PAPER ELEMENT FOR PACKAGING USE, IN PARTICULAR A CIGARETTE PAPER

Abstract

The present disclosure refers to a paper element for packaging use including a base portion made of paper. The paper element includes an amount of cannabinoids.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A paper element for packaging use comprising: a base portion made of paper, the base portion made of paper comprising an amount of cannabinoids, said amount of cannabinoids being present in a surface layer applied to said base portion made of paper, said surface layer further comprising a matrix suited to incorporate said amount of cannabinoids.

17. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said amount of cannabinoids is present in a weight percentage comprising between 0.001% and 80% with respect to a weight of said paper element.

18. The paper element according to claim 16, further comprises an amount of terpenes and/or flavonoids.

19. The paper element according to claim 18, wherein said terpenes and/or flavonoids comprise natural terpenes and/or flavonoids obtained from plants and/or directly from a cannabis plant and/or synthetic terpenes and/or flavonoids.

20. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said amount of cannabinoids is present in a weight percentage comprising between 0.001% and 100% with respect to a weight of said surface layer.

21. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said matrix further incorporates said terpenes and/or said flavonoids.

22. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said matrix comprises one or more of the following resins: natural and/or modified and/or synthetic resins and/or natural and/or modified waxes and/or synthetic waxes and/or natural and/or synthetic dyes.

23. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said matrix comprises one or more of the following resins and/or additives: dextrins, molasses, starches, glycerol, glucose syrups, glycols, propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, orthophosphoric acid, glycerophosphoric acid and compounds derived therefrom with sodium, potassium and magnesium, hydrogenated glucose syrups, paraffins, animal and/or synthetic gelatines, shellac, collodion, cellulose acetate, ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and derivatives and hydrogenated thereof, carboxymethyl cellulose and derivatives thereof, gum arabic, agar-agar, alginic acid, sodium alginate, potassium alginate calcium alginate, tragacanth, carob seed powder, guar powder, polyvinyl acetate and hydrolyzed derivatives thereof, vinyl copolymers, vinyl ester acetate, glyoxal, cellulose and esterified and/or hydrogenated derivatives thereof, glycerol acetates, silica gel, polyethylene, triethylene glycol diacetate, ethyl citrate, ethylene and/or vinyl ester copolymers, hydrogenated polycyclopentadiene resins, natural and/or synthetic waxes, paraffin, styrene copolymers, polyisobutylene, vegetable and/or animal oils and/or fats.

24. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said surface layer is spread on said base portion made of paper.

25. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said amount of cannabinoids comprises one or more of the cannabinoids present in a cannabis plant and in all existing varieties of the plant, wherein said amount of cannabinoids comprises one or more of the following cannabinoids: principal tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, 9-THC), cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabinol (CBN), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabielsoin (CBE), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabinidiol (CBND), cannabitriol (CBT), cannabivarin (CBV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabicromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monoethyl ether (CBGM), tetrahydrocannabiforol (THCP), cannabidiforol (CBDP).

26. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said paper element comprises a cigarette paper or a filter paper for infusions or a food packaging paper.

27. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said amount of cannabinoids is present in a weight percentage comprising between 0.01% and 50% with respect to a weight of said paper element.

28. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said amount of cannabinoids is present in a weight percentage comprising between 0.1% and 30% with respect to a weight of said paper element.

29. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said amount of cannabinoids is present in a weight percentage comprising between 0.1% and 50% with respect to a weight of said surface layer.

30. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said amount of cannabinoids is present in a weight percentage comprising between 1% and 30% with respect to a weight of said surface layer.

31. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said matrix comprises one or more of the following resins: cellulose resins, acrylic resins, vinyl resins, soy base, caseins, alginates, plasticizers, and/or waxes.

32. The paper element according to claim 16, wherein said matrix comprises one or more of the following resins: cellulose esters and/or cellulose ethers, glycerol acetates, and/or waxes.

33. A method for making a paper element for packaging use comprising: adding a predetermined amount of cannabinoids to a base portion made of paper, comprising spreading a mixture comprising said predetermined amount of cannabinoids over said base portion made of paper; and making said mixture by mixing said predetermined amount of cannabinoids with a matrix.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein said adding a predetermined amount of cannabinoids comprises a step of spreading a mixture comprising parts of the cannabis plant such as leaves and/or branches and/or stem and/or flowers and/or pollen, called kief, and/or resin, called hashish, containing said amount of cannabinoids.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein said spreading said mixture is carried out by means of one of the following processes: size press, film press, kiss coating, reverse roll coating, spray, rotogravure, Mayer bar, knife over roll, extrusion, metering rod, Mayer bar coating, knife over roll coating, comma coating, reverse roll coating, knife over roll costing, hot melt costing, extrusion coating, slot orifice coating, calendaring, immersion/dip coating, curtain costing, flexographic, screen, letterpress, digital and offset printing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Further advantages, objects and features as well as embodiments of the present invention are defined in the claims and will be clarified hereinafter by means of the following description, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawing tables. In particular, in the figures:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an axonometric view of a paper element for packaging use used to make a cigarette according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows the paper element of FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the paper element of FIG. 2;

[0036] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment variant of the paper element for packaging use for making a bag for infusions according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0037] Although the present invention is described below with reference to the embodiments thereof represented in the drawing tables, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below and represented in the drawing tables.

[0038] On the contrary, the embodiments described and represented in the drawing tables clarify certain aspects of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims.

[0039] The present invention has proved particularly advantageous in relation to making cigarettes. More preferably the present invention has proved particularly advantageous in making papers used for making cigarettes. It should be noted, however, that the present invention is not limited to a use of such type. The present invention is in fact conveniently applied in cases where it is necessary for a person to take a cannabinoid.

[0040] With reference to FIG. 1 there is shown a preferred use of the paper element according to the invention, indicated overall with the number 10, for making a cigarette 1.

[0041] According to the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the cigarette 1 is made manually, i.e. by using the paper element 10, hereinafter indicated for simplicity's sake also with the term paper, a filling material 4, normally tobacco, and a filter 6.

[0042] In embodiment variants, not illustrated, the cigarette can be constituted differently, for example without the use of the filter and/or packaged automatically, for example by means of an automated plant of known type.

[0043] The paper element 10 comprises first of all a base portion made of paper 12, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0044] The paper base 12 may comprise any known paper typically made of fibrous particles of vegetable nature, for example made of wood and/or of cellulose pulp and/or using vegetables of different type, such as for example rice and/or bamboo and/or flax and/or hemp.

[0045] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the paper base 12, which defines the shape of the paper element 10, preferably has a rectangular shape particularly suitable for packaging a cigarette paper. It is evident that in embodiment variants the surface extension, or shape, of the paper base may be different and suitable for the final use of the paper element of the invention.

[0046] According to one aspect of the present invention, the paper element 10 comprises an amount of cannabinoids.

[0047] The cannabinoids preferably comprise substances that are obtained from the cannabis plant, or hemp. The cannabinoids may preferably be extracted from various parts of the plant, for example from the leaves and/or the flowers and/or the pollen (Kief). The amount of cannabinoids used according to the invention can be obtained by directly using the leaves and/or the flowers and/or the pollen (Kief) obtained starting from the respective part of the plant suitably dried and micronized and available in the form of pieces and/or powder.

[0048] In general, said cannabinoids comprise one or more of the cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant, or hemp, and in all existing varieties of the plant.

[0049] The cannabinoids may further be available in other forms, such as for example in the form of (solid) crystals or oils.

[0050] Usable cannabinoids include, for example, one or more of the following cannabinoids: principal tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, 9-THC), cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabinol (CBN), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabielsoin (CBE), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabinidiol (CBND), cannabitriol (CBT), cannabivarin (CBV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabicromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monoethyl ether (CBGM), tetrahydrocannabiforol (THCP), cannabidiforol (CBDP).

[0051] According to one aspect of the present invention, the amount of cannabinoids is present in a weight percentage included between 0.001% and 80% with respect to the weight of the paper element 10, preferably in a weight percentage included between 0.01% and 50% with respect to the weight of the paper element 10, more preferably in a weight percentage included between 0.1% and 30% with respect to the weight of the paper element 10.

[0052] Preferably, the cannabinoids are evenly distributed in the paper element 10, more preferably evenly distributed considering the surface extension of the paper element 10.

[0053] According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the figure, said amount of cannabinoids is present in a surface layer 20 applied on one side of the base portion made of paper 12. The surface layer 20, as better described below, comprises said amount of cannabinoids and a matrix suited to receive and fix the cannabinoids to the base portion made of paper.

[0054] In one embodiment variant, not illustrated, said amount of cannabinoids may be present in two surface layers applied to both sides of the base portion made of paper.

[0055] Preferably, the cannabinoid-containing surface layer 20 is constituted by a continuous layer that involves the entire surface of the side of the base portion made of paper 12 to which it is applied. In embodiment variants, however, said surface layer may constituted by a layer that involves one or more areas of lower surface with respect to the total surface of the paper base. For example, the surface layer may be constituted by a striped layer or polka dotted layer or other surface layer.

[0056] For ease of description, the thicknesses of the base portion made of paper 12 and of the surface layer 20 are merely indicative, as are the proportions therebetween. The thickness of the base portion made of paper 12 may preferably range from 1 to 300 micrometres and the thickness of the surface layer 20 may preferably range from 0.01 to 100 micrometres.

[0057] As mentioned above, the surface layer 20 preferably comprises a matrix suited to receive and fix cannabinoids to the base portion made of paper 12.

[0058] Said matrix preferably comprises one or more elements mixed together suited to incorporate said amount of cannabinoids.

[0059] This matrix allows, in particular, to spread the desired amount of cannabinoids during the steps of making the paper element 10 of the invention, depending on the type of technology used for making it, as indicated below.

[0060] Preferably, said matrix comprises at least one resin and/or additives.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment, said resin comprises one or more of the following resins: natural and/or modified and/or synthetic resins and/or natural and/or modified waxes and/or synthetic waxes and/or natural and/or synthetic dyes. More preferably, such resin comprises one or more of the following resins: cellulose resins, acrylic resins, vinyl resins, soy base, caseins, alginates, plasticizers, waxes. More preferably, said resin comprises one or more of the following resins: cellulose esters and/or cellulose ethers, glycerol acetates, waxes.

[0062] Resins and/or additives usable for the purpose may further comprise one or more of the following elements: dextrins, molasses, starches, glycerol, glucose syrups, glycols, propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, orthophosphoric acid, glycerophosphoric acid and compounds derived therefrom with sodium, potassium and magnesium, hydrogenated glucose syrups, paraffins, animal and/or synthetic gelatines, shellac, collodion, cellulose acetate, ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and derivatives and hydrogenated thereof, carboxymethyl cellulose and derivatives thereof, gum arabic, agar-agar, alginic acid, sodium alginate, potassium alginate, calcium alginate, tragacanth, carob seed powder, guar powder, polyvinyl acetate and hydrolyzed derivatives thereof, vinyl copolymers, vinyl ester acetate, glyoxal, cellulose and esterified and/or hydrogenated derivatives thereof, glycerol acetates, silica gel, polyethylene, triethylene glycol diacetate, ethyl citrate, ethylene and/or vinyl ester copolymers, hydrogenated polycyclopentadiene resins, natural and/or synthetic waxes, paraffin, styrene copolymers, polyisobutylene, vegetable and/or animal oils and/or fats.

[0063] The actual composition of the used matrix depends primarily on the process used for making the paper 10, as described below.

[0064] As described above, the cannabinoids are incorporated into the matrix to define the surface layer 12. The cannabinoids are present in a weight percentage included between 0.001% and 100% with respect to the weight of the surface layer 20, preferably in a weight percentage included between 0.1% and 50% with respect to the weight of said surface layer 20, more preferably in a weight percentage included between 1% and 30% with respect to the weight of said surface layer 20.

[0065] According to another aspect of the present invention, the paper element 10 further comprises an amount of terpenes and/or flavonoids. Preferably, said terpenes and/or flavonoids are terpenes and/or flavonoids extracted together with the cannabinoids starting from the cannabis plant, as described above. In a first embodiment variant, natural terpenes and/or flavonoids obtained from other plants may be used.

[0066] In one embodiment variant, synthetically obtained terpenes and/or flavonoids may be used.

[0067] Preferably, said terpenes and/or flavonoids are present in a weight percentage included between 0.001% and 99% with respect to the weight of the paper element 10, preferably in a weight percentage included between 0.001% and 50% with respect to the weight of the paper element 10, more preferably in a weight percentage included between 0.001% and 25% with respect to the weight of the paper element 10.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment, the terpenes and/or the flavonoids are also incorporated into the surface layer 20, more preferably within said matrix.

[0069] The process for making the paper element 10 according to the invention therefore provides for adding a predetermined amount of cannabinoids to a base portion made of paper 12.

[0070] With reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated and described above wherein the paper element 10 comprises a base portion made of paper 12 and a surface layer 20, the process for making the paper element 10 provides that the step of adding the predetermined amount of cannabinoids is obtained by spreading a mixture comprising a matrix with the selected amount of cannabinoids over the base portion made of paper 12. As mentioned above, the mixture preferably is constituted by resin, cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, in the respective amounts indicated above and/or parts of the plant such as leaves and/or branches and/or stem and/or flowers and/or pollen (kief) and/or resin (hashish) that already contain in various and different percentages the cannabinoids and/or terpenes and/or flavonoids of cannabis may be incorporated into the matrix.

[0071] In order to make the paper element 10 it is therefore advantageously possible to use one of the processes of known type that allow spreading a layer of a material, for example a mixture with resin, above the paper film.

[0072] The processes known in the state of the art include: size press, film press, kiss coating, reverse roll coating, spray, rotogravure, Mayer bar, knife over roll, extrusion, metering rod, Mayer bar coating, knife over roll coating, comma coating, reverse roll coating, knife over roll coating, hot melt coating, extrusion coating, slot orifice coating, calendaring, immersion/dip coating, curtain coating, flexographic, screen, letterpress, digital and offset printing.

[0073] In the illustrated and described embodiment, therefore, the predetermined amount of cannabinoids is preferably present within a surface layer associated with at least one side of the base portion made of paper.

[0074] In embodiment variants, however, the predetermined amount of cannabinoids is preferably present within the base portion made of paper itself.

[0075] For example, in an alternative process for making the paper element of the invention it is envisaged to impregnate/spread a base portion made of paper with a mixture containing a carrier liquid, e.g. an alcohol, and a predetermined amount of cannabinoid, e.g. by dissolving CBD (cannabidiol) crystal in the carrier liquid. At the end of the process, the base portion made of paper contains the desired amount of cannabinoid.

[0076] In another alternative process for making the paper element of the invention it is envisaged dispersing the desired predetermined amount of cannabinoids directly into the raw material, e.g. cellulose pulp, during the production process of the base portion made of paper. At the end of the process, the base portion made of paper contains the desired amount of cannabinoid.

[0077] According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the person smoking the cigarette 1 takes the cannabinoids present in the paper 10 by sucking up the smoke generated by the combustion of the paper 10 itself.

[0078] The person will therefore be able to benefit from the positive effects of the cannabinoids on his or her body, such as for example analgesic, relaxing, anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic, anti-tumour, soothing or antioxidant effects.

[0079] FIG. 4 shows a paper element 110 according to the present invention used for packaging a bag for infusions 101.

[0080] The paper element 110, which can be made as described above, constitutes in this case the filter paper used for the packaging of the infusion product, for example tea leaves, wrapped therein.

[0081] Preferably, the amount of cannabinoid within the paper element 110 is evenly distributed and incorporated into the base portion made of paper 112.

[0082] Advantageously, during the preparation of an infusion the cannabinoids are released from the bag 101 inside the beverage being prepared to then be taken by the person who drinks it.

[0083] From what described above, the paper element of the invention is therefore used for packaging a product, for example tobacco in the case of the cigarette or tea leaves in the case of the tea bag.

[0084] In embodiment variants, the paper element is advantageously usable for packaging other products, preferably food products, through which the person by feeding on them is able to assimilate the cannabinoid contained in the paper element.

[0085] For example, the paper element can be used to package a foodstuff such as a snack or cheese, etc. in such a way that the contact between the paper element and the foodstuff allows the transfer of the cannabinoid to the foodstuff itself allowing its intake by the person who subsequently feeds on said foodstuff.

[0086] From what has been described, it can therefore be inferred that the paper element of the invention makes it possible to achieve the intended purpose and in particular it proposes a new way of taking cannabinoids for a person.

[0087] While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular embodiments represented in the figures, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments represented and described; on the contrary, further variants of the described embodiments fall within the scope of the present invention, which scope is defined by the claims.