Restrictor attachment for unfiltered smoking article

Abstract

A smoking article having an unfiltered tobacco rod, a connector attach to the tobacco rod and a mouthpiece. The connector includes a cavity, a transverse partition within the cavity, the transverse partition having at least one orifice, and a plurality of ventilation passages positioned around an outer periphery of the connector. Each of the plurality of ventilation passages includes an inlet and an outlet to provide ventilation to the cavity. The mouthpiece is adapted to attach to a downstream end of the connector.

1 . A smoking article comprising:
 a tobacco rod; and   a connector adapted to attach to the tobacco rod at an upstream end portion of the connector, the connector comprising:
 a cavity; 
 a transverse partition within the cavity, the transverse partition having at least one orifice; and 
 a plurality of ventilation passages disposed along an outer periphery of the connector, the plurality of ventilation passages having an inlet at the upstream end portion of the connector and an outlet in communication with the cavity. 
   
   
   
       2 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , further comprising a mouthpiece insertable into a downstream end portion of the connector. 
   
   
       3 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ventilation passages are longitudinal and formed within a wall of the connector. 
   
   
       4 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ventilation passages have an elliptical cross-section. 
   
   
       5 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the inlets are located on an upstream end of the connector. 
   
   
       6 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the transverse partition separates the cavity into an upstream cavity and a downstream cavity, and the outlets of the plurality of ventilation passages extend into the upstream cavity. 
   
   
       7 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the transverse partition separates the cavity into an upstream cavity and a downstream cavity, and the outlets of the plurality of ventilation passages extend into the downstream cavity. 
   
   
       8 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one orifice comprises a plurality of orifices, the plurality of orifices being equally spaced around a center portion of the transverse partition. 
   
   
       9 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the connector further includes a screening material on an upstream side of the transverse partition. 
   
   
       10 . The smoking article of  claim 2 , wherein the mouthpiece further comprises a plug of filtering material. 
   
   
       11 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the transverse partition is coated with microencapsulated flavorants. 
   
   
       12 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , wherein the transverse partition has a frustoconical shape. 
   
   
       13 . The smoking article of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two transverse partitions. 
   
   
       14 . A kit comprising:
 a connector adapted to receive a tobacco rod at an upstream end portion, the connector comprising:
 a cavity; 
 a transverse partition within the cavity, the transverse partition having at least one orifice; and 
 a plurality of ventilation passages positioned around an outer periphery of the connector, the plurality of ventilation passages having an inlet and an outlet to provide ventilation to the cavity; 
   a mouthpiece insertable into a downstream end portion of said connector; and   a tobacco rod insertable into said upstream end portion of said connector.   
   
   
       15 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of ventilation passages are longitudinal and formed within a wall of the connector. 
   
   
       16 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the inlets are located on a downstream end portion of the connector. 
   
   
       17 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one orifice comprises a plurality of orifices, the plurality of orifices being equally spaced around a center portion of the transverse partition. 
   
   
       18 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the connector further includes a screening material on an upstream side of the transverse partition. 
   
   
       19 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the transverse partition is coated with microencapsulated flavorants. 
   
   
       20 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the transverse partition has a frustoconical shape. 
   
   
       21 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the connector further includes at least two transverse partitions. 
   
   
       22 . A kit comprising:
 a plurality of connectors adapted to receive a tobacco rod at an upstream end portion and wherein the plurality of connectors have different ventilation levels, the plurality of connectors comprising:
 a cavity; 
 a transverse partition within the cavity, the transverse partition having at least one orifice; and 
 a plurality of ventilation passages positioned around an outer periphery of the connector, the plurality of ventilation passages having an inlet and an outlet to provide ventilation to the cavity.