Product portion enrobing process and apparatus, and resulting products

• US 10,531,685 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• 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., Smith, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Calandra, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US15/261,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20170208854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 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 method of enrobing a product portion in polymer strands includes mounting at least one product portion on a holding device and passing the at least one product portion through a polymer enrobing zone. The polymer enrobing zone can include a flow of polymeric fibers produced by a polymer spray head. The polymer fibers can wraparound the at least one product portion to produce an enrobed product portion. The holding device can hold the at least one product portion by passing at least partially through the body of the product portion. At least a portion of the holding device is removed from the enrobed product portion. In some cases, the at least one product portion includes smokeless tobacco.

Claims

1. An apparatus for enrobing a product portion comprising:

a polymer spray head configured to direct a plurality of polymeric fibers into a polymer enrobing zone;

a holding device configured to hold the product portion, the holding device being configured to be moved through the polymer enrobing zone; and

a polymer collection roller opposite the polymer enrobing zone, the polymer collection roller configured to collect polymeric fibers that are not wrapped around the product portion passing through the polymer enrobing zone.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a molding device configured to form the product portion in a mold cavity.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the molding device is configured to form the product portion around the holding device.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a robotic arm configured to insert the holding device into the mold cavity and to move the holding device between the mold cavity and the polymer enrobing zone.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a cutting device configured to cut at least a portion of the holding device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a heating device configured to heat the holding device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to rotate the holding device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to change the orientation of the holding device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polymer spray head is configured to direct the plurality of polymeric fibers toward the polymer enrobing zone along two or more directions.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polymer spray head is configured to distribute polymeric fibers evenly onto all surfaces of the body.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding device is configured to extend at least partially through a body of the product portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding device comprises a string.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding device comprises a first needle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the holding device further comprises a second needle.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first needle is configured to extend into a side of a body of the product portion, and the second needle is configured to extend into the side of the body.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first needle is configured to extend into a first side of a body of the product portion, and the second needle is configured to extend into a second side of the body opposite the first side of the body.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a stripping device configured to remove the product portion from the holding device.

18. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the heating device comprises an induction heater.