Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of making a foamed, extruded, tobacco-containing smoking article comprising forming a wet blend containing 15 to 50 wt.' % of water and the remainder, on a dry weight basis, comprising 5 to 98 wt. % of tobacco particles having a particle size up to 5 mesh (4 mm), 0 to 60 wt. % of a filler having a particle size up to 350 µm, and 2 to 40 wt. % of a cellulosic binder selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl guar, and mixtures thereof; and extruding the wet blend under conditions of temperature and pressure such that some of the moisture is converted to steam, thereby foaming the article.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of making a foamed, extruded, tobacco-containing smoking article comprising forming a wet blend containing 15 to 50 wt.' % of water and the remainder, on a dry weight basis, comprising 5 to 98 wt. % of tobacco particles having a particle size up to 5 mesh (4 mm), 0 to 60 wt. % of a filler having a particle size up to 350 µm, and 2 to 40 wt. % of a cellulosic binder selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl guar, and mixtures thereof; and extruding the wet blend under conditions of temperature and pressure such that some of the moisture is converted to steam, thereby foaming the article.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which an initial dry blend is formed of the tobacco particles, filler and cellulosic binder with sufficient moisture to give the tobacco an OV value in the range 3 to 20%, and the dry blend is then mixed with water to form the wet blend.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 in which the tobacco is in the form of dust and water is added in the formation of the dry blend.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
41 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, alumina, hydrated alumina, clay, silica and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
90 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which a portion of the cellulosic binder is replaced by a compound selected from the group consisting of pectin and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, guar, carageenan, oxycellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, vinyl maleic anhydride polymer,. vinyl maleic acid polymer and its sodium, potassium, and ammonium salts, microcrystalline cellulose, fibrous cellulose, starch, and mixtures thereof, such that the total amount of the compound and the cellulosic binder is within the range of from about 2 to about 40 wt.%.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the extrudate is a substantially cylindrical shape having a diameter of from about 2 to about 35 mm.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which 0.1 to 15 wt. % of a polyfunctional acid on a dry weight basis is included in the wet blend.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the polyfunctional acid is citric acid.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
50 words
A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which 0.1 to 40 wt. % on a dry weight basis of a stiffening agent selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, pectinic acid, chitosan, their water soluble salts, and mixtures thereof, is included in the wet blend.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
44 words
A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which 2 to 40 wt. % on a dry weight basis of an alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, and mixtures thereof is included in the wet blend.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the tobacco particles are in the range of 50 to 98 wt. %.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A smoking article produced according to the method of any of the preceding claims.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
133 words
A substantially cylindrical, foamed, extruded, tobacco-containing, smoking article comprising, on a dry weight basis, 5 to 98 wt. % of tobacco particles having a particle size of up to 5 mesh (4 mm), 0 to 60 wt. % of a filter having a particle size of up to 350 µm and 2 to 40 wt. % of a cellulosic binder selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl guar, and mixtures thereof, together with 5 to 20 wt. % of water calculated as a percentage of the total weight, the article having a density within the range of 0.05 to 1.5 g/cc.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
133 words
A substantially cylindrical, foamed, extruded, tobacco-containing, smoking article comprising, on a dry weight basis, 5 to 98 wt. % of tobacco particles having a particle size of up to 5 mesh (4 mm), 0 to 60 wt. % of a filter having a particle size of up to 350 µm and 2 to 40 wt. % of a cellulosic binder selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose, and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl guar, and mixtures thereof, together with 5 to 20 wt. % of water calculated as a percentage of the total weight, the article having a density within the range of 0.05 to 1.5 g/cc.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The smoking article of claim 13 wherein the filler is sleected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, alumina, hydrated alumina, clay, silica and mixtures thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
79 words
The smoking article of claim 13 or 14 including a compound selected from the group consisting of pectin and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts, guar, carageenan, oxycellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, vinyl and maleic anhydride polymer, vinyl maleic acid polymer and its sodium, potassium, and ammonium salts, micorcrystalline cellulose, fibrous cellulose, starch, and mixtures thereof, such that the total amount of the compound and the cellulosic binder is within the range of from about 2 to about 40 wt. %.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The smoking article of claim 13 or 14 or 15 including from about 0.1 to about 15 wt. % of a polyfunctional acid.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The smoking article of claim 16 wherein the polyfunctional acid is citric acid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The smoking article of claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the tobacco particles comprise about 50 to about 98 wt. % of the article.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The smoking article of claim 13, 14 or 15 including from about 0.1 to about 40 wt. % of a cross-linked stiffening agent.