Abstract

A substantially cylindrical foamed, extruded, tobacco-containing smoking article is provided which has properties substantially equivalent to those of a conventional cigarette and which contains from about 5 to about 98 wt. % of tobacco particles having a particle size of up to about 5 mesh, from 0 to about 60 wt. % of a filler having a particle size of up to about 350 μm mesh, from about 2 to about 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, and mixtures thereof, and from about 5 to about 20 wt. % water. The article has a density within the range of from about 0.05 to about 1.5 g/cc. The method of making such articles comprises the steps of (a) dry blending from about 5 to about 98 wt. % of the tobacco particles having an OV value of from about 3 to about 20%, with from 0 to about 60 wt. % of a filler and having a particle size of up to about 5 mesh, and from about 4 to about 40 wt. % of the cellulosic binder; then (b) admixing this dry blend with water to form a wet blend containing from about 15 to about 50 wt. % of water; then (c) extruding the wet blend under extrusion conditions of temperature and pressure such that as the wet blend is extruded the moisture in the blend is converted to steam thereby foaming the article.

Other References

• Defensive Publication T912,011, Harpham et al., Published Jul. 24, 1973