Fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9414624-B2
Application number	US-201414212537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

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 method of preparing a smokeless tobacco product comprising:
melt-blowing or centrifugal force spinning a plurality of polymeric fibers to create an polymer deposition zone;
passing a body comprising smokeless tobacco through the polymer deposition zone; and
applying an electrostatic charge with one or more holding devices to the plurality of polymeric fibers, the body, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a surfactant is applied to the plurality of polymeric fibers as they exit spinners.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deposited polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than 30 gsm.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the deposited polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than 5 gsm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deposited fibers have a diameter of less than 100 microns.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body is has a spin when passing through the polymer deposition zone.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are above a melt temperature for the polymer when impacting the body such that they conform to tobacco fibrous structures.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers have a diameter of less than 30 microns.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are melt-blown fibers having a diameter of between 0.5 and 10.0 microns.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers are centrifugal force spun fibers having a diameter of between 0.01 microns and 1.0 micron.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the melt-blown polymeric fibers are quenched with a mist such that the polymeric fibers are quenched below a melt temperature of the polymer upon impacting the body.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mist comprises water vapor, a surfactant, or air.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers comprise polypropylene.

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

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the polymeric fibers comprise a colorant.

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

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-stable and at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-dissolvable.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body has an overall oven volatiles content of about 4% by weight to about 61% by weight.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a binder.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the body comprises between 0.1 and 0.5 weight percent of a binder.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the binder comprises guar gum, xanthan gum, cellulose ether, or a combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body is held by one or more holding devices during the passage of that body through the polymer deposition zone.

23. A method of preparing a smokeless tobacco product comprising:
melt-blowing or centrifugal force spinning a plurality of polymeric fibers to create an polymer deposition zone; and
passing a body through the polymer deposition zone while rotating the body with one or more holding devices; and
applying an electrostatic charge to the plurality of polymeric fibers, the body, or a combination thereof, with the one or more holding devices.

24. The method of claim 1 or claim 23 , wherein each of the one or more holding devices is a needle-like structure.

25. The method of claim 1 or 23 , wherein the needle-like structure has a diameter of less than 500 microns.

Assignees

• Altria Client Services Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A24B15/283

  by encapsulation of the chemical substances · CPC title

• 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

• D01D5/0985

  by means of a flowing gas (e.g. melt-blowing) · CPC title

• A24B15/28

  by chemical substances · CPC title