Smoking articles having reduced carbon monoxide delivery

Abstract

The present invention is directed to smoking articles having reduced carbon monoxide delivery are described. A carbon monoxide reducing agent is incorporated into the smoking article in order to reduce carbon monoxide levels in mainstream smoke. The carbon monoxide reducing agent may be, for instance, in metal oxide or in metal carbonate. The carbon monoxide reducing agent may be incorporated into a wrapper and/or into a column of smokable filler that are used to construct the smoking article.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Smoking articles such as cigarettes are conventionally made by wrapping a column of tobacco in a white wrapping paper. At one end, the smoking article usually includes a filter through which the article is smoked. Filters are attached to smoking articles using a tipping paper that is glued to the white wrapping paper. The wrapping papers and tipping papers used to construct smoking articles are typically made from flax or other cellulosic fiber and contain a filler, such as calcium carbonate. The column of tobacco, on the other hand, may contain shredded tobacco leaves alone or in combination with reconstituted tobacco. [0002] Smoking articles such as cigars, on the other hand, are made by wrapping a plurality of tobacco leaves together. Cigars typically do not include a filter although various varieties are available that do contain a filtered tip. [0003] When a smoking article is being enjoyed, a user puffs on one end of the smoking article after...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] These smoking articles typically include lower permeability areas contained within the wrapper of the article at selected locations. The low permeability areas create a burn mode index range within the wrapper sufficient to reduce ignition proclivity by reducing oxygen to a smoldering coal of the smoking article as the coal burns and advances into the low permeability areas.

[0015] Unfortunately, the low permeability areas may have a tendency to increase the amount of carbon monoxide produced in the mainstream of the smoke of the article. In this regard, the teachings of the present invention are particularly well suited for use in combination with the above described smoking articles having reduced ignition proclivity properties.

[0016] In particular, the present invention, in one embodiment, is directed to a smoking article containing low permeability areas at selected locations. The low permeability areas, for instance, may comprise bands surrounding a smokable filler that extend either in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the article or parallel to the axis of the article. The bands can be made, for instance, from a cellulosic material that is deposited on the wrapper. Alternatively, a film-forming substance may also be applied to the wrapper in order to form the low permeability areas. In one embodiment, the low permeability areas are applied to the wrapper such that the wrapper has a BMI of less than about 8 cm−1 within the low permeability areas.

[0017] In accordance with the present invention, the smoking article may also be produced having a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 15 mg per smoking article, particularly less than 12 mg per smoking article, and in one embodiment, can have a carbon monoxide delivery of less than 10 mg per smoking article. The smoking article can also have a carbon monoxide to tar ratio of less than about 1.

[0018] In accordance with the present invention, the above smoking article can obtain the above characteristics through the use of a carbon monoxide reducing agent as described above and hereinafter.

Problems solved by technology

Some of the constituents contained in mainstream smoke, however, are scrutinized by government agencies and, therefore, may be undesirable in particular applications.

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