Process for making a bandcast tobacco sheet and smoking article therefrom

Abstract

A bandcast tobacco sheet for use in a cigarette includes from about 5 to 15% by weight of wood pulp, from about 15 to 40% by weight of binder and from about 15 to 40% by weight of tobacco. A humectant may be included up to 30% by weight and an additive, such as menthol, may be added to up about 30% by weight. A bandcast 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 bandcast tobacco sheet comprising the steps of: 
 preparing a slurry containing a solid mixture of from about 15 to 40% by weight tobacco, from about 15 to 50% by weight wood pulp, and from about 15 to 40% by weight binder, said solid mix being from about 2 to 8% by weight of water in said slurry;    casting the slurry onto a casting surface; and,    drying said slurry to form a sheet of bandcast tobacco.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , said drying being at 180° F. to 220° F.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , said wood pulp being added to said slurry firstly, said tobacco being added to said slurry secondly, and said binder being added to said slurry thirdly, each of said wood pulp, tobacco, and binder being dissolved or dispersed before adding a next of said wood pulp, binder, and tobacco.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  including the addition of up to 30% by weight of menthol in said solid mixture.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , said tobacco being approximately 27% by weight of said mixture, said wood pulp being approximately 13.5% by weight of said mixture, said binder being approximately 27% by weight of said mixture, said mixture including additionally menthol at approximately 20% by weight.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , said binder being an alginate.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , said alginate being sodium alginate.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  including the addition of a humectant.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , said humectant being glycerine.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , said glycerine being up to 30% by weight of said mixture.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 cutting said sheet of bandcast tobacco into longitudinal strips;    inserting a plurality of said longitudinal strips of said bandcast tobacco into a cigarette adjacent a column of tobacco.    
     
     
         12 . A process for making a bandcast tobacco sheet comprising the steps of: 
 preparing a slurry including wood pulp, binder, a humectant, tobacco, and a flavoring,    said wood pulp being from 5 to 15% by weight and dispersed firstly into said slurry,    said tobacco being from 15 to 40% by weight and dispersed secondly into said slurry,    said binder being 15 to 40% by weight and dispersed thirdly into said slurry,    said humectant being up to 30% by weight and dispersed fourthly into said slurry,    and then up to 30% by weight of menthol being dispersed lastly into said slurry, said slurry having a total solids content being 2% to 8% by weight of said slurry;    casting said slurry onto a casting band, said casting band being maintained at from 180° F. to 220° F.; and,    drying said slurry to form a sheet of bandcast tobacco.