Nicotine Pouch Sealing Temperature and Width Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Nicotine pouches face issues with inner powder leakage during transportation and use, and users experience a foreign body sensation due to inadequate sealing strength and method.
Innovation Solution
A method of packaging nicotine pouches using a packaging material comprising pulp and thermoplastic resin fibers, with longitudinal and cross seals of 2-5 mm width and sealing temperatures between 110°C to 160°C, optimized to prevent leakage and minimize foreign body sensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If heat sealing is performed at high temperature (100-300°C) to ensure sufficient seal strength, then sealing strength is improved, but foreign body sensation in the mouth increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sealing temperature parameter from the conventional high range (100-300°C) to a lower optimized range (110-160°C), and adjusts seal width to 2-5mm. This parameter optimization achieves sufficient seal strength while reducing the foreign body sensation caused by excessive heat exposure to the oral mucosa.
Solution Approach 2:
The packaging material uses a composite structure comprising pulp fibers and thermoplastic resin fibers. The thermoplastic resin component provides sealing capability at lower temperatures, while the pulp provides biocompatibility and comfort in the mouth, resolving the contradiction between seal strength and foreign body sensation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If seal width is reduced to minimize foreign body sensation, then user comfort is improved, but seal strength may be insufficient leading to powder leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes seal width to a specific range of 2-5mm, which is narrow enough to minimize foreign body sensation but wide enough to provide sufficient seal strength when combined with the optimized sealing temperature of 110-160°C, preventing both discomfort and leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite packaging material containing thermoplastic resin fibers enables effective sealing at the reduced seal width of 2-5mm. The thermoplastic component melts and bonds at the optimized temperature, creating a reliable seal even with minimal seal width, thus preventing powder leakage while maintaining user comfort.
3Strength
If conventional packaging materials are used with high sealing temperature, then seal strength is sufficient, but powder leakage occurs during transportation and use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the sealing approach by using lower temperature (110-160°C) with optimized seal width (2-5mm) on the composite material, creating a more reliable seal that prevents powder leakage during transportation and use, while avoiding the degradation issues associated with high-temperature sealing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively prevents inner filler leakage and reduces foreign body sensations by achieving a sufficient seal strength while optimizing sealing temperature and width, ensuring the nicotine pouches' integrity and user comfort.
Implementation Method 1
sealing is generally performed at a temperature of 100 to 300° C. using a packaging material including a thermoplastic fiber
Implementation Method 2
a sealing temperature at which the longitudinal seal and the cross seal are formed ranges from 110° C. to 160° C.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of packaging a nicotine pouch by forming a longitudinal seal and a cross seal of a packaging material is provided. The packaging material may include pulp and a thermoplastic resin fiber, the longitudinal seal and the cross seal may have a width of 2 millimeters (mm) to 5 mm, and a scaling temperature at which the longitudinal seal and the cross seal are formed may range from 110° C. to 160° C.