Patent US4727889A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4727889A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Tobacco processing

Assignee: RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co
•
Filing: 1986-12-22
•
Granted: 1988-03-01
•
Expires: 2006-12-22
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Flue-cured tobacco can be treated with burley tobacco flavor components and subjected to volume expansion conditions. Flavor components are supercritically extracted from burley tobacco and directly applied to the flue-cured tobacco while the extraction fluid is in a supercritical or subcritical state.

Inventors

  • 👤 Benjamin F. Niven, Jr.
  • 👤 Charles D. Mays

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 16:41
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24B; A24B15/00; A24B15/18; A24B15/24; A24B15/26

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 73 words
A process for providing a flavored smoking material, the process comprising: (a) extracting tobacco components from tobacco material with a fluid under supercritical conditions thereby providing extracted tobacco components within the fluid; and then directly (b) contacting the extracted tobacco components within the fluid, while the fluid is in a supercritical or subcritical state, with a smokable material under conditions sufficient to provide smokable material in intimate contact with the extracted tobacco components.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 73 words
A process for providing a flavored smoking material, the process comprising: (a) extracting tobacco components from tobacco material with a fluid under supercritical conditions thereby providing extracted tobacco components within the fluid; and then directly (b) contacting the extracted tobacco components within the fluid, while the fluid is in a supercritical or subcritical state, with a smokable material under conditions sufficient to provide smokable material in intimate contact with the extracted tobacco components.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 88 words
A process for providing a flavored smoking material of increased filling capacity, the process comprising: (a) extracting tobacco components from tobacco material with a fluid under supercritical conditions thereby providing extracted tobacco components within the fluid; and then directly (b) contacting the extracted tobacco components, while the fluid is in a supercritical or subcritical state, with a smokable material under conditions sufficient to provide smokable material in intimate contact with the extracted tobacco components; and then (c) subjecting the smokable material to a supercritical or subcritical expansion process.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 88 words
A process for providing a flavored smoking material of increased filling capacity, the process comprising: (a) extracting tobacco components from tobacco material with a fluid under supercritical conditions thereby providing extracted tobacco components within the fluid; and then directly (b) contacting the extracted tobacco components, while the fluid is in a supercritical or subcritical state, with a smokable material under conditions sufficient to provide smokable material in intimate contact with the extracted tobacco components; and then (c) subjecting the smokable material to a supercritical or subcritical expansion process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 94 words
A process for providing a flavored smoking material of increased filling capacity, the process comprising: (a) subjecting smokable material to a supercritical or subcritical expansion process thereby providing an expanded smokable material; and then (b) extracting tobacco components from tobacco material with a fluid under supercritical conditions thereby providing extracted tobacco components within the fluid; and then directly (c) contacting the extracted tobacco components, while the fluid is in a supercritical or subcritical state, with the expanded smokable material under conditions sufficient to provide smokable material in intimate contact with the extracted tobacco components.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 94 words
A process for providing a flavored smoking material of increased filling capacity, the process comprising: (a) subjecting smokable material to a supercritical or subcritical expansion process thereby providing an expanded smokable material; and then (b) extracting tobacco components from tobacco material with a fluid under supercritical conditions thereby providing extracted tobacco components within the fluid; and then directly (c) contacting the extracted tobacco components, while the fluid is in a supercritical or subcritical state, with the expanded smokable material under conditions sufficient to provide smokable material in intimate contact with the extracted tobacco components.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
The process of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the tobacco material is burley tobacco.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 15 words
The process of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the smokable material is flue-cured tobacco.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 23 words
The process of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the fluid for supercritically extracting tobacco components from the tobacco material is carbon dioxide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
The process of claim 2 or 3 wherein the supercritical or subcritical expansion process is performed using propane as an expansion gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 25 words
The process of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the smokable material is contacted with the fluid while the fluid is in a supercritical state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 25 words
The process of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the smokable material is contacted with the fluid while the fluid is in a subcritical state.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3424171A Cited
US4153063A Cited
US4150677A Cited
US4215706A Cited
US4243056A Cited
US4289148A Cited
US4461310A Cited
US4506682A Cited
US4531529A Cited
US4577646A Cited
US4561452A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-03-01 1991-08-31 1992-03-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-03-01 1995-08-31 1996-03-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-03-01 1999-08-31 2000-03-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag