Thermoplastic cigarette wrapper

Claim 2

A THIN, MICROPOROUS CIGARETTE WRAPPER SHEET COMPRISING: A. ABOUT 10 PERCENT TO ABOUT 45 PERCENT BY WEIGHT FINELY DIVIDED UNFILLED FLAX PAPER HAVING A SIZE OF 140 MESH OR LESS, B. ABOUT 1.5 PERCENT TO ABOUT 2.8 PERCENT BY WEIGHT POTASSIUM NITRATE, C. UP TO ABOUT 40 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A WHITENER, AND D. ABOUT 20 PERCENT TO ABOUT 55 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A THERMOPLASTIC BINDER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CELLULOSE ESTERS, CELLULOSE ETHERS, AND MIXTURES THEREOF.

Claim 3

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 which comprises about 20 percent to about 20 percent by weight of said finely divided paper.

Claim 4

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 which comprises about 1.7 percent to about 2.5 percent by weight of said potassium nitrate.

Claim 5

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 which comprises about 15 percent to about 30 percent by weight of said whitener.

Claim 6

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 in which said whitener is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, talc, and titanium dioxide.

Claim 7

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 in which said whitener is titanium dioxide.

Claim 8

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 which comprises about 30 percent to about 40 percent by weight of said binder.

Claim 9

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 in which said binder is a mixture of methyl cellulose and cellulose acetate.

Claim 10

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 8 in which the ratio of cellulose acetate to methyl cellulose is between 2:1 and 20:1 parts by weight.

Claim 11

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 which has a porosity of between about 5 and 60 Greiner.

Claim 12

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 10 which has a porosity between about 10 and 30 Greiner.

Claim 13

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 which includes from about 2 percent to about 15 percent by weight of a plasticizer.

Claim 14

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 12 which includes from about 6 percent to about 12 percent by weight of a plasticizer.

Claim 15

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 12 in which said plasticizer is a mixture of 1,3-butylene glycol, propylene glycol and glycerin.

Claim 16

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 1 in which at least 50% of the pores of said sheet have a diameter of no more than 3 microns.

Claim 17

A thin, microporous cigarette wrapper sheet having a porosity of between about 10-30 Greiner and in which at least 50 percent of the pores of said sheet have a diameter of no more than 3 microns said sheet comprising: a. about 20 percent to about 30 percent by weight finely divided unfilled flax paper having a size of 140 mesh or less; b. about 1.7 percent to about 2.5 percent by weight potassium nitrate; c. about 15 percent to about 30 percent by weight titanium dioxide; d. about 2 percent to about 15 percent by weight of a plasticizer; and e. about 30 percent to about 40 percent by weight of a thermoplastic binder selected from the group consisting of cellulose esters, cellulose ethers and mixtures thereof.

Claim 18

A thin, microporous cigarette wrapper sheet having a porosity of between about 10-30 Greiner and in which at least 50 percent of the pores of said sheet have a diameter of no more than 3 microns said sheet comprising: a. about 20 percent to about 30 percent by weight finely divided unfilled flax paper having a size of 140 mesh or less; b. about 1.7 percent to about 2.5 percent by weight potassium nitrate; c. about 15 percent to about 30 percent by weight titanium dioxide; d. about 2 percent to about 15 percent by weight of a plasticizer; and e. about 30 percent to about 40 percent by weight of a thermoplastic binder selected from the group consisting of cellulose esters, cellulose ethers and mixtures thereof.

Claim 19

The thin, microporous sheet of claim 16 in which said binder comprises from 2 to 20 parts by weight cellulose acetate and one part by weight methyl cellulose.

Claim 20

A smoking article comprising a smokeable material contained within the thin, microporous sheet of claim 16.

Claim 21

A smoking article comprising a smokeable material contained within a thin, microporous cigarette wrapper which wrapper comprises: a. about 10 percent to about 45 percent by weight finely divided unfilled flax paper having a size of 140 mesh or less; b. about 1.5 percent to about 2.8 percent by weight potassium nitrate; c. up to about 40 percent by weight of a whitener; and d. about 20 percent to about 55 percent by weight of a thermoplastic binder selected from the group consisting of cellulose esters, cellulose ethers and mixtures thereof.

Claim 22

A smoking article comprising a smokeable material contained within a thin, microporous cigarette wrapper which wrapper comprises: a. about 10 percent to about 45 percent by weight finely divided unfilled flax paper having a size of 140 mesh or less; b. about 1.5 percent to about 2.8 percent by weight potassium nitrate; c. up to about 40 percent by weight of a whitener; and d. about 20 percent to about 55 percent by weight of a thermoplastic binder selected from the group consisting of cellulose esters, cellulose ethers and mixtures thereof.

Claim 23

The smoking article of claim 19 in which said wrapper comprises about 20 percent to about 30 percent by weight of said finely divided paper.

Claim 24

The smoking article of claim 18 in which said wrapper comprises about 1.7 percent to about 2.5 percent by weight of said potassium nitrate.

Claim 25

The smoking article of claim 19 in which said wrapper comprises about 15 percent to about 30 percent by weight of said whitener.

Claim 26

The smoking article of claim 19 in which said whitener of said wrapper is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, talc, and titanium dioxide.

Claim 27

The smoking article of claim 23 in which said whitener is titanium dioxide.

Claim 28

The smoking article of claim 19 in which said wrapper comprises about 30 percent to about 40 percent by weight of said binder.

Claim 29

The smoking article of claim 19 in which said binder of said wrapper comprises a mixture of methyl cellulose and cellulose acetate.

Claim 30

The smoking article of claim 19 in which said wrapper has a porosity of between about 5 and to about 60 Greiner.

Claim 31

The smoking article of claim 27 in which said wrapper has a porosity of between about 10 and about 30 Greiner.

Claim 32

The smoking article of claim 19 in which said wrapper includes from about 2 percent to about 15 percent by weight of a plasticizer.

Claim 33

The smoking article of claim 29 which includes from about 6 percent to about 12 percent by weight of a plasticizer.

Claim 34

The smoking article of claim 29 in which said plasticizer comprises a mixture of 1,3-butylene glycol, propylene glycol and glycerin.

Claim 35

The smoking article of claim 19 in which at least 50 percent of the pores of said sheet have a diameter of no more than 3 microns.