Patent Application
20180368467
Many cigar smokers prefer to use their own tobacco product as opposed to purchasing cigars that are already constructed and filled with tobacco. For example, some users of fine, custom tobacco prefer to start with an empty shell, such as the shell 11 shown in
Patents have issued for smoke-able articles that begin with an empty shell that is packaged in an empty or less than filled condition (hereinafter, collectively “shells”), thus enabling a smoker to later add his or her custom tobacco filler. For example, the Sinclair U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,321,755; 6,357,448, 6,526,986; 6,742,525, 6,854,471; 7,571,730; 7,717,119; 7,987,858; 8,869,803; 8,066,012; 8,393,335; 8,578,944; 8,783,266; 8,418,698; 8,944,073; 9,095,173; and 9,161,568 each incorporated herein by reference, disclose shells that are packaged devoid of contents so that a user can add his or her custom tobacco or other fill material (hereinafter, collectively, “filler”) to the shell after opening the package.
Shells may be made from any suitable smoke-able material and may comprise a single sheet or laminate of two or more sheets. The smoke-able material may comprise plants in their native form and/or homogenates of one or a combination of smoke-able materials. For example, shells may comprise tobacco leaves and/or hemp leaves or homogenates of tobacco and/or hemp. In a further example, shells may additionally or alternatively comprise homogenates of herbs (e.g., cocoa, yerba mate, sage and/or chamomile) and/or fruit.
Shells may be sold in the form of wraps or cones (frustoconical or conical) and may take the form of a single ply or a laminate of layers (e.g., sheets). The shells may be sold in packaging that is discarded once opened, or that is resealable for further use.
In any case, it is desirable for the shells to remain usable, fit for consumption or saleable for as long as possible. However, it has been found that shells can be susceptible to mold growth in as little as a few days. Thus, it is desirable to inhibit mold growth in smoke-able shells to extend their shelf-life.
While the specification concludes with exemplary shells, exemplary methods of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able shell and exemplary smoke-able articles comprising shells, all of which particularly point out the disclosed technology, it is believed the technology will be better understood from the following description of certain examples taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify the same elements and in which:
The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.
The following description of certain examples of the technology should not be used to limit its scope. Other examples, features, aspects, embodiments, and advantages of the technology will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, which is by way of illustration, one of the best modes contemplated for carrying out the technology. As will be realized, the technology described herein is capable of other different and obvious aspects, all without departing from the technology. Accordingly, the descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
It is further to be understood that any one or more of the teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein may be combined with any one or more of the other teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. that are described herein. The following-described teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. should therefore not be viewed in isolation relative to each other. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein may be combined will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.
The present disclosure relates to improved smoke-able shells, smoke-able articles comprising the shells and methods of making smoke-able shells.
In some examples, the smoke-able shell has a shape selected from cylindrical, conical or frustoconical. The shell may be packaged in a foil pouch or other secondary packaging. In some examples, the secondary packaging may be re-closeable or resealable. The shell may be wrapped to form the shape of a cylinder or cone, which may in turn be conical or frustoconical. In some examples, the shell has an interior and longitudinal centerline that is preserved when the shell is packaged for sale in an unfilled state. The shape of the shell may be preserved in the packaging utilizing a casing to enclose the shell and/or an internal support, for example a straw. In some examples, a shell's shape is generally preserved in secondary packaging using a conical form mandrel, which is constructed from a generally cylindrical starting blank. In some examples, the conical form mandrel can also be used to support the conical or frustoconical shaped of a shell during filling, wherein during the filling process the filler both passes through the interior of the support insert, and the support insert is longitudinally moved relative to the shell in a direction opposite of the direction that the smoke-able filler passes through the supporting insert and the end of the conical support enlarges as it is pulled out longitudinally from the shell.
Shells may be made from any suitable smoke-able material. Exemplary smoke-able materials may be selected from: natural leaf tobacco, homogenized tobacco paper; hemp, hemp paper, cotton paper, transparent cellulose, non-transparent cellulose, pipe tobacco, different types of flavored tobacco, cocoa, tea leaves, kanna, blue lotus, salvia, salvia eivinorm, wild dagga, kratom, herbal non-tobacco, Celandine Poppy, Mugwort, Purple Lavender Flowers, Coltsfoot Leaf, Ginger root, California Poppy, Sinicuichi, St John's Wort. Capillarius herba, Yerba Lenna Yesca, Calea Zacatechichi, Leonurus Sibericus Flowers, Wild Dagga Flowers, Klip Dagga Leaf, Damiana, Hookah, Hernia salicifolia, Kava, Avena Sativa, scotch broom topps, Valarian, capillarius, herba, Wild clip dagga, Leonurus sibiricus, Kanna, Sinicuichi, lactuca virosa and combinations thereof. Shells may comprise one layer of smoke-able material or two or more layers of smoke-able material that are bound together to form a laminate.
Shells may be filled with any suitable filler. Exemplary filler may be selected from: pipe tobacco, different types of flavored tobacco, tea leaves, karma, blue lotus, salvia, salvia eivinorm, wild dagga, kratom, herbal non-tobacco, Celandine Poppy. Mugwort, Purple Lavender Flowers, Coltsfoot Leaf, Ginger root, California Poppy, Sinicuichi, St. John's Wort, Capillarius herba, Yerba Lenna Yesca, Calea Zacalechichi, Leonurus Sibericus Flowers, Wild Dagga Flowers, Klip Dagga Leaf, Damiana, Hookah, Hernia salicifolia, Kava, Avena Sativa, scotch broom topps, Valarian, capillarius, herba, Wild clip dagga, Leonurus sibiricus, Kama, Sinicuichi, lactuca virosa and combinations thereof.
Shells may be treated with flavoring. Flavoring may be added in any suitable way known to one of skill in the art. For example, aqueous compositions comprising flavoring may be applied to shells via spraying (e g. “top-spraying”), rolling, dipping, brushing and combinations thereof.
Shells that comprise two or more layers of smoke-able material may be bound together using any useful adhesive. Exemplary adhesives may be selected from: polyvinyl acetate, guar gum, nitrocellulose gum arabic, alginate and combinations thereof. Exemplary adhesives may be mixed with water to form an aqueous adhesive.
Exemplary shells, casings, supports, fillers, secondary packaging, smoke-able articles comprising shells (e.g., cigars and cigarillos), flavorings and adhesives may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,321,755; 6,357,448; 6,526,986; 6,742,525; 6,854,471; 7,571,730; 7,717.119; 7,987,858; 8,869,803; 8,066,012; 8,393,335; 8,578,944; 8,783,266; 8,418,698; 8,944,073; 9,095,173, 9,161,568 and 9,462,829; and European Pat. Nos. EP2490556B1; each of which are incorporated herein by reference. Exemplary shells that comprise two or more layers of smoke-able material that are bound together to form a laminate as well as the adhesives that are used to bind the layers together may be found in the foregoing U.S. patents and European patents.
Mold spores are ubiquitous and thus the processing of agricultural materials should ideally provide for mechanisms that inhibit or prevent their growth. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the root cause for mold growth on shells is the presence of free water that makes the shell a viable growth medium for one or more mold species. Free water may be added to a shell when aqueous flavorings and/or adhesives are applied thereto as noted above. Thus, one mechanism for preventing mold growth may be to drive most or all water from a smoke-able shell. However, this mechanism may result in a shell that is brittle and falls apart when rolled to form a cylinder or cone.
It is believed that the presently disclosed preservatives may reduce free water below a threshold level that inhibits or even prohibits growth of mold on otherwise suitable materials. It is further believed that by using the presently disclosed preservatives, issues associated with drying a shell, e.g., brittleness, are advantageously avoided. The present preservatives may inhibit mold growth on shells, by being included as component of an adhesive that is used to bond layers of materials together to form a shell, by being applied to a shell and combinations thereof.
Preservatives of use include humectants. Useful preservatives may be selected from: propylene glycol, sorbitol, salts, salts of organic acids, sugar, sugar alcohols, glycerol, cocoa butter, hydrocarbons, plant oils and combinations thereof.
According to the present disclosure, one or more preservatives are mixed with a useful adhesive prior to application to one or more layers of smoke-able material to be bound together to form a smoke-able shell. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the presence of preservative(s) in the adhesive reduces water activity, i.e. free water, in the adhesive to prevent the growth of mold in the shell.
One or more preservatives may be added to an adhesive in a sufficient amount to inhibit mold growth in a smoke-able shell. For example, an adhesive may comprise by weight percentage of the adhesive, from about 2% to about 50%, from about 4% to about 25%, or from about 8% to about 16%, of a preservative or combination of preservatives. In some examples, an adhesive may comprise from about 2% to about 50%, from about 4% to about 25%, or from about 8% to about 16%, of propylene glycol.
In addition to, or in the alternative, preservative(s) may inhibit mold growth by being applied to a surface of a shell that is comprised of a single sheet of smoke-able material or a laminate of more than one layer of smoke-able material Preservative(s) may be applied on a shell using any suitable method. Exemplary methods may be selected from: spraying, rolling, dipping, brushing and combinations thereof. The resulting shell may comprise sufficient moisture to exhibit desired properties of flexibility and seal-ability to function in the construction of smoking articles, while mold growth is inhibited.
In some examples, the preservative(s) may be mixed with flavoring that is to be applied to a smoke-able shell.
Referring to
For instance, in some versions, a smoke-able shell 30 comprises two or more layers of smoke-able material 34 and 36 secured together with adhesive 32 containing preservative, as shown in
Table I contains exemplary embodiments in which smoke-able shells comprise a laminate of two layers of hemp leaves that are bonded together utilizing adhesive containing various amounts of humectant. Each shell is observed for mold formation up to 41 days. A shell is considered to “fail” if mold is observed on the shell.
Referring to Table I, exemplary shells comprising adhesive containing 2 wt % propylene glycol, like the control comprising the same adhesive without propylene glycol, display mold growth as early as 6 days. Exemplary shells comprising adhesive containing 6 wt %/o or higher propylene glycol do not display mold growth at 41 days, demonstrating that they would be shelf-stable and saleable to consumers. Exemplary shells comprising adhesive comprising 2 wt/o or higher propionate, unlike the control comprising the same adhesive without proportionate, do not display mold growth at 41 days, demonstrating that they have desirable shelf-stability making them more saleable to consumers than untreated wraps.
Further exemplary smoke-able shells are PRIMAL™ Hemp Wraps (UPC 8 40439 10085), which are commercially available from Intrepid Brands™ (Louisville, Ky.). The wraps are a laminate of two layers of hemp homogenate bonded together with polyvinylacetate adhesive. A first sample of the hemp wraps are top-sprayed with aqueous solution containing 8 wt % polypropylene glycol. A second sampling of the hemp wraps is treated by adding 2 wt % polypropylene glycol to the adhesive and top-spraying the wrap with an aqueous solution of 8 wt % polypropylene glycol at 17.5% by weight of the wrap. This treatment results in finished wraps comprising by weight percentage of the finished wrap of a total of 8.1% propylene glycol (0.6% in the adhesive and 7.5% in the top spray). A third sampling of the hemp wraps is likewise treated by adding polypropylene glycol to the adhesive and top-spraying the wraps. This retreatment results in the finished wraps comprising by weight percentage of the finished wrap of a total of 14% propylene glycol. All of the aforementioned sample wraps are subject to accelerated aging, at 72% relative humidity and 30° C. for 310 days. No mold is observed on the sample wraps, further demonstrating they would be shelf-stable and saleable to consumers.
A first exemplary smoke-able shell comprising at least one layer of smoke-able material and a humectant.
A second exemplary smoke-able shell according to the first exemplary shell, wherein the smoke-able material is selected from the group consisting of: tobacco, hemp, herbs and combinations thereof.
A third exemplary shell according to the first exemplary shell, wherein the humectant is selected from the group consisting of: propylene glycol, sorbitol, salts, salts of organic acids, sugar, sugar alcohols, glycerol, cocoa butter, hydrocarbons, plant oils and combinations thereof.
A fourth exemplary shell according to the first exemplary shell, wherein the smoke-able material is tobacco and the humectant is selected from propylene glycol and propionate.
A fifth exemplary shell according to the fourth exemplary shell, further comprising an adhesive, wherein the humectant is present at from about 6% to about 50% by weight percentage of the adhesive.
A sixth exemplary shell according to the fourth exemplary shell, wherein the humectant is applied to the shell via an aqueous composition comprising at least about 6% of the humectant.
A seventh exemplary shell according to the first exemplary shell, wherein the smoke-able material is hemp and the humectant is selected from propylene glycol and propionate.
An eighth exemplary shell according to the seventh exemplary shell, further comprising an adhesive, wherein the humectant is present at from about 6% to about 50% by weight percentage of the adhesive.
A ninth exemplary shell according to the seventh exemplary shell, wherein the humectant is applied to the shell via an aqueous composition comprising at least about 6% of the humectant.
A tenth exemplary shell according to the first exemplary shell, wherein the smoke-able material is an herb and the humectant is selected from propylene glycol and propionate.
An eleventh exemplary shell according to the tenth exemplary shell, further comprising an adhesive, wherein the humectant is present at from about 6% to about 50% by weight percentage of the adhesive.
A twelfth exemplary shell according to the tenth exemplary shell, wherein the humectant is applied to the shell via an aqueous composition comprising at least about 6% of the humectant.
A thirteenth exemplary shell according to the first exemplary shell, wherein the smoke-able material is tobacco and the humectant is selected from propylene glycol and propionate.
A fourteenth exemplary shell according to the thirteenth exemplary shell, further comprising an adhesive, wherein the humectant is present at from about 6% to about 50% by weight percentage of the adhesive.
A fifteenth exemplary shell according to the fourteenth exemplary shell, wherein the humectant is applied to the shell via an aqueous composition comprising at least about 2 wt % of the humectant.
A sixteenth exemplary shell according to the thirteenth exemplary shell, wherein the smoke-able material is hemp and the humectant is selected from propylene glycol and propionate.
A seventeenth exemplary shell according to the sixteenth exemplary shell, further comprising an adhesive, wherein the humectant is present at from about 6% to about 50% by weight percentage of the adhesive.
A nineteenth exemplary shell according to the seventeenth exemplary shell, wherein the humectant is applied to the shell via an aqueous composition comprising at least about 6% of the humectant.
A twentieth exemplary shell according to the thirteenth exemplary shell, wherein the smoke-able material is an herb and the humectant is selected from propylene glycol and propionate.
A twenty-first exemplary shell according to the twentieth exemplary shell, further comprising an adhesive, wherein the humectant is present at from about 6% to about 50% by weight percentage of the adhesive.
A twenty-second exemplary shell according to the twenty-first exemplary shell, wherein the humectant is applied to the shell via an aqueous composition comprising at least about 6% of the humectant.
A twenty-third exemplary shell according to any one of the first through twenty-third shells, wherein the shell is top-sprayed with a solution comprising humectant.
A twenty-fourth exemplary shell according to any one of the first through twenty-third shells, wherein the shell is top-sprayed with a solution comprising humectant selected from propylene glycol, propionate and combinations thereof.
A first exemplary smoke-able article comprising a shell according to any one of the first through twenty-third shells.
A second exemplary smoke-able article according to the first smoke-able article selected from the group consisting of: cigars and cigarillos.
A first exemplary method of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able article comprising a step of providing a shell according to any one of the first through twenty fourth exemplary shells.
A second exemplary method of inhibiting mold growth according to the first exemplary method, wherein the smoke-able article is selected from the group consisting of: cigars and cigarillos.
A first exemplary method of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able shell, the method comprising applying humectant to the smoke-able shell.
A second exemplary method of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able shell according to the first exemplary method, wherein the smoke-able shell comprises two or more layers of smoke-able material, the method comprising adhering the two or more layers together with an adhesive comprising the humectant.
A third method of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able shell according to the first exemplary method wherein the humectant is applied to the smoke-able shell via spraying, rolling, dipping, brushing and combinations thereof.
A fourth method of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able shell according to the second exemplary method, wherein the humectant is selected from the group consisting of: propylene glycol, sorbitol, salts, salts of organic acids, sugar, sugar alcohols, glycerol, cocoa butter, hydrocarbons, plant oils and combinations thereof.
A fifth method of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able shell according to the third exemplary method, wherein the humectant is selected from the group consisting of: propylene glycol, sorbitol, salts, salts of organic acids, sugar, sugar alcohols, glycerol, cocoa butter, hydrocarbons, plant oils and combinations thereof.
A sixth method of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able shell according to any one of the first through fifth methods, wherein the smoke-able shell comprises one or more layers of smoke-able material selected from tobacco, hemp, herbs and combinations thereof.
A seventh exemplary method of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able shell according to any one of the first through sixth methods, wherein the humectant is propylene glycol.
An eighth exemplary method of inhibiting mold growth in a smoke-able shell according to any one of the first, second or fourth methods, wherein the wherein the propylene glycol is present at from about 2% to about 50% by weight percentage of the adhesive.
A thirteenth exemplary shell comprising one layer of smoke-able material and a humectant.
A fourteenth exemplary shell according to the thirteenth exemplary shell, wherein the humectant is selected from the group consisting of: propylene glycol, sorbitol, salts, sugar, sugar alcohols, glycerol, salts of organic acids, cocoa butter, hydrocarbons, plant oils and combinations thereof.
A fifteenth exemplary shell according to the thirteenth exemplary shell, wherein the smoke-able material is tobacco and the humectant is propylene glycol.
A sixteenth exemplary shell according to the thirteenth exemplary shell, wherein the smoke-able material is tobacco and the humectant is propylene glycol.
A seventeenth exemplary shell according any one of the thirteenth to sixteenth shells, wherein the propylene glycol is applied to the shell via an aqueous composition comprising over 2% of the propylene glycol.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/523,930, filed on Jun. 23, 2017, and entitled, “Preservative System for Smoke-able Shells,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62523930 | Jun 2017 | US |
