公开(公告)号：US12161147B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-10

申请号：US17831830

申请日：2022-06-03

Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC

Inventor： Andrew Nathan Carroll ,  Shannon Maxwell Black ,  Yan Helen Sun ,  William J. Burke ,  Robert Smith

IPC: A24B15/18 ,  A24B3/14 ,  A24B13/00 ,  A24B15/14 ,  A24B15/28 ,  A24B15/40 ,  A24F23/02 ,  B05B13/02 ,  B65G15/24 ,  B65G15/44 ,  B65G51/02 ,  D01D5/00 ,  D01D5/098 ,  D01D5/18 ,  D01D11/06 ,  D04H13/00

Abstract: A method of enrobing a product portion in polymer strands includes mounting at least one product portion on a holding device and passing the at least one product portion through a polymer enrobing zone. The polymer enrobing zone can include a flow of polymeric fibers produced by a polymer spray head. The polymer fibers can wraparound the at least one product portion to produce an enrobed product portion. The holding device can hold the at least one product portion by passing at least partially through the body of the product portion. At least a portion of the holding device is removed from the enrobed product portion. In some cases, the at least one product portion includes smokeless tobacco.

公开(公告)号：US09693582B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-04

申请号：US14213108

申请日：2014-03-14

Applicant: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC

Inventor： Andrew Nathan Carroll ,  Shannon Maxwell Black ,  Yan Helen Sun ,  William J. Burke ,  Robert Smith

IPC: A24B13/00 ,  A24F23/02 ,  D01D5/18 ,  D01D11/06 ,  A24B15/18 ,  D01D5/098 ,  D01D5/00 ,  A24B15/28 ,  A24B3/14 ,  A24B15/14 ,  A24B15/40

CPC classification number: A24B15/186 ,  A24B3/14 ,  A24B13/00 ,  A24B15/14 ,  A24B15/28 ,  A24B15/403 ,  A24F23/02 ,  B05B13/0221 ,  D01D5/0084 ,  D01D5/0985 ,  D01D5/18 ,  D01D11/06

Abstract: An apparatus for enrobing a product portion can include at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone and a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone and to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers.

公开(公告)号：US12075818B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-03

申请号：US16867840

申请日：2020-05-06

Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC

Inventor： Timothy S. Sherwood ,  Robert Kikkert ,  Robert Smith ,  Ali A. Rostami ,  Georgios Karles

IPC: A24D1/02

CPC classification number: A24D1/025

Abstract: A wrapper of a smoking article comprising a base web and banded regions comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge and a plurality of add-on material-free openings between said leading edge and said trailing edge. The add-on material-free openings establish a predetermined, nominal opened-area within said banded regions to control diffusivity. The add-on material can be applied by a gravure roller comprising a surface region with cells, cell-free areas and a chevron shape.

公开(公告)号：US11382350B2

公开(公告)日：2022-07-12

申请号：US16720827

申请日：2019-12-19

Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC

Inventor： Andrew Nathan Carroll ,  Shannon Maxwell Black ,  Yan Helen Sun ,  William J. Burke ,  Robert Smith

IPC: A24B15/18 ,  A24B13/00 ,  D01D11/06 ,  D01D5/18 ,  D01D5/098 ,  D01D5/00 ,  B65G15/44 ,  B65G51/02 ,  B65G15/24 ,  A24B15/28 ,  D04H13/00 ,  A24B3/14 ,  A24B15/14 ,  A24B15/40 ,  A24F23/02 ,  B05B13/02

Abstract: A method of enrobing a product portion in polymer strands includes mounting at least one product portion on a holding device and passing the at least one product portion through a polymer enrobing zone. The polymer enrobing zone can include a flow of polymeric fibers produced by a polymer spray head. The polymer fibers can wraparound the at least one product portion to produce an enrobed product portion. The holding device can hold the at least one product portion by passing at least partially through the body of the product portion. At least a portion of the holding device is removed from the enrobed product portion. In some cases, the at least one product portion includes smokeless tobacco.

公开(公告)号：US11375740B2

公开(公告)日：2022-07-05

申请号：US17030606

申请日：2020-09-24

Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC

Inventor： Andrew Nathan Carroll ,  Shannon Maxwell Black ,  Yan Helen Sun ,  William J. Burke ,  Christopher Joseph Dinovi ,  David Phillips ,  Jason Andrew Macko ,  Robert Smith

IPC: A24B15/18 ,  A24B13/00 ,  A24B15/28 ,  D04H13/00

Abstract: A melt-blown fabric for pouching smokeless tobacco or a smokeless tobacco substitute can include melt-blown polymer fibers. The fabric can have a basis weight of less than 30 gsm and a tensile strength of at least 4 mJ in at least one predetermined direction. Method of making the fabric can include melt-blowing a polymeric material against a support surface and bonding the fibers or arranging them in a predetermined orientation. Pouched smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute products including the fabrics provided herein can provide desirable flavor and tactile experience.

公开(公告)号：US11198151B2

公开(公告)日：2021-12-14

申请号：US16507680

申请日：2019-07-10

Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC

Inventor： Andrew Nathan Carroll ,  Shannon Maxwell Black ,  Yan Helen Sun ,  William J. Burke ,  Christopher Joseph Dinovi ,  David Phillips ,  Jason Andrew Macko ,  Robert Smith

IPC: B05D3/10 ,  A24B15/18 ,  A24F23/00 ,  A24B13/00 ,  B65B9/10 ,  B65B63/02 ,  B65B29/02 ,  B05D3/06 ,  B05D1/00 ,  B65B53/02 ,  A24B15/28 ,  B33Y10/00

Abstract: Methods for encasing bodies including smokeless tobacco or a tobacco substitute with a polymeric casing can include coating a compressed body with microfibers, applying tubular casings to compressed bodies, printing netting and webs on compressed bodies, injection molding around compressed bodies, applying a webbing to compressed bodies, placing compressed bodies into a skin forming bath, and including thermoplastic polymers in a compressed body.

公开(公告)号：US11103002B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-31

申请号：US16804590

申请日：2020-02-28

Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC

Inventor： Andrew Nathan Carroll ,  Shannon Maxwell Black ,  Yan Helen Sun ,  William J. Burke ,  Robert Smith

IPC: A24B15/18 ,  D04H13/00 ,  A24B3/14 ,  A24F23/02 ,  A24B13/00 ,  D01D11/06 ,  D01D5/18 ,  D01D5/098 ,  D01D5/00 ,  B65G15/44 ,  B65G51/02 ,  B65G15/24 ,  A24B15/28 ,  A24B15/14 ,  A24B15/40 ,  B05B13/02

Abstract: An apparatus for enrobing a product portion can include at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone and a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone and to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers.

公开(公告)号：US10765142B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-08

申请号：US15848728

申请日：2017-12-20

Applicant: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC

Inventor： Andrew Nathan Carroll ,  Shannon Maxwell Black ,  Yan Helen Sun ,  William J. Burke ,  Christopher Joseph DiNovi ,  David Phillips ,  Jason Andrew Macko ,  Robert Smith

IPC: A24B15/18 ,  A24B13/00 ,  A24B15/28 ,  D04H13/00

Abstract: A melt-blown fabric for pouching smokeless tobacco or a smokeless tobacco substitute can include melt-blown polymer fibers. The fabric can have a basis weight of less than 30 gsm and a tensile strength of at least 4 mJ in at least one predetermined direction. Method of making the fabric can include melt-blowing a polymeric material against a support surface and bonding the fibers or arranging them in a predetermined orientation. Pouched smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute products including the fabrics provided herein can provide desirable flavor and tactile experience.

公开(公告)号：US20200260776A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-20

申请号：US16867840

申请日：2020-05-06

Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC

Inventor： Timothy S. Sherwood ,  Robert Kikkert ,  Robert Smith ,  Ali A. Rostami ,  Georgios Karles

IPC: A24D1/02

Abstract: A wrapper of a smoking article comprising a base web and banded regions comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge and a plurality of add-on material-free openings between said leading edge and said trailing edge. The add-on material-free openings establish a predetermined, nominal opened-area within said banded regions to control diffusivity. The add-on material can be applied by a gravure roller comprising a surface region with cells, cell-free areas and a chevron shape.

公开(公告)号：US10588339B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-17

申请号：US16426476

申请日：2019-05-30

Applicant: Altria Client Services LLC

Inventor： Andrew Nathan Carroll ,  Shannon Maxwell Black ,  Yan Helen Sun ,  William J. Burke ,  Robert Smith

IPC: A24B15/18 ,  A24B13/00 ,  A24B15/28 ,  D04H13/00 ,  A24B3/14 ,  A24B15/14 ,  A24B15/40 ,  A24F23/02 ,  D01D11/06 ,  D01D5/18 ,  D01D5/098 ,  D01D5/00 ,  B65G15/44 ,  B65G51/02 ,  B65G15/24 ,  B05B13/02

Abstract: An apparatus for enrobing a product portion can include at least one polymer spray head adapted to create at least one flow of polymeric fibers to produce at least one polymer enrobing zone and a conveyor system adapted to move at least one product portion from at least one position below at least one polymer enrobing zone and to at least one position above at least one polymer enrobing zone to drop each product portion through one or more polymer enrobing zones a plurality times at different orientations to enrobe each product portion with polymeric fibers.