Smoking article having a mouth end cavity with indicia

Abstract

According to the invention there is provided a smoking article ( 100 ) comprising a tobacco rod ( 104 ) and a mouthpiece 101 ). The mouthpiece ( 101 ) comprises at least one segment and a wrapper circumscribing the at least one segment and defining a mouth end cavity ( 106 ). The mouthpiece ( 101 ) is in axial alignment with the tobacco rod ( 104 ) and has a rod end adjacent the tobacco rod ( 104 ) and a mouth end opposite the rod end. One or more indicia are applied to the inner surface of the wrapper portion defining the mouth end cavity ( 106 ). There is also provided a method for the manufacture of mouthpieces, and smoking articles according to the invention.

1 . A smoking article comprising:
 a tobacco rod; and   a mouthpiece comprising at least one segment, and a wrapper circumscribing the at least one segment and defining a mouth end cavity, the mouthpiece being in axial alignment with the tobacco rod and having a rod end adjacent the tobacco rod and a mouth end opposite the rod end;   wherein one or more indicia is disposed on the inner surface of the portion of the wrapper defining the mouth end cavity.   
     
     
         2 . A smoking article according to  claim 1  wherein the wrapper including the one or more indicia is a plug wrap. 
     
     
         3 . A smoking article according to  claim 2  wherein the smoking article further comprises a tipping wrapper circumscribing the mouthpiece and connecting the mouthpiece and the tobacco rod. 
     
     
         4 . A smoking article according to  claim 3  wherein the tipping wrapper extends beyond the at least one segment of the mouthpiece such that the tipping wrapper overlies the portion of the plug wrap that defines the mouth end cavity. 
     
     
         5 . A smoking article according to  claim 2  wherein the plug wrap including the one or more indicia extends part way along the length of the mouthpiece from the mouth end such that a portion of the mouthpiece at the rod end is not covered by the plug wrap. 
     
     
         6 . A smoking article according to  claim 5  wherein the smoking article comprises a ventilation zone positioned at the portion of the mouthpiece that is not covered by the plug wrap. 
     
     
         7 . A smoking article according to  claim 1  wherein the wrapper including the one or more indicia is a tipping paper circumscribing the mouthpiece and connecting the mouthpiece and the tobacco rod. 
     
     
         8 . A smoking article according to  claim 7 , where the mouthpiece is first wrapped with a substantially transparent plug wrap and the tipping paper is wrapped around the substantially transparent plug wrap such that the indicia is visible through the substantially transparent plug wrap. 
     
     
         9 . A smoking article according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one segment includes a filter comprising one or more filter segments. 
     
     
         10 . A smoking article according to  claim 1  wherein additional indicia is provided on the external surface of the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         11 . A smoking article according to  claim 1  wherein the indicia in the mouth end cavity is a discrete indicia that is registered within the mouth end cavity. 
     
     
         12 . A smoking article according to  claim 1  wherein the indicia in the mouth end cavity is a continuous pattern or image printed within the mouth end cavity. 
     
     
         13 . A method for the manufacture of a mouthpiece for a smoking article comprising the steps of:
 providing a wrapper sheet material having one or more indicia applied thereto;   providing a plurality of filter elements;   disposing the filter elements on the wrapper sheet material so that the filter elements are spaced apart with one or more indicia between adjacent filter elements;   wrapping the wrapper sheet material around a portion of the filter elements such that the wrapper sheet material forms a mouth end cavity with the indicia disposed in the mouth end cavity.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the position of the one or more indicia is registered using an optical device to enable the positioning of each mouthpiece adjacent an indicium. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said one or more indicia are applied to said wrapper sheet material online in a step preceding providing the wrapper sheet material having one or more indicia applied thereto. 
     
     
         16 . A smoking article according to  claim 3  wherein the plug wrap including the one or more indicia extends part way along the length of the mouthpiece from the mouth end such that a portion of the mouthpiece at the rod end is not covered by the plug wrap. 
     
     
         17 . A smoking article according to  claim 4  wherein the plug wrap including the one or more indicia extends part way along the length of the mouthpiece from the mouth end such that a portion of the mouthpiece at the rod end is not covered by the plug wrap. 
     
     
         18 . A smoking article according to  claim 2  wherein additional indicia is provided on the external surface of the mouthpiece. 
     
     
         19 . A smoking article according to  claim 2  wherein the indicia in the mouth end cavity is a discrete indicia that is registered within the mouth end cavity. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein said one or more indicia are applied to said wrapper sheet material online in a step preceding providing the wrapper sheet material having one or more indicia applied thereto.