Fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product

• US 9,414,624 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• 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 J
• Application Number:
  US14/212,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20140261472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method of preparing a smokeless tobacco product comprising:

melt-blowing or centrifugal force spinning a plurality of polymeric fibers to create an polymer deposition zone;

passing a body comprising smokeless tobacco through the polymer deposition zone; and

applying an electrostatic charge with one or more holding devices to the plurality of polymeric fibers, the body, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a surfactant is applied to the plurality of polymeric fibers as they exit spinners.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposited polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than 30 gsm.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the deposited polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than 5 gsm.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposited fibers have a diameter of less than 100 microns.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the body is has a spin when passing through the polymer deposition zone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers are above a melt temperature for the polymer when impacting the body such that they conform to tobacco fibrous structures.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers have a diameter of less than 30 microns.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers are melt-blown fibers having a diameter of between 0.5 and 10.0 microns.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers are centrifugal force spun fibers having a diameter of between 0.01 microns and 1.0 micron.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown polymeric fibers are quenched with a mist such that the polymeric fibers are quenched below a melt temperature of the polymer upon impacting the body.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mist comprises water vapor, a surfactant, or air.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers comprise polypropylene.

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

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the polymeric fibers comprise a colorant.

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

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-stable and at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-dissolvable.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the body has an overall oven volatiles content of about 4% by weight to about 61% by weight.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a binder.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the body comprises between 0.1 and 0.5 weight percent of a binder.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the binder comprises guar gum, xanthan gum, cellulose ether, or a combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the body is held by one or more holding devices during the passage of that body through the polymer deposition zone.

24. The method of claim 1 or claim 23, wherein each of the one or more holding devices is a needle-like structure.

25. The method of claim 1 or 23, wherein the needle-like structure has a diameter of less than 500 microns.

23. A method of preparing a smokeless tobacco product comprising:

melt-blowing or centrifugal force spinning a plurality of polymeric fibers to create an polymer deposition zone; and

passing a body through the polymer deposition zone while rotating the body with one or more holding devices; and

applying an electrostatic charge to the plurality of polymeric fibers, the body, or a combination thereof, with the one or more holding devices.