Pouch material for smokeless tobacco and tobacco substitute products

• US 10,039,309 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carroll, Andrew Nathan, Black, Shannon Maxwell, Sun, Yan Helen, Burke, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CALANDRA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US14/213,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20140261480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 13/00 Tobacco for pipes, for cigars, e.g. cigar inserts, or for cigarettes; Chewing tobacco; Snuff reconstituted tobacco products A24B3/14
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/186 by coating with a coating composition, encapsulation of tobacco particles encapsulation of additives other than tobacco : A24B15/283
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/283 by encapsulation of the chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 13/00 Other non-woven fabrics

Abstract

A melt-blown fabric for pouching smokeless tobacco or a smokeless tobacco substitute can include melt-blown polymer fibers. The fabric can have a basis weight of less than 10 gsm and a tensile strength of at least 4 mJ in at least one predetermined direction. Method of making the fabric can include melt-blowing a polymeric material against a support surface and bonding the fibers or arranging them in a predetermined orientation. Pouched smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute products including the fabrics provided herein can provide desirable flavor and tactile experience.

Claims

1. A smokeless tobacco product comprising:

a pouch comprising a fabric, the fabric comprising melt-blown or centrifugally-force-spun polymer fibers substantially aligned along a first direction, the fabric comprising a surfactant that provides a hydrophilic surface coating, the fabric comprising a colorant configured to reduce hydraulic permittivity of the polymer fibers; and

smokeless tobacco within the pouch.

2. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the fabric has a basis weight of less than 5 gsm.

3. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 2, wherein the fabric has a basis weight of between 0.5 and 3 gsm.

4. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown polymer fibers have diameters of less than 100 microns.

5. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 4, wherein the melt-blown polymer fibers have a diameter of less than 30 microns.

6. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 4, wherein the melt-blown polymer fibers have a diameter of between 0.5 and 5.0 microns.

7. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown polymer fibers include at least two different materials.

8. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the at least two different polymeric materials are coextruded during a melt-blowing operation to form composite polymeric fibers of the at least two different polymeric materials.

9. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 8, wherein at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-stable and at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-dissolvable.

10. The smokeless tobacco product of one of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco product has an overall oven volatiles content of about 4% by weight to about 61% by weight.

11. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 10, wherein the smokeless tobacco product has an overall oven volatiles content of about 30% by weight to about 61% by weight.

12. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, further comprising one or more flavorants.

13. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco product is adapted to remain substantially cohesive when placed in an adult tobacco consumer'"'"'s mouth and exposed to saliva.

14. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown polymer fibers comprise polypropylene.

15. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, further comprising a dissolvable film at least partially coating the pouch.

16. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises cured tobacco.

17. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 16, wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises cured, aged, fermented tobacco.

18. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 16, wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises cured, aged, non-fermented tobacco.

19. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the pouch weighs less than 50 mg.

20. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises dark tobacco.

21. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco has an average length of between 0.1 and 1.0 inches and an average width of 0.009 to 0.1 inches.

22. A packaged smokeless tobacco product comprising:

a container that defines a moisture-tight interior space; and

at least one smokeless tobacco product according to claim 1 within the container.