Fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9763473-B2
Application number	US-201615207168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

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 seamless fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product comprising:
smokeless tobacco;
a binder binding the smokeless tobacco, the smokeless tobacco product comprising less than 0.5 weight percent binder; and
a plurality of melt-blown polymeric fibers surrounding the smokeless tobacco, the melt-blown polymeric fibers having a hydrophilic surface coating and having a basis weight of less than 10 gsm; and
wherein the polymeric fibers comprise surfactant-quenched fibers.

2. The product of claim 1 , wherein the melt-blown polymeric fibers have a basis weight of less than 5 gsm.

3. The product of claim 1 , wherein the smokeless tobacco comprises a high moisture tobacco.

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

5. The product of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric fibers conform to fibrous structures of the smokeless tobacco.

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

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

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

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

10. The product of claim 9 , wherein the polymeric fibers comprise fibers formed by a compounded polymer comprising a colorant.

11. The product of claim 9 , wherein polymeric fibers are composite polymeric fibers formed by the coextrusion of at least two different polymeric materials.

12. The product of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-stable and at least one of the polymeric materials is mouth-dissolvable.

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

14. A seamless pouched smokeless tobacco product comprising:
a non-tobacco cellulosic mixture;
a binder dispersed in the non-tobacco cellulosic mixture; and
a plurality of melt-blown or centrifugal force spun polymeric fibers surrounding the non-tobacco cellulosic mixture, the polymeric fibers having a hydrophilic surface coating and having a basis weight of less than 10 gsm;
wherein the polymeric fibers comprise surfactant-quenched fibers.

15. The product of claim 14 , wherein the non-tobacco cellulosic mixture comprises bamboo fiber.

16. The product of claim 14 , wherein the polymeric fibers are centrifugal force spun fibers having a diameter of between 0.01 microns and 1.0 micron.

17. The product of claim 14 , wherein the product comprises between 0.1 and 0.5 weight percent of the binder.

18. The product of claim 17 , wherein the binder comprises guar gum, xanthan gum, cellulose ether, or a combination thereof.

19. A seamless fiber-wrapped smokeless tobacco product comprising:
smokeless tobacco; and
a fiber wrap comprising a plurality of melt-blown polymeric fibers surrounding the smokeless tobacco, the melt-blown polymeric fibers comprise a colorant for improving the hydraulic permittivity of the fiber wrap.

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

• D04H13/00

  Other non-woven fabrics · 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

• A24B15/28

  by chemical substances · CPC title

• A24B15/403

  having only oxygen as hetero atoms · CPC title