TOBACCO COMPOSITIONS

• US 20090133703A1
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: US Smokeless Tobacco Company LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rossman, James M., Johnson, Cherne W., Miller, Tod J., Desmarais, Armand J., Williams, Scott A., Atchley, Frank S., Due, Vernie A., Strickland, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,636,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/111
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 27/79 in the form of films
• 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 15/16 of tobacco substitutes
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 36/81 Solanaceae (Potato family), e.g. tobacco, nightshade, tomato, belladonna, capsicum or jimsonweed

Abstract

The invention features tobacco compositions and methods of their use and manufacture. Compositions of the invention may be based on a variety of technologies. Technologies include films, tabs, shaped parts, gels, consumable units, insoluble matrices, and hollow shapes. In addition to tobacco, compositions may also contain flavors, colors, and other additives as described herein. Compositions may also be orally disintegrable. Exemplary compositions and methods of their manufacture are described herein.

Claims

1. An orally disintegrable smokeless tobacco product comprising tobacco having an average particle size of 250 μ

m or less, said product in the shape of a stick.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein said tobacco has an average particle size of 80 μ

m or less.

3. The product of claim 1, said tobacco having an average particle size of 75 μ

m or less.

4. The product of claim 1, said tobacco having an average particle size of 50 μ

m or less.

5. The product of claim 1, said tobacco having an average particle size of 25 μ

m or less.

6. The product of claim 1, wherein said product has a length that is not longer than 6 inches.

7. The product of claim 6, wherein said product has a length that is not longer than 2.5 inches.

8. The product of claim 1, wherein said product has a diameter of about ⅛

inches.

9. The product of claim 1, wherein said product disintegrates in from about 1 to about 60 minutes.

10. The product of claim 1, wherein said product disintegrates in from about 20 to about 30 minutes.

11. The product of claim 1, said product comprising from about 1% to about 80% tobacco on a dry weight basis.

12. The product of claim 1, said product comprising from about 1% to about 50% tobacco on a dry weight basis.

13. The product of claim 1, said product comprising from about 1% to about 40% tobacco on a dry weight basis.

14. The product of claim 1, said product comprising about 20% to about 40% tobacco on a dry weight basis.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a plurality of orally disintegrable smokeless tobacco products, each said product comprising tobacco having an average particle size of 250 μ

m or less, and each said product in the shape of a stick.