US 20100018539A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0018539 A1 Brinkley et al. (43) Pub. Date: Jan. 28, 2010 (54) SMOKELESS TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND Publication Classification PROCESSES (51) Int. Cl. (76) Inventors: Paul Andrew Brinkley, A24B I/O (2006.01) Winston-Salem, NC (US); David (52) U.S. Cl. ........................................................ 131A112 Charles Bovender, Kernersville, NC (US) (57) ABSTRACT Correspondence Address: An improved pouching machine is provided. The improved BRINKSHOFER GILSON & LONE pouching machine comprises a feed hopper with a first and a P.O. BOX 10395 second end and a feed screw with a plurality of pins extending CHICAGO, IL 60610 (US) from the circumference. The feed screw is connected to a first shaft and the first shaft is connected to a motor to rotate the (21) Appl. No.: 12/181,051 first shaft. An agitator Screw is positioned adjacent to the feed screw and has a plurality of pins extending from the circum (22) Filed: Jul. 28, 2008 ference. The agitator Screw is connected to a second shaft. 104 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 1 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 22 78 10 NYYYNYONNN NY YNY YYYYY NYS NNY 2) 18 Fig. 2 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 2 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 3 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Fig. 4 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 4 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Fig. 6 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 5 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 6 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 7 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 8 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 9 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Fig. 15 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 10 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 11 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 12 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 13 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 14 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 Patent Application Publication Jan. 28, 2010 Sheet 15 of 15 US 2010/0018539 A1 US 2010/0018539 A1 Jan. 28, 2010 SMOKELESS TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND Furthermore, the consumer may assume that the Snus pouch PROCESSES has degraded in Some fashion because of the discoloration, and dispose of the pouch without using it. There exists a need FIELD OF THE INVENTION to reduce this type of discoloration. Furthermore, Snus pouches are typically a whitish color, and different flavors of 0001. The present invention relates to tobacco products Snus are not easily distinguished. There exists a need to have and packaging for tobacco products in Smokeless form, a way to easily identify different snus flavors from sight including those Smokeless tobacco products characterized as alone. “Snus.’ 0008 Problems exist in the art with respect to efficiently feeding tobacco into pouches. The problems lie in the mate BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION rial flow through the hopper of the high-speed pouching 0002 Tobacco may be enjoyed in a so-called “smokeless’ equipment. The feed hoppers are Subject to dead Zones and rat form. Particularly popular Smokeless tobacco products are holes due to the dimensions of the hopper and the properties employed by inserting some form of processed tobacco or of the tobacco that is supplied to the hopper. This causes loss tobacco-containing formulation into the mouth of the user. of product flow in the hopper. Dead Zones occur in the lower Various types of Smokeless tobacco products are set forth in area of the hopper, where the slope of the hopper tends to pack U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,376,586 to Schwartz; 4,513,756 to Pittman et the tobacco material against the bottom wall. Rat holes can al.; 4,528.993 to Sensabaugh, Jr. et al.; 4,624,269 to Story et occur in multiple areas of the middle section of the hopper, al.; 4.987,907 to Townsend; 5,092.352 to Sprinkle, III et al.: and like dead zones, they choke off the flow of tobacco to the 5,387,416 to White et al.; and Des. 335,934 to Howard; U.S. feed screw. This requires the operator to regularly clean this Pat. Pub. No. 2005/0244521 to Strickland et al. and 2006/ area and push the tobacco back into the feed screw. This O162732 to Winnet al.; U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. 2006/0191548 to increases production time and lowers production efficiency. Strickland et al., 2007/0261707 to Winterson et al., 2007/ There is a need for improvements to these pouching machines 0.062549 to Holton, Jr. et al., 2007/0186941 to Holton, Jr. et to improve manufacturing speed and efficiency. al.; 2008/0166395 to Roush; and PCT Pub. Nos. WO 0009 Snus are also commonly supplied in various flavors 04/095959 to Arnarp et al.; WO 05/063060 to Atchley et al.: such as Camel Snus Frost and Camel Snus Spice. The Snus WO06/004480 to Engstrom: WO05/041699 to Quinteret al.: may be flavored by mixing flavor into the tobacco, adding and WO 07/138,484 to Wrennet al.; each of which is incor microcapsules or the like to the tobacco, or adding flavor porated herein by reference. One type of Smokeless tobacco strips to the tobacco. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 1 1/781, product is referred to as 'snuff.” Snuff typically is formulated 604 to Dube et al. describes numerous methods of accom in “moist” or “dry” forms. plishing this, and is herein incorporated by reference in its 0003 Representative smokeless tobacco products have entirety. Typically, one flavor is Supplied in one package been marketed under the trade names Oliver Twist by House because otherwise, the flavors can leech into each other, of Oliver Twist A/S. Copenhagen, Skoal, SkoalDry, Rooster, which can adversely affect the taste of all of the flavors. Red Seal, Husky, and Revel by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co.; 0010. However, while a consumer can use a sinus pouch “taboka” by Philip Morris USA; and Levi Garrett, Peachy, almost anywhere, it is necessary to dispose of the pouch in a Taylor's Pride, Kodiak, Hawken Wintergreen, Grizzly, Den convenient fashion once the consumer is through with it. It tal, Kentucky King, Mammoth Cave by Conwood Sales Co., would be desirable to have a method of disposing of a used L.P., Interval by Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., and Snus pouch without necessarily having to conveniently find a Ariva and Stonewall by Star Scientific, Inc. Suitable disposal container in a timely manner (e.g. a garbage 0004 Representative types of snuff products, commonly can . etc.). For example, after a user has finished a Snus referred to as 'snus,” are manufactured in Europe, particu pouch or other Smokeless tobacco pouch, there is a need to larly in Sweden, by or through companies such as Swedish dispose of the pouch. A user must either find a waste disposal Match AB, Fiedler & Lundgren AB, Gustavus AB, Skandi container or simply hold on to the used pouch if they do not navisk Tobakskompagni A/S and Rocker Production AB. want to litter. A used Snus or other Smokeless tobacco pouch Snus products available in the U.S.A. are marketed under the is typically damp and unpleasant to keep in a user's pocket. A trade names Camel Snus Frost, Camel Snus Original and user could wrap the pouch in paper or tissue of Some kind, Camel Snus Spice by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. assuming it is handy. Another alternative would be to put the 0005 Snus products, such as Camel Snus Original, are pouch back in the container, but the used and damp pouch commonly supplied in Small teabag-like pouches. The could negatively affect the unused pouches. Furthermore, pouches are typically a nonwoven fleece material, and con with the onset of more restrictions on Smoking, public areas tain about 0.4 to 1.5 grams of pasteurized tobacco. These have a reduced number of ashtrays available for disposal of products typically remain in a user's mouth for about 10-30 cigarette butts and other Smoked articles. There is also a need minutes. Unlike certain other Smokeless tobacco products, for a simple and convenient disposal means for Such materials Snus do not require expectoration by the user. that can be carried by a user. In the case of Snuff tins, one 0006 Consumers who formerly used smoking products method to store used snuff is to provide a rotatable dividing and Switch over to Snus or other pouched tobacco products wall to create a separate chamber for storing used Snuff, as may find that the initial feeling in the mouth along the cheek disclosed in PCT Pub. Nos. WO 08/066,450 and WO 08/066, or gum is uncomfortable. Therefore, there exists a need to 451, both to Soberget al. Other Snus tins containing separate improve the initial mouth feel of the Snus pouch. compartments have been disclosed in U.S. patent application 0007. The fleece used for snus also may exhibit discolora Ser. No. 29/297.520 to Pateletal. and U.S. patent application tion after being stored over time. This discoloration typically Ser. No. 29/297,517 to Patel et al. Methods of attaching displays as a yellowing of the fleece material.