Fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product

• US 9,763,473 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2016
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• 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:
  US15/207,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20160360778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• 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 seamless fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product comprising:

smokeless tobacco;

a binder binding the smokeless tobacco, the smokeless tobacco product comprising less than 0.5 weight percent binder; and

a plurality of melt-blown polymeric fibers surrounding the smokeless tobacco, the melt-blown polymeric fibers having a hydrophilic surface coating and having a basis weight of less than 10 gsm; and

wherein the polymeric fibers comprise surfactant-quenched fibers.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than 5 gsm.

3. The product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises a high moisture tobacco.

4. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers have a diameter of less than 100 microns.

5. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers conform to fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco.

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

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

8. The product of claim 1, wherein the polymeric fibers comprise polypropylene.

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

10. The product of claim 9, wherein the polymeric fibers comprise fibers formed by a compounded polymer comprising a colorant.

11. The product of claim 9, wherein polymeric fibers are composite polymeric fibers formed by the coextrusion of at least two different polymeric materials.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-stable and at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-dissolvable.

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

14. A seamless pouched smokeless tobacco product comprising:

a non-tobacco cellulosic mixture;

a binder dispersed in the non-tobacco cellulosic mixture; and

a plurality of melt-blown or centrifugal force spun polymeric fibers surrounding the non-tobacco cellulosic mixture, the polymeric fibers having a hydrophilic surface coating and having a basis weight of less than 10 gsm;

wherein the polymeric fibers comprise surfactant-quenched fibers.

15. The product of claim 14, wherein the non-tobacco cellulosic mixture comprises bamboo fiber.

16. The product of claim 14, wherein the polymeric fibers are centrifugal force spun fibers having a diameter of between 0.01 microns and 1.0 micron.

17. The product of claim 14, wherein the product comprises between 0.1 and 0.5 weight percent of the binder.

18. The product of claim 17, wherein the binder comprises guar gum, xanthan gum, cellulose ether, or a combination thereof.

19. A seamless fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product comprising:

smokeless tobacco; and

a fiber wrap comprising a plurality of melt-blown polymeric fibers surrounding the smokeless tobacco, the melt-blown polymeric fibers comprise a colorant for improving the hydraulic permittivity of the fiber wrap.