U.S. patent application number 12/744269 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-17 for process of manufacturing smokeless tobacco articles and smokeless tobacco article for oral consumption.
This patent application is currently assigned to REEMTSMA CIGARETTENFABRIKEN GMBH. Invention is credited to Thomas Pienemann, Henning Seidel.
Application Number | 20110036364 12/744269 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40342785 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110036364 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pienemann; Thomas ; et
al. |
February 17, 2011 |
PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING SMOKELESS TOBACCO ARTICLES AND SMOKELESS
TOBACCO ARTICLE FOR ORAL CONSUMPTION
Abstract
In a process of manufacturing smokeless tobacco articles on a
rod-making device, an endless tobacco web (1a), the filler web, is
shaped into an endless rod (1b), preferably by use of a funnel-like
formatting device (4). Another endless web (5a), the wrapper web,
is provided as a wrapper and wrapped around the endless rod (1b).
The endless wrapped rod is cut into individual cylindrical portions
(11).
Inventors: |
Pienemann; Thomas;
(Rosengarten, DE) ; Seidel; Henning; (Mechtersen,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Hovey Williams LLP
10801 Mastin Blvd., Suite 1000
Overland Park
KS
66210
US
|
Assignee: |
REEMTSMA CIGARETTENFABRIKEN
GMBH
Hamburg
DE
|
Family ID: |
40342785 |
Appl. No.: |
12/744269 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
September 25, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP08/08167 |
371 Date: |
August 23, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/275 ;
131/117; 131/352; 131/357 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 29/00 20130101;
B65B 63/02 20130101; B65B 9/06 20130101; A24B 13/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/275 ;
131/117; 131/352; 131/357 |
International
Class: |
A24B 15/30 20060101
A24B015/30; A24B 7/00 20060101 A24B007/00; A24B 15/00 20060101
A24B015/00; A24B 15/12 20060101 A24B015/12; A24B 15/36 20060101
A24B015/36 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 23, 2007 |
EP |
07400027.4 |
Claims
1. Process of manufacturing smokeless tobacco articles on a
rod-making device, comprising the steps of: shaping an endless
tobacco web, the filler web, into an endless rod, preferably by use
of a funnel-like formatting device, providing another endless web,
the wrapper web, as a wrapper and wrapping the endless rod with
that wrapper, cutting the endless wrapped rod into single
cylindrical portions.
2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the filler
web is provided in one of the following basic forms: paper-type
reconstituted tobacco web, slurry-type reconstituted tobacco web,
cellulosic web coated with a tobacco material.
3. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the seam of
the wrapper wrapped around the endless rod is glued before
performing the cutting step.
4. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that additives
are applied to the filler web before performing the shaping
step.
5. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the
additives are applied as an aqueous solution or emulsion by sizing
or spraying.
6. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the
additives comprise at least one substance selected from the
substances included in the following list: water, polyols,
humectants, sugars, sweeteners, preservatives, salts, acids, taste
enhancers, cocoa and cocoa products, liquorice and liquorice
products, thickeners, starches, emulsifiers, fibres, artificial and
natural flavours, colouring agents and dyes, whiteners, glues.
7. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the filler
web has a thickness in the range of from 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm and a
width in the range of from 100 mm to 1000 mm.
8. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the wrapper
web has a thickness in the range of from 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm and a
width in the range of from 15 mm to 50 mm.
9. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that a second
wrapper web is provided which is applied before performing the
cutting step, the second wrapper web preferably being wrapped
simultaneously with the wrapper web.
10. Process according to claim 9, characterized in that the second
wrapper web has a larger width than the wrapper web.
11. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that, after
performing the cutting step, the respective cylindrical portions
are provided with an outer wrapper.
12. Process according to claim 11, characterized in that the outer
wrapper is supplied from an endless hose that is cut to length
after accommodating respective cylindrical portion, the outer
wrapper preferably having a larger length than the cylindrical
portion.
13. Process according to claim 11, characterized in that the outer
wrapper is supplied from a web that is wrapped around a respective
cylindrical portion and cut to length, the outer wrapper preferably
having a larger length than the cylindrical portion.
14. Process according to claim 11, characterized in that the outer
wrapper contains a glue, preferably a hot-melt glue.
15. Process according to claim 11, characterized in that the outer
wrapper containing a respective cylindrical portion is sealed to
form a single portion, preferably the outer wrapper having a larger
length than the cylindrical portion and being sealed at both
ends.
16. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that, after
performing the cutting step, the tobacco in the respective
cylindrical portions is pressed in axial direction from both ends
to form void spaces inside the wrapper in both end regions of a
respective cylindrical portion.
17. Process according to claim 16, characterized in that, after
formation of the void spaces, the wrapper in both end regions of a
respective cylindrical portion is pressed and sealed to form an
article that is closed on both axial ends.
18. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that a
respective generally cylindrical article formed so far is pressed
into an elliptic cylindrical shape or a cushion-like shape.
19. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that a
respective tobacco article has a length in the range of from 5 mm
to 40 mm, preferably in the range of from 8 mm to 20 mm.
20. Use of a tobacco article manufactured according to claim 1 as a
smokeless tobacco article.
21. Use according to claim 20, characterized in that the tobacco
article is a chewing tobacco article.
22. Use according to claim 21, characterized in that the chewing
tobacco article is a single chewing tobacco portion.
23. Smokeless tobacco article for oral consumption, preferably
chewing, manufactured by the process defined in claim 1,
comprising: an inner portion comprising a multiple-folded tobacco
web material as filler material and one or more wrapping
layers.
24. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 23, characterized
in that the filler material comprises one of the following
materials: paper-type reconstituted tobacco, slurry-type
reconstituted tobacco, cellulosic web material coated with a
tobacco material.
25. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 23, characterized
in that the filler material contains additives comprising at least
one substance selected from the substances included in the
following list: water, polyols, humectants, sugars, sweeteners,
preservatives, salts, acids, taste enhancers, cocoa and cocoa
products, liquorice and liquorice products, thickeners, starches,
emulsifiers, fibres, artificial and natural flavours, colouring
agents and dyes, whiteners and glues.
26. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 23, characterized
in that at least one of the wrapping layers is made of one of the
materials selected from the following list: paper-type
reconstituted tobacco, slurry-type reconstituted tobacco,
cellulosic web material coated with a tobacco material,
water-permeable fleece material made of cellulose or modified
cellulose, water-dissolvable film.
27. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 23, characterized
by a generally cylindrical shape with both axial ends being left
unwrapped.
28. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 27, characterized
by a diameter in the range of from 4 mm to 20 mm, preferentially of
from 5 mm to 12 mm.
29. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 23, characterized
by a cushion-like shape and being completely enclosed by at least
one of the wrapping layers.
30. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 29, characterized
by a width and a height in the range of from 3 mm to 25 mm,
preferentially of from 5 mm to 15 mm.
31. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 23, characterized
by a length in the range of from 5 mm to 40 mm, preferably in the
range of from 8 mm to 20 mm.
32. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 23, characterized
in that the tobacco content is higher than 50%, preferably higher
than 75%, related to dry weight.
33. Smokeless tobacco article according to claim 23, characterized
by a nicotine content of from 0.3% to 3.5%, preferably of from 0.5%
to 2.0%, related to dry weight.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a process of manufacturing
smokeless tobacco articles and a corresponding smokeless tobacco
article for oral consumption.
[0002] Manufactured smokeless tobacco is traditionally consumed in
the United States and Northern Europe. Products like moist snuff or
snus comprise ground tobacco which can be consumed as a moist
powder or as a wrapped portion (pouch) suitable to be placed
between gums and cheek.
[0003] Another form of smokeless tobacco is chewing tobacco.
Typical forms used in America are Loose Leaf, Moist Plug or Twist
Rolls. Plugs and Rolls are of a large size so that an appropriate
portion has to be bitten off. Another type of products for chewing,
so-called "Twists" or "Mini Rolls", is pre-portioned to the
appropriate size and weight. This type is especially popular in the
Scandinavian countries. It has a cylindrical shape, a diameter of
approximately 5 mm and a length of about 10 mm. To manufacture such
products, leaf tobacco is spun into an endless strand which is then
cut into portions and treated with casings. The spinning process
itself is performed manually, resulting in low production volumes
and high costs. Furthermore, the use of single tobacco leaves makes
the product prone to large variations as tobacco leaves can differ
widely in their individual composition and taste
characteristics.
[0004] The current process of producing chewing tobacco portions is
described in "An old craft for a new era" by House of Oliver Twist
A/S, Denmark, ISBN 87-990650-0-2, pp 37-38. Its core process step
is the manual spinning of tobacco leaves into an endless strand. It
is said that "Technology cannot replace the steady skill of a
spinner" (ibid.).
[0005] EP 0 483 931 A1 describes a mechanical process of
manufacturing chewing tobacco by winding at least one tobacco
wrapper tightly and helically around a mandrel. It is neither
disclosed, however, which kind of tobacco wrapper is to be used for
this process nor is there any detailed description of the technical
implementation of the process. Another disadvantage is that this
process requires additional handling for cutting single rods into
smaller pieces.
[0006] Manufacturing of paper filters for filter cigarettes on a
rod maker like the Hauni.RTM. KDF-2 or the Decoufle.RTM. CU-20
rod-making device is state of the art in the tobacco industry (see,
e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,320 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,227).
[0007] The object of the invention is to provide smokeless tobacco
articles in a more economic way and in a more homogeneous quality,
compared to the smokeless tobacco articles produced by the
state-of-the-art methods indicated above.
[0008] This object is achieved by a process of manufacturing
smokeless less tobacco articles having the features of claim 1 and
by a smokeless tobacco article for oral consumption having the
features of claim 23. Claim 20 is directed to the use of a tobacco
article manufactured according to the above process as a smokeless
tobacco article. Advantageous versions of the invention follow from
the dependent claims.
[0009] In the invention, it was found that a process similar to the
process of manufacturing paper filters on a rod maker as mentioned
above is perfectly suited to manufacture tobacco-containing
portions as required for chewing tobacco or other smokeless tobacco
products. By using a rod-making device, an endless tobacco web
(filler web) is shaped into an endless strand or rod, which, after
wrapping, is cut into pieces (in the following called "cylindrical
portions", although their shape can be different from that of a
cylinder, e.g., somewhat irregular). This process is fast and
economic. Providing the filler tobacco material by means of an
endless tobacco web results in a very homogeneous product, in
particular when the tobacco web comprises reconstituted tobacco.
Moreover, modern casing application methods can be used in order to
apply additives for adjusting the properties of the filler
material.
[0010] The wrapped tobacco portions obtained in this way can be
further processed in several ways. For example, a second wrapper
can be applied, e.g., after cutting the endless rod into
cylindrical portions but also during the application of the first
wrapper, and the second wrapper can be sealed. In this way, e.g.
cushion-shaped tobacco portions which are wrapped in
water-permeable materials and resemble pouched snus or moist snuff
(as currently marketed, e.g. in Sweden or in U.S.A.) can be
manufactured.
[0011] More details of the invention follow from the disclosure in
the claims and from the examples and embodiments presented in the
following detailed description. The drawings show in
[0012] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of the
process of manufacturing smokeless tobacco articles according to
the invention,
[0013] FIG. 2 a schematic representation of an embodiment for
further processing single cylindrical portions, and
[0014] FIG. 3 a schematic representation of another embodiment for
further processing single cylindrical portions.
[0015] In the process illustrated in FIG. 1, a tobacco web 1a
(filler web) is fed from a bobbin through an optional embossing
unit 2. A casing is applied to the web 1a by spraying an additive
onto the web 1a in a spraying unit 3 or by any other suitable
process, e.g. by sizing. The web 1a is then led through a
funnel-shaped device 4 where it is stochastically folded into a
round strand 1b. Wrapping material 5a is fed from a second bobbin
and a glue track 7 can be applied onto the wrapping material 5a by
means of a nozzle 6. An additional wrapping material 5b can be
optionally applied together with the first wrapping material 5a.
Preferably, the second wrapping material 5b (forming the outer
layer of the wrapped rod) has a larger width than the first
wrapping material 5a. A suitable format unit 8 is used to wrap the
wrapping material 5a (or 5a and 5b) around the tobacco material
strand. A heating zone 9 can be used to facilitate the gluing of
the seam of the wrapper material. The endless wrapped rod is then
cut into cylindrical portions 11 by cutting means 10.
[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical portions
11 are ready to be packed and marketed.
[0017] Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG.
2, which shows how cylindrical portions 11 obtained by using the
set-up of FIG. 1 can be further processed. The cylindrical portions
11 are pressed between cylindrical stamps 20 having a diameter that
is slightly smaller than that of the wrapper of the cylindrical
portions. By doing so, void spaces 21 are formed on both sides of
the cylindrical portions (steps i), ii), iii)). By applying a
suitable glue, which might also be incorporated into the wrapping
material, e.g., as a hot-melt glue like Polyethylene, and by
pressing the end areas (at 22) of the wrapper in the region of the
void spaces 21, a cushion-like product 23 is formed which is
completely encapsulated in the wrapping material (step iv). If a
flat shape is to be obtained, this can be achieved by pressing the
product 23 as shown in step v).
[0018] A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG.
3. Cylindrical portions 11, as obtained, e.g. by using the set-up
of FIG. 1, are pressed by suitable means 30 to bring them into a
cylindrical shape 31 having an elliptic cross-section (steps i),
ii)). A second wrapper 32 is placed over a respective portion 31 in
a way that it protrudes with respect to the portion 31 on both ends
(step iii)). The protruding ends of the second wrapper 32 are then
sealed at 33 (step iv) to provide a cushion-shaped product 34,
which is completely encapsulated in the second wrapping material 32
(step v)). It is evident that the pressing of step i) might also be
carried out at a different point of the process, e.g. in
combination with step iv).
[0019] Tobacco webs that are suitable for the inventive process can
be obtained by tobacco reconstitution processes which are familiar
to those skilled in the art, e.g. the paper-type or slurry-type
process. Usable for the process are also cellulose materials that
are coated with a tobacco slurry. Typically, such webs have a
thickness between 0.05 and 0.5 mm. Preferably, the width of the
tobacco web is in a range of 100 to 1000 mm, depending on the
thickness and the diameter of the rod to be formed.
[0020] As common in the process of manufacturing paper filters, the
tobacco web might also be embossed or corrugated with a suitable
set of rollers, e.g., as used in the commercially available CUB-400
device (Burghart Tabaktechnik, Hamburg, Germany).
[0021] To add specific taste characteristics, casing materials can
be applied to the tobacco web prior to rod formation (see FIG. 1,
at 3). Conventional spraying nozzles might be used to apply a
liquid casing onto the upper and/or lower side of the web. Other
methods comprise the use of rotating discs (as used in the SUB-01
spraying unit of Burghart Tabaktechnik, Hamburg, Germany) or size
press techniques.
[0022] To obtain the required moisture content of the finished
product, the use of aqueous casings is preferred. These casings may
contain tasteful components known to those skilled in the art as
liquorice, cocoa or flavours. Polyoles and sugars can be applied to
add sweetness but also to act as humectants.
[0023] Other possible constituents comprise sweeteners,
preservatives, glues, dyes, emulsifiers or thickeners.
[0024] Usable wrapping materials comprise tobacco webs of the types
described above, preferably if the cylindrical portions are not
intended to be processed further. Another possibility is the use of
a water permeable fleece made from cellulose or modified cellulose,
e.g. viscose. This type of material is preferred as the outer
material for cases in which the portions are completely
encapsulated. A further possibility is the use of a water-soluble
film as wrapping material, preferably as the first wrapper if the
product is subject to a second wrapping process as described
above.
[0025] For sticking the seam of the wrapper as well as for adhering
the open ends in an optional follow-up process, different gluing
methods can be used. Water-based starch or PVA glues might be
applied, preferably followed by a subsequent heating of the seam.
It is also possible to use a hot-melt glue which is usually applied
through a heated nozzle. In case of a water-permeable cellulosic
web to be used as the outer wrapper, thermoplastic fibres such as
polyethylene or latex binders can be incorporated into the web
during its manufacture, allowing to accomplish sealing by simply
applying heat and pressing.
[0026] Thus, a manifold of different products can be obtained by
the inventive process. Without limiting the scope of the invention,
some of these are further described in the following examples:
EXAMPLE 1
[0027] A paper-type reconstituted tobacco web with a width of 250
mm was fed from a bobbin through a spraying chamber where 40% wt/wt
of an aqueous casing were applied to it. The sprayed web was then
fed into a Hauni.RTM. KDF-1 rod-making machine equipped with a
funnel-shaped entry zone and suitable format parts to obtain a rod
diameter of 6.4 mm. The rod was wrapped with a second paper-type
reconstituted tobacco web having a width of 22 mm. The seam was
sealed by applying a water-based PVA glue and subsequent heating.
The rod was cut into portions of 10 mm length.
[0028] The finished product was evaluated by an expert panel and
was regarded to be acceptable with regard to taste and physical
stability when used as chewing tobacco.
EXAMPLE 2
[0029] The same material and equipment as for Example 1 were used.
Before application of the casing, the tobacco web was treated in an
embossing unit consisting of two rolls. No difference was found
with regard to final product characteristics.
EXAMPLE 3
[0030] A slurry-type reconstituted tobacco web with a width of 300
mm was fed from a bobbin through a spraying unit where 3% (by
weight) of water was applied. A rod of 8.0 mm diameter was formed
using the same equipment as in Example 1. The rod was
simultaneously wrapped with two layers, an edible film of 25 mm
width as the inner layer and a porous viscose web with incorporated
polyethylene fibres having a width of 27 mm as the outer layer. The
seam of the outer layer was sealed by applying sufficient heat for
the polyethylene to melt. The rod was cut into cylindrical portions
of 20 mm length. These portions were then fed into a press with
stamps of 7.5 mm diameter, where the axial ends of the portions
were pressed to obtain a void space of approx. 4 mm on each end of
the portion. Heated bars were then used to press and seal the ends.
In this way, a cushion-like smokeless tobacco product with a
double-layer wrap was obtained.
* * * * *