Patent EA-003066-B1 (EA)
Title: Cigarette having reduced sidestream smoke
Inventor: NICHOLS WALTER A
IPC: A24D1/00
Filed: 1999-01-06
Abstract: 1. A smoking article having reduced sidestream smoke between puffs, including: a smoking material; an ignition element within the smoking material, the smoking material being more readily extinguishable in a low oxygen environment compared to the ignition element; a first layer of material formed around the smoking material and the ignition element; and a second layer of material formed around the first layer, wherein the second layer reduces combustion of the smoking material between puffs and wherein the first layer is more combustible than the second layer when exposed to thermal energy generated by the ignition element and smoking material. 2. The smoking article according to claim 1 wherein the second layer includes a composite layer containing a plurality of layers. 3. The smoking article according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the composite layer includes a metal foil layer. 4. The smoking article according to claim 3 wherein the composite layer includes a paper layer laminated to the metal foil layer. 5. The smoking article according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the composite layer includes two paper layers laminated on either side of the metal foil layer. 6. The smoking article according to any one of the preceding claims in which the second layer has at least one perforation therethrough. 7. The smoking article according to claim 6 wherein the said at least one perforation is blocked by the first layer of material before use of the article. 8. The smoking article according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein at least portions of the first layer of material located beneath the said at least one perforation are sufficiently combustible when exposed to heat generated by the ignition element and the smoking material that the portions are burned away during use of the article. 9. The smoking article according to claim 8 wherein comprises a plug containing a combustible filling material which blocks said perforation. 10. The smoking article according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the second layercomprises a plurality of perforations. 11. The smoking article according to any one of claims 6 to 10 wherein the second perforation includes at least one perforation of a first size and at least one perforation of a second size larger than the first size. 12. The smoking article according to claim 11 wherein the said perforation of the first size is located closer to the end of the smoking article at which the smoking material is exposed than the said perforation of the second size. 13. The smoking article according to any one of claims 6 to 12 wherein the second layer includes a plurality of perforations arranged in a pattern. 14. The smoking article according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the ignition element includes a carbon-based material. 15. A cigarette wrapper for a cigarette having reduced sidestream smoke between puffs, including: a first layer of material; and a second layer of material overlying the first layer wherein the first layer is more combustible than the second layer when exposed to thermal energy generated by a smoking material wrapped in the wrapper and wherein, in use, the second layer reduces combustion between puffs of a smoking material wrapped in the wrapper. 16. The cigarette wrapper according to claim 15 wherein the second layer includes a composite layer containing a plurality of layers. l7. The cigarette wrapper according to claim 16 wherein the composite layer includes a metal foil layer. 18. The cigarette wrapper according to claim 17 wherein the composite layer includes a paper layer laminated to the metal foil layer. 19. The cigarette wrapper according to claim 17 or claim 18 wherein the composite layer includes two paper layers laminated on either side of the metal foil layer. 20. The cigarette wrapper according to any one of claims 15 to 19 further including at least one perforation in the second layer. 21. The cigarette wrapper according to claim 20 wherein the second layer includes a plurality of perforations arranged in a pattern. 22. The cigarette wrapper according to claim 20 or claim 21 wherein the second layer includes at least one perforation of a first size and at least one perforation of a second size larger than the first size. 23. The cigarette wrapper according to any one of claims 20, to 22 wherein the said at least one perforation is blocked by the first layer of material. 24. The cigarette wrapper according to claim 23 wherein at least portions of the first layer of material located beneath the said at least one perforation are sufficiently combustible when exposed to heat that, in use, portions are burned away during smoking of a cigarette wrapped by the wrapper. 25. A smoking article having reduced sidestream smoke between puffs, including a wrapper according to any one of claims 15 to 24 wrapped around a smoking material. 26. The smoking article according to claim 25 including an ignition element within the smoking material, the smoking material being more readily extinguishable in a low oxygen environment compared to the ignition element and the ignition element includes a carbon-based material. 27. The smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 14 or according to claim 25 or claim 26 wherein the ignition element has a substantially cylindrical shape and is concentrically aligned with the longitudinal axis of the smoking article. 28. The smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 14 or according to any one of claims 25, to 27 wherein the smoking material includes a tobacco-based material. 29. The smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 14 or according to any one of claims 25 to 28 wherein the second layer extends to the end of the smoking article at which the smoking material is exposed. 30. The smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 14 or according to any one of claims 25 to 29 wherein the second layer extends to within a non-zero distance from the end of the article at which the smoking material is exposed. 31. The smoking article according to claim 30 wherein the second layer extends to within approximately 1mm to 5mm from the said distal end. 32. The smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 14 or according to any one of claims 25 to 31 wherein the second layer includes at least one perforation of a first size and at least one perforation of a second size larger than the first size and wherein the said at least one perforation of the first size is located closer to the distal end of the smoking article than the said one perforation of the second size.