US 12,268,232 B2
Methods for treating tobacco material, apparatus for treating tobacco material, treated tobacco material and uses thereof
Dietmar Franke, London (GB); Oliver Grüner, London (GB); Josef Knothe, London (GB); Thorsten König, London (GB); Volker Kuhl, London (GB); Matthias Link, London (GB); Frank Plückhahn, London (GB); and Ruediger Hartman, London (GB)
Assigned to BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED, London (GB)
Appl. No. 16/976,809
Filed by British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited, London (GB)
PCT Filed Mar. 11, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/050663
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 31, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/175552, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1803905 (GB), filed on Mar. 12, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0068443 A1, Mar. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. A24B 15/10 (2006.01); A24B 3/04 (2006.01); A24B 3/12 (2006.01)
CPC A24B 15/10 (2013.01) [A24B 3/04 (2013.01); A24B 3/12 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of treating tobacco material comprising intermittently contacting a tobacco starting material with a heated surface to produce a treated tobacco material with a moisture content of from 0 to about 10% oven volatiles (OV),
wherein the contact with the heated surface exposes the tobacco material to sudden and intense heat to cause local searing or scorching of the tobacco and wherein the tobacco material is agitated by a heated screw mechanism, wherein the heated screw mechanism comprises a helical surface encircling a shaft which is rotated, the helical surface being configured to scoop up and lift at least a portion of the tobacco material being treated as the screw mechanism rotates, to carry the tobacco material and then to allow it to fall away from the screw, so that the tobacco material is in direct and continuous contact with the heated surface for a period of up to about 5 seconds,
wherein the heated surface has a temperature of from at least about 135° C. to about 190° C. prior to contact with the tobacco material.