US5154927A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Gum composition containing dispersed porous beads containing active chewing gum ingredients and method
Assignee: WM Wrigley Jr Co
•
Filing: 1990-06-22
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Granted: 1992-10-13
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Expires: 2010-06-22
Abstract
Abstract A chewing gum that contains porous polymeric beads impregnated with active gum ingredients together with a method of making such a chewing gum.
Inventors
- 👤 Joo H. Song
- 👤 Michael J. Greenberg
- 👤 David W. Record
- 👤 Steven E. Zibell
- 👤 Kevin Broderick
- 👤 Philip G. Schnell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 02:00
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23G; A23G4/00; A23G4/06; A23G4/02; A23G4/08; A23G4/18; A23G4/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
40 words
A chewing gum, comprising: a chewing gum base having dispersed therein water-insoluble porous polymeric beads having microporous channels impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are food grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath freshening agents.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
40 words
A chewing gum, comprising: a chewing gum base having dispersed therein water-insoluble porous polymeric beads having microporous channels impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are food grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath freshening agents.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein said chewing gum matrix includes a water-soluble bulk portion and a water-insoluble chewable gum base portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The chewing gum of claim 2 wherein said water-soluble bulk portion includes a sweetener.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The chewing gum of claim 3 wherein said water-soluble portion further includes a flavoring agent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein said porous polymeric beads are coated with one or more of zein, modified and unmodified cellulosics, carbohydrates, water-insoluble polymers, silica, gum arabic, fats, food-grade shellac, wax, fatty acids, or mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 or 5 wherein said polymeric beads comprise a copolymer of monomer pairs selected from the group consisting of styrene and divinylbenzene, limonene and divinylbenzene, carvone and divinylbenzene, eugenol and divinylbenzene, and ocimene and divinylbenzene.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein said chewing gum base further includes a first flavoring agent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The chewing gum of claim 7 wherein said active chewing gum ingredient in said beads comprises a second flavoring agent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The chewing gum of claim 8 wherein said first and second flavoring agents are the same.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The chewing gum of claim 8 wherein said first and second flavoring agents are different.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The chewing gum of claim 10 wherein said beads are adapted to release said second flavoring agent after said first flavoring agent has substantially been released during the chew.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The chewing gum of claim 11 wherein said beads are coated with an agent that retards the release of said second flavoring agent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein said beads are polymerized from divinylbenzene and a food-grade monomer capable of polymerizing with divinylbenzene.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
A chewing gum, comprising: a chewing gum base having dispersed therein plural populations of water-insoluble polymeric beads having microporous passages impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are dyes, sweeteners, flavoring agents, food-grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath-freshening agents, each population of beads being coated with a coating material having a solubility in water different from the coating in other populations.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
A chewing gum, comprising: a chewing gum base having dispersed therein plural populations of water-insoluble polymeric beads having microporous passages impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are dyes, sweeteners, flavoring agents, food-grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath-freshening agents, each population of beads being coated with a coating material having a solubility in water different from the coating in other populations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The chewing gum of claim 14 further including at least one additional population of polymeric beads that is uncoated, said one population being impregnated with one or more of said active chewing gum ingredients.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The chewing gum of claim 14 where one population of beads substantially releases an active chewing gum ingredient before a second population substantially releases an active chewing gum ingredient.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The chewing gum of claim 14 wherein at least one of said populations of beads is polymerized from divinylbenzene and a food-grade monomer capable of polymerizing with divinylbenzene.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The chewing gum of claim 14 wherein at least one of said populations of beads includes beads comprising a block copolymer of styrene and butadiene.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of making chewing gum with a controlled release active ingredient comprising the steps of: providing a chewing gum base; dispersing within the chewing gum base a plurality of water-insoluble porous polymeric beads having microporous passages impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are sweeteners, flavoring agents, food-grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath-freshening agents.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of making chewing gum with a controlled release active ingredient comprising the steps of: providing a chewing gum base; dispersing within the chewing gum base a plurality of water-insoluble porous polymeric beads having microporous passages impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are sweeteners, flavoring agents, food-grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath-freshening agents.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said porous polymeric beads are first coated with one or more of zein, modified and unmodified cellulosics, carbohydrates, water-insoluble polymers, silica, gum arabic, fats, food-grade shellac, wax, fatty acids, or mixtures thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 19 or 20 wherein said polymeric beads comprise a copolymer of monomer pairs selected from the group consisting of styrene and divinylbenzene, limonene and divinylbenzene, carvone and divinylbenzene, eugenol and divinylbenzene, and ocimene and divinylbenzene.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of making chewing gum with a controlled release active ingredient comprising the steps of: providing a chewing gum base; dispersing within the chewing gum base a first population of water-insoluble polymeric beads having microporous passages impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are dyes, sweeteners, flavoring agents, food-grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath-freshening agents, and wherein said beads are coated with a coating material having a desired solubility in water; and dispersing within the chewing gum base a second population of water-insoluble polymeric beads having microporous passages impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are dyes, sweeteners, flavoring agents, food-grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath-freshening agents, which solubility is different from that of the coating material used on said first population of beads to thereby provide a release rate for the active ingredients from the second population of beads which is different from the release rate of the active ingredients from the first population of beads.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of making chewing gum with a controlled release active ingredient comprising the steps of: providing a chewing gum base; dispersing within the chewing gum base a first population of water-insoluble polymeric beads having microporous passages impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are dyes, sweeteners, flavoring agents, food-grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath-freshening agents, and wherein said beads are coated with a coating material having a desired solubility in water; and dispersing within the chewing gum base a second population of water-insoluble polymeric beads having microporous passages impregnated with one or more active chewing gum ingredients wherein said ingredients are dyes, sweeteners, flavoring agents, food-grade acids, pharmaceutical agents, or breath-freshening agents, which solubility is different from that of the coating material used on said first population of beads to thereby provide a release rate for the active ingredients from the second population of beads which is different from the release rate of the active ingredients from the first population of beads.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of: dispersing a third population of polymeric beads that is uncoated, said one population being impregnated with one or more of said active chewing gum ingredients.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-10-13 | 1996-04-13 | 1996-10-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-10-13 | 2000-04-13 | 2000-10-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-10-13 | 2004-04-13 | 2004-10-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |