Exhausted-tobacco oral product

• US 9,986,756 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gao, Feng, Atchley, Frank Scott, Griscik, Gregory James, DiNovi, Christopher Joseph, Hulan, Phillip M., Strickland, James Arthur, Gee, Diane
• Primary Examiner(s): Yaary, Eric
• Application Number:
  US13/744,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20130186416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: 424408, 424409, 424435, 424751
• 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 15/16 of tobacco substitutes
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 42/20 Devices without heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 42/60 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 42/80 Manufacture

Abstract

An oral product includes a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity. The body includes a mouth-stable polymer matrix, exhausted tobacco fibers embedded in the mouth-stable polymer matrix, and an additive dispersed in the mouth-stable polymer matrix. The oral product is adapted to release the additive from the body when the body is received within the oral cavity and exposed to saliva.

Claims

1. An oral product, comprising a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity, the body comprising:

a mouth-stable polymer matrix comprising one or more mouth-stable polymers, the one or more mouth-stable polymers comprising polyurethane, wherein the body comprises at least 60 weight percent of the one or more mouth-stable polymers;

at least 10 weight percent of exhausted tobacco fibers embedded in the mouth-stable polymer matrix that together form a fiber-polymer matrix, the exhausted tobacco fibers having an average fiber size of less than 200 micrometers; and

an additive dispersed and absorbed in the fiber-polymer matrix such that the additive is released from the body when the body is received within the oral cavity and exposed to saliva, wherein the exhausted tobacco fibers form channels extending from one surface of the oral product to an opposite surface of the oral product in the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprising pores, the pores having diameters of 60 microns or less, the additive comprising nicotine or a derivative thereof; and

wherein the body has a compressibility @250 N of between 45% and 90% and a percentage of springiness of between 75% and 90%.

2. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprises a polyester.

3. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprises a polyacrylate.

4. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprises a polyethylene, SEBS, SBS, or another thermal plastic elastomer.

5. The oral product of claim 1, further comprising a plasticizer dispersed in the mouth-stable polymer matrix.

6. The oral product of claim 5, wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, glycerin, vegetable oil, triglycerides, and combinations thereof.

7. The oral product of claim 1, further comprising a sweetener dispersed in the body.

8. The oral product of claim 7, wherein the sweetener is selected from the group consisting of saccharine, sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and combinations thereof.

9. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the nicotine is tobacco-derived nicotine.

10. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the nicotine is synthetic nicotine.

11. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the oral product further comprises soluble fiber, wherein a ratio of soluble fiber to exhausted tobacco fibers is between 1:

60 and 60;

1.

12. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the additive comprises a supplemental additive that is selected from the group consisting of minerals, vitamins, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, energizing agents, soothing agents, amino acids, chemsthetic agents, antioxidants, botanicals, teeth whitening agents, therapeutic agents, and combinations thereof.

13. The oral product of claim 1, further comprising a flavorant dispersed in the body or exhausted tobacco fibers such that the flavorant is released when the body is held within a mouth of an adult consumer.

14. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the flavorant is selected from the group consisting of licorice, wintergreen, cherry and berry type flavorants, Dramboui, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cinnamon, cardamon, apium graveolents, clove, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, Japanese mint, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, chamomile, menthol, ylangylang, sage, fennel, pimenta, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, mint oils from a species of the genus Mentha, and combinations thereof.

15. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body is shield shaped.

16. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a diameter of between 5 mm and 25 mm and a thickness of between 1 mm and 10 mm.

17. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body comprises between 0.1 mg and 6 mg nicotine.

31. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a plurality of pores having a pore diameter of between 40 microns and 60 microns and a plurality of pores having a pore diameter of between 1 micron and 10 microns.

34. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the exhausted tobacco fibers are disposed adjacent to and extend along channels and pores of the fiber-polymer matrix.

35. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the additive forms pockets within the fiber-polymer matrix that can be accessed via the exhausted tobacco fibers.

36. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the exhausted tobacco fibers have an average fiber size ranging between 125 micrometers and 200 micrometers.

37. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the mouth-stable polymer matrix is an extruded mouth-stable polymer matrix.

18. An oral product, comprising a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity, the body comprising:

at least 60 weight percent of one or more mouth-stable polymers, the one or more mouth-stable polymers comprising polyurethane, the one or more mouth-stable polymers forming a mouth-stable polymer matrix;

at least 10 weight percent of exhausted tobacco fibers embedded in the mouth-stable polymer matrix to form a fiber-polymer matrix, the exhausted tobacco fibers having an average fiber size of less than 200 micrometers; and

an additive dispersed and absorbed in the fiber-polymer matrix such that the additive is released from the body when the body is received within the oral cavity and exposed to saliva, wherein the exhausted tobacco fibers have a length of about 0.1 inches up to about 1 inch and wherein a portion thereof forms channels extending from one surface of the oral product to an opposite surface of the oral product in the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprising pores, the pores having diameters of 60 microns or less, the additive comprising nicotine or a derivative thereof;

wherein the body has a compressibility @ 250 N of less than 95%.

19. The oral product of claim 18, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 250 N of less than 80%.

20. The oral product of claim 18, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 250 N of between 45% and 90%.

21. The oral product of claim 18, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 425 N of less than 99%.

22. The oral product of claim 18, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 425 N of between 60% and 98%.

23. The oral product of claim 18, wherein the body has a percentage of springiness of at least 20%.

24. The oral product of claim 18, wherein the body has a percentage of springiness of at least 70%.

25. The oral product of claim 18, wherein the body has a percentage of springiness of between 75% and 90%.

32. The oral product of claim 18, wherein the body comprises a plurality of pores having a pore diameter of between 40 microns and 60 microns and a plurality of pores having a pore diameter of between 1 micron and 10 microns.

26. An oral product, comprising a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity, the body being formed by extruding a mixture of polyurethane and exhausted tobacco fibers to create a fiber-polymer matrix in which the exhausted tobacco fibers are embedded in the mouth-stable polymer matrix, the body comprising at least 60 percent weight of polyurethane and at least 10 percent weight of the exhausted tobacco fibers, the body further comprising an additive dispersed and absorbed in the fiber-polymer matrix such that the additive is released from the body when the body is received within the oral cavity and exposed to saliva, the additive comprising nicotine or a derivative thereof, wherein the body having a compressibility @ 250 N of less than 95% and a percentage of springiness of at least 20%, the body comprising between 40 and 80 weight percent of polyurethane and at least 10 weight percent of the exhausted tobacco fibers, wherein the exhausted tobacco fibers have a length of about 0.1 inches up to about 1 inch and wherein a portion thereof forms channels extending from one surface of the body to an opposite surface of the body, wherein the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprises pores, the pores having diameters of 60 microns or less.

27. The oral product of claim 26, wherein the body has a percentage of springiness of at least 70%.

28. The oral product of claim 26, wherein the body has a percentage of springiness of between 75% and 90%.

29. The oral product of claim 26, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 250 N of less than 80%.

30. The oral product of claim 26, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 250 N of between 45% and 90%.

33. The oral product of claim 26, wherein the body comprises a plurality of pores having a pore diameter of between 40 microns and 60 microns and a plurality of pores having a pore diameter of between 1 micron and 10 microns.