Fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product

• US 10,258,076 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• 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
• Application Number:
  US15/688,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20180199619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 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 15/14 made of tobacco and a binding agent not derived from tobacco
• 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 15/28 by chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/283 by encapsulation of the chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/302 by natural substances obtained from animals or plants
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/403 having only oxygen as hetero atoms
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 3/14 Forming reconstituted tobacco products, e.g. wrapper materials, sheets, imitation leaves, rods, cakes; Forms of such products delustering A24C1/40
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 23/02 Tobacco pouches
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0221 characterised by the means for moving or conveying the objects or other work, e.g. conveyor belts B05B13/0207 takes precedence; conveyors in general B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/24 in tandem
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/44 for impelling the loads
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/02 Directly conveying the articles, e.g. slips, sheets, stockings, containers or workpieces, by flowing gases
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 11/06 Coating with spinning solutions or melts
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0084 Coating by electro-spinning, i.e. the electro-spun fibres are not removed from the collecting device but remain integral with it, e.g. coating of prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/0985 by means of a flowing gas (e.g. melt-blowing)
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/18 by means of rotating spinnerets
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 13/00 Other non-woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 13/001 Making non-woven fabrics from staple fibres, filaments or yarns, bonded to at least one web-like material, e.g. woven, knitted non-woven fabric, paper, leather, during consolidation

Abstract

A fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and a plurality of polymeric fibers surrounding the smokeless tobacco. The polymeric fibers can have a basis weight of 5 gsm or less and a diameter of less than 100 microns. In some cases, the polymeric fibers are melt-blown polymeric fibers. In some cases, the polymeric fibers are centrifugal force spun polymeric fibers. A method of preparing a fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product includes melt-blowing or centrifugal force spinning a plurality of polymeric fibers to create an polymer deposition zone and passing a body comprising smokeless tobacco through the polymer deposition zone. In some cases, an electrostatic charge can be applied to the plurality of polymeric fibers, the body, or a combination thereof. In some cases, a spin is applied to the body when passing through the polymer deposition zone.

Claims

1. A smokeless tobacco product comprising:

a body including,

smokeless tobacco;

a binder binding the smokeless tobacco;

a polymeric fabric surrounding the smokeless tobacco, the polymeric fabric including a plurality of polymeric fibers, the polymeric fibers having a basis weight of less than 30 gsm, the polymeric fibers comprising a colorant, the colorant being configured to increase a hydraulic permittivity of the body.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers include a compounded polymer.

3. The product of claim 1, wherein the colorant is a brown colorant.

4. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers comprise polypropylene.

5. The product of claim 1, wherein the binder is present in an amount less than about 0.5 weight percent body.

6. The product of claim 1, wherein the binder is present in an amount ranging from about 0.1 to about 0.5 weight percent of the body.

7. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than about 20 gsm.

8. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than about 10 gsm.

9. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than about 5 gsm.

10. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers have a diameter of less than about 100 microns.

11. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers have a diameter of less than about 30 microns.

12. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers are melt-blown fibers having a diameter ranging from about 0.5 to about 10.0 microns.

13. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers are centrifugal force spun fibers having a diameter ranging from about 0.01 microns to about 1.0 micron.

14. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers comprise at least two different polymeric materials.

15. The product of claim 14, wherein the at least two different polymeric materials are coextruded to form composite polymeric fibers of the at least two polymeric materials.

16. A smokeless tobacco product comprising:

a body including,

smokeless tobacco;

a binder binding the smokeless tobacco;

a polymeric fabric surrounding the smokeless tobacco, the polymeric fabric including a plurality of polymeric fibers, the polymeric fibers having a basis weight of less than 30 gsm, the polymeric fibers comprising a colorant and a filler, the filler being configured to increase a hydraulic permittivity of the body.

17. The product of claim 16, wherein the polymeric fibers include a compounded polymer.

18. The product of claim 16, wherein the polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than about 20 gsm.

19. The product of claim 16, wherein the polymeric fibers have a diameter of less than about 100 microns.

20. The product of claim 16, wherein the polymeric fibers comprise at least two different polymeric materials.