US 12,433,319 B2
Apparatus for manufacturing a smokeless tobacco product incorporating an object, and associated method
Charles J. Novak, III, Winston-Salem, NC (US); and David Bovender, Walnut Cove, NC (US)
Assigned to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston-Salem, NC (US)
Filed by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston-Salem, NC (US)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/499,455.
Application 16/017,648 is a division of application No. 12/874,420, filed on Sep. 2, 2010, granted, now 10,028,520, issued on Jul. 24, 2018.
Application 17/499,455 is a continuation of application No. 16/017,648, filed on Jun. 25, 2018, granted, now 11,172,702.
Prior Publication US 2022/0022520 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. A24B 13/00 (2006.01); B65B 9/213 (2012.01); B65B 29/00 (2006.01); B65B 61/28 (2006.01)
CPC A24B 13/00 (2013.01) [B65B 9/213 (2013.01); B65B 29/00 (2013.01); B65B 61/28 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for manufacturing a smokeless tobacco product, the apparatus comprising:
a forming unit arranged to form a continuous supply of a pouch material into a continuous tubular member defining a longitudinal axis;
a charge formation unit comprising a body member defining a tobacco channel extending therethrough from a tobacco inlet to a tobacco outlet and an object channel connecting an object inlet to the tobacco channel, the object inlet being arranged to receive an object and to direct the object through the object channel to the tobacco channel such that the object is combined with a charge of tobacco material received by the tobacco inlet and directed through the tobacco channel, the tobacco channel being arranged to direct the charge of tobacco material with the object therein from the tobacco outlet into a pouch member portion of the continuous tubular member along the longitudinal axis thereof; and
a closing and dividing unit arranged to close a first portion of the tubular member to form the closed leading edge of the pouch member portion and a closed trailing edge of a previous pouch member portion, and to close a second portion of the tubular member to form a closed trailing edge of the pouch member portion and a closed leading edge of a subsequent pouch member portion, the closing and dividing unit being further arranged to divide the tubular member, between the closed trailing edge and the closed leading edge of the respective pouch members along the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, into a plurality of discrete pouch member portions such that each discrete pouch member portion includes one of the charges of tobacco material having the objects therein,
wherein the body member further defines a supplemental channel extending to a distribution channel opposite to the object inlet such that a translating member is disposed therebetween, the supplemental channel being aligned with the object inlet, when either of first and second ports is aligned with the object inlet, and being adapted to direct an airflow therethrough into the object channel and toward the tobacco channel.