R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Dennis L Carespodi

Thomas A Perfetti

William Monroe Coleman, Iii

Thomas L Gentry

Charles Ray Ashcraft

Milly M Wong

Barry L Saintsing

Matthew S Koschak

A cigarette has a blend of tobacco materials and a filter element provided from a non-woven thermoplastic material. The non-woven material comprises polyester or polypropylene fibers. The non-woven material is in intimate contact with a high molecular weight material (e.g., an emulsifier or another polymeric material). As such the filter material is coated with another polymeric material. The coated non-woven material can be in intimate contact with an acidic material (e.g., lactic acid) or a basic material (e.g., sodium hydroxide). Certain cigarettes can have relatively high nicotine smokable blends and filter elements having the coated non-woven filter material in intimate contact with an acidic material. Certain other cigarettes can have relatively low nicotine smokable blends and filter elements having the coated non-woven filter material in intimate contact with a basic material. Certain other cigarettes can be 'ultra low tar' cigarettes including filter elements having the coated non-woven filter material in intimate contact with a basic material.

Cigarette and cigarette filter element therefor

A cigarette smoking article includes a tobacco rod and a dual filter comprising a tobacco rod end segment made of cellulose acetate tow and a mouth end segment made of a gathered, perforated polymeric film blended with a whitener to produce a substantially non-staining mouth end surface. The polymeric film may also comprise a coextruded flavor film with a flavor carrier layer disposed between a pair of barrier layers for releasing a flavorant into the mainstream smoke during smoking of the cigarette. Transparent wraps may be used to construct the cigarette from the component parts so that the filtration surfaces of the filter rod are visible through the wraps.

Smoking article filter

An all polymeric, die cuttable symmetrical lidding laminate for a container which is heat sealable to and peelable from the container. In one embodiment, the laminate structure comprises a core layer of a biaxially oriented voided polypropylene film to the opposite sides of which first and second outer layers of a nonvoid-bearing biaxially oriented polyester film are adhesively laminated to form a symmetrical or balanced laminate structure. A heat seal layer or coating is applied to one side of the laminate structure. A static charge dissipating layer or coating is applied to the other side of the laminate structure. The laminate has sufficient stiffness to be readily die cuttable, has excellent lay flat characteristics, remains substantially curl-free when exposed to heat from either side and is readily denested from a stack of lids during package processing.

Polymeric die-cuttable lidding materials

The invention provides a packaging laminate which is heat sealable to polypropylene, high density polyethylene or linear low density polyethylene to provide a strong seal which is cleanly peelable at the heat seal interface under hand pressure. The laminate has at least two layers. A heat sealable surface layer is composed of a melt blend comprising between about 55 and 95 wt. % of a substantially linear polyolefin and between about 5 and about 45 wt. % of a polyolefin rubber. The second layer is a heat stable layer which is structurally stable at temperatures in excess of 350.degree. F. or greater and which has sufficient thickness to provide structural stability during heat sealing.

Growing community of inventors

Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Dennis L Carespodi