Smoking articles having reduced carbon monoxide delivery

Abstract

The present invention is directed to smoking articles having reduced carbon monoxide delivery are described. A carbon monoxide reducing agent is incorporated into the smoking article in order to reduce carbon monoxide levels in mainstream smoke. The carbon monoxide reducing agent may be, for instance, in metal oxide or in metal carbonate. The carbon monoxide reducing agent may be incorporated into a wrapper and/or into a column of smokable filler that are used to construct the smoking article.

1 . A smoking article comprising: 
 a first component comprising a column of a smokable filler;    a second component comprising a wrapper surrounding the column of the smokable filler; and    a carbon monoxide reducing agent selected from the group consisting of metal oxides and metal carbonates, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being contained in the first component, the second component, or in both components, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being present in an amount sufficient to reduce carbon monoxide delivery in mg per smoking article by at least 10%.    
   
   
       2 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises iron oxide.  
   
   
       3 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises cobalt oxide, calcium peroxide, palladium oxide, platinum oxide, cobalt carbonate or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       4 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent has a median particle size of from about 0.05 microns to about 3 microns.  
   
   
       5 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is present in the first component or the second component in an amount up to about 40% by weight.  
   
   
       6 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is also present in an amount sufficient to reduce the carbon monoxide to tar ratio of the smoking article by at least about 10%.  
   
   
       7 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smokable filler comprises a tobacco.  
   
   
       8 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the column of smokable filler comprises reconstituted tobacco.  
   
   
       9 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the wrapper surrounding the column of the smokable filler comprises a sheet of reconstituted tobacco.  
   
   
       10 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises ferric oxide.  
   
   
       11 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises hydrated ferric oxide.  
   
   
       12 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the wrapper comprises an outer layer and an inner layer, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being contained in the inner layer.  
   
   
       13 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is only contained in the first component.  
   
   
       14 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is only contained in the second component.  
   
   
       15 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises a Group VIII oxide.  
   
   
       16 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 15 mg per smoking article.  
   
   
       17 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 12 mg per smoking article.  
   
   
       18 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 10 mg per smoking article.  
   
   
       19 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide to tar ratio of less than about 1.0.  
   
   
       20 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide to tar ratio of less than about 0.7.  
   
   
       21 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide to tar ratio of less than about 0.5.  
   
   
       22 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article further comprises low permeability areas surrounding the column of the smokable filler, the low permeability areas having a permeability within a range sufficient to reduce ignition proclivity.  
   
   
       23 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has an average carbon monoxide delivery per puff of less than about 1.7 mg.  
   
   
       24 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has an average carbon monoxide delivery per puff of less than about 1.5 mg.  
   
   
       25 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has an average carbon monoxide delivery per puff of less than about 1.25 mg.  
   
   
       26 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the smoking article has an average carbon monoxide delivery per puff of less than about 1.0 mg.  
   
   
       27 . A smoking article comprising: 
 a first component comprising a column of a smokable filler, the smokable filler comprising a tobacco;    a second component comprising a wrapper surrounding the column of the smokable filler; and    a carbon monoxide reducing agent contained in the first component, the second component, or in both components, the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprising an iron oxide, a cobalt oxide, a calcium peroxide, a palladium oxide, a platinum oxide, a cobalt carbonate, or mixtures thereof, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being present in the first component or in the second component in an amount from about 3% by weight to about 40% by weight, the smoking article having a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 15 mg per smoking article and having a carbon monoxide to tar ratio of less than about 1.0.    
   
   
       28 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises a Group VIII oxide.  
   
   
       29 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises a ferric oxide.  
   
   
       30 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 29 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises a hydrated ferric oxide.  
   
   
       30 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is present in the first component or present in the second component in an amount of at least about 10% by weight.  
   
   
       31 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 12 mg per smoking article.  
   
   
       32 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 10 mg per smoking article.  
   
   
       33 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide to tar ratio of less than about 0.7.  
   
   
       34 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide to tar ratio of less than about 0.5.  
   
   
       35 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the smoking article further comprises low permeability areas surrounding the column of the smokable filler, the low permeability areas having a permeability within a range sufficient to reduce ignition proclivity.  
   
   
       36 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the wrapper comprises at least an outer layer and an inner layer, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being contained in the inner layer.  
   
   
       37 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is only contained in the first component.  
   
   
       38 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is only contained in the second component.  
   
   
       39 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the column of smokable filler comprises reconstituted tobacco.  
   
   
       40 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the wrapper surrounding the column of the smokable filler comprises a sheet of reconstituted tobacco.  
   
   
       41 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 27 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is contained within the wrapper, the wrapper comprising pulp fibers, the wrapper having a permeability of from about 15 Coresta to about 110 Coresta, and a basis weight of from about 18 gsm to about 60 gsm.  
   
   
       42 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 41 , wherein the wrapper further contains a filler.  
   
   
       43 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 42 , wherein the filler comprises calcium carbonate.  
   
   
       44 . A process for reducing carbon monoxide delivery in a smoking article comprising: 
 incorporating into the smoking article a carbon monoxide reducing agent, the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprising a Group VIII oxide, a calcium peroxide, a cobalt carbonate, or mixtures thereof, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being present in an amount sufficient to reduce carbon monoxide delivery in mg per smoking article by at least about 10%, the smoking article having a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 15 mg per smoking article and having a carbon monoxide to tar ratio of less than about 1.0.    
   
   
       45 . A process as defined in  claim 44 , wherein the smoking article comprises a column of smokable filler and a wrapper surrounding the column, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being contained in the wrapper.  
   
   
       46 . A process as defined in  claim 44 , wherein the smoking article comprises a column of smokable filler and a wrapper surrounding the column, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being contained in the smokable filler.  
   
   
       47 . A process as defined in  claim 44 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises a ferric oxide  
   
   
       48 . A smoking article comprising: 
 a first component comprising a column of a smokable filler, the smokable filler comprising a tobacco;    a second component comprising a wrapper surrounding the column of the smokable filler;    low permeability areas contained within the wrapper at selected locations, the lower permeability areas creating a BMI range within the wrapper sufficient to reduce ignition proclivity by reducing oxygen to a smoldering coal of the smoking article as the coal burns and advances into the lower permeability areas, the wrapper having a BMI of less than about 8 cm −1  within the lower permeability areas; and    wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 15 mg per smoking article and has a carbon monoxide to tar ratio of less than about 1.0.    
   
   
       49 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the smoking article has an average carbon monoxide per puff of less than about 1.75 mg.  
   
   
       50 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the smoking article has an average carbon monoxide per puff of less than about 1.5 mg.  
   
   
       51 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the smoking article has an average carbon monoxide per puff of less than about 1.25 mg.  
   
   
       52 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 12 mg per smoking article.  
   
   
       53 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the smoking article has a carbon monoxide delivery of less than about 10 mg per smoking article.  
   
   
       54 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the carbon monoxide to tar ratio is less than about 0.7.  
   
   
       55 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the carbon monoxide to tar ratio is less than about 0.5.  
   
   
       56 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the smoking article further comprises a carbon monoxide reducing agent contained within the first component, the second component, or in both components, the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprising a Group VIII oxide, a Group VIII carbonate, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       57 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 56 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is only contained within the wrapper, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being present in the wrapper in an amount from about 0.3% to about 40% by weight.  
   
   
       58 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 57 , wherein the wrapper comprises a paper layer containing pulp fibers, the paper layer having a permeability of from about 15 Coresta to about 110 Coresta and a basis weight from about 18 gsm to about 60 gsm.  
   
   
       59 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 57 , wherein the wrapper comprises an outer layer and an inner layer, the carbon monoxide reducing agent being contained within the inner layer.  
   
   
       60 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 59 , wherein the inner layer comprises reconstituted tobacco.  
   
   
       61 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 56 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent is only contained in the first component.  
   
   
       62 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 61 , wherein the smokable filler comprises reconstituted tobacco.  
   
   
       63 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 56 , wherein the lower permeability areas comprise bands located on the wrapper.  
   
   
       64 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 63 , wherein the bands are substantially parallel to an axis of the smoking article.  
   
   
       65 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 63 , wherein the bands are substantially perpendicular to an axis of the smoking article.  
   
   
       66 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the wrapper has a BMI from about 1 cm −1  to about 5 cm −1  within the lower permeability areas.  
   
   
       67 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the lower permeability areas are formed by coating the wrapper with a film-forming composition.  
   
   
       68 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the lower permeability areas comprise a cellulosic composition that has been applied to the wrapper.  
   
   
       69 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 48 , wherein the lower permeability areas comprise pieces of a fibrous web that have been placed in association with the wrapper.  
   
   
       70 . A smoking article as defined in  claim 56 , wherein the carbon monoxide reducing agent comprises a ferric oxide.