Tobacco treatment process

• US 4,449,541 A
• Filed: 06/02/1981
• Issued: 05/22/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Mays, Charles D., Wagoner, Max A., Williard, Daniel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US06/269,086
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 131/296, 131/300, 131/302, 131/303, 131/304, 131/305, 131/306, 131/309, 131/310
• US Class Current: 131/302
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/30 by organic substances A24B15/281 takes precedence

Abstract

Cut shredded or otherwise comminuted tobacco is treated with a volatile flavoring additive in a continuous process wherein the additive is combined with a polyhydric alcohol carrier and the additive/polyhydric alcohol combination is applied to the tobacco [by gas-atomizing spray nozzle means] under controlled conditions.

Claims

1. A continuous process for treating cut, shredded or otherwise comminuted tobacco which comprises subjecting a moving stream of cut, shredded or otherwise comminuted tobacco to a liquid spray comprising a volatile flavoring additive in a carrier medium containing a polyhydric alcohol as the principal component of said carrier medium, the quantity of said liquid spray being controlled with respect to the feed rate of said stream of tobacco by flow control means associated with a flow measuring device based on mass flow, regenerative sonics, magnetic flow or turbine flow principles which measures the flow rate of said carrier medium and the volatile flavoring additive contained therein.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said liquid spray is generated by gas-atomizing spray nozzle means.

3. The process of claim 1 or 2 wherein the stream of tobacco is also subjected to agitation means as it is being treated with said liquid spray.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein said volatile flavoring additive comprises menthol and said polyhydric alcohol comprises propylene glycol.

5. A continuous process for treating a moving stream of cut, shredded or otherwise comminuted tobacco with a volatile flavoring additive in combination with a carrier medium for said additive comprising a polyhydric alcohol humectant as the principal component of said carrier medium, said continuous process comprising

(a) directing said stream of cut, shredded or otherwise comminuted tobacco into a treating zone at a measured flow rate,

(b) introducing into said treating zone the volatile flavoring additive/carrier medium combination in the form of a gas-atomized spray,

(c) measuring the flow rate of the volatile flavoring additive/carrier medium combination introduced into said treating zone by a flow measuring device based on mass flow, regenerative sonics, magnetic flow or turbine flow principles,

(d) controlling the flow rate of the volatile flavoring additive/carrier medium combination introduced into said treating zone with respect to the flow rate of the tobacco stream entering said treating zone, and

(e) withdrawing a stream of treated tobacco from said treating zone.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein said tobacco is agitated as it moves through said treating zone.

7. The process of claim 5 or 6 wherein said gas-atomized spray is generated by a plurality of gas-atomizing spray nozzles.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein said volatile flavoring additive comprises menthol and said polyhydric alcohol comprises propylene glycol.

9. The process of claim 5 or 6 wherein said volatile flavoring additive/carrier medium combination is heated at temperatures up to 100°

C. at the time said combination is introduced into said treating zone.

10. A continuous process for applying menthol to a moving stream of cut tobacco which comprises

(a) providing a liquid medium containing menthol in combination with a polyhydric alcohol wherein the menthol concentration in said medium is at least 20 percent by weight,

(b) introducing a stream of cut tobacco at a measured flow rate into a treatment zone that is provided with tobacco agitation means and spray nozzle means positioned to direct a spray of said liquid medium onto the tobacco,

(c) continuously supplying a quantity of the menthol-containing liquid medium to said spray nozzle means in the treatment zone,

(d) regulating the flow rate of said menthol-containing liquid medium supplied to said spray nozzle means with respect to the measured flow rate of the cut tobacco introduced into said treatment zone to give a predetermined ratio of menthol to tobacco and

(e) withdrawing from the treatment zone a stream of cut tobacco having a predetermined quantity of menthol applied thereto.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein the quantity of said menthol-containing liquid medium supplied to said spray nozzle means is measured by a mass flow meter.

12. The process of claim 10 wherein said liquid spray is generated by gas-atomizing spray nozzle means and said polyhydric alcohol comprises propylene glycol.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the concentration of menthol in said liquid medium is at least 35 percent by weight.

14. The process of claim 12 wherein the concentration of menthol in said liquid medium is at least 50 percent by weight.

15. In a continuous process for preparing tobacco for the manufacture of smoking products therefrom which includes the steps of

(a) treating tobacco strips with a casing mixture that contains a polyhydric alcohol humectant,

(b) cutting or shredding the cased tobacco strips and

(c) applying a volatile flavoring additive to a moving stream of the cut or shredded tobacco,

the improvement which comprises withholding at least a portion of the polyhydric alcohol humectant from the casing mixture for use as a carrier medium for the volatile flavoring additive and continuously applying the volatile flavoring additive in said portion of the polyhydric alcohol humectant to the moving stream of cut or shredded tobacco at a controlled rate with respect to the flow rate of the moving stream of cut or shredded tobacco.

16. The improvement of claim 15 wherein said volatile flavoring additive in said portion of the polyhydric alcohol humectant is applied to the moving stream of cut or shredded tobacco as an aerosol spray generated by gas-atomizing spray nozzle means.

17. The improvement of claim 16 wherein the moving stream of cut or shredded tobacco is agitated as said aerosol spray is applied thereto.

18. The improvement of claim 15 wherein the rate at which said volatile flavoring additive in said carrier medium is applied to the moving stream of cut or shredded tobacco is controlled by flow control means associated with a flow measuring device which measures the flow rate of the volatile flavoring additive in said carrier medium applied to the moving stream of cut or shredded tobacco.

19. The improvement of claim 18 wherein the flow measuring device is based on mass flow, regenerative sonics, magnetic flow or turbine flow principles.

20. The improvement of claim 15, 16, 17, 18 or 19 wherein said volatile flavoring additive comprises menthol and the polyhydric alcohol comprises propylene glycol.

21. The improvement of claim 20 wherein the concentration of menthol in the carrier medium is at least 20 percent by weight.

22. The improvement of claim 20 wherein the concentration of menthol in the carrier medium is at least 25 percent by weight.

23. The improvement of claim 20 wherein the concentration of menthol in the carrier medium is at least 50 percent by weight.

24. A continuous process for applying volatile flavoring additives to a moving stream of cut tobacco which comprises

(a) providing a liquid medium containing at least two volatile flavoring additives and a polyhydric alcohol with said polyhydric alcohol constituting at least 50 percent by weight of said liquid medium,

(b) moving a stream of cut tobacco at a measured flow rate through a treatment zone that is provided with tobacco agitation means and a plurality of spray nozzles positioned to direct a spray pattern of liquid onto the stream of cut tobacco,

(c) continuously supplying a quantity of said liquid medium to said spray nozzles for application to the cut tobacco,

(d) regulating the flow rate of said liquid medium supplied to said spray nozzles with respect to the measured flow rate of said stream of cut tobacco moving through the treatment zone and

(e) recovering a stream of treated tobacco from said treatment zone, said treated tobacco having a predetermined quantity of said volatile flavoring additives applied thereto.

25. The process of claim 24 wherein said polyhydric alcohol is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, trimethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, glycerol, α

-methylglycerol, 1,2-butanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol and 2,3-butanediol.

26. The process of claim 24 or 25 wherein said liquid medium is applied to the cut tobacco in the form of a gas-atomized aerosol spray.

27. The process of claim 26 wherein said volatile flavoring additives include menthol and constitute at least 20 percent by weight of said liquid medium.