US4867989A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chewing gum mineral supplement
Assignee: Warner Lambert Co LLC
•
Filing: 1986-09-09
•
Granted: 1989-09-19
•
Expires: 2006-09-09
Abstract
Abstract A chewable mineral supplement which comprises: a chewing gum composition coated with an outer shell containing layers of a mineral compound and a coating syrup and wherein the mineral compound has an average a particle size of about 5 to about 75 microns to impart good "mouthfeel" to the chewable mineral supplement.
Inventors
- 👤 Jose N. Silva
- 👤 Jose F. Zamudio-Tena
- 👤 Robert J. Huzinec
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 12:25
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23G; A23G4/00; A23G4/06; A23G4/064; A23G4/18; A23G4/20; A23V; A23V2002/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A chewable mineral supplement which comprises: a chewing gum composition coated with an outer shell containing alternating layers of (1) a mineral compound present in an amount of about 5 to about 60% by weight of the outer shell, which is selected from the group consisting of salts of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, and mixtures thereof, and (2) a coating syrup, wherein the mineral compound is present in the outer shell in a ratio of 1:0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight mineral compound to coating syrup and the mineral compound has an average particle size of about 5 to about 75 microns to impart good "mouthfeel" to the chewable mineral supplement, so that the resulting product when chewed exhibits a smooth, non-flaky and crunchy texture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A chewable mineral supplement which comprises: a chewing gum composition coated with an outer shell containing alternating layers of (1) a mineral compound present in an amount of about 5 to about 60% by weight of the outer shell, which is selected from the group consisting of salts of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, and mixtures thereof, and (2) a coating syrup, wherein the mineral compound is present in the outer shell in a ratio of 1:0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight mineral compound to coating syrup and the mineral compound has an average particle size of about 5 to about 75 microns to impart good "mouthfeel" to the chewable mineral supplement, so that the resulting product when chewed exhibits a smooth, non-flaky and crunchy texture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is a calcium compound selected from the group consisting of calcium gluconate, calcium chloride, calcium lactate, calcium phosphate, monobasic calcium phosphate, dibasic calcium phosphate, tribasic calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium tartrate, calcium glycerophosphate, calcium levulinate, calcium glycerophosphate, calcium levulinate, calcium hypophosphite, calcium sulfate, calcium gluceptate, calcium chelates, calcium amino acid chelate, ground limestone, ground oyster shells, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is a lithium compound selected from the group consisting of organic and inorganic salts where the anion is chloride, carbonate, citrate, sulfate, bromide and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is a sodium-compound selected from the group consisting of organic and inorganic salts of sodium wherein the anionic portion of the salt is acetate, ascorbate, bicarbonate, carbonate, chloride, citrate, hypophosphite, lactate, phosphate monobasic, phosphate dibasic, phosphate tribasic, sulfate, tartrate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is a potassium compound selected from the group consisting of inorganic and organic salts wherein the anionic portion of the salt is acetate, bicarbonate, bitartrate, bromide, carbonate, chloride, citrate, gluconate, phosphate monobasic, phosphate dibasic, phosphate tribasic, sulfate, tartrate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is a magnesium compound selected from the group consisting of organic and inorganic salts of magnesium wherein the anionic portion of the salt is acetate, carbonate, hydroxide, chloride, citrate, dibasic citrate, hydroxide, lactate, oxide, phosphate monobasic, phosphate dibasic, phosphate tribasic, trisilicate, sulfate, as well as the composition formed as the co-precipitated gel of aluminum hydroxide and magnesium carbonate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is an iron compound selected from the group consisting of organic and inorganic salts and chelates of iron such as reduced iron, ferrous sulfate, iron ammonium citrate, ferrous carbonate, ferrous chloride, ferrous fumarate, ferroglycine sulfate, ferronacin, ferrous carbonate mass, ferrous carbonate saccharated, ferrous citrate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous lactate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous succinate, iron chelates, iron chelate with magnesium trisilicate and mixtures thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is a phosphorous compound selected from the group consisting of salts wherein the anionic portion is a phosphate and the cationic portion is sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, lithium, zinc and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is a zinc compound selected from the group consisting of inorganic salts wherein the anionic portion of the salt is carbonate, chloride, citrate, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is calcium carbonate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 further containing an absorption enhancer in the outer shell.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 11 wherein said absorption enhancer is selected from the group consisting of vitamin D, lysine, arginine, lactose, vitamin D2, vitamin D3, calcitrol and mixtures thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 further containing an antiflatulent in the outer shell.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 13 wherein said antiflatulent is simethicone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound has an average particle size of about 10 to about 50 microns.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the coating syrup contains (a) about 60 to about 81.9% sweetener, (b) about 0.1 to about 5% film forming agent and (c) about 18 to about 38% water, all percents are by weight of the coating syrup.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 16 wherein the coating syrup has a Baume value from about 30 to about 40.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the syrup coating and mineral compound are present in the outer shell in a ratio of about 1:0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight respectively.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The chewable mineral supplement of claim 16 wherein the sweetener is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, fructose, maltose, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol and mixtures thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound has an average particle size of about 10 to about 50 microns.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound has an average particle size of about 10 to about 30 microns.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The mineral supplement of claim 1 wherein the mineral compound is present in the outer shell in an amount of about 20 to about 40% by weight.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
109 words
A process for preparing a chewable mineral supplement; which comprises: applying to a shaped chewing gum composition alternating layers of a (1) powdered mineral compound selected from the group consisting of salts of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, zinc and mixture thereof, wherein the mineral compound has an average particle size of about 5 to about 75 microns and (2) a coating syrup containing a sweetener, film forming agent and water, thereby forming an outer shell on the shaped gum composition and wherein the mineral compound is present in the outer shell in a ratio of 1:05.5 to 1.5 parts by weight mineral compound to coating syrup.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
109 words
A process for preparing a chewable mineral supplement; which comprises: applying to a shaped chewing gum composition alternating layers of a (1) powdered mineral compound selected from the group consisting of salts of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, zinc and mixture thereof, wherein the mineral compound has an average particle size of about 5 to about 75 microns and (2) a coating syrup containing a sweetener, film forming agent and water, thereby forming an outer shell on the shaped gum composition and wherein the mineral compound is present in the outer shell in a ratio of 1:05.5 to 1.5 parts by weight mineral compound to coating syrup.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
75 words
The process of claim 23 wherein the shaped chewing gum composition is first contacted with the coating syrup, the coating syrup is then partially dried so that the resulting piece has a sticky surface, a layer of powdered mineral compound is then applied to the sticky surface present on the chewing gum piece, the piece is dried and the procedure repeated until the desired amount of mineral compound has been applied to the outer shell.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 23 wherein the mineral compound has an average particle size of about 10 to about 50 microns.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 23 wherein the coating syrup contains (a) about 60% to about 81.9% sweetener (b) about 0.1 to about 5% film forming agent, and (c) about 18 to about 38% water, all percents are by weight of the coating syrup.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 26 wherein the coating syrup has a Baume value from about 30 to about 40.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 23 wherein the sweetener is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, fructose, maltose, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol and mixtures thereof.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 23 wherein the mineral compound is present in amount of about 5 to about 60% by weight of the outer shell.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 23 wherein the mineral compound is present in the outer shell in an amount of about 20% to about 40% by weight.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 23 wherein the mineral compound has an average particle size of about 10 to about 30 microns.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
111 words
An antacid composition which comprises: a chewing gum composition coated with an outer shell containing alternating layers of a calcium compound and a coating syrup wherein the calcium component is present in the outer shell in a ratio of 1:0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight calcium compound to coating syrup and wherein the calcium compound is present in an amount of about 5 to about 60% by weight of the outer shell and the calcium compound has an average particle size of about 5 to about 75 microns to impart good "mouthfeel" to the chewable mineral supplement, so that the resulting product when chewed exhibits a smooth, non-flaky and crunchy texture.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
111 words
An antacid composition which comprises: a chewing gum composition coated with an outer shell containing alternating layers of a calcium compound and a coating syrup wherein the calcium component is present in the outer shell in a ratio of 1:0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight calcium compound to coating syrup and wherein the calcium compound is present in an amount of about 5 to about 60% by weight of the outer shell and the calcium compound has an average particle size of about 5 to about 75 microns to impart good "mouthfeel" to the chewable mineral supplement, so that the resulting product when chewed exhibits a smooth, non-flaky and crunchy texture.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
66 words
The antacid composition of claim 32 wherein the calcium compound is selected from the group consisting of calcium gluconate, calcium chloride, calcium lactate, calcium phosphate, monobasic calcium phosphate, dibasic calcium phosphate, tribasic calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium tartrate, calcium glycerophosphate, calcium levulinate, calcium glycerophosphate, calcium levulinate, calcium hypophosphite, calcium sulfate, calcium gluceptate, calcium chelates, calcium amino acid chelate, ground limestone, ground oyster shells, and mixtures thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2259543A
Cited
US2480086A
Cited
US3681087A
Cited
US4214996A
Cited
US4238510A
Cited
US4317838A
Cited
US4681766A
Cited
US4753790A
Cited
JPS6463255A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-18 | 1993-03-20 | 1993-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-18 | 1997-03-20 | 1997-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-18 | 2001-03-20 | 2001-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |