Materials and methods for manufacturing cigarettes

Abstract

Cigarettes are manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an off-line manner to a continuous paper sheet web that is later used for cigarette manufacture. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an on-line manner to continuous paper web moving through an operating cigarette making machine. The coating formulation is applied to the paper web using roll applicator techniques, ink jet printing techniques or electrostatic precipitation techniques. Liquid coating formulation are curable, and are virtually absent of solvent or liquid carrier. Radiation, such as ultraviolet or electron beam radiation, is used to solidify and fix polymerizable liquid components of the coating formulation that have been applied to the paper web. Heating and subsequent cooling of the coating formulation used to fix solid components of the coating formulation that have been applied to the paper web. Registration techniques are used to ensure proper positioning of the additive material on the smokable rods so manufactured, and to ensure proper quality of those cigarettes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for applying an additive material to a paper web, comprising the steps of: 
 supplying an advancing strip of the paper web within a cigarette making machine;    providing an additive material incorporating a polymerizable pre-polymer;    applying the additive material to the paper web;    subjecting the additive material applied to the paper web to radiation, of a type and in a manner sufficient, to cause the pre-polymer to undergo polymerization; and    using the paper web as a wrapping material for smokable material.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation to which the pre-polymer is subjected comprises gamma radiation.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation to which the pre-polymer is subjected comprises ultra violet radiation.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the additive material comprises a formulation that includes an initiator.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-polymer comprises a liquid form.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the additive material comprises a formulation that includes at least one filler material.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the additive material comprises a formulation that includes at least one filler material.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein applying the additive material to the paper web comprises application using contact.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein applying the additive material to the paper web comprises non-contact application.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein applying the additive material to the paper web further comprises ejection-type application.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein applying the additive material to the paper web further comprises application using a plurality of printheads.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein applying the additive material to the paper web comprises applying the additive material in pre-determined amounts and at pre-determined locations on the paper web.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the additive material is essentially free of solvent.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the additive material is essentially free of solvent.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the formulation is essentially free of solvent.  
     
     
         16 . A process for applying an additive material to a wrapping material, comprising the steps of: 
 supplying wrapping material suitable for use for cigarette manufacture using a cigarette making machine;    providing an additive material incorporating a polymerizable pre-polymer;    applying the additive material to the wrapping material;    subjecting the additive material applied to the wrapping material to radiation, of a type and in a manner sufficient, to cause the pre-polymer to undergo polymerization; and    using the wrapping material as a wrapping material for smokable material.    
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the radiation to which the pre-polymer is subjected comprises gamma radiation.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the radiation to which the pre-polymer is subjected comprises ultra violet radiation.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the additive material comprises a formulation that includes an initiator.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the pre-polymer comprises a liquid form.  
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the additive material comprises a formulation that includes at least one filler material.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the additive material comprises a formulation that includes at least one filler material.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein applying the additive material to the wrapping material comprises application using contact.  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein applying the additive material to the wrapping material comprises non-contact application.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein applying the additive material to the wrapping material further comprises ejection-type application.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein applying the additive material to the wrapping material further comprises application using a plurality of printheads.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein applying the additive material to the wrapping material comprises applying the additive material in pre-determined amounts and at pre-determined locations on the wrapping material.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the additive material is essentially free of solvent.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the additive material is essentially free of solvent.  
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the formulation is essentially free of solvent.  
     
     
         31 . A process for applying an additive material to a paper web, comprising the steps of: 
 supplying a strip of the paper web suitable for use as a wrapping material for cigarette manufacture;    providing an additive material incorporating a polymeric material;    applying the additive material to the paper web using electrostatic deposition;    subjecting the additive material applied to the paper web to conditions sufficient to cause the polymeric material to be fixed to the paper web; and    using the paper web as a wrapping material for smokable material.    
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the additive material comprises a formulation that includes at least one filler material.  
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 31 , further comprising subjecting the additive material applied to the paper web to heat.  
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein applying the additive material to the paper web comprises applying the additive material in pre-determined amounts and at pre-determined locations on the paper web.  
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein the formulation is essentially free of solvent.  
     
     
         36 . An process for applying an additive material to a wrapping material, comprising the steps of: 
 supplying wrapping material suitable for use as a wrapping material for cigarette manufacture;    providing an additive material incorporating a polymeric material;    applying the additive material to the wrapping material;    subjecting the additive material applied to the wrapping material to conditions sufficient to cause the polymeric material to be fixed to the wrapping material; and    using the wrapping material as a wrapping material for smokable material.    
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 36 , wherein the additive material comprises a formulation that includes at least one filler material.  
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 36 , further comprising subjecting the additive material applied to the wrapping material to heat.  
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 36 , wherein applying the additive material to the wrapping material comprises applying the additive material in pre-determined amounts and at pre-determined locations on the wrapping material.  
     
     
         40 . The process of  claim 37 , wherein the formulation is essentially free of solvent.