Smoking Article

Abstract

A method of producing a smoking article is disclosed. The smoking article comprises a smoke constituent reducing technology which is capable of reducing the concentration of a smoke constituent generated by a smoking article in use. The method comprises in a first step, determining one or more first lateral regions at which, when the smoking article is in use, the smoke constituent is present at a first concentration, and one or more second lateral regions at which, when the smoking article is in use, the smoke constituent is present at a second concentration which is lower than the first concentration. In a second step, the method comprises producing a smoking article in which the smoke constituent reducing technology is targeted to reduce the concentration of the smoke constituent present at the one or more first lateral regions.

1 . A method of producing a smoking article which in use generates smoke having a smoke constituent, wherein the smoking article comprises a smoke constituent reducing technology which is capable of reducing the concentration of the smoke constituent, and wherein the method comprises:
 1) determining one or more first lateral regions at which, when the smoking article is in use, the smoke constituent is present at a first concentration, and one or more second lateral regions at which, when the smoking article is in use, the smoke constituent is present at a second concentration which is lower than the first concentration; and,   2) producing a smoking article in which the smoke constituent reducing technology is targeted to reduce the concentration of the smoke constituent present at the one or more first lateral regions.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology is located in the one or more first lateral regions. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein a smoke constituent reducing technology is also located in the one or more second lateral regions, and the amount of smoke constituent reducing technology located in the one or more first lateral regions is greater than the amount located in the one or more second lateral regions. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology is not located in the one or more second lateral regions. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the relative amounts of smoke constituent reducing technology located in the first and second regions is proportional to the relative first and second concentrations of the smoke constituent. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a rod of smokeable material, and the first and second lateral regions are regions of the rod of smokeable material. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the rod of smokeable material is generally cylindrical in shape and the first and second lateral regions are located on a diametrical line across the width of the cylinder. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a filter and the smoke constituent reducing technology is located within the filter to reduce the concentration of the smoke constituent present at the one or more first lateral regions. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a filter and the filter comprises portions of varying density to create pressure drop regions to control airflow through the smoking article. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article comprises two different smoke constituent reducing technologies. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the two different smoke constituent reducing technologies are located in the same one or more first lateral regions. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the two different smoke constituent reducing technologies are located in different lateral regions. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a co-axial rod comprising an inner rod of smokeable material circumscribed by an inner wrapper, the inner rod being circumscribed by an outer rod of smokeable material circumscribed by an outer wrapper. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the inner wrapper is impermeable to the passage of smoke constituents. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the inner wrapper comprises the smoke constituent reducing technology. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the smokeable material of the inner and/or outer rod comprises the smoke constituent reducing technology. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the outer wrapper comprises the smoke constituent reducing technology. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein one of the inner or outer rods has a higher density relative to the other rod to create a pressure drop to control airflow through the smoking article. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the inner rod comprises a further inner rod of smokeable material circumscribed by a further inner wrapper. 
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a thread. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a rod of smokeable material and the thread extends continuously within the smokeable material along the whole length of the rod of smokeable material. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article comprises a rod of smokeable material, and wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology comprises particles disposed within the rod of smokeable material. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the particles are disposed within the smokeable material. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein the particles are concentrated in a longitudinal region extending along the rod of smokeable material. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the smokeable material is circumscribed by a wrapper and the particles are adhered to the inner surface of the wrapper. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology is in particulate or granular form. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology comprises an additive. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the additive is a sorbent or a catalyst. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology comprises a diluent. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology comprises a smokeable material which in use generates a concentration of the smoke constituent which is lower than the concentration that is produced by tobacco. 
     
     
         32 . A smoking article which in use generates smoke having a smoke constituent, wherein the smoking article comprises a smoke constituent reducing technology which is capable of reducing the concentration of the smoke constituent, and wherein in use the smoke constituent is present at a first concentration in one or more first lateral regions, and the smoke constituent is present at a second concentration which is lower than the first concentration in one or more second lateral regions, and wherein the amount of the technology that is targeted to reduce the concentration of the smoke constituent present at the one or more first lateral regions, is greater than the amount of the technology that is targeted to reduce the concentration of the smoke constituent present at the one or more second lateral regions. 
     
     
         33 . A smoking article according to  claim 32 , wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology is located at the one or more first lateral regions. 
     
     
         34 . A smoking article according to  claim 32 , wherein the amount of smoke constituent reducing technology located in the one or more first lateral regions is greater than the amount located in the one or more second lateral regions. 
     
     
         35 . A smoking article according to  claim 32 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a rod of smokeable material, and the first and second lateral regions are regions of the rod of smokeable material. 
     
     
         36 . A smoking article according to  claim 32 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a rod of smokeable material, and wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology comprises particles disposed within the rod of smokeable material. 
     
     
         37 . A smoking article according to  claim 36 , wherein the particles are concentrated in a longitudinal region extending along the rod of smokeable material. 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A smoking article which in use generates smoke having a smoke constituent, wherein the smoking article comprises a smoke constituent reducing technology which is capable of reducing the concentration of the smoke constituent, and wherein the smoking article is obtainable by a method comprising:
 1) determining one or more first lateral regions at which, when the smoking article is in use, the smoke constituent is present at a first concentration, and one or more second lateral regions at which, when the smoking article is in use, the smoke constituent is present at a second concentration which is lower than the first concentration; and,   2) producing a smoking article in which the amount of the smoke constituent reducing technology that is targeted to reduce the concentration of the smoke constituent present at the one or more first lateral regions is greater than the amount of the technology that is targeted to reduce the concentration of the smoke constituent present at the one or more second lateral regions.   
     
     
         40 . A smoking article according to  claim 39 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a rod of smokeable material, and wherein the smoke constituent reducing technology comprises particles disposed within the smokeable material.