Method and apparatus for expanding tobacco
US5865187A · kind A · utility
1Cited by
19References
14Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 23, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 23, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA24B3/182
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A tobacco expansion apparatus and method comprising a source of tower gas, an obloid transport duct (20), in communication with the gas source, a tobacco feeder (18) at a location along the obloid transport duct (20) and a separator (22) for recovering tobacco from the expansion apparatus. The tobacco feeder (18) is adapted to introduce tobacco uniformly across the width of the obloid transport duct (20). The apparatus improves the filling power of the processed tobacco and can be operated at higher production rates with less tobacco breakage, thereby improving tobacco yield.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.