Tobacco product

• US 6,742,525 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blunt Wrap USA Incorporated (Blunt Wrap)
• Original Assignee: Blunt Wrap USA Incorporated (Blunt Wrap)
• Inventors: Sinclair, Daniel S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAYES, DIONNE WALLS
• Application Number:
  US10/083,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20020166561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 131/73, 131/77, 131/280, 131/75, 131/105, 131/365, 131/58, 131/70, 131/328, 131/360
• US Class Current: 131/365
• CPC Class Codes: A24C 5/40 Hand-driven apparatus for making cigarettes

Abstract

A tobacco product is formed by rolling a sheet of material supplied by a roll or rolls (e.g. moistened tobacco leaves) and/or homogenized sheet tobacco about a slit mandrel to form a shaped tube. The shaped tube is then packaged for shipment to an end user or consumer. The shaped tube remains in the rolled, shaped tube form inside the package. After the shaped tube is removed from the package, a consumer can fill the tube with crushed tobacco leaves or other tobacco filler material of a favorite blend, thereby eliminating some steps in the making of a “roll-your-own” tobacco product. A liquid can be added to the sheet or to the finished tube to moisturize same. The liquid can include flavoring. The tubes are unfilled when packaged and sent to a consumer/end user in tube form so that they have a “memory” that helps hold a tubular cigar shape after they are filled with selected tobacco fill material.

Claims

1. A tobacco product, comprising:

(a) a sheet of tobacco-containing material that is flavored with a liquid additive that provide an elevated moisture content to the sheet of material;

(b) a longitudinal bore defined when the sheet is formed into a hollow tube;

(c) the longitudinal bore being not completely filled with a tobacco filler product; and

(d) a package of such dimensions to maintain the sheet in the formed hollow tube configuration until removed from the package to thereby enable a consumer to unroll the hollow tube after removal from the package and then fill the bore with the user'"'"'s selected tobacco material; and

(c) wherein said elevated moisture content inhibits breaking of the tube when the tube is unrolled by a consumer.

2. The tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the bore is completely unfilled.

3. The tobacco product of claim 1, wherein the package has an opening between opposing walls which prevents the sheet from unrolling until removed from the package to insert tobacco fill material into the tube.

4. A tobacco product, comprising:

(a) a sheet of tobacco-containing material that is flavored with a liquid additive that provides an elevated moisture content to the sheet of material;

(b) a lube for receiving the sheet of material there around;

(c) a longitudinal bore formed in the material when the sheet is wrapped around the tube; and

(d) a package of such dimensions for receiving the wrapped sheet of material wherein the package maintains the sheet in the wrapped configuration until the sheet and tube are removed from the package to be filled with a tobacco fill material.

5. A tobacco product, comprising:

(a) a shell of material containing in part tobacco and that is flavored with a liquid additive that provides an elevated moisture content to the sheet of material;

(b) a tube for wrapping the shell of material there around to define a cigar shape; and

(c) a wrapper receiving and packaging the cigar shaped shell, the wrapper maintaining the shell in the cigar shape until the tube is removed from the package, enabling a user unroll the shell and to fill the shell with tobacco; and

(d) wherein said elevated moisture content inhibits breaking of the tube when the lube is unrolled.

6. A shell for assembling custom-made rolls of tobacco for smoking, comprising:

(a) a sheet of combustible material which has not been part of a previously assembled cigar or cigarette, and that has been flavored with a liquid additive that provides an elevated moisture content to the sheet of material;

(b) said sheet of material having at least two edges and a surface area located between said edges;

(c) said area having an inner surface and an outer surface;

(d) wherein the sheet has a tubular shape at rest;

(e) said edges being separable to provide access to the inner surface of the sheet of material for depositing thereon tobacco products to be smoked in the shell; and

(f) wherein said elevated moisture content inhibits breaking of the tube when the tube is unrolled.

7. A device for preparing a tobacco product, comprising:

a hollow shell having a central opening longitudinally therethrough, said shell being formed from homogenized tobacco paper, the shell having a longitudinal slit in a side wall of the shell to allow placing of crushed tobacco into said central opening, wherein the shell is formed by wrapping the homogenized tobacco paper about a removable from casing; and

wherein said shell is wrapped about a removable form casing, said form casing having an outside diameter, which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the central opening.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said form casing is provided with a non-stick coating deposited on an outer surface of the form casing.

9. A device for preparing a tobacco product, comprising:

(a) a removable substantially cylindrical form casing;

(b) a shell body of homogenized tobacco material having a central opening extending longitudinally therethrough, said shell body being wrapped about said form casing;

(c) a longitudinal opening formed in a sidewall of the shell body to allow placing of crushed tobacco into said central after the form casing is removed from the shell body;

(d) wherein the shell is formed by wrapping the homogenized tobacco paper about the removable form casing; and

(e) wherein said elevated moisture content inhibits breaking of the tube when the tube is unrolled.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said central opening is adapted for receiving crushed tobacco after said form casing has been removed.

11. The invention of claim 9, wherein there are multiple layers of homogenized tobacco paper.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the shell body is flavored with an additive.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein the additive is a liquid.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the liquid includes a solvent.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the liquid include in part, oil.

16. The device of claim 13 wherein the liquid include in part, propylene.

17. The device of claim 13 wherein the liquid include in part, glycerine.

18. The device of claim 13 wherein the liquid include in part, benzyl.

19. The device of claim 13 wherein the liquid is flavored with a flavor selected from the group of vanilla, honey, berry, chocolate, peach, champagne, cognac and menthol.

20. The device of claim 13 wherein the liquid includes a humectant.

21. The device of claim 12 wherein the additive includes botanical extract material.

22. A product including a cigar tube for holding an end user'"'"'s tobacco fill material, comprising:

a) a cigar tube which comprises a sheet of material or tobacco leaves or homogenized tobacco paper flavored with a liquid additive that provides an elevated moisture content to the sheet of material, the sheet of material being rolled into a shaped tube that has a longitudinal bore, and edges that can be removed apart by the end user so that tobacco fill material can be added to the bore;

b) a wrapper, wherein the cigar tube is packaged in the wrapper, and the cigar tube remains rolled in said lube shape inside the wrapper, and the packaged cigar tube is not filled with tobacco to form a complete cigar; and

(c) wherein said elevated moisture content inhibits breaking of the shaped tube when the edges are moved apart by the end user.

23. The product of claim 22 further comprising moisture in the sheet of material.

24. The product of claim 22 wherein the sheet is entirely comprised of tobacco material.

25. The product of claim 22 wherein the wrapper is of cellophane material.

26. The product of claim 22 wherein the wrapper is of a clear material.

27. The product of claim 22 wherein the wrapped, shaped tube does not contain any tobacco fill material.

28. The product of claim 22 wherein the tube is not formed by removing the combustible filler of an existing prefabricated cigar.

29. The product of claim 2 wherein multiple layers define the sheet of material.

30. A product including a cigar tube for holding an end user'"'"'s tobacco fill material, comprising:

a) a cigar tube which comprises a sheet of material of tobacco leaves or homogenized tobacco paper flavored with a liquid additive that provides an elevated moisture content to the sheet of material, the sheet of material being rolled into a shaped tube that has a longitudinal bore, and edges that can be moved apart by the end user so that tobacco fill material can be added to the bore;

b) a wrapper, wherein the cigar tube is packaged in the wrapper, and the cigar tube remains rolled in said tube shape inside the wrapper after packaging; and

(c) wherein said elevated moisture content inhibits breaking of the shaped tube when the edges are moved apart by the end user.

31. The product of claim 30 further comprising moisture in the sheet of material.

32. The product of claim 30 wherein the sheet is entirely comprised of tobacco material.

33. The product of claim 30 wherein the wrapper is of cellophane material.

34. The product of claim 30 wherein the wrapper is of a clear material.

35. The product of claim 30 wherein the wrapped, shaped tube does not contain any tobacco fill material.

36. The product of claim 30 wherein the tube is not formed by removing the combustible filler of an existing prefabricated cigar.

37. A product including a cigar tube for holding an end user'"'"'s tobacco fill materiel, comprising:

a) a cigar tube which comprises a sheet of material of tobacco leaves or homogenized tobacco paper that are flavored with a liquid additive that provides an elevated moisture content to the sheet of material, the sheet of material being rolled that has a shaped tube that has a longitudinal bore, and edges that can be moved apart by the end user so that tobacco fill material can be added to the bore;

b) a wrapper, wherein the cigar tube is packaged in the wrapper, the wrapper has a clear portion for enabling a consumer to see the cigar tube, and the cigar tube remains rolled said the shape inside the wrapper; and

(c) wherein said elevated moisture content inhibits breaking of the shaped tube when the edges are moved apart by the end user.

38. The product of claim 37 further comprising moisture in the sheet of material.

39. The product of claim 37 wherein the sheet is entirely comprised of tobacco material.

40. The product of claim 36 wherein the wrapper is of cellophane material.

41. The product of claim 37 wherein the wrapper is of a clear material.

42. The product of claim 37 wherein the wrapped, shaped tube does not contain any tobacco fill material.

43. The product of claim 37 wherein the tube is not formed by removing the combustible filler of an existing prefabricated cigar.

44. The product of claim 37 wherein multiple layers define the sheet of material.