CHEWING ARTICLE FOR ORAL TOBACCO DELIVERY

SUMMARY

Provided is a chewing article for oral delivery of a tobacco material. Preferably, the chewing article is shaped like a cigarette and provides oral and tactile stimulation.

Also provided is a method of making a chewing article for oral delivery of tobacco material.

According to the present invention there is provided a chewing article comprising: a mouth portion including an impermeable mouthpiece having at least one perforation therein and an internal chamber; and tobacco material contained within the internal chamber; wherein the at least one perforation opens to selectively release the tobacco material when the mouthpiece is deformed, and wherein the tobacco material is a gel, liquid, and/or semi-liquid.

Preferably, the tobacco material further includes beads, capsules and/or microcapsules containing at least one additive. Preferably the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of flavorants, chemesthesis agents, antioxidants, vitamins, nutrients, functional ingredients, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the beads, capsules and/or microcapsules provide controlled release of tobacco or other flavor.

Preferably, the chewing article is cigarette-shaped.

Preferably, the mouthpiece is a perforated chewable tube made of a food grade, elastomeric material. Preferably, the food grade, elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of silicone, plastic, rubber, latex, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the mouthpiece is disposable and/or replaceable.

Preferably, the mouthpiece includes a coating. Preferably, the coating is made of a soluble polysaccharide, optional flavorants, and/or optional chemesthesis agents. Preferably, the chewing article further comprises a handle portion. Preferably, the handle portion is made of paper, plastic, metal, wood, and/or ceramic. The handle portion may include an internal handle support, which supports the mouth portion and/or attaches the mouth portion to the handle portion. The handle portion may function as a second mouth portion.

In a preferred embodiment the handle portion is circular in cross-section and has the same or different diameter as the mouth portion.

The handle portion and/or the mouth portion may be textured, colored, and/or include indicia printed thereon.

The chewing article may further comprise an air passage, operable to allow a user to inhale air; and/or a supply of additives operable to provide flavorants and/or chemesthesis agents. Preferably, the supply of additives includes volatile flavorants.

According to the present invention there is also a method of making a chewing article comprising: filling a perforated mouthpiece including an internal chamber and an open end by loading tobacco material into the open end; plugging the open end of the internal chamber with a plug; and placing a cap over the mouthpiece to form a mouth portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an illustration of a chewing article including a perforated, chewable mouthpiece for selectively releasing tobacco material;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an insert for the chewing article of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a chewing article including an internal chamber filled with a tobacco material;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a chewing article including an embodiment of a transport mechanism for aiding in the release of tobacco material; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a chewing article including an embodiment of a transport mechanism for aiding in the release of tobacco material;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a chewing article including a support mechanism;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a chewing article including two mouthpieces;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a chewing article having a mouth portion and handle portion of different diameters;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a chewing article including an air tube; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a chewing article including an air tube;

Figure 11 is a top view of the chewing article of Figures 9 and 10; Figure 12 is an illustration of a chewing article having a shaped mouthpiece; Figure 13 is an illustration of a chewing article having a textured mouthpiece; Figure 14 is an illustration of a chewing article having a textured handle portion;

Figure 15 is an illustration of a chewing article having a textured handle portion; Figure 16 is an illustration of a chewing article having a textured handle portion; and Figure 17 is an illustration of a chewing article including at least one perforation stuffed with beads, capsules, and/or microcapsules.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As described herein, a chewing article is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the chewing article is designed to deliver tobacco material to an adult consumer.

As illustrated in Figure 1 , in a preferred embodiment, the chewing article 10 includes a mouth portion 28 and a handle portion 26. The mouth portion 28 includes a mouthpiece 12 with an internal chamber 13 (shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6) that is capable of containing a tobacco material (19). Also preferably, the mouth portion 28 includes a removable cap 14 for preserving the tobacco material (19) enclosed in the mouthpiece 12. In a preferred embodiment, the mouth portion 28 is attached to a handle portion 26 that is held by the user while he chews or sucks the mouthpiece 12 to release the tobacco material (19) contained therein.

Preferably, an insert 16 (shown in Figures 1 and 2) seals an open end 34 of the mouthpiece 12 to contain tobacco material within the internal chamber 13 of the mouthpiece 12. In an embodiment, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, the insert 16 has a lower portion received inside handle portion 26 and an upper portion received inside cap 14 with a rim 17 between the handle portion 26 and the cap 14.

In an embodiment, as seen in Figure 1 , the cap 14 covers the mouthpiece 12 of the chewing article 10. However, the cap 14 may cover the entire length of the chewing article 14. As seen in Figure 7, the chewing article 10 may include two caps 14, and omit the handle 26, in which case one of the caps acts as a handle during consumption of tobacco material (19) at the opposite end of the article. Preferably, the caps 14 are made of plastic and/or metal.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , the mouthpiece 12 has at least one sealable end 34 through which the tobacco material 19 can be inserted into the internal chamber 13. Preferably, the mouthpiece 12 also includes at least one perforation 18 through which the tobacco material 19 exits the mouthpiece 12 when in use. Preferably, the mouthpiece 12 is designed to selectively release the enclosed tobacco material 19 when the mouthpiece is deformed. The at least one perforation 18 does not open or allow the tobacco material 19 to exit the mouthpiece 12 unless the mouthpiece 12 is deformed by chewing, sucking, or otherwise manipulating the mouthpiece 12. Once the user has stopped chewing, sucking, and/or manipulating the elastomeric mouthpiece 12, the at least one perforation 18 closes to prevent the tobacco material 19 from escaping the internal chamber 13 of the mouthpiece 12 via the at least one perforation 18.

In a preferred embodiment, the mouthpiece 12 is molded to include the internal chamber 13. Preferably, the mouthpiece 12 is made of a food grade, non-edible, chewable material such as latex, rubber, silicone and/or plastic. Preferably, the material chosen to form the mouthpiece 12 is an elastomeric material that is capable of deforming and reverting to its original configuration so as to open the perforations when deformed and close the perforations when

the elastomeric material has reverted to it original configuration. Preferably, the mouthpiece does not dissolve or disintegrate.

Preferably the internal chamber 13, shown in Figure 3, has an inner diameter of about

3 mm to about 20 mm. Preferably, the internal chamber can hold a serving of about 0.5 cc to about 5.0 cc of tobacco material 19. More preferably, the chamber 13 holds about 1.0 cc to about 4.0 cc of tobacco material 19. In an embodiment, the internal chamber 13 contains multiple servings of tobacco material that can be enjoyed over time.

As used herein, the term "serving" refers to the preferred serving size of about 0.5 cc to about 5.0 cc. In a preferred embodiment, the chewing article 10 is shaped like a cigarette and has the dimensions of commercial smoking articles so as to provide a familiar tactile experience for adult tobacco consumers. The chewing article 10 can be about 60 mm to about 140 mm in length, more preferably about 80 mm to about 120 mm in length, and most preferably about 90 mm to about 110 mm in length. Preferably, during consumption, over a period of about 2 minutes to about 30 minutes, about 0.5 cc to about 1.5 cc of tobacco material is consumed. More preferably, about 0.5 cc to about 1.5 cc of tobacco material lasts about 5 minutes to about 20 minutes. Chewing articles containing larger amounts of tobacco material can be enjoyed over longer periods of time. For example, a chewing article can contain about 1.5 cc to about 10.0 cc of tobacco material. Alternatively, the chewing articles can be enjoyed multiple times by using the cap 14 to cover the mouthpiece 12 to preserve the enclosed tobacco material for later enjoyment.

Preferably, the tobacco material 19 can include liquids, gels, semi-liquids including, beads, capsules, and/or microcapsules of such tobacco material. It is preferred that the tobacco material 19 is not so watery as to leak out of the perforations, and not so hard as to be difficult to squeeze out of the perforations when the mouthpiece 12 is being chewed or sucked.

In a preferred embodiment, as shown in Figure 17, the beads, capsules, and/or microcapsules 60 can be stuffed into the perforations 18 of the chewing article 10. The beads, capsules, and/or microcapsules 60 burst when a user chews the chewing article. Once the beads, capsules, and/or microcapsules burst, the perforations 18 are cleared so that when the perforations 18 deform due to chewing, the tobacco material 19 can be released through the perforations 18.

Also preferably, the mouthpiece 12 can include a coating. Preferably, the coating is made of a soluble polysaccharide and can include tobacco and non-tobacco flavorants and/or chemesthesis agents. The flavorants and/or chemesthesis agents can be included in beads or capsules embedded in the coating. Preferably, the coating provides a first burst of flavor to the user.

Preferably, the tobacco material 19 includes tobacco flavorants. Also preferably, the tobacco material 19 can be in the form of tobacco particles including particulate, powdered, and/or tobacco fibers. Tobacco extracts can also be included in the tobacco material 19. The tobacco parts used to make the tobacco particles can be from any type of tobacco used to prepare oral tobacco products (smokeless tobacco) such as but not limited to Burley, Bright, Oriental, or blends thereof, as well as genetically altered, chemically altered, or mechanically altered tobacco plants and blends thereof. The type of tobacco is preferably selected from the group consisting of Burley, Bright, and Oriental. In a preferred embodiment, plant cell culture (PCC) tobacco is included. Preferably, PCC tobacco has no flavor, and acts to dilute the tobacco flavor of the tobacco material 19.

The tobacco material 19 can also include berry flavorants such as, without limitation, pomegranate, acai, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, and/or cranberry. Other suitable flavorants include, without limitation, any natural or synthetic flavor or aroma, such as menthol, peppermint, spearmint, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, cognac, hydrangea, lavender, chocolate, licorice, citrus and other fruit flavors, such as apple, peach, pear, cherry, plum, orange and grapefruit, gamma octalactone, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, breath freshener flavors, spice flavors such as cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, sage, anise, and fennel, methyl salicylate, linalool, jasmine, coffee, bergamot oil, geranium oil, lemon oil, and ginger oil.

In an embodiment, the tobacco material 19 also includes sweeteners. Preferred sweeteners include, without limitation, water soluble sweeteners such as monosaccharides and disaccharides, such as xylose, ribose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, glucose, and mannose. Polysaccharides may also be included in the tobacco material 19.

In an embodiment, the tobacco material includes beads, capsules and/or microcapsules that are designed to contain liquid, semi-liquid, and or gel additives that are released when the beads, capsules, and/or microcapsules rupture due to chemical and/or mechanical action and/or pH change. In an embodiment, the user can control the release of the additives by the degree to which the user bites on the mouthpiece to place pressure on the beads, capsules, and/or microcapsules. In an embodiment, the beads, capsules, and/or microcapsules may dissolve. Preferably, the additives contained within the beads, capsules, and/or microcapsules can include flavorants, chemesthesis agents, antioxidants, vitamins, sweeteners, nutrients, and/or functional ingredients.

In a preferred embodiment, the functional ingredients include soothing agents and/or energizing agents. Suitable soothing agents include, without limitation, chamomile, lavender, jasmine, and the like. Preferably, the energizing ingredients or vitamins include, without limitation, caffeine, taurine, guarrna, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and other similar substances.

Suitable chemesthesis ingredients provide, without limitation, hot, spicy, or cooling flavors such as mint, menthol, cinnamon, pepper, and the like. A preferred chemesthesis agent is jambu, which provides a unique, effervescent-like feeling to the user.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the mouth portion 28 of the chewing article 10 is attached to a handle portion 26. In a preferred embodiment, the handle portion 26 is formed from a paper, plastic, ceramic, wood, and/or metal material that is attached to the insert 16 of the mouth portion 28. In use, the consumer holds the chewing article 10 by the handle portion 26 and chews or sucks the mouthpiece 12.

In an embodiment, as shown in Figures 14, 15, and 16, the handle 26 includes various textures such as bumps, lines, and/or ridges that allow for easier grip of the handle 26 and/or tactile sensations. The handle 26 can also be an ergonomic handle portion 26. The handle 26 can be flexible, rigid, and/or semi-rigid. The handle 26 may be hollow as in Figures 1 and 3 so as to provide for storage of a napkin, coupon, mints, breath fresheners, and/or other item. The handle 26 may have the same diameter or different than the mouthpiece 12, as shown in Figure 8. In an embodiment, the handle 26 is colored and/or has indicia printed thereon.

As seen in Figures 4 and 5, the handle portion 26 can house a transport mechanism 24. The transport mechanism 24 may include a screw, spring, or push-up mechanism that aids in transporting the tobacco material 19 towards the mouthpiece 12 for release into a user's mouth. When a screw or push-up transport mechanism 24 is used, the tobacco material 19 can be placed both in the mouthpiece and within the transport mechanism 24, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, so as to provide multiple or larger servings. In this embodiment, the insert 16 has at least one opening 40 through which the tobacco material 19 can pass from the handle portion 26 to the mouth portion 28.

Referring now to Figure 6, in an embodiment, the handle 26 can include an internal handle support 30. Preferably, the internal handle support 30 stabilizes the mouth portion 28 when attached to the handle portion 26. The internal handle support 30 is preferably made of a rigid material such as plastic, metal, or ceramic.

The internal handle support 30 may be formed of a stretched rubber or other material to aid in connecting the mouth portion 28 to the handle portion 26. In other embodiments, the mouth portion 28 can be snapped on or into a tubular handle portion 26 to connect the mouth portion 28 and the handle portion 26.

In an embodiment, the handle portion 26 is disposable. In another embodiment, the handle portion 26 is made of recyclable and/or reusable materials that allow for reuse of the handle portion 26 in conjunction with replaceable mouth portions 28 that are adapted to be removably attached to the handle portion 26.

Referring now to Figure 7, in an embodiment, the handle portion 26 can be formed by a second mouth portion 32. Preferably, both the first mouth portion 28 and the second mouth portion 32 include a flexible mouthpiece 12 having at least one perforation 18 therein. Each mouthpiece 12 includes an internal chamber 13 capable of containing tobacco material 19. A cap 14 covers each mouthpiece 12 to preserve the enclosed tobacco material 19. Preferably, a single insert 16 plugs the open end 34 of each internal chamber 13. Preferably, the chewing article 10 of Figure 7 is symmetrical. In other embodiments, a chewing article 10 having two mouth portions 28, 32 is asymmetrical and includes a first mouth portion 28 that is smaller or larger than the second mouth portion 32. In a preferred embodiment, the tobacco material 19 in each internal chamber 13 has a different flavorant. In another embodiment, the tobacco material 19 in each internal chamber 13 includes the same flavorant. In another embodiment, one internal chamber 13 includes the tobacco material 19 and the second internal chamber 13 includes a breath freshener.

Referring now to Figure 8, in an embodiment, the chewing article 10 includes a mouth portion 28 having a larger diameter than the handle portion 26. In other embodiments, the handle portion 26 may have a larger diameter or the same diameter as the mouth portion 28.

Referring now to Figure 9, in an embodiment, the chewing article 10 includes an air passage 50 extending through the handle portion 26 and the mouth portion 28 of the chewing article 10. Preferably, the air passage 50 allows a user to inhale air when sucking on the mouth portion 28. In a preferred embodiment, an additive supply 55 may be placed adjacent to the air passage 50 so as to provide an additive to the air flow being inhaled by the consumer. Preferably, the additive is a volatile flavorant, such as menthol. In a preferred embodiment, the air passage 50 provides a resistance to draw similar to that of commercially available cigarettes.

As shown in Figure 10, the additive supply 55 may include a wick, filter or other porous material that is impregnated with the additive and held within an insert 60 in the handle portion 26 of the chewing article 10.

Referring now to Figure 11 , as shown the mouth piece 12 can include at least one perforation 18 for selectively releasing tobacco material. Also preferably, the mouth piece 12 includes an air hole 56 through which the consumer can inhale air when sucking on the chewing article 10. Preferably, the air hole 56 extends through the handle portion and the mouth portion.

Also preferably, the air hole 56 does not expose the tobacco material to air.

Referring now to Figures 12 and 13, in an embodiment, the mouthpiece 12 can be molded in various shapes or can include textures. The textures can provide additional oral enjoyment and sensation to the user.

In other embodiments, the chewing article can be of various weights from about 0.1 g to about 500 g. The mouthpiece and/or the handle portion can also include various embedded electronics that can provide heat, cooling, vibration, or other functions.

Also provided is a method of making a cigarette-shaped chewing article for tobacco material delivery. The method includes loading tobacco material in an open end of a perforated chewable mouthpiece and, at least partially filling the chamber with the tobacco material. The mouthpiece is then capped with a cap. A plug is then placed in the open end of the mouthpiece to seal the mouthpiece and form the mouth portion of the chewing article. Optionally, the mouth portion can be attached to an elongate body to form the remainder of the chewing article. The elongate body can be formed by a second mouth end portion, a hollow paper tube, a handle device, a transport mechanism and the like.

While the foregoing has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents thereof employed, without departing from the scope of the claims.