Flavor sheet for smoking article

Abstract

Flavor-bearing sheets for the controlled delivery of volatile flavorants in a smoking article are disclosed. The flavor-bearing sheets comprise a non-volatile vitreous matrix of a film-forming coagulating material having one or more volatile flavorants dispersed therein.

1 . A flavor-bearing sheet for the controlled delivery of volatile flavorants in a smoking article, said flavor-bearing sheet comprising a non-volatile vitreous matrix having one or more volatile flavorants dispersed therein, said non-volatile matrix comprising a film-forming coagulating material; wherein said film-forming coagulating material comprises between about 15 to about 80% by weight of said flavor-bearing sheet and said one or more volatile flavorants comprise between about 20 to about 75% by weight of said flavor-bearing sheet. 
   
   
       2 . The flavor-bearing sheet of  claim 1  wherein said film-forming coagulating material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyols, polymeric ethers, polymeric esters, natural polymers and derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       3 . The flavor-bearing sheet of  claim 2  wherein said polyol is selected from the group consisting of erythritol, glycerol, isomalt, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, inositol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, dextrose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, galactose, lactose, corn syrup and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The flavor-bearing sheet of  claim 2  wherein said film-forming coagulating material comprises a polymeric ether selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol (PEG), polypropylene glycol (PPG), PEG/PPG copolymers, alkoxylated alcohols and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The flavor-bearing sheet of  claim 2  wherein said film-forming coagulating material comprises a polymeric ester selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid (PLA), poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), polyglycolide, polycaprolactone (PCL), and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The flavor-bearing sheet of  claim 2  wherein said film-forming coagulating material comprises a natural polymer or natural polymer derivative selected from the group consisting of cellulose, ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl alginate, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The flavor-bearing sheet of  claim 1  further comprising an emulsifier. 
   
   
       8 . The flavor-bearing sheet of  claim 1  wherein said one or more volatile flavorants comprises menthol. 
   
   
       9 . The flavor-bearing sheet of  claim 8  wherein the loss of menthol upon storage in ambient conditions for 100 days is less than about 25% by weight based on the initial weight of menthol. 
   
   
       10 . A smokable composition comprising a plurality of flavor-bearing sheets according to  claim 1  dispersed in shredded tobacco filler. 
   
   
       11 . A cigarette comprising a tobacco column, said tobacco column comprising the smokable composition of  claim 10 . 
   
   
       12 . The cigarette of  claim 11  further comprising a filter abutting said tobacco column, wherein said filter comprises an adsorbent material which reduces at least one gas phase constituent of mainstream smoke. 
   
   
       13 . The cigarette of  claim 12  wherein said adsorbent material comprises activated carbon. 
   
   
       14 . The cigarette of  claim 12  wherein said filter comprises:
 (i) an upstream fibrous filter component and a downstream fibrous filter component, said upstream and downstream fibrous filter components defining a filter cavity therebetween; and   (ii) a filter material disposed in said filter cavity, said filter material comprising an adsorbent material which reduces at least one gas phase constituent of mainstream smoke.   
   
   
       15 . The cigarette of  claim 12  wherein said filter comprises a fibrous filter component having an adsorbent material which reduces at least one gas phase constituent of mainstream smoke dispersed therein. 
   
   
       16 . The cigarette of either  claim 14  or  15  wherein said adsorbent material comprises activated carbon. 
   
   
       17 . A cigarette comprising:
 (a) a tobacco column including a smokable material comprising:
 (i) shredded tobacco filler; and 
 (ii) a plurality of flavor-bearing sheets in admixture with said tobacco filler, said flavor-bearing sheets comprising a non-volatile vitreous matrix having menthol dispersed therein, said non-volatile matrix comprising a film-forming coagulating material selected from the group consisting of polyols, polymeric ethers, polymeric esters, natural polymers and derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof; 
   
     wherein said menthol is released into the mainstream smoke upon combustion of said smokable material. 
   
   
       18 . The cigarette of  claim 17  further comprising a filter abutting said tobacco column, wherein the filter comprises an adsorbent material. 
   
   
       19 . The cigarette of  claim 18  wherein said adsorbent material comprises activated carbon. 
   
   
       20 . The cigarette of  claim 17  wherein the mainstream smoke menthol delivery of said cigarette is greater than about 70% of its initial value after storage for about 25 weeks in a sealed cigarette package.