CHEWABLE PRODUCT FOR ORAL DELIVERY OF A SUBSTANCE, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

Abstract

A chewable product for oral delivery of a substance. The chewable product is an essentially homogenous portion of nonwoven fabric impregnated with the substance. For example, the chewable product may comprise a nonwoven fabric substrate having a matrix of interleaved fibres. The substance is held within the matrix and releasable therefrom by a chewing action. The nonwoven fabric substrate thus provides a frame for carrying the substance that is both resistant to chewing action (i.e. does not disintegrate when chewed, bitten or sucked) and capable of releasing the substance. The nonwoven fabric substrate may be formed by passing an initial web through a needle loom. The substance may be connected to fibres in the matrix by a binder.

Claims

1. A chewable product for oral delivery of a substance, the chewable product comprising: a nonwoven fabric substrate having a matrix of interleaved fibers; and a substance held within the matrix, wherein the substance is releasable from the matrix by a chewing action.

2. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the substance is substantially homogenously distributed throughout the matrix.

3. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the substance is connected to fibers in the matrix by a binder.

4. The chewable product of claim 3, wherein the binder comprises a food-grade substance.

5. The chewable product of claim 3, wherein the binder comprises any of vinyl acrylic copolymer, vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer and a vinyl acetate copolymer.

6. The chewable product of claim 3, wherein the binder is biodegradable.

7. The chewable product of claim 6, wherein the binder comprises polylactic acid (PLA) or poly(butylene succinate) (PBS).

8. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric substrate comprises staple fibers of viscose.

9. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric substrate comprises a mixture of staple fibers and thermoplastic fibers.

10. The chewable product of claim 9, wherein the thermoplastic fibers consist of any one or more of: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurethane, polylactic acid and polyamides.

11. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric substrate has a weight equal to or greater than 100 g/m.sup.2.

12. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric substrate has a wet strength equal to or greater than 5 N/cm in the cross direction and/or 30 N/cm in the machine direction.

13. (canceled)

14. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the substance comprises a carrier medium and an active agent.

15. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the substance comprises a pharmaceutical.

16. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven substrate is shaped as a tablet, pill or lozenge.

17. The chewable product of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven substrate has a thickness of 1-2 mm.

18. The chewable product of claim 1 further comprising packaging for sealable containing the nonwoven fabric substrate.

19. The chewable product of claim 18, wherein the packaging comprises any one of: a foil wrapper, a blister pack, a sealable container.

20. A method of manufacturing a chewable product for oral delivery of a substance, the method comprising: forming an initial web of nonwoven fibers; passing the initial web through a needle loom to form a matrix of interleaved fibers; applying a substance to the web, whereby the substance is held within the matrix and releasable therefrom by a chewing action; and cutting the web into a plurality of individual portions.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the initial web is formed using a dry-laid carding process.

22. (canceled)

23. The method of claim 20, wherein passing the initial web through a needle loom comprising penetrating the web with an array of needles at a stroke rate equal to or greater than 180 rpm.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the array of needles has a needle density equal to or greater than 400 needles/m.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the web passes through the needle loom at a speed in the range 2-7 m/min.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the nonwoven fibers comprise a mixture of staple fibers of viscose and thermoplastic fibers, and wherein the method further comprises heating the matrix of interleaved fibers.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein applying the substance comprises: dipping the matrix of interleaved fibers in a liquid containing the substance; and drying the matrix to remove excess liquid.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein applying the substance comprises: spraying the matrix with a liquid or powder containing the substance.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the substance comprises a carrier medium and an active agent, and wherein the step of applying the substance comprises binding the carrier medium to the matrix of interleaved fibers.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the carrier medium comprises any of vinyl acrylic copolymer, vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer and a vinyl acetate copolymer.

31. The method of claim 20 further comprising packaging the plurality of individual portions.

32. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Embodiments of the invention is discussed below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of apparatus for manufacture of a chewable product according to a method that is an embodiment of the invention;

[0040] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a chewable product that is an embodiment of the invention; and

[0041] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing of a chewable product that is an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION; FURTHER OPTIONS AND PREFERENCES

[0042] Discussed in detail below is apparatus and method for manufacturing a chewable product from nonwoven fabric that has a substance applied in or on it, wherein that substance is releasable from the nonwoven fabric by a chewing action when in a user’s mouth.

[0043] Herein, the term “chewing action” may mean any one or any combination of (1) presence of saliva, (2) presence of water, and (3) mechanical deformation. The ability to release the substance from the chewable product may arise any or any combination of this conditions.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an apparatus 100 for manufacturing a chewable product that is an embodiment of the invention. The chewable product is formed from a nonwoven fabric, which in FIG. 1 is fabricated using a dry-laid carded technique. However, it is to be understood that the invention may be used with nonwoven fabrics obtained using other types of manufacturing technique, including wet-laid or spun melt techniques.

[0045] In the apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1, a first conveyor 102 transports fibre bales 104 to a bale opener 106, which separates and blends the fibres from each bale. The fibre bales 104 may comprises bundles of any suitable staple fibre, such as regenerated cellulose (viscose) or the like. The bale opener 106 is connected to a feed hopper 108 that discharges the blended fibres as a loose fibre web 112 on a second conveyor 110. The loose fibre web 112 is conveyed to a carding machine 114 that combs the web to apply a desired orientation or plurality of orientations to the fibres in the web. The carding machine 114 thus outputs a carded web 116 on to a third conveyor 118.

[0046] In this example, the carded web 116 is then further consolidated by passing through a needle loom 120. The needle loom 120 is configured to perform needle punching on the carded web 116 in order to increase its structural integrity. The needle punching cause the fibres within the carded web 116 to become physically entangled, which increases the strength of the carded web 116.

[0047] In this example, the needle loom 120 is configured to output a needled web 122 having a weight greater than 100 g/m.sup.2. In one example, the needle loom 120 may comprise a plurality of needles each having a wire gauge in the range 32-38, arranged on the loom with a density equal to or greater than 400 needles/m.

[0048] The carded web 116 is fed into the needle loom 120 at an input speed, which is preferably in the range 2-7 m/min. The stroke rate of the needle array is controlled in conjunction with the speed of the web through the needle loom and the needle density to obtain the desired stitch density.

[0049] The needle loom 120 outputs a needled web 122. The needled web 122 may already be strong enough to form the chewable product. In one example, the needled web 122 may be rolled or otherwise gathered for transport to another location for the remaining steps in the process of forming the chewable product. In other examples, the needled web 122 may be subject to one or more further strengthening treatments. This may be done, for example, if the fibres in the needled web 122 comprise thermoplastic fibres. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the needled web 122 may be heated within a heater 124 or by passing the needled web 122 through heated calendar rollers to create or strengthen bonds between the thermoplastic fibres and the rest of the fibre matrix. As mentioned above, the thermoplastic fibres may consist of any one or more of: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurethane, polylactic acid and polyamides.

[0050] Heating the needled web 122 may act to further consolidate the fabric, e.g. by stiffening or increasing its density. The parameters of the heating step can be selected to ensure that the resulting fabric has a desired loft for use in the chewable product.

[0051] Following the needle punching process and the optional heating process, the nonwoven fabric is a precursor web 126 ready to receive a substance that is to be delivered by the chewable product.

[0052] The substance may be applied by any suitable means. Preferably, the substance is applied in a manner that causes it to permeate the precursor web 126 such that the resulting product has an essentially homogeneous distribution of the substance within it.

[0053] The substance may be applied in aqueous form, e.g. by dipping or spraying the precursor web 126 so that the substance impregnates or saturates the precursor web 126. Alternatively, the substance may be applied in the form of a powder, e.g. a dry granular material, which can be applied as a spray or via a roller. FIG. 1 illustrate a spray applicator 128 by way of example.

[0054] In some examples, the substance may be combined with a carrier or other excipient when applied to the nonwoven material. The carrier may be selected to assist attachment to the nonwoven material. For example, it may be a material that acts to bind to the nonwoven fibres. The binder may comprise a substance that complies with regulations on food contact. Such substances include vinyl acrylic copolymer, vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer and a vinyl acetate copolymer. The binder may also preferably consist or comprise a biodegradable material such as a polylactic acid (PLA) emulsion or a poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) emulsion.

[0055] In other examples, the substance may include an active agent (e.g. a pharmaceutical or the like), and the excipient may act as both a carrier for that active agent and as a means to assist in distributing it through the nonwoven matrix.

[0056] The sprayed web is then transported to a fourth conveyor 130 optionally via nip rollers (not shown), which may operate to remove or squeeze any excess liquid from the web. The sprayed web is then carried through a dryer 132.

[0057] The resulting fabric 134 may then be ready for final forming and packaging as the chewable product. These steps may be performed in the same or a different location to the manufacture of the nonwoven web and/or application of the substance. For example, after exiting the dryer 132, the resulting fabric 134 may be wound into a finished roll for transport elsewhere. The fabric 134 may also be subjected to other finishing processes, e.g. applying pigment or dye, or printing on to the fabric.

[0058] In FIG. 1, the resulting fabric 134 is conveying to a cutting device 136 that operates to divide the sheet-like fabric into a plurality of individual portions 138, each of which form a chewable product. Each individual portion may resemble a lozenge, tablet or pastille. Any suitable sheet cutting machine may be used for this purpose.

[0059] The plurality of portions 138 may subsequently be packaged. For example, each individual portion may be hermetically sealed, e.g. in a foil casing or blister pack.

[0060] FIG. 2 illustrates one example of a chewable product 140 that is an embodiment of the invention. The chewable product 140 in this example takes the form of a cuboidal lozenge, but it may be understood that other shapes can be used, e.g. cylindrical pill, disc-shaped tablet, etc. The chewable product 140 preferably resembles a conventional pastille or tablet.

[0061] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method 200 for manufacturing of a chewable product that is an embodiment of the invention. The method 200 may use the apparatus discussed above in relation to FIG. 1.

[0062] The method 200 begins with a step 202 of opening fibre bales and blending fibres with which a main substrate or matrix of the chewable product is to be formed. As explained above, the fibres may comprise regenerated cellulose (viscose) fibres, and may optionally include thermoplastic fibres (e.g. polypropylene or the like), e.g. in a proportion in the range 10 to 50 wtt of the blended fibres. The blended fibres are deposited in a loose layer.

[0063] The method 200 continues with a first web consolidation step 204, which in this example comprises carding the layer of blended fibres. The method 200 continues with a second web consolidation step 206, which in this example comprises needle punching the carded web in order to further interlink and strengthen the web, thereby making it resistant to break up under the types of mechanical deformation associated with the chewing, sucking, biting or the like.

[0064] The method 200 continues with a thermal consolidation step 208 in which the needled web is heated. This step may be optional. For example it may only be performed if the blended fibres include thermoplastic fibres. Heating the web may strengthen bonds between the thermoplastic fibres within the web, thereby further strengthening the fabric matrix.

[0065] The method 200 continues with a step 210 of applying the substance to be delivered when a chewable product formed from the nonwoven material is used. As mentioned above, the substance may be applied directly or together with a carrier medium, excipient or binder. The applying step may comprise impregnating the fibre matrix with a solution (e.g. aqueous solution) or slurry of the substance. The fibre matrix may be dipped, sprayed or otherwise coated in order to apply the substance.

[0066] The method 200 continues with a step 212 of drying the nonwoven material. The drying may be to drive off any remaining carrier medium (e.g. water) with which the substance was applied. Alternatively or additionally, the drying step may serve to ‘cure’ or set a binder that acts to secure the substance within the nonwoven fibre matrix.

[0067] The method 200 continues with a step 214 of cutting the dried sheet of nonwoven fabric containing the substance into individual portions, e.g. having desired dimensions for using as a chewable product. The method 200 continues with a step 216 of packaging the individual portions. The packaging step 216 may comprises individually wrapping each individual portion, e.g. in a foil wrapper or blister pack. Alternatively the packaging step may comprises filling sealable containers with a plurality of individual portions.

[0068] The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or in the following claims, or in the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for obtaining the disclosed results, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

[0069] While the invention has been described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments described above, many equivalent modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when given this disclosure. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of the invention set forth above are considered to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0070] For the avoidance of any doubt, any theoretical explanations provided herein are provided for the purposes of improving the understanding of a reader. The inventors do not wish to be bound by any of these theoretical explanations.

[0071] Any section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

[0072] Throughout this specification, including the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” and “include”, and variations such as “comprises”, “comprising”, and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

[0073] It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by the use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. The term “about” in relation to a numerical value is optional and means for example +/- 10%.