Registered banded cigarette paper, cigarettes, and method of manufacture

Abstract

Registered banded wrapper, cigarettes using that wrapper paper, and methods of making cigarettes with that banded paper result in banded regions of cigarette paper which begin at substantially the same location on each cigarette. With the banded region positioned at a preferred predetermined distance from the end of the cigarette, cigarettes made with such paper exhibit a consistent and improved ignition propensity compared with random or quasi-randomly positioned banded regions.

1 . A registrable wrapper for a smoking article having a nominal length, comprising:
 a base web having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, and a plurality of ignition-propensity-modulating structures
 substantially uniformly spaced in the longitudinal direction of the base web, 
 extending in the transverse direction of the base web, and 
 having a nominal width measured in the longitudinal direction of the base web, 
   where the pitch between adjacent ignition-propensity-modulating structures in the longitudinal direction of the base web is selected as the nominal length divided by an integer.   
     
     
         2 . The registrable wrapper of  claim 1  wherein the ignition-propensity-modulating structures are substantially continuous bands extending across the width of the base web. 
     
     
         3 . The registrable wrapper of  claim 2 , wherein the integer is 1. 
     
     
         4 . The registrable wrapper of  claim 2 , wherein the integer is 2. 
     
     
         5 . The registrable wrapper of  claim 2 , wherein the integer is 3. 
     
     
         6 . The registrable wrapper of  claim 2 , wherein the integer is 4. 
     
     
         7 . An assembly from which one or more smoking articles each having a nominal length may be severed comprising:
 a tobacco rod including a quantity of tobacco surrounded by a wrapper, the tobacco rod having a longitudinal direction and a rod length which is an integral multiple of the nominal length;   the wrapper including a plurality of ignition-propensity-modulating structures
 substantially uniformly spaced in the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod, 
 extending substantially around the tobacco rod, and 
 having a nominal width measured in the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod, 
   where the pitch between adjacent ignition-propensity-modulating structures in the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod is selected as the nominal length divided by an integer.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein the tobacco rod has an end, and the center of the ignition-propensity-modulating structure most closely adjacent to the end is spaced from the end by ½ the pitch between adjacent ignition-propensity-modulating structures. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the rod length is twice the nominal length. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the rod length is four times the nominal length. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the integer is 1. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the integer is 2. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the integer is 3. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the integer is 4. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the ignition-propensity-modulating structure has a width in the range of about 5 to about 7 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the nominal length lies in the range of about 50 to about 100 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the ignition-propensity-modulating structure is applied as a band of aqueous starch composition. 
     
     
         18 . A smoking article comprising:
 a tobacco rod including a quantity of tobacco having a longitudinal direction and a rod length; and   a wrapper surrounding the tobacco and including a plurality of ignition-propensity-modulating structures
 substantially uniformly spaced in the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod, 
 extending substantially around the tobacco rod, and 
 having a nominal width measured in the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod, 
   where the pitch between adjacent ignition-propensity-modulating structures in the longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod is selected as the rod length divided by an integer greater than 1.   
     
     
         19 . The smoking article of  claim 18  wherein the ignition-propensity-modulating structures comprise at least one band printed from an aqueous starch material. 
     
     
         20 . The smoking article of  claim 18  wherein the tobacco rod has an end, and the center of the ignition-propensity-modulating structure most closely adjacent to the end is spaced from the end by ½ the pitch between adjacent ignition-propensity-modulating structures. 
     
     
         21 . The smoking article of  claim 18  wherein the ignition-propensity-modulating structure has a width in the range of about 5 to about 7 mm. 
     
     
         22 . The smoking article of  claim 17  further including a filter attached to one end of the tobacco rod. 
     
     
         23 . The smoking article of  claim 18  wherein the nominal length lies in the range of about 50 to about 100 mm. 
     
     
         24 . A method of enhancing ignition propensity performance of smoking articles for which the tobacco rod has a nominal length comprising:
 determining the predetermined pitch for banded regions as the nominal length divided by an integer, x;   establishing banded regions along a tobacco rod with the predetermined pitch;   severing the tobacco rod at the midpoint between two adjacent banded regions in a rod maker to create a tobacco rod in which x banded regions occur for each nominal length of the tobacco rod; and   cutting the tobacco rod into lengths to establish a tobacco rod portion with the center of a first one of said banded regions spaced from a lit end of said tobacco rod portion by a distance corresponding to ½ the predetermined pitch.