Fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10258076-B2
Application number	US-201715688114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2017
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
a body including,
smokeless tobacco;
a binder binding the smokeless tobacco;
a polymeric fabric surrounding the smokeless tobacco, the polymeric fabric including a plurality of polymeric fibers, the polymeric fibers having a basis weight of less than 30 gsm, the polymeric fibers comprising a colorant, the colorant being configured to increase a hydraulic permittivity of the body.

2. The product of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers include a compounded polymer.

3. The product of claim 1 , wherein the colorant is a brown colorant.

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

5. The product of claim 1 , wherein the binder is present in an amount less than about 0.5 weight percent body.

6. The product of claim 1 , wherein the binder is present in an amount ranging from about 0.1 to about 0.5 weight percent of the body.

7. The product of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than about 20 gsm.

8. The product of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than about 10 gsm.

9. The product of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than about 5 gsm.

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

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

12. The product of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are melt-blown fibers having a diameter ranging from about 0.5 to about 10.0 microns.

13. The product of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are centrifugal force spun fibers having a diameter ranging from about 0.01 microns to about 1.0 micron.

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

15. The product of claim 14 , wherein the at least two different polymeric materials are coextruded to form composite polymeric fibers of the at least two polymeric materials.

16. A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
a body including,
smokeless tobacco;
a binder binding the smokeless tobacco;
a polymeric fabric surrounding the smokeless tobacco, the polymeric fabric including a plurality of polymeric fibers, the polymeric fibers having a basis weight of less than 30 gsm, the polymeric fibers comprising a colorant and a filler, the filler being configured to increase a hydraulic permittivity of the body.

17. The product of claim 16 , wherein the polymeric fibers include a compounded polymer.

18. The product of claim 16 , wherein the polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than about 20 gsm.

19. The product of claim 16 , wherein the polymeric fibers have a diameter of less than about 100 microns.

20. The product of claim 16 , wherein the polymeric fibers comprise at least two different polymeric materials.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

• Carroll Andrew Nathan
• Black Shannon Maxwell
• Sun Yan Helen
• Burke William J

Classifications

• D04H13/001

  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 · CPC title

• D04H13/00

  Other non-woven fabrics · CPC title

• A24B15/283

  by encapsulation of the chemical substances · CPC title

• A24F23/02

  Tobacco pouches · CPC title

• B65G15/44

  for impelling the loads · CPC title