Modified reconstituted tobacco sheet

Abstract

A reconstituted tobacco sheet for use in a cigarette includes up to about 80% by weight of wood pulp, up to about 30% by weight of a binder, and up to about 80% by weight of tobacco. A humectant and a flavor may be included. The reconstituted tobacco sheet is used in elongated strips along the outer surface of a tobacco rod between the tobacco rod and an inner surface of an outer wrap of cigarette paper

1 . A process for making a reconstituted tobacco sheet having a binder, comprising the steps of: 
 preparing a slurry containing a mixture of up to about 80% by weight tobacco, and up to about 30% by weight of said binder; and    coating a preformed reconstituted tobacco sheet, wherein said sheet contains up to about 80% wood pulp, with said slurry.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said reconstituted sheet contains up to about 60% by weight of said wood pulp.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said slurry contains up to about 20% by weight of said binder.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , including the addition of up to about 30% by weight of a flavor in said solid mixture.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein said solid mixture contains from about 3% to about 5% by weight of said flavor.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , said tobacco being firstly added to an aqueous solvent to from said slurry, and said binder being added to said slurry secondly, each of said tobacco and said binder being dispersed before adding to said preformed reconstituted tobacco sheet.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , said binder being selected from the group consisting of alginate, guar, xanthan, acacia, pectin, other gums, modified cellulose compounds, and hydrocolloid based compounds.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein said alginate is sodium alginate.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , including the addition of a humectant.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , said humectant being selected from the group consisting of glycerin and propylene glycol.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , said glycerin being up to 30% by weight of said mixture.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 cutting said sheet of reconstituted tobacco into longitudinal strips;    inserting a plurality of said longitudinal strips of said reconstituted tobacco into a cigarette adjacent a column of tobacco.    
     
     
         13 . A process for making a reconstituted tobacco sheet comprising the steps of: 
 preparing a slurry including a binder, a humectant, tobacco, and a flavoring, said tobacco being up to about 80% by weight and dispersed in an aqueous solvent into said slurry, said binder being up to about 30% by weight and dispersed secondly into said slurry, said humectant being up to about 30% by weight and dispersed thirdly into said slurry, and then up to about 30% by weight of flavor being dispersed lastly into said slurry;    coating a preformed reconstituted tobacco sheet with said slurry;    cutting said sheet of reconstituted tobacco into longitudinal strips; and    inserting a plurality of said longitudinal strips of said reconstituted tobacco into a cigarette adjacent a column of tobacco.    
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , said binder being selected from the group consisting of alginate, guar, xanthan, acacia, pectin, other gums, modified cellulose compounds, and hydrocolloid based compounds.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said alginate is sodium alginate  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , said humectant being selected from the group consisting of glycerin and propylene glycol.  
     
     
         17 . A cigarette comprising: 
 a tobacco column surrounded by an outer wrap paper; and,    a partial inner wrap material extending longitudinally of said tobacco column and disposed between said outer wrap, said partial inner wrap being one or more strips of a reconstituted tobacco sheet which is comprised of up to about 80% by weight of wood pulp, up to about 30% by weight of a binder, and up to about 80% by weight of tobacco, said partial inner wrap being coated with a coating comprising up to about 80% by weight tobacco and up to about 30% by weight of a binder.    
     
     
         18 . The cigarette of  claim 17 , including up to about 30% by weight of flavor in said inner wrap.  
     
     
         19 . The cigarette of  claim 18 , wherein said flavor is from about 3% to about 5% by weight of said inner wrap.  
     
     
         20 . The cigarette of  claim 17 , including up to about 30% by weight of a humectant in said inner wrap.  
     
     
         21 . The cigarette of  claim 20 , said humectant being selected from the group consisting of glycerin and propylene glycol.  
     
     
         22 . The cigarette of  claim 17 , said binder being selected from the group consisting of alginate, guar, xanthan, acacia, pectin, other gums, modified cellulose compounds, and hydrocolloid based compounds.  
     
     
         23 . The cigarette of  claim 22 , said alginate being sodium alginate.  
     
     
         24 . The cigarette of  claim 17 , wherein said wood pulp is up to about 60% by weight of said reconstituted tobacco sheet.  
     
     
         25 . The cigarette of  claim 17 , wherein said binder is up to about 20% by weight of said reconstituted tobacco sheet.  
     
     
         26 . A reconstituted tobacco sheet, comprised of up to about 80% by weight of wood pulp, up to about 30% by weight of binder, and up to about 80% by weight of tobacco.  
     
     
         27 . The sheet of  claim 26 , wherein said wood pulp is up to about 60% by weight.  
     
     
         28 . The sheet of  claim 26 , wherein said binder is up to about 20% by weight.  
     
     
         29 . The sheet of  claim 26 , including up to about 30% by weight of flavor.  
     
     
         30 . The sheet of  claim 29 , wherein said flavor is from about 3% to about 5% by weight.  
     
     
         31 . The sheet of  claim 26 , including up to about 30% by weight of a humectant.  
     
     
         32 . The sheet of  claim 26 , said humectant being selected from the group consisting of glycerin and propylene glycol.  
     
     
         33 . The sheet of  claim 26 , said binder being selected from the group consisting of alginate, guar, xanthan, acacia, pectin, other gums, modified cellulose compounds, and hydrocolloid based compounds.  
     
     
         34 . The sheet of  claim 33 , said alginate being sodium alginate.  
     
     
         35 . The sheet of  claim 26 , wherein said reconstituted tobacco sheet is formed in a plurality of longitudinal strips, said strips inserted into a cigarette adjacent a column of tobacco.  
     
     
         36 . The sheet of  claim 35 , wherein said plurality of longitudinal strips are a first and a second strip positioned equidistant from each other.  
     
     
         37 . A process for making a modified reconstituted tobacco sheet, comprising the steps of: 
 preparing a slurry containing tobacco particles and an aqueous solvent;    extracting said slurry at about 160° F. for about 30 minutes;    separating said slurry into an extract with water soluble compounds and solid portion;    mixing said solid portion with wood pulp, wherein said wood is up to about 80% by weight;    forming said solid portion into a reconstituted tobacco sheet over a Fourdriner paper machine wire;    centrifuging and concentrating said extract;    adding a first binder to said extract, wherein said first binder is up to about 30% by weight;    adding a humectant to said extract, wherein said humectant is up to about 30% by weight;    applying said extract to said reconstituted tobacco sheet and drying;    slitting said reconstituted tobacco sheet into elongated strips; and    inserting a plurality of said elongated strips into a cigarette adjacent a column of tobacco.    
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 37 , said tobacco particles and said aqueous solvent being in a ratio of from about 1:11 to about 1:20.  
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 37 , wherein said solid portion and said wood pulp are further mixed with a second binder, said second binder being up to about 30% by weight.  
     
     
         40 . The process of  claim 39 , said second binder being selected from the group consisting of alginate, guar, xanthan, acacia, pectin, other gums, modified cellulose compounds, and hydrocolloid compounds.  
     
     
         41 . The process of  claim 40 , wherein said alginate is sodium alginate.  
     
     
         42 . The process of  claim 37 , wherein said extract is treated with adsorbents.  
     
     
         43 . The process of  claim 37 , said first binder being selected from the group consisting of alginate, guar, xanthan, acacia, pectin, other gums, modified cellulose compounds, and hydrocolloid compounds.  
     
     
         44 . The process of  claim 43 , wherein said alginate is sodium alginate.  
     
     
         45 . The process of  claim 37 , said humectant being selected from the group consisting of glycerin and propylene glycol.  
     
     
         46 . The process of  claim 37 , including the addition of up to about 30% by weight of a flavor to said extract.  
     
     
         47 . The process of  claim 46 , wherein said extract contains from about 3% to about 5% by weight of said flavor.  
     
     
         48 . The process of  claim 37 , including the addition of an inert filler to said solid portion before forming said reconstituted tobacco sheet over said Fourdriner paper machine wire.  
     
     
         49 . The process of  claim 48 , wherein said inert filler is selected from the group consisting of chalk, chitosan, liposan, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         50 . The process of  claim 37 , including the step of applying a third binder solution to said reconstituted tobacco sheet subsequent, wherein said binder is selected from the group consisting of alginate, guar, xanthan, acacia, pectin, other gums, modified cellulose compounds, and hydrocolloid based compounds.