Combustible heat sources used in smoking products and smoking products including thereon

Abstract

This invention relates to a combustible heat source composition for smoking articles, which does not contain binders or combustion inhibitors, wherein, relative to 100 parts by weight of the solid powder, it contains 1 to 5 parts by weight of a polyol. Smoking articles using a combustible heat source composed of the aforementioned composition are characterized by excellent ignition and flammability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a combustible heat source for smoking articles and smoking articles comprising the same. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, heated tobacco products have become more popular than combustible tobacco products. Unlike existing tobacco products, non-combustible tobacco products involve inhaling the aerosol generated by the heated tobacco product medium, rather than the medium itself. Tobacco products that use a carbon heat source are one type of heated tobacco product.

[0003] The smoking product using the above-mentioned carbon heat source generates an aerosol by transferring heat from the carbon heat source to the smoking product medium located downstream of the carbon heat source.

[0004] Smoking products that use carbon heat sources, unlike typical heated electronic cigarettes which require specialized equipment, offer a smoking experience similar to traditional smoking products, thus improving consumer convenience and satisfaction.

[0005] Existing technical documents Patent documents Patent Document 1: Korean Patent Publication No. 2020-0030364 Summary of the Invention The problem the invention aims to solve The purpose of this invention is to provide a combustible heat source with excellent ignitability and sustainable combustion, and a smoking product including said heat source.

[0006] means for solving problems The present invention provides a combustible heat source composition for smoking articles, which does not contain binders or combustion inhibitors, wherein, relative to 100 parts by weight of the composition, it contains 1 to 5 parts by weight of a polyol.

[0007] As an embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive may be selected from one or more of the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, ammonium alginate, pectin, carrageenan and guar gum.

[0008] In another embodiment of the present invention, the combustion inhibitor may be calcium carbonate.

[0009] In another embodiment of the present invention, the content of the polyol may be 1 to 3 parts by weight.

[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, the polyol may be glycerol or propylene glycol.

[0011] In another embodiment of the present invention, the polyol may be propylene glycol.

[0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, the heat source can be ignited within 30 seconds and the combustion lasts for more than 140 seconds.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention provides a smoking article comprising a combustible heat source composed of the aforementioned composition.

[0014] Invention Effects Existing combustible heat sources are mainly composed of charcoal, which has limitations such as being difficult to ignite and not easily able to sustain stable combustion. Therefore, this invention, in order to more easily ignite combustible heat sources and improve the moldability of the heat source to enhance combustion sustainability, utilizes polyols, resulting in a heat source composed of the composition of this invention exhibiting improved ignitability and combustibility compared to existing heat sources. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 A graph illustrating the combustion results of the combustible heat source prepared according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 A diagram showing the appearance of the heat source during combustion in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will now be described in detail to enable those skilled in the art to readily implement it. However, the present invention can be implemented in various forms and is not limited to the description herein.

[0018] In this article, "the length direction of a smoking article including a combustible heat source" means the direction in which the length of the smoking article including the combustible heat source extends or the direction in which the smoking article including the combustible heat source burns during combustion.

[0019] In this document, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are defined as follows: When a user inhales outside air using a smoking product containing a flammable heat source, the portion of the smoking product from the outside to the inside containing the flammable heat source is "upstream," and the portion of the smoking product from the inside to the outside containing the flammable heat source is "downstream." "Upstream" and "downstream" are used to indicate the relative position or direction between the various parts of the smoking product.

[0020] Currently, the demand for heated electronic cigarette products is constantly increasing. Most heated electronic cigarette products are devices with a [device + dedicated cigarette stick] structure. As a new type of smoking product, a product has been developed that installs a carbon heat source at the front end of the smoking product to provide a smoking experience similar to that of conventional smoking products. This invention aims to develop a combustible heat source that can provide a smoking experience (ignition, start-of-smoking time) similar to that of ordinary smoking products.

[0021] Existing charcoal-based combustible heat sources have limitations, including difficulty in ignition and the high burning rate after ignition leading to the destruction of the heat source's shape. To ensure stable ignition and combustion of combustible heat sources, existing heat sources use calcium carbonate as a combustion inhibitor and binder components to maintain the shape of the heat source, but problems such as producing large amounts of smoke and insufficient ignition still exist.

[0022] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a combustible heat source composition with excellent ignition and combustion duration, and a smoking article comprising the combustible heat source of the composition.

[0023] The present invention provides a combustible heat source composition for smoking articles, which does not contain binders or combustion inhibitors, wherein, relative to 100 parts by weight of the solid powder, it contains 1 to 5 parts by weight of a polyol.

[0024] Furthermore, the present invention can provide smoking articles comprising a combustible heat source composed of the aforementioned composition.

[0025] The invention will now be described in more detail.

[0026] The flammable heat source composition according to the invention does not contain binders or combustion inhibitors, and is used by adding polyols instead of said binders or combustion inhibitors. The heat source composition according to the invention is characterized by achieving easy ignition and stable combustion duration by including polyols.

[0027] In this invention, a polyol is added to the composition and used. By adding the polyol, combustible vaporization can occur after ignition by a heat source, thereby improving ignition properties and combustion duration. The polyol, which facilitates combustion, can be glycerol or propylene glycol.

[0028] Glycerin, a material used in the manufacture of smoking products, has a high flash point, ensuring safety during use. When glycerin is used, it provides flammable vapor to the heat source during combustion, showing an effect of promoting initial combustion; however, it is also confirmed that odors and smoke are produced during combustion. Therefore, in this invention, it has been confirmed that improvements can be made by using propylene glycol, which is similar to glycerin and has a low boiling point (※the boiling point of glycerin is 290°C / the boiling point of propylene glycol is 188.2°C).

[0029] The amount of the polyol can be 1 to 5 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of solid powder. It exhibits excellent ignitability and combustion persistence within the above range, and more preferably, when used in an amount of 1 to 3 parts by weight, it can be rapidly ignited and sustain stable combustion.

[0030] The heat source of the present invention is characterized in that it does not contain any adhesive components or combustion inhibitors. The adhesive may be carboxymethyl cellulose, ammonium alginate, pectin, carrageenan, guar gum, etc. Although the adhesive is used to maintain the shape of the heat source, it may produce smoke during combustion. Therefore, in the present invention, the shape of the heat source can be maintained and the combustion continuity of the heat source can be maintained by using polyols instead of including the aforementioned components in the heat source.

[0031] Furthermore, the combustion inhibitor can be calcium carbonate, and since the combustion inhibitor affects the combustion duration of the combustor and should be used in relatively large quantities, in this invention, an ignition accelerator is used to create a heat source with excellent ignitability and combustion duration. The ignition accelerator can be potassium nitrate, sugar, etc.

[0032] More specifically, the composition may contain 1 to 10% by weight of graphite, 5 to 12% by weight of potassium nitrate, 1 to 9% by weight of sugar, 5 to 10% by weight of aluminum powder, and the balance being charcoal.

[0033] The charcoal, as the main material of the heat source, is the fuel that sustains combustion after being ignited. The charcoal content is preferably 50% by weight or more relative to 100% solid powder; when the content is 50% by weight or more, the required temperature for continuous smoking for more than 3 minutes can be maintained.

[0034] The graphite is used to increase the density of the heat source, which helps maintain combustion. The content of the graphite can be 1-10% by weight. When the content is less than 1% by weight, the combustion duration will be reduced due to insufficient heat source density; when the content exceeds 10% by weight, the ignitability will be affected due to excessive density.

[0035] The potassium nitrate is used as a combustion improver, and the sugar is used as a complexing agent. Using 5 to 12% by weight of the potassium nitrate and 1 to 9% by weight of the sugar, it is preferable to contain less than 20% by weight of the potassium nitrate and sugar relative to the total weight, in terms of flammability and smoke production.

[0036] The sugar is a sugar alcohol, such as sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, maltitol, lactitol, erythritol, reduced paraffinose, or reduced starch syrup. Preferably, mannitol, which has low hygroscopicity, is suitable for use as a heat source.

[0037] The aluminum affects the temperature of the combustion medium and is used in amounts of 5 to 15% by weight, thus ensuring that the smoking product with the applied heat source can maintain a suitable temperature during smoking. When the aluminum is used in amounts below 5% by weight, the ability to maintain the heat source temperature may be reduced, and when it is used in amounts exceeding 15% by weight, ignitability may be affected.

[0038] The heat source can be ignited within 30 seconds and continue to burn for more than 140 seconds. The diameter of the heat source having the above-mentioned ignition and burning time can be 5 to 10 mm, and the length can be 8 to 15 mm, but is not limited to these.

[0039] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the combustible heat source is made by mixing the composition and pre-forming the mixture into a desired shape, for example, by any suitable known ceramic forming method such as slip casting, extrusion molding, injection molding, compression molding, or stamping.

[0040] Preferably, a stamping or extrusion molding process is used to form the flammable heat source. Most preferably, a stamping process is used to form the flammable heat source.

[0041] Preferably, the combustible heat source may have a concentration between approximately 0.8 g / cm³. 3 Approximately 3.0 g / cm³ 3 The apparent density of the combustible heat source is preferably between about 300 mg and about 500 mg, more preferably between about 400 mg and about 450 mg.

[0042] The combustible heat source may be a cylinder with a circular cross-section, or a cone, or a cylinder or cone with an elliptical cross-section, but is not limited to these.

[0043] Furthermore, the present invention can provide smoking products that utilize the aforementioned heat source.

[0044] The term "smoking article" can refer to any inhalable product or product that provides a smoking experience, regardless of whether it is based on cigarettes, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or cigarette substitutes. For example, the term "smoking article" refers to inhalable products that can generate aerosols, such as cigarettes, cigars, and cigarillos.

[0045] The smoking article may include a combustible heat source, a medium, a thermally conductive packaging material, cigarette paper, a cooling section, and a filter rod, all composed of the aforementioned composition. The combustible heat source, medium, cooling section, and filter rod are arranged sequentially along the length direction. Except for the combustible heat source being located upstream, the order of the other components can be freely changed. In addition, other configurations may be included, or one or more of the above configurations may be omitted. The diameter of the smoking article may be 4 mm to 10 mm, and the circumference may be 14 mm to 29 mm. Alternatively, the length may be 45 mm to 100 mm.

[0046] The medium portion may include at least one of tobacco shreds, tobacco sheet shreds, tobacco leaves, expanded smoking articles, and nicotine extracts. The medium portion may contain nicotine. In addition to the medium portion, it may also contain aerosol-generating substances. Aerosol-generating substances include esters of polyols such as polyols, glycerol monoacetate, glycerol diacetate, or glycerol triacetate, and aliphatic esters of monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, or polycarboxylic acids such as dodecanedioate and tetradecanedioate. More specifically, for example, it may include at least one of glycerol, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. For example, the medium portion may include tobacco sheet shreds soaked in glycerol. However, the above are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0047] The length of the medium portion can be between about 5 mm and about 20 mm, more preferably between about 8 mm and about 12 mm. The medium portion is wrapped in paper or other packaging material and can be formed in the shape of a plug or segment, containing a substance that releases volatile compounds upon heating. As described above, when the medium portion is formed as a plug or segment, the entire plug or segment, including any packaging material, can be considered as the medium portion.

[0048] The cooling section may contain a cooling material. The cooling section includes a hollow tube with an open end, capable of cooling the airflow passing through the heat source and the medium section. The cooling section may be made of a polymeric material or a biodegradable polymeric material and may have a cooling function. For example, the cooling section may be paper, cardboard, plastic, such as cellulose acetate, ceramic, and combinations thereof. Further, the cooling section may include a corrugated sheet made of a material selected from the group consisting of metal foil, polymeric materials, and substantially non-porous paper or cardboard. In some embodiments, the aerosol cooling element may include a corrugated sheet made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose acetate (CA), and aluminum. The length of the cooling section may be between 5 mm and about 30 mm, more preferably between about 8 mm and about 25 mm, and the length can be freely adjusted according to the temperature of the heat generated by the heatable heat source.

[0049] The filter rod portion includes filter material, and its shape is not limited. For example, the filter rod portion can be a cylindrical rod or a hollow tubular rod. Alternatively, it can be an embedded rod. If the filter rod portion is formed in multiple segments, at least one of the segments can be of other shapes. For example, the filter rod portion may include, but is not limited to, a fibrous, filamentous, or both of the following filter rod fibers: polymer, paper, cellulose acetate, activated carbon, and carbon. For example, the length of the filter rod portion can be from 5 mm to 20 mm.

[0050] In addition, it may include a tipping paper that wraps the filter material and comes into contact with the mouth. The tipping paper may have one or more perforations.

[0051] The filter rod section can produce a fragrance. For example, the fragrance liquid can be sprayed onto the filter material, or individual fibers coated with the fragrance liquid can be inserted into the filter rod section.

[0052] The cooling section and filter section may contain an aerosol modifier. For example, one or more of the cooling section, filter section, and tipping paper of the smoking article of the present invention may contain at least one aerosol modifier. Suitable aerosol modifiers include, but are not limited to, flavoring agents and chemesthetic agents. The flavoring agent is any substance that adds one or more of the taste or aroma to the cigarette material and the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substances in the smoking article during use.

[0053] Furthermore, the cigarette paper is made of cellulose fibers obtained from wood, flax, or other materials, and can wrap the media portion, or the entire smoking article including the media portion, or wrap other parts except for the filter portion. The thickness of the base paper of the cigarette paper can be from about 30 μm to about 100 μm, and the basis weight of the base paper can be about 15 g / m³. 2 Approximately 80g / m 2 .

[0054] The downstream components of the smoking article of the present invention may also include at least one aerosol modifier as a flavoring agent and a chemiluminescent agent. For example, at least one of the cooling section and the filter section of the smoking article of the present invention may contain menthol or other flavoring agents that provide an icy sensation.

[0055] Furthermore, smoking articles including a flammable heat source may include a thermally conductive packaging material that encloses the flammable heat source and the medium portion. The thermally conductive packaging material may completely enclose the heat source and the medium portion, or it may enclose part of the heat source and part of the medium portion, or it may enclose part of the heat source and all of the medium portion. The thermally conductive packaging material transfers the heat generated by the flammable heat source to the cigarette material. The packaging material may be a metal foil packaging material such as aluminum foil, steel foil, iron foil, and copper foil; or a metal alloy foil packaging material. Any material that effectively transfers heat can be used without restriction.

[0056] A metal barrier can be formed between the heating heat source and the medium. Here, the metal barrier can prevent the flammable heat source from directly contacting the medium and can also prevent some components generated by the flammable heat source from moving into the medium.

[0057] The thickness of the barrier can be appropriately adjusted to achieve good smoke extraction performance. In some embodiments, the barrier thickness may be between about 10 micrometers and about 500 micrometers. The barrier may comprise one or more metallic materials that remain substantially thermally stable and non-combustible at the ignition and combustion temperatures of a flammable heat source. These materials are well known in the art and include, but are not limited to, aluminum, copper, stainless steel, and combinations thereof.

[0058] The embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that various modifications can be made to the embodiments, and the scope of this application is not limited to or restricted to the embodiments described below. All modifications to the embodiments, their equivalents, and even their substitutes are within the scope of this invention.

[0059] The terminology used in the embodiments is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope. Unless otherwise specified in the content, the term "single" includes the term "multiple". In this specification, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are used to express the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, constituent elements, accessories, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and do not exclude the possibility of the presence or additional addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, constituent elements, accessories, or combinations thereof.

[0060] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, shall have their ordinary meanings as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Terms commonly used, such as those defined in dictionaries, shall be understood as having their meanings in the relevant technical context and shall not be interpreted as idealized or overly formalized meanings unless explicitly defined in this specification.

[0061] Furthermore, in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used for the same constituent elements regardless of the drawing numbers, and repeated descriptions are omitted. In describing the embodiments, detailed descriptions of relevant well-known technologies are omitted when it is determined that such detailed descriptions would unnecessarily obscure the embodiments.

[0062] [Example] 1. Preparation of a combustible heat source A combustible heat source composition comprising charcoal, graphite, aluminum, potassium nitrate, and sugar was prepared according to the composition shown in Table 1 below. The heat source was formed into a cylinder with a diameter of 7 mm and a height of approximately 11 mm. The heat source materials were prepared according to the mixing ratio and then mixed using an atmospheric pressure mixer (THINKY ARE-310). During mixing, each material was added at 1500 RPM for 1 minute.

[0063] Add appropriate amounts of water or oil to the mixed powder according to the weight proportions shown in Table 1, and mix at 1500 RPM for 5 minutes. Divide the mixed sample into approximately 0.6 g portions and press them into cylinders using a press.

[0064] The pressurized sample was dried at 80°C for 30 minutes using a TGA (LECO's TGA791).

[0065] Table 1

[0066] 2. Confirm the combustion results of the flammable heat source. The prepared heat source was ignited and burned, and the results are shown in Table 2.

[0067] Table 2

[0068] The results in Table 2 show that good ignition and flammability were confirmed in the cases using the compositions of Examples 1 to 10. In particular, as... Figure 1 As shown, good combustion results were observed when the content of glycerol and propylene glycol was 2% by weight. Examples 1 to 10 all showed good combustion results, but when glycerol was used as the heat source (Examples 1, 3, 5, 7, 9), the smell and smoke of burning charcoal were produced.

[0069] In contrast, Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2, which contained moisture, showed reduced flammability and cessation of combustion.

[0070] Furthermore, in Comparative Examples 3 and 4, which contained CMC as a binder, combustion started slowly and produced a large amount of smoke; while in Comparative Examples 5 and 6, which contained calcium carbonate, combustion started slowly and produced a large amount of smoke / flame. In Comparative Example 7, which contained both CMC and calcium carbonate, combustion similarly started slowly and produced severe smoke.

[0071] Furthermore, in the cases of Comparative Examples 8 and 9, which contained 7% and 8% PG respectively, such as Figure 2 As shown, combustion begins rapidly, but produces excessive smoke / flame and exhibits heat source expansion.

[0072] While this disclosure includes specific examples, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made in these examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents. Suitable results may also be obtained if the described techniques are performed in a different order, and / or if the constituent elements of the described system, architecture, apparatus, or circuit are combined or arranged in different forms, or substituted by other constituent elements or equivalents.

[0073] Therefore, other embodiments, other examples, and equivalents of the claims should be interpreted as being included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A combustible heat source composition for smoking articles, comprising no binder or combustion inhibitor, characterized in that, Relative to 100 parts by weight of the flammable heat source composition, it comprises 1 to 5 parts by weight of a polyol. The combustible heat source composition contains potassium nitrate and sugar. The adhesive is selected from one or more of the group consisting of carboxymethyl cellulose, ammonium alginate, pectin, carrageenan and guar gum, and the combustion inhibitor is calcium carbonate.

2. The combustible heat source composition for smoking articles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The content of the polyol is 1 to 3 parts by weight.

3. The combustible heat source composition for smoking articles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The polyol is glycerol or propylene glycol.

4. The combustible heat source composition for smoking articles according to claim 3, characterized in that, The polyol is propylene glycol.

5. The combustible heat source composition for smoking articles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The combustible heat source composition also contains aluminum powder.

6. The combustible heat source composition for smoking articles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat source is ignited within 30 seconds and the burning continues for more than 140 seconds.

7. A smoking article comprising a combustible heat source comprising the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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