Smoking article

Abstract

A smoking article, such as a cigarette, comprises a lighting end and a mouth end. The smoking article possesses an aerosol-generation system that includes (i) a heat generation segment, and (ii) an aerosol-generating region or segment. A mouth end piece segment can be located at the mouth end of the smoking article. A segment of tobacco cut filler, gathered tobacco paper, or other type of flavor source material, can be positioned between the mouth end piece segment and the aerosol-generation segment. Optionally, segment composed of tobacco cut filler can be positioned so as to provide a lighting end segment. The smoking article possesses an overwrap (e.g., a single paper overwrap) that extends over the longitudinally extending surface of the mouth end piece segment, the aerosol generation segment, at least a portion of the length of the heat generation segment, any segment located between the mouth end piece and aerosol generation segments, and at least a portion of the length of the optional lighting end segment. Alternatively, the smoking article possesses an overwrap (e.g., a single paper overwrap) that extends over the longitudinally extending surface of the aerosol-generating segment, at least a portion of the length of the heat generation segment, at least a portion of any segment located downstream from the aerosol-generating segment, and at least a portion of the length of the optional lighting end segment, thereby forming a cigarette rod; and the cigarette rod is connected or attached to a filter element using a tipping type of material and arrangement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cigarette comprising:
 a lighting end and a mouth end;   a mouth end piece segment disposed at the mouth end;   an aerosol-generation system including (i) a heat generation segment disposed at the lighting end, said heat generation segment having a length and including a heat source, and (ii) an aerosol-generating segment incorporating aerosol-forming material, said aerosol-generating segment having a length and being disposed adjacent to, and physically separate from, the heat generation segment;   a segment incorporating tobacco positioned between the aerosol-generating segment and the mouth end piece segment;   a single piece of outer wrapping material providing an overwrap (i) around the segment incorporating tobacco for at least a portion of its length, (ii) around the aerosol-generating segment for the length of that segment, and (iii) around the heat generation segment for at least a portion of its length; the segments being connected together by the overwrap to provide a cigarette rod; and   the mouth end piece segment being connected to the cigarette rod using tipping material.   
     
     
         2 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the heat generation segment has a length of less than about 30 mm, and the heat source comprises a carbonaceous fuel element. 
     
     
         3 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-generating segment incorporates glycerin, propylene glycol or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the heat generation segment and the aerosol-generating segment are in a heat exchange relationship with one another. 
     
     
         5 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the single piece of outer wrapping material that provides an overwrap extends up to about 1 mm to about 5 mm from the lighting end of the cigarette. 
     
     
         6 . The cigarette of  claim 1 , wherein the single piece of outer wrapping material that provides an overwrap extends so as to be flush with the lighting end of the cigarette. 
     
     
         7 . A method for manufacturing a cigarette of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 forming a two-up aerosol-generating segment having two ends;   connecting a heat generation segment to each end of the two-up smokable segment to provide a two-up combined segment;   subdividing the two-up combined segment to provide two combined segments;   forming a segment incorporating tobacco, that segment having two ends;   aligning one of the combined segments at one end of the segment incorporating tobacco, such that the aerosol-generating segment and the segment incorporating tobacco are adjacent to one another, so as to provide an aligned assembly;   wrapping the aligned assembly with a single piece of outer wrapping material thereby providing an overwrap (i) around the aerosol-generating segment for at least a portion of its length, (ii) around the heat generation segment for at least a portion of its length, and (iii) around the segment incorporating tobacco for at least a portion of its length; those segments being connected together by the overwrap to provide a cigarette rod; and   connecting a mouth end piece segment to the cigarette rod using tipping material.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the two-up aerosol generating segment and the heat generation segment are combined using a laminate of metal and paper. 
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a cigarette of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 aligning a heat generation segment, an aerosol-generating segment and a segment incorporating tobacco;   wrapping the aligned segments with a single piece of outer wrapping material thereby providing an overwrap (i) around the aerosol-generating segment for at least a portion of its length, (ii) around the heat generation segment for at least a portion of its length, and (iii) around the segment incorporating tobacco for at least a portion of its length; those segments being connected together by the overwrap to provide a cigarette rod; and   connecting a mouth end piece segment to the cigarette rod using tipping material.   
     
     
         10 . A cigarette comprising:
 a lighting end and a mouth end;   a mouth end piece segment disposed at the mouth end;   an aerosol-generation system including (i) a heat generation segment disposed at the lighting end, said heat generation segment having a length and including a heat source, and (ii) an aerosol-generating segment incorporating aerosol-forming material, said aerosol-generating segment having a length and being disposed adjacent to, and physically separate from, the heat generation segment;   a single piece of outer wrapping material providing an overwrap (i) around the aerosol-generating segment for at least a portion of its length, and (ii) around the heat generation segment for at least a portion of its length; the segments being connected together by the overwrap to provide a cigarette rod; and   the mouth end piece segment being connected to the cigarette rod using tipping material.   
     
     
         11 . The cigarette of  claim 10 , wherein the heat generation segment has a length of less than about 30 mm, and the heat source comprises a carbonaceous fuel element. 
     
     
         12 . The cigarette of  claim 10 , wherein the aerosol-generating segment incorporates glycerin, propylene glycol or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The cigarette of  claim 10 , wherein the heat generation segment and the aerosol-generating segment are in a heat exchange relationship with one another. 
     
     
         14 . The cigarette of  claim 10 , wherein the single piece of outer wrapping material that provides an overwrap extends up to about 1 mm to about 5 mm from the lighting end of the cigarette. 
     
     
         15 . A method for manufacturing a cigarette of  claim 10 , the method comprising:
 forming a two-up aerosol-generating segment having two ends;   connecting a heat generation segment to each end of the two-up aerosol-generating segment to provide a two-up combined segment;   subdividing the two-up combined segment to provide two combined segments; and   connecting a mouth end piece segment to at least one of the combined segments using tipping material.   
     
     
         16 . A cigarette comprising:
 a lighting end and a mouth end;   a mouth end piece segment having a length and disposed at the mouth end;   an aerosol-generation system including (i) a heat generation segment disposed at the lighting end, said heat generation segment having a length and including a heat source, and (ii) an aerosol-generating segment incorporating aerosol-forming material, said aerosol-generating segment having a length and being disposed adjacent to, and physically separate from, the heat generation segment;   a single piece of a first wrapping material providing an overwrap around at least a portion of the length of the heat generation segment and around at least a portion of the length of the aerosol-generating segment;   a tobacco-containing segment having a length and disposed between the aerosol-generating segment and the mouth end piece segment;   a single piece of a second wrapping material providing an overwrap around at least a portion of the length of the tobacco-containing segment and around at least a portion of the length of the aerosol-generating segment; and   a single piece of outer wrapping material providing an overwrap (i) around the length of the mouth end piece segment; (ii) around the length of the tobacco-containing segment, (iii) around the length of the aerosol-generating segment, and (iv) around the heat generation segment for at least a portion of its length.   
     
     
         17 . A method for manufacturing a cigarette of  claim 16 , the method comprising:
 forming a two-up aerosol-generating segment having two ends;   connecting a heat generation segment to each end of the two-up aerosol-generating segment to provide a two-up combined segment;   subdividing the two-up combined segment to provide two combined segments;   forming a two-up segment incorporating tobacco, that segment having two ends;   connecting a combined segment at each end of the two-up segment incorporating tobacco, such that the aerosol-generating segment and the segment incorporating tobacco are adjacent to one another, so as to provide a two-up combined cigarette rod;   subdividing the two-up combined cigarette rod to provide two cigarette rods;   aligning a mouth end piece segment at each end of each cigarette rod, such the mouth end piece segment is adjacent to the segment incorporating tobacco, thereby providing an aligned assembly; and   wrapping each aligned assembly with a single piece of outer wrapping material thereby providing an overwrap (i) around the heat generation segment for at least a portion of its length, (ii) around the length of the aerosol-generating segment, (iii) around the length of the segment incorporating tobacco, and (iv) around the length of the mouth end piece segment.