Filtered cigarette with diffuse tipping material

Abstract

A filtered cigarette includes a smokable rod and a filter element. The smokable rod is secured to the filter element using tipping material. The tipping material includes at least one flavorant providing a sensory characteristic. The cigarette may include more than one layer of tipping material. An outer layer of tipping material can overlie at least a portion of an underlying inner layer of tipping material, and during use by the smoker, the outer layer can be removed from the cigarette. Thus, it is possible for a cigarette manufacturer to provide a cigarette that can be used as such by the smoker, or that can be adapted by the smoker to provide a different sensory experience (e.g., the visual, organoleptic, trigeminal, aromatic, and tactile characteristics of the cigarette can be altered by removal of the outer tipping material, and or by provision of a tipping material layer that is treated with a flavorant and/or provides a desirable diffusivity). The use of the outer layer of tipping material can be used to improve the physical integrity of the cigarette.

1 . A filtered cigarette having a distal end and a proximal end, and comprising:
 a smokable rod and a filter element having a distal filter end and a proximal mouth end;   the smokable rod being secured to the distal filter end by a first tipping material that substantially circumscribes the filter element along its longitudinal periphery and circumscribes the smokable rod along a proximal portion of its longitudinal periphery adjacent to the filter element;   wherein the tipping material comprises at least one nonperforated diffuse region, the diffuse region comprising a diffusivity of at least about 1 cm/sec.   
     
     
         2 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , further comprising a second tipping material. 
     
     
         3 . The cigarette of  claim 2 , wherein the second tipping material is disposed overlying at least a portion of first tipping material. 
     
     
         4 . The cigarette of  claim 3 , wherein the second tipping material comprises a diffusivity of less than about 1 cm/sec. 
     
     
         5 . The cigarette of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the second tipping material is removable from the cigarette. 
     
     
         6 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the first tipping material comprises a diffusivity of at least about 1.5 cm/sec. 
     
     
         7 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the first tipping material comprises a diffusivity of about 1 cm/sec to about 3 cm/sec. 
     
     
         8 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the first tipping material comprises a paper material. 
     
     
         9 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the first tipping material comprises a polymer sheet material. 
     
     
         10 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the first tipping material comprises a moisture resistant material disposed at least on a mouth-end region configured to contact the mouth of a smoker. 
     
     
         11 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the first tipping material comprises a lip-release material disposed at least on a mouth-end region configured to contact the mouth of a smoker. 
     
     
         12 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive contacting at least one side of the first tipping material, the adhesive substantially disposed in a generally linear manner around at least a portion of a circumferential inner surface of the tipping material. 
     
     
         13 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive contacting at least one side of the first tipping material, the adhesive substantially disposed in a generally linear manner along a generally longitudinal portion of a circumferential inner surface of the tipping material. 
     
     
         14 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive contacting at least one side of the first tipping material, the adhesive being generally diffuse. 
     
     
         15 . The cigarette of  claim 14 , wherein the diffusivity of the first tipping material with adhesive is about 1 cm/sec to about 3 cm/sec. 
     
     
         16 . The cigarette of  claim 14 , wherein the diffusivity of the first tipping material with adhesive is about 2 cm/sec. 
     
     
         17 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one perforated region of the first tipping material. 
     
     
         18 . A filtered cigarette having a distal end and a proximal end, and comprising:
 a smokable rod and a filter element having a distal filter end and a proximal mouth end;   the smokable rod being secured to the distal filter end by a first tipping material that substantially circumscribes the filter element along its longitudinal periphery and circumscribes the smokable rod along a proximal portion of its longitudinal periphery adjacent to the filter element;   wherein substantially the entire tipping material comprises a nonperforated diffuse region, the diffuse region comprising a diffusivity of at least about 1 cm/sec.   
     
     
         19 . The cigarette of  claim 18 , wherein the first tipping material comprises at least one fiber material configured to enhance its structural integrity. 
     
     
         20 . A filtered cigarette comprising:
 a distal end portion comprising a tobacco rod and a proximal end portion comprising a filter element having a distal filter end and a proximal mouth end;   the smokable rod being secured to the distal filter end by a tipping material that substantially covers
 the outer surface of the filter element along its longitudinal circumference and 
 the smokable rod along a proximal portion of its circumference adjacent to the filter element; 
   wherein the tipping material comprises at least one nonperforated diffuse region, the diffuse region comprising a diffusivity of at least about 1.5 cm/sec; and   wherein the tipping material comprises at least one flavorant applied thereto in a pattern that covers less than an entire surface of the tipping material and providing a sensory characteristic selected from organoleptic sensation, taste sensation, aroma sensation, trigeminal nerve stimulation sensation, and any combination thereof.