claim 33, wherein the paper includes a tobacco extract and the aerosol-generating material absorbed thereon.

36. The smoking article of claim 35, wherein the paper further includes a flavoring agent absorbed thereon.

37. The smoking article of claim 22, further comprising a sensor adapted for sensing draw on the smoking article.

38. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the cartridge is circumscribed by a wrapping material.

39. The smoking article of claim 22, wherein the substrate incorporates a conductive material that conducts heat produced by electrical resistance heating.

40. The smoking article of claim 39, wherein the conductive material comprises aluminum or copper.