US 11,779,045 B2
Dissolvable-chewable exhausted-tobacco tablet
Feng Gao, Midlothian, VA (US); Diane L. Gee, Chesterfield, VA (US); Shuzhong Zhuang, Glen Allen, VA (US); Phillip M. Hulan, Midlothian, VA (US); and William J. Burke, Nashville, TN (US)
Assigned to Altria Client Services LLC, Richmond, VA (US)
Filed by ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC, Richmond, VA (US)
Filed on Oct. 3, 2014, as Appl. No. 14/505,939.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/886,367, filed on Oct. 3, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2015/0096576 A1, Apr. 9, 2015
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A24B 13/00 (2006.01); A24B 15/16 (2020.01)
CPC A24B 13/00 (2013.01) [A24B 15/16 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
 
1. A dissolvable-chewable exhausted-tobacco tablet comprising:
oral-soluble maltodextrin fibers in an amount of from 55 weight percent to 70 weight percent by weight of the tablet;
sugar alcohols in an amount of from 20 weight percent to 40 weight percent by weight of the tablet,
wherein the sugar alcohols are selected from the group consisting of mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, maltitol syrup, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, and combinations thereof, and
wherein the tablet is free of cross-linkages between sugar alcohols and/or between the sugar alcohols and the oral-soluble maltodextrin fibers;
exhausted-tobacco fibers in an amount of from 0.5 weight percent to 10 weight percent by weight of the tablet,
wherein the exhausted-tobacco fibers have an average fiber length ranging from 75 micrometers to 125 micrometers;
plasticizers in an amount of from 0.05 weight percent to 10 weight percent by weight of the tablet,
wherein the plasticizers are selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, glycerin, triglycerides, and combinations thereof, and
wherein the oral-soluble maltodextrin fibers, the sugar alcohols, the exhausted-tobacco fibers, and the plasticizers define a first domain in the tablet; and
oils in an amount of from 2 weight percent to 15 weight percent by weight of the tablet,
wherein the oils are selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil, almond oil, beech nut oil, cashew oil, hazelnut oil, macadamia oil, pecan oil, pine nut oil, pistachio oil, walnut oil, grapefruit seed oil, lemon oil, orange oil, pumpkin oil, watermelon seed oil, citrus oils, oils from melons and gourd seeds, flaxseed oil, cocoa butter, and combinations thereof,
wherein the oils define a plurality of second domains dispersed in the first domain, and
wherein the tablet takes up to 4 hours to dissolve when placed in an adult consumer's mouth and takes between 1 minute and 30 minutes to dissolve when chewed by the adult consumer.