Pouch material for smokeless tobacco and tobacco substitute products

Abstract

A melt-blown fabric for pouching smokeless tobacco or a smokeless tobacco substitute can include melt-blown polymer fibers. The fabric can have a basis weight of less than 10 gsm and a tensile strength of at least 4mJ in at least one predetermined direction. Method of making the fabric can include melt-blowing a polymeric material against a support surface and bonding the fibers or arranging them in a predetermined orientation. Pouched smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute products including the fabrics provided herein can provide desirable flavor and tactile experience.

1 . A method of manufacturing a pouch material for an oral product, the method comprising:
 forming a composite polymer by compounding a filler and a polymer; and   forming the pouch material by depositing fibers onto a support surface, the depositing including melt-blowing the fibers, centrifugal force spinning the fibers, or a combination of melt-blowing and centrifugal force spinning the fibers, the fibers including the filler and the polymer, the filler increasing a hydrophilic permittivity of the pouch material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming a composite polymer further includes pelletizing the filler and the polymer after the compounding. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the filler includes a colorant, and   the forming a composite polymer includes compounding the colorant and the polymer.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming the pouch material includes forming a nonwoven fabric including the fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the forming includes the melt-blowing. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the melt-blowing includes,
 forming a polymer melt by melting the composite polymer,   producing filaments by extruding the polymer melt through an extrusion die, and   producing the fibers by
 introducing a gas, and 
 drawing the filaments. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein
 the melt-blowing is performed using a plurality of spinnerets,   the producing filaments includes extruding the polymer melt through a plurality of polymer orifices, and   the introducing includes introducing heated air through a plurality of air orifices, each of the plurality of air orifices surrounding a respective one of the plurality of polymer orifices to define a respective one of the plurality of spinnerets.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the producing the fibers includes producing fibers having diameters ranging from 0.5 microns to 100 microns. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 controlling fiber diameter by controlling a throughput of fibers, a temperature of the forming the polymer melt, a temperature of the heated air, a pressure of the heated air, a distance to the support surface, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a quantity of the plurality of spinnerets ranges from 10 spinnerets per square inch to 500 spinnerets per square inch. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each of the polymer orifices has a diameter less than or equal to 30 microns. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each of the polymer orifices has a diameter ranging from 150 microns to 400 microns. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the melt-blowing further includes directing water vapor at the filaments to quench the filaments. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the support surface includes a carrier material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch material has a basis weight ranging from 10 grams per square meter (gsm) to 30 gsm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after the forming the pouch material, spraying a surfactant onto the fibers.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying a flavorant to the pouch material.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying a sweetener to the pouch material.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the polymer includes an elastomer, and   the forming the composite polymer includes compounding the filler and the elastomer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the polymer includes a mouth-stable polymer and a mouth-dissolvible polymer, and   the forming the composite polymer includes compounding the mouth-stable polymer, the mouth-dissolvible polymer, and the filler.