# US 9,980,503 B2 · Chewing gums and gum bases comprising multi-block copolymers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,980,503 B2 - Document ID: US9980503B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/003,998 - Filed: 2012-03-09 - Published: 2014-06-12 - Granted: 2018-05-29 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-09 - Assignees: Regents of the University of Minnesota; Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company - Applicants: Leslie D. Morgret; Michael S. Haas; Marc A. Hillmyer; Wilhelm Risse; Frank S. Bates; Mark T Martello; Sangwoo Lee - Inventors: Leslie D. Morgret; Michael S. Haas; Marc A. Hillmyer; Wilhelm Risse; Frank S. Bates; Mark T Martello; Sangwoo Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9980503B2 ## CPC - A23G 4/08: of the chewing gum base - A23G 4/123: {containing microorganisms, enzymes} - C08G 63/66: Polyesters containing oxygen in the form of ether groups (C08G63/42, C08G63/58 take precedence) - C08G 81/00: Macromolecular compounds obtained by interreacting polymers in the absence of monomers, e.g. block polymers (involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bond reactions C08F299/00 {; polyester-amides C08G69/44; polyester-imides C08G73/16; polyamides-imides C08G73/14; block- or graft polymers containing polysiloxane sequences C08G77/42}) - C12C 12/00: Processes specially adapted for making special kinds of beer - A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF - C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS - C12C: BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION (ageing or ripening by storing C12H1/22; methods for reducing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H3/00; methods for increasing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H6/00; venting devices for casks, barrels or the like C12L9/00); PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER ## Abstract Chewing gums and chewing gum bases which are cud-forming and chewable at mouth temperature contains a multi-block copolymer having at least two repeating sequences of at least two different polymeric blocks having at least three monomer units each. The multi-block copolymer optionally includes linking units and may be formulated to have non-covalent crosslinking between the copolymer chains. The multi-block copolymer is optionally plasticized with a compatible di-block copolymer to function as an elastomer system in the gum base. Characteristics of the multi-block copolymers can be selected to produce gum bases and chewing gums having desired properties. In some cases, chewed cuds formed from the gum bases may exhibit improved removability from environmental surfaces to which they may become undesirably attached. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A chewing gum composition comprising at least a flavoring agent, a sweetener and a chewing gum base comprising a multi-block copolymer having at least four homopolymeric blocks, each homopolymer block having at least three monomeric units, wherein the multi-block copolymer comprises a repeating sequence of at least two different homopolymeric blocks, wherein at least one of the homopolymeric blocks is a polyester selected from the group consisting of polyester homopolymers of lactic acid, D,L-lactide, D-lactide, L-lactide, and combinations thereof, and wherein there are at least two such sequences present in the multi-block copolymer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the multi-block copolymer comprises a linking unit between each sequence. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The chewing gum of claim 2 wherein the linking unit is selected from the group consisting of urethanes, esters, amides, carbonates, carbamates, urea dialkylsiloxy- and diarylsiloxy-based units, ethers, thioethers and olefins. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 in which the molecular weight (Mn) of the multi-block copolymer is at least 5,000 daltons. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 in which the molecular weight (Mn) of the multi-block copolymer is at least 50,000 daltons. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 in which the molecular weight (Mn) of the multi-block copolymer is at least 200,000 daltons. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 in which the molecular weight (Mn) of the multi-block copolymer is at least 500,000 daltons. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the multiblock copolymer comprises a repeating sequence of exactly two different homopolymeric blocks, one of which is a polyester selected from the group consisting of polyester homopolymers of lactic acid, D,L-lactide, D-lactide, L-lactide, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the multiblock copolymer comprises a repeating sequence of exactly three different homopolymeric blocks, two of which are polyesters selected from the group consisting of polyester homopolymers of lactic acid, D,L-lactide, D-lactide, L-lactide, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the multi-block copolymer comprises a repeating sequence of four or more different homopolymeric blocks. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the multi-block copolymer comprises at least three repeating sequences. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the multi-block copolymer comprises at least four repeating sequences. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the multi-block copolymer exhibits a single glass transition temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the multi-block copolymer exhibits at least two glass transition temperatures. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The chewing gum of claim 14 wherein the highest glass transition temperature is between 20° C. and 70° C. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The chewing gum of claim 14 wherein the highest glass transition temperature is between 30° C. and 50° C. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The chewing gum of claim 15 wherein the multi-block copolymer has a second glass transition temperature below 40° C. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The chewing gum of claim 15 wherein the multi-block copolymer has a second glass transition temperature below 30° C. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The chewing gum of claim 15 wherein the multi-block copolymer has a second glass transition temperature below 20° C. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the gum base further comprises a di-block copolymer.