461 



4,836,224 



1 2 



stream smoke which may be perceived as harsh or irri- 



CIGARETTE lating to the mouth, nose and throat of the user. 



It would be desirable to provide a cigarette such as an 



REFERHNCE TO RELATED APPLICATION "ultra low tar" cigarette which is capable of delivering 



This is a continu»Uon-in-part of U.S patent applica- * » good tobacco taste, strength and smoking satisfaction 



tion Ser. No. 012,922, filed Feb. 10, 1987, the disclosure characteristic of a "full rtavor low tar" cigarette while 



of which is incorporated by reference. being perceived as palatable but not as overly harsh or 



irritating. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a 



BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION cigarette such as a "full flavor low tar" cigarette which 



The present invention relates to cigarettes and other "^ is capable of delivering a good tobacco taste, strength 



such type of smoking articles, and in particular to those and smoking satisfaction characteristic of a "full flavor" 



smoking articles having an organic acid additive incor- cigarette while being perceived as palatable but not as 



porated therein. overly harsh or irritating. Funhermore, it would be 



Cigarettes are popular smoking articles which have a desirable to improve the smoking character of ciga- 



substsntially cylindrical rod shaped structure and in- " rjHj, which employ tobaccos or other tobacco materi- 



clude a charge of tobacco (i.e., in cat filler form) sur- ^j, having a wide range of nicotine contenu. 

 rounded by a wrapper such as paper thereby forming a 



tobacco rod. Currently, popular cigarettes include SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 



blends of tobacco materials, the majority of the blends jhe present invention relates to a smoking article 



having nicotine contents in the range from about 1.2 ^^j^^ deiivtn good tobacco taste while being capable 



percent to about 2.25 percent, more fre<?uently from ^f delivering relativelv low amounts of FTC "tar." 



about 1.4 percent to about 2 percent and most fre- p^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ „f ,^i^ i„^^„,i^„ „^ cigarettes which 



qiwntly fr^m about K6 percent to about 1.8 percent, ^^„^^^ ,^^ ^^^ ^^^ satisfaction charac 



based on the dry weight of the tobacco .natenals. It has „* cigarettes and relatively low 



become desirable to manufacture cigarettes having cy- " rrrrr- u . ■ .• r •.<• n n i 



.■ J • 1 ri. _ 1- I :_ iT I _i.>:„r.i.:,. evels of FTC tar characteristic of full flavor low 



Imdncal filters aligned in an end-to-end relationship ,. • . , , , . .... 



with the tobacco rod. Typically, filters are m«,ufac- ">'. cigarettes. Also preferred are cigarettes which 



tured from fibrous materials such as cellulose aceute '*«"^" '"'!• ««"8th and sm^ofang satisfaction charac 



and are attached So the tobacco rod using t circumscrib- 'e"S^<= of "fu" fl>vor low tar cigarettes, and relatively 



ing tipping material. M 'o* ''^e"* of FTC "tar" characteristic of "ultra low 



Popular cigarettes classified as "full flavor" cigarettes *"" cigarettes. In addition, the preferred cigarettes are 



deliver a desirable tobacco taste, flavor and satisfaction extremely palauble and provide the perception of hav- 



to the smoker. Typically, the "fuB flavor" cigarettes ing a smooth smoking character (i.e., not providing a 



deliver about 14 mg or more of FTC "tar" per cigarette. perceived harsh or irriuting character) relative to a 



A second classification of popular cigarettes is the "full 35 comparable cigarette delivering similar levels of FTC 



flavor low tar" classification. Typically, the "full flavor "Ur." Of particular interest are cigarettes having (i) 



low tar" cigarettes deliver from about 8 to about 14 mg relatively low FTC "Ur" to FTC nicotine ratios, (ii) 



of FTC "tar" per cigarette, as well as lower levels of relatively low FTC carbon monoxide to FTC nicotine 



FTC nicotine as compared to "full flavor" cigarettes. A ratios, fi'O goo<l tobacco flavor, strength and satisfac- 



third classification of popular cigarettes in the "ultra 40 tion, and (iv) a smooth, palatable smoking character 



low tar" classirication. Siich "ultra low tar" cigarettes without being overly mild tasting, 



deliver still lower levels of FTC "tar" and nicotine. /^ cigarette in accord with this invention includes 



Typically, the "ultra low tar" cigarettes deliver less smokable (eg., tobacco) material and at least one or- 



than about 7 mg of FTC "tar" per cigarette. The "full g^^^ ^^ additive For example, a cigarette of this 



flavor low Ur" and "ultra low tar" cigarettes conven- 43 invention can have (i) a nicotine content above about 2 



tionally have air dilution means such as laser perfora- percent, based on the dry weight of the smokable mate- 



tions provided in the periphery of the mouthend region ^j^j (hereof; and (ii) at least one organic acid which is an 



thereof, or have filter elements highly efficient for the .jdiUve to the cigarette in an amount of greater than 



removal of "tar" and nicotine from the mainstream about 1 pecsnt, based on the dry weight of the smokable 



■*'^°*o'- u r u '^ material. Generally, the organic acid is an additive to at 



lo general, the perceived taste or strength of the ^^^ ^ .^^ ^^ 1^^ smokable material. The acid can be 



cigarettes classiried as tuiving lower leveU of tar and ^ ^j,^j^ ^^^ cigarette in a dissociated and/or 



nicotine are pro^«s.vely less tlun that of Uie cigarettes „^di,^ia,ed form. A preferred organic acid addiUve 



"*?'? ■%"„=^'^'!? " approaching the ch.ractenst.cs ^^ ^ ^^^^ ^^.^ ^^^ ^. ^^ 



of the "full flavor" cig«ett«^ It h^ been proposed o 55 ^^,.^^,^ .^^ 



add numerous flavorants to the cut filler of lower tar j t .u . "a,., ..,-i-i,." ;- ,.f.rri„» ,r> 



cigarettes to enhance the taste, strength «.d satisfaction As used herein the erm dry '^'ISht ■" "femng 'o 



of%uch cigarettes. However, such addition generally ">« smokable material of the smoking article b meant 



yields maiSt^ sntoke which may be per^ved as ^ « mass of the smokable ma «ialaft« being dned lo 



har^h or irritating to the mouth, nose and throat of the 60 constant weight at 214 F. (101 C ) for 3 hours m a 



ujgj. force-draft oven. See, Moseley et al, Ind. Eng. Chem.. 



Additionally, it i» possible to employ tobaccos having Vol. 43, p. 2342 (1951). 



a naturally high nicotine content as cut filler to enhance As used herein, the term "nicotine content" m refer- 



the tobacco taste, strength and satisfaction of such ciga- ring to the smokable material is meant the mass alkaloid 



rettet. However, cigarettes having high nicotine con- 6J nicoUne as analyzed and quantitated by spectroscopic 



tents (eg., which include tobacco blends having natural techniques divided by the dry weight of the smokable 



nicotine contents above about 2.25 weight percent) material analyzed. See. Harvey et al, Tob. Sci, Vol. 25, 



generally have the propensity to yeild unpalatable main- p. 131 (1981). 



