The present invention relates to a smoking article, especially a cigarette, cigarillo, or the like, and to a method of manufacturing such a smoking article. In addition, the invention provides a method of producing tipping sheet or tipping paper for use in manufacturing a smoking article, such as a cigarette, cigarillo, or the like. In the manufacture of cigarettes, cigarillos, and similar smoking articles, tipping sheet or tipping paper is typically employed during assembly of the smoking article to join a filter element to a tobacco rod element, after those elements have been pre-assembled separately, in this way, the tipping sheet or tipping paper typically forms an outer layer of the smoking article, particularly at the filter element end region, with which a consumer makes physical contact during use.

Continuous efforts are directed to enhancing the consumer experience associated with the use of smoking articles, while nevertheless maintaining a high-level of product quality and product consistency. In this connection, the inventors have determined that certain textured outer surfaces of the smoking article give rise to an improved sensory consumer experience during use of the smoking article, but that these can also compromise the product quality and product consistency.

In view of the above, therefore, it would clearly be useful and desirable to provide an improved smoking article, which has a textured outer surface, particularly at the filter element end region, and yet is able to be simply and reliably manufactured.

In accordance with the invention, a smoking article, such as a cigarette, cigarillo, or the like, having the features recited in claim 1 is provided. Further, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a smoking article having the features recited in claim 10. In addition, the invention provides a method of producing tipping sheet or tipping paper for use in manufacturing a smoking article as recited in claim 13. Various advantageous and/or preferred features of the invention are recited in the dependent claims.

According to one aspect, therefore, the invention provides a smoking article, such as a cigarette, cigarillo, or the like, comprising:

a rod element of smokeable material, especially a tobacco rod element; and a filter element which is joined to the rod element by a tipping sheet which is wrapped around at least part of the rod element of smokeable material and at least part of the filter element;

wherein the tipping sheet has a textured outer surface presenting a pattern of raised surface profile elements distributed over the outer surface, wherein the tipping sheet includes a bonding region in which an adhesive is applied, and wherein the raised elements in the bonding region have a height less than or equal to a thickness of the adhesive.

In this way, the inventors have been able to ensure that the adhesive bond which is formed in the bonding region of the tipping sheet is reliable, unobtrusive and consistent despite the presence of raised profile elements. Furthermore, however, the inventors have developed a configuration in which the adhesive bond formed is enhanced or improved by virtue of a greater bonding surface area provided in the bonding region. That is, the relationship between a height of the raised surface profile elements and the thickness of the adhesive enables the adhesive to cover a substantial amount of the outer surface in the bonding region of the tipping sheet. In a preferred embodiment, the bonding region of the tipping sheet is a region in which the tipping sheet overlaps with itself when wrapped around at least part of the rod element of smokeable material and the filter element. The bonding region is preferably elongate and extends in a longitudinal direction of the smoking article; for example, along an edge portion of the tipping sheet. Typically, the tipping sheet is generally rectangular and is wrapped cylindrically around at least part of the rod element of smokeable material (i.e. the tobacco rod element) and at least part of the filter element. The tipping sheet is wrapped around and thereby encompasses or envelops at least part of the filter element so that the tipping sheet (e.g. a band or strip of tipping paper) physically and mechanically attaches or connects the filter element to the tobacco rod element. In this way, the tipping sheet will typically encompass or circumscribe the filter element and an adjacent end portion of the tobacco rod element. Thus, the portion of the tobacco rod element encompassed or circumscribed by the strip or band of the tipping paper is typically in the range of about 1 mm to about 16 mm in length, preferably in the range of about 2 mm to about 12 mm in length. As used herein, the term "length" denotes the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the smoking article.

In a preferred embodiment, the height of the raised surface profile elements in the bonding region of the tipping sheet is less than about 25 pm. The thickness of the adhesive, on the other hand, is preferably in the range of about 10 pm to about 40 pm, more preferably in the range of about 15 pm to about 25 pm. The adhesive is typically applied to form a bonded seam and is preferably applied over a full length and/or a full extent of the bonding region to form the bonded seam in an overlapped portion of the tipping sheet.

In a preferred embodiment, the raised elements presented by the outer surface of the tipping sheet outside of the bonding region have a height greater than 25 pm.

Furthermore, the raised surface profile elements outside of the bonding region preferably occupy less than 35% of the surface area of the tipping sheet.

In a preferred embodiment, the raised surface profile elements include a plurality of elongate or linear elements arranged to extend at least partially transverse to a longitudinal extent or a longitudinal axis of the smoking article. These elongate or linear elements preferably extend at least partially parallel to one another and/or may preferably at least partially intersect with one another. For example, these elongate or linear elements of the textured pattern in the tipping sheet may extend at an oblique angle (preferably in a range of 30° to 90°, and more preferably in a range of 60° to 90°), or optionally generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the smoking article. The substantially linear elements are thus preferably in the form of ribs, and may be regularly spaced apart by an interval in the range of from about 1 mm to about 5 mm. Alternatively or in addition, the raised surface profile elements may include a plurality of discrete nodules or bumps. These may have a regular shape or an irregular shape. The pattern of raised surface profile elements is typically provided over substantially the entire outer surface of the tipping sheet.

In a preferred embodiment, the raised surface profile elements presented by the outer surface of the tipping sheet are embossed in the tipping sheet. Alternatively, however, the pattern of raised surface profile elements may be formed by a variety of other techniques, including deposition, molding, and/or extrusion.

The filter element of the smoking article according to this invention may comprise a single filter segment. However, the smoking article may alternatively include a multi-component filter element comprising two or more filter segments. The one or more filter segments may comprise any suitable known filter materials including, but not limited to, cellulose acetate, paper and combinations thereof. Preferably, the filter element comprises at least one segment of a fibrous filtration material, typically a cellulosic filtration material, such as cellulose acetate tow. The filter will typically have a length in the range of about 5 mm to about 40 mm, and preferably in the range of about 15 mm to about 30 mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the rod element of smokeable material in the smoking article of the invention may comprise any suitable tobacco cut filler. Preferably, the smoking article includes cigarette tobacco cut filler comprising types of tobacco such as Virginia, Buriey, Oriental and Semi Oriental. The tobacco cut filler may comprise a blend of two or more different types of tobacco; e.g. of the above- mentioned types of tobacco. Alternatively, the tobacco cut filler may comprise a single one of the above-mentioned types of tobacco. The tobacco cut filler may comprise tobaccos that are, for example, air, sun or flue-cured. Alternatively or in addition, the tobacco cut filler may have undergone treatment, for example, to reduce tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA). Besides tobacco leaf, the tobacco cut filler may include other ingredients typically found in tobacco cut filler such as, for example, expanded tobacco, homogenized tobacco (e.g. reconstituted tobacco, cast tobacco, or extruded tobacco), tobacco stem (e.g. expanded or improved stem), tobacco fines, and any combinations thereof. Flavours and casings comprising one or more humectants, flavourants, sugars or combinations thereof may also be applied to the tobacco cut filler in a known manner.

According to another aspect, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a smoking article, such as a cigarette, cigarillo, or the like, comprising the steps: providing a rod element of smokeabie material, especially a tobacco rod element;

arranging a filter element adjacent an end of the rod element of smokeabie material;

providing a tipping sheet having a plurality of raised surface profile elements distributed over an outer surface thereof;

wrapping the tipping sheet around part of the rod element of smokeabie material and at least part of the filter element in order to join the filter element to the rod element, and

applying an adhesive in a bonding region of the tipping sheet, whereby a thickness of the adhesive applied is greater than or equal to a height of the raised surface profile elements in the bonding region.

In a preferred embodiment, the step of wrapping the tipping sheet around at least part of the rod element of smokeabie materia! and at least part of the filter element comprises overlapping the tipping sheet with itself in the bonding region. In this regard, the bonding region is desirably provided or formed in the lower overlapped portion of the tipping sheet.

In a preferred embodiment, the step of providing the tipping sheet comprises forming, and preferably embossing, a pattern of the surface profile elements over the outer surface of the tipping sheet. This includes the step of forming the surface profile elements in the bonding region with a height less than 25 pm, preferably less than about 20 pm, more preferably less than about 15 pm. In a preferred embodiment, the step of applying the adhesive in the bonding region comprises applying the adhesive with a thickness in the range of about 10 pm to about 40 pm, and more preferably in the range of about 15 pm to about 25 pm. As noted above, the adhesive is preferably applied over substantially a full length or a full extent of the bonding region to form a seam with an overlapped portion of the tipping sheet.

According to a further aspect, the invention provides a method of producing tipping sheets for use in manufacturing a smoking article, especially a cigarette, cigarillo, or the like, comprising:

feeding a web of tipping sheet material along a process path;

forming a plurality of surface profile elements over a surface of the tipping sheet material; and

cutting tipping sheets from the web of tipping sheet material,

whereby each tipping sheet has a pattern of the surface profile elements distributed over a surface thereof and includes a bonding region for receiving an adhesive, the surface profile elements in the bonding region having a height which is less than about 25 pm. In a preferred embodiment, the step of forming the surface profile elements over the surface of the tipping sheet material comprises embossing the web of tipping sheet material between a pair of feed rollers. The surface profile elements outside of the bonding region preferably have a height greater than about 25 pm. The profile elements preferably occupy or constitute less than 35% of the surface area of each tipping sheet.

In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises flattening or compressing the plurality of surface profile elements in the bonding region to a height which is less than about 25 pm. This step may, for example, comprise rolling the surface profile elements in the bonding region of the tipping sheets. In this regard, the bonding region preferably extends along an edge portion of the tipping sheet. According to yet another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for producing tipping sheets for use in manufacturing a smoking article, especially a cigarette, cigarillo, or the like, comprising:

a feeding device for feeding a web of tipping sheet material along a process path;

an embossing device for forming a plurality of surface profile elements over a surface of the tipping sheet material; and

a cutting device for cutting tipping sheets from the web of tipping sheet material, wherein each tipping sheet has a pattern of the surface profile elements distributed over a surface thereof and includes a bonding region for receiving an adhesive.

In a preferred embodiment, the embossing device for forming the surface profile elements over the surface of the tipping sheet material comprises a pair of rollers. The surface profile elements in the bonding region preferably have a height which is less than about 25 pm and the surface profile elements outside of the bonding region preferably have a height greater than about 25 pm. Furthermore, the profile elements typically occupy or constitute less than 35% of the surface area of each tipping sheet.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a device for flattening or compressing the plurality of surface profile elements in the bonding region to a height which is less than about 25 pm. This flattening device may, for example, be configured to roll the surface profile elements in the bonding region of the tipping sheets; i.e. preferably along an edge portion of the tipping sheet.

The terms "tipping paper" or "tipping sheet" are interchangeable and refer to a wrapping material that is formed of paper or other material and optional filler materials and that serves to join a filter element to a rod element of smokeable material. Preferably, the tipping paper is formed of paper. 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:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of parts of a cigarette according to an embodiment of the invention; is a schematic perspective view of a tipping sheet according to an embodiment of the invention; is a schematic perspective view of a tipping sheet according to a further embodiment of the invention; is a schematic cross-sectionai view of the tipping sheet shown in Fig. 2 taken in the direction of arrows IV-IV; is a schematic perspective view of parts of a cigarette according to an embodiment of the invention; is a schematic cross-sectiona! view of a tipping sheet according to an embodiment of the invention undergoing adhesive bonding in the bonding region; is a flow chart representing a method of manufacturing a smoking article according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus and method of manufacturing a smoking article according to an embodiment of the invention. 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.

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.

With reference firstly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the components and assembly of a smoking article 1 , here in the form of a cigarette, according to an embodiment of the invention are illustrated schematically. The smoking article or cigarette 1 of this embodiment includes a generally cylindrical tobacco rod element 2 comprising a tobacco cut filler (not shown) wrapped in cigarette paper P. The smoking article or cigarette 1 also comprises a filter element 3 which is likewise generally cylindrical and arranged adjacent an end E of the tobacco rod element 2. The filter element 3 comprises at least one segment of a fibrous filtration material, such as cellulose acetate tow, as is known in the art, and is joined to the tobacco rod element 2 by a tipping sheet 4 wrapped around an end portion of the tobacco rod element 2 and substantially all of the filter element 3. With reference also now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, which show alternative embodiments of a tipping sheet, the tipping sheet 4 has a textured outer surface 5 which presents a pattern N of raised surface profile elements 6 distributed over the outer surface 5. These raised surface profile elements 6 are particularly apparent from the enlarged schematic cross-sectional illustration shown in Fig. 4. In these examples, the surface profile elements 6 include a plurality of elongate or linear rib elements in the tipping sheet 4 which are arranged to extend generally transverse to a longitudinal extent or a longitudinal axis L of the cigarette 1. As can be seen in Fig. 4, these rib-like profile elements 6 have a height h and a width x. Furthermore, the spacing of the rib-like elements 6 over the surface 5 of the tipping sheet 4 is such that the profile elements 6 constitute or occupy less than 35% of the surface area 5 of the sheet 4; that is, the ratio (x/y) of the width x of each rib elements 6 to the space or distance y from the start of one rib element 6 to the start of the next adjacent rib element 6 (as shown in Fig. 4) is preferably less than 0.35.

The tipping sheet 4 is dimensioned to have an extent I such that, when the tipping sheet 4 is wrapped around the tobacco rod element 2 and the filter element 3, a region 7 is provided in which the tipping sheet 4 overlaps with itself. This region 7 of overlap comprises a bonding region and typically extends along an edge portion of the tipping sheet 4 in the longitudinal direction L of the cigarette 1. An adhesive is applied to the tipping sheet 4 over the length or extent of the bonding region 7 to form a bonded seam S with an overlapping portion of the tipping sheet.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the application of an adhesive 8 to the bonding region 7 to form the seam S bonding with an overlapped portion of the tipping sheet 4 is illustrated schematically. In this embodiment, the height h of the raised surface profile elements 6 in the bonding region 7 is less than or equal to a thickness t of the adhesive 8. In this way, the adhesive bond formed is enhanced or improved by virtue of the adhesive 8 bonding over a greater surface area in the bonding region 7 of the tipping sheet 4. The thickness t of the adhesive 8 is in the range of about 10 pm to about 30 pm, and preferably in the range of about 5 pm to about 20 pm. On the other hand, the raised surface profile elements 6 outside of the bonding region 7 preferably have a height h which is greater than 25 μηι; for example, in the range of about 30 μηι to about 100 μηι, preferably in the range of about 40 μηι to about 80 μιη. Referring now to Fig. 7 of the drawings, a flow diagram is shown that illustrates schematically various steps in a method of producing tipping sheets 4 for use manufacturing a smoking article 1 , such as a cigarette or the like, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention as described above with reference to the drawing Figs. 1 to 6. In this regard, the first box i of Fig. 7 represents the step of feeding a web of tipping sheet material along a process path. The second box ii represents a step of forming a plurality of raised surface profile elements 6 over a surface of the tipping sheet material. In this regard, the step of forming the profile elements 6 preferably comprises embossing the tipping sheet material between a pair of feed rollers. The third box iii then represents the step of cutting a series of tipping sheets 4 from the web of tipping sheet material, such that each tipping sheet 4 has a pattern N of the surface profile elements 6 over a surface 5 thereof. The final box iv in Fig. 7 represents the step of ensuring that the surface profile elements 6 in a bonding region 7 of each tipping sheet 4 for receiving an adhesive 8 (e.g. along an edge region of the tipping sheet 4) has a height h which is less than about 25 pm. This step represented in box iv may preferably involve flattening or compressing the raised surface profile elements 6 in the bonding region 7; e.g. with a flattening tool or roller.

Finally, with reference to drawing Fig. 8, a method of manufacturing a cigarette 1 according to a preferred embodiment as described above with reference to the drawing Figs. 1 to 6 is illustrated schematically. The method comprises the steps of: providing a tobacco rod element 2, and arranging a filter element 3 adjacent an end E of the tobacco rod element 2. In the specific embodiment shown in Fig. 8, two tobacco rod elements 2 are arranged generally aligned and spaced apart from one another, and a "double-length" filter element 3' is arranged between the two tobacco rod elements 2 such that it is adjacent a respective end E of each of the two tobacco rod elements 2. The method then further comprises providing a tipping sheet 4 having a plurality of raised profile elements 6 distributed over an outer surface 5 thereof. This part of the method may be performed essentially as described above with reference to Fig. 7. In this regard, a substantially continuous web of tipping sheet material is fed along a process path. A plurality of surface profile elements 6 are then formed over a surface of the tipping sheet material M by embossing the tipping sheet materia! M between a pair of feed rollers R1 , R2. A series of the "double-size" tipping sheets 4' are then cut from the web of tipping sheet material M via a cutting device C, with each tipping sheet 4' presenting a pattern N of the raised profile elements 6 over a surface 5 thereof.

Thereafter, the method includes wrapping the tipping sheet 4' around an end part E of each of the two tobacco rod elements 2 and around the filter element 3' to join the filter element 3' to the two rod elements 2. An adhesive 8, which is pre-applied in a bonding region 7 of the tipping sheet 4' via an adhesive applicator roller R3, has a thickness t greater than or equal to a height h of the profile elements 6 in the bonding region 7. The resultant component can then be cut centrally along line Z to divide the component into two cigarettes 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

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. 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

1 smoking article or cigarette

2 tobacco rod element

3 filter element

3' "double-length" filter element

4 tipping sheet

4' "double-size" tipping sheet

5 outer surface of tipping sheet

6 surface profile element

7 bonding region

8 adhesive

P cigarette paper

E end of the tobacco rod element

N pattern

L longitudinal axis or longitudinal direction

S seam

M tipping sheet material

R1 embossing feed roller

R2 embossing feed roller

R3 adhesive applicator roller

C cutting device

h height of surface profile element

X width of surface profile element

y spacing from one profile element to next

I extent or width of tipping sheet

t thickness of adhesive