Fabric having tobacco entangled with structural fibers

• US 9,814,261 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Atchley, Frank Scott, Rossman, James M., Mishra, Munmaya K.
• Primary Examiner(s): CORDRAY, DENNIS R
• Application Number:
  US14/719,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20160066620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 131111- 12, 131117- 18, 131300, 131306, 131328- 29, 131366- 67, 131370, 131373, 206242-275
• 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 15/28 by chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 23/02 Tobacco pouches
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/02 on fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0223 Vinyl resin fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0238 Vinyl halide, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0246 Acrylic resin fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0253 Polyolefin fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0261 Polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0276 Polyester fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/04 Cellulosic plastic fibres, e.g. rayon
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/062 Cellulose fibres, e.g. cotton
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/065 Lignocellulosic fibres, e.g. jute, sisal, hemp, flax, bamboo
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/12 Conjugate fibres, e.g. core/sheath or side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/14 Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7163 Biodegradable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/732 Dimensional properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/734 Dimensional stability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/75 Printability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/06 : characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer mechanically connected, e.g. by needling to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 : another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/04 : Interconnection of layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/02 : comprising animal or vegetable substances , e.g. cork, bamboo, starch
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/047 : made of fibres or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/00 : Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of cellulose or cellulose derivatives; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/04 : from fleeces or layers composed of fibres having existing or potential cohesive properties, e.g. natural fibres, prestretched or fibrillated artificial fibres felting apparatus D04H17/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/42 : characterised by the use of certain kinds of fibres insofar as this use has no preponderant influence on the consolidation of the fleece
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/425 : Cellulose series
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4258 : Regenerated cellulose series
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4291 : Olefin series
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4374 : using different kinds of webs, e.g. by layering webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43828 : sheath-core
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43832 : side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43838 : Ultrafine fibres, e.g. microfibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/46 : by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres D04H1/45 takes precedence; needling machines D04H18/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/48 : in combination with at least one other method of consolidation
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/49 : entanglement by fluid jet in combination with another consolidation means
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/492 : by fluid jet D04H1/49 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/498 : entanglement of layered webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/728 : by electro-spinning electro-spinning methods and apparatus D01D5/0007
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/005 : Synthetic yarns or filaments D04H3/013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/105 : by needling needling machines D04H18/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/11 : by fluid jet
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/16 : with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 5/02 : strengthened or consolidated by mechanical methods, e.g. needling needling machines D04H18/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 5/03 : by fluid jet
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 5/08 : characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres or yarns
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/00 : Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with non-macromolecular organic compounds D06M10/00, D06M14/00 take precedence; treatment with complexes of organic amines with inorganic substances D06M11/59; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/005 : Compositions containing perfumes; Compositions containing deodorants
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2101/06 : cellulosic

Abstract

A smokeless tobacco product includes smokeless tobacco and structural fibers. The structural fibers forming a network in which the smokeless tobacco is entangled. The structural fibers have a composition different from the smokeless tobacco. The tobacco-entangled fabric can have an overall oven volatiles content of at least 10 weight percent. In some embodiments, the structural fibers form a nonwoven network. In some embodiments, fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco are entangled with the structural fibers.

Claims

1. A smokeless tobacco product comprising,

smokeless tobacco having a total oven volatiles content of about 20% by weight or greater;

and

two layers of melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers positioned on opposite sides of the smokeless tobacco such that one layer of the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers is positioned on each of the opposite sides, the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers having a diameter of 100 microns or less.

2. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers have a diameter of 30 microns or less.

3. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers have a diameter of between 0.5 and 5 microns.

4. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco has a total oven volatiles content of about 40% by weight or greater.

5. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco has a total oven volatiles content of between about 45% by weight to about 65% by weight.

6. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers form a nonwoven network.

7. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 6, wherein the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers are entangled with fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco.

8. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco product has dimensional stability.

9. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers comprise milled tobacco at least partially embedded in the polyurethane material of the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers.

10. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the melt-blown structural fibers comprise composite fibers, each composite fiber including polyurethane and at least one additional material.

11. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 10, wherein the composite fibers comprise at least one mouth-stable material and at least one mouth-dissolvable material.

12. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco product is a tobacco-entangled fabric having an arrangement resulting from the needle punching of the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers with the smokeless tobacco.

13. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco product is a tobacco-entangled fabric comprising multiple layers of the melt-blown structural fibers and multiple layers of smokeless tobacco, wherein the melt-blown structural fibers from adjacent layers are entangled.

14. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein said product has a thickness of between 5 mm and 15 mm, a width of between 10 mm and 20 mm, and a length of between 10 mm and 30 mm.

15. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco product comprises tobacco material exposed along an outer surface.

16. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, further comprising a dissolvable film at least partially coating the melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers.

17. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises cured tobacco.

18. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 17, wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises cured, aged, fermented tobacco.

19. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 17, wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises cured, aged, non-fermented tobacco.

20. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises dark tobacco.

21. The smokeless tobacco product of claim 1, wherein each layer of melt-blown polyurethane structural fibers comprises a basis weight of about 30 grams per square meter (gsm).