Container for smokeless tobacco product

• US 9,717,272 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Patel, Pankaj, Turfler, David Troy
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, LUAN KIM
• Application Number:
  US14/084,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20150136618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 206204, 206236, 206242, 206265, 206270, 131274, 131275, 131328, 131329, 220554
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 23/00 Cases for tobacco, snuff, or chewing tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/04 Partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/1622 by means of a passage for the escape of gas between the closure and the lip of the container mouth
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/22 in moist conditions or immersed in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/26 with provision for draining away, or absorbing, or removing by ventilation, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents B65D33/01 takes precedence; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/268 the absorber being enclosed in a small pack, e.g. bag, included in the package

Abstract

A container that may be employed to store a tobacco-containing material is provided. The container may include a lower body portion and an upper lid. The lower body portion may include an intermediate bottom wall that may separate the lower body portion into upper and lower internal storage compartments. An environment modification material may be received in the lower internal storage compartment. The tobacco-containing material may be received in the upper internal storage compartment. The environment modification material may control humidity in the container to preserve the freshness of the tobacco-containing material and/or perform other functions. Vent channels cooperatively formed by the lower body portion and the upper cover may further contribute to humidity control.

Claims

1. A container defining a modified internal environment, the container comprising:

a cover;

a body portion configured to engage the cover to substantially enclose an internal space defined by the body portion, the body portion comprising a side wall, a bottom wall and an intermediate wall, the intermediate wall dividing the internal space into a first compartment and a second compartment; and

an environment modification material received in the second compartment and configured to act through the intermediate wall upon an atmosphere within the first compartment, the environment modification material providing moisture and removing moisture from the atmosphere within the container, depending on a level of humidity in the atmosphere in the container, in order to maintain a relative humidity in the container;

wherein the cover is configured to releasably engage the body portion such that the first compartment is accessible and the intermediate wall and the bottom wall are irreleasably secured to the side wall such that the second compartment is inaccessible.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the second compartment is defined by the side wall, the bottom wall, and the intermediate wall.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the intermediate wall comprises a plurality of through holes extending therethrough.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the cover cooperates with the body portion to define a plurality of vent channels extending between the first compartment and an external atmosphere.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein the environment modification material provides and removes moisture from the atmosphere within the container in order to maintain the relative humidity within the container from about 20 percent to about 90 percent.

6. The container of claim 5, wherein the relative humidity within the container is maintained from about 25 percent to about 35 percent.

7. The container of claim 5, wherein the relative humidity within the container is maintained from about 75 percent to about 90 percent.

8. A container for a tobacco-containing material, the container comprising:

a lower body portion and a top cover,

the lower body portion comprising a bottom wall, an intermediate bottom wall located above the bottom wall, and a side wall extending upwardly therefrom,

the bottom wall and the side wall of the lower body portion defining a lower internal storage compartment including an environment modification material, the intermediate wall and the bottom wall being irreleasably secured to the side wall such that the lower internal compartment is inaccessible,

the intermediate bottom wall and the side wall of the lower body portion defining an upper internal storage compartment configured to receive a tobacco-containing material,

the intermediate bottom wall being adapted to allow for atmosphere within the lower body portion to pass between the lower internal storage compartment and the upper internal storage compartment such that the environment modification material provides moisture and removes moisture from the atmosphere in the container, depending on a level of humidity in the atmosphere, in order to maintain a relative humidity in the container;

the side wall of the lower body portion having an outer peripheral surface, the outer peripheral surface being configured at an upper portion to allow removable engagement of the top cover such that the upper internal storage compartment is accessible,

the top cover having a top wall and a side wall extending downwardly therefrom, the top cover being configured to be removably engaged with the lower body portion,

the side wall of the top cover having an inner surface, the inner surface being configured to be received over and releasably engage the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the lower body portion.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein the lower body portion comprises a polymeric material, and the top cover comprises a metallic material.

10. The container of claim 8, wherein the lower body portion further comprises a rib structure, the intermediate bottom wall and the rib structure each being integrally formed with the side wall of the lower body portion.

11. The container of claim 10, wherein the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the lower body portion defines a lip, the rib structure being positioned adjacent to the lip such that a peripheral flange of the top cover interacts with the lip to form a stop when the top cover is received over the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the lower body portion.

12. The container of claim 11, wherein the peripheral flange comprises a substantially planar edge configured for abutting contact with a substantially planar surface of the lip when the top cover is fully seated upon the lower body portion.

13. The container of claim 11, wherein the side wall and the peripheral flange of the lower body portion are substantially cylindrical, and the rib structure extends circumferentially about the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the lower body portion.

14. The container of claim 11, wherein the rib structure comprises a plurality of rib segments projecting from the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the lower body portion, the rib segments being spaced apart so as to form vent channels therebetween for facilitating venting when the top cover is received over the lower body portion.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein each of the rib segments comprises a rib wall and a rib projection projecting from the rib wall, the rib wall being adjacent the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the lower body portion, and the rib projection extending outwardly of the rib wall and being configured to interact with the inner surface of the peripheral flange when the top cover is received over the outer peripheral surface of the side wall of the lower body portion.

16. The container of claim 8, further comprising at least one of a plurality of pouched smokeless tobacco products and a tobacco material in the form of moist snuff received in the upper internal storage compartment.

17. A packaged tobacco product, comprising:

a cover;

a body portion engaged with the cover, the body portion defining an internal space and comprising a side wall, a bottom wall and an intermediate wall, the intermediate wall dividing the internal space into a first compartment and a second compartment,

the first compartment comprising a tobacco-containing material received therein, and

the second compartment comprising an environment modification material received therein and configured to act upon an atmosphere within the first compartment to provide moisture and remove moisture from the atmosphere in the packaged tobacco product, depending on a level of humidity in the atmosphere, in order to maintain a relative humidity in the packaged tobacco product;

wherein the cover is releasably secured to the body portion such that the first compartment is accessible and the intermediate wall and the bottom wall are irreleasably secured to the side wall such that the second compartment is inaccessible.

18. The packaged tobacco product of claim 17, wherein the intermediate wall comprises a plurality of through holes extending therethrough.

19. The packaged tobacco product of claim 17, wherein the cover cooperates with the body portion to define a plurality of vent channels extending between the first compartment and an external atmosphere.