Robert Jeremy Pound

US Patent:

20120000477, Jan 5, 2012

Filed:

Mar 18, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/051058

Inventors:

Andries Don Sebastian - Clemmons NC, US
Paul Stuart Chapman - Winston-Salem NC, US
Robert Leslie Oglesby - Kernersville NC, US
Robert Jeremy Pound - Kernersville NC, US

International Classification:

A24D 3/06
A24F 47/00

US Classification:

131329, 131331

Abstract:

A filtered smoking article is provided, which includes a tobacco-containing rod surrounded by a wrapping material; a filter element surrounded by a plug wrap adjacent to the tobacco-containing rod; and a tipping material securing the tobacco-containing rod to the filter element, the tipping material overlying the plug wrap of the filter element and a portion of the wrapping material of the tobacco-containing rod, wherein at least one of the plug wrap, the tipping material, and the wrapping material surrounding the tobacco-containing rod are secured by an adhesive composition comprising a thermoplastic starch polymer. The adhesive composition can include a blend of the thermoplastic starch polymer with a second biodegradable polymer, such as polyvinyl alcohol, aliphatic polyesters, aliphatic polyurethanes, cis-polyisoprene, cis-polybutadiene, polyhydroxy alkanoates, polyanhydrides, and copolymers and blends thereof.

US Patent:

20120000481, Jan 5, 2012

Filed:

Apr 27, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/095447

Inventors:

Dennis Potter - Kernersville NC, US
Robert L. Oglesby - Kernersville NC, US
Paul S. Chapman - Winston-Salem NC, US
Andries D. Sebastian - Clemmons NC, US
Robert J. Pound - Kernersville NC, US

International Classification:

A24D 3/08
A24D 3/06

US Classification:

131332, 131331

Abstract:

A filter material configured for use as a filter element of a smoking article is provided, the filter material including at least one segment of fibrous tow having a plurality of superabsorbent objects dispersed therein, the superabsorbent objects comprising a starch material. Exemplary starch materials include naturally-occurring starch, hydroxyalkylated starch, starch esters, ionically modified starch, oxidized starch, hydrolyzed starch, plasticized starch, gelatinized starch, grafted starch, crosslinked starch, transglycosylated starch, starch ethers, and mixtures thereof, as well as blends of starch with other polymers. Filter elements and smoking articles, such as cigarettes, that contain the filter material are also provided. A method of preparing polymer fibers for use in filter elements is also provided, the method including adding the starch material to a fiber precursor solution prior to fiber extrusion or dry-blending the starch material with the polymer material to be formed into fibers.