US3785385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tobacco treatment to increase volume thereof
Assignee: RESEARCH Corp TECHNOLOGIES Inc A NONPROFIT CORP OF DE
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Filing: 1968-02-21
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Granted: 1974-01-15
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Expires: 1988-02-21
Abstract
Abstract Substantial increases in the specific volume of tobacco and other improvements of the properties thereof may be obtained by bringing the tobacco before, during or after curing to a condition of high turgidity and subjecting the turgid tobacco to low pressure sublimation of the water content thereof from the frozen condition. The tobacco may be shredded at any stage of the process before or after the low pressure sublimation. The product typically has a specific volume at least twice that of air dried tobacco of the same moisture content.
Inventors
- 👤 W Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:01
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24B; A24B3/00; A24B3/18; A24B3/182; A24B3/185
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A process for treating tobacco plant parts which comprises contacting tobacco parts which are sufficiently large so that they will not pass through a 16-mesh screen with water or water vapor for a period of time sufficient to increase the volume of said tobacco plant parts by at least 50 percent to form watercontaining expanded tobacco parts, freezing said water-containing expanded tobacco parts and freeze-drying the resulting frozen parts in a zone of reduced pressure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
A process for treating tobacco plant parts which comprises contacting tobacco parts which are sufficiently large so that they will not pass through a 16-mesh screen with water or water vapor for a period of time sufficient to increase the volume of said tobacco plant parts by at least 50 percent to form watercontaining expanded tobacco parts, freezing said water-containing expanded tobacco parts and freeze-drying the resulting frozen parts in a zone of reduced pressure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
A process for treating tobacco plant parts which comprises contacting tobacco parts which are sufficiently large so that they will not pass through a 16-mesh screen with water or water vapor for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the volume of said tobacco parts to form water-containing expanded tobacco parts, freezing said water-containing expanded tobacco parts and freeze-drying the resulting frozen part in a zone of reduced pressure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
A process for treating tobacco plant parts which comprises contacting tobacco parts which are sufficiently large so that they will not pass through a 16-mesh screen with water or water vapor for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the volume of said tobacco parts to form water-containing expanded tobacco parts, freezing said water-containing expanded tobacco parts and freeze-drying the resulting frozen part in a zone of reduced pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
8 words
Tobacco produced by the process of claim 1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
8 words
Tobacco produced by the process of claim 2.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US2344106A
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US2444124A
Cited
US2596183A
Cited
US3085012A
Cited
US3157524A
Cited
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Cited
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Cited
US3223090A
Cited
US3368911A
Cited
US3438792A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-14 | 1977-07-16 | 1978-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-14 | 1981-07-16 | 1982-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-14 | 1985-07-16 | 1986-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |