Smoking article wrapping materials comprising ultrafine particles

Abstract

The present invention provides wrapping materials suitable for use with smoking articles, the wrapping materials comprising ultrafine particles. The present invention is described with reference to a cigarette having a wrapping material comprising ultrafine particles. The ultrafine particles may be distributed in regions throughout the wrapping material in the form of patterns including longitudinal or circumferential bands.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for reducing the ignition propensity in a smoking article having a wrapping material comprising incorporating ultrafine particles in at least one region of the wrapping material.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein  1  the at least one region comprises substantially all of the wrapping material.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the region is fully covered by ultrafine particles.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the wrapping material comprises ultrafine particles in a plurality of regions.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ultrafine particles are distributed in a pattern.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the pattern comprises a band and the wrapping material comprises a plurality of circumferential bands.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein each band has a width of at least about 0.5 mm to about 8 mm.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein spacing between the bands is at least about 10 mm to about 50 mm.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the ratio of the length of the tobacco rod to the sum of the width of a band and the distance between the bands is in the range of 1 to 2.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the pattern comprises a longitudinal strip.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the longitudinal strip further comprises glue.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the wrapping material exhibits an inherent porosity of less than about 30 CORESTA units.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ultrafine particles are applied to the wrapping material during production of the wrapping material.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the ultrafine particles are applied in solution at a pH range of 2 to 12.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the ultrafine particles are applied to the wire side of the wrapping material.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one region comprises 0.1 to 10 grams ultrafine particles per square meter of wrapping material in the region.