# US 10,499,683 B2 · Product portion enrobing process and apparatus, and resulting products > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,499,683 B2 - Document ID: US10499683B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/261,515 - Filed: 2016-09-09 - Published: 2017-07-27 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14 - Assignees: Altria Client Services LLC - Applicants: Altria Client Services LLC - Inventors: Andrew Nathan Carroll; Shannon Maxwell Black; Yan Helen Sun; William J. Burke; Robert Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10499683B2 ## CPC - A24B 15/186: {by coating with a coating composition, encapsulation of tobacco particles (encapsulation of additives other than tobacco : A24B15/283)} - A24B 3/14: Forming reconstituted tobacco products, e.g. wrapper materials, sheets, imitation leaves, rods, cakes; Forms of such products (delustering A24C1/40) - A24B 13/00: Tobacco for pipes, for cigars, e.g. cigar inserts, or for cigarettes; Chewing tobacco; Snuff (reconstituted tobacco products A24B3/14) - A24B 15/14: made of tobacco and a binding agent not derived from tobacco - A24B 15/28: by chemical substances - A24B 15/403: {having only oxygen as hetero atoms} - A24F 23/02: Tobacco pouches - B05B 13/0221: {characterised by the means for moving or conveying the objects or other work, e.g. conveyor belts (B05B13/0207 takes precedence; conveyors in general B65G)} - B65G 15/24: in tandem - B65G 15/44: for impelling the loads - B65G 51/02: Directly conveying the articles, e.g. slips, sheets, stockings, containers or workpieces, by flowing gases - D01D 5/0084: {Coating by electro-spinning, i.e. the electro-spun fibres are not removed from the collecting device but remain integral with it, e.g. coating of prostheses} - D01D 5/0985: {by means of a flowing gas (e.g. melt-blowing)} - D01D 5/18: by means of rotating spinnerets - D01D 11/06: Coating with spinning solutions or melts - A24B: MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF - A24F: SMOKERS' REQUISITES; MATCH BOXES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES (inhaling appliances for medical purposes, shaped like cigars, cigarettes or pipes A61M15/06) - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS ## Abstract A method of enrobing a product portion in polymer strands includes mounting at least one product portion on a holding device and passing the at least one product portion through a polymer enrobing zone. The polymer enrobing zone can include a flow of polymeric fibers produced by a polymer spray head. The polymer fibers can wraparound the at least one product portion to produce an enrobed product portion. The holding device can hold the at least one product portion by passing at least partially through the body of the product portion. At least a portion of the holding device is removed from the enrobed product portion. In some cases, the at least one product portion includes smokeless tobacco. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for enrobing a product portion comprising: a polymer spray head configured to direct a plurality of polymeric fibers into a polymer enrobing zone; a holding device configured to hold the product portion, the holding device being configured to be moved through the polymer enrobing zone; and a polymer collection roller opposite the polymer enrobing zone, the polymer collection roller configured to collect polymeric fibers that are not wrapped around the product portion passing through the polymer enrobing zone. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a molding device configured to form the product portion in a mold cavity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the molding device is configured to form the product portion around the holding device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a robotic arm configured to insert the holding device into the mold cavity and to move the holding device between the mold cavity and the polymer enrobing zone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a cutting device configured to cut at least a portion of the holding device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a heating device configured to heat the holding device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to rotate the holding device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to change the orientation of the holding device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polymer spray head is configured to direct the plurality of polymeric fibers toward the polymer enrobing zone along two or more directions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the polymer spray head is configured to distribute polymeric fibers evenly onto all surfaces of the body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding device is configured to extend at least partially through a body of the product portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding device comprises a string. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the holding device comprises a first needle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the holding device further comprises a second needle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first needle is configured to extend into a side of a body of the product portion, and the second needle is configured to extend into the side of the body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first needle is configured to extend into a first side of a body of the product portion, and the second needle is configured to extend into a second side of the body opposite the first side of the body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a stripping device configured to remove the product portion from the holding device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the heating device comprises an induction heater.