Manufacturing equipment for oral products

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a manufacturing device for a mouth piece, belonging to the technical field of mouth piece, for preparing a mouth piece containing active substances and / or flavoring agents, the manufacturing device comprises: a feeding unit for providing a base material; an application unit arranged downstream of the feeding unit for applying a filler containing active substances and / or flavoring agents to form a filler layer stacked with the base material; and a film coating unit arranged downstream of the feeding unit for film coating to form a film coating layer stacked with the base material and the filler layer to obtain the mouth piece; wherein the application unit comprises at least one application module, and one application module is selectively used to form at least one filler layer of each mouth piece; the film coating unit comprises at least one film coating module, and one film coating module is selectively used to form at least one film coating layer of each mouth piece. The manufacturing device can manufacture a mouth piece with more stable filler layer structure and better release uniformity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of oral products technology, and more particularly to an apparatus for manufacturing oral products. Background Technology

[0002] Most mainstream oral products on the market today, such as nicotine lozenges, adopt a "powder filling + pouch packaging" format. These products are made by filling loose powder into non-shaped pouches. Their advantages include simple structure and mature technology, but they also have some problems. For example, the loose structure of the filling powder makes it highly mobile and prone to accumulation in the oral cavity, making it difficult to precisely control the release rate and resulting in uneven release, which negatively impacts the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of the above problems, this disclosure provides a manufacturing apparatus for oral articles, which can produce oral articles with a more stable filling layer structure and better release uniformity.

[0004] This disclosure provides the following technical solution through an embodiment:

[0005] An apparatus for manufacturing oral articles, for preparing oral articles containing active substances and / or flavorings, comprising: a feeding unit for providing a substrate; an application unit disposed downstream of the feeding unit for applying a filler including active substances and / or flavorings to form a filler layer laminated with the substrate; and a coating unit disposed downstream of the feeding unit for coating to form a coating layer laminated with the substrate and the filler layer, thereby obtaining an oral article; wherein the application unit includes at least one application module, which is selectively used to form at least one filler layer for each oral article; and the coating unit includes at least one coating module, which is selectively used to form at least one coating layer for each oral article.

[0006] In some embodiments, at least one application module is disposed between a coating module and a feeding unit for forming at least one filler layer between the coating layer of the oral article and the substrate; when the coating unit has at least two coating modules, at least one application module is disposed between two adjacent coating modules for forming at least one filler layer between two adjacent coating layers of the oral article.

[0007] In some embodiments, there are N application modules and N coating modules, where N is a positive integer; the application modules and coating modules are alternately arranged downstream of the feeding unit; the application modules are used to apply filler to the substrate or coating layer to form a filler layer; the coating modules are used to coat the filler layer to form a coating layer.

[0008] In some embodiments, the manufacturing apparatus further includes a heating unit disposed downstream of the application unit or the coating unit for drying or curing the filler layer and / or the coating layer; and / or, the manufacturing apparatus further includes a spraying unit disposed downstream of the feeding unit for applying liquid material to the surface of at least one of the substrate, the filler layer and the coating layer; and / or, the manufacturing apparatus further includes a power unit configured to move the substrate between the processing units; and / or, the manufacturing apparatus further includes a collection unit disposed at the downstream end of the manufacturing apparatus for collecting the finished oral article.

[0009] In some embodiments, the heating unit includes multiple heating devices, and each material application module and each film coating module has at least one heating device at its outlet end; wherein the heating conditions of each heating device are configured to be independently controllable.

[0010] In some embodiments, the substrate is a strip substrate; the feeding unit includes a feeding wheel assembly; the power unit includes a traction wheel assembly and a tension wheel assembly; the traction wheel assembly is configured to traction the strip substrate provided by the feeding wheel assembly to move between processing units, and the tension wheel assembly is configured to abut against the strip substrate and adjust the tension of the strip substrate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the collection unit includes a slicing module and a collection module; the slicing module is used to cut the continuous semi-finished oral articles into finished oral articles of a set shape and size; the collection module is disposed at the outlet end of the slicing module, and the collection module includes a receiving wheel set or a receiving frame, the receiving wheel set is used to roll up the oral articles, and the receiving frame is used to accommodate the oral articles laid flat and stacked.

[0012] In some embodiments, the slicing module includes: a first cutting blade group for cutting a continuous semi-finished oral product in a first direction; the first direction is the direction of substrate conveying; a second cutting blade group disposed downstream of the first cutting blade group for slicing the oral product along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a receiving frame disposed downstream of the second cutting blade group for collecting the sliced ​​oral product.

[0013] In some embodiments, the application module is a coating module or a printing module.

[0014] In some embodiments, the substrate is a strip substrate, the heating device is a tunnel furnace, and the heating temperature of the tunnel furnace is not lower than room temperature and not higher than 180°C.

[0015] According to one of the technical solutions in the above embodiments, the following beneficial effects or advantages are achieved:

[0016] This disclosure provides a manufacturing apparatus for oral products, comprising multiple modular functional units. A feeding unit provides a substrate, an application unit applies a filler layer consisting of active substances and / or flavoring fillers to form a layer stacked with the substrate, and a coating unit coats the substrate and filler layer to form a coating layer. The application unit and coating unit are modularly designed. Through at least one application module and at least one coating module, a stacked oral product with a stable structure, including at least one filler layer and at least one coating layer, can be formed on the substrate. This overcomes the problem of loose filler powder in bagged oral products, effectively improves the component retention rate and consistency of the filler layer, and thus obtains an oral product with a more stable filler layer structure and better release uniformity.

[0017] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution disclosed herein. In order to better understand the technical means of this disclosure and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of this disclosure are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 A frame diagram of an oral article manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the layout of a material application module and a coating module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the layout of the application module and the coating module arranged alternately according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0022] Figure 4 A frame diagram of a manufacturing apparatus including a heating unit, a spraying unit, a power unit, and a collection unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 5 A detailed structural diagram of a manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 6A A schematic diagram of the structure of a single-layer mouthpiece according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Figure 6B A schematic diagram of the structure of a single-layer feeding oral article according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 6C A schematic diagram of the structure of a double-layer oral article according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 6D A schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-flavored, double-layered oral product according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0028] Figure 6E A schematic diagram of the structure of a mouthpiece with two layers of filling stacked together according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0030] 10. Feeding unit; 20. Applying unit; 21. First applying module; 22. Second applying module; 2A. Coating roller; 2B. Hopper; 2C. Coating knife; 30. Coating unit; 31. First coating module; 32. Second coating module; 3A. Coating wheel; 3B. Support wheel; 3C. Roller; 40. Heating unit; 41. First heating device; 42. Second heating device; 43. Third heating device; 44. Fourth heating device; 4A. Tunnel oven; 4B. Heating module; 4C. Convection fan; 4D. Exhaust port; 50. Spraying material Unit; 60, Collection unit; 61, Collection module; 611, Receiving wheel assembly; 612, Receiving frame; 62, Slicing module; 621, First cutter assembly; 622, Second cutter assembly; 70, Power unit; 71, First traction wheel assembly; 72, Second traction wheel assembly; 73, Third traction wheel assembly; 74, Fourth traction wheel assembly; 75, Fifth traction wheel assembly; 76, First tension wheel assembly; 77, Second tension wheel assembly; BL, Substrate; CL1, First filler layer; FL1, First coating layer; CL2, Second filler layer; FL2, Second coating layer. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0032] The accompanying drawings illustrate various structural schematics according to embodiments of the present disclosure. These drawings are not to scale, and some details have been enlarged for clarity, and some details may have been omitted. The shapes of the various regions and layers shown in the drawings, as well as their relative sizes and positional relationships, are merely exemplary and may deviate from reality due to manufacturing tolerances or technical limitations. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can design regions / layers with different shapes, sizes, and relative positions as needed.

[0033] In the context of this disclosure, when a layer / element is referred to as being "above" another layer / element, the layer / element may be directly above the other layer / element, or there may be an intermediate layer / element between them. Additionally, if a layer / element is "above" another layer / element in one orientation, then when the orientation is reversed, the layer / element may be "below" the other layer / element.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms “an,” “a,” or “the,” and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “including,” “comprising,” or “containing,” and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. The terms “connected,” “linked,” or similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right,” etc., are used only to indicate relative positional relationships, and these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described objects changes.

[0035] For oral nicotine products, the mainstream "powder filling + non-woven bag packaging" method has the following problems:

[0036] 1) Loose structure of filling powder and uneven release: The powder is highly mobile in the oral cavity and is easy to accumulate. The release rate is difficult to control precisely, especially in the onset stage, where problems such as too fast release or insufficient irritation often occur.

[0037] 2) Poor stability of flavoring agents and / or active substances: When filler powders are exposed to air, they are extremely prone to absorbing moisture, volatilizing or migrating, especially when they contain bursting agents, flavorings, free nicotine bases, their components are easily deactivated by changes in temperature and humidity.

[0038] 3) The structure and function are limited, making it difficult to achieve multi-level experiences: The powder bag structure can only achieve single-flavor and single-stage release, and cannot support innovative sensory experiences, such as bursting sensation, dual-flavor release, delayed controlled release, etc.

[0039] 4) The filling process has significant limitations: The powder filling process has high requirements for powder morphology and flowability. When it contains high-viscosity fillers or special carriers, it is difficult to achieve uniform filling, which affects product consistency and production capacity.

[0040] In summary, although powdered and bagged oral products are currently the mainstream products, there are obvious technical bottlenecks in terms of product structure, release control, sensory experience, and industrial expansion, which urgently require innovative breakthroughs.

[0041] To address the issues of loose filler powder structure, uneven release, and poor stability in bagged oral products, in one optional embodiment, please refer to... Figure 1 The provided manufacturing equipment for oral articles, used to prepare oral articles containing active substances and / or flavorings, includes: a feeding unit 10 for providing a substrate; an application unit 20 disposed downstream of the feeding unit 10 for applying a filler including active substances and / or flavorings to form a filler layer laminated with the substrate; and a coating unit 30 disposed downstream of the feeding unit 10 for coating to form a coating layer laminated with the substrate and the filler layer, thereby obtaining the oral article.

[0042] In some embodiments, the application unit 20 and the coating unit 30 may be used in combination, with or without the application unit, depending on actual needs.

[0043] With reference to the direction of movement of the substrate, for any unit, the upstream is the receiving end and the downstream is the de-feeding end. The feeding unit 10 is located upstream of the manufacturing equipment and serves as a feeding device for providing the initial substrate. In some embodiments, the feeding unit 10 can use a feeding roller set or an unwinding roller set to unwind the substrate supplied in rolls and then provide it to the application unit 20 and the coating unit 30 located downstream of the feeding unit 10. The feeding unit 10 can ensure that the substrate enters the application unit 20 and the coating unit 30 stably and maintain the tension stability of the substrate.

[0044] The substrate is the base layer of a laminated oral article, serving as the foundation for the filling layer and the coating layer. In some embodiments, the substrate is a nonwoven fabric, hydrophobic fabric, or other types of composite fabric, and the coating layer is also a nonwoven fabric, hydrophobic fabric, or other types of composite fabric. Nonwoven fabric, also known as non-woven textile, is a sheet or film material formed by directly bonding or entangled fibers together using mechanical, thermal, or chemical methods, and has a certain degree of permeability. Hydrophobic fabric, on the other hand, is a fabric with a surface that repels liquid water. It can be made from synthetic fibers that inherently possess hydrophobic properties, or it can be a composite fabric with a hydrophobic or waterproof coating (such as fluorinated compounds, silanes, or waxes) formed on the surface of some fabrics (including nonwoven fabrics) to prevent rapid penetration of liquid water.

[0045] The application unit 20 is used to apply filler to form a filling layer. Through the application unit 20, one or more layers of filling material can be applied evenly and quantitatively on the substrate. The application width can match the finished product specifications of the oral product, or it can be selected according to the matching substrate width or actual conditions.

[0046] In some embodiments, the filler layer may include functional components that provide functional components to the oral product. In some embodiments, the functional components include flavoring agents and / or active substances. The active substances may be nicotine and / or nicotine derivatives, wherein the nicotine derivatives may be nicotine salts and substituted nicotine, such as nicotine tartrate, lactated nicotine salt, hexamethylnicotine, etc.; the flavoring agents may be flavorings, aerated particles, cooling agents, etc., used to adjust the flavor, release rate, or other physicochemical properties of the oral product. The functional components may also be other substances, such as caffeine, amino acids, vitamins, plant extracts, etc., which are not limited here. In some embodiments, the filler layer may also include components for facilitating molding, production, or improving taste, which are not limited here, and users can choose the configuration according to actual needs.

[0047] The coating unit 30 is used to laminate a coating material onto the material input at its inlet. In some embodiments, the coating unit 30 is used to provide a coating process, which involves bonding the coating material or coating fabric onto the material input at the inlet by pressure bonding or heating to form a coating layer. This process can be used to coat nonwoven fabrics, sealing fabrics, or other materials onto filler layers, substrates, or other coating layers, and supports multilayer pressing molding as well as the replacement of single-layer fabrics, composite fabrics, and functional films (such as hydrophobic fabrics). The coating layer formed by the coating unit 30, together with the substrate and filler layer, can form a stable laminated structure and can also have the function of controlling or adjusting the release of active substances and / or flavorings in the filler layer.

[0048] It should be noted that the application unit 20 includes at least one application module, which can be selectively used to form at least one filler layer for each oral article; the coating unit 30 includes at least one coating module, which can be selectively used to form at least one coating layer for each oral article; that is, according to design and functional requirements, each oral article may include one or more filler layers and coating layers. In order to meet the manufacturing requirements of the oral article, when assembling the manufacturing equipment, the application unit 20 may include one or more modular application modules, and the coating unit 30 may include one or more modular coating modules. The number of application modules and coating modules must match the maximum number of layers in the oral product. For example, if the maximum number of filling layers and coating layers in an oral product is 3, then when using the commonly used unidirectional single-pass application modules and coating modules, the application unit 20 must include 3 application modules and the coating unit 30 must include 3 coating modules. If bidirectional multi-pass application modules and coating modules are used, multiple filling layers can be formed in one application module or multiple coating layers can be formed in one coating module by driving the substrate to move back and forth. In this case, the application unit 20 can include only one application module and the coating unit 30 can include only one coating module. In addition, when the number of application modules and coating modules exceeds the number of layers of the oral products to be manufactured, only a portion of the application modules and coating modules need to be selectively used. For example, when manufacturing a three-layer oral product consisting of a substrate, a filler layer, and a coating layer, only one application module and one coating module need to be used in the manufacturing equipment. This allows a single manufacturing equipment to manufacture oral products with various different layered structures, thus broadening the applicability of the manufacturing equipment.

[0049] The arrangement of the filling module and the coating module determines the stacking order of the filling layer and the coating layer in the laminated oral product. The most common situation is that the filling layer and the coating layer are stacked alternately, that is, there is a coating layer between two adjacent filling layers, a filling layer between two adjacent coating layers, or a filling layer between the substrate and the nearest adjacent coating layer. In addition, multiple filling layers can also be stacked together, for example, at least two filling layers can be stacked between the substrate and the nearest adjacent coating layer, or between two adjacent coating layers.

[0050] Corresponding to the above-described oral articles, please refer to some embodiments. Figure 2 The provided manufacturing equipment includes at least one application module A2 disposed between a coating module A3 and a feeding unit 10 for forming at least one filler layer between the coating layer of the oral article and the substrate; when the coating unit 30 has at least two coating modules A3, at least one application module A2 is disposed between two adjacent coating modules A3 for forming at least one filler layer between two adjacent coating layers of the oral article.

[0051] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 The provided manufacturing equipment includes a material application unit 20 comprising N material application modules A2 and a coating unit 30 comprising N coating modules A3, where N is a positive integer; the material application modules A2 and the coating modules A3 are alternately arranged downstream of the material supply unit 10; the material application module A2 is used to apply filler to the substrate or coating layer to form a filler layer; the coating module A3 is used to coat the surface of the filler layer to form a coating layer.

[0052] Therefore, this disclosure provides a manufacturing apparatus for a mouth-held product, comprising multiple modular functional units. A feeding unit 10 provides a substrate, an application unit 20 applies a filler layer consisting of active substances and / or flavoring fillers to form a layer stacked with the substrate, and a coating unit 30 coats the substrate and filler layer to form a coating layer. The application unit 20 and the coating unit 30 are modularly designed. By using at least one application module and at least one coating module, a stacked mouth-held product with a stable structure, including at least one filler layer and at least one coating layer, can be formed on the substrate. This overcomes the problem of loose filler powder in bagged mouth-held products, effectively improves the component retention rate and consistency of the filler layer, and thus obtains a mouth-held product with a more stable filler layer structure and better uniformity of filler material release.

[0053] In addition, based on the layered structure of the oral product, the modularly designed application unit 20 can be configured with multiple application modules, and the coating unit 30 can be configured with multiple coating modules. It also supports the selective application of one or more application modules and coating modules. Combined with the selection of the material of the substrate and coating layer, and the composition of the filling layer, a variety of oral products with different layered structures and different flavors can be obtained to meet various usage needs.

[0054] In some embodiments, the application module can be a coating module or a printing module; the coating module is used to provide a coating process to form a filler layer on one or both sides of a substrate. Coating is a process of applying a paste-like or molten filler material onto a substrate to form a filler layer. The coating module can be a roller coating module, an air knife coating module, a knife roller coating module, or a die-dip coating module, etc.; the printing module is a processing module that uses a filler containing active substances and / or flavoring agents as "ink" to "print" a new filler layer onto a substrate, filler layer, or coating layer according to a certain pattern to form a new filler layer; the printing module can be a screen printing module or an inkjet printing module, etc.

[0055] In some embodiments, the coating module may use a coating roller set or a coating machine to press the coating material onto the filler layer to form a coating layer by means of rollers or wheels.

[0056] In some embodiments, the application module and the coating module may integrate heating functions to cure or dry the filler layer and shape the coating layer. For example, using an application module with a preheating function can cure or pre-cure the filler layer while it is being formed; using a coating module with a preheating function can improve the bond strength between the coating layer and the filler layer while it is being formed.

[0057] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 The manufacturing equipment also includes a heating unit 40, which is located downstream of the application module or the coating module, for drying or curing the filler layer and / or the coating layer. Compared with the application module and the coating module with preheating function, the independent heating unit 40 can flexibly set the heating temperature and heating time, thereby improving the drying and curing effect of the filler layer or improving the shaping effect of the coating layer.

[0058] In some embodiments, the heating unit 40 includes multiple heating devices, and each material application module and each coating module is provided with at least one heating device at its outlet end; thus, after any filler layer or coating layer is formed, it can be fed into the heating device for drying, curing or shaping as soon as possible to obtain a better heating effect; wherein, the heating conditions of each heating device are configured to be independently controllable to meet the heating requirements of different filler layers or coating layers.

[0059] In some embodiments, the heating device includes a tunnel oven, the heating temperature of which is not lower than room temperature and not higher than 180°C. Excessive temperature will cause excessive volatilization of active substances and / or flavorings, affecting product quality. The heating device equipped with a tunnel oven has the feature of a wide temperature control range, and can be adapted to different heating requirements through segmented heating and drying.

[0060] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 The manufacturing equipment also includes a spraying unit 50, which is located downstream of the feeding unit and is used to apply liquid material to the surface of at least one of the substrate, the filler layer and the coating layer. The liquid material may be a compound solution used to flavor the semi-finished product of the oral product, such as a compound solution of flavoring and nicotine, which can be formulated according to actual needs. The embodiments disclosed herein do not impose specific limitations on its components.

[0061] It should be noted that the spraying unit 50 is selectively used to flavor certain types of oral products, and is not mandatory for flavoring all types of oral products. In some embodiments, the spraying unit 50 may include a dual-spray module, which can spray liquid materials simultaneously on the upper and lower surfaces of the target film layer, resulting in a better flavoring effect. At the same time, thanks to the ability of the dual-spray module to precisely adjust the spraying amount and the sheet-like shape of the stacked oral products, they can dry naturally after dual spraying, and will not produce significant adhesion or evaporation loss compared to bagged products.

[0062] It is important to note that the dual-spray module is an independent mechanical module that can be installed at any point on the manufacturing line, as long as space is available for its placement. Depending on the product design, liquid materials can be sprayed onto the surface of at least one of the substrate, filler layer, and coating layer. For example, if the dual-spray module is placed downstream of the last coating module, liquid materials can be sprayed onto the surface of the semi-finished oral product; if the dual-spray module is placed upstream of any coating module, liquid materials can be sprayed onto the surface of the filler layer.

[0063] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 The manufacturing equipment also includes a collection unit 60, which is located at the downstream end of the manufacturing equipment and is used to collect finished oral products. The collection unit 60 can collect finished oral products by slicing or by rolling. For rolling collection, the finished oral products are rolled into rolls for further storage, packaging and quality inspection. For slicing collection, continuous finished products can be sliced ​​and cut according to set specifications to form standard-sized oral products for storage, packaging and quality inspection. Slicing collection has the characteristics of high precision and can adapt to finished oral products of different thicknesses and specifications.

[0064] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 The manufacturing equipment also includes a power unit 70, which is configured to drive the substrate to move between the various processing units of the manufacturing equipment. Laminated products are often manufactured using rolled strip substrates, which can be unwound by a feeding wheel set. Under the action of the power unit, the strip substrate moves between the feeding unit, the coating unit, the heating unit and the spraying unit to form the corresponding filling layer and coating layer, and to complete the heating and semi-finished product spraying.

[0065] In some embodiments, the power unit 70 includes a traction wheel set and a tension wheel set; the traction wheel set is configured to traction the strip substrate provided by the feeding wheel set to move between processing units, and the tension wheel set is configured to abut against the strip substrate and adjust the tension of the strip substrate.

[0066] It should be noted that, Figure 4 The arrangement of the material application unit 20, film coating unit 30, heating unit 40, spraying unit 50 and power unit 70 is only an example to show that the manufacturing equipment includes the above-mentioned units, and does not explicitly limit the arrangement and order of the units.

[0067] In summary, the present disclosure provides a modularly designed manufacturing equipment for stacked sheet-like oral articles. It can utilize one or more feeding modules and coating modules according to product requirements, is compatible with different types of substrates, coating layers, and filler layers with different formulations, and has industrial continuous production capabilities to meet the production needs of high efficiency, low manpower, and high consistency.

[0068] To illustrate the above solution more intuitively, the following embodiments will further explain the solution in conjunction with an optional manufacturing device and a laminated structure of an oral article manufactured using the manufacturing device.

[0069] Please see Figure 5 The material feeding unit 20 of the manufacturing equipment includes a first material feeding module 21 and a second material feeding module 22, and the film coating unit 30 includes a first film coating module 31 and a second film coating module 32. The first material feeding module 21 is disposed between the material feeding unit 10 and the first film coating module 31, and the second material feeding module 22 is disposed between the first film coating module 31 and the second film coating module 32.

[0070] All application modules can be coating modules, which can be one of roller coating, air knife coating, blade roller coating, and die groove coating. Taking the first application module 21 as an example, Figure 5 The diagram shows a blade-roller coating module, including a coating roller 2A for carrying the substrate; a hopper 2B for storing the material corresponding to the filler layer, which, together with the coating roller 2A, coats the material onto the substrate; and a coating blade 2C for removing filler material from the substrate that exceeds a set thickness to form a filler layer. The coating module can achieve uniform and quantitative coating of filler material, and can also support wide-width continuous application of high-viscosity slurries or powder suspensions. The coating amount is adjustable, and the coating width matches the finished product specifications. The structure of the second application module 22 is the same as that of the first application module 21, and will not be described again.

[0071] All coating modules can use coating wheel sets. Taking the first coating module 31 as an example, it includes a coating wheel 3A, a support wheel 3B, and a roller 3C. The coating wheel 3A is fitted with a finished roll of coating material. After being unwound by the coating wheel 3A, the coating material is guided to the roller 3C by the support wheel 3B and then pressed onto the filler layer by the roller 3C to form a coating layer. In addition, the roller 3C can have a preheating function, which helps to improve the adhesion of the coating layer.

[0072] The manufacturing equipment also includes a heating unit 40, such as Figure 5As shown, the heating unit 40 specifically includes: a first heating device 41, disposed between the first application module 21 and the first coating module 31, for drying or curing the filler layer formed by the first application module 21; a second heating device 42, disposed between the first coating module 31 and the second application module 22, for shaping the coating layer formed by the first coating module 31; a third heating device 43, disposed between the second application module 22 and the second coating module 32, for drying or pre-curing the filler layer formed by the second application module 22; and a fourth heating device 44, disposed on the outlet side of the second coating module 32, for shaping the coating layer formed by the second coating module 32 and / or curing the filler layer formed by the second application module 22.

[0073] All heating devices can use the same heating equipment and can be set with the same or different temperature control ranges as needed. Taking the first heating device 41 as an example, it can include a tunnel oven 4A. The tunnel oven 4A is equipped with a heating module 4B to provide tunnel-type heating capability with independent temperature control in multiple zones. It can be used for filling layer curing, post-coating shaping, and surface solution evaporation control. The tunnel oven 4A is also equipped with a convection fan 4C and an exhaust vent 4D to control the heating environment inside the oven, achieve uniform heating and efficient heat transfer, and improve the drying, curing, or shaping effect. All heating devices have a wide temperature control range (e.g., room temperature to 180°C) and can be adapted to different structural requirements through segmented heating and drying.

[0074] The manufacturing equipment also includes a spraying unit 50 for applying liquid materials to the semi-finished oral products. The spraying unit 50 employs a dual-spray module, which is an atomizing spraying device supporting multi-channel independent control. It allows for precise setting of spray dosage, pressure, and position, enabling functional enhancement or flavor differentiation of the oral products. For example, different flavored solutions can be sprayed onto different parts of the oral product's surface to provide a mixed flavor, or surface flavoring can be applied to the oral product. The dual-spray module can be located on the outlet side of the fourth heating device 44. It should be noted that... The spraying unit 50 is selectively used to flavor certain types of oral products, and is not required to flavor all types of oral products. At the same time, as mentioned earlier, spraying nicotine / fragrance onto the sealed surface of bagged oral products is difficult to control precisely, and the lack of a further drying process after spraying can easily lead to adhesion or volatilization loss. The dual-spray module can precisely adjust the spray volume and the sheet-like shape of the stacked oral products. After dual spraying, it can dry naturally, and there will be no obvious adhesion or volatilization loss compared to bagged products.

[0075] The manufacturing equipment also includes a collection unit 60, see [link to documentation]. Figure 5The collection unit 60 includes a slicing module 62 and a collection module 61. The slicing module 62 is used to cut the continuous semi-finished oral products into finished oral products of a set shape and size. The collection module 61 is located at the outlet end of the slicing module 62. The collection module 61 includes a receiving wheel set 611 and / or a receiving frame 612. The receiving wheel set 611 is used to roll up the oral products, and the receiving frame 612 is used to accommodate the oral products laid flat and stacked. After the collection unit 60 collects the finished oral products, it performs subsequent storage, packaging and quality inspection.

[0076] Please see Figure 5 The slicing module 62 includes: a first cutting blade group 621, used to cut the semi-finished product of the continuous oral product in a first direction; the first direction is the direction of substrate conveying; a second cutting blade group 622, located downstream of the first cutting blade group 621, used to slice the oral product along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction; and a receiving frame 612 located downstream of the second cutting blade group 622, used to collect the finished oral product after slicing.

[0077] Specifically, since the first direction is the direction of substrate conveying, the first cutting blade group 621 can be regarded as a vertical cutting blade group, used to cut the oral product into strips along the conveying direction; the second direction is the transverse direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the corresponding second cutting blade group 622 can be regarded as a transverse cutting blade group, used to transversely cut the strip-shaped oral product into standard-sized slices. The sliced ​​oral products can be stored in a flat-laying manner through the receiving frame 612. The first and second directions can be interchanged; to facilitate slicing and collection, a conveyor belt can be set at the slicing module 62 to realize the slicing and transportation of the finished oral products.

[0078] In some embodiments, the first cutter group 621 may be used only to cut the semi-finished product of the continuous oral article in the first direction to obtain a strip-shaped oral article, which is then collected by the collection wheel group 611.

[0079] The manufacturing equipment also includes a power unit 70, see [link / reference] Figure 5 The power unit 70 specifically includes: a first traction wheel set 71, disposed between the first feeding module 21 and the first heating device 41, for traction of the substrate; a second traction wheel set 72, disposed between the first heating device 41 and the first coating module 31, for traction of the substrate; a third traction wheel set 73, disposed between the second feeding module 22 and the third heating device 43, for traction of the substrate; a fourth traction wheel set 74, disposed between the third heating device 43 and the second coating module 32, for traction of the substrate; and a fifth traction wheel set 75, disposed on the outlet side of the second coating module 32, for traction of the packaged product. The traction wheel sets disposed at each of the above key nodes are used to drive the overall operation of the strip substrate and coordinate with each process to complete the process synchronization control, and coordinate the linear speed and cycle time of the entire process.

[0080] The power unit 70 further includes: a first tension wheel group 76, disposed between the feeding unit 10 and the first application module 21, for controlling the tension of the substrate; and a second tension wheel group 77, disposed between the second heating device 42 and the second application module 22, for controlling the tension of the substrate. Each tension wheel group is disposed at the transition position between the layers of the oral product to control the tension of different film materials or intermediate structures during operation, prevent film wrinkling or displacement, and ensure accurate stacking positioning. The first tension wheel group 76 and the second tension wheel group 77 may also be equipped with automatic tension feedback to improve the tension control accuracy.

[0081] It should be noted that, Figure 5 The manufacturing equipment includes two feeding modules and two coating modules. By selectively using these modules, oral products with 3 to 5 layers can be prepared. For example, by using the feeding unit 10, the first feeding module 21, and the first coating module 31, a three-layer oral product can be prepared; by using the feeding unit 10, the first feeding module 21, the second feeding module 22, and the second coating module 32, a four-layer oral product can be prepared; and by using the feeding unit 10, the first feeding module 21, the first coating module 31, the second feeding module 22, and the second coating module 32, a five-layer oral product can be prepared. The active substances and / or flavorings in each filling layer can be the same or different, and the coating materials in each coating layer can also be the same or different. Thus, using the same manufacturing equipment, oral products with different numbers of layers, different flavors, and different release effects can be obtained, and the configuration can be flexibly adjusted according to product design requirements. If it is necessary to manufacture oral products with more than five layers, it can also be done in... Figure 5 Based on the provided manufacturing equipment, it can be further achieved by adding a material application module, a film coating module, and a heating device.

[0082] In the following embodiments, with Figure 5 Taking the provided manufacturing equipment as an example, we will introduce the manufacturing process of the equipment by combining several typical stacked oral products.

[0083] Example 1: Single-layer oral product.

[0084] The main modules put into use include: feeding unit 10, first material application module 21 and first film coating module 31.

[0085] 1) The substrate BL is provided by the feeding unit 10 (such as a feeding wheel).

[0086] 2) A first filler layer CL1 is formed by coating the hydrophobic fabric with the coating roller 2A and coating knife 2C of the first application module 21; the components of the first filler layer CL1 include film-forming substances, active substances, and flavoring agents.

[0087] 3) The coated substrate BL enters the first heating device 41 to lightly dry the first filler layer CL1. The heating temperature of the first heating device 41 can be set to 80℃~90℃.

[0088] 4) A non-woven fabric is applied as a first coating layer FL1 on the first filling layer CL1 using the first coating module 31.

[0089] 5) The first filler layer CL1 is completely cured and the first coating layer FL1 is shaped by the second heating device 42; the heating temperature of the second heating device 42 can be set to 95℃~105℃.

[0090] 6) Drying is performed using the third heating device 43 to obtain the following result: Figure 6A The single-layer mouthpiece shown is dried at a temperature of 90℃~100℃. It should be noted that "single-layer" here refers to having only one filler layer, not that the total number of layers in the product is only one.

[0091] 7) Collect single-layer mouth-held products through the receiving wheel group 611 or the receiving frame 612.

[0092] All traction wheel sets used in the production process are under medium tension, such as 0.15 kgf / cm to 0.25 kgf / cm.

[0093] The single-layer mouthpiece manufactured by using the above module has a three-layer stacked structure of a first filling layer CL1, a first filling layer CL1, and a first coating layer FL1.

[0094] Example 2: Single-layer oral product with added ingredients.

[0095] The main modules put into use include: feeding unit 10, first application module 21, first coating module 31 and spraying unit 50 (dual spraying module).

[0096] 1) Nonwoven fabric is provided as substrate BL through feeding unit 10.

[0097] 2) A first filling layer CL1 is formed on the nonwoven fabric by coating roller 2A and coating knife 2C of the first application module 21; the components of the first filling layer CL1 include film-forming substances, active substances and flavoring agents. The coating speed can be controlled between 1.0m / min and 2.0m / min, so that the coating thickness is controlled between 350μm and 500μm.

[0098] 3) The coated substrate BL enters the first heating device 41, and the heating temperature can be controlled at 80℃~90℃, which is only used for drying the bottom layer (substrate BL).

[0099] 4) A nonwoven fabric is applied as the first coating layer FL1 on the first filling layer CL1 using the first coating module 31. After the nonwoven fabric coating is completed, the substrate BL is directly passed through the second heating device 42 without heating to avoid API volatilization.

[0100] 5) Use the third heating device 43 or the fourth heating device 44 for low-temperature auxiliary drying, with the heating temperature not exceeding 90℃.

[0101] 6) The spraying unit 50 is used to spray the feed solution on both sides, and after natural drying, the result is as follows: Figure 6B The image shows a single-layer oral product with added ingredients. The dual-spray speed is controlled at 1.5–2.5 g / min / m to control the penetration of the composite solution and avoid accumulation.

[0102] 7) Collect the single-layer oral products fed by the receiving wheel group 611 or the receiving frame 612, the winding unit 61, or the slicing unit 62.

[0103] All traction wheel sets used in the production process are under tension, such as 0.20 kgf / cm to 0.28 kgf / cm.

[0104] The single-layer oral product manufactured by using the above module has a three-layer stacked structure of first filling layer CL1-first filling layer CL1-first coating layer FL1. Compared with the oral product of Example 1, since no second heating device is used, but low-temperature assisted drying and a spraying unit are used for feeding, the final product has less API volatilization and a richer flavor.

[0105] Example 3: Double-layer oral product.

[0106] The main modules put into use include: feeding unit 10, first material application module 21, first film coating module 31, second material application module 22 and second film coating module 32.

[0107] 1) The substrate BL is provided through the feeding unit 10.

[0108] 2) A first filling layer CL1 is formed on the nonwoven fabric by coating roller 2A and coating knife 2C of the first application module 21; the first filling layer CL1 is a fast-release type, and its components include a first film-forming substance, a first active substance, and a first flavoring agent. The coating speed can be controlled between 1.2m / min and 2.0m / min, and the coating thickness can be controlled between 200μm and 350μm.

[0109] 3) The coated substrate BL enters the first heating device 41 for pre-curing. The heating temperature of the tunnel oven 4A can be controlled between 85℃ and 95℃.

[0110] 4) A non-woven fabric is applied as a first coating layer FL1 on the first filling layer CL1 using the first coating module 31.

[0111] 5) The coated substrate BL enters the second heating device 42 for shaping, and the heating temperature is controlled at 105℃~115℃.

[0112] 6) A second filler layer CL2 is formed by coating the first film layer FL1 after shaping through the coating roller 2A and coating blade 2C of the second application module 22; the second filler layer CL2 is a slow-release type, and its components include a second film-forming substance, a second active substance, and a second flavoring agent; the coating speed can be controlled at 1.2m / min to 2.0m / min, and the coating thickness can be controlled at 200μm to 350μm.

[0113] 7) After coating, the coating enters the third heating device 43 for semi-curing. The heating temperature can be controlled between 100℃ and 110℃.

[0114] 8) By using the second coating module 32, a nonwoven fabric is coated onto the semi-cured second filler layer CL2 to form the second coating layer FL2.

[0115] 9) After lamination, the film enters the fourth heating device 44 for curing, shaping, and drying. The heating temperature can be controlled between 100℃ and 110℃ to obtain the desired result. Figure 6C The image shows a double-layered oral article. It should be noted that "double-layered" here refers to the oral article comprising two filling layers.

[0116] 10) Collect double-layer oral products by means of the receiving wheel group 611 or the receiving frame 612.

[0117] All traction wheel sets used in the production process have medium to high tension, such as 0.25 kgf / cm to 0.35 kgf / cm.

[0118] In some embodiments, the spraying unit 50 may be selectively used to spray a composite solution onto both sides of the double-layered mouthpiece for enhanced downstream functionality. If used, the spraying rate can be controlled at 1.0–1.5 g / min / m.

[0119] The dual-layer oral product manufactured using the aforementioned module has a five-layer stacked structure. The first layer, the substrate BL, is a non-woven fabric. The second layer, the first filler layer CL1, is a fast-release filler layer, using a fast-dissolving filler to create initial release. The third layer, the first coating layer FL1, is a non-woven fabric barrier. The fourth layer, the second coating layer, maintains slow release, with a clear release rhythm. The fifth layer, the second coating layer FL2, is sealed with non-woven fabric. In summary, the dual-layer oral product forms dual slow-release zones through two coatings and two layers of coated non-woven fabric, making it suitable for oral products requiring both initial release and medium- to long-term slow release.

[0120] Example 4: Multi-flavored double-layered oral product

[0121] The main modules put into use include: feeding unit 10, first material application module 21, first film coating module 31, second material application module 22 and second film coating module 32.

[0122] 1) Nonwoven fabric is provided as substrate BL through feeding unit 10.

[0123] 2) A first filling layer CL1 is formed on the nonwoven fabric by coating roller 2A and coating blade 2C of the first application module 21; the components of the first filling layer CL1 include a first film-forming substance, a first active substance, and a first flavoring agent, the coating speed can be controlled at 1.2m / min to 2.0m / min, and the coating thickness can be controlled at 200μm to 300μm.

[0124] 3) The coated substrate BL enters the first heating device 41 for pre-curing. The heating temperature of the tunnel oven 4A can be controlled between 85℃ and 95℃ and can be finely adjusted according to the differences in the composition of the first filler layer CL1.

[0125] 4) A hydrophobic fabric is applied to the first filling layer CL1 as the first coating layer FL1 through the first coating module 31.

[0126] 5) The coated substrate BL enters the second heating device 42 for shaping. The heating temperature is controlled at 105℃~115℃. Micro-temperature differentiation can be set to improve temperature control accuracy.

[0127] 6) A second filler layer CL2 is formed by coating the first film layer FL1 after shaping through the coating roller 2A and coating blade 2C of the second application module 22; the components of the second filler layer CL2 include a second film-forming substance, a second active substance, and a second flavoring agent; the coating speed can be controlled between 1.2m / min and 2.0m / min, and the coating thickness can be controlled between 200μm and 300μm.

[0128] 7) After coating, the coating enters the third heating device 43 for semi-curing. The heating temperature can be controlled between 100℃ and 110℃.

[0129] 8) By using the second coating module 32, a nonwoven fabric is coated onto the semi-cured second filler layer CL2 to form the second coating layer FL2.

[0130] 9) After lamination, the film enters the fourth heating device 44 for curing, shaping, and drying. The heating temperature can be controlled between 100℃ and 110℃ to obtain the desired result. Figure 6D The multi-flavored, double-layered oral product shown.

[0131] 10) Collect multi-flavored double-layer oral products through the receiving wheel group 611 or the receiving frame 612.

[0132] All traction wheel sets used in the production process employ high tension, such as 0.28 kgf / cm to 0.38 kgf / cm.

[0133] In some embodiments, a dual-spray module 50 can also be used to achieve multi-flavor adjustment. In this case, the same filler layer composition can be used for both coatings, and different flavorings can be sprayed onto the surface at different locations by the dual-spray module 50 to achieve local flavor changes and surface fragrance. If the dual-spray module 50 is used, the spraying speed can be controlled at 1.2 to 2.0 g / min / m.

[0134] The multi-flavor, double-layered oral products manufactured using the above-mentioned modules have a five-layered structure. The first layer, BL, is made of non-woven fabric. The first filling layer CL1 of the second layer and the second filling layer CL2 of the fourth layer are separated by the hydrophobic fabric of the third layer, FL1, forming a "release delay zone". This allows the initial and subsequent flavors to enter the oral cavity in stages, which is suitable for enhancing flavor layers and fun experience. The second coating layer FL2 of the fifth layer is sealed with non-woven fabric. In summary, the multi-flavor, double-layered oral products, through the layered or parallel arrangement of the two flavor fillers, can meet the needs of multi-stage flavor release and are suitable for innovative experience products.

[0135] Example 5: Continuous double-layer oral product

[0136] The main modules used include: a feeding unit 10, a first application module 21, a second application module 22, and a second coating module 32. The feeding unit 10 provides non-woven fabric as a substrate BL, and then the first application module 21 and the second application module 22 form a first filling layer CL1 and a second filling layer CL2 stacked together on the substrate BL. Finally, the second coating module 32 forms a first coating layer CL1 to seal the substrate, resulting in the desired finish. Figure 6E The oral article shown is an oral article. Therefore, the main difference between the oral article of Example 5 and Examples 3 and 4 is that the first filling layer CL1 and the second filling layer CL2 are not separated by a coating layer but are directly stacked together. Therefore, it is not necessary to use the first coating module 31. Other steps and processes can be referred to the relevant content of Examples 3 and 4, which will not be repeated here.

[0137] In summary, the manufacturing equipment for oral articles provided in the embodiments of this disclosure has the following characteristics:

[0138] 1) Structured molding replaces powder filling: The manufacturing process of applying material and coating film replaces loose powder filling, giving oral products a good layered structure and formability, and completely eliminating the problem of structural instability.

[0139] 2) Multi-module assembly is suitable for various different stacked structures: The manufacturing equipment includes multiple modular functional units, which have good versatility, combinability and hierarchical controllability. The feeding module, film coating module, heating device, dual spray module, traction wheel group, tension wheel group, etc. are all programmable combination modules, which can adapt to the batch continuous production of various types of oral products.

[0140] 3) Stable and efficient continuous processing system: The manufacturing equipment can operate automatically throughout the entire process. Through temperature control, tension control and multi-stage traction, it ensures the consistency, fit and dryness of the laminated structure, and realizes mass production of high-quality products.

[0141] 4) It provides a systematic technical solution that can comprehensively take into account structural stability, release precision and taste experience diversity, and builds an industrial manufacturing system for stacked sheet-like oral products that can be standardized and promoted. It has industrial continuous production capabilities, is compatible with the combination structure of base materials and filler layers with different formulations, meets the production needs of oral products with high efficiency, low manpower and high consistency, and opens up a new production technology route for stacked sheet-like oral products.

[0142] Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of this disclosure.

[0143] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this disclosure without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this disclosure and their equivalents, this disclosure is also intended to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing a mouthpiece for preparing a mouthpiece containing an active substance and / or a flavoring agent, characterized by, include: The feeding unit is used to provide the substrate; An application unit, located downstream of the feeding unit, is used to apply a filler, including active substances and / or flavorings, to form a filler layer that is laminated with the substrate. as well as, A coating unit is located downstream of the feeding unit and is used to coat a coating layer that is stacked with the substrate and the filler layer to obtain a mouth-held product. The material application unit includes at least one material application module, which can be selectively used to form at least one layer of the filling layer for each oral article; the coating unit includes at least one coating module, which can be selectively used to form at least one layer of the coating layer for each oral article.

2. The manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein At least one of the application modules is disposed between a coating module and a feeding unit for forming at least one filling layer between the coating layer of the oral article and the substrate; when the coating unit has at least two coating modules, at least one of the application modules is disposed between two adjacent coating modules for forming at least one filling layer between two adjacent coating layers of the oral article.

3. The manufacturing apparatus of claim 2, wherein There are N application modules and N coating modules, where N is a positive integer; the application modules and the coating modules are alternately arranged downstream of the feeding unit; the application module is used to apply the filler to the substrate or the coating layer to form the filling layer; the coating module is used to coat the filling layer to form the coating layer.

4. The manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The manufacturing equipment further includes a heating unit, located downstream of the feeding unit or the coating unit, for drying or curing the filler layer and / or the coating layer; and / or, The manufacturing equipment further includes a spraying unit disposed downstream of the feeding unit, for applying a liquid material to the surface of at least one of the substrate, the filler layer, and the coating layer; and / or, The manufacturing equipment further includes a power unit configured to move the substrate between the processing units; and / or, The manufacturing equipment also includes a collection unit located at the downstream end of the manufacturing equipment for collecting the finished oral products.

5. The manufacturing apparatus of claim 4, wherein The heating unit includes multiple heating devices, and each of the material application module and the coating module has at least one heating device at its outlet end; wherein the heating conditions of each heating device are configured to be independently controllable.

6. The manufacturing apparatus of claim 4, wherein The substrate is a strip substrate; the feeding unit includes a feeding wheel assembly; the power unit includes a traction wheel assembly and a tension wheel assembly; The traction wheel assembly is configured to traction the strip substrate provided by the feeding wheel assembly to move between processing units, and the tension wheel assembly is configured to abut against the strip substrate and adjust the tension of the strip substrate.

7. The manufacturing apparatus of claim 6, wherein The collection unit includes a slicing module and a collection module; The slicing module is used to cut the continuous semi-finished oral products into finished oral products of a set shape and size; The collection module is located at the outlet end of the slicing module. The collection module includes a receiving wheel set or a receiving frame. The receiving wheel set is used to roll up the oral products, and the receiving frame is used to accommodate the oral products that are laid flat and stacked.

8. The manufacturing apparatus of claim 7, wherein The slicing module includes: a first cutting blade group, used to cut the continuous semi-finished oral product in a first direction; the first direction is the direction in which the substrate is conveyed; The second cutting blade group, located downstream of the first cutting blade group, is used to slice the oral product along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; the receiving frame, located downstream of the second cutting blade group, is used to collect the sliced ​​oral product.

9. The manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein The material application module is either a coating module or a printing module.

10. The manufacturing apparatus of claim 5, wherein, The substrate is a strip substrate, and the heating device is a tunnel furnace. The heating temperature of the tunnel furnace is not lower than room temperature and not higher than 180°C.

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