CIGARILLO AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME

Abstract

A cigarillo includes a tobacco rod element having tobacco cut filler and a binder layer which binds or holds the tobacco cut filler within the rod element; and an outer wrapper of natural tobacco leaf which encompasses or covers the tobacco rod element, wherein the natural tobacco leaf of the outer wrapper comprises a pattern imprinted or impressed therein. A method of producing a cover layer of natural tobacco leaf for use in manufacturing a cigarillo includes providing a substantially continuous web of a support material having a surface profile, which typically includes surface profile elements such as projections; arranging a plurality of natural tobacco leaves extended flat over the web of support material; and layering the substantially continuous web with the plurality of natural tobacco leaves supported thereon, whereby the surface profile of the web impresses or imprints a pattern into the plurality of natural tobacco leaves.

Claims

1. A smoking article, especially a cigarillo, comprising: a tobacco rod element comprising tobacco cut filler and a binder layer which holds the tobacco cut filler within the rod element; and an outer wrapper of natural tobacco leaf which encompasses or envelops the tobacco rod element; wherein the natural tobacco leaf of the outer wrapper comprises a pattern imprinted therein.

2. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the pattern imprinted in the natural tobacco leaf of the outer wrapper comprises a substantially regular pattern, of a series of raised portions and/or depressions formed regularly spaced apart over a surface of the natural tobacco leaf.

3. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is formed in a surface of the natural tobacco leaf facing away from the tobacco cut filler.

4. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the pattern, comprises elongate and/or substantially linear portions which extend transverse to a longitudinal axis of the smoking article.

5. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the substantially linear portions are regularly spaced apart by an interval in the range of from about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

6. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the binder layer is selected from the group consisting of: paper and homogenised or reconstituted tobacco material.

7. A smoking article according to claim 1, further comprising a filter arranged adjacent to the tobacco rod element, wherein the outer wrapper encompasses or covers at least a part of the filter to attach the filter to the tobacco rod element.

8. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the outer wrapper is wrapped cylindrically or helically around the tobacco rod element.

9. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the smoking article has a length in the range of about 70 mm to about 100 mm and a diameter in the range of about 7.5 mm to about 8.5 mm.

10. A method of manufacturing a smoking article, such as a cigarillo, comprising the steps: fabricating a tobacco rod element comprised of tobacco cut filler and a binder layer which binds the tobacco cut filler in the rod element; providing a cover layer of natural tobacco leaf, wherein the cover layer comprises a pattern imprinted in the natural tobacco leaf; and wrapping or covering the tobacco rod element with the cover layer of natural tobacco leaf.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step of providing the cover layer of natural tobacco leaf comprises feeding or delivering the natural tobacco leaf to be wrapped around the tobacco rod element supported on a web of material, wherein the web of material comprises a surface profile which impresses the pattern into the natural tobacco leaf.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the pattern imprinted in the natural tobacco leaf of the cover layer is a regular pattern comprising elongate linear portions which are spaced apart over a surface of the tobacco leaf and extend transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cigarillo, wherein the cover layer is wrapped around the tobacco rod element with the pattern formed in a surface of the natural tobacco leaf facing away from the tobacco cut filler.

13. A method of producing a cover layer of natural tobacco leaf for use in manufacturing a cigarillo, comprising: providing a substantially continuous web of a support material having a surface profile comprising surface profile elements; arranging a plurality of natural tobacco leaves extended flat over the web of support material; and layering the substantially continuous web with the plurality of natural tobacco leaves supported thereon, whereby the surface profile of the web impresses or imprints a pattern into the plurality of natural tobacco leaves.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of layering the web with the plurality of natural tobacco leaves comprises rolling the web into a roll, tension of the web during the rolling having a value which provides the roll with a Shore A hardness in the range of 50 to 54.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of natural tobacco leaves supported on the web are held in a flat and/or a stretched condition between layers of the web.

16. A smoking article according to claim 5, wherein the substantially linear portions are regularly spaced apart by an interval in the range of from about 2 mm to about 5 mm.

17. A smoking article according to claim 6, wherein the binder layer is paper, and wherein the paper is white or coloured to match a colour of the outer wrapper of the cigarillo.

18. A smoking article according to claim 8, wherein the outer wrapper comprises flue-cured Virginia tobacco leaf.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein the elongate linear portions include a series of raised portions and/or depressions.

20. A method according to claim 13, wherein the surface profile elements include projections.

21. A method according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of natural tobacco leaves are arranged on the web in spaced, generally parallel arrangement.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of natural tobacco leaves are arranged on the web extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the web.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] For a more complete understanding of the invention and the advantages thereof, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of parts of a cigarillo as well as steps (a) to (d) in a method of manufacturing such a cigarillo according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of parts of a cigarillo as well as steps (a) to (e) in a method of manufacturing such a cigarillo according to another embodiment of the invention; and

[0036] FIG. 3 is a flow chart representing a method of producing a cover layer of natural tobacco leaf for use in manufacturing a smoking article, such as a cigarillo, according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate particular embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as they become better understood with reference to the following detailed description.

[0038] It will be appreciated that common and well understood elements that may be useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are not necessarily depicted in order to facilitate a more abstracted view of the embodiments. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily illustrated to scale relative to each other. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps in an embodiment of a method may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrences while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used in the present specification have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study, except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

[0039] With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, parts and method steps in the production or manufacture a smoking article according to an embodiment of the invention are illustrated. In FIG. 1(a), a tobacco rod element 1 is shown, which is itself typically cut from a substantially longer tobacco rod (not shown) manufactured on known, high-speed machinery used in cigarette production. The tobacco rod element 1 comprises a filling of tobacco cut filler (not visible) which is covered or enclosed by a binder layer 2 that forms a generally cylindrical sheath or sleeve for holding the tobacco cut filler within the rod element 1. The binder layer 2 may, for example, comprise paper (e.g. cigarette paper) or homogenised tobacco material (e.g. cast tobacco or reconstituted tobacco). In FIG. 1(b), a cover layer 3 comprising natural tobacco leaf L is shown which forms an outer wrapper to be wrapped around the tobacco rod element 1. As is apparent from FIG. 1(b), the natural tobacco leaf L of the cover layer or outer wrapper 3 is formed with a pattern P of generally parallel linear raised portions or ribs R imprinted therein. The raised portions or ribs R are interspersed by depressions or dips D across substantially an entire surface area of the natural tobacco leaf L.

[0040] As seen in FIG. 1(c), the cover layer or outer wrapper 3 of natural tobacco leaf L is wrapped generally cylindrically around the tobacco rod element 1 such that the natural tobacco leaf L substantially entirely encompasses or envelops the tobacco rod element 1 and thereby forms an exterior of the smoking article thus produced. In this regard, the cover layer or outer wrapper 3 is arranged and wrapped with respect to the rod element 1 such that the linear raised portions or ribs R of the pattern P imprinted in the natural tobacco leaf L extend transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tobacco rod element 1. Finally, FIG. 1(d) illustrates that the tobacco rod element 1 wrapped with the cover layer 3 of natural tobacco leaf L may be cut, e.g. in the middle, to produce two cigarillos 6.

[0041] Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawings, parts and method steps in the production or manufacture a cigarillo 6 according to another embodiment of the invention are illustrated. In FIG. 2(a), two shorter tobacco rod elements 1 are shown, which again are typically cut from a substantially longer tobacco rod (not shown) manufactured on known, high-speed machinery used in cigarette production. Again, each of the tobacco rod elements 1 comprises a filling of tobacco cut filler (not visible) which is covered or enclosed by a binder layer 2 that forms a generally cylindrical sheath or sleeve for holding the tobacco cut filler in the rod element 1. And again, the binder layer 2 may comprise paper or homogenised tobacco material. In FIG. 2(b), a filter element 4 is arranged between the two tobacco rod elements 1 and is attached to each of tobacco rod elements 1 by applying or wrapping a band or strip of tipping paper 5 around the filter element 4 and the adjacent end portions of the respective tobacco rod elements 1.

[0042] As seen in FIG. 2(c), a cover layer 3 comprising natural tobacco leaf L is provided which forms an outer wrapper to be wrapped around the tobacco rod element 1, as described above with reference to FIG. 1(c). Again, the natural tobacco leaf L of the cover layer or outer wrapper 3 is formed with a pattern P of generally parallel linear raised portions or ribs R imprinted therein. The raised portions or ribs R are interspersed by depressions or dips D across substantially an entire surface area of the natural tobacco leaf L. After the cover layer 3 is cylindrically wrapped around natural tobacco leaf L substantially entirely encompasses or envelops both of the tobacco rod elements 1, the tipping paper 5, and the filter element 4, and thereby forms the exterior of the smoking articles thus produced. Though not clearly shown in FIG. 2(d), the ribs R of the pattern P in the natural tobacco leaf L then extend transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tobacco rod elements 1, as before. Then, as seen in FIG. 2(e), the entity of the two tobacco rod elements 1 wrapped with the cover layer 3 of natural tobacco leaf L is cut in the middle of the filter element 4 to produce two cigarillos 6.

[0043] Finally, with reference now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, a flow diagram is shown that schematically illustrates steps in a method of producing a cover layer or an outer wrapper of natural tobacco leaf for use in manufacturing a smoking article, such as a cigarillo, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention as described above with respect to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In this regard, the first box i of FIG. 3 represents the step of providing a substantially continuous web of a support material having a surface profile which comprises a plurality of surface profile elements, such as projections. The web may, for example, comprise a very long strip or sheet of woven material having a surface profile comprised of rows of linear surface profile elements. The second box ii represents a step of arranging a plurality of natural tobacco leaves L extended flat over the web of support material. In this regard, the natural tobacco leaves L are preferably arranged on the web in a spaced, generally parallel arrangement, and extend substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the web. The third box iii then represents the step of layering the substantially continuous web with the plurality of natural tobacco leaves L supported thereon. In this regard, the step of layering the web comprises rolling the elongate strip or sheet of the web material into a roll with the plurality of natural tobacco leaves supported on the web. The final box iv in FIG. 3 represents the step of the surface profile of the web impressing or imprinting a pattern P into the plurality of natural tobacco leaves L. This step may occur simultaneously with the layering step and/or may take place over an extended period of time during a step of storing the layered web material with the natural tobacco leaves L held or supported between the layers of web material, e.g. in a roll of the web material.

[0044] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

[0045] In this document, the terms comprise, comprising, include, including, contain, containing, have, having, and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts or elements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms a and an used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms first, second, third, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0046] 1 tobacco rod element [0047] 2 binder layer [0048] 3 outer wrapper or cover layer [0049] 4 filter element [0050] 5 tipping paper [0051] 6 cigarillo [0052] L natural tobacco leaf [0053] P imprinted pattern [0054] R raised portion or rib [0055] D depression or dip