POLYMER ENCASED SMOKELESS TOBACCO PRODUCTS
Methods for encasing bodies including smokeless tobacco or a tobacco substitute with a polymeric casing can include coating a compressed body with microfibers, applying tubular casings to compressed bodies, printing netting and webs on compressed bodies, injection molding around compressed bodies, applying a webbing to compressed bodies, placing compressed bodies into a skin forming bath, and including thermoplastic polymers in a compressed body.
1 . A method of making a polymer encased smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute product comprising:
applying an adhesive to a body to form a sticky body, the body including smokeless tobacco, a tobacco substitute, or both the smokeless tobacco and the tobacco substitute;
after applying the adhesive to the body, coating the sticky body with microfibers to form a microfiber-coated body, the microfibers comprising a polymeric material; and
heating the microfiber-coated body to melt bond the microfibers to form an encased body.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating includes circulating the microfibers in a chamber.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the coating further includes moving the sticky body through the chamber on a conveyor.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the coating further includes rotating, by the conveyor, the sticky body.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the conveyor includes a first rod and a second rod.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the coating further includes heating the first rod and the second rod.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating includes moving the sticky body down a sloped surface, the microfibers being on the sloped surface.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the moving includes rolling, tumbling, or both rolling and tumbling.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the coating further includes applying the microfibers to the sticky body at random orientations.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the coating further includes vibrating the sloped surface during the moving.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sticky body has less than 10 weight percent oven volatiles during the coating.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
after the coating, hydrating the encased body to have greater than or equal to 10 weight percent oven volatiles.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the hydrating includes spraying the encased body with a rewetting spray.
14 . The method of claim 1 , the heating includes exposing the microfiber-coated body to infrared (IR light), ultraviolet (UV) light, or both IR and UV light.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating includes exposing the microfiber-coated body to convection heat.
16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the body.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the forming the body includes forming a compressed body.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material includes polypropylene, polyurethane, styrene, and combinations thereof.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material includes an elastomer and a polyolefin.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the body further includes a flavorant selected from the group consisting of: wintergreen, cherry, berry, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, apium graveolens , clove, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, Japanese mint, cassia , caraway, cognac, jasmine, chamomile, menthol, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, piment, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, licorice, mint oils from a species of the genus Mentha, and combinations thereof.