Polymer encased smokeless tobacco products

• US 9,896,228 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• 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., DiNovi, Christopher Joseph, Phillips, David, Macko, Jason Andrew, Smith, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Michael P
• Application Number:
  US14/657,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20150257442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 15/186 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: A24F 23/00 Cases for tobacco, snuff, or chewing tobacco
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/007 using an electrostatic field B05D1/02 - B05D1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/067 Curing or cross-linking the coating
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/108 Curing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 29/02 Packaging of substances, e.g. tea, which are intended to be infused in the package
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 53/02 by heat
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 63/02 for compressing or compacting articles or materials prior to wrapping or insertion in containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/10 Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs

Abstract

Methods for encasing bodies including smokeless tobacco or a tobacco substitute with a polymeric casing can include coating a compressed body with microfibers, applying tubular casings to compressed bodies, printing netting and webs on compressed bodies, injection molding around compressed bodies, applying a webbing to compressed bodies, placing compressed bodies into a skin forming bath, and including thermoplastic polymers in a compressed body.

Claims

1. A method of making a polymer encased smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute product comprising:

forming a compressed body including smokeless tobacco, a tobacco substitute, or a combination thereof;

placing the compressed body in a first tubular member having a first side wall defining a plurality of fenestrations;

reducing a diameter of said first tubular member to secure said first tubular member to said compressed body to form a partially covered body having uncovered ends;

placing said partially covered body in a second tubular member having a second side wall defining a plurality of fenestrations, said uncovered ends being positioned against said second side wall;

reducing a diameter of said second tubular member to secure said second tubular member to said partially covered body to form a fully covered body; and

heating said covered body to melt bond said first and second tubular members together around said compressed body to form an encased body.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising hydrating said encased body to form an encased product having greater than 10 weight percent oven volatiles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the diameter of said first or second tubular member is reduced by heating said tubular member.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein reducing the second tubular member and melt-bonding said second tubular member comprises a heating process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the diameter of said first or second tubular member is reduced elongating said first or second tubular member.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first or second tubular members comprise polyurethane.

7. A method of making a polymer encased smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute product comprising:

forming a compressed body including smokeless tobacco, a tobacco substitute, or a combination thereof;

placing the compressed body in a first tubular member having a first side wall defining a plurality of fenestrations;

reducing a diameter of said first tubular member to secure said first tubular member to said compressed body to form a partially covered body having uncovered ends;

placing said partially covered body in a second tubular member having a second side wall defining a plurality of fenestrations, said uncovered ends being positioned against said second side wall; and

reducing a diameter of said second tubular member to secure said second tubular member to said partially covered body to form a fully covered body.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising curing said covered body to bond said first tubular member, second tubular member, or both, around said compressed body to form an encased body.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising hydrating said encased body to form an encased product having greater than 10 weight percent oven volatiles.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the diameter of said first or second tubular member is reduced by heating said tubular member.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the curing comprises using UV energy to bond said first tubular member, second tubular member, or both, around said compressed body.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the diameter of the first or second tubular member is reduced by elongating said first or second tubular member.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the first or second tubular member comprises PE, PP, or combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the first or second tubular member comprises foamed PE, PP, or combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the first or second tubular member comprises polyurethane.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the first or second tubular member is UV cured or heat cured.