Segmented smoking article with monolithic substrate

Abstract

A cigarette includes lighting and mouth ends. It may include a smokable segment disposed at the lighting end. It also includes a mouth-end segment; an aerosol-generation system disposed between the lighting and mouth ends, which includes (i) a heat-generation segment adjacent the smokable segment, including a heat source configured to be activated by combustion of a smokable material and an insulation layer, and (ii) an aerosol-generating segment including a monolithic substrate with aerosol-forming material disposed between, but physically separate from, each of the heat generation segment and the mouth end; a piece of outer wrapping material that provides an overwrap around at least a portion of the aerosol-generating segment, the heat-generation segment, and at least a portion of the smokable segment; those segments being connected together by the overwrap to provide a cigarette rod; that is connected to the cigarette rod using tipping material.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cigarette comprising:
 a lighting end and a mouth end;   a mouth end piece segment disposed at the mouth end; and   an aerosol-generation system disposed between the lighting end and the mouth end piece segment, the aerosol-generation system including
 a heat generation segment disposed at the lighting end having a length including a heat source configured to be activated by ignition of the lighting end and an insulation layer of flame-retardant material disposed around the heat source; 
 an aerosol-generating segment incorporating aerosol-forming material, said aerosol-generating segment having a length and being disposed between, but physically separate from, each of the heat generation segment and the mouth end, wherein the aerosol-generating segment includes a monolithic substrate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises about one-tenth to about one-half of a total length of the cigarette. 
     
     
         3 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises tobacco, glycerin, water, and a binder. 
     
     
         4 . The cigarette of  claim 3 , wherein the monolithic substrate further comprises a selected one of calcium carbonate or graphite as a filler. 
     
     
         5 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises about 10 to about 90 weight-percent tobacco. 
     
     
         6 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises a mixture of flue-cured, Burley, and Turkish tobaccos. 
     
     
         7 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises a center-hole disposed longitudinally through a length thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises at least one slot on an exterior surface thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises diammonium phosphate. 
     
     
         10 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises a plurality of channels longitudinally disposed therethrough. 
     
     
         11 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , further comprising a hollow spacing tube disposed between the monolithic substrate and the mouth end. 
     
     
         12 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , further comprising a tobacco rod disposed between the monolithic substrate and the mouth end. 
     
     
         13 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises an outer diameter of about 5 mm to about 10 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises a generally cylindrical outer geometry. 
     
     
         15 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the lighting end comprises a tobacco portion distal of the heat source. 
     
     
         16 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises about 10 to about 90 weight-percent tobacco, about 5 to about 50 weight-percent glycerin, about 1 to about 30 weight-percent water, and about 0 to about 10 weight-percent binder. 
     
     
         17 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic substrate comprises about 23 to about 58 weight-percent tobacco, about 22 to about 32 weight-percent glycerin, about 1 to about 16 weight-percent water, and about 1 to about 4 weight-percent binder. 
     
     
         18 . A monolithic substrate member configured for use in a smoking article, the monolithic substrate comprising:
 a composition including about 10 to about 90 weight-percent tobacco, about 5 to about 50 weight-percent glycerin, about 1 to about 30 weight-percent water, and about 0 to about 10 weight-percent binder;   a body having generally cylindrical outer geometry of about 10 mm to about 50 mm in length;   at least one center-hole formed as a longitudinal channel through the body.   
     
     
         19 . The monolithic substrate member of  claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of grooves on an external body surface. 
     
     
         20 . A cigarette comprising the monolithic substrate member of  claim 19 .