IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,357,016
Granted Patent B2
US 12,357,016 · App. 18/535,471 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Tobacco lozenge

Inventors: Feng Gao (Midlothian, VA); Diane L. Gee (Chesterfield, VA); Shuzhong Zhuang (Glen Allen, VA); Phillip M. Hulan (Midlothian, VA); William J. Burke (Nashville, TN)
Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
A24B15/10A24B13/00A24B15/18
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,357,016
App. No.
18/535,471
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tobacco lozenge includes a body configured to be wholly receivable in an oral cavity. The body includes a matrix including a soluble fiber in an amount greater than or equal to 60 weight percent of the body, tobacco plant tissue dispersed in the matrix, and an additive dispersed in the matrix.

Claims (26)

1. A method of forming a plurality of tobacco lozenges, the method comprising:

forming a mixture at a mixture temperature of less than or equal to 200° C., the mixture including soluble fiber in an amount greater than or equal to 60 weight percent, tobacco plant tissue in an amount greater than or equal to 10 weight percent, and water in an amount less than or equal to 15 weight percent; and

portioning the mixture into the plurality of tobacco lozenges, each tobacco lozenge of the plurality of tobacco lozenges including a body, the body including a matrix comprising the soluble fiber, the tobacco plant tissue, and the water.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises:

disposing the soluble fiber, the tobacco plant tissue, and the water in an extruder.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

extruding the mixture into a sheet, and

cutting lozenges from the sheet.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture includes less than 13 weight percent water.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture includes at least one additive including colorants, sweeteners, flavorants, plasticizers, antioxidants, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming the mixture comprises:

mixing dry ingredients including soluble fibers and tobacco plant tissue at a first location to form a powder.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the forming the mixture comprises:

mixing a group of solution ingredients including water and a sweetener at a second location.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the forming the mixture comprises:

mixing the dry ingredients and the group of solution ingredients in a first stage of an extruder at a temperature between 100° C. and 120° C. to form the mixture.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

adding a flavor into the mixture downstream of the first stage of the extruder.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soluble fiber includes maltodextrin, psyllium, inulin, arabinoxylans, cellulose, resistant starch, resistant dextrins, lignin, pectins, beta-glucans, oligosaccharides, or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture includes a medium chain triglyceride.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture is substantially free of sugar and sugar alcohols.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a glass transition temperature ranging from 50° C. to 120° C.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portioning comprises:

extruding the mixture onto a conveyor.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture includes at least 75 weight percent soluble fiber.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture includes at least one additive including an energizing agent.

Continuity (5)
Continuation 17172557 · Feb 10, 2021
Continuation 16370020 · Mar 29, 2019
Division 14506003 · Oct 3, 2014
Provisional Application 61886399 · Oct 3, 2013
Related Publication 20240099356A1 · Mar 28, 2024
References Cited (64)
US 2162738A · Mccoy · 1939 [cited by applicant]
US 3139436A · Bicking · 1964 [cited by applicant]
US 3396735A · Von Bethmann et al. · 1968 [cited by applicant]
US 4153063A · Roselius et al. · 1979 [cited by applicant]
US 4448208A · Friedrich et al. · 1984 [cited by applicant]
US 4516590A · Teng · 1985 [cited by applicant]
US 4528993A · Sensabaugh, Jr. et al. · 1985 [cited by applicant]
US 4647459A · Peters et al. · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 4660577A · Sensabaugh et al. · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 4848373A · Lenkey · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4987907A · Townend · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5236719A · Meyers et al. · 1993 [cited by applicant]
US 5284163A · Knudsen et al. · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5372149A · Roth et al. · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5380717A · Ohkuma et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5410035A · Wakabayashi et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5487792A · King et al. · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 5525351A · Dam · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 5549906A · Santus · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 6203842B1 · Reddy · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 7798151B2 · Krukonis et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 9351936B2 · Gao et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9999243B2 · Gao et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10244786B2 · Gao et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20040118422A1 · Lundin et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050053665A1 · Ek et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050123502A1 · Chan et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050178398A1 · Breslin et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050226925A1 · Singh · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050244521A1 · Strickland · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060171994A1 · Dupinay et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20070144544A1 · Cai et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080209586A1 · Nielsen et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090293889A1 · Kumar et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100010101A1 · Cherukuri · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110110880A1 · Chen · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110139164A1 · Mua et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110165253A1 · Roehrich · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110200670A1 · Thakkar · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20120031414A1 · Atchley · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20120053108A1 · Glenn, Jr. et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120060854A1 · Chen et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130071476A1 · Cherukuri · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130186417A1 · Gao et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130186418A1 · Gao et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130260150A1 · Grivei et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130284193A1 · Matsumoto et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20150020818A1 · Gao et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
DE 19811167A1 · 1999 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2009134947A1 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2010044736A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
Tso (1999, Chapter 1 in Tobacco, Production, Chemistry and Technology, Davis & Nielsen, eds., Blackwell Publishing, Oxford). [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion in International Application No. PCT/US2014/059148, mailed Dec. 12, 2014, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
Gonnissen et al., “Development of directly compressible Powders via Co-Spraying,” Eur J Pharma Biopharma 67:220, 2007. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability in International Application No. PCT/US2014/059148, mailed Apr. 14, 2016, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Patel et al., “Advances in oral transmucosal drug delivery.” J Control Release 153(2): 106-116, Jul. 30, 2011. [cited by applicant]
Definition of matrix, The Free Dictionary, 5 pages, 1991 to 2016, [online], retrieved from the internet, [retrieved Oct. 11, 2017], <URL: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/matrix>. [cited by applicant]
Fitzpatrick, et al. “Comparing the caking behaviours of skim milk, powder, amorphous maltodextrin and crystalline common salt,” Powder Technology, V. 204, No. 1, 2010, pp. 131-137. [online], retrieved from the internet,… [cited by applicant]
“Particle Size Conversation Table,” SIGMA-ALDRICH, 2003-2004, [online], retreieved from the internet, [retreieved Mar. 29, 2017], <URL: http://sigmaaldrich.com/chemistry/stockroom-reagents/learning-ceneter/technical-lib… [cited by applicant]
Avaltroni et al. “Maltodextrin molecular weight distribution influence on the glass transition temperature and viscosity in aqueous solutions” Carbohyd Polymers 58 (2004), 323-334, {online], retrieved from the internet,… [cited by applicant]
Definition of lozenge, The Free Dictionary, 3 pages, 2002, online, retrieved from the Internet [retrieved Mar. 30, 2017], <URL: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lozenge>. [cited by applicant]
Non-Final Office Action issued Mar. 31, 2017 in U.S. Appl. No. 14/506,002. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance issued Oct. 17, 2017 in U.S. Appl. No. 14/506,002. [cited by applicant]
Notice of Allowance issued Feb. 20, 2018 in U.S. Appl. No. 14/506,002. [cited by applicant]