Reduced ignition propensity smoking article

Abstract

A smoking article having reduced ignition propensity is disclosed. The smoking article includes a tobacco column, a wrapper surrounding the tobacco column and a filter element. The wrapper has a base permeability, an untreated area and a least one discrete area treated with a composition to reducing the base permeability. The discretely treated area interacts with a coal of a burning tobacco firecone as it advances to self-extinguish the smoking article. The composition of the treated area includes a permeability reducing substance, a burn rate retarding substance and a burn rate accelerating substance. Either the burn rate retarding substance or the burn rate accelerating substance acts as an organoleptic enhancing substance. In this way a smoker's experience when smoking either the at least one treated area or the untreated area is substantially the same.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A smoking article having reduced ignition propensity comprising: 
 a tobacco column and    a wrapper surrounding the tobacco column and having a base permeability, the wrapper comprising: 
 an untreated area and  
 a least one discrete area treated with a composition to reduce the base permeability so that as a coal of a burning tobacco firecone advances by the treated area, the smoking article self-extinguishes if placed on a surface, the composition comprising: 
 a permeability reducing substance;  
 a burn rate retarding substance; and  
 a burn rate accelerating substance.  
 
   
     
     
         2 . The smoking article of  claim 1  further comprising a filter element.  
     
     
         3 . A wrapper for surrounding a tobacco column to create a smoking article having reduced ignition propensity, the wrapper having a base permeability and comprising: 
 an untreated area and    a least one discrete area treated with a composition to reduce the base permeability so that as a coal of a burning tobacco firecone advances by the treated area, the smoking article self-extinguishes if placed on a surface, the composition comprising: 
 a permeability reducing substance,  
 a burn rate retarding substance and  
 a burn rate accelerating substance.  
   
     
     
         4 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein at least one of said burn rate retarding substance and said burn rate accelerating substance is further an organoleptic enhancing substance that substantially reduces any difference in a smoker's experience between the smoking of said at least one treated area and said untreated area during of the smoking article.  
     
     
         5 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein a consistency of the combination of the permeability reducing substance, the burn rate retarding substance and the burn rate accelerating substance is such as to be applicable to the wrapper.  
     
     
         6 . The wrapper according to  claim 5  wherein a consistency of the combination of the permeability reducing substance, the burn rate retarding substance and the burn rate accelerating substance is such as to be applicable to the wet wrapper.  
     
     
         7 . The wrapper according to  claim 5  wherein a consistency of the combination of the permeability reducing substance, the burn rate retarding substance and the burn rate accelerating substance is such as to be applicable to the dry wrapper.  
     
     
         8 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein said burn rate accelerating substance is a salt.  
     
     
         9 . The wrapper according to  claim 8  wherein said salt is one of an alkali metal containing compound and an alkali-earth metal containing compound.  
     
     
         10 . The wrapper according to  claim 9  wherein said one of an alkali metal containing compound and an alkali-earth metal containing compound is a salt of a carboxylic acid.  
     
     
         11 . The wrapper according to  claim 10  wherein said salt of a carboxylic acid is a salt of at least one of acetic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid and succinic acid.  
     
     
         12 . The wrapper according to  claim 10  wherein said salt of a carboxylic acid is a salt of citric acid.  
     
     
         13 . The wrapper according to  claim 9  wherein said alkali metal containing compound is a sodium containing compound.  
     
     
         14 . The wrapper according to  claim 9  wherein said alkali metal containing compound is a potassium containing compound.  
     
     
         15 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein the burn rate retarding substance is a phosphate.  
     
     
         16 . The wrapper according to  claim 15  wherein said phosphate is a phosphate of ammonium.  
     
     
         17 . The wrapper according to  claim 16  wherein said phosphate of ammonium is diammonium phosphate.  
     
     
         18 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein said permeability reducing substance is a pore filling substance thereby reducing permeability of the at least one treated area.  
     
     
         19 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein said permeability reducing substance is a film forming substance thereby reducing permeability of said at least one treated area.  
     
     
         20 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein said permeability reducing substance is a polymer.  
     
     
         21 . The wrapper according to  claim 20  wherein said polymer is a polysaccharide.  
     
     
         22 . The wrapper according to  claim 21  wherein the polysaccharide is water soluble.  
     
     
         23 . The wrapper according to  claim 21  wherein the polysaccharide is water dispersible.  
     
     
         24 . The wrapper according to  claim 21  wherein said polysaccharide is at least one of starch, modified starch and a starch derivative.  
     
     
         25 . The wrapper according to  claim 24  wherein the polysaccharide is water soluble.  
     
     
         26 . The wrapper according to  claim 24  wherein the polysaccharide is water dispersible.  
     
     
         27 . The wrapper according to  claim 21  wherein the polysaccharide is at least one of cellulose and a cellulose derivative.  
     
     
         28 . The wrapper according to  claim 21  wherein to the polysaccharide is at least one of chitosan and a chitosan derivative.  
     
     
         29 . The wrapper according to  claim 21  wherein the polysaccharide is at least one of chitin and a chitin derivative.  
     
     
         30 . The wrapper according to  claim 21  wherein the polysaccharide is at least one of alginate and an alginate derivative.  
     
     
         31 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein the discretely treated area comprises a band.  
     
     
         32 . The wrapper according to  claim 31  wherein the band has a sufficient width so as to deprive the coal of the burning tobacco firecone of oxygen from behind a char line of the wrapper.  
     
     
         33 . The wrapper according to  claim 31  wherein the band has a width of at least about 3 millimeters.  
     
     
         34 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein the discretely treated area comprises at least two bands spaced sufficiently to reduce the ignition propensity of the smoking article.  
     
     
         35 . The wrapper according to  claim 34  wherein the at least two bands have widths and are spaced apart so that a width/center-to-center spacing ratio is between about 1/10 and about 1/1.  
     
     
         36 . The wrapper according to  claim 34  wherein the at least two bands have widths between about 3 millimeters and about 10 millimeters.  
     
     
         37 . The wrapper according to  claim 34  wherein the at least two bands have a center-to-center spacing of about 10 millimeters to about 30 millimeters.  
     
     
         38 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  that has properties that enable a bobbin of wrapper to be useable in a conventional commercially available cigarette manufacturing machine.  
     
     
         39 . The wrapper according to  claim 3  wherein the treated area is visually substantially the same as the untreated area.  
     
     
         40 . A smoking article having reduced ignition propensity comprising: 
 a tobacco column;    a wrapper surrounding said tobacco column, said wrapper comprising: 
 a base permeability,  
 untreated area and  
 a least one discrete area treated with a composition to reduce said base permeability so that as a coal of a burning tobacco firecone advances by said at least one treated area, the smoking article self-extinguishes, said composition comprising: 
 a permeability reducing substance,  
 a burn rate retarding substance and  
 a burn rate accelerating substance,  
 
 wherein at least one of said burn rate retarding substance and said burn rate accelerating substance is further an organoleptic enhancing substance that substantially reduces any difference in a smoker's experience between the smoking of said at least one treated area and said untreated area during of the smoking article.; and  
   a filter element.    
     
     
         41 . The smoking article of  claim 40  wherein the consistency of the combination of the permeability reducing substance, the burn rate retarding substance and the burn rate accelerating substance is such as to be applicable to the wrapper.  
     
     
         42 . The smoking article of  claim 41  wherein the consistency of the combination of the permeability reducing substance, the burn rate retarding substance and the burn rate accelerating substance is such as to be applicable to the wet wrapper.  
     
     
         43 . The smoking article of  claim 41  wherein the consistency of the combination of the permeability reducing substance, the burn rate retarding substance and the burn rate accelerating substance is such as to be applicable to the dry wrapper.  
     
     
         44 . The smoking article of  claim 40  wherein said burn rate accelerating substance is a salt.  
     
     
         45 . The smoking article of  claim 44  wherein said salt is one of an alkali metal containing compound and an alkali-earth metal containing compound.  
     
     
         46 . The smoking article of  claim 45  wherein said one of an alkali metal containing compound and an alkali-earth metal containing compound is a salt of a carboxylic acid.  
     
     
         47 . The smoking article of  claim 46  wherein said salt of a carboxylic acid is a salt of at least one of acetic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid and succinic acid.  
     
     
         48 . The smoking article of  claim 46  wherein said salt of a carboxylic acid is a salt of citric acid.  
     
     
         49 . The smoking article of  claim 45  wherein said alkali metal containing compound is a sodium containing compound.  
     
     
         50 . The smoking article of  claim 45  wherein said alkali metal containing compound is a potassium containing compound.  
     
     
         51 . The smoking article of  claim 40  wherein the burn rate retarding substance is a phosphate.  
     
     
         52 . The smoking article of  claim 51  wherein said phosphate is a phosphate of ammonium.  
     
     
         53 . The smoking article of  claim 52  wherein said phosphate of ammonium is diammonium phosphate.  
     
     
         54 . The smoking article of  claim 40  wherein said permeability reducing substance is a pore filling substance thereby reducing permeability of said at least one treated area.  
     
     
         55 . The smoking article of  claim 40  wherein said permeability reducing substance is a film forming substance thereby reducing permeability of said at least one treated area.  
     
     
         56 . The smoking article of  claim 40  wherein said permeability reducing substance is a polymer.  
     
     
         57 . The smoking article of  claim 56  wherein said polymer is a polysaccharide.  
     
     
         58 . The smoking article of  claim 57  wherein said polysaccharide is water soluble.  
     
     
         59 . The smoking article of  claim 57  wherein said polysaccharide is water dispersible.  
     
     
         60 . The smoking article of  claim 57  wherein said polysaccharide is at least one of starch, modified starch and a starch derivative.  
     
     
         61 . The smoking article of  claim 60  wherein said at least one of starch, modified starch and a starch derivative is water soluble.  
     
     
         62 . The smoking article of  claim 60  wherein said at least one of starch, modified starch and a starch derivative is water dispersible.  
     
     
         63 . The smoking article of  claim 57  wherein said polysaccharide according to is at least one of cellulose and a cellulose derivative.  
     
     
         64 . The smoking article of  claim 57  wherein said polysaccharide according to is at least one of chitosan and a chitosan derivative.  
     
     
         65 . The smoking article of  claim 57  wherein said polysaccharide according to is at least one of chitin and a chitin derivative.  
     
     
         66 . The smoking article of  claim 57  wherein said polysaccharide according to is at least one of alginate and an alginate derivative.  
     
     
         67 . The smoking article of  claim 40  wherein said at least one discretely treated area comprises a band.  
     
     
         68 . The smoking article of  claim 67  wherein said band has a sufficient width so as to deprive the coal of the burning tobacco firecone of oxygen from behind a char line of the wrapper.  
     
     
         69 . The smoking article of  claim 67  wherein said band has a width of at least about 3 millimeters.  
     
     
         70 . The smoking article of  claim 40  wherein said discretely treated area comprises at least two bands spaced sufficiently to reduce the ignition propensity of the smoking article.  
     
     
         71 . The smoking article of  claim 70  wherein said at least two bands have a width/to center-to-center spacing ratio of at least about 1/10 to greater than about 1/1.  
     
     
         72 . The smoking article of  claim 70  said at least two bands have a width of at least about 3 millimeters to about 10 millimeters.  
     
     
         73 . The smoking article of  claim 70  said at least two bands have a center-to-center spacing of about 10 millimeters to about 30 millimeters.  
     
     
         74 . The smoking article of  claim 40  said at least one discretely treated area has a thickness so as to make a bobbin of wrapper useable in a commercially available cigarette manufacturing machine.  
     
     
         75 . The smoking article of  claim 40  said at least one discretely treated area is visually substantially the same untreated area.  
     
     
         76 . A composition for application to a paper having a base permeability to create a wrapper having at least one discretely treated area and suitable for surrounding a tobacco column to create a smoking article having reduced ignition propensity, said composition initially comprising a combination of substances and water such that when the wrapper is dry the at least one discretely treated area has a reduced permeability, and includes a burn rate retarding substance and a burn rate accelerating substance.  
     
     
         77 . The composition according to  claim 76  wherein at least one of said burn rate retarding substance and said burn rate accelerating substance is further an organoleptic enhancing substance that substantially reduces any difference in a smoker's experience between the smoking of said at least one treated area and an untreated area during of the smoking of the smoking article.  
     
     
         78 . The composition according to  claim 76  having a consistency such as to be applicable to a wet paper.  
     
     
         79 . The composition according to  claim 76  further including a consistency such as to be applicable to a dry paper.  
     
     
         80 . The composition according to  claim 76  wherein said burn rate accelerating substance is a salt prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         81 . The composition according to  claim 80  wherein said salt is one of an alkali metal containing compound and an alkali-earth metal containing compound prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         82 . The composition according to  claim 81  wherein said one of an alkali metal containing compound and an alkali-earth metal containing compound is a salt of a carboxylic acid prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         83 . The composition according to  claim 82  wherein said salt of a carboxylic acid is a salt of at least one of acetic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid and succinic acid prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         84 . The composition according to  claim 82  wherein said salt of a carboxylic acid is a salt of citric acid prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         85 . The composition according to  claim 81  wherein said alkali metal containing compound is a sodium containing compound prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         86 . The composition according to  claim 81  wherein said alkali metal containing compound is a potassium containing compound prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         87 . The composition according to  claim 76  wherein the burn rate retarding substance is a phosphate prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         88 . The composition according to  claim 87  wherein said phosphate is a phosphate of ammonium prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         89 . The composition according to  claim 88  wherein said phosphate of ammonium is diammonium phosphate prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         90 . The composition according to  claim 76  wherein said permeability reducing substance is a pore filling substance thereby reducing permeability of said at least one treated area.  
     
     
         91 . The composition according to  claim 90  wherein said permeability reducing substance is a film forming substance, thereby reducing permeability of said at least one treated area.  
     
     
         92 . The composition according to  claim 76  wherein said permeability reducing substance is a polymer.  
     
     
         93 . The composition according to  claim 92  wherein said polymer is a polysaccharide.  
     
     
         94 . The composition according to  claim 93  wherein said polysaccharide is water soluble.  
     
     
         95 . The composition according to  claim 93  wherein said polysaccharide is water dispersible.  
     
     
         96 . The composition according to  claim 93  wherein said polysaccharide is at least one of starch, modified starch and a starch derivative.  
     
     
         97 . The composition according to  claim 96  wherein said at least one of starch, modified starch and a starch derivative is water soluble.  
     
     
         98 . The composition according to  claim 96  wherein said at least one of starch, modified starch and a starch derivative is water dispersible.  
     
     
         99 . The composition according to  claim 93  wherein said polysaccharide is at least one of cellulose and a cellulose derivative.  
     
     
         100 . The composition according to  claim 93  wherein said polysaccharide is at least one of chitosan and a chitosan derivative.  
     
     
         101 . The composition according to  claim 93  wherein said polysaccharide is at least one of chitin and a chitin derivative.  
     
     
         102 . The composition according to  claim 93  wherein said polysaccharide is at least one of alginate and an alginate derivative.  
     
     
         103 . A method for making a smoking article having reduce ignition propensity comprising: 
 treating a plurality of discrete areas of paper having a base permeability with an aqueous composition, to form discrete areas that have a reduced permeability and include a burn rate retarding substance and a burn rate accelerating substance, thereby forming a wrapper; and    surrounding a tobacco column with at least a portion of the wrapper so that a least one discretely treated area substantially surrounds the tobacco column between the ends of the wrapper-surrounded tobacco column so that as a coal of a burning tobacco firecone advances by said at least one treated area, the smoking article self-extinguishes if left on a surface.    
     
     
         104 . A method for making a wrapper for surrounding a tobacco column to create a smoking article including a least one discrete area treated with a composition to reducing a base permeability so that as a coal of a burning tobacco firecone advances by said at least one treated area, the smoking article self-extinguishes, the smoking article thereby having reduced ignition propensity comprising: 
 treating a plurality of discrete areas of paper having a base permeability with an aqueous composition, drying the discrete areas such that the discrete areas have a reduced permeability and include a burn rate retarding substance and a burn rate accelerating substance thereby forming a wrapper, wherein at least one of said burn rate retarding substance and said burn rate accelerating substance is further an organoleptic enhancing substance that substantially reduces any difference in a smoker's experience between the smoking of said discretely treated areas and untreated areas.    
     
     
         105 . A method for making a smoking article having reduced ignition propensity comprising: 
 treating a plurality of discrete areas of paper having a base permeability with an aqueous composition, drying the discrete areas such that the discrete areas have a reduced permeability and include a burn rate retarding substance and a burn rate accelerating substance, thereby forming a wrapper;    surrounding a tobacco column with at least a portion of the wrapper so that at least one discretely treated area is found between the ends of the wrapper-surrounded tobacco column so that as a coal of a burning tobacco firecone advances by said at least one treated area, the smoking article self-extinguishes if left on a surface; and    adding a filter element to at least one end of the wrapper surrounded tobacco column, wherein at least one of said burn rate retarding substance and said burn rate accelerating substance is further an organoleptic enhancing substance that substantially reduces any difference in a smoker's experience between the smoking of said at least one treated area and said untreated area during of the smoking article.    
     
     
         106 . A smoking article comprising: 
 a tobacco column,    a paper wrapped around the tobacco column having at least one band made up of starch, diammonium phosphate and citric acid.    
     
     
         107 . A smoking article as claimed in  claim 106  wherein the band is made of an applied ink of about 15 to about 27% starch, about 0 to about 6% alkali metal citrate salt and about 0 to about 5% DAP.  
     
     
         108 . A smoking article as claimed in  claim 106  wherein the band is made of an ink of about 18 to 24% starch, about 3 to 6% citrate, and about 1% DAP.  
     
     
         109 . A smoking article as claimed in  claim 106  wherein the paper has a location without the band and the permeability of such location is between about 18 CU and about 71 CU.  
     
     
         110 . A population of smoking articles having a reduced ignition propensity comprising: 
 a plurality of smoking articles, each smoking article comprising 
 a tobacco column,  
 a wrapper surrounding said tobacco column so that the smoking article includes an ignition end and a distal end, and  
 at least one banded region between the ignition end and the distal end having a combustion characteristic substantially different from that of an unbanded region; and  
   a distance from the ignition end to the at least one band of each smoking article being at least one of random, quasi-random and sequentially related within the population.    
     
     
         111 . The population of smoking articles  claim 110  comprising a package of smoking articles.  
     
     
         112 . The population of smoking articles  claim 110  comprising a grab sample of smoking articles.  
     
     
         113 . A population of smoking articles having a reduced ignition propensity comprising: 
 a plurality of smoking articles, each smoking article comprising 
 a tobacco column,  
 a wrapper surrounding said tobacco column so that the smoking article includes an ignition end and a distal end, and  
 at least two spaced apart banded regions between the ignition end and the distal end having a combustion characteristic substantially different from that of an unbanded region; and  
   a distance from the ignition end to at least one of the banded regions of each smoking article being at least one of random, quasi-random and sequentially related within the population.    
     
     
         114 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 113  wherein the distance is random.  
     
     
         115 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 113  wherein the ignition propensity for the population is between about 50 and substantially about 100 percent.  
     
     
         116 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 113  wherein the banded regions comprise at least one of a permeability reducing substance, a burn rate retarding substance, and a burn rate accelerating substance.  
     
     
         117 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 116  wherein the banded regions comprise at least two of a permeability reducing substance, a burn rate retarding substance, and a burn rate accelerating substance.  
     
     
         118 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 117  wherein the banded regions comprise a permeability reducing substance, a burn rate retarding substance, and a burn rate accelerating substance.  
     
     
         119 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 113  wherein said at least two bands regions are spaced sufficiently to reduce the ignition propensity of the smoking article.  
     
     
         120 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 119  wherein said at least two banded regions are spaced sufficiently to facilitate the freeburn of the smoking article.  
     
     
         121 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 113  wherein said at least two banded regions have a width/center-to-center spacing ratio of at least about 1/10 to greater than about 1/1.  
     
     
         122 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 113  wherein said at least two band regions have a width of at least about 3 millimeters to about 10 millimeters.  
     
     
         123 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 120  wherein said at least two banded regions have a center-to-center spacing of about 10 millimeters to about 30 millimeters.  
     
     
         124 . The population of smoking articles according to  claim 113  said at least two banded regions are visually substantially the same unbanded regions.  
     
     
         125 . A package of smoking articles having a reduced ignition propensity comprising: 
 a package;    twenty smoking articles within said package, each smoking article comprising 
 a tobacco column,  
 a wrapper surrounding said tobacco column so that the smoking article includes an ignition end and a distal end, and  
 at least two spaced apart banded regions between the ignition end and the distal end having a combustion characteristic substantially different from that of an unbanded region; and  
   a distance from the ignition end to at least one of the banded regions of each smoking article being at least one of random, quasi-random and sequentially related within the package.    
     
     
         126 . A grab sample of smoking articles having a reduced ignition propensity comprising: 
 a plurality of smoking articles, each smoking article comprising 
 a tobacco column,  
 a wrapper surrounding said tobacco column so that the smoking article includes an ignition end and a distal end, and  
 at least two spaced apart banded regions between the ignition end and the distal end having a combustion characteristic substantially different from that of an unbanded region; and  
   a distance from the ignition end to at least one of the banded regions of each smoking article being at least one of random, quasi-random and sequentially related within the grab sample.    
     
     
         127 . A cigarette paper for use in making a cigarette having reduced ignition propensity comprising: 
 a fibrous paper having a base permeability, an untreated area and a treated area, the treated area being treated with a composition to reduce the base permeability so that when the paper is made in to a cigarette that is smoked, as a coal of a burning tobacco firecone advances by the treated area, the cigarette self-extinguishes if placed on a surface, the composition comprising: 
 a permeability reducing substance present in sufficient quantity to effect the self-extinction; and  
 a burn rate accelerating substance present in sufficient quantity to cause a smoker's organoleptic experience to be substantially indistinguishable from the organoleptic experience of smoking the untreated area of the cigarette.  
   
     
     
         128 . The cigarette paper according to  claim 127  wherein at least one of the untreated area and the treated area are further perforated.  
     
     
         129 . The cigarette paper according to  claim 127  wherein the untreated area and the treated area are perforated.  
     
     
         130 . The cigarette paper according to  claim 127  wherein said burn rate accelerating substance is one of an alkali metal containing compound and an alkali-earth metal containing compound prior to combination with the water.  
     
     
         131 . The cigarette paper according to  claim 127  wherein said burn rate accelerating substance is monoammonium phosphate prior to combination with the water.