Package for a tobacco-containing material with a valve assembly and related packaging method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016106149-A1
Application number	US-201414515598-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2014
Priority date	Oct 16, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A package that may be employed to store a tobacco-containing material is provided. The package may include a container and a valve assembly. The container may include a body portion and a cover configured to engage the body portion. The body portion may define an internal space therein. The valve assembly may be configured to affect an atmosphere within the internal space of the container. For example, the valve assembly may remain closed except when releasing pressure from the internal space. Thereby, by way of further example, the valve assembly may vent the container so as to avoid damage thereto, while reducing moisture loss from the tobacco-containing material stored in the internal space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A package, comprising:
a container, comprising:
a body portion defining an internal space accessible via an opening and configured to receive a product;
a cover configured to engage the body portion so as to cover the opening and substantially enclose the internal space; and
a valve assembly in fluid communication with the internal space and configured to affect an atmosphere within the internal space of the container.

2 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly is configured to relieve pressure from the atmosphere within the internal space of the container.

3 . The package of claim 2 , wherein the valve assembly is configured to resist moisture outflow from the atmosphere within the internal space.

4 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly is engaged with the cover of the container.

5 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the body portion comprises a side wall and a bottom wall, and
wherein the valve assembly is engaged with at least one of the side wall and the bottom wall of the body portion of the container.

6 . The package of claim 1 , further comprising a barrier film coupled to the container, wherein the valve assembly is engaged with the barrier film.

7 . The package of claim 6 , wherein the barrier film covers the opening to the body portion.

8 . The package of claim 7 , wherein a secondary space is defined between the barrier film and the cover when the cover is engaged with the body portion, the valve assembly being configured to vent from the internal space into the secondary space.

9 . The package of claim 8 , wherein one or more vent channels are defined between the cover and the body portion when the cover is engaged with the body portion, the vent channels being configured to vent the secondary space to an external environment.

10 . The package of claim 6 , wherein an aperture is defined through the container, and the barrier film extends over the aperture.

11 . The package of claim 10 , wherein a secondary space is defined between the barrier film and the container, the secondary space being in fluid communication with the internal space through the aperture and the valve assembly being configured to vent from the secondary space to an external environment.

12 . The package of claim 6 , wherein the barrier film extends across a joint between the body portion and the cover of the container.

13 . The package of claim 12 , wherein the valve assembly is in fluid communication with the internal space through one or more vent channels defined between the cover and the body portion when the cover is engaged with the body portion.

14 . The package of claim 1 , further comprising a peripheral film enclosing the container.

15 . The package of claim 14 , wherein the valve assembly is engaged with the peripheral film.

16 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly is selected from a group consisting of a spring valve, a ball valve, a diaphragm valve, and a valve comprising a plurality of fluid-impervious layers.

17 . The package of claim 1 , wherein the product comprises a tobacco-containing material.

18 . The package of claim 12 , wherein the tobacco-containing material comprises moist snuff.

19 . The package of claim 1 , further comprising a protective barrier that separates the product from the valve assembly.

20 . A packaging method, comprising:
providing a package, comprising:
a container comprising a cover and a body portion defining an internal space accessible via an opening; and
a valve assembly configured to affect an atmosphere within the internal space;
inserting a product through the opening into the internal space in the body portion; and engaging the cover with the body portion so as to cover the opening and substantially enclose the internal space.

21 . The packaging method of claim 20 , further comprising positioning the valve assembly in fluid communication with the internal space and an external environment.

22 . The packaging method of claim 21 , wherein positioning the valve assembly comprises engaging the valve assembly with the cover of the container.

23 . The packaging method of claim 21 , wherein positioning the valve assembly comprises engaging the valve assembly with at least one of a side wall and a bottom wall of the body portion of the container.

24 . The packaging method of claim 20 , further comprising coupling a barrier film to the container, wherein the valve assembly engaged with the barrier film.

25 . The packaging method of claim 24 , wherein coupling the barrier film to the container comprises covering the opening to the body portion.

26 . The packaging method of claim 25 , wherein engaging the cover with the body portion comprises defining a secondary space between the barrier film and the cover, the valve assembly being configured to vent from the internal space into the secondary space.

27 . The packaging method of claim 26 , wherein engaging the cover with the body portion further comprises defining one or more vent channels between the cover and the body portion, the vent channels being configured to vent the secondary space to an external environment.

28 . The packaging method of claim 24 , wherein coupling the barrier film to the container comprises positioning the barrier film over an aperture defined through the container.

29 . The packaging method of claim 28 , wherein coupling the barrier film to the container further comprises defining a secondary space between the barrier film and the container, the secondary space being in fluid communication with the internal space through the aperture and the valve assembly being configured to vent from the secondary space to an external environment.

30 . The packaging method of claim 24 , wherein coupling the barrier film to the container comprises positioning the barrier film over a joint between the body portion and the cover of the container.

31 . The packaging method of claim 30 , wherein engaging the cover with the body portion comprises defining one or more vent channels between the cover and the body portion, the valve assembly being in fluid communication with the internal space through the vent channels.

32 . The packaging method of claim 24 , further comprising engaging the valve assembly with the barrier film such that the valve assembly is in fluid communication with the internal space and an external environment.

33 . The packaging method of claim 20 , further comprising enclosing the cover and the body portion with a peripheral film.

34 . The packaging method of claim 33 , further comprising engaging the valve assembly with the peripheral film such that the valve assembly is in fluid communication with the internal space and an external environment.

Assignees

• Reynolds Tobacco Co R

Inventors

• Potter Dennis Lee
• Hunt Eric Taylor
• Liberti Michael Andrew
• Mabe Jeremy Barrett
• Patel Pankaj
• Bengtsson Bruce Alan

Classifications

• B65D51/18

  Arrangements of closures with protective outer cap-like covers or of two or more co-operating closures {(B65D51/247 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A24F23/00 Primary

  Cases for tobacco, snuff, or chewing tobacco · CPC title

• B65B5/06

  Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles · CPC title

• B65D43/02

  Removable lids or covers (with means for piercing, cutting, or tearing a frangible inner closure B65D51/22) · CPC title

• B65B11/004

  in blanks, e.g. sheets precut and creased for folding · CPC title