Method for producing RTB sheets containing tobacco products

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a reconstituted tobacco binder (RTB) sheet comprising tobacco material and a binder. The tobacco material is placed on a conveyor belt moving in a forward direction. The tobacco material is formed into a tobacco material layer by at least one forming head, a binder is then applied to the tobacco material layer, and the RTB sheet is then dried in a drying process. The method for producing the RTB sheet is characterized in that a tobacco product comprising tobacco particles and a liquid medium is applied to the tobacco material layer and / or the RTB sheet during the manufacturing process, and the tobacco particles have an average particle size of 30 μm or less.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a reconstituted tobacco binder sheet (hereinafter the term "RTB sheet") containing tobacco raw materials, a binder, and a tobacco product. The tobacco product ensures an intensive smoking experience that allows one to fully enjoy the flavor of tobacco. The present invention also relates to an RTB sheet manufactured by the above-described method.

Background Art

[0002] Smoking articles in the field of non-combustion heating products usually include a heating section having RTB and preferably also tobacco. Most of these use a battery-powered heating system to heat the tobacco and / or RTB in the heating section. The RTB sheet used in the heating section is usually formed from a tobacco material and a suitable binder. The binder vaporizes when heated to up to 250°C, and the resulting vapor is inhaled by the consumer. Since the temperature during the smoking experience is low, the flavor is mediocre compared to conventional tobacco. As a result, users often criticize that the flavor of non-combustion heating products is mediocre. In order to improve the flavor of tobacco, the RTB sheet used in a non-combustion heating smoking article can be flavored with the flavor of tobacco. The following documents are available regarding the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet.

[0003] From the specification of European Patent No. 0565360 B1, a method for manufacturing an RTB containing tobacco powder and a binder is known. The RTB sheet can be manufactured by combining tobacco powder with a binder in an aqueous medium to produce a slurry. Such a method is advantageous for manufacturing a uniform RTB sheet.

[0004] Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-103840 relates to a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for using recycled tobacco as a tobacco raw material and forming the recycled tobacco into a crimped yarn.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The aforementioned literature discloses methods for manufacturing RTB sheets. However, the RTB sheets produced by these methods are not sufficiently flavored with tobacco. It is desirable to provide a method for producing RTB sheets with a desired tobacco flavor. It would be particularly desirable that such a method be adaptable to standard manufacturing processes for RTB sheets. Preferably, general operating machinery may be used in such a method.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing RTB sheets with added flavor. Another object of the present invention is to provide RTB sheets for use in non-combustion heated smoking devices that are filled with added tobacco flavor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above-mentioned problems are solved by a method for producing a reconstituted tobacco binder sheet (RTB) containing tobacco raw materials and a binder. The tobacco raw materials are placed on a conveyor belt moving in the forward direction and formed into a tobacco raw material layer by at least one molding head, a binder is then applied to the tobacco raw material layer, and then the RTB sheet is produced by drying in a drying step. The RTB sheet production method is characterized in that a tobacco product containing tobacco particles and a liquid medium is applied to the tobacco raw material layer and / or RTB sheet throughout the production process, and the average particle size of the tobacco particles is 30 μm or less.

[0008] The tobacco raw materials preferably include thin stems, thick stems, fragments, recovered powder, and scraps of recycled tobacco, to which adhesives, chemicals, and fillers are added.

[0009] Tobacco particles with a small average particle size have a large surface area that can come into contact with the passing aerosol. This allows flavor molecules to be transferred from the particles to the aerosol stream. It has been found that a particle size of ≤30 μm allows for the movement of multiple flavor molecules, contributing to a complete tobacco flavor. This particle size allows larger and smaller molecules to move from the inside of the particle to its surface, and from that surface to the aerosol stream.

[0010] In the context of this invention, the term "tobacco product" also refers to a flavoring substance containing tobacco leaf particles with an average particle size (sD50 laser diffraction) of ≤30 μm.

[0011] Furthermore, nicotine can be transferred from tobacco particles to aerosols in a similar manner. Nicotine has a flavor and is usually a component of tobacco, so the term "flavor molecule" also includes nicotine.

[0012] This characteristic of the particles can also be explained by the fact that rapid heating of small particles after contact with a high-temperature aerosol stream initiates the migration of flavor molecules within the tobacco particles. Furthermore, flavor molecules can reach the particle surface and then rapidly migrate into the aerosol stream, independently of their position within the particle.

[0013] Preferably, the average particle size of the tobacco particles (sD50 laser diffraction) is ≥1 μm, preferably ≥2.5 μm, more preferably ≥5 μm, and most preferably ≥8 μm. It is known that grinding tobacco particles to a smaller particle size affects the flavor. It is thought that some of the tobacco flavor molecules decompose due to high shear energy. Furthermore, some flavor molecules may be released from extremely fine tobacco particles during the grinding process or subsequent handling processes. As a result, these flavor molecules within the tobacco particles may dissipate, potentially altering the flavor composition with respect to the complete tobacco flavor.

[0014] It has been found that lowering the viscosity of the ground tobacco composition is advantageous in order to prevent the breakdown of flavor molecules during the grinding process. This can be achieved by adding a solvent to the composition. Such a solvent (or "dispersion medium") is preferably selected from the group including water, monohydric alcohols, polyhydric alcohols, sugar alcohols, sugars, and polyhydric alcohol esters. By using such a dispersion medium, the average particle size of tobacco can be adjusted to a desired value without significantly altering the flavor.

[0015] The manufacturing method of the RTB sheet described above is preferably carried out by a papermaking machine that includes conveyance by a conveyor belt and two consecutive forming heads that add tobacco raw material to the belt. Another automated material handling method may also be used. Preferably, the tobacco raw material includes finely chopped stems and / or leaves of a tobacco plant. Each forming head preferably includes a nozzle that provides a binder to bond the tobacco raw material to a sheet. One of the processing stations is preferably a drying unit that dries the formed RTB. At the last station, preferably at the end of the line, the RTB material is shredded or wound up.

[0016] According to another embodiment, the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet is characterized by dispersing tobacco particles in a liquid medium cooled to a temperature of 0° to 10°C.

[0017] In addition to tobacco particles with an average particle size of 30 μm or less, the tobacco product preferably includes a liquid medium such as alcohol or water in which the tobacco particles are dispersed.

[0018] In one preferred embodiment, tobacco particles are dispersed in a liquid medium having a temperature of ≤30°C, preferably ≤20°C, more preferably ≤15°C, and most preferably ≤10°C, to prevent the decomposition and / or dissipation of tobacco flavor. Preferably, the temperature of the liquid medium of the dispersion is ≥-20°C, preferably ≥-10°C, more preferably ≥-5°C, and most preferably ≥0°C, to facilitate handling. Low-temperature dispersions within the above temperature range have also been shown to prevent nicotine decomposition.

[0019] According to another embodiment, the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet is characterized in that the RTB sheet contains fleece, preferably nonwoven cellulose, and the fleece is preferably bonded to the RTB sheet.

[0020] Preferably, the fleece contains materials suitable for combustion. The nonwoven material preferably contains fibers formed into a sheet or web. Such a nonwoven material may be, for example, a paper-based nonwoven pulp. The manufacturing process of the fleece can be incorporated into the standard manufacturing process of RTB sheets. In this case, the fibers are preferably mechanically joined to each other, for example by interlocking with serrated needles, using adhesives, or thermally, for example by applying a binder to the fibers and raising the temperature, and by melting the binder.

[0021] Preferably, the fleece is bonded to the RTB sheet after the forming step and before the drying step. Preferably, the fleece is immersed in a liquid binder containing tobacco products. In this case, the fleece adheres firmly to the RTB sheet after passing through the drying step. Preferably, the resulting RTB sheet containing the fleece is shredded or wound up. In this case, the resulting RTB sheet containing the fleece can be processed in subsequent manufacturing steps. Alternatively, the resulting RTB sheet containing the fleece can be processed immediately after the drying step.

[0022] The fleece can be supplied in rolls or on bobbins, ready for further processing. The problem of RTB sheet breakage during the manufacturing process is preferably solved by adding fleece to a standard RTB sheet.

[0023] According to another embodiment, the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet is characterized by spraying and / or printing a tobacco product onto an RTB sheet and / or fleece.

[0024] The step of applying to the fleece and / or the RTB sheet, preferably the printing or spraying step, may be a separate process step. Such a separate process step is known as offline and means that the coating of the fleece is carried out before the standard manufacturing process of the RTB sheet. It is conceivable that the tobacco product has already been applied in a separate application step to the fleece. In this case, the application step can preferably be carried out by spraying or printing the tobacco product on at least one surface of the fleece. In this case, there is no need to adapt the manufacturing machine to the application step. Thus, the RTB sheet can be processed on known manufacturing machines, and the tobacco flavor is enhanced as desired by applying a pre-treated fleece containing the tobacco product.

[0025] For the application step, the tobacco product is mixed with a carrier liquid, preferably water, propylene glycol or glycerin, to make it suitable for a printing or spraying device. The specific formulation depends on the printing or spraying technology in the manufacturing process used. The printing step is preferably carried out by a conventional printing machine that prints on a continuous material supplied through the printing machine. Preferably, the printing machine includes a printing roller coated with ink. The printing roller rolls on the surface of the continuous material to form a pattern. It is also conceivable to use a screen printing machine or an inkjet printing machine.

[0026] The tobacco product is preferably applied over the manufacturing process on the first and / or second surface of the RTB sheet. It is also possible to apply the tobacco product over the manufacturing process on the first and / or second surface of the fleece. The last process step is preferably to cut the RTB sheet into pieces. It is also conceivable to apply the tobacco product after the cutting step.

[0027] According to another embodiment, the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet is characterized in that the tobacco product applied to at least one surface of the RTB sheet and / or the fleece forms a pattern.

[0028] Applying a tobacco product to at least one surface of the RTB sheet and / or fleece allows for further addition of tobacco flavor. The tobacco flavor will increase or decrease depending on the different types of tobacco products added to the smoking device. Another option is to moisten one or both sides of the RTB sheet and / or fleece with the tobacco product; moistening one side of the RTB sheet and / or fleece results in a milder tobacco flavor than moistening both sides.

[0029] Generally, a pattern refers to a visible surface pattern or surface structure. Preferably, the pattern includes minimal repetition (periodicity) and symmetry between coated and uncoated sections. The periodicity between coated and uncoated sections preferably varies according to the desired tobacco flavor intensity. Preferably, the tobacco product is applied to RTB sheets and / or fleece to obtain coated sections. Preferably, a tobacco product containing visible ink is applied to the coated sections of RTB sheets and / or fleece.

[0030] RTB sheets and / or fleece are printed with ink containing tobacco products. Smoking articles having RTB sheets and / or fleece containing tobacco products preferably allow for an enhanced tobacco flavor during the smoking experience. Preferably, the ink containing tobacco products used for printing on RTB sheets and / or fleece is visible or invisible. Also preferably, the ink containing tobacco products contains the same components as ordinary inks used for printing on RTB sheets and / or fleece.

[0031] Alternatively, the tobacco product may be sprayed onto at least one of the surfaces of the RTB sheet and / or fleece. In this case, the entire surface is coated with an ink containing the tobacco product. The ink containing the tobacco product on at least one surface of the support material portion is preferably applied to at least one section. The coated and uncoated sections preferably form a pattern.

[0032] RTB sheets and / or fleece having tobacco products on one surface are useful in several applications, for example, when decorated smoking articles are required. RTB sheets containing fleece preferably have increased structural integrity, making further operations for forming RTB sheets of non-combustible heated smoking articles, such as cutting and / or slicing, much more predictable and efficient.

[0033] According to another embodiment, the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet is characterized in that the binder and tobacco product on the RTB sheet are applied in a single manufacturing step.

[0034] Preferably, the tobacco product is applied to the material simultaneously with the binder. This step can be performed by spraying the tobacco product onto the tobacco raw material using at least one additional tobacco product spray nozzle. Alternatively, the tobacco raw material layer or tobacco raw material can be immersed in the tobacco product and binder. In this embodiment, the RTB sheet is preferably impregnated particularly uniformly with the tobacco product.

[0035] It is conceivable to mix the tobacco product with a binder in an additional process step. In this case, the tobacco product is applied together with the binder and preferably sprayed. Preferably, the tobacco product and binder can be mixed using at least one binder spray nozzle. Additional tobacco product spray nozzles are not required in this case. This embodiment has the advantage of being easily integrated with standard RTB manufacturing methods. The resulting RTB sheet preferably has the tobacco product deeply embedded throughout the entire sheet structure. When different flavored tobacco products are applied to the RTB sheet, the tobacco flavor can be enhanced in new ways by using different tobacco products. Once the RTB sheet containing the tobacco product is processed into a final smoking article, it can preferably provide a consistent flavor throughout the duration of vaporization.

[0036] According to another embodiment, the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet is characterized in that a drying unit dries the RTB sheet and / or fleece before and after applying the tobacco product to the RTB sheet and / or fleece.

[0037] The RTB sheets and / or fleece entering the drying step are preferably dried to 70%, and preferably to 90%. Preferably, the RTB sheets and / or fleece pass through a number of steam-heated drying cylinders. A smoothing step is considered necessary after the drying step.

[0038] The drying step of the RTB sheet and / or fleece may be performed before applying the tobacco product to the RTB sheet and / or fleece. This is particularly advantageous when selective application of the tobacco product is desired. In such cases, the tobacco product is preferably colored, for example, if a pattern is required.

[0039] The drying step of the RTB sheet and / or fleece may be carried out even after the tobacco product has been applied to the RTB sheet and / or fleece. This is particularly advantageous when uniform application of the tobacco product is desired. In such cases, the tobacco product is preferably uncolored. The tobacco product is then applied to the outside of the RTB sheet.

[0040] According to another embodiment, the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet is characterized by performing an additional wetting step before and after applying the tobacco product to the fleece.

[0041] When using RTB sheets containing woven material, loose fibers are preferably immersed in a liquid containing tobacco products. The immersed tobacco products are preferably absorbed into the structure via capillary action. Bath immersion is preferably used in the manufacturing process to effectively immerse the fibers in the liquid containing tobacco products.

[0042] According to another embodiment, the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet is characterized by a shredding or winding step in which the RTB sheet is shredded or wound as the final manufacturing step of further processing.

[0043] If the required RTB sheet shape is in the form of strips, a shredding step is required as the final manufacturing step. In this case, the shredding step is preferably integrated into the standard manufacturing process of the RTB sheet. It is also possible that a shredding step is not required, in which case the processed RTB sheet containing the tobacco product is preferably wound up. The wound RTB sheet containing the tobacco product is preferably supplied wound on a spool or bobbin.

[0044] According to another embodiment, the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet is characterized in that the tobacco product has a viscosity in the range of 50 to 350 dPas.

[0045] The viscosity of the tobacco product is preferably 30-60 dPas, and also preferably 50-350 dPas, and the viscosity is measured at 25°C using a gravity viscometer.

[0046] According to another embodiment, the method for producing an RTB sheet is characterized in that the tobacco product has a density in the range of 0.8 g / cm³ to 1.5 g / cm³. Preferably, the density of the tobacco product is 0.5 g / cm³. 3 ~0.9g / cm 3 Similarly, preferably 0.8 g / cm³ 3 ~1.5g / cm 3 It falls within the range of [the specified range]. Preferably, the ink used in the printing step of the manufacturing process contains tobacco products. Preferably, this ink contains solvents, pigments, dyes, resins, lubricants, solubilizers, surfactants, particulate matter and / or fluorescent agents. If fluorescent agents are used, all of these are safe to ingest.

[0047] The above objectives are also achieved by a reconstituted tobacco binder (RTB) sheet comprising at least tobacco raw materials and a binder, wherein the RTB sheet is in the form of layers, and the RTB sheet further comprises tobacco products including tobacco particles and a liquid medium, with an average particle size of 30 μm or less.

[0048] The resulting RTB sheet can be used in any typical application. Non-combustion heated consumables preferably include a section containing RTB. Preferably, the section includes fragments made from the RTB sheet. Preferably, the customer's tobacco flavor experience is enhanced by applying a tobacco product containing tobacco particles to the RTB sheet used in the heating section of a non-combustion heated smoking device. When the RTB sheet is heated, the tobacco particles are released, flavoring the actual tobacco aerosol. This further enhances the tobacco flavor. Preferably, the degree to which the tobacco flavor is enhanced by the addition of the tobacco product can be adjusted by the amount of tobacco product.

[0049] Applying a tobacco product to the first surface of the RTB sheet is advantageous when it is desirable to decorate the RTB sheet of a smoking article. In this case, the tobacco product is visible to the customer, which further enhances the tobacco flavor. It is possible to coat the first surface of the RTB sheet with the tobacco product at least partially. Preferably, the tobacco product is sprayed onto the first surface of the RTB sheet. It is also conceivable to print the tobacco product onto the first surface of the RTB sheet. Preferably, the ink of the printing device contains the tobacco product and a coloring agent. It is also conceivable that the tobacco product applied to the first surface of the RTB sheet is not visible. In this case, the ink of the printing device is transparent.

[0050] It is also conceivable to apply the tobacco product to the first and second surfaces of the RTB sheet. Preferably, the tobacco product may or may not contain a coloring agent. Preferably, the tobacco product applied to the surface is perceptible to touch. More preferably, the surface of the RTB sheet is composed of characters written as Braille with ink containing the tobacco product.

[0051] According to another embodiment, the RTB sheet is characterized in that the tobacco product contains ground tobacco, and the weight ratio of ground tobacco is in the range of 1 to 50%.

[0052] The tobacco product is mixed with a supporting liquid, preferably water, propylene glycol, or glycerin, to be adapted for printing and / or spraying equipment. The specific formulation depends on the printing and / or spraying technology used. The ink contains ground tobacco in a weight ratio of preferably 1 to 50% by weight, and more preferably more than 50% by weight. Sufficient color intensity is ensured by mixing ground tobacco in such a weight ratio.

[0053] To improve shielding, color intensity, and the color itself, the ink preferably contains dyes, resins, and / or particulate matter. By adding solvents, resins, lubricants, solubilizers, and / or surfactants, the fluidity of the ink is preferably optimized for the printing process. Such optimization is particularly important to adapt the ink to a specific printing machine. By adding fluorescent agents, the printed material is preferably readable under UV light.

[0054] The color intensity of the ink is preferably adjusted by selecting the type and concentration of tobacco. The higher the concentration of tobacco products in the ink, the darker the ink color. Using a darker type of tobacco preferably yields a darker ink color. Preferred darker tobacco types include burley tobacco, dark roasted tobacco, and dark air-dried tobacco. Using such darker tobacco types preferably yields a darker ink color and higher contrast against lighter-colored fleece.

[0055] According to another embodiment, the RTB sheet is characterized in that the weight ratio of tobacco products contained in the RTB sheet is in the range of 0.1 to 1%, preferably 0.05 to 2%, and more preferably 0.01 to 3%.

[0056] Preferably, the weight ratio of tobacco products contained in the RTB sheet depends on the tobacco flavor required for the smoking device. When a strong tobacco flavor is required, the RTB sheet is considered to contain a higher weight ratio of tobacco products. Preferably, the weight ratio of tobacco products in an RTB sheet with a stronger tobacco flavor is in the range of 2-3%, and can exceed 3%. When a delicate tobacco flavor is required, the RTB sheet contains a lower weight ratio of tobacco products. Preferably, the weight ratio of tobacco products in an RTB sheet with a delicate tobacco flavor is in the range of 0.1-1%, and can also exceed 1-2%.

[0057] According to another embodiment, the RTB sheet is characterized in that the weight ratio of the binder contained in the RTB sheet is in the range of 2-3%, preferably 1-4%, and more preferably 0.1-5%, and the binder is liquid-supported, preferably containing water and / or glycerin and / or propylene glycol and / or butylene glycol and / or sorbitol and / or trimethylene glycol.

[0058] Preferably, the binder is in the form of a wetting agent and is in the range of up to 5% by weight. The binder preferably includes glycol, glycerin, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, sorbitol, trimethylene glycol and / or other wetting agents.

[0059] Further advantages, objectives, and features of the present invention are described below for illustrative purposes only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these drawings, similar elements in different embodiments are given the same reference numerals. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0060] [Figure 1] This is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of a method for manufacturing an RTB sheet containing tobacco products. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart of a second embodiment of a method for manufacturing a fleece-lined RTB sheet containing tobacco products. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart of a third embodiment of a method for manufacturing RTB sheets, in which the drying step is the final manufacturing step. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of an RTB sheet containing tobacco material. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of a papermaking RTB machine with printed fleece. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram of a papermaking RTB machine that does not use fleece. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of a papermaking RTB machine with fleece added. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0061] Figure 1 shows a flow chart of a first embodiment of the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet 1. This method may begin with placing the tobacco raw material 2 on a conveyor belt 4 100. The next step is to form the tobacco raw material 2 into a tobacco raw material layer 1a 101. It is conceivable that the placement 100 and formation 101 steps be performed in one step. After the formation 101 step, there is a nozzle 7 for applying a binder 8 to the tobacco raw material layer 1a 102. The next step is a drying step 103 in which the tobacco raw material layer 1a is dried to form an RTB sheet. The final step is a step 104 in which the tobacco product 3 is applied to the RTB sheet 1.

[0062] Application step 104 is considered to be a spraying and / or printing step 104a. In embodiments of application step 104, the RTB sheet 1 is preferably immersed in the tobacco product 3. It is also possible to apply the tobacco product 3 using a different application method. In embodiments of spraying and / or printing step 104a, the tobacco product 3 is preferably printed and / or sprayed onto at least one surface 19 of the RTB sheet 1. In the case of spraying 104a, the tobacco product 3 is applied to at least one surface 19 of the RTB sheet 1 using a spray nozzle 7. When the tobacco product 3 is applied 104a by spraying onto at least one surface 19 of the RTB sheet 1, a pattern 12 is likely to be created. The pattern 12 is achieved by either placing a mask between the spray nozzle 7 and the surface 19, or by moving the spray nozzle 7 relative to the surface 19 of the RTB sheet 1 according to the desired pattern 12.

[0063] If the tobacco product 3 is applied to the surface 19 of the RTB sheet 1 by printing 104a, the tobacco product 3 is preferably applied to the surface 19 of the RTB sheet 1 by a printing roller. The printing roller may include recessed surface portions. Preferably, the recessed surface portions form a negative of the pattern 12 to which the tobacco product 3 is desired to be applied 104a to the surface 19 of the RTB sheet 1. After the last step, the RTB sheet 1 may be wound up or shredded 106. After the RTB sheet 1 is wound up, it is usually wound onto a bobbin or spool for storage for further processing.

[0064] Figure 2 shows a flowchart of a second embodiment of a method for manufacturing an RTB sheet 1 having fleece 10 containing tobacco product 3. The binder placement 100, formation 101, and application 102 steps are considered to be the same as those shown in Figure 1. After applying the binder 8 to the tobacco raw material layer 1a 102, the fleece 10 is applied to the RTB sheet 1 105. The next step is preferably a drying step 103 in which the tobacco raw material layer 1a and the fleece 10 are dried by a drying unit 14. The final step is preferably an application 104, printing or spraying step 104a. After the final step, the RTB sheet 1 containing the fleece 10 may be wound up or shredded 106.

[0065] Figure 3 shows a flowchart of a third embodiment of the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet, in which the drying step is the final manufacturing step. The first step is the same as in the first and second embodiments of the method for manufacturing an RTB sheet. The arrangement step 100 and the forming step 101 are preferably performed in one step. After forming the tobacco raw material 3 on the tobacco raw material layer 1a 101, the application step 104 or the printing or spraying step 104a is considered to follow. In the application 104, printing or spraying step 104a, the tobacco product 3 is preferably coated onto the tobacco raw material layer 1a. The next step is to apply the binder 8 to the tobacco raw material layer 1a 102. It is also possible to reverse the order of the step of applying the binder 8 102 and the step of applying the tobacco product 104, 104a. It is also possible to perform the application steps 102 and 104 of the tobacco product 3 and binder 8 in one step. After the application steps 102 and 104, the standard manufacturing process for an RTB sheet can be continued. A typical manufacturing step for RTB sheets preferably includes a drying step 103 and a shredding or winding step 106.

[0066] It is possible that the application 104 or 104a of tobacco product 3 is not performed on the raw material layer 1a. In this case, the tobacco product 3 is not coated on the tobacco raw material layer 1a, while the fleece 10 is coated with tobacco product 3. The application step 104 or 104a to the fleece is preferably the same as the application step 104 or 104a to the tobacco raw material layer 1a. After applying the binder 8 to the tobacco raw material layer 1a 102, the fleece 10 is applied to the tobacco raw material layer 1a 105. The fleece 10 is preferably bonded to the tobacco raw material layer 1a in an bonding step (not shown here). Preferably, the bonding step is integrated with the application step 105. In this case, the standard manufacturing steps for the RTB sheet can be extended to a drying step 103. The step 104 of applying tobacco product 3 to the fleece is preferably a separate step and performed offline. It is also possible to provide an uncoated fleece 10 and perform the application 104, printing or spraying 104a steps online throughout the manufacturing process of the tobacco raw material layer 1a. After applying the tobacco product 3 to the fleece 104 or 104a, the tobacco raw material layer 1a containing the fleece 10 is dried in the drying step 103. The shredding or winding step 106 is preferably the final step in the method for producing the RTB sheet 1.

[0067] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of an RTB sheet containing tobacco material. The tobacco product 3 is applied to at least one surface 19 of the RTB sheet 1. Preferably, the tobacco product 3 is applied to sections 20, and the coated sections 20 are separated from each other by a distance d to form a pattern 12. The thickness of the coated sections 20 is thought to vary so that the overall thickness of the RTB sheet 1 and / or fleece 10 is not constant. The overall thickness of the RTB sheet 1 and / or fleece 10 may be constant. Both sides 19 of the RTB sheet 1 and / or fleece 10 may also be coated with the tobacco product (not shown). Preferably, the thickness of the coated sections 20 perpendicular to the surface 19 (not shown here) is constant. Also preferably, the thickness of a single coated section 20 is in the range of 0.5 to 5 mm. The thickness of the coated sections 20 is thought to vary depending on the desired tobacco flavor intensity. The RTB sheet 1 and / or fleece 10 as shown in Figure 4 can be placed in a non-combustion heated smoking device.

[0068] Pattern 12 may include a disordered distribution of hexagons, concentric squares, rectangles, or circles, zigzags, checkerboard patterns, squares, pixels, or meandering lines and / or parallel straight or curved lines (not shown here). Alternatively, or in addition to changing the thickness, the amount of tobacco product 3 deposited per unit area of ​​the surface 19 may be increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing the density of Pattern 12.

[0069] Figures 5, 6, and 7 show schematic diagrams of a papermaking RTB machine. In Figures 5, 6, and 7, the tobacco raw material 2 is applied to a conveyor belt 4 and moved in the forward direction 5. Preferably, the tobacco raw material 2 includes the leaves, stems, and / or other elements of the tobacco plant. The tobacco raw material 2 may also include combustible or fumigable components.

[0070] In Figure 5, the binder 8 is applied to the tobacco raw material 2. The tobacco product 3 is applied to the tobacco raw material 2 in the same step. Simultaneous application of the tobacco product 3 and the binder 8 can be achieved by using a nozzle 7. The spray nozzle 7 is thought to be a plain orifice nozzle, a shaped orifice nozzle, a surface impact one-fluid nozzle, a pressure swirling one-fluid nozzle, a solid cone one-fluid nozzle, a composite nozzle, or other nozzles 7. In this case, the binder 8 and the tobacco product 3 are preferably mixed together. The spray nozzle 7 is also thought to be a two-fluid nozzle.

[0071] After spraying, the forming head 6 forms the tobacco raw material 2. Preferably, the forming head 6 includes two rolls (not shown here) and extracts water from the tobacco raw material 2 to form the tobacco raw material layer 1a. The forming step by the forming head 6 can be performed simultaneously with or before the spraying step by the nozzle 7. As shown in Figure 6, there may be at least two forming heads 6.

[0072] After the forming step, the fleece 10 is preferably added to the tobacco raw material layer 1a. The production of the fleece 10 is considered to be part of the process. Preferably, a bobbin having the fleece 17 is wound onto a conveyor belt 4. A printer 13 applies the tobacco product 3 to the fleece. The tobacco product 3 may also be applied as a pattern 12. It is also possible that the tobacco product 3 is not applied to the fleece 10, and the unprocessed fleece 10 is added to the tobacco raw material layer 1a.

[0073] After the tobacco product 3 is applied to the fleece, the fleece 10 is ready to be connected to the tobacco raw material layer 1a by the adhesive unit 18. The adhesive unit 18 is preferably a pressurizing unit, and the fleece 10 is pressed into the tobacco raw material layer 1a.

[0074] After the above steps, a drying unit 14 dries the tobacco raw material layer 1a containing fleece. Preferably, the drying unit 14 is a series of internally heated cylinders that evaporate moisture. It is also conceivable that the drying unit 14 is another method for drying moisture from the material. After the drying step, it is conceivable that a printer 13 (not shown here) prints the tobacco product 3 onto the RTB sheet 1. In this case, the printed tobacco product 3 preferably forms a pattern 12 on the surface of the RTB sheet (not shown here).

[0075] A dry tobacco raw material layer 1a having or not having fleece 10 is an RTB sheet. In the final step, the RTB sheet 1 is preferably shredded by a shredding unit 15. The shredding unit 15 may cut the RTB sheet to the required particle size. The RTB sheet 1 may be wound onto a bobbin. Such a storage method is particularly beneficial for transporting the RTB sheet 1. From this process step, the RTB sheet 1 is ready for suitably use in non-combustion heated smoking devices.

[0076] In Figures 6 and 7, the binder 8 is applied to the tobacco raw material 2 after or during the forming step by the forming head 6. The binder 8 is sprayed onto the tobacco raw material layer 1a by the nozzle 7. Preferably, the nozzle 7 shown in Figures 6 and 7 is a spray nozzle, and preferably, the nozzle 7 is the same as the nozzle 7 shown in Figure 5. The binder 8 and the tobacco product 3 are applied in separate steps. The nozzle 7 used for applying the tobacco product 3 to the tobacco raw material layer 1a may be the same as the nozzle 7 used for applying the binder 8. In this case, at least two nozzles 7 spray the binder 8 and the tobacco product 3 separately onto the tobacco raw material layer 1a, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0077] Figure 6 shows the additional formation step performed by the second forming head 6 after applying the tobacco product 3 to the tobacco raw material layer 1a and before applying the binder 8. Fleece 10 is not added to the tobacco raw material layer 1a. In this case, the tobacco raw material layer 1a can be used for further processing. In this case, the tobacco raw material layer 1a is dried by the drying unit 14 to produce the RTB sheet 1, which is then wound up by the winding unit 16 in the final process step. A shredding unit 17 may be used instead of the winding unit 16 (not shown here).

[0078] In Figure 7, the steps of applying the binder 8 and the tobacco product 3 are performed sequentially. The binder 8 may be applied before or after applying the tobacco product 3 to the tobacco raw material layer 1a. After the binder 8 and tobacco product 3 are applied, the fleece 10 is applied to the tobacco raw material layer 1a. It is conceivable that the tobacco product 3 is applied to the fleece 10 using the nozzle 7. The bonding unit 18 connects the tobacco raw material layer 1a and the fleece 10 after the tobacco product has been applied to the fleece 10. After connecting the fleece 10 to the tobacco raw material layer 1a, the drying unit 14 produces the RTB sheet 1 by drying the tobacco raw material layer 1a containing the fleece 10. The manufactured RTB sheet is preferably shredded by the shredding unit 15 in the final step.

[0079] The applicant reserves the right to claim that all features disclosed in the application documents, individually or in combination, are essential features of the present invention in comparison to the prior art. Furthermore, note that each drawing describes features that may be individually advantageous. Those skilled in the art will immediately recognize that certain features disclosed in a particular drawing may be advantageous without adopting any further features from that drawing. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that advantages may arise from a combination of various features disclosed in one or more drawings. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1 RTB sheet 1a Tobacco raw material layer 2 Tobacco raw materials 3 Tobacco products 4. Conveyor belt 5 Forward direction 6 Forming head 7 nozzles 8. Binder 9 Tobacco particles 10 Fleece 11 Surface 12 patterns 13 Printers 14 Drying Unit 15 Shredding Units 16. Winding Unit 17 Bobbins wrapped in fleece 18 Adhesive Units 19 RTB sheet / fleece surface 20 coated sections 21 Uncoated sections 100 Tobacco raw materials are placed on the conveyor belt. 101 Tobacco raw materials are formed in the tobacco raw material layer. 102 Apply the binder to the tobacco raw material layer. 103 Dry the tobacco raw material layer 104 Tobacco products applied to RTB sheets and / or fleece 104a Tobacco products sprayed or printed onto RTB sheets and / or fleece. 105 Apply fleece to the tobacco raw material layer or RTB sheet. d distance

Claims

1. A method for producing a reconstituted tobacco binder (RTB) sheet (1) comprising tobacco raw materials (2) and a binder (8), wherein the tobacco raw materials (2) are arranged on a conveyor belt (4) that moves in a forward direction (5), the tobacco raw materials (2) are formed into a tobacco raw material layer (1a) by at least one forming head (6), the binder (8) is then applied to the tobacco raw material layer (1a), and the RTB sheet (1) is produced by drying in a drying step, During the manufacturing of the RTB sheet (1), A method comprising applying a tobacco product (3) containing tobacco particles (9) and a liquid medium to the tobacco raw material layer (1a) and / or the RTB sheet (1), wherein the average particle size of the tobacco particles (9) is 30 μm or less.

2. In the method according to claim 1, A method wherein the tobacco particles (9) are dispersed in a liquid medium cooled to a temperature of 0° to 10°C.

3. In the method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, A method wherein the RTB sheet (1) contains fleece (10), preferably nonwoven cellulose, and the fleece is preferably bonded to the RTB sheet (1).

4. In the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A method wherein the tobacco product (3) is sprayed and / or printed onto the RTB sheet (1) and / or fleece (10) placed on the RTB sheet (1).

5. In the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A method wherein the tobacco product (3) applied to at least one surface (11) of the RTB sheet (1) and / or the fleece (10) placed on the RTB sheet (1) forms a pattern (12).

6. In the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A method comprising applying the binder (8) and the tobacco product (3) to the RTB sheet (1) in a single manufacturing step.

7. In the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A method comprising drying the RTB sheet (1) and / or the fleece (10) after or before applying the tobacco product (3) to the RTB sheet (1) and / or the fleece (10) placed on the RTB sheet (1).

8. In the method according to any one of claims 3 to 5 and 7, A method comprising an additional wetting step after or before applying the tobacco product (3) to the fleece (10) placed on the RTB sheet (1).

9. In the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, A method comprising a shredding or winding step, wherein the RTB sheet (1) is shredded or wound as a final manufacturing step for further processing.

10. In the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, A method wherein the viscosity of the tobacco product (3) is in the range of 50 to 350 dPas.

11. In the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, A method wherein the density of the tobacco product (3) is in the range of 0.8 g / cm³ to 1.5 g / cm³.

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