Foamed, extruded tobacco-containing smoking articles

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adhering the strands to each other by applying a material to the individual strands to produce a tacky surface on the strands before they are brought into contact.

Claim 8

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which the polyfunctional acid is citric acid.

Claim 9

A method as claimed in claim 6 in which the polyfunctional acid is phosphoric acid.

Claim 14

A method as claimed in claim 12 in which a part of the binder is mixed dry with the other constituents and only the remaining part is pre-hydrated, thereby reducing the viscosity of the pre-hydrated binder and reducing its tendency to stick to the processing equipment.

Claim 15

A method as claimed in claim 12 or 13 in which up to 5.0 wt.% of the tobacco particles is added to the binder to be pre-hydrated.

Claim 16

A foamed, extruded, tobacco-containing, smoking article comprising a plurality of co-extruded strands twisted together that extend generally along the longitude of the smoking article and are ahdered to one another so as to leave tortuous flow passageways between the strands, which passageways extend generally along the longitude of the smoking article, the smoking article also comprising on a dry weight basis (a) from 5 to 98 wt.% of tobacco particles having a particle size of up to about 4 mm (5 mesh), (b) from 0 to 60 wt.% of a filler having a particle size of up to about 350 11 m, and (c) from about 2 to 40 wt.% of a binder selected from the group consisting of cellulosic binders, natural binders, modified natural binders, synthetic binders, and mixtures thereof, and further comprising (d) from about 5 to about 20 wt.% water calculated as a percentage of the total product weight, the article having a density within the range of from about 0.05 to about 1.5 g/cc.

Claim 17

A foamed, extruded, tobacco-containing, smoking article comprising a plurality of co-extruded strands twisted together that extend generally along the longitude of the smoking article and are ahdered to one another so as to leave tortuous flow passageways between the strands, which passageways extend generally along the longitude of the smoking article, the smoking article also comprising on a dry weight basis (a) from 5 to 98 wt.% of tobacco particles having a particle size of up to about 4 mm (5 mesh), (b) from 0 to 60 wt.% of a filler having a particle size of up to about 350 11 m, and (c) from about 2 to 40 wt.% of a binder selected from the group consisting of cellulosic binders, natural binders, modified natural binders, synthetic binders, and mixtures thereof, and further comprising (d) from about 5 to about 20 wt.% water calculated as a percentage of the total product weight, the article having a density within the range of from about 0.05 to about 1.5 g/cc.

Claim 18

The smoking article of claim 15 wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, magnesium, carbonate, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, metallic aluminium, alumina, hydrated alumina, clay, silica, diatomaceous earth and mixtures thereof.

Claim 19

The smoking article of claim 15 or 16 wherein the cellulosic binder included in the mixture in an amount from about 0 to about 40 wt.% is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and its ammonium, sodium, and potassium salts, cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose and its ammonium, sodium, and potassium salts, hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 20

The smoking article of any of claims 15 to 17 wherein the natural binders, modified natural binders, and synthetic binders included in the mixture in an amount from 0 to about 40 wt.% are selected from the group consisting of pectin and its sodium, potassium, and ammonium salts, starch, guar and derivatives thereof, hemicellulose, xanthan, curdlan, a salt of xanthamonas gum, carageenen, alginic acid and its ammonium, sodium, and potassium salts, oxycellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, vinyl maleic anhydride polymer, vinyl maleic acid polymer and its sodium, potassium, and ammonium salts, microcrystalline cellulose, dextran, dextrin, fibrous cellulose, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 21

The smoking article of any of claims 15 to 18 further comprising from about 0.1 to about 15 wt.% of a polyfunctional acid or its ammonium, sodium, and potassium salts.

Claim 22

The smoking article of claim 19 wherein the polyfunctional acid is citric acid or a citrate.

Claim 23

The smoking article of claim 19 wherein the polyfunctional acid is phosphoric acid or a phosphate.

Claim 24

The smoking article of any of claims 15 to 21 further comprising from about 0.1 to about 40 wt.% of a cross-linking or stiffening agent selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, carboxymethyl chitin, pectinic acid, chitosan, water soluble salts thereof, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 25

The smoking article of any of claims 15 to 22 wherein the tobacco particles comprise about 25 to about 98 wt.% of the article.

Claim 26

The smoking article of any of claims 15 to 23 comprising in addition up to 1 wt.% of a residual foaming agent other than water.