BRPI0811981B1 - wrap for a smoking article and smoking article - Google Patents

Description

(54) Title: WRAP FOR A SMOKE ARTICLE AND SMOKE ARTICLE (51) Int.CI .: A24D 1/02 (30) Unionist Priority: 06/01/2007 US 60 / 924,825 (73) Holder (s): PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS SA

(72) Inventor (s): MARC W. ROSE (85) National Phase Start Date: 11/30/2009

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Invention Patent Descriptive Report for WRAP FOR A SMOKE ARTICLE AND SMOKE ARTICLE.

Field of the Technique [001] The present invention relates to attempts to design articles of smoke that go out when inadvertently left abandoned on a substrate, and the tendency to do so is cited here as a article of smoke having a low propensity to ignition. Ideally, a smoke article with a low propensity to ignition will continue to burn when freely suspended such as in an ashtray or when being held in the hand without the puff (spontaneous burning). The tendency for a cigarette to extinguish during spontaneous burning is referred to here as self-extinguishing. Many previous cigarette designs that achieve low ignition propensity exhibit high rates of self-extinguishing under spontaneous burning conditions.

Summary [002] A wrap for a smoking article comprising a base membrane having a nominal permeability and a banded region with sufficient additional material such that the wrap has a lower permeability in the banded region than the nominal permeability of the base membrane. A front edge of the bandaged region when seen by an advancing ember is decorated with battlements.

Brief Description of the Drawings [003] Many objectives and advantages of this description will become evident to those skilled in the art when this specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which similar reference numerals are applied to similar elements and in which:

figure 1 is a perspective view of a smoking article according to that description,

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2/16 figure 2 is a schematic view of a wrapping paper having a first embodiment of a banded region decorated with battlements.

figure 3 is a schematic view of a wrapping paper having a second embodiment of a banded region decorated with battlements.

figure 4 is a schematic view of a wrapping paper having a third embodiment of a banded region decorated with battlements; and figure 5 is a schematic view of a wrapping paper having a fourth embodiment of a banded region decorated with battlements.

Detailed Description [004] According to that description, a tobacco article 1 includes a tobacco rod 2. Tobacco rod 2 may include a cut tobacco filler 3 and is surrounded by wrapping paper 10. One end of the tobacco article The smoke may include a suitable filter 4 surrounded by suitable filter tip paper. The smoking article 1 can typically have a generally circular cross section over the length of the smoking article. However, other forms of cross-section including, for example, oval, are within the scope of this description. The tobacco rod 2 has a measured nominal length from the tip paper to the free end of the tobacco rod along a longitudinal geometric axis of the smoking article. For example, this nominal length can be in the range of approximately 60 mm to approximately 100 mm.

[005] Wrap paper 10 includes a base membrane that is typically air permeable. The permeability of wrapping paper is usually identified in Coresta units. A Coresta unit measures the permeability of paper in terms of volumetric flow rate

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3/16 (ie, cm ³ / s) per unit area (ie, cm ² ) per unit pressure drop (ie, cm of water). The base membrane for conventional wrap paper also has well-known basic weights, measured in grams per square meter, abbreviated as gsm. The permeability and base weight for the base membrane of typical carbon woven papers generally used in industries are shown in the table below:

Permeability / Coresta unitsBasic weight / gsm [006] For the purposes of this description, the base membrane of a preferred wrapping paper has a permeability of at least approximately 20 Coresta units. More preferably, the wrapping paper has a permeability greater than approximately 30 edges, such as common base membranes having nominal permeabilities of approximately 33 and approximately 46 edges with a base weight of approximately 25 gsm. For some applications, the base membrane may have a permeability greater than approximately 60 Corestas, or greater than approximately 80 Coresta or even higher permeability values.

[007] It is observed with the intention of convention that, in the description of the dimensions of various modalities here, the width of a banded region extends in a longitudinal direction of the tobacco rod, while a dimension in the circumferential direction of a banded region will be expressed as transverse or in a cross direction from the direction of the cross membrane.

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4/16 [008] For the purposes of this description, bandaged regions of additional material as described here are applied to the wrapping paper to obtain improved ignition propensity characteristics and also to obtain improved self-extinguishing characteristics. Ignition propensity is a standard test conducted as presented in ASTM E 2187-04, Standard Test Method for Measuring the Ignition Strength of Smoking articles, which is incorporated here in its entirety by this reference to it. The propensity for ignition measures the probability that an article of smoke, when placed on a substrate, will generate enough heat to maintain the static burning of the tobacco rod. Low values for propensity to ignition are desirable since these values correlate with a reduced probability that a smoldering smoke article will cause combustion on an underlying substrate.

[009] Self-extinguishing here is a reference to the slow burning characteristics of a smoke article under spontaneous burning conditions. To assess self-extinguishing, a laboratory test is conducted at a temperature of 23 ° C ± 3 ° C and a relative humidity of 55% ± 5%, both of which must be monitored by a recording hygrothermograph. Exhaust hood (s) removes the combustion products formed during the test. Before testing, smoking articles to be tested are conditioned at 55% ± 5% relative humidity and 23 ° C ± 3 ° C for 24 hours. Just before the test, the smoking articles are placed in glass beakers to ensure free air access.

[0010] The self-extinguishing test takes place inside a test case or enclosure. A single-hole smoke machine or an electric lighter is used to light the smoke articles for the test. During the test, an apparatus or angle holder holds the smoking articles to be tested by holding one end at 0 (horizontal), 45 ° and / or 90 ° (vertical) angles. Twenty (20) smoking articles are tested

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5/16 in each of the 0 °, 45 ° and 90 ° positions. If more than one device is used, the devices are preferably positioned such that the smoking articles are turned away from each other to avoid cross interference. If a smoking article ends before the front line of the slow-burning ember reaches the tip paper, the result is marked as self-extinguishing, on the other hand, if the smoking article continues to smolder until the front line of the ember reaches the tip paper, then the result is marked as non-extinction. Thus, for example, a self-extinguishing value of 95% indicates that 95% of the tested tobacco articles exhibited self-extinguishing under conditions of spontaneous burning; while a self-extinguishing value of 20% indicates that only 20% of the tested smoking articles exhibited self-extinguishing under spontaneous burning conditions.

[0011] The self-extinguishing value can be quoted in terms of the 0 ° 'self-extinguishing value, the 45 ° self-extinguishing value or the 90 °' self-extinguishing value, each of which refers to the angle self-extinguishing value specified test. In addition, the self-extinguishing value can be quoted in terms of the average self-extinguishing value, which refers to an average of the three angular positions: namely, an average of (i) self-extinguishing in the amount of 0 ° ', (ii) self-extinguishing in the amount of 45 ° 'and (iii) self-extinguishing in the amount of 90 °'. A reference to the self-extinguishing value does not distinguish between 0 ° self-extinguishing, 45 ° self-extinguishing, 90 ° self-extinguishing or average self-extinguishing values and can refer to any of them.

[0012] The phrases self-extinguishing under conditions of spontaneous burning or self-extinguishing under conditions of spontaneous burning as used here, refer to the extinction of a slowly burning cigarette without the puff, when such a cigarette is subjected or exposed to spontaneous burning conditions.

[0013] As used here, the term decorated with battlements refers to

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6/16 to a pattern of multiple regularly spaced, geometrically formed spaces removed from an otherwise continuous solid bandaged region. A pattern decorated with battlements or a band can also be described as notched or looking similar to a pulse wave. As used here, battlements refer to openings or valleys on a ledge decorated with battlements, while merlons refer to raised portions or plateaus of a battled edge between the battlements.

[0014] As used here, the term front edge refers to the edge of a bandaged region that is closest to an approaching ember during the slow combustion of a smoke article whose wrapper contains the bandaged region, while the term rear edge refers to the edge of a bandaged region that is farthest from an approaching ember during the slow combustion of a smoke article whose wrapper contains the bandaged region.

[0015] A wrap for a tobacco article comprises a base membrane 10 (see figure 2), having a nominal permeability and a plurality of bandaged regions 12 with sufficient additional material such that the wrap has a permeability in the banded region less than the nominal permeability of the base membrane. A leading edge 14 of each bandaged region 12 is decorated with battlements. Optionally, a rear edge 16 of the banded region can also be decorated with battlements.

[0016] Although various provisions of the regions decorated with battlements may occur for those skilled in the art, several such provisions are illustrated in the attached figures. For example (see figure 2), the bandaged region 12 may have a leading edge 14 on which the battlements 20 are arranged between merlons 18. In this embodiment, merlons 18 have a dimension in the transversal direction of the base membrane 10 which is substantially the same as the dimension in the direction

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7/16 cross section of battlements 20. As shown, merlons 18 and associated battlements 20 can generally be rectangular. If desired, however, merlons 18 and battlements 20 may have other geometric shapes including, without limitation, quadrilaterals, trapezoids, triangles, hexagons and other regular or irregular geometric configurations. The distance between the top of a merlon 18 and the bottom of an adjacent battlement 20 can be in the range of approximately 2 mm to approximately 5 mm, and preferably may be approximately 3 mm.

[0017] At the rear edge of the bandaged region 12, a similarly decorated battlement arrangement can also be provided. To that end, a plurality of merlons 22 can be spaced transversely across the base membrane 10 and separated from each other by a plurality of corresponding battlements 24. As shown, the leading edge merlons 18 are transversely aligned with the rear edge battlements 24 and the leading edge battlements 20 are transversely aligned with the rear edge merlons 22. The battlements 24 have a cross-membrane dimension substantially the same as the cross-membrane dimension of merlons 18 at the leading edge 14 of the strip. Similarly, the merlons 33 of the rear edge 16 can have a cross-membrane dimension substantially the same as the cross-membrane dimension of the battlements 20 of the front edge 14. The distance between the top of a merlon 22 and the bottom of an adjacent niche 24 at the rear edge it may also be in the range of approximately 2 mm to approximately 5 mm and preferably may be approximately 3 mm. As with merlons 18 and battlements 20 of the leading edge 14, merlons 22 and battlements 24 of the trailing edge may be generally rectangular, generally quadrilateral, generally trapezoidal, generally triangular, generally hexagonal or other geometric configurations.

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8/16 [0018] The bottom of the battlements 20 of the front edge is preferably spaced from the bottom of the battlements 24 of the rear edge by a distance x in the range of approximately 2 mm to approximately 5 mm and preferably in the range of approximately 3 mm approximately 4 mm. With such an arrangement, a substantially continuous strip of width x extends transversely across the base membrane 10. The bottom of the battlements 20 of the leading edge corresponds to a leading edge of the substantially continuous strip, while the bottom of the battlements 24 of the rear edge corresponds to with a back edge of the substantially continuous strip.

[0019] Adjacent banded regions 12 of the paper membrane 10 are spaced longitudinally from each other by a nominal spacing. This nominal spacing can be in the range of approximately 10 to approximately 30 mm. Although the depth of the battlements 20 at the front edge of the banded region 12 and the depth of the battlements 24 at the rear edge of the banded region 12 are shown in Figure 2 as being the same, it is within the scope of this description to make these different depths, if desired.

[0020] The dimensions in the cross direction of merlons 18, 22 and battlements 20, 24 can be substantially the same as shown in figure 2. Preferably, however, an integral number of pairs of merlons 18 and battlements 20 has a dimension of crossed membrane corresponding to the nominal circumference of a smoking article. For example, two sets of merlons 18 and battlements 20 may have cross-membrane dimensions of approximately 6.2 mm, so that two pairs of each have a total cross-membrane dimension of approximately 24.8 mm, which corresponds to the nominal circumference of a smoking article. With such dimensioning for merlons and battlements, when the base membrane 10 is divided longitudinally to form reels of wrapping paper for

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9/16 smoke, for example, in lines 30, 32, the pattern decorated with battlements of the bandaged region 12 will substantially superimpose on a longitudinal seam making the tobacco rod.

[0021] With reference to figure 3, the proportions of merlons 44 and battlements 46 of the front edge 40 are different from the arrangement of figure 2. In figure 3, merlons 44 may have a cross-membrane dimension of approximately half the dimension of the associated niche 46 cross membrane. However, an integral number of pairs of merlons 44 and battlements 46 correspond to the nominal circumference of the smoking article, as discussed above. The height of the merlons 44 or the depth of the battlements 46 is preferably in the same range of values as discussed in conjunction with figure 2.

[0022] Said differently, when establishing a printing pattern for a paper roll decorated with battlements, the pattern must be repeated through the roll according to the transversal dimension equal to the nominal circumference of the cigarette which is to carry the pattern, even though the roll can be split into a slightly larger dimension than the nominal circumference of the cigarette (to produce edge portions for the seam along the tobacco rod). This practice will guarantee the establishment of the pattern as planned in the cigarette regardless of where the division is started or the dimensions of the seam. For example, if the cigarette is to have a standard eight (8) merlons and the cigarette is to have a nominal cigarette circumference of 24.8 mm, the battled paper roll would be divided every 27 mm, but the eight (8) merlons pattern would repeat every 24.8 mm.

[0023] At the rear edge of the embodiment of figure 3, the dimensions of the cross membrane of the rear edge merlons 50 and the rear edge battlements 48 are different from the dimensions of the cross membrane of the front edge merlons 44 and the front edge battlements

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46. Here again, however, an integral number of merlons 48 and battlements 50 have a cross-membrane dimension corresponding to the nominal circumference of a smoking article. As shown, the cross-membrane dimension of the battlements 48 is substantially smaller than the cross-membrane dimension of the merlons 44 on the opposite portion of the leading edge 40. Furthermore, the depth of the battlements 48 or the height of the merlons 50 is in the range of the dimensions discussed above together with figure 2. In addition, the spacing between the bottom of the battlements 46 on the front edge and the bottom of the battlements 48 on the rear edge is also within the range of dimensions discussed above together with figure 2. The spacing between bandaged regions 12 adjacent in figure 3 is also in the same range discussed above together with figure 2.

[0024] With reference to figure 4, the front edge 14 of the banded region 12 may have substantially the same characteristics discussed above in conjunction with figure 2. However, the rear edge 64 may have merlons 60 having substantially larger cross-membrane dimensions than that the dimensions of the cross-membrane of the opposite battlements 20 of the leading edge, while the dimensions of the cross-membrane of the battlements of the rear edge 62 are substantially smaller than the dimensions of the cross-membrane of the corresponding opposing merlons 18 of the leading edge 14. The spacing between the front and rear edges decorated with battlements in figure 4 and the longitudinal spacing between the adjacent banded regions 12 of figure 4 are substantially the same as described above in conjunction with figure 2.

[0025] Figure 5 illustrates yet another modality of bandaged regions decorated with battlements according to this description. In this embodiment, the front edge 14 can have the characteristics described

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11/16 above in conjunction with figure 2 or figure 3. In this embodiment, however, the rear edge 70 of the banded region decorated with battlements 12 can be straight. The spacing between the bottom of the battlements 20 and the rear edge 70 can be selected the same as the spacing between the regions decorated with battlements 20, 24 of figure 2. In addition, adjacent banded regions 12 (figure 5) are preferably spaced as described in figure 2.

[0026] The front edge merlons can have a transverse dimension in the range of approximately 3 mm to approximately 7 mm. For example, the leading edge merlons may have a cross-sectional dimension of approximately 3.1 mm, approximately 4.2 mm or approximately 6.2 mm. The battlements of the leading edge may have a transverse dimension in the range of approximately 3 mm and approximately 7 mm. For example, the battlements of the leading edge may have a cross-sectional dimension of approximately 3.1 mm, approximately 4.2 mm, approximately 5.2 mm or approximately 6.2 mm. The rear edge merlons can have a transverse dimension in the range of approximately 6 mm and approximately 10 mm. For example, the rear edge merlons may have a cross-sectional dimension of approximately 5.775 mm, approximately 6.2 mm or approximately 6.775 mm. The rear edge battlements can have a cross-sectional dimension in the range of approximately 1 mm and approximately 7 mm. For example, the battlements of the rear edge may have a cross-sectional dimension of approximately 1 mm, approximately 2.1 mm or approximately 6.2 mm.

[0027] A smoking article may comprise a tobacco rod and a wrap as described here. The wrapper preferably has a dimension in the cross direction that considers the circumference of the tobacco rod and an overlapping seam. As a result, regardless of where the wrapper is divided, when forming the smoke article,

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12/16 there is always an exact overlap of the pattern decorated with battlements. In other words, the dimensions in the cross direction of the merlons and battlements of the banded region decorated with battlements are determined such that in the tobacco article, the front edge of the banded region preferably comprises at least two battlements and at least two merlons. For example, the front edge of the banded region may comprise two battlements and two merlons, three battlements and three merlons or four battlements and four merlons. Thus, regardless of how the smoke article is placed on a substrate during the ASTM test, there is always symmetry in the bandaged region. Without wishing to be limited by any theory, it is believed that as the smoke article remains on the substrate during slow combustion, combustion is modulated by the leading edge decorated with battlements; specifically, the leading edge merlons reduce the progression of slow combustion, while the leading edge battlements allow a limited amount of slow combustion to continue during spontaneous burning conditions. In this way, desirable characteristics of propensity to ignition and self-extinguishment must be attainable.

[0028] As currently understood, the bandaged regions of the additional material according to this description allow a smoke article to be designed with an advantageous combination of low ignition propensity values and low self-extinguishing values. The low permeability bandaged regions of the additional material provide areas of film-forming compound along the length of the tobacco rod that can cooperate with a substrate to extinguish the lit smoke article when it is placed on a substrate, however these areas of film-forming compounds do not cause the smoking article to self-extinguish when the smoking article is held by a smoker in a spontaneous burning condition. In this way, the smoke article may exhibit a reduced inclination to ignition while

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13/16 maintaining a desirable spontaneous firing quality or low self-extinguishing value by applying bandaged regions of film-forming compound to the base membrane according to this description. The additional material can be applied to one or both sides of the base membrane.

[0029] To achieve the desirable characteristics of propensity to ignition and self-extinguishing of the smoke article, the bandaged regions are applied to the base membrane of the wrapping paper. One purpose of this description is to provide wrap papers that, when turned into a tobacco rod, exhibit ignition propensity values less than 25 and self-extinguishing values less than 50. Even more preferred, is an ignition propensity value for the resulting smoke article less than approximately 15; and the most preferred ignition propensity value for the resulting smoke article is not greater than approximately 10. Smaller self-extinguishing values are also desired. In this respect, a more preferred self-extinguishing value is less than approximately 25, while the most preferred self-extinguishing value is still less than approximately 10.

[0030] The transverse dimensions of the wrapping paper are selected based on the diameter of the finished smoke article (approximately 7 mm to approximately 10 mm) and allowing the overlapping material in a longitudinal seam of approximately 1 mm to approximately 2 mm. For example, allowing overlapping seams of 1 mm, the size of the wrapping paper in the cross direction can be approximately 27 mm for a smoke article having a circumference of approximately 25.6 mm.

[0031] Bandaged regions can be formed by applying one or more layers of an aqueous film-forming composition

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14/16 on the base membrane of the wrapping paper to reduce the permeability of the paper in these bandaged regions. Alternatively, a cellulosic material can also be used to form the bandaged regions. Where a film-forming composition is used, that film-forming composition may preferably include water and a high concentration of an occlusion agent, for example, 20% to approximately 50% by weight. The film-forming compound can include one or more occlusion agents such as starch, alginate, cellulose or gum and can also include calcium carbonate as a filler. Where starch is the film-forming compound, a concentration of approximately 24% can be advantageous.

[0032] The film-forming composition can be applied to the base membrane of the wrapping paper 24 using gravure printing, digital printing, coating or spraying using a template or any other suitable technique. For example, film-forming compounds and methods for applying the film-forming compounds described in US Application Publication No. 2007/0102017 A1, which is hereby incorporated in full by this reference to it, can be chosen for application of the regions bandaged on the base membrane of the wrapping paper. If desired, the bandaged regions of the additional material can be formed by printing multiple successive layers, for example, two or more successive layers registered or aligned with each other. Furthermore, when the layers are used to form the bandaged regions of the additional material, the material in the layers can be the same or different. For example, one layer can be starch while the next layer can be starch and calcium carbonate.

[0033] Additionally, the ability to extinguish the smoke article may depend more on the provision of minimal longitudinal extension of the film-forming compound, rather than a particular weight

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15/16 per area of the film-forming compound. The amount of the film-forming compound used can be increased without losing the quality of spontaneous firing if a firing accelerator is applied to the paper. Preferably, the bandaged regions of the additional material reduce the permeability of the wrapping paper to the range of approximately 0 to approximately 10 Coresta.

[0034] A multi-stage printing apparatus as described here typically includes a spool, first gravure printing station, second gravure printing station, third gravure printing station, collection spool, rollers, printing cylinder, roller support, narrowing, reservoir, pump, heat exchanger, applicator, bath, collector, drain, dosing blade, adjustment cylinders and intermediate roller.

[0035] As an alternative to an engraving printing operation, the bandaged regions, or strips, can be applied to a base membrane using the same cellulosic material that forms the base membrane. The bandaged regions may comprise a highly refined fibrous cellulose slurry (for example, fibers, fibrils, microfibrils or combinations thereof) or other additional material applied using various spraying or coating techniques, including application techniques using a hole applicator. mobile in the forming section of a paper-making machine as described in the commonly owned US-A-5 997 691 and US-A-6 596 125, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in full. Although in the past such technology has been used to model circumferentially bandaged regions, by adjusting the relative movement between the paper membrane and the mobile orifice band of the equipment described in the commonly owned US-A-5 997 691 and USA-6 596 125, the bandaged regions of that description can be easily modeled. It is verified that such an arrangement operates the

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16/16 movable orifice at a slower belt speed which is conducive to the application of wider bands and higher application rates. [0036] The terms and phrases used here must not be interpreted with mathematical or geometric precision, more precisely, geometric terminology is to be interpreted as meaning approaching or similar to geometric terms and concepts. Terms such as are generally intended to encompass both the precise meanings of the associated terms and concepts, as well as providing reasonable scope that is consistent with the form, function and / or meaning. The term approximately when used in conjunction with numerical quantities is intended to include values within a tolerance of 10% of the declared quantities.

[0037] Although several modalities have been described, it is to be understood that various modifications, variations and equivalents can be used as will be evident to those skilled in the art. Such modifications, variations and equivalents must be considered within the competence and scope of the claims appended here.

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Claims (8)

1. Wrap for a smoking article characterized by the fact that it comprises: a base membrane (10) having a nominal permeability; and a banded region (12) comprising sufficient additional material such that the wrap has a permeability in the banded region less than the nominal permeability of the base membrane, wherein the banded region comprises a substantially continuous band that is approximately 4 mm or less wide and a leading edge (14) (40) and a trailing edge (16) (42) (64) of the banded region are decorated with battlements and where merlons (18) (44) of the leading edge are transversely aligned with the battlements (24) (48) (62) on the rear edge and the battlements (20) (46) on the front edge are transversely aligned with the merlons (22) (50) (60) on the rear edge. 2. Wrap, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that merlons (18) of the front edge (14) have transversal dimensions equal to the battlements (24) of the rear edge (16) and the battlements (20) of the front edge have transversal dimensions equal to the merlons (22) of the rear edge. 3. Wrap, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the banded region comprises a substantially continuous band and the distance between the tops of the merlons (18) (44) from the front edge (14) (40) and the substantially continuous range is approximately 4 mm or less. 4. Wrap, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the banded region (12) comprises a substantially continuous band, and yet where the Petition 870180031347, of 04/18/2018, p. 20/25 2/2 distance between the tops of the merlons (18) (44) of the leading edge (14) (40) of the substantially continuous band is approximately 4 mm or less and the bottom of the battlements (20) (46) of the leading edge corresponds to a leading edge of the substantially continuous strip. Wrapper according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the battlements (20) of the front edge (14) (40) and the merlons of the front edge have transversal dimensions that are substantially the same. 6. Smoking article characterized by the fact that it comprises a tobacco rod (2) and a wrapper as defined in any of the preceding claims. 7. Smoke article, according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the wrap has a length in the cross direction that considers a circumference of the tobacco rod (2). Smoke article according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the leading edge (14) (40) comprises at least two battlements (20) (46) and at least two merlons (18) (44 ). Petition 870180031347, of 04/18/2018, p. 21/25 1/5 2/5