Smokeless tobacco

Abstract

A smokeless tobacco formulation includes particles or pieces of tobacco, and may include other ingredients, such as salts, sweeteners, binders, colorants, pH adjusters, fillers, flavoring agents, disintegration aids, antioxidants, humectants, and preservatives. The moisture content of the particles of the tobacco may vary. Certain smokeless tobacco products have the form of tobacco compositions or formulations that result from casting or otherwise forming a slurry incorporating tobacco material and other components as a film or sheet. Certain smokeless tobacco products have the form of tobacco compositions or formulations that result from pressing, extruding or otherwise forming a mixture incorporating tobacco material and other components into a desired shape. The foregoing tobacco products, as well as snus-type products, can be packaged under conditions of controlled atmosphere. Smokeless tobacco products can be sealed in outer packaging materials that are virtually impervious to oxygen and/or moisture, and those packaging materials can be vacuum sealed or sealed such that the atmosphere therewithin is essentially inert.

1 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a water-permeable pouch containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco, and   an outer packaging material enveloping said pouch and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       2 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1  including a plurality of said water-permeable pouches enveloped by said outer packaging material. 
   
   
       3 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 2  wherein one edge of said outer packaging material is contiguous with two sides of said outer packaging material, the other three edges of said outer packaging material being sealed. 
   
   
       4 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 1  wherein the seal on said outer packaging material is a fin-seal. 
   
   
       5 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 2  including a hard container encompassing said outer packaging material, said hard container constructed so it can be opened and resealed to allow one or more of said water permeable pouches to be dispensed as desired by the user. 
   
   
       6 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 5  wherein said hard container is made of metal or plastic. 
   
   
       7 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a plurality of water-permeable pouches each configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of the product and containing a tobacco formulation, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco,   a hard container encompassing said water-permeable pouches, and an outer packaging material enveloping said hard container and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       8 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 7  wherein said hard container can be opened and resealed to allow one or more of said water permeable pouches to be dispensed as desired by the user. 
   
   
       9 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 8  wherein said hard container is made of metal or plastic. 
   
   
       10 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 7  wherein said outer packaging material is formed of two pieces of said material superimposed in edge to edge contact, said edges being sealed by an overlap seal. 
   
   
       11 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a plurality of water-permeable pouches containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco, and   a hard container encompassing said water-permeable pouches, said hard container being tightly sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       12 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 11 , said hard container comprising a lower portion and a separate, upper portion which mates with said lower portion to form a closed container, and a band of sealing material covering the mating surfaces of said upper and lower portions. 
   
   
       13 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 11  wherein said container is made of metal or plastic. 
   
   
       14 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a plurality of water-permeable pouches each containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco;   an outer packaging material enveloping each of said pouches and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within; and   a hard container encompassing said water-permeable pouches enveloped by said outer packaging material, said hard container being tightly sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       15 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 14 , said hard container comprising a lower portion and a separate, upper portion which mates with said lower portion to form a closed container, and a band of sealing material covering the mating surfaces of said upper and lower portions. 
   
   
       16 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 14  wherein said container is made of metal or plastic. 
   
   
       17 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 14  wherein the controlled environment maintained within said outer packaging material enveloping each of said pouches is different from the controlled environment maintained within said hard container. 
   
   
       18 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a plurality of water-permeable pouches each containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion in the mouth of a user of that product, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco;   an outer packaging material enveloping each of said pouches and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within;   a hard container encompassing said water-permeable pouches enveloped by said outer packaging material; and   a second outer packaging material enveloping said hard container and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.   
   
   
       19 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 18  wherein the controlled environment maintained within said outer packaging material enveloping each of said pouches is different from the controlled environment maintained within said second outer packaging material. 
   
   
       20 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a plurality of water-permeable pouches each containing a tobacco formulation and configured for insertion into the mouth of a user of that product, the tobacco formulation including granular tobacco;   an outer packaging material enveloping at least one of each of said pouches and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within; and   the outer packaging material enveloping each of said one or more pouches being interconnected to form a tape-like assembly.   
   
   
       21 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 20  wherein the interconnections between the outer packaging material enveloping each of said one or more pouches are adapted to be readily separated for use by said user. 
   
   
       22 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 21  wherein said interconnections each contain a line of perforations to facilitate separation. 
   
   
       23 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 20  wherein said tape-like assembly is rolled up to facilitate handling by the user. 
   
   
       24 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 23 , wherein said rolled up tape-like assembly is packaged in a dispenser constructed to allow said tape-like assembly to be withdrawn and separated for use by said user. 
   
   
       25 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 23  wherein said dispenser is cylindrical in shape. 
   
   
       26 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 24  including a second outer packaging material enveloping said dispenser and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within. 
   
   
       27 . A smokeless tobacco product comprising:
 a tobacco formulation having a tape-like form and being rolled up to facilitate handling by the user,   said rolled up tape-like tobacco formulation being packaged in a dispenser constructed to allow said tape-like tobacco formulation to be withdrawn and separated into parts for use by said user.   
   
   
       28 . The smokeless tobacco product of  claim 27  having an outer packaging material enveloping said dispenser and being sealed so as to allow a controlled environment to be maintained within.