Granted Patent B2

US 12,377,644 · App. 18/630,395 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Inventors: James D. Evans (Chesterfield, VA); Shannon Maxwell Black (Richmond, VA); Thien Hoang Nguyen (Glen Allen, VA)

Assignee: Altria Client Services Inc.

B32B27/12A24F23/02B29C70/086B32B3/12B32B3/266B32B5/022B32B5/024B32B27/32B32B27/36B32B27/40B32B37/15B32B38/10B32B38/1858B32B2307/54B32B2307/724B32B2439/40

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. A method of encasing a product in a pouch, the method comprising:

conveying a first composite material having a first region and a second region in a machine direction, the first composite material including a first elastic layer and a support layer, the first elastic layer being in the first region and the second region, and the support layer being in the second region, the conveying including engaging the second region with an apparatus;

depositing a product on the first elastic layer in the first region of the first composite material;

disposing a second elastic layer of a second composite material on the product;

coupling the second elastic layer to the first elastic layer to form an encased product; and

creating a pouch by separating the encased product from remaining portions of the first composite material and the second composite material.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a plurality of perforations in the support layer prior to the conveying, wherein the plurality of perforations at least partially defines the first region, and

separating a portion of the support layer in the first region from a portion of the support layer in the second region prior to the conveying.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming the first composite material, the forming including melt-blowing a plurality of fibers onto the support layer, the first elastic layer including the plurality of fibers, wherein the forming is performed prior to the conveying.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

coupling the support layer to an interleaf layer prior to the coupling the first elastic layer to the support layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

separating a first portion of the support layer from a second portion of the support layer prior to the depositing, the second region of the first composite material including the second portion of the support layer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the separating is performed prior to the conveying.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

disposing the second portion of the support layer on an interleaf layer prior to the forming.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the separating comprises die cutting, laser cutting, or a combination of die cutting and laser cutting.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming the first composite material, the forming including printing the support layer onto a surface of the first elastic layer, extruding the support layer onto the surface of the support layer, or a combination of printing and extruding.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the engaging comprises applying a vacuum to draw the second region into engagement with the apparatus.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming the first composite material by coupling at least a portion of the first elastic layer to at least a portion of the support layer prior to the conveying.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (83)