POUCH FOR TOBACCO OR TOBACCO SUBSTITUTE

• US 20080302682A1
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Novus Scientific AB (Novus Scientific Pte., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Radi Medical Biodegradable AB
• Inventors: Engstrom, Thomas, Mathisen, Torbjorn
• Application Number:
  US11/761,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20080302682A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/260
• 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

Abstract

A smokeless tobacco product adapted for oral administration includes a permeable pouch adapted for administration into a user'"'"'s mouth and adapted to be removed from the mouth and disposed in nature and smokeless tobacco contained in the pouch. The pouch is made from a degradable polymer whose degradation properties allow the pouch to be essentially intact until the time of disposal and allow the pouch to degrade in nature after disposal.

Claims

1. A smokeless tobacco product adapted for oral administration, comprising:

a permeable pouch adapted for administration into a user'"'"'s mouth and adapted to be removed from the mouth and disposed in nature; and

smokeless tobacco contained in the pouch, wherein the pouch is made from a degradable polymer whose degradation properties allow the pouch to be essentially intact until the time of disposal and allow the pouch to degrade in nature after disposal.

2. A smokeless tobacco product according to claim 1, wherein the degradation after disposal mainly is caused by water.

3. A smokeless tobacco product according to claim 1, wherein the degradation after disposal mainly is caused by microorganisms.

4. A smokeless tobacco product according to claim 1, wherein the degradation after disposal mainly is caused by sunlight.

5. A smokeless tobacco product according to claim 1, wherein the degradation after disposal mainly is caused by oxygen.

6. A smokeless tobacco product according to claim 1, wherein the degradation after disposal is caused by any combination of water, microorganisms, sunlight, and oxygen.

7. A tobacco pouch comprising:

tobacco; and

a pouch holding the tobacco, the pouch being biodegradable in the presence of at least one of sunlight, microorganisms, and oxygen.

8. A tobacco pouch as set forth in claim 7, wherein the tobacco has a moisture content and the pouch retains its integrity for at least 6 months in the presence of the moisture content.

9. A tobacco pouch as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pouch completely encloses the tobacco with a material which is not dissolvable in a user'"'"'s mouth.

10. A tobacco pouch as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of sunlight.

11. A tobacco pouch as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of microorganisms.

12. A tobacco pouch as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of both sunlight and microorganisms.

13. A tobacco pouch as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pouch comprises a polymer.

14. A tobacco pouch as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of oxygen.

15. A tobacco pouch as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of both sunlight and oxygen.

16. A tobacco substitute product adapted for oral administration, comprising:

a permeable pouch adapted for administration into a user'"'"'s mouth and adapted to be removed from the mouth and disposed in nature; and

a tobacco substitute contained in the pouch, wherein the pouch is made from a degradable polymer whose degradation properties allow the pouch to be essentially intact until the time of disposal and allow the pouch to degrade in nature after disposal.

17. A pouch for containing tobacco or a tobacco substitute, comprising:

a permeable pouch adapted for administration into a user'"'"'s mouth and adapted to be removed from the mouth and disposed in nature, wherein the pouch is made from a degradable polymer whose degradation properties allow the pouch to be essentially intact until the time of disposal and allow the pouch to degrade in nature after disposal.

18. A pouch as set forth in claim 17, wherein the permeable pouch comprises a fibre mat.

19. A pouch as set forth in claim 17, wherein the permeable pouch comprises a film.

20. A pouch as set forth in claim 17, wherein the permeable pouch comprises a non-woven fibre mat.

21. A pouch as set forth in claim 17, wherein the permeable pouch comprises a perforated polymer foil.

22. A pouch as set forth in claim 17, wherein the permeable pouch comprises a foil.

23. A tobacco pouch comprising tobacco and a pouch containing the tobacco, the pouch being made from a polymer which is biodegradable in the presence of at least one of sunlight, microorganisms, oxygen, and water.