Methods for encasing bodies including smokeless tobacco or a tobacco substitute with a polymeric casing can include coating a compressed body with microfibers, applying tubular casings to compressed bodies, printing netting and webs on compressed bodies, injection molding around compressed bodies, applying a webbing to compressed bodies, placing compressed bodies into a skin forming bath, and including thermoplastic polymers in a compressed body.

Methods for encasing bodies including smokeless tobacco or a tobacco substitute with a polymeric casing can include coating a compressed body with microfibers, applying tubular casings to compressed bodies, printing netting and webs on compressed bodies, injection molding around compressed bodies, applying a webbing to compressed bodies, placing compressed bodies into a skin forming bath, and including thermoplastic polymers in a compressed body.

Disclosed herein is an oral pouched product, such as an oral pouched smokeless tobacco product, which comprises a filling material, such as tobacco material, and a saliva-permeable pouch enclosing the filling material, the product having a rectangular shape with a maximum length and a maximum width, wherein the maximum width of the product is within the range of from 3 mm to 10 mm, the maximum length of the product is within the range of from 25 mm to 40 mm, the ratio of maximum length to maximum width is within the range of from 3 to 6, and the oral pouched product has a weight within the range of from 0.3 to 0.7 g.

The invention relates to a discharge control device, comprising a hopper (1) receiving a metered product amount where it is deposited, discharge control elements (3) movable between a closed position and an open position by driving means, and a fill tube (2) connecting the discharge control device with a fill nozzle of the form-fill-seal machine whereby a bag is filled with product, wherein the driving means of the discharge control elements (3) comprise a motor (7) driving the movement of one of the discharge control elements (3), and a synchronizing connecting rod (9) synchronizing the movement of the discharge control element (3) driven by the motor (7) with the other discharge control element (3).

The invention allows filling bags reliably and more quickly.

The invention relates to a discharge control device, comprising a hopper (1) receiving a metered product amount where it is deposited, discharge control elements (3) movable between a closed position and an open position by driving means, and a fill tube (2) connecting the discharge control device with a fill nozzle of the form-fill-seal machine whereby a bag is filled with product, wherein the driving means of the discharge control elements (3) comprise a motor (7) driving the movement of one of the discharge control elements (3), and a synchronizing connecting rod (9) synchronizing the movement of the discharge control element (3) driven by the motor (7) with the other discharge control element (3).

The invention allows filling bags reliably and more quickly.

Advanced ultrasonic welding components of Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,016 are readily incorporated into new form-fill-seal machines, but owners of existing machines utilizing heat-seal stations were unsuccessful at swapping the sealing packages. Retrofit kits to a replace heat sealing stations with an advanced ultrasonic sonotrode and anvil comprise: a housing; a linear rail fixed thereto; first and second bearing carriages being slidable upon the rail; and first and second fluidic muscles. Each of the fluidic muscles is mounted with a first end fixed to a respective housing wall, and a second end fixed to a respective bearing carriage, permitting actuation of each carriage through pressurization/depressurization of the muscles. The advanced anvil and sonotrode may be secured to respective carriages. In-line arrangements of anvil/sonotrode, bearing carriages, the first fluidic and second fluidic muscles provides a narrow profile, permitting side-by-side kit installations for retrofits accomplishing duplex sealing on a horizontal machine.

Methods for encasing bodies including smokeless tobacco or a tobacco substitute with a polymeric casing can include coating a compressed body with microfibers, applying tubular casings to compressed bodies, printing netting and webs on compressed bodies, injection molding around compressed bodies, applying a webbing to compressed bodies, placing compressed bodies into a skin forming bath, and including thermoplastic polymers in a compressed body.

Methods for encasing bodies including smokeless tobacco or a tobacco substitute with a polymeric casing can include coating a compressed body with microfibers, applying tubular casings to compressed bodies, printing netting and webs on compressed bodies, injection molding around compressed bodies, applying a webbing to compressed bodies, placing compressed bodies into a skin forming bath, and including thermoplastic polymers in a compressed body.

In a method for producing a product (5.1-5.3), containing a food in a skin (10), on a string, wherein successive products (5.1-5.3) are separated from one another by a tie-off region (3), a taut thread (4) should be wound around the tie-off region (3), multiple times over its length(S), and said thread should be continued from product (5.1-5.3) to product (5.1-5.3).

The abstract of the application is being replaced with a new abstract which meets the requirements of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. No new matter is being added and all changes are fully supported by the application and the application from which it claims priority. A clean copy of the abstract is included with this filing.