IIIHHHHHHHIIIIUS00524967.6A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,249,676 Ashcraft Et Al
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IIIHHHHHHHIIIIUS00524967.6A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,249,676 Ashcraft et al. (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 5, 1993 (54 FLAVOR BURST STRUCTURE AND 4,186,743 2/1980 Steiger . METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 4,254,910 3/1981 Martin . 4,356,115 10/1982 Shibanai et al. ................ 428/905 X (75) Inventors: Charles R. Ashcraft; Milly M. L. 4,484,768 11/1984 Norfleet . Wong, both of Winston-Salem, N.C. 4,487,801 12/1984 Turnbull et al. 4,493,869 i/1985 Sweeny et al. 73) Assignee: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, 4,528,226 7/1985 Sweeny ........................... 428/905 X Winston-Salem, N.C. 4,606,956 8/1986 Charbonneau et al. 21 Appl. No.: 35,537 4,717,017 1/1988 Sprinkel, Jr. et al. 4,720,409 l/1988 Spector ........................... 428/905 X 22) Filed: Mar. 22, 1993 4,720,423 1/1988 Fraser . 4,992,326 2/1991 Dabi................................ 428/402 X Related U.S. Application Data 5,071,704 12/1991 Fischel-Ghodsian ........... 428/905 X 63) Continuation of Ser. No. 696,700, May 7, 1991, aban Primary Examiner-Steven N. Meyers doned. Assistant Examiner-Jacob K. Ackun, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Grover M. Myers (51) Int, C. ....................... A24F 15/08; B65D 85/10 (52) U.S.C. .................................... 206/264; 206/273; 57) ABSTRACT 428/905 A flavor burst structure and a method of dispersing a 58) Field of Search ............... 206/242, 245, 264, 271; flavorant are disclosed. The flavor burst structure com 428/40, 41,905, 352 prises a multilayer film with a flavor carrier layer dis (56) References Cited posed between barrier layers. The flavor carrier layer comprises a polymeric material blended with a flavor U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS ant that is not compatible or is partially incompatible 1,589,603 6/1926 Lee ...................................... 206/264 with the polymeric material so that the flavorant de 2,046,975 7/1936 Shaw et al. 2,767,900 10/1956 Bouteloup ........................... 206/264 sorbs from the carrier layer when one of the barrier 2,845,213 7/1958 Tamarin ........... ... 206/264 X layers is removed from the carrier layer. Several pack 3,266,709 8/1966 Whitaker et al. ............... 206/264 X age applications are disclosed, including a cigarette 3,494,505 7/1968 Huebner et al. package, package tear tapes and the like. 3,599,859 8/1971 Maierson ........................ 229/238 X 4,145,001 3/1979 Weyenberg et al. 14 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Oct. 5, 1993 Sheet 1 of 3 5,249,676 18 -10 FIG 2 N 28 7 777ATZ777A774 Ya VNY TVAVNVVY VNV NY Vy V.V. 72 60 A Syxxix.77A AvAA7A77 Alav AZYA FIG 4 AZZZZ4A T-444-4A 44468 227A 44 V70 V64 U.S. Patent Oct. 5, 1993 Sheet 2 of 3 5,249,676 DACI:«INCIA(COETOE(CAOEVOESOEPE VINNYNNY)No.,Y RNNNNNNNNNN U.S. Patent Oct. 5, 1993 Sheet 3 of 3 5,249,676 20 Rearrara RAF 12 SAAAAAAAAAAAYvr I32-N- XXXXXSSNN iAAAAAYAAS6/2 y - 7 YY 772, YAS44 AAAAA (ACAA II4/ 34 V 12 Vice FIG. 9 5,249,676 1. 2 pulled to open the package, the microcapsules are rup FLAVOR BURST STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF tured and release the fragrance contained therein. MAKING THE SAME SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. 5 The present invention is directed to a flavor burst No. 07/696,700 filed on May 7, 1991 and now aban structure comprising a coextruded or laminated multi doned. layer polymeric film. The flavor burst film may com prise an inner or flavor carrier layer in which a poly FIELD OF THE INVENTION meric material and a flavorant have been compounded The present invention relates to a flavor burst struc 10 or blended together and an outer polymeric barrier ture article, and a method of making the same. More layer on each side of the flavor carrier layer to retain particularly, the invention relates to a multilayer flavor and preserve the flavorant in that layer until one or both burst film article, a package incorporating the article of the outer barrier layers is removed from the flavor and a method of making the package in which a flavor carrier layer to expose the surface or surfaces of the or fragrance is preserved in the package and released as 15 flavor carrier layer and thereby release the flavorant. a burst of the flavor or fragrance when the package is The flavor burst film may also comprise the aforesaid opened so as to provide an immediate olfactory sensa flavor carrier layer, a first polymeric barrier layer on one side of the flavor carrier layer and a second barrier tion to the consumer and to others in the near vicinity. layer on the other side of the flavor carrier layer, DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 20 wherein the second barrier layer may be a flexible foil or rigid substrate made of a material such as metal, glass It is well known to blend a flavorant with a polymeric or any other suitable barrier material. The flavorant material. It is also known to incorporate a flavor, fra may be released from the carrier layer when the first grance or an aromatic substance in a package, such as a barrier layer is removed from the flavor carrier layer, cigarette package, in such a way that the flavor, fra 25 when the flavor carrier layer and the first barrier layer grance or aromatic substance is released when the pack are removed from the second barrier layer, or when the age is first opened. "Flavor," "fragrance,' "aromatic flavor carrier layer is removed from both barrier layers. substance' and like terms are used interchangeably The preferred form of the flavor burst structure of herein and are intended to include any substance that is the invention is a film in which one of the two outer capable of causing an olfactory sensation, including 30 barrier layers is bonded to the flavor carrier layer with substances such as flavorants, perfumes, odorants, de an adhesive layer that provides a stronger bond be odorants and scents. tween such barrier layer and the flavor carrier layer. In One known flavor-releasing package is disclosed in that form, a force applied to one or both of the outer U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,017 which describes a cigarette pack barrier layers of the film which tends to delaminate or in which the package overwrap film is provided with a 35 separate the layers will cause separation of the film at a sealed receptacle containing a volatile fragrance or selected interface between the film layers, namely, at flavor which overlies the tear tape of the cigarette pack. the interface between the barrier layer and the flavor When the tear tape is pulled to slit the overwrap and carrier layer that has no adhesive layer. This preferred open the pack, it also ruptures the receptacle and re form of the flavor burst film is especially suited for use leases the fragrance or flavor contained in the recepta 40 in packages where it is intended that the flavor carrier cle to convey a desired impression, such as freshness. layer remain with the package for releasing a burst of U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,001 discloses another form of flavor when the package is opened and for a period of package for the controlled release of a volatile deodor time after the package is opened. izer, such as a room air freshener, in which an absorbent Alternatively, the layers may be formulated to have pad carrying the volatile deodorizer is sandwiched be 45 different adhesion strengths between the flavor carrier tween two laminated multilayer sheets with outer im layer and each of the outer barrier layers so as to permeable layers. The package is opened by delaminat achieve separation at a selected interface between the ing one of the sheets at the interface between two se layers. lected layers so that the volatile deodorizer is covered Examples of polymer materials that may be used as on one side only by a permeable layer which allows 50 the flavor carrier layer include, but are not limited to, controlled release of the volatile deodorizer over a high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density poly period of time. ethylene (LDPE), polypropylene, polyvinylacetate, U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,910 discloses another packaging polyethylenevinylalcohol, polyethyleneterephthalate system for the controlled release of volatile substances, glycol copolymer, polyethyleneterephthalate, polyvi such as air fresheners, in which a volatile material is 55 nylalcohol, polyamides, such as nylon, nylon/acrylate sealed on both sides of a two-layer, separable permeable copolymers, polyacrylonitrile/styrene copolymer, Sur sheet by a pair of impermeable sheets heat sealed on lyn (R) (ionomer), polystyrene, and blends of the above opposite sides of the permeable sheet to form a package materials. Virtually any polymeric resin that can be with an outer impermeable layer. When the package is made into a film can be used as the flavor carrier layer. separated at the two-layer permeable sheet, the volatile 60 Examples of polymer materials that may be used as substance is released through each of the exposed per the barrier layers include, but are not limited to, polye meable sheets. thylenevinylalcohol (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol and its U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,423 describes a package for con copolymers, polyamides, polyacrylonitrite and its co sumables which includes an overwrap with a tear strip polymers, polyethyleneterephthalate and its copoly for slitting the overwrap and opening the package.