The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 29, 1982
Filed:
Sep. 05, 1979
Larry M Sykes, Richmond, VA (US);
Ray G Snow, Richmond, VA (US);
Roger Z de la Burde, Powhatan, VA (US);
Patrick E Aument, Richmond, VA (US);
Philip Morris Incorporated, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
This invention relates broadly to an improved process for expanding tobacco and involves certain modifications of the basic process for expanding tobacco comprising the steps of (1) contacting the tobacco with liquid carbon dioxide to impregnate the tobacco with the liquid carbon dioxide, (2) subjecting the liquid carbon dioxide-impregnated tobacco to conditions such that the liquid carbon dioxide is converted to solid carbon dioxide and (3) thereafter subjecting the solid carbon dioxide-containing tobacco to conditions whereby the solid carbon dioxide is vaporized to cause expansion of the tobacco. The present invention pertains, in one embodiment, to an improvement in the basic process which involves controlling the moisture content of the tobacco which is employed in the first step of the basic process. A second embodiment of the present invention involves draining off excess liquid carbon dioxide, under controlled conditions, after the first step of the basic process and prior to the second step of the basic process. The present invention pertains, in a third embodiment, to an improvement which involves controlling the output moisture of the product which is recovered from the third step of the basic process. The present invention further relates to various combinations of the three embodiments set forth above and to an overall process which employs all three embodiments in a manner which permits exceptionally advantageous results.