Oral and/or buccal delivery pouch

 A vertical form, fill, and seal (VFFS) machine and method for producing an oral sachet designed to be placed in a users mouth, the oral sachet. The oral sachet includes permeable paper that does not contain fiberglass. The permeable paper forms a pouch that includes a top seal arranged at first end of the pouch, a bottom seal arranged at a second end of the pouch opposite from the first end, a vertical seal that extends from the top seal to the bottom seal, and a cavity located between the top seal and the bottom seal. Granular contents, including at least one granular or powdered component, are arranged within the cavity of the permeable-paper pouch.

 FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The concept for the product that is the subject of this application (the “Product”) evolved out of observing the use of oral tobacco pouches, particularly by athletes. The idea was that, while the substance contained in these tobacco pouches was harmful, the medium by which the substance was delivered—in other words, the pouch itself—had several advantages. In particular, the pouch is a hands-free delivery system, it requires no water to assist in swallowing (as do pills) and keeping the pouch between the gum and cheek is a pleasurable experience for the user. Thus, the idea was that delivery of a healthy product, which can be dissolved in the mouth via the pouch delivery method, would have all the advantages of the tobacco pouch and none of the disadvantages.

 Therefore, the inventors began to experiment with various methods of placing soluble powders into a pouch similar in size and makeup to the tobacco pouches. The size range they found to be an ideal compromise between oral comfort and powder content was a maximum thickness of from 2-8 mm thick, a maximum width of from 10-25 mm wide, and a maximum length of from 35-55 mm long. Preferably the pouch is 4-6 mm thick (max), 15-25 mm wide (max), and 40-50 mm long (max). More preferably, the pouch is 5 mm thick, 22 mm wide, and 47 mm long.

 It was discovered that the method used to fill the tobacco pouches with the cut tobacco contents would not work for the Product. That method involves pneumatically forcing the tobacco into the pouches prior to sealing. A similar pneumatic filling method is used to fill tea bags with tea leaves and fines. However, because the contents of the Product are drier, lighter, less dense, and of smaller granularity than tobacco or tea leaves and fines, the force of air from the pneumatic process results in the Product contents being blown through the permeable paper. This leads to the blown-through contents clogging the machine, and prevents an adequate and accurate amount of contents being captured in the pouch.

 Eventually, the inventors experimented with commercially accessible vertical fill and seal machines (aka, vertical form, fill, and seal [VFFS] machines), which are the type of machines used to create snack bags (such as those used for potato chips and pretzels) and “stick packs” (such as those used for powders which are poured into water to add flavoring). These VFFS machines use sheets of non-permeable material (e.g., laminate films, polyethylene films, and plastic films) and wrap those materials into a pre-defined shape. A vertical seal is formed to create a cylindrical-type shape, and then a transverse bottom seal is formed to close the bottom in preparation for contents-delivery. Then the machine puts the contents into the opened “bag” through one of a number of methods. The machine then creates another transverse seal for the top, after which the product is fully sealed inside of the container.

 Because the method of filling the container with these machines is based on gravity and not pressurized air, the problem of dissipation of the content of the Product was alleviated to an extent, but not fully solved as will be detailed below. In addition, these machines are designed for larger pouches made from non-permeable materials, and the inventors concluded that none of the currently available machines could make the type of pouch size desired using food-grade permeable paper.

 The type of machine which came nearest to accomplishing the creation of the Product was the type used to create non-permeable “stick packs” for other types of powders. Initially, the idea at the time was to use the same machine, adjust it for the dimensions of the pouch, and use permeable paper instead of the type of material typically used for stick packs.

 However, because the entire Product unit—including the pouch—is intended to be placed into a users mouth (as opposed to stick packs, in which the contents are consumed by tearing open the pouch and removing the contents before throwing the pouch away), the current Product design needed to use FDA-approved, food-grade permeable paper. This design imperative eliminated the use of any available vertical fill and seal machines due to the delicate, low tensile strength of the paper.

 Simply explained, previously available fill and seal machines use clamps to pull the bottoms of the package material down as they created each individual bag. Such a “clamp and pull” method works for the non-permeable materials typically used, since they have sufficient tensile strength to withstand such clamping and pulling. Such a clamp-and-pull machine would also likely work with certain tobacco pouch products that use permeable paper, since the permeable paper for tobacco products contains fiberglass and therefore has a higher tensile strength than the food-grade permeable paper of the Product. But since the Product contents are intended to be swallowed and tobacco pouch contents are not, it was not desirable to use paper containing fiberglass for the Product. The paper (as described below) is food-grade, FDA certified paper similar to that used for tea bags. As a result, when such a clamp-and-pull machine was used with the food-grade permeable paper of the Product, the low-tensile-strength paper tore under stress applied by the clamp-and-pull method, and usable pouches of the Product could not be obtained.

 In addition, a subsequent problem soon presented itself. Although the gravity-based system used to fill the permeable paper pouches is viable (whereas the pneumatic method is not), the gravity-based method still produces a dissipation of Product contents when the contents hit the bottom-sealed pouch. In other words, the force of the granular and/or powderized contents impacting the bottom of the pouch bag during production creates a dissipation, or “puff”, of the contents through the permeable paper. While this does not typically prevent an adequate amount of contents from being captured in the pouch, the airborne dissipated contents interfere with the heat sealing process of the machine. In particular, the contents of the Product include meltable substances that get sticky when heated, such as various sugars and sugar-like substances (e.g., honey; disaccharides like sucrose, maltose, and lactose; monosaccharides like glucose/dextrose, fructose, galactose; sugar alcohols like glycerol [3-carbon], erythritol [4-carbon], threitol [4-carbon], arabitol [5-carbon], xylitol [5-carbon], ribitol [5-carbon], mannitol [6-carbon], sorbitol [6-carbon], galactitol [6-carbon], fucitol [6-carbon], iditol [6-carbon], inositol [6-carbon; a cyclic sugar alcohol], volemitol [7-carbon], isomalt [12-carbon], maltitol [12-carbon], lactitol [12-carbon], maltotriitol [18-carbon], maltotetraitol [24-carbon], and polyglycitol). So if the dissipated contents are not captured at the point of escape from the pouch, then such dissipated contents may settle on the adjacent moving parts of the machine, which will seize or stick causing the machine to shut down. Such dissipated contents may similarly settle on the heat sealing mechanics of the machine, sticking thereto and blocking the equipment from adequately heat-sealing the pouch.

 A third issue encountered was the problem of inadequate settling of the contents of the Product. The contents, which are granular, drop into place through a length of paper which is sealed and cut into individual pouches. As it drops, the content sticks to the paper at varying points. The transverse top and bottom seals are heat-based and, when the seals are made on an area of paper that has the granular or powderized content stuck to it, several problems occur. First, the seal is compromised because the content in between the two plies of paper interferes with the seal. Second, the heat-sealing mechanism of the machine becomes compromised because the content adheres to the mechanism and causes it to stick. Third, the Product is compromised because the paper seals are not “clean”, and the aesthetics of the Product unit suffers. This “unclean” seal also results in the heat sealing mechanism burning the contents trapped within the seal, thereby producing an “off” taste, and potentially altering the nutrient-profile delivery of any such burned contents to a user.

 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As such, it is desirable to provide a new food-grade permeable paper pouch/sachet for oral and/or buccal delivery of granular and/or powderized contents, along with a machine and method for making the same.

 According to the present invention there is therefore provided a food-grade permeable paper pouch/sachet for oral and/or buccal delivery of granular and/or powderized contents, along with a machine and method for making the same, as described by way of example below and in the accompanying claims.

 In one embodiment of the invention there is provided an oral sachet designed to be placed in a users mouth, the oral sachet. The oral sachet includes permeable paper that does not contain fiberglass. The permeable paper forms a pouch that includes a top seal arranged at first end of the pouch, a bottom seal arranged at a second end of the pouch opposite from the first end, a vertical seal that extends from the top seal to the bottom seal, and a cavity located between the top seal and the bottom seal. Granular contents, including at least one granular or powdered component, are arranged within the cavity of the permeable-paper pouch.

 In another embodiment, the vertical seal protrudes from, and does not form part of, an interior surface of the cavity.

 In yet another embodiment, the permeable-paper pouch is formed from a single piece of the permeable paper.

 In a further embodiment, the oral sachet has a maximum thickness in a range of from 2-10 mm thick, a maximum width in a range of from 8-30 mm wide, and a maximum length in a range of from 8-100 mm long.

 In yet a further embodiment, the oral sachet has a maximum thickness in a range of from 2-8 mm thick, a maximum width in a range of from 10-25 mm wide, and a maximum length in a range of from 35-55 mm long.

 In another embodiment, the oral sachet has a maximum thickness in a range of 4-6 mm thick, a maximum width in a range of 15-25 mm wide, and a maximum length in a range of 40-50 mm long.

 In yet another embodiment, the oral sachet has a maximum thickness of around 5 mm thick, a maximum width of around 22 mm wide, and a maximum length in a range of 44-48 mm long.

 In a further embodiment there is provided a vertical form, fill, and seal (VFFS) machine for forming oral sachets and filling oral sachets with granular contents including at least one granular or powdered component. The VFFS machine includes a forming tube, a feed assembly, a vertical sealing device, a guide arrangement, and a transverse sealing device. The feed assembly is configured to feed a continuous sheet of non-fiberglass-containing permeable paper to the forming tube and to wrap the non-fiberglass-containing permeable paper around the forming tube. The permeable paper has an inside surface that faces toward the forming tube when the permeable paper is wrapped around the forming tube, an outside surface that faces away from the forming tube when the permeable paper is wrapped around the forming tube, a first edge surface that is arranged between the inside surface and the outside surface, and a second edge surface, opposite to the first edge surface, that is arranged between the inside surface and the outside surface. The vertical sealing device is disposed adjacent the forming tube, and is configured to form a sleeve from the permeable paper by sealing a first portion of the inside surface to a second portion of the inside surface to create a vertical seal, the first portion of the inside surface being adjacent to the first edge and the second portion of the inside surface being adjacent to the second edge. The guide arrangement is located downstream of the first sealing device and adjacent to the forming tube, and is configured to grip the vertical seal and pull the vertical seal in a downstream direction. The transverse sealing device is located downstream of the guide arrangement, and is configured to seal a third portion of the inside surface to a fourth portion and a fifth portion of the inside surface to create a bottom transverse seal that intersects the vertical seal, thereby forming a closed bottom end for a current sachet to be formed, each of the fourth and fifth portions being opposite to the third portion, with the fourth portion being adjacent to one side of the vertical seal and the fifth portion being adjacent to an opposite side of the vertical seal.

 In yet a further embodiment, the guide arrangement includes two rollers that abut each other and grip the vertical seal therebetween, the two rollers rotating in opposite directions to pull the vertical seal in the downstream direction.

 In another embodiment, the vertical sealing device is a heat sealer.

 In yet another embodiment, the transverse sealing device is a heat sealer.

 In a further embodiment, the VFFS machine further includes a suction device configured to capture airborne granular content that escapes from the permeable paper sleeve, when the sleeve is filled with granular content, by suctioning the escaped airborne granular content.

 In yet a further embodiment, the VFFS machine further includes a settling device configured to physically impact or vibrate the VFFS machine while the permeable paper sleeve is being filled with granular contents so as to settle the granular contents being filled into a bottom of the current sachet to be formed.

 In another embodiment, the transverse sealing device is also configured to, after creating the bottom transverse seal, seal a sixth portion of the inside surface to a seventh portion and an eighth portion of the inside surface to create a top transverse seal that intersects the vertical seal, thereby forming a closed top end for the current sachet to be formed, each of the seventh and eight portions being opposite to the sixth portion, with the seventh portion being adjacent to the one side of the vertical seal and the eight portion being adjacent to the opposite side of the vertical seal.

 In yet another embodiment, the transverse sealing device is also configured to form a bottom transverse seal for a next sachet to be formed simultaneously with the top transverse seal for the current sachet to be formed.

 In a further embodiment, the transverse sealing device includes a cutting device configured to cut the permeable paper at a location between the top transverse seal for the current sachet to be formed and the bottom transverse seal for the next sachet to be formed, thereby separating the current sachet to be formed from the next sachet to be formed.

 In yet a further embodiment a method is provided for forming oral sachets and filling oral sachets with granular contents including at least one granular or powdered component. The method includes feeding a continuous sheet of non-fiberglass-containing permeable paper to a forming tube and wrapping the non-fiberglass-containing permeable paper around the forming tube. The permeable paper has an inside surface that faces toward the forming tube when the permeable paper is wrapped around the forming tube, an outside surface that faces away from the forming tube when the permeable paper is wrapped around the forming tube, a first edge surface that is arranged between the inside surface and the outside surface, and a second edge surface, opposite to the first edge surface, that is arranged between the inside surface and the outside surface. Next, a sleeve is formed from the permeable paper by sealing a first portion of the inside surface to a second portion of the inside surface to create a vertical seal, the first portion of the inside surface being adjacent to the first edge and the second portion of the inside surface being adjacent to the second edge. Then the vertical seal is gripped and pulled in a downstream direction. After this step, a third portion of the inside surface is sealed to a fourth portion and a fifth portion of the inside surface to create a bottom transverse seal that intersects the vertical seal, thereby forming a closed bottom end for a current sachet to be formed. Each of the fourth and fifth portions are opposite to the third portion, with the fourth portion being adjacent to one side of the vertical seal and the fifth portion being adjacent to an opposite side of the vertical seal.

 In another embodiment, the gripping and pulling of the vertical seal includes gripping the vertical seal between two abutting rollers, and rotating the two rollers in opposite directions to pull the vertical seal in the downstream direction.

 In yet another embodiment, the vertical seal is formed by heat sealing the first portion of the inside surface to the second portion of the inside surface.

 In a further embodiment, the transverse seal is formed by heat sealing the third portion of the inside surface to the fourth portion and the fifth portion of the inside surface.

 In yet a further embodiment, the method includes capturing airborne granular content that escapes from the permeable paper sleeve, when the sleeve is filled with granular content, by suctioning the escaped airborne granular content.

 In another embodiment, the method includes physically shaking or vibrating the permeable paper sleeve while it is being filled with granular contents so as to settle the granular contents being filled into a bottom of the current sachet to be formed.

 In yet another embodiment, after creating the bottom transverse seal, a sixth portion of the inside surface is sealed to a seventh portion and an eighth portion of the inside surface to create a top transverse seal that intersects the vertical seal, thereby forming a closed top end for the current sachet to be formed. Each of the seventh and eight portions are opposite to the sixth portion, with the seventh portion being adjacent to the one side of the vertical seal and the eight portion being adjacent to the opposite side of the vertical seal.

 In a further embodiment, the method also includes forming a bottom transverse seal for a next sachet to be formed simultaneously with forming the top transverse seal for the current sachet to be formed.

 In yet a further embodiment, the method also includes cutting the permeable paper at a location between the top transverse seal for the current sachet to be formed and the bottom transverse seal for the next sachet to be formed, thereby separating the current sachet to be formed from the next sachet to be formed.

 It is noted that the features of the above-described embodiments are not exclusive to each other, and that any one of the above embodiments/features can be combined with one or more of the other embodiments/features to arrive at further embodiments.