New patent application published for: DIFFUSION-MODIFYING POUCH FOR ORAL PRODUCTS

DIFFUSION-MODIFYING POUCH FOR ORAL PRODUCTS

Claims

1. A pouched product, comprising: an outer water-permeable pouch defining a cavity; and a composition comprising at least one water-soluble component within the cavity, wherein the outer water-permeable pouch comprises a fibrous material having, in cross-section, a gradient of different fiber diameters.
2. The pouched product of claim 1, wherein the outer water-permeable pouch comprises a plurality of fibrous layers, each of said fibrous layers comprising a plurality of fibers, and wherein each fibrous layer comprises fibers having a different average fiber diameter.
3. The pouched product of claim 2, wherein the outer water-permeable pouch comprises two to six layers.
4. The pouched product of claim 2, wherein the outer water-permeable pouch comprises two to four layers.
5. The pouched product of claim 2, wherein the outer water-permeable pouch comprises a first layer comprising relatively coarse fibers having an average fiber diameter of about 12 microns or higher, and a second layer comprising relatively fine fibers having an average fiber diameter of about 10 microns or lower.
6. The pouched product of claim 5, wherein the relatively coarse fibers having an average fiber diameter of about 12 to about 30 microns and the relatively fine fibers have an average fiber diameter of about 1 to about 10 microns.
7. The pouched product of claim 5, wherein the relatively coarse fibers have an average fiber diameter of about 15 to about 25 microns and the relatively fine fibers have an average fiber diameter of about 3 to about 8 microns.
8. The pouched product of claim 5, further comprising one or more intermediate layers located between the first layer and the second layer, each intermediate layer comprising fibers having an average fiber diameter between the average fiber diameter of the first layer and the average fiber diameter of the second layer.
9. The pouched product of claim 2, wherein the outer water-permeable pouch comprises a first side and a second opposing side, wherein the plurality of fibrous layers of the first side comprises a first external layer exposed on the surface of the outer water-permeable pouch and comprising relatively coarse fibers having a first average fiber diameter and at least one internal layer comprising relatively fine fibers having a second average fiber diameter smaller than the first average fiber diameter; and wherein the plurality of layers of the second side comprises a second external layer exposed on the surface of the outer water-permeable pouch and comprising relatively fine fibers having a third average fiber diameter and at least one internal layer comprising relatively coarse fibers having a fourth average fiber diameter larger than the third average fiber diameter.
10. The pouched product of claim 9, wherein the first and fourth average fiber diameters are about 12 microns or higher, such as about 12 to about 30 microns.
11. The pouched product of claim 10, wherein the first and fourth average fiber diameters are about 15 to about 25 microns.
12. The pouched product of claim 9, wherein the second and third average fiber diameters are about 10 microns or lower, such as about 1 to about 10 microns.
13. The pouched product of claim 12, wherein the second and third average fiber diameters are about 3 to about 8 microns.
14. The pouched product of claim 9, wherein each of said first side and said second opposing side further comprise one or more intermediate layers between the respective external and internal layers, each of the one or more intermediate layers having an average fiber diameter between the average fiber diameter of the respective external and internal layers.
15. The pouched product of claim 2, wherein each of said fibrous layers differs in average fiber diameter from any adjacent layer by at least 10%, or at least 15%, or at least 20%, or at least 25%.
16. The pouched product of claim 1, wherein the outer water-permeable pouch comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyesters, co-polyesters, polyamides, polyolefins, polyacrylates, cellulose acetate, calcium alginate, wool, cotton, regenerated cellulose, cellulose triacetate, cellulose nitrate, ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, hydroxypropylcellulose, methylhydroxypropylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, proteins, and combinations thereof.
17. The pouched product of claim 1, wherein the outer water-permeable pouch comprises regenerated cellulose and/or an aliphatic polyester, such as polyglycolic acid (PGA), polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) such as polyhydroxypropionate, polyhydroxyvalerate, polyhydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyhexanoate, and polyhydroxyoctanoate, polycaprolactone (PCL), polybutylene succinate, polybutylene succinate adipate, and copolymers thereof.
18. The pouched product of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises nicotine in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 10% by weight of the composition, calculated as the free base and based on the total weight of the composition.
19. The pouched product of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises at least one filler, such as microcrystalline cellulose, and at least one flavorant.
20. The pouched product of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises one or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of nutraceuticals, botanicals, stimulants, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, cannabinoids, cannabimimetics, terpenes, and combinations thereof.