US3831609A

US3831609A - Smokable substitute material and smoking products thereof

Info

Publication number: US3831609A
Application number: US00252003A
Authority: US
Inventors: T Briskin; N Schnautz; I Sabherwal
Original assignee: Sutton Research Corp
Current assignee: Sutton Research Corp
Priority date: 1972-02-14
Filing date: 1972-05-10
Publication date: 1974-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-27

Abstract

A smokable material designed to be used for cigars and cigarettes and having waterproof properties is disclosed. The material comprises a composition of a vinylene carbonate, the homopolymer or copolymers thereof, and a combustible filler, such as carbon, cellulose, cellulose derivatives or tobacco. The principal combustion products of the vinylene carbonate employed are carbon dioxide and water.

Description

United States Patent [191 Briskin et al.

SMOKABLE SUBSTITUTE MATERIAL SMOKING PRODUCTS THEREOF Sutton Research Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed: Ma 10, 1972 App]. No.: 252,003

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 226,267, Feb. 14, 1972.

Assignee:

US. Cl 131/2, 131/17, l3l/l5 lint. Cl. A24b 3/14, A24b 13/00 Field of Search 131/2, 17, 140

[451 Aug. 27, 1974 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,125,098 3/1964 Osborne l3l/l7R 3,545,448 12/1970 Mormon.... l3l/2 3,638,660 111972 Davis 131/2 Primary Examiner-Melvin D. Rein ABSTRACT A smokable material designed to be used for cigars and cigarettes and having waterproof properties is dis closed. The material comprises a composition of a vinylene carbonate, the homopolymer or copolymers thereof, and a combustible filler, such as carbon, cellulose, cellulose derivatives or tobacco. The principal combustion products of the vinylene carbonate employed are carbon dioxide and water.

14 Claims, No Drawings This is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Ser. No. 226,267, filed Feb. 14, 1972, entitled Smokable Material and Smoking Products Thereof.

This invention relates to a smokable material and to smoking products produced with same.

Considerable effort has been and is currently being expended in the development of a smoking material as a substitute for tobacco. For the most part, such research and development has followed two directions. In one direction, attempts have been made to replace tobacco with non-tobacco vegetable products in which the leaves are dried, cured and shredded in the manner corresponding to that employed with tobacco leaves. While such other vegetable products are generally free of nicotine, they produce harsh smoking mixtures in which the smoke is characterized by undesirable levels of polycyclics and carbonyls. As a result, such tobacco substitutes have not found ready acceptance as a smokable material in the manufacture of smoking products.

The other course which has been followed by research and development for a tobacco substitute is a reconstituted smoking product in which non-noxious inert or combustible fillers are combined with an organic hinder or adhesive to form a sheet or product which can be used as a filler or wrapper in the manufacture of pipe tobacco, cigarettes or cigars. Representative of the binders that have been used are such cellulosic materials as methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose (free acid and sodium salt), and alginates, or natural gum such as guar gum, gum tragacanth, gum arabic, and locust bean gum and mixtures thereof. Such binders burn with such strong odors and acridity as to detract from the taste of the smoking product and undesirable amounts of chemical irritants and carcinogens are found with the smoke that is formed.

it is an object of this invention to produce and to provide a method for producing a smokable material which burns at a desired uniform slow rate without crackling and without flare while it is being smoked; which remains lit between puffs on a cigar, cigarette, or pipe packed therewith; which burns with an ash of sufficient strength, porosity and volume to remain attached to the burning end of the cigar or cigarette formed thereof; which does not give off undesirable or acrid odors or taste while being smoked, and in which the amount of carcinogens and chemical irritants produced during smoking is materially reduced if not entirely eliminated.

This invention resides in the discovery that a smokable material embodying many of the features described above can be produced with inert, noncombustible fillers and with combustible ingredients and mixtures thereof when embodied in combination with a synthetic polymeric film forming material or binder in the formofa homopolymer l or copolymer of vinylene carbonate (2) or vinyl carbonate derivative (3) or hydroxy (4), or ketone (5) derivative thereof.

['51s Hf] H HRi R,

in which R and R may each be hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, sec butyl, pentyl, isopentyl, hexyl, nonyl, decyll or other alkyl group or mixtures of such hydrogen and alkyl groups.

Such polymers of vinylene'carbonate and derivatives thereof form water insoluble plastic films or coatings and can therefore function admirably as a binder or' film former in the preparation of reconstituted smokable products when combined with inert noncombustible fillers and/or combustible materials of the types previously described. The polymer (1) which consists of repeating 1,3-dioxolane-2-one ring system, in which the repeating units are coupled at the C and C positions, respectively, is capable of clean combustion to carbon dioxide and water, since all carbon atoms in the ring system are bonded to oxygen atoms. The linear polycarbonates should also burn in an analogous manner to yiels very little if any chemical irritants and carcinogens.

Polyvinylene carbonate can be produced by homopolymerization of vinylene carbonate by the process described by M. S. Newman and R. W. Addor, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 75, 1263 (1953). The polymcthylol derivative can be produced by hydrolysis of polyvinylene carbonate, as described by Unrulh and Smith, J. Org. Chem, 23, 625 (1958) and the corresponding ketone should be produced by conventional oxidation of the polymethylol.

Vinylene carbonate or derivatives thereof, copolymerized with olefins, such as acrylic acid, alkyl acrylates such as methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate, or maleic acid or anhydride can be used as the film former or binder in thesame manner as the polyvinylene carbonate, since such copolymers should also combust with the production of very little, if any, noxious combustion products in the smoke.

Representative of inert, non-combustible fillers which may be used with the polyvinylene carbonate or derivative or copolymer thereof, in the manufacture of a smokable product of the invention, are perlite, talc, diatomaeeous earth, titanium dioxide, silica and alumina, and mixtures thereof. Combustible ingredients which may be employed in the manufacture of smok-. able products of this invention are represented by charcoal or other form of carbon, cellulose, oxycellulose, non-noxious cellulose derivatives, degraded cellulose, non-noxious degraded cellulosic derivatives, nonnicotine vegetable products, and tobacco and mixtures thereof.

A smokable reconstituted material can be prepared of the described ingredients in a number of ways. For example, the inert filler and/or combustible material can be admixed with the polymeric component and masticated to form a smokable material for use as a packing for pipes, or for use as a filler in the manufacture of cigars and cigarettes. Reconstituted sheets can be formed of such materials by casting or molding the mixture to sheet form or by taking the polymeric material into solution for admixture with the tiller or combustible ingredient to be cast or otherwise formed into sheets. Reconstituted sheets can also be prepared by coating a film of the polyvinylene carbonate or the like polymeric material with the filler and/or combustible material to form a composite sheet product. The above reconstituted sheets or materialformed thereof can be subjected to heat treatment at any temperature such as from 100C to 250C. Such heat treatment will operate further to reduce, if desired, chemical irritants produced upon combustion of the smoking material.

In addition, because of the water insolubility of the polymeric material, conventional tobacco can be coated or impregnated with solutions of the polymeric material, as by dipping or spraying, to provide a protective coating which operates to retain the mixture and increase the strength of the tobacco product without interfering with its aroma or taste.

Reconstituted sheets of the type described can be reduced to shreds or pellets for use as a packing for pipes, or as an internal filler for cigars or cigarettes. In addition, they can be used in sheet form as cover sheets or wrappers in the manufacture of cigars or cigarettes wherein the tiller comprises the smokable product of this invention or a conventional tobacco product.

In the manufacture of a smokable product, in accordance with the practice of this invention, the polyvinylene carbonate, or derivative or copolymer thereof, is employed in an amount which may range from l-l00 percent, when used as a wrapper, to 2-10 percent by weight when used as a binder or film former in which the remainder is made up of the inert filler and/or combustible material, as heretofore described. Various additions for the generation of smoke, aroma and taste and various humidifiers may be added, preferably in amounts which would not exceed l3 percent by weight of the smokable material. In many instances, it will be desirable to add nicotine for aroma and taste in amounts which .will not exceed the amount of nicotine present in conventional tobacco.

Having described the basic concepts of this invention, the following examples are given by way of illustration, but not by way of limitation, of the practice of this invention:

EXAMPLE 1 A mixture consisting of 90 percent by weight of finely divided tobacco and percent by weight of polyvinylene carbonate, dissolved in acetone. is poured onto a Teflon coated surface and allowed to air dry. The resulting reconstituted tobacco sheet can be processed and utilized in sheet form as a wrapper for cigarettes or cigars or it can be -shredded for use as a filler in pipes, cigars or cigarettes.

EXAMPLE 2 A mixture of 33.5 percent by weight ofa non-noxious combustible filler (charred oxycellulose), 30 percent by weight of calcium carbonate, 10 percent by weight of magnesium carbonate, 1.5 percent by weight of Rubidium oxalate and 25 percent by weight of polyvinylene carbonate, dissolved in acetone, is poured onto a Teflon surface and allowed to air dry. The resulting reconstituted non-tobacco sheet can be utilized in sheet form as a wrapper for cigars or cigarettes, or it can be shredded for use as a filler for pipes, cigarettes or cigars.

Instead of polyvinylene carbonate in Example 2, use can be made of polyvinylene ketone or copolymers of vinylene carbonate and methyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate, or maleic acid or anhydride in equivalent amounts to produce a smokable product.

Another important concept of this invention resides in means for imparting a desired coloration to the smokable material prepared in accordance with the practice of this invention and to other smokable materials of synthetic or natural origin, to provide the color and appearance of a fully cured tobacco or other desirable brownish color, without, at the same time, undesirably adding to the amount of smoke, odor, taste or acridity produced upon combustion.

In the past, use has been made of aniline based materials as coloring agents, but such materials are obnoxious upon combustion. More generally, usage has been made of carmelized sugars or carbohydrates, but the combustion products produced therefrom are of an irritating nature.

It has been found, in accordance with the further practice of this invention, that the desired coloration of the smokable material can be easily and quickly developed by the use of the compound identified as cyclohexanehexone having the general formula The compound produces a colored reaction product with basic materials, preferably in the presence of humidity, water or other solvent, in which the colors range from orange to a very dark brown, depending somewhat upon the strength of the base, the concentration of the compound and the temperature to which the material is heated for color development, together or separately. Such basic materials are present or can be added to the smokable material of synthetic or natural origin. Heat accelerates color development but it is undesirable to exceed a temperature of C and it is preferred to heat the treated material to a temperature below about 60-70C for a short period ot time.

The compound can be sprayed onto or otherwise incorporated in the smokable material of synthetic or natural origin. It can be used in trace amounts to give an improved appearance to the smokable material, but it is preferred to employ the compound in an amount within the range of 0.01 to 1.0 percent by weight of the smokable material.

Upon combustion, the coloring agent does not give off any significant amount of smoke, odor, aroma, or taste and therefore does not interfere with the pleasure of smoking the smokable material.

EXAMPLE 3 The composition of Example 1 is formulated to contain 0.1 percent by weight of cyclohexanehexone before pouring onto the Teflon coated surface for sheeting. The sheet is then heated for a short period of time of about 10 minutes to 50C.

' EXAMPLE 4 The shredded filler .produced in Example 2 is spray coated with 0.05 percent by weight of cyclohexanehexone and heated for 10-20 minutes ata temperature of EXAMPLE 5 The procedure of Example 4 is repeated with shreds of cured natural tobacco, instead of the synthetic material of Example 2. The natural tobacco takes on an attractive deep brown color of the highest quality cured tobacco.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of formulation and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A smokable material comprising the mixture of a resinous binder selected from the group consisting of vinylene carbonate or the homopolymer of copolymers thereof from which the combustion products are primarily carbon dioxide and water, and in which the vinylene carbonate has the general formula in which R, and R are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and an organic alkyl group and mixtures thereof, and a combustible filler selected from the group consisting of charcoal, combustible carbon, cellulose, oxycellulose, non-noxious cellulose derivative, degraded cellulose, non-noxious degraded cellulose derivative, vegetable products and tobacco and mixtures thereof.

2. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 which includes a non-combustible filler selected from the group consisting of perlite, talc, diatomaceous earth, titanium dioxide, silica and alumina and mixtures thereof.

3. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which the smokable material is in the form of a reconstituted sheet formed of the resinous binder in admixture with the filler.

4. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which the smokable material is in the form of a reconstituted sheet formed of a film of the resinous binder and a layer of filler bonded to the surface of the film.

5. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which the smokable material is a tobacco product coated and impregnated with a resinous binder component.

6. A wrapper for cigars and cigarettes comprising a sheet formed of the smokable material of claim-l.

7. A filler for pipes, cigars and cigarettes comprising shreds of the smokable material of claim 1.

8. A cigarette comprising a wrapper formed of a combustible material and a filler within the wrapper of the smokable material of claim 1 reduced to shreds.

9. A cigarette as claimed in claim 8 in which the wrapper is formed of the smokable material of claim 1.

10. A cigar comprising a wrapper of a combustible material and a filler within the wrapper formed of sheets of the smokable material of claim 1.

11. A cigar as claimed in claim 10 in which the wrapper is a reconstituted sheet of the smokable material of claim 1.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which cyclohexanehexone is incorporated as a component of the mixture making up the smokable material.

13. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which the smokable material has been subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature within the range of 14. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which chemical irritants present have been reduced by heat treatment of the smokable material at a temperature within the range of l0O-250C for a short period of time.

Claims

2. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 which includes a non-combustible filler selected from the group consisting of perlite, talc, diatomaceous earth, titanium dioxide, silica and alumina and mixtures thereof.
3. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which the smokable material is in the form of a reconstituted sheet formed of the resinous binder in admixture with the filler.
4. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which the smokable material is in the form of a reconstituted sheet formed of a film of the resinous binder and a layer of filler bonded to the surface of the film.
5. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which the smokable material is a tobacco product coated and impregnated with a resinous binder component.
6. A wrapper for cigars and cigarettes comprising a sheet formed of the smokable material of claim 1.
7. A filler for pipes, cigars and cigarettes comprising shreds of the smokable material of claim 1.
8. A cigarette comprising a wrapper formed of a combustible material and a filler within the wrapper of the smokable material of claim 1 reduced to shreds.
9. A cigarette as claimed in claim 8 in which the wrapper is formed of the smokable material of claim 1.
10. A cigar comprising a wrapper Of a combustible material and a filler within the wrapper formed of sheets of the smokable material of claim 1.
11. A cigar as claimed in claim 10 in which the wrapper is a reconstituted sheet of the smokable material of claim 1.
12. The method as claimed in claim 1 in which cyclohexanehexone is incorporated as a component of the mixture making up the smokable material.
13. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which the smokable material has been subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature within the range of 100*-250*C.
14. A smokable material as claimed in claim 1 in which chemical irritants present have been reduced by heat treatment of the smokable material at a temperature within the range of 100*-250*C for a short period of time.