Tobacco articles with a resistive layer and associated aerosol generating assemblies

Abstract

The present invention provides a tobacco article (12) configured to operate with an aerosol generating device comprising a pair of electrodes, Tobacco articles (12) - a substrate layer extending along an article axis (X); - a resistive layer configured to generate heat when a current flows between the electrodes, the resistive layer extending continuously along the article axis (X) and along a transverse direction (Y) perpendicular to the article axis (X), a heat transfer surface disposed adjacent to the base layer for transferring heat generated by the resistance layer to the base layer; a first contact surface opposite the heat transfer surface, the first contact surface having a contact portion (44) designed to be in electrical contact with at least one of the electrodes; a resistive layer defining The present invention relates to a tobacco article (12) comprising a tobacco portion (15) comprising:

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tobacco article comprising a resistive layer. The present invention also relates to an aerosol-generating assembly comprising such a tobacco article.

[0002] In particular, the aerosol-generating assembly according to the present invention comprises an aerosol-generating device configured to operate with a tobacco article comprising a solid substrate or the like that is capable of forming an aerosol when heated. Thus, such a type of aerosol-generating device, also known as a non-combustion heating device, is adapted to heat rather than burn to generate an aerosol for inhalation.

Background Art

[0003] (Also known as a vaporizer) The popularity and use of risk reduction devices or risk modification devices has been rapidly increasing in recent years as an aid to assist habitual smokers who wish to quit smoking conventional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, and roll-your-own tobacco. In contrast to burning tobacco in conventional tobacco products, various devices and systems for heating or warming a vaporizable substance are available.

[0004] Commonly available risk reduction or risk modification devices are substrate-heated aerosol generators or heated non-combustion devices. These types of devices typically generate aerosols or vapors by heating an aerosol substrate, usually containing moist tobacco leaves or other suitable vaporizable material, to a temperature typically in the range of 150°C to 350°C. By heating the aerosol substrate rather than burning or igniting it, an aerosol is released that contains the components desired by the user but does not contain toxic and carcinogenic by-products from combustion and burning. Furthermore, aerosols generated by heating tobacco or other vaporizable materials typically do not contain the burnt or bitter taste that can be unpleasant to the user, and therefore the substrate does not require sugars and other additives that are typically added to such materials to make the smoke and / or vapor more palatable to the user.

[0005] To provide high user comfort, it is desirable to obtain rapid and efficient heating of the aerosol substrate. Several known aerosol generating devices that operate with tobacco articles have heaters configured to transfer heat to the aerosol substrate for heating. However, such heating methods may not be entirely efficient and may result in heat loss. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a tobacco article that can be heated in a rapid and efficient manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] For this purpose, the present invention is configured to operate in conjunction with an aerosol generating device comprising a pair of electrodes. Tobacco products And, A tobacco article extends along the article axis between the mouth end and the tobacco end, and comprises a non-tobacco portion adjacent to the mouth end and a tobacco portion adjacent to the tobacco end. The tobacco part, A base material layer extending along the axis of the article, A resistive layer configured to generate heat when an electric current flows between electrodes, extending continuously along the axis of an article and along a transverse direction perpendicular to the axis of an article, A heat transfer surface is provided adjacent to the base layer to transfer the heat generated by the resistive layer to the base layer when the resistive layer comes into contact with the pair of electrodes, A first contact surface located on the opposite side of the heat transfer surface, comprising a contact portion designed to electrically contact at least one of the pair of electrodes, and A resistive layer that defines the boundary This relates to tobacco articles that include the following features.

[0008] Thanks to these features, the resistive layer of the tobacco article can reliably heat the base layer. Because the resistive layer is included in the tobacco layer, it can efficiently transfer heat to the base layer and thus minimize heat loss. For example, the resistive layer may be positioned adjacent to the base layer to maximize their common contact surface. For example, the heat transfer surface may be defined by the base layer and extend along the entire surface facing the heat transfer surface.

[0009] In addition, the resistive layer extends continuously along at least one axis and at least one transverse direction perpendicular to the axis. It should be understood that the resistive layer "extends continuously" means that the resistive layer has no gaps or pores in the material forming the resistive layer along the corresponding axis / direction. The continuous extension of the resistive layer maximizes the contact area between its heat transfer surface and the substrate layer, thereby improving the efficiency of heat transfer to the substrate layer.

[0010] The tobacco article, and consequently the resistive layer, may have a flat shape. The tobacco article may, for example, have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this case, the transverse direction of its continuous extent is perpendicular to the article axis and corresponds to a linear axis extending in the plane defining the resistive layer. In other embodiments, the tobacco article and the resistive layer may have any other suitable shape, for example, a cylindrical shape with a substantially circular cross-section. In this case, the transverse direction may correspond to the circumferential direction of this shape.

[0011] The contact portion of the first contact surface is designed to make direct or indirect electrical contact with the corresponding electrode. In the case of direct electrical contact, the electrode touches the contact portion without penetrating the resistive layer. In the case of indirect electrical contact, an intermediate conductive material is sandwiched between the contact portion and the corresponding electrode without penetrating the contact portion.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the resistive layer includes a carbon-based material, and is preferably made from a carbon-based material.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the resistive layer contains charcoal, and preferably, the resistive layer does not contain a polymer.

[0014] Thanks to these characteristics, it is possible to achieve an electrical resistivity suitable for heating the substrate layer to a target temperature in the resistive layer. The resistive layer may contain carbon-based materials such as charcoal or graphite, thereby ensuring its electrical resistance. In such cases, the charcoal or graphite in the resistive layer may constitute 5% to 50%, preferably 8% to 40%, and more preferably 10% to 25% of its total mass.

[0015] The resistive layer may also contain non-carbon components such as glycerol, propylene glycol, gellan / xanthan gum, water, and CMC binder. These components can be mixed with carbon-based materials to form a homogeneous mixture.

[0016] In an alternative embodiment, the resistive layer may be made solely from a carbon-based material such as charcoal.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the resistive layer comprises graphite or consists of graphite.

[0018] The resistive layer can be made polymer-free. By excluding polymers from the resistive layer, it is possible to use a lower resistance, so that the voltage required to generate heat is lower, making it more suitable for handheld devices.

[0019] In any case, the resistive layer does not contain tobacco. This means that according to the present invention, only the base layer contains tobacco.

[0020] The resistive layer can be formed from particles such as charcoal particles aggregated by a binder. The binder can be a cellulose derivative or a gum. In particular, in order to manufacture such a resistive layer, first carbon-containing particles such as charcoal particles can be mixed with at least a binder and optionally water. In a preferred embodiment, this mixture forms a paste or dough, which can then be compressed into a layer. Next, the mixture can be solidified by curing and / or drying.

[0021] According to some embodiments, at least some of the resistive layer or its components are biodegradable. For example, the binder of the resistive layer can be biodegradable. Biodegradability can be defined as a biodegradation process under controlled composting conditions, for example, in accordance with the EN13432 standard.

[0022] Thanks to these features, the tobacco article has a smaller impact on the environment.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the electrical resistance of the resistive layer is included in the range of 0.5 ohm to 1.5 ohm, and preferably is substantially equal to 1 ohm.

[0024] Thanks to these features, the voltage required to generate the heat necessary to generate an aerosol is smaller.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the resistive layer extends along the article axis and the transverse direction substantially along the entire surface area defined by the substrate layer.

[0026] Thanks to these features, the substrate layer can be heated uniformly. Thereby, underheating regions and overheating regions that degrade the quality of the aerosol are avoided.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the article further comprises a wrapper that extends along the article axis and the transverse direction and wraps the substrate layer together with the resistive layer. The wrapper defines a window that defines the boundary of the contact portion of the first contact surface of the resistive layer.

[0028] Thanks to these features, the tobacco article is in a ready-to-use state as soon as it is taken out of the package. In particular, the contact portion can engage directly or indirectly with the corresponding electrode through the window formed in the wrapper, so that the user does not need to prepare the tobacco article before inserting it into the device.

[0029] In some embodiments, the window of the wrapper can be formed by an opening. In this case, the contact between the contact portion and the electrode is a direct contact. Thus, the contact portion forms an uncovered portion of the resistive layer. The wrapper can be made, for example, entirely of a non-conductive material.

[0030] In some other embodiments, the window can be formed by a conductive material (such as aluminum, etc.). In this case, the contact between the contact portion and the electrode is an indirect contact. The wrapper can be made, for example, of a non-conductive material incorporating a part of the conductive material forming the window. The conductive portion can be adhered, for example, to the non-conductive portion of the wrapper before wrapping.

[0031] According to some embodiments, the tobacco portion comprises only one substrate layer and only one resistive layer.

[0032] Thanks to these features, tobacco articles can form a compact shape while ensuring efficient heat transfer from the resistive layer to the base layer within the article.

[0033] According to some embodiments, the contact portion of the first contact surface is adjacent to the non-tobacco portion.

[0034] Thanks to these features, the contact area can be positioned at one of the ends of the resistive layer along the axis of the article. Thus, it is possible to maximize the area of ​​the resistive layer that generates resistance and, consequently, heat when current flows through it.

[0035] According to some embodiments, the resistive layer further defines a second contact surface that extends perpendicular to the article axis along the transverse direction at the cigarette-side end and is designed to contact the other electrode of the pair of electrodes.

[0036] Thanks to these features, the second contact surface can be left uncovered by the wrapper, as the wrapper extends generally around the article axis and does not cover the sides formed at each end of the article. In addition, the contact between the second contact surface and the corresponding electrode can be particularly reliable due to the insertion direction that presses the second contact surface against the electrode.

[0037] Advantageously, the second contact surface extends along only a portion of such a side. The rest of this surface is similarly formed by a substrate layer without a wrapper. Thus, an airflow path can be formed through the substrate layer along the axis of the article.

[0038] In some embodiments, the substrate layer has airflow channels formed on at least one of its surfaces. For example, airflow channels may be formed on the surface of the substrate layer that is in contact with the resistance layer. Thus, the airflow passing through these channels during user inhalation may be heated by the resistance layer. Conversely, airflow passing through airflow channels formed on the opposite surface of the substrate layer (i.e., the surface not in contact with the resistance layer) is not heated directly by the resistance layer, but only by passing through the substrate layer.

[0039] According to some embodiments, the article forms a substantially flat shape, Advantageously, the cigarette portion includes multiple airflow channels extending along the article axis.

[0040] A flat shape is advantageous in this invention because it maximizes the surface area of ​​the substrate portion that comes into contact with the resistive layer. In addition, the airflow channels defined above can be more easily arranged and geometrically and dimensionally defined in articles with a flat shape.

[0041] The present invention also, The above In any of the embodiments The listed tobacco products, Aerosol generating device, A cavity extending along the device axis and configured to receive a tobacco article, A pair of electrodes positioned in a cavity so as to be in contact with the resistive layer of the tobacco product and an aerosol generating device and The present invention relates to an aerosol generating assembly comprising the above.

[0042] According to some embodiments, the pair of electrodes comprises a first electrode positioned on at least one side wall of a cavity extending along the device axis and designed to contact a contact portion of the first contact surface of the resistive layer.

[0043] The first electrode may protrude slightly from the side wall of the cavity so as to abut the contact portion of the cigarette article when the cigarette article is inserted into the cavity. This improves the electrical contact between the first contact surface of the resistive layer and the first electrode. In some embodiments, the first electrode may be attached to an elastic element, such as a spring, which applies force to the first electrode to bring it into contact with the first contact surface.

[0044] According to some embodiments, the first electrode comprises two opposing portions positioned on opposing side walls of a cavity.

[0045] Thanks to these features, the tobacco article can be inserted into the cavity in at least two different orientations without affecting its operation. In particular, for a flat-shaped tobacco article, it is clear that there are two possible orientations for inserting the article into the cavity. By providing two opposing portions, the first electrode can always be in contact with the first contact surface of the resistive layer, regardless of how the article is inserted into the cavity.

[0046] According to some embodiments, the pair of electrodes further comprises a second electrode that at least partially forms a cavity abutment wall and extends perpendicular to the device axis.

[0047] The second electrode may extend along the entire area of ​​the corresponding side of the tobacco article. Thus, the second electrode may contact the second contact surface of the resistive layer, regardless of how the article is inserted into the cavity. In addition, the second electrode may define one or more holes for airflow through the substrate layer. If airflow channels are provided in the substrate layer, the holes of the second electrode are positioned to face these channels.

[0048] According to some embodiments, the aerosol generating device further comprises a controller configured to control the temperature of the substrate layer by measuring the electrical resistance of the resistive layer.

[0049] Thanks to these features, the operation of the aerosol generating device can be directly controlled using electrical resistance measurements. For example, the temperature of the substrate layer can be directly derived from these measurements. Therefore, there is no need to provide an additional sensor as a temperature sensor to ensure the control of the aerosol generating device.

[0050] The present invention and its advantages will be better understood by referring to the following description, which is given as merely a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0051] [Figure 1]This is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generating assembly according to the present invention, which includes an aerosol generating device and a tobacco article according to the present invention, the tobacco article being removed from the aerosol generating device. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tobacco product. [Figure 3] Figure 2 shows different views of the tobacco product (A: top view, B: front view, C: bottom view). [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of the tobacco article in Figure 2, along plane IV. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the aerosol generation assembly, with a tobacco product inserted into the device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0052] Before describing the present invention, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the structural details described below. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure that other embodiments are possible and that the present invention can be practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0053] As used herein, the terms “aerosol generating device” or “device” may include a vaping device for delivering an aerosol containing an aerosol for vaping to a user using a heater element, which is described in more detail below. The device may be portable. “Portable” may mean a device used when held by a user. The device may be adapted to generate a variable amount of aerosol (as opposed to a fixed amount of aerosol) by activating a heater element for a variable amount of time, for example, which may be controlled by a trigger. The trigger may be user-activated, such as a vaping button and / or an inhalation sensor. The inhalation sensor may be highly sensitive to inhalation intensity and duration, and may enable the delivery of a variable amount of vapor (to mimic the smoking effect of conventional combustion-type smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes). The device may include a temperature control unit for driving the temperature of a heated aerosol-generating material (aerosol precursor) to a specific target temperature and then maintaining the temperature at a target temperature that allows for efficient aerosol generation.

[0054] As used herein, the term “aerosol” may include suspended matter of vaporizable material as one or more solid particles, droplets, or gases. Such suspended matter may be in a gas, including air. As used herein, aerosols generally refer to / may include vapors. An aerosol may contain one or more components consisting of vaporizable material.

[0055] As used herein, the terms “vaporizable material” or “precursor” may refer to a smokeable material that may, for example, contain nicotine or tobacco and an aerosol-forming agent. Tobacco may take the form of various materials such as shredded tobacco, granular tobacco, tobacco leaves, and / or reconstituted tobacco. Suitable aerosol-forming agents include polyols (such as sorbitol and glycerol), glycols (such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol), non-polyols (such as monohydric alcohols), acids (such as lactic acid), glycerol derivatives, esters (such as triacetin), triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, glycerin, or vegetable glycerin. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating agent may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. The substrate may also contain at least one of a gelling agent, a binder, a stabilizer, and a water-retaining agent.

[0056] Figure 1 shows an aerosol generating assembly 10 including an aerosol generating device 11 and a tobacco article 12. The aerosol generating device 11 is intended to operate together with the tobacco article 12, which is shown in more detail in Figures 2 to 4.

[0057] The cigarette article 12 extends along the article axis X and a transverse direction Y perpendicular to the article axis X. In the examples of Figures 2 to 4, the cigarette article 12 has a flat shape, and its transverse direction Y is a straight axis perpendicular to the article axis X, forming a spreading surface of the cigarette article 12 together with this article axis X. It should be understood that such a “flat shape” of a cigarette article means that its depth (i.e., the dimension extending perpendicular to the spreading surface) is less than a fraction (e.g., at least one-fifth or at least one-tenth) of any other dimension of its spreading surface measured (e.g., length or width).

[0058] According to other embodiments, the tobacco article 12 may have any other suitable shape, for example, a cylindrical shape having a substantially circular cross-section. In this last case, the transverse direction Y is to be understood as the circumferential direction extending around the article axis X.

[0059] Referring to Figure 2, the tobacco article 12 extends along the article axis X and exhibits a rectangular parallelepiped shape having external dimensions L × W × D. In a typical example, the length L of the article 12 along the article axis X is substantially equal to 33 mm, while its width W and depth D are substantially equal to 12 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively. According to a different example, the values ​​L, W, and D can be selected within, for example, a range of ±40%. The depth D of the tobacco article 12 is formed by a pair of parallel walls 13A, 13B, which will hereafter be called narrow walls 13A, 13B, and the width W of the base material is formed by a pair of parallel walls 14A, 14B, which will hereafter be called wide walls 14A, 14B. In some embodiments, the edges between the wide walls and the narrow walls 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B may be rounded.

[0060] The tobacco article 12 comprises a tobacco portion 15 and a non-tobacco portion 16 arranged continuously along the article axis X. The tobacco portion 15 may be longer than, for example, the non-tobacco portion 16. For example, the length L2 of the tobacco portion 15 along the article axis X may be substantially equal to 25 mm, and the length L1 of the non-tobacco portion 16 along the article axis X may be substantially equal to 8 mm. These dimensions are given as examples only and can vary considerably depending on various examples of the invention. The tobacco portion 15 defines the tobacco end 18 of the article 12, and the non-tobacco portion 16 defines the mouth end 20 of the article 12. The tobacco portion 15 and the non-tobacco portion 16 are, Goods axisX can be secured to each other by a wrapper 21 extending around it. The wrapper 21 forms the narrow and wide walls 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B of the cigarette article 12. In some embodiments, the wrapper 21 is formed from the same packaging sheet. In some other embodiments, the wrapper 21 is formed from separate packaging sheets that separately package portions 15, 16 and are secured to each other by any other suitable means. The wrapper 21 may include, for example, paper and / or nonwoven fabric and / or aluminum foil. In some embodiments, the wrapper 21 is formed from a completely non-conductive material. In some other embodiments, the wrapper 21 is formed from a partially conductive material and partially from a non-conductive material, as will be described in more detail below. The wrapper 21 may be porous or air-impermeable and form a plurality of airflow channels extending inside the article 12 between the cigarette-side end 18 and the mouth-side end 20. Advantageously, the wrapper 21 extends perpendicular to the article axis X and does not cover the cross-sectional end faces 25, 26 of the tobacco article 12, which are formed by the tobacco portion 15 at the tobacco-side end 18 and the non-tobacco portion 16 at the mouth-side end 20, respectively.

[0061] The non-tobacco portion 16 comprises a core 27, also shown in part A of Figure 3, which corresponds to the top view of the tobacco article 12. The core 27 is intended, for example, to function as a cooler to slightly cool the vapor before it is inhaled by the user, and for this purpose may include, for example, corrugated paper. The core 27 may be formed into a stable shape by an extrusion and / or rolling process. Advantageously, the core 27 is positioned inside the non-tobacco portion 16 so as to be in full contact with the inner surface of the wrapper 21, as shown in part A of Figure 3, thereby defining the extent of this non-tobacco portion 16. In other words, there is no gap between the inner surface of the wrapper 21 and the core 27 in the non-tobacco portion 16. The non-tobacco portion 16 is intended, for example, to be in direct contact with the user's mouth or to be received within a separate mouthpiece.

[0062] In a particular embodiment of the present invention (not shown), the non-tobacco portion 16 defines a plurality of vents arranged along the entire circumference of the non-tobacco portion 16, for example, along two axes perpendicular to the article axis X. In other words, according to this particular embodiment, the vents are located on each wall of the substrate, which are narrow walls 13A, 13B and wide walls 14A, 14B. In another example, the vents are located only on the wide walls 14A, 14B, or preferably only on one of the wide walls 14A, 14B. In both examples, the vents may be aligned perpendicular to the article axis X on the corresponding walls of the article 12 or on each wall, and may be spaced at the same distance apart. The vents allow fresh air to flow into the inside of the article 12 to produce a particular vaping / taste effect. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, no vents are provided.

[0063] The tobacco portion 15 has a two-layer structure. As shown in part C of Figure 3, which corresponds to the bottom view of the tobacco article 12, and in Figure 4, which corresponds to its longitudinal cross-section, the tobacco portion 15 comprises a base layer 30 and a resistance layer 32. Advantageously, no other layers are provided in the tobacco portion 15.

[0064] The base layer 30 comprises a vaporizable material as defined above. In particular, the base layer 30 contains shredded tobacco and / or tobacco particles.

[0065] In possible embodiments, the substrate layer is formed of a compressed layer of aerosol material comprising an inhalable agent containing tobacco particles and / or stimulants and / or flavors, as described in International Publication No. 2021094365, a gelling agent for gelling the aerosol material, a disintegration inhibitor and / or a thickening stabilizer, and an aerosol forming agent. The gelling agent may be a non-protein-containing polysaccharide and / or may include gellan gum, lecithin, agar, and / or mixtures thereof. The aerosol forming agent may be present in an amount of 20 to 70% by weight of the total weight of the vaporizable material. The aerosol forming agent may be glycerol, propylene glycol, ethanol, water, or a combination thereof. The disintegration inhibitor and / or thickening stabilizer may be carboxymethylcellulose and / or hydroxyalkylated carbohydrates. Preferably, this is a purified CMC such as Ceroga 4550 C or CEOKOL 2000 (CERoeper GmbH).

[0066] The base layer 30 extends inside the cigarette portion 15 along the article axis X, forming two opposite-facing sides. In particular, the base layer 30 is positioned such that one of its sides contacts the wrapper 21 and the other side contacts the resistance layer 32. In some embodiments, the base layer 30 further comprises, for example, at least one or both of its surfaces, airflow channels extending along the article axis X. The airflow channels may be formed by extruding or stamping a vaporizable material.

[0067] The resistive layer 32 forms a layer that extends continuously along the article axis X and the transverse direction Y. For example, the resistive layer 32 may extend along the entire area of ​​the base layer 30. In particular, the resistive layer 32 is at least partially in contact with the base layer 30 and forms a heat transfer surface 34 designed to transfer heat from the resistive layer 32 to the base layer 30.

[0068] The resistive layer 32 includes an electrical resistive material that can generate heat when an electric current flows through it when it is engaged between two external electrodes. The resistive layer 32 may include a carbon-based material such as charcoal, thereby ensuring its electrical resistance. In such a case, the charcoal in the resistive layer may make up 5% to 50%, preferably 8% to 40%, and more preferably 10% to 25% of its total mass.

[0069] To engage between the two external electrodes, the resistive layer 32 defines a first contact surface 41 and a second contact surface 42.

[0070] The first contact surface 41 is located opposite the heat transfer surface 34 and comprises a covered portion covered by the wrapper 21 and a contact portion 44 designed to contact the external electrode. In particular, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the contact portion 44 may be formed by a portion of the first contact surface 41 facing a window 46 formed in the wrapper 21. In some embodiments, the window 46 may be formed by an opening in the wrapper. In this case, the contact portion 44 does not include the wrapper (i.e., forms an uncovered portion) and is designed to contact the external electrode directly. In some other embodiments, the window portion 46 is formed of a conductive material. In this case, the contact portion 44 is designed to contact the external electrode via the conductive material. Advantageously, the window 46 is formed on the broad walls 14A, 14B of the article 12 in the portion of the wrapper 21 covering the tobacco portion 15 adjacent to or on the boundary of the non-tobacco portion 16. The window 46 may have a rectangular shape and extend along the entire width of the corresponding broad walls 14A, 14B. The length L3 of the window 46 along the article axis X is, for example, at least 50%, advantageously 70%, preferably 80% or 90%, shorter than the length L2 of the cigarette portion 15.

[0071] The second contact surface 42 is formed by a portion of the resistive layer 32 that forms the cross-section 25 of the tobacco article 12 on the tobacco-side end 18 of the tobacco article 12. The second contact surface 42 is not covered by the wrapper 21 and extends perpendicularly to the first contact surface 41 at the opposite end of the resistive layer 32. Thus, the distance between the first contact surface 41 and the second contact surface 42 within the resistive layer 32 can be maximized.

[0072] Referring again to Figure 1, the aerosol generating device 11 comprises a device body 50 that defines a cavity 52 extending along the device axis Z and configured to at least partially receive a tobacco article 12. In particular, the cavity 52 forms a shape complementary to the shape of the tobacco article 12. In addition, for a flat tobacco article, the cavity 52 is configured to receive the tobacco article 12 in two different ways in which the article axis X coincides with the device axis Z, and the non-tobacco portion 16 protrudes from the cavity 52 or is positioned within the opening of the cavity, as shown in Figure 5. Rotating the tobacco article 12 by 180 degrees around the article axis X switches between the two different ways of inserting the tobacco article 12.

[0073] The device body 50 defines the boundaries of the internal space of the device 11, which houses various elements designed to perform different functions of the device 11. This internal space can house, for example, a battery 54 for supplying power to the device 11 and a controller 56 for controlling the operation of the device 11.

[0074] The aerosol generating device 11 further comprises a pair of electrodes designed to engage with the resistive layer 32. In particular, the pair of electrodes includes a first electrode 61 designed to contact a first contact surface 41 of the resistive layer 32, and a second electrode 62 designed to contact a second contact surface 42 of the resistive layer 32.

[0075] As shown in Figure 1, the second electrode 62 can at least partially form abutment wall 65 of the cavity 52. ​​The abutment wall 65 is perpendicular to the device axis Z and is designed to contact a cross-section 25 formed on the cigarette-side end 18 of the article 12 when the article is received into the cavity 52. ​​Advantageously, the second electrode 62 is positioned to contact a second contact surface 42 of the resistance layer 32, regardless of how the cigarette article 12 is inserted. For this purpose, the abutment wall 65 can be entirely formed by the second electrode 62, and the second electrode 62 can form one or more holes. These holes face the base layer 30 when the article 12 is inserted into the cavity 52 and form inlets to airflow channels formed by the base layer 30. These holes can be formed, for example, in the central portion of the second electrode 62. According to another embodiment, the second electrode 62 is abutment wall 65 It is formed by two different parts spaced apart from each other at its center, and between these parts forms an inlet to an airflow channel formed by the base material layer 30.

[0076] The first electrode 61 is integrated into the side wall of the cavity 52 so as to make electrical contact with the contact portion 44 of the first contact surface 41 when the tobacco article 12 is inserted into the cavity 52. ​​In particular, as shown in Figure 5, the first electrode 61 is positioned parallel to the device axis Z so as to align with the contact portion 44 of the first contact surface 41 when the tobacco article 12 is inserted into the cavity. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, for a flat tobacco article 12, the first electrode 61 may form two opposing portions positioned on the opposing side walls of the cavity 52. ​​Thus, the contact portion 44 of the second contact surface 42 can come into contact with one of these portions, regardless of how the tobacco article 12 is inserted into the cavity 52. ​​Each portion of the first electrode 61 may have substantially the same dimensions and shape as the window 46 of the wrapper 21. In addition, each portion of the first electrode 61 can protrude slightly from the corresponding side wall of the cavity 52 so as to abut against the contact portion 44 of the second contact surface 42 when the tobacco article 12 is inserted into the cavity 52. ​​In some embodiments, for this purpose, each portion of the first electrode 61 can be mounted on an elastic element. In some embodiments, each portion of the first electrode 61 forms a flat and substantially smooth surface designed to electrically contact the contact portion 44 of the first contact surface 41.

[0077] Electrodes 61 and 62 are connected to a battery 54 via a controller 56. Thus, the controller 56 can control the power on each electrode 61 and 62, and consequently, the current passing through the resistive layer 32 and the heat generated by this layer. In some embodiments, the controller 56 is configured to measure the resistance of the resistive layer 32 and, based on these measurements, control the temperature of the substrate layer 30 by controlling the power on electrodes 61 and 62. The resistance measurements can be associated with temperature values, for example, by using a lookup table stored in the controller 56's memory. Resistance and temperature control may be used to ensure that heating remains within a safe temperature range and / or to control adherence to a specific temperature profile during a vaping session.

Claims

1. A tobacco article (12) configured to operate with an aerosol generating device (11) having a pair of electrodes (61, 62), The tobacco article (12) has a substantially flat shape and extends along the article axis (X) between the mouth end (20) and the tobacco end (18), comprising a non-tobacco portion (16) adjacent to the mouth end (20) and a tobacco portion (15) adjacent to the tobacco end (18), The aforementioned tobacco portion (15) A base material layer (30) extending along the article axis (X), A resistive layer (32) configured to generate heat when current flows between the electrodes (61, 62), extending continuously along the article axis (X) and along a transverse direction (Y) perpendicular to the article axis (X), A heat transfer surface (34) is disposed adjacent to the base layer (30) and is used to transfer the heat generated by the resistance layer (32) to the base layer (30) when the resistance layer (32) comes into contact with the pair of electrodes (61, 62), A first contact surface (41) located on the opposite side of the heat transfer surface (34), comprising a contact portion (44) designed to electrically contact at least one electrode (61, 62) of the pair of electrodes (61, 62), and A resistive layer (32) that defines the boundary and Equipped with, The system further comprises a wrapper (21) that extends along the article axis (X) and the transverse direction (Y) and wraps the base material layer (30) together with the resistance layer (32), Tobacco products (12).

2. The tobacco article (12) according to claim 1, wherein the resistive layer (32) includes a carbon-based material.

3. The tobacco article (12) according to claim 2, wherein the resistive layer (32) contains charcoal.

4. The tobacco article (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrical resistance of the resistive layer (32) is in the range of 0.5 ohms to 1.5 ohms, and is preferably substantially equal to 1 ohm.

5. The tobacco article (12) according to claim 1, wherein the resistive layer (32) extends substantially along the article axis (X) and the transverse direction (Y) along the entire surface area defined by the base layer (30).

6. The tobacco article (12) according to claim 1, wherein the wrapper (21) defines a window (46) that defines the boundary of the contact portion (44) of the first contact surface (41) of the resistive layer (32).

7. The tobacco article (12) according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco portion (15) comprises only one base layer (30) and only one resistive layer (32).

8. The tobacco article (12) according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion (44) of the first contact surface (41) is adjacent to the non-tobacco portion (16).

9. The tobacco article (12) according to claim 1, wherein the resistive layer (32) further defines a second contact surface (42) that extends perpendicular to the article axis (X) along the transverse direction (Y) at the tobacco end (18) and is designed to contact the other electrode (61, 62) of the pair of electrodes (61, 62).

10. The tobacco article (12) according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco portion (15) comprises a plurality of airflow channels extending along the article axis (X).

11. The tobacco article (12) described in claim 1, Aerosol generating device (11), A cavity (52) extending along the device axis (Z) and configured to receive the tobacco article (12), A pair of electrodes (61, 62) are arranged in the cavity (52) and in contact with the resistive layer (32) of the tobacco article (12) and an aerosol generating device (11) and an aerosol generating assembly (10) comprising:

12. The aerosol generating assembly (10) according to claim 11, wherein the pair of electrodes (61, 62) are positioned on at least one side wall of the cavity (52) extending along the device axis (Z), and the first electrode (61) is designed to contact the contact portion (44) of the first contact surface (41) of the resistive layer (32).

13. The aerosol generating assembly (10) according to claim 12, wherein the first electrode (61) comprises two opposing portions arranged on opposing side walls of the cavity (52).

14. The aerosol generating assembly (10) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the pair of electrodes (61, 62) further comprises a second electrode (62) that extends perpendicular to the device axis (Z) and at least partially forms a fork wall (65) of the cavity (52).

15. The aerosol generating assembly (10) according to claim 11, further comprising a controller (56) configured to control the temperature of the substrate layer (30) by measuring the electrical resistance of the resistive layer (32).

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