Bag comprising a bag casing made of a water-permeable and / or water vapor-permeable nonwoven and a filling material arranged therein for oral application or other applications with controlled release of active substances and method for producing such a bag

Abstract

A bag having a bag casing made of a water-permeable and / or water vapor-permeable nonwoven and a filling material arranged therein for oral application or other application with controlled release of active substances, wherein the nonwoven contains a mixture of thermoplastic binder fibers, which are thermally activated by the action of heat and pressure, and hydrophilic, preferably cellulosic, fibers, which are not thermally activated by the action of heat and pressure, said mixture being thermally consolidated under full-area action of heat and pressure, and at least two overlapping edges of the nonwoven are connected to one another by a heat-sealed seam.

Description

[0001] Bag comprising a bag shell made of a water- and / or water-vapor-permeable nonwoven fabric and a filling material arranged therein for oral use or other applications with controlled release of active substances and method for producing such a bag

[0002] The invention relates to a bag comprising a bag shell made of a water- and / or water-vapor-permeable nonwoven fabric and a filling material arranged therein for oral administration or other applications with controlled release of active ingredients. Furthermore, the invention encompasses a method for producing a bag comprising a bag shell made of a water- and / or water-vapor-permeable nonwoven fabric and a means arranged therein for oral administration or other applications with controlled release of active ingredients.

[0003] Oral tobacco is a tobacco product or nicotine-containing tobacco substitute that allows for rapid absorption of nicotine through the oral mucosa. Oral tobacco packs are well known, containing a generally moist tobacco composition or a nicotine-containing substrate in a nonwoven pouch. Snus is a form of oral tobacco, particularly popular in Scandinavia, made from dried, ground tobacco mixed with water, salt, and flavorings. Sometimes, a nicotine-containing substitute, to which flavorings may be added, is used instead of tobacco. The snus pouch is placed behind the upper or lower lip. Within 15 to 60 minutes, it releases the tobacco flavor or added flavorings and nicotine. The pouch is then removed from the mouth.This form of drug delivery to the oral mucosa is also suitable for the delivery of medications contained in an oral pouch, which are then absorbed by the body through the oral mucosa. This form of drug delivery offers the advantage that the medication does not have to be absorbed through the stomach, thus avoiding contact with stomach acid. Furthermore, this oral delivery of medication offers the advantage that no water is required for ingestion and the medication can be administered dry in the pouch. A typical application would be the administration of acetylsalicylic acid as a painkiller.

[0004] Pouches for snus containing tobacco or nicotine powder must be made of a material that is hydrophilic, preferably spontaneously wettable with saliva, thermally sealable, resistant to flavorings such as menthol, soft and comfortable for oral use, and free of sharp edges, especially at the sealed seams. The pore size of the nonwoven material must be adjusted so that no substrate can leak from the pouch and the passage of liquid (saliva) and flavorings is not impaired, allowing them to be released from the pouch in a controlled manner and reach the user's oral mucosa.

[0005] Various substrates have become known for the production of such bags for oral applications, which are presented below.

[0006] Wetlaid nonwovens are hydrophilic, wet-laid nonwovens that usually contain a high proportion of cellulosic fibers and are produced with a wet-strength binder. They often contain a small proportion of thermoplastic fibers. The addition of thermoplastic fibers (e.g., PP, PLA, etc.) makes the material heat-sealable, allowing pouches to be manufactured in an efficient process by applying pressure and temperature or by ultrasonic welding. Due to the high proportion of cellulosic fibers (pulp fibers or cellulosic fibers such as viscose or lyocell), the material is spontaneously wettable and soft, especially after ingesting liquid in the mouth. The material is permeable to saliva, allowing flavors dissolved in the saliva to pass through easily.Due to the manufacturing process, the proportion of longer fibers that can be added is limited, meaning these materials sometimes have limited tear strength. Due to the manufacturing process, these nonwovens are relatively thin and paper-like, which is sometimes perceived as detrimental to the haptic quality ("mouthfeel"). Another disadvantage is that wet-aid plants require a substantial wet infrastructure, so larger plants are built here, and snus production typically represents only a small niche in the portfolio of materials manufactured with these plants. This requires frequent changeovers and downtimes and makes it difficult to cost-effectively comply with the hygiene requirements for products for oral use.

[0007] Chemically bonded nonwovens for the production of oral pouches are often manufactured using hydrophilic fibers such as viscose or lyocell. Acrylic polymers or acrylic copolymers, for example, can be added as binders so that the resulting chemically bonded nonwoven can be sealed using pressure and temperature. By choosing the right binder, the softness of the nonwoven can be easily adjusted, especially after moistening in the user's mouth. Due to the current trend of adding flavorings to snus, parts of the flavorings (e.g. menthol) sometimes interact with the binder, softening it and causing the nonwoven, and especially the sealed seam, to lose strength. To improve the resistance of chemically bonded nonwovens to flavorings, thermoplastic fibers are added to the nonwoven to enable thermal sealing.In addition to the limited resistance to flavorings such as menthol, the use of chemical binders has the further disadvantage that, due to the manufacturing process and cross-linking, the chemical binders can contain components such as formaldehyde, some of which are harmful to health and are viewed critically by consumers.

[0008] EP 3 784 064 B1 describes a saliva-permeable nonwoven material comprising carded fibers for use in an oral nicotine pouch product for enclosing a filler material comprising a particulate non-tobacco material and a nicotine source. The nonwoven material contains cellulose-based staple fibers, thermoplastic fibers, and a binder for chemically bonding the nonwoven material. The addition of the thermoplastic fibers improves the resistance of the seal to flavorings such as menthol. However, due to the impairment of the binder by the flavorings, the seal strength decreases relatively significantly over time. Due to the application of the binder, the manufacturing process is relatively complex, and chemicals such as stabilizers and, where appropriate, formaldehyde released during crosslinking of the binder can enter the product, which can be extracted through saliva and absorbed by the user.

[0009] WO 2016 / 040754 A1 (US 2021 / 0186095 A1) describes a pouch for the release of water-soluble components, comprising a nonwoven shell containing heat-sealable binding fibers mixed with cellulose fibers, which is carded, hydroneedled, and point-bonded. The term "point-bonded" refers to the process of partially or completely melting a nonwoven at discrete points. The nonwoven can be binder-free. The pouch shell can be closed by introducing sealed seams. Avoiding the binder is intended to improve biodegradability and reduce manufacturing costs.

[0010] A disadvantage is the complex process of manufacturing the nonwoven fabric, in which the fibers are laid down with a card, then hydroentangled, and finally spot-sealed. Hydroentangling is intended to have a comparatively minimal impact on the porosity of the nonwoven fabric and enhance the penetration of flavorings through the nonwoven fabric of the bag. Spot-sealing using a gravure calender is intended to improve the tensile strength of the nonwoven fabric and counteract its elongation during processing. Spot-sealing locally compacts, plasticizes, and embosses the nonwoven fabric in areas whose size depends on the surface structure of the gravure calender, forming closed, film-like regions. In between, the nonwoven fabric is only mechanically bonded by water jets.In a point-sealed nonwoven, the closed embossed areas typically occupy approximately 20% of the total surface area of ​​the nonwoven. In the film-like sealing areas ("embossed points"), the nonwoven is smooth or hard and impermeable to liquids. This adversely affects the haptic quality and limits the passage of liquids through the nonwoven. As a result, the release of active ingredients and flavors for oral use is impaired. During oral applications, fibers not embedded in the point seals can be released from the nonwoven. This can lead to a loss of strength and impaired sensory perception, as loose fibers are perceived by the user.

[0011] EP 3 927 190 B1 describes a saliva-permeable nonwoven fabric for wrapping a smokeless tobacco composition or non-tobacco composition. The nonwoven fabric comprises carded fibers, a first portion of which is cellulose-based staple fibers, and a second portion of which is thermoplastic fibers comprising a first component and a second component having a lower melting temperature than the first component.

[0012] The nonwoven fabric is bonded by melting and / or softening the second component, the thermoplastic fibers. This melting and / or softening occurs through air-through bonding. Due to the loose structure of the nonwoven fabric, the fibers are only loosely bonded. The surface of the nonwoven fabric is smoothly calendered, but calendering is not used to bond the nonwoven fabric.

[0013] The calendering rollers are smooth and not textured. The nonwoven fabric is not spot-sealed, as is the case with the conventional nonwoven fabrics used for oral tobacco pouches. Without calendering, the nonwoven fabric would be very airy and fluffy, making it unsuitable for use in oral pouches. Its powder retention capacity may be insufficient, and the loosely bound fibers are perceived as annoying by consumers, sometimes getting stuck between their teeth. Calendering makes the packaging material thinner and flatter than before, which also reduces the pores and improves powder retention.

[0014] Similar to oral sachets containing an active ingredient, active ingredients packaged in sachets are also used to absorb and bind substances. One example of this is sachets for desiccants. In previous sachets for desiccants, an open-pore material in the form of thermally bonded PP nonwovens is often used for the sachet cover. Silica gel in the form of granules is usually used as the desiccant. Based on this, the object of the invention is to provide a sachet with a sachet cover made of a material that is hydrophilic, preferably spontaneously wettable by saliva, offers good permeability for saliva and flavorings, and has a suitable porosity to prevent the escape of a powdered filling material containing active ingredients such asTo avoid nicotine, it is thermally sealable without the formation of sharp edges, it is free from components that can be released during oral use and it is resistant to flavorings such as menthol, particularly in the area of ​​a seal.

[0015] According to the invention, the object is achieved by a bag according to claim 1 and by a method for producing a bag according to claim 15. Advantageous embodiments of the bag and the method are specified in the subclaims and in the following description.

[0016] The bag according to the invention comprises a bag shell made of a water and / or water vapor permeable nonwoven fabric and a filling material arranged therein for oral use or other applications with controlled release of active ingredients, wherein the nonwoven fabric is a nonwoven fabric thermally bonded under the full-surface action of heat and pressure, contains a mixture of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic, preferably cellulosic fibers that are not melted by the thermal bonding, and at least two overlapping edges of the nonwoven fabric are connected to one another by a heat-sealed seam.

[0017] In the bag according to the invention, the nonwoven fabric of the bag shell is particularly soft because it is thermally bonded under the full-surface action of heat and pressure of a mixture of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic fibers, preferably cellulosic fibers, that are not melted by thermal bonding. The thermoplastic binding fibers are melted or otherwise thermally activated by the action of heat and pressure, while the hydrophilic fibers are not melted or otherwise thermally activated. Hydrophilic fibers that do not melt or are not thermally activated under the action of heat and pressure are preferably used. These are either cellulosic fibers or other non-thermoplastic fibers, or thermoplastic fibers that melt or are thermally activated at a higher temperature than the process temperature during thermal bonding of the nonwoven fabric.

[0018] Through the full-surface application of heat and pressure, the thermoplastic binding fibers are heated and thermally activated, allowing the thermally activated binding fibers to form adhesive bonds at the contact points with other binding fibers and with hydrophilic fibers. The thermally activated material is cooled, so that the fibers are bonded together at intersections and / or adjacent sides (contact points) by the resolidified thermoplastic material. As a result, the bag sleeve exhibits high tear resistance.Because the bonds are essentially limited to the tiny contact points between the fibers, the nonwoven fabric retains its textile character, unlike a nonwoven fabric with point bonding, in which the fibers of the nonwoven fabric are locally strongly embossed, plasticized, and bonded together across the entire surface. This ensures good fiber integration, resulting in a thinner and more compact nonwoven fabric. Through the full-surface application of heat and pressure, the bonds between the fibers are evenly distributed throughout the nonwoven fabric, so that all or almost all of the fibers are bonded into the nonwoven fabric. As a result, the fibers do not detach and do not interfere with the user's sensory perception when using an oral pouch.

[0019] Through "thermal activation," the binding fibers are heated to such an extent that they can be thermally bonded together under pressure and temperature. In this process, the binding fibers are heated at least to such an extent that they can be plastically deformed.

[0020] If sufficient pressure is applied, it is sufficient to heat the binding fibers only to the point where they become plasticized (but not melted) and bond with other materials at the pressure points (by deformation or by diffusion of polymer molecules between areas that are pressed together).

[0021] It is not absolutely necessary to heat the binding fibers to the point where they melt, i.e., become liquid on the surface. However, melting the binding fibers is beneficial for achieving a strong bond between the fibers. Therefore, the binding fibers are preferably melted.

[0022] If the binding fibers are bicomponent fibers or other multicomponent fibers, they have a high-melting component (usually the core) that does not melt under the binding conditions and is not, or essentially not, thermally deformable, while at least one other low-melting component plasticizes, partially melts, or ideally becomes molten (liquid), so that it solidifies upon cooling and forms bonding points. If the low-melting component is melted, it can flow to the contact points with other fibers, where it solidifies upon cooling and forms bonding points. Thermal activation preferably occurs in such a way that the binding fibers are not completely melted and lose their textile properties.If the low-melting component of a multi-component fiber is partially melted or completely melted and the high-melting component is not, the multi-component fiber as a whole is partially melted within the meaning of this application.

[0023] The hydrophilic fibers embedded in the matrix of thermoplastic binding fibers ensure wettability of the nonwoven fabric and permeability to water and / or water vapor. Since saliva consists essentially of water, the nonwoven fabric is wettable by saliva and permeable to saliva. Preferably, cellulosic or other hydrophilic fibers that are spontaneously wettable by water and saliva are used as hydrophilic fibers. Spontaneous wettability occurs when water or saliva wets the surface of the hydrophilic fibers without the application of pressure. Due to the hydrophilic fibers embedded in the nonwoven fabric, permeability and wettability of the nonwoven fabric to water or saliva are achievable even when the thermoplastic binding fibers are severely melted. Furthermore, the non-thermally activated hydrophilic fibers contribute to the textile structure of the nonwoven fabric.

[0024] Due to the thermoplastic fibers, the nonwoven fabric exhibits very good heat-sealability, allowing heat-sealed seams with high sealing values ​​to be created. Due to the mixture of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic fibers that do not melt under the influence of heat and pressure, preferably cellulosic fibers, part of the fiber structure is retained in the sealing area during thermal sealing, so that no film-like structures form during thermal sealing, which could create sharp edges at the edges of the nonwoven material. The formation of film-like structures can, in particular, lead to sharp cut edges. Since the fibers are held together preferably at contact points by the melted and re-solidified thermoplastic material and have at least a partially textile structure, the nonwoven fabric is soft and inert to flavorings such as menthol.Therefore, the nonwoven fabric is particularly suitable for pouches that contain a filling material for oral use with flavorings such as menthol, for example for snus pouches.

[0025] The nonwoven fabric is thermally bonded under the full-surface application of heat and pressure. The full-surface application of heat and pressure, combined with the hydrophilic fibers, which do not melt under the influence of heat and pressure, results in a particularly large number and even distribution of bonding points across the nonwoven fabric, while maintaining the fiber structure and even fiber distribution. This results in the nonwoven fabric's particularly high strength and softness. The full-surface application of heat and pressure results in a uniform material bond between the fibers at contact points across the entire nonwoven fabric, increasing strength and preventing the release of individual fibers, particularly during oral use.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the invention, thermal bonding under the full-surface action of heat and pressure on the nonwoven fabric is thermal bonding under the action of heat and pressure on more than 60% of the surface of the nonwoven fabric, preferably on at least 80%, particularly preferably on at least 90%, very particularly preferably on 100% of the surface of the nonwoven fabric. According to the invention, the full-surface action of heat and pressure on the nonwoven fabric achieves thermal bonding in which the fibers are bonded to one another at the contact points evenly across the surface and depth of the nonwoven fabric, wherein the bonds are essentially limited to the contact points of the fibers.According to a further embodiment, the fibers are bonded together under the full-surface action of heat and pressure at at least 60% of their contact points, preferably at at least 80% of their contact points, particularly preferably at at least 90% of their contact points, most particularly preferably at 100% of their contact points.

[0027] According to another embodiment, during thermal bonding, the fibers are bonded together at the contact points under the full-surface action of heat and pressure on the nonwoven fabric, whereby the binding fibers are plasticized and / or melted. According to one embodiment, during thermal bonding, the fibers are bonded together only at the contact points, and the binding fibers are not completely melted.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the nonwoven fabric is a mixture of thermoplastic binder fibers and non-thermoplastic, hydrophilic fibers or thermoplastic fibers that are not thermally deformed at the selected temperatures and pressures, thermally bonded by calendering (i) using calender rolls with a completely smooth outer surface or (ii) using calender rolls with an embossed structure on a smooth outer surface or (iii) using calender rolls with a completely smooth outer surface and additionally using calender rolls with an embossed structure on the outer surface. In (ii) and (iii), the fibers are thermally bonded to one another by the smooth outer surface. The embossed structure provides additional structuring of the nonwoven fabric on the surface.

[0029] Calendering can be performed using calender rolls that are pressed against the nonwoven fabric from different sides, with heat being applied to the fabric. Alternatively, calendering is performed by heating the nonwoven fabric in an oven or other heating device (thermally activated) and then compacting it using one or more press rolls with a smooth and / or embossed surface.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the nonwoven fabric is embossed on at least part of its outer side, preferably in the form of dots or lines. The distance between the embossed points or embossed lines is preferably less than 20 mm, preferably less than 10 mm and particularly preferably less than 2 mm and / or the proportion of the outer surface in which the nonwoven fabric is embossed is less than 40%, preferably less than 20% and very preferably less than 10%. For this purpose, rollers with a very fine engraving are preferably used, wherein there is a small distance between the embossed points or embossed lines. A distance of less than 20 mm, preferably less than 10 mm and particularly advantageously less than 2 mm is advantageous, and the embossed area in which the nonwoven fabric is plasticized has a proportion of less than 40%, preferably less than 20% and very preferably less than 10% of the outer side.

[0031] According to another embodiment, the nonwoven fabric is unembossed. Consequently, the nonwoven fabric has no embossed structures, resulting in a substantially smooth outer surface. The bag thus also has a substantially smooth outer surface. At least two edges of the nonwoven fabric are joined together by a heat-sealed seam. According to one embodiment, the nonwoven fabric is not mechanically pre-bonded by water jets or in any other way. By using a non-water jet-bonded or non-mechanically bonded nonwoven fabric, increased manufacturing costs can be avoided.

[0032] According to another embodiment, the nonwoven fabric is mechanically bonded by water jets or in another way in addition to thermal bonding.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the thermoplastic binder fibers are monocomponent fibers and / or bicomponent fibers and / or other multicomponent fibers. The bicomponent fibers and / or the other multicomponent fibers have a component that melts at a lower temperature than at least one other component. The thermal bonding and thermal sealing are carried out in such a way that only the component of the multicomponent fibers with the lowest melting temperature is melted and, upon solidification, bonds adjacent fibers to each other at contact points. The components of the multicomponent fibers with a higher melting temperature remain as fine fibers embedded by the molten polymer component in the matrix of cellulosic or other hydrophilic fibers that cannot be thermally activated by the process temperature during thermal bonding.Because the fine fibers of the multi-component fibers remain in the nonwoven fabric, the nonwoven fabric has a particularly fine textile surface structure. The sealed area at the heat-sealed seams also has a soft textile rather than a film-like surface structure, so that the textile character of the sealed seams is particularly pronounced and they are correspondingly soft. This also applies to the cut edges at the heat-sealed seams. During thermal bonding under the full-surface exposure to heat and pressure, the molten material (polymer) remains on the surface of the multi-component fibers and collects at the intersection points or other contact points where it bonds the fibers together. The molten material is guided particularly well along the multi-component fibers to the contact points and distributed evenly throughout the volume.If sufficient molten polymer is present, it can form so-called binder sails at the intersection points or other contact points of the fibers.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the bicomponent fibers are of the side-by-side type and / or the sheath core type, and / or the segmented pie type and / or the island in the sea type.

[0035] In monocomponent fibers, thermal bonding can lead to local accumulations of molten material with locally increased strength, reduced fiber content, and reduced softness. According to one embodiment, the monocomponent fibers comprise exclusively monocomponent fibers of the same type that have the same melting point. According to one embodiment, the monocomponent fibers comprise low-melting and high-melting monocomponent fibers. During thermal bonding, only the low-melting monocomponent fibers are melted, while the high-melting monocomponent fibers are not. This can ensure that a larger proportion of the monocomponent fibers remain in the form of fine fibers after thermal bonding, the textile structure is preserved, and local accumulations of molten material are reduced.According to one embodiment, the melting temperatures of the low-melting and high-melting monocomponent fibers and / or the individual components of the bi- or multicomponent fibers differ from each other by at least 5 °C, preferably at least 10 °C, and particularly preferably at least 20 °C or more. Significant differences in the melting temperatures facilitate targeted melting of the low-melting component, while the higher-melting component remains in the form of fine fibers.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the monocomponent fibers are polyolefin fibers and / or the multicomponent fibers have at least one component made of a polyolefin. Polyolefins are largely inert to flavorings such as menthol and are particularly suitable for orally administered pouches with nicotine-containing fillings. According to one embodiment, the thermoplastic is polypropylene, polyethylene, and / or polyester. According to one embodiment, the bicomponent fibers comprise a low-melting component made of polyethylene and a higher-melting component made of polypropylene or polyester. According to another embodiment, the bicomponent fibers comprise a polypropylene component and another polyethylene component.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the hydrophilic fibers comprise at least one of the following fiber types: cellulosic fibers, in particular regenerated cellulosic fibers, natural cellulose fibers, other non-thermoplastic hydrophilic fibers, in particular starch-based fibers, cotton fibers or animal wool fibers, thermoplastic hydrophilic fibers with a melting point above the melting point of the thermoplastic binding fibers. According to one embodiment, the cellulosic fibers comprise at least one of the following fiber types: viscose fibers, lyocell fibers, cotton fibers, and cellulose fibers. Viscose fibers and lyocell fibers are regenerated fibers, while cotton fibers and cellulose fibers are natural cellulose fibers.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the binding fibers and / or the hydrophilic thermoplastic fibers consist of at least one of the following polymers: polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). The above polymers have the advantage of being biodegradable.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the hydrophilic fibers comprise at least two groups formed by fibers with different diameters, with the thicker fibers preferably having a diameter that exceeds the diameter of the thin fibers by at least 10%, preferably by at least 50%, and particularly preferably by at least 100%. This improves the softness of the sealed seam, since the thicker fibers prevent an insufficient gap between the sealing jaws or other tools of the sealing tool, which promotes film formation.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the nonwoven fabric contains a proportion of hydrophilic fibers of 10 to 90 weight percent, preferably 20 to 50 weight percent, preferably 30 to 40 weight percent. High proportions of hydrophilic fibers achieve good wettability and permeability of water and water vapor, as well as a soft textile feel.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the nonwoven fabric contains a proportion of thermoplastic binding fibers of 90 to 10 weight percent, preferably 80-50 weight percent, preferably 70 to 60 weight percent. High proportions of thermoplastic binding fibers achieve high strength of the nonwoven fabric. When the thermoplastic binding fibers are designed as bicomponent fibers, the remaining fine fibers from the higher-melting component contribute to the textile character after thermal bonding.

[0042] According to one design, the heat-sealed seam is applied from both sides to the overlapping edges of the nonwoven fabric. This results in heat-sealed seams with particularly high strength.

[0043] Depending on the design, the bag is either a tubular bag or a sealed-side bag. The tubular bag design enables particularly fast and efficient production.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the tubular bag has a longitudinal heat-sealed seam and a transverse heat-sealed seam at each of its two ends. During bag production, the filling material for oral use or other applications involving the release of an active ingredient can be applied to a web-like nonwoven fabric. The web material can be closed into a tube by applying a longitudinal heat-sealed seam and closed in front of and behind the applied filling material by transverse heat-sealed seams. Individual tubular bags can be separated from the bag chain thus formed by a cut within the transverse heat-sealed seams.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the sealed-edge bag has a fold line or a fold-over on one edge and heat-sealed seams on three other edges. To form the sealed-edge bag, a strip of nonwoven fabric can be folded or folded over in the middle, the superimposed layers of nonwoven fabric can be sealed together at opposite edges with heat-sealed seams, the free edge opposite the fold or fold-over can be filled with the filling material, and this edge can be sealed with a heat-sealed seam.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the bag is filled with a filling material comprising an active ingredient and / or a flavoring agent and / or a carrier.

[0047] In the present application, the term "active ingredient" is understood in the broadest sense as a term for substances that, when administered in relatively small amounts, can exert a significant physiological effect. According to one embodiment, the active ingredient is a stimulant, a sedative, or a pharmaceutical. For example, such pouches can be used to administer medications that can only be taken in tablet form with liquid to the patient via such an oral pouch via the oral mucosa.

[0048] In this application, the term "flavoring agent" refers to substances that stimulate the sense of taste. Flavoring agents are perceived via the tongue, which has receptors for sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the filling material comprises one or more of the following components: nicotine, caffeine, taurine, menthol or one or more other flavorings, a carrier.

[0050] A carrier is a substrate on which one or more active ingredients and / or one or more flavorings are arranged and / or mixed with them. According to one embodiment, the filler material consists of the carrier and one or more active ingredients and / or flavorings arranged thereon and / or mixed with it. According to another embodiment, the filler material consists of one or more active ingredients and / or one or more flavorings.

[0051] The pouch for oral use contains, for example, snus with nicotine as the active ingredient, an active ingredient containing caffeine and / or taurine, or a medicinal product for oral use, such as aspirin. The active ingredient and, if present, flavorings can be released in a controlled manner via saliva over extended periods and absorbed through the oral mucosa.

[0052] In the method according to the invention for producing bags comprising a bag shell made of a water- and / or water-vapor-permeable nonwoven fabric and a filling material arranged therein for oral use or other applications with controlled release of active ingredients, a mixture of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic, preferably cellulosic fibers is formed, a non-consolidated fiber web made of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic fibers is formed from the mixture, a water- and / or water-vapor-permeable, thermally bonded nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic fibers that are not melted by the thermal bonding is formed from the non-consolidated fiber web by thermal bonding under the full-surface action of heat and pressure, and a bag is formed by superimposing several layers of the thermally bonded nonwoven fabric and joining the layers together by heat sealing.The above method for producing bags according to the invention and the following embodiments are correspondingly subject to the advantages and effects stated for the bag according to the invention, in particular insofar as they relate to or are linked to its production.

[0053] The thermoplastic binding fibers and the hydrophilic fibers are designed in such a way that during thermal bonding under the influence of heat and pressure on the unbonded fiber web, only the thermoplastic binding fibers and not the hydrophilic fibers are melted. Consequently, the bonds between the fibers are formed by the binding fiber material, which solidifies upon cooling. For this purpose, the hydrophilic fibers preferably have a higher melting point than the binding fibers or no melting point at all, such as cellulose fibers, which decompose at a sufficiently high temperature above the melting point of the binding fibers.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the unbonded fiber web made from the mixture of thermoplastic fibers and cellulosic fibers is calendered using heated calender rolls. Instead of using the calender rolls, or in addition to them, the heat can also be supplied using hot air.

[0055] The pressure is applied to the non-consolidated web by pressing the calender rolls.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the mixture of thermoplastic binder fibers and hydrophilic fibers is calendered (i) by means of calender rolls with a completely smooth outer surface or (ii) by means of calender rolls with an embossed structure on a smooth outer surface or (iii) by means of calender rolls with a completely smooth outer surface and additionally by means of calender rolls with an embossed structure on the outer surface with a smooth or structured outer surface and / or not mechanically consolidated by means of water jets

[0057] One type of heat sealing is performed using heated sealing jaws. Another type of heat sealing involves using a sealing wheel or ultrasonic welding.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the thermally bonded nonwoven fabric is spread out, at least one heap of filling material is applied thereto, side regions of the thermally bonded nonwoven fabric are folded over the heap, and overlapping layers of the thermally bonded nonwoven fabric are joined together at the edges by heat sealing. In this way, tubular bags can be formed.

[0059] According to one embodiment, a layer of the thermally bonded nonwoven fabric is spread out, at least one heap of filling material is applied thereon, the heap is covered with a layer of the thermally bonded nonwoven fabric, and the edges of the two layers of the thermally bonded nonwoven fabric are joined together by heat sealing. In this way, edge-sealed bags can be formed.

[0060] According to one embodiment, a tube with a longitudinal seal is formed from at least one web-shaped, thermally bonded nonwoven fabric, the tube is sealed at one end, the preferably powdered filler material is introduced into the tube, the tube is then sealed at the other end, and the bag thus formed is separated from the web-shaped nonwoven fabric. Suitable machines are offered, for example, by Merz Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH, Carl-Benz-Ring 42, 35423 Lieh or GD SpA Via Battindarno 91, 40133 Bologna (BO), Italy. Finally, the invention relates to a method according to the invention or one of the previously described embodiments for producing a bag according to the invention or one of the previously described embodiments.

[0061] A further invention relates to a bag with a bag cover made of a water and / or water vapor permeable nonwoven fabric and a desiccant arranged therein, wherein the nonwoven fabric contains a mixture of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic, preferably cellulosic fibers that are not melted by the thermal consolidation and that is thermally bonded under the full-surface action of heat and pressure, and at least two overlapping edges of the nonwoven fabric are connected to one another by a heat-sealed seam.

[0062] Furthermore, this invention comprises a method for producing bags, comprising a bag shell made of a water- and / or water-vapor-permeable nonwoven fabric and a drying agent arranged therein, in which a mixture of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic, preferably cellulosic fibers is formed, a non-consolidated fiber web made of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic fibers is formed from the mixture, a water- and / or water-vapor-permeable, thermally bonded nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic fibers that are not melted by the thermal bonding is formed from the non-consolidated fiber web by thermal bonding under the full-surface action of heat and pressure, and bags are formed by superimposing several layers of the thermally bonded nonwoven fabric and joining the layers together by heat sealing.

[0063] The invention further relates to a desiccant bag and a method for its production. The desiccant bag according to the invention and its production method have the advantage that, due to the retention of the fiber structure, very fine fibers can be used, so that the desiccant can be effectively retained in the bag even with fine grains. Furthermore, the water vapor permeability through the nonwoven fabric can be particularly well controlled, so that the usability period of the desiccant bag until its drying effect is exhausted can be precisely limited. Furthermore, the high strength of the sealed seam prevents accidental opening of the desiccant bag. The drying agent can be, in particular, silica gel.

[0064] The effects specified for the bag of claim 1 and the method for its production of claim 15 also apply, with the corresponding adaptations, to the desiccant bag according to the invention and the method for its production.

[0065] The embodiments of the bag of claim 1 and the method for its production according to claim 15 and the effects specified therefor, as well as the corresponding adaptations, also apply to the desiccant bag according to the invention and the method for its production.

[0066] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings of exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:

[0067] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a snus pouch according to the invention;

[0068] FIG. 2 shows the snus pouch from the rear; FIG. 3 shows a microscopic image of a sealed seam of a thermally bonded (thermobond) PP nonwoven fabric in incident light. The sealed area lies between the black markings.

[0069] FIG. 4 Microscope image of a sealed seam of a chemically bonded nonwoven fabric in reflected light. The sealed area is delimited on the left by the black marking;

[0070] FIG. 5 Microscope image of a sealed seam of a nonwoven fabric according to the invention in reflected light. The sealed area lies between the black markings.

[0071] According to FIGS. 1 and 2, a snus pouch 1 comprises a pouch 2 made of a nonwoven fabric 3, within which small amounts of tobacco material 4 and / or another nicotine-containing material or other active ingredient are disposed. The tobacco material 4 is, for example, snus. The nonwoven fabric 3 is made of viscose fibers and bicomponent fibers with a polyethylene and a polyester component.

[0072] The bag 2 is designed as a tubular bag. A strip of nonwoven fabric 3 is folded over the long sides, and the long edges are connected by a longitudinal heat-sealed seam 5. Furthermore, the two transverse edges of the bag 2 are connected by transverse heat-sealed seams 6, 7.

[0073] During use, the snus pouch 1 is placed behind the lower and upper lips. Saliva from the oral cavity penetrates and dissolves nicotine and other flavorings from the tobacco material 4, which are then absorbed into the oral mucosa via the saliva. Figure 3 shows a microscopic image (incident light) of a nonwoven fabric made of fused PP fibers at 30x magnification. The formation of film-like areas is clearly visible. These surfaces are hard and form sharp cutting edges.

[0074] FIG. 4 shows the sealed seam of a chemically bonded nonwoven fabric currently used for snus pouches at 30x magnification in incident light. It can be seen that the binder melts in the area of ​​the sealed seam and closes the pores. Because the binder is relatively soft, hardly any hard areas or edges form.

[0075] Figure 5 shows a nonwoven fabric according to the invention at 30x magnification, which contains the bicomponent fibers and viscose fibers and is suitable for producing a bag according to FIGS. 1 and 2. It can be clearly seen that the fibrous structure is retained and that the portion of the bicomponent fibers that melt during sealing does not form film-like regions, but rather is distributed along the fibers. This creates a soft sealed seam that also has no sharp / hard cut edges.

[0076] It can be clearly seen that the nonwoven fabric according to the invention has a fiber structure without larger plasticized areas in addition to the sealed seam, despite the smooth calendering.

[0077] The seal strengths (seal seam strengths, seal values) of heat-sealed seams were investigated for various nonwovens used in conventional bags and bags according to the invention. The following nonwovens were used: • Nonwova CV 29 / viv is a typical chemically bonded (with binder) nonwoven that uses Vinacryl 4378 as a binder. This product is offered commercially by pely-tex GmbH & Co. KG.

[0078] • Pelytex PES / CV 30 / 40 is an innovative nonwoven (30 g / m 2 ) from a mixture of viscose fibers (40 wt.%) and bicomponent fibers (PET core and PE sheath - 60 wt.% with equal weight proportions of PET and PE) which was thermally bonded using a smooth roll calender.

[0079] • Pelytex PES / CV 30 / 20 is an innovative nonwoven (30 g / m 2) from a mixture of viscose fibers (20 wt.%) and bicomponent fibers (PET core and PE sheath - 80 wt.% with equal weight proportions of PET and PE), which was thermally bonded with a smooth roll calender

[0080] Further information on the above-mentioned nonwovens is given below:

[0081] Product structure:

[0082] Snus Standard / Nonwova CV 29 / viv

[0083] Pelytex PES / CV 30 / 20 smooth

[0084] Pelytex PES / CV 30 / 40 smooth

[0085] The calendering parameters for producing the nonwovens according to the invention are given in the following table:

[0086] Calender parameters

[0087] The seal strengths were measured for the following conditions of the various nonwovens: a) on the dry, untreated nonwoven b) after the test specimen (sealed nonwoven strips) had been stored for 24 h at room temperature (23 °C) in a typical nicotine powder with menthol-containing flavors in a sealed PE bag c) after the test specimen (sealed nonwoven strips) had been stored for 48 h at room temperature (23 °C) in a typical nicotine powder with menthol-containing flavors in a sealed PE bag

[0088] The snus powder is: The sealing values ​​of the heat-sealed seams made of the various nonwovens, determined under the above conditions, are summarized in the following table:

[0089] For the evaluation, the maximum force F max measured when cutting the heat-sealed seam was used.

[0090] The following table summarizes the sealing conditions used to create the heat-sealed seams in the various materials. The chemobond material is the chemically bonded nonwoven, and the thermobond material is the two nonwovens made from a thermally bonded blend of viscose fibers and multicomponent fibers.

[0091] Seal conditions:

[0092] The test method for nonwovens according to DIN EN 29073-3 is used to determine the seal strength. The HS-2 test device manufactured by RDM Test Equipment Ltd., Unit 39, Golds Nurseries Business Park, Jenkins Drive, Elsenham, Herts. CM22, 6JX, England, was used to produce the sealed samples for the seal strength test.

[0093] The table with the sealing values ​​clearly shows that the nonwoven fabric used for the pouch according to the invention offers approximately twice the sealing values ​​of the conventionally chemically bonded nonwoven fabric, even without contact with nicotine powder with menthol-containing flavorings. While the conventionally chemically bonded nonwoven fabric only exhibits approximately 10% of its original sealing strength after 48 hours, the sealing strength of the nonwoven fabric according to the invention remains largely unchanged even after contact with menthol-containing nicotine powder.

[0094] The following standard test methods of edana / inda are used to determine the properties of the nonwoven used in the invention:

[0095] NWSP 010.1. R0 (15) (Standard Test Methods for Nonwoven Absorption),

[0096] NWSP 070.1.R0 (15) (Air permeability of nonwovens);

[0097] NWSP 120.1.R0 (15) (thickness of nonwoven);

[0098] NWSP 130.1.R0 (15) (basis weight).

Claims

Claims:

1. A bag with a bag shell made of a water and / or water vapor permeable nonwoven fabric and a filling material arranged therein for oral use or other use with controlled release of active ingredients, wherein the nonwoven fabric contains a mixture of thermoplastic binding fibers thermally activated by the action of heat and pressure and hydrophilic, preferably cellulosic fibers not thermally activated by the action of heat and pressure, which mixture is thermally consolidated under the full-surface action of heat and pressure, and at least two overlapping edges of the nonwoven fabric are connected to one another by a heat-sealed seam.

2. Bag according to claim 1, in which the nonwoven fabric is at least partially embossed on the outside, preferably in the form of dots or lines, wherein the distance between the embossed points is preferably less than 20 mm, preferably less than 10 mm and particularly preferably less than 2 mm and / or the area proportion of the outside in which the nonwoven fabric is embossed is less than 40%, preferably less than 20% and very preferably less than 10%.

3. Bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nonwoven fabric is not mechanically consolidated by means of water jets and / or in any other way.

4. Bag according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thermoplastic binding fibers are monocomponent fibers, wherein the monocomponent fibers have the same melting point or comprise low-melting and high-melting monocomponent fibers, and / or bicomponent fibers and / or other multicomponent fibers, wherein the bicomponent fibers and / or the other multi-component fibers comprise a low-melting and a high-melting component.

5. Bag according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the melting temperatures of the low-melting and the high-melting monocomponent fibers and / or the low-melting and one high-melting component of the bi- or multi-component fibers differ by at least 5°C, preferably at least 10°C and particularly preferably by at least 20°C.

6. Bag according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which the monocomponent fibers are polyolefin fibers, in particular fibers made of polypropylene and / or fibers made of polyethylene, and / or polyester fibers and / or in which the multicomponent fibers have at least one component made of a polyolefin, in particular of polypropylene and / or of polyethylene, or of polyester.

7. Bag according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the hydrophilic fibers comprise at least one of the following types of fibers: cellulosic fibers, in particular regenerated cellulosic fibers, natural cellulose fibers, other non-thermoplastic hydrophilic fibers, thermoplastic hydrophilic fibers having a melting point above the melting point of the thermoplastic binding fibers.

8. Bag according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cellulosic fibers comprise at least one of the following fiber types: viscose fibers, lyocell fibers, cotton fibers, cellulose fibers.

9. A bag according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the thermoplastic hydrophilic fibers comprise or are formed from at least one of the following thermoplastics: polypropylene, polyethylene or polyester.

10. Bag according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the hydrophilic fibers comprise at least two groups formed by fibers having different diameters, wherein preferably the thicker fibers have a diameter which exceeds the diameter of the thin fibers by at least 10%, preferably by at least 50%, particularly preferably by at least 100%.

11. Bag according to one of claims 1 to 10, in which the nonwoven fabric contains a proportion of hydrophilic fibers of 10 to 90 wt. %, preferably of 20 to 60 wt. %, preferably of 30 to 50 wt. % and / or in which the nonwoven fabric contains a proportion of thermoplastic binding fibers of 90 to 10 wt. %, preferably of 80 to 50 wt. %, preferably of 70 to 60 wt. % 12. Bag according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the heat-sealed seam is introduced into the overlapping edges from both sides.

13. Bag according to one of claims 1 to 12, which is a tubular bag, preferably with a longitudinal heat-sealing seam and a transverse heat-sealing seam at the two ends, or a sealed-edge bag.

14. Bag according to one of claims 1 to 13, which is filled with a filling material containing one or more of the following active ingredients: nicotine, caffeine, taurine, flavorings, a drug 15. A method for producing bags, comprising a bag shell made of a water- and / or water-vapor-permeable nonwoven fabric and a filling material arranged therein for oral use or other applications with controlled release of active ingredients, in which a mixture of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic, preferably cellulosic fibers is formed, a fiber web made of thermoplastic binding fibers and hydrophilic, preferably cellulosic fibers is formed from the mixture, a water- and / or water-vapor-permeable, thermally bonded nonwoven fabric made of thermoplastic fibers and hydrophilic, preferably cellulosic fibers that are not melted by the thermal bonding is formed from the fiber web by thermal bonding under the full-surface action of heat and pressure, and bags are formed by placing several layers of the thermally bonded nonwoven fabric on top of one another and joining the layers to one another by heat sealing.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the mixture of thermoplastic fibers and hydrophilic fibers is calendered by means of heated calender rolls.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the mixture of thermoplastic binder fibers and hydrophilic fibers is calendered (i) by means of calender rolls with a completely smooth outer surface or (ii) by means of calender rolls with an embossed structure on a smooth outer surface or (iii) by means of calender rolls with a completely smooth outer surface and additionally by means of calender rolls with an embossed structure on the outer surface with a smooth or with a structured outer surface and / or is not mechanically consolidated by means of water jets or in any other way.

18. A method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the heat sealing is carried out in at least one of the following ways: • using heated sealing jaws, • by means of a sealing wheel, by means of ultrasonic welding.

19. A method according to any one of claims 15 to 18 for producing a bag according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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