A component for an article for use in an aerosol delivery system

Abstract

A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system comprises a body of a fibrous material comprising first and second additive-releasing components embedded within the body of the fibrous material. Each of the first and second additive-releasing components has a maximum diameter between about 1.5 mm and about 2.5 mm, and the first and second additive-releasing components are separated by a distance of less than about 2.5 mm. A system is also provided comprising an article comprising the component and a non-flammable aerosol-giving device for heating the article and the aerosol-generating material of the article. Additionally, a method of manufacturing is provided.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, an aerosol delivery system comprising the article, and a method for manufacturing a component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system. Background Technology

[0002] Certain tobacco industry products generate aerosols that are inhaled by the user during use. For example, tobacco heating devices form aerosols by heating an aerosol-generating substrate, such as tobacco, without burning the substrate. These tobacco industry products generally include mouthpieces through which the aerosol passes to reach the user's mouth.

[0003] According to embodiments of the present invention, in a first aspect, a component for an article for use in an aerosol delivery system is provided, the component comprises a fiber material body including first and second additive-releasing components embedded within a fiber material body, each of the first and second additive-releasing components having a maximum diameter of about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm, and the first and second additive-releasing components are separated by a distance of less than about 2.5 mm.

[0004] According to embodiments of the present invention, in a second aspect, an article for use in an aerosol delivery system is provided, the article comprises a component according to a first aspect and an aerosol generating material.

[0005] According to embodiments of the present invention, in a third aspect, a system is provided comprising an article according to a second aspect and a non-flammable aerosol providing device for heating an aerosol generating material of the article.

[0006] According to embodiments of the present invention, in a fourth aspect, a method for manufacturing a component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system is provided, the method comprising the steps of inserting first and second additive-releasing components into a flow of a fibrous material, and forming a flow of said fibrous material into a fibrous material body comprising said first and second additive-releasing components embedded in said body, wherein each of the first and second additive-releasing components has a maximum diameter of about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm, and the first and second additive-releasing components are separated by a distance of less than about 2.5 mm. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described only by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1a is a side cross-sectional view of an article including a mouthpiece. Figure 1b is a cross-sectional view of the mouthpiece shown in Figure 1a. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a non-flammable aerosol providing device suitable for generating an aerosol from the aerosol generating materials of FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b. FIG. 3 illustrates the device of FIG. 2 with the outer cover removed and no article present. Figure 4 is a side view of a partial cross-section of the device of Figure 2. Figure 5 is an exploded view of the device of Figure 2 with the outer cover omitted. FIG. 6a is a cross-sectional view of a part of the device of FIG. 2. Figure 6b is an enlarged view of the area of ​​the device in Figure 6a. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing an article including a mouthpiece. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0008] As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to include systems for delivering at least one substance to a user, and includes the following:

[0009] Combustible aerosol delivery systems, for example, for cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and pipes, for roll-your-own or make-your-own cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, puffed tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes, or other smokeable materials);

[0010] Non-combustible aerosol delivering systems that release compounds from aerosol generating materials without burning aerosol-capable materials, e.g., electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems for generating aerosols using a combination of aerosol generating materials; and

[0011] Aerosol-free delivery systems that deliver at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally, or otherwise without forming an aerosol, comprising (but not limited to) (lozenges, gums, patches, and inhalable powders and oral tobacco such as snus or wet snuff) — at least one substance may or may not contain nicotine —.

[0012] According to the present disclosure, a “combustible” aerosol delivery system is a system in which a component aerosol generating material of the aerosol delivery system (or its component) is combusted or burned during use to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0013] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a combustible aerosol delivery system, such as a system selected from the group consisting of cigarettes, cigarillos, and cigars.

[0014] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to components for use in a combustible aerosol delivery system, such as a filter, filter rod, filter segment, tobacco rod, spill, aerosol modifier release components, such as a capsule, thread, or bead, or paper, such as plug wrap, tipping paper, or cigarette paper.

[0015] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol delivery system is a system that does not combust or burn the aerosol generating material of the aerosol delivery system (or its components) in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one material to a user.

[0016] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-flammable aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-flammable aerosol delivery system.

[0017] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol delivery system may be an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol generating material is not a prerequisite.

[0018] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol providing system is an aerosol-generating material heating system also known as a heat-not-burn system. An example of such a system is a cigarette heating system.

[0019] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol delivery system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of aerosol generating materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each aerosol generating material may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol generating material and a solid aerosol generating material. The solid aerosol generating material may include, for example, tobacco or non-tobacco products.

[0020] Typically, a non-flammable aerosol delivery system may include a non-flammable aerosol delivery device and consumables for use with the non-flammable aerosol delivery device.

[0021] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables comprising an aerosol-generating material and configured to be used with non-flammable aerosol-providing devices. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout the present disclosure.

[0022] In some embodiments, a non-flammable aerosol providing system, such as its non-flammable aerosol providing device, may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, an electric power source or an exothermic power source. In some embodiments, the exothermic power source includes a carbon substrate capable of supplying energy to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol generating material or a heat transfer material adjacent to the exothermic power source.

[0023] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol delivery system may include an area for receiving consumables, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0024] In some embodiments, consumables for use with a non-flammable aerosol delivery device may include an aerosol generating material, an aerosol generating material storage area, an aerosol generating material delivery component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0025] In some embodiments, the material to be delivered includes an active material.

[0026] The active substance used herein may be a physiologically active material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance may be selected from, for example, nutraceuticals, nootropics, and psychoactives. The active substance may occur naturally or be obtained by synthesis. The active substance may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6, B12, or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or their constituents, derivatives, or combinations. The active substance may include one or more constituents, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or other botanicals.

[0027] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance comprises caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0028] An aerosol-generating material is a material capable of generating an aerosol when energy is supplied, for example, by heating, irradiation, or other means. An aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, for example, which may or may not contain active substances and / or flavoring agents. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dried gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material capable of containing some fluid, such as a liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise, for example, about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% of an amorphous solid to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% of an amorphous solid.

[0029] The aerosol-generating material may include one or more active substances and / or flavors, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0030] The aerosol-forming agent material may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent material may include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillatate, ethyl laurate, diethyl subrate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0031] One or more other functional materials may include one or more of pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.

[0032] The materials described herein may be present on or within a support to form a substrate. The support may be, for example, paper, card, paperboard, cardboard, reconstructed material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or metal alloy, or may include these. In some embodiments, the support includes a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is on one or both sides of the material.

[0033] A consumable is an article comprising or constituting an aerosol-generating material, in whole or in part intended to be consumed during use by a user. The consumable may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material delivery component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier. Additionally, the consumable may include an aerosol generator, such as a heater, that emits heat to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol upon use. The heater may include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

[0034] An aerosol modifier is a substance typically located downstream of the aerosol generation region configured to modify the generated aerosol, for example, by altering the taste, flavor, acidity, or other properties of the aerosol. The aerosol modifier may be provided to an aerosol modifier release component operable to selectively release the aerosol modifier.

[0035] The aerosol modifier may be, for example, an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may include, for example, one or more of flavoring agents, coloring agents, water, and carbon adsorbents. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a powder, thread, or granule. The aerosol modifier may not contain a filter material.

[0036] A susceptor is a material that can be heated by penetration of a changing magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be an electrically conductive material, and accordingly, its penetration by the changing magnetic field causes induction heating of the heating material. Since the heating material may be a magnetic material, its penetration by the changing magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may possess both electrical conductivity and magnetism, and accordingly, the susceptor may be heated by both heating mechanisms. A device configured to generate a changing magnetic field is referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

[0037] An aerosol generator is a device configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to apply thermal energy to the aerosol generating material to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to apply one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy to the aerosol generating material.

[0038] Induction heating is a process in which an electrically conductive object is heated by penetrating it with a changing magnetic field. This process is explained by Faraday's law of induction and Ohm's law. An induction heater may include an electromagnet and a device for passing a changing current, such as alternating current, through the electromagnet. When the electromagnet and the object to be heated are positioned relatively appropriately so that the resulting changing magnetic field generated by the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated within the object. The object has resistance to the flow of currents. Therefore, when these eddy currents are generated in the object, their flow against the object's electrical resistance causes the object to heat up. This process is called Joule, ohmic, or resistance heating. Objects that can be inductively heated are known as susceptors.

[0039] In one embodiment, the susceptor is in the form of a closed circuit. It has been found that when the susceptor is in the form of a closed circuit, the magnetic coupling between the susceptor in use and the electromagnet is enhanced, which results in greater or improved Joule heating.

[0040] Magnetic hysteresis heating is a process in which an object made of magnetic material heats up by penetrating it with a changing magnetic field. Magnetic materials can be considered to contain many atomic-scale magnets or magnetic dipoles. When a magnetic field penetrates such a material, the magnetic dipoles align with the magnetic field. Therefore, when a changing magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field generated by an electromagnet, penetrates a magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipoles changes according to the applied changing magnetic field. This reorientation of magnetic dipoles causes heating in the magnetic material.

[0041] When an object is both electrically conductive and magnetic, penetrating the object with a changing magnetic field can cause both Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating. Furthermore, the use of magnetic materials can amplify the magnetic field, which can exacerbate Joule heating.

[0042] In each of the above processes, since heat is generated within the object itself rather than by an external heat source via heat conduction, a rapid temperature rise and a more uniform heat distribution can be achieved, particularly through the selection of suitable object materials and geometry, and appropriate varying magnetic field magnitude and orientation for the object. Furthermore, since induction heating and magnetic hysteresis heating do not require a physical connection between the source of the varying magnetic field and the object, greater design freedom and control over the heating profile can be achieved, and costs can be reduced.

[0043] Articles, such as the consumables described herein, such as rod-shaped consumables, are often named according to product length: "Regular" (typically in the range of 68 to 75 mm, e.g., about 68 mm to about 72 mm), "Short" or "Mini" (68 mm or less), "King-size" (typically in the range of 75 to 91 mm, e.g., about 79 mm to about 88 mm), "Long" or "Super-king" (typically in the range of 91 to 105 mm, e.g., about 94 mm to about 101 mm), and "Very-long" (typically in the range of about 110 mm to about 121 mm).

[0044] These are also named according to the product circumference: "Regular" (approx. 23 to 25 mm), "Wide" (greater than 25 mm), "Slim" (approx. 22 to 23 mm), "Demi-Slim" (approx. 19 to 22 mm), "Super-Slim" (approx. 16 to 19 mm), and "Micro-Slim" (less than approx. 16 mm).

[0045] Accordingly, a king-size, super-slim type item will have, for example, a length of about 83 mm and a circumference of about 17 mm.

[0046] The articles may include an aerosol generating material and a downstream portion located downstream of the aerosol generating material, and each form may be produced with downstream portions of different lengths. The length of the downstream portion will generally be about 30 mm to 50 mm. Tipping paper connects the downstream portion to the aerosol generating material and will generally have a longer length than the downstream portion, for example, 3 mm to 10 mm longer, so that the tipping paper covers the mouthpiece and, for example, overlaps the aerosol generating material in the form of a rod to connect the downstream portion to the rod.

[0047] The articles, aerosol-generating materials, and downstream parts described herein may be manufactured in any of the above forms, but are not limited thereto.

[0048] The terms 'upstream' and 'downstream' as used herein are relative terms defined for the direction of mainstream aerosols inhaled through an article or device in use.

[0049] The filament tow materials described herein may include cellulose acetate fiber tow. Additionally, filament tow may be formed using other materials used to form fibers, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(1-4 butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), starch-based materials, cotton, aliphatic polyester materials, and polysaccharide polymers or combinations thereof. If the material is cellulose acetate tow, the filament tow may be plasticized with a plasticizer suitable for tow, such as triacetin, or the tow may not be plasticized. The tow may have any suitable specifications, such as fibers having different cross-sections like a 'Y' shape or an 'X' shape, filamentary denier values ​​of 2.5 to 15 denier per filament, for example 8.0 to 11.0 denier per filament, and total denier values ​​of 5,000 to 50,000, for example 10,000 to 40,000.

[0050] The cross-sections of the fibers may have an isoperimetric ratio L2 / A of 25 or less, 20 or less, or 15 or less, where L is the length of the cross-sectional perimeter and A is the cross-sectional area. These fibers have a relatively low surface area for a given denier value per filament, which improves the delivery of aerosols to consumers.

[0051] As used herein, the term “tobacco material” refers to any material comprising tobacco or its derivatives or its substitutes. The term “tobacco material” may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, puffed tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Tobacco material may include one or more of crushed tobacco, tobacco fibers, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stem, tobacco lamina, reconstituted tobacco, and / or tobacco extract.

[0052] As noted herein, the active substance may comprise or be derived from one or more plant medicinal substances or their constituents, derivatives, or extracts. As used herein, the term “plant medicinal substance” includes any material derived from plants, including but not limited to extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husks, shells, etc. Alternatively, this material may comprise an active compound naturally present in the plant medicinal substance obtained by synthesis. This material may be in the form of liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, shreds, strips, sheets, etc. Examples of herbal medicines include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice, matcha, mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea (e.g., green or black tea), thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed (anise), basil, bay leaves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, and nutmeg. Oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, beefsteak plant, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood,Cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. Mint may be selected from the following mint varieties. Mentha arvensis, Mentha cv, Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata cv, Mentha piperita cv, Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cordifolia, Mentha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata cv, and Mentha suaveolens.

[0053] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant medicinal substances or their constituents, derivatives, or extracts, and the plant medicinal substance is tobacco.

[0054] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more herbal medicines or their constituents, derivatives, or extracts, and the herbal medicine is selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

[0055] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more herbal medicines or their constituents, derivatives, or extracts, and the herbal medicine is selected from rooibos and fennel.

[0056] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered includes flavor.

[0057] As used herein, the terms “flavor” and “flavorant” refer to materials that, where permitted by local regulations, may be used to produce a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensorial sensation in products for adult consumers. These include naturally occurring flavoring ingredients, medicinal plants, extracts of medicinal plants, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice (licorice candy), hydrangea, eugenol, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, anise, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, *Lysimachia vulgaris*, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom,Cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, piment, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay leaf, mate, orange peel, rose, tea (e.g., green or black tea), thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, perilla, turmeric, coriander, myrtle, cassis, valerian, pimento, mace, demi-angliae, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon Basil, chives, carbi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives, such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, herbal medicines, or breath freshening agents It may include. These are imitations,They may be synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, a liquid such as oil, a solid such as powder, or a gas.

[0058] In some embodiments, the flavor comprises menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavor comprises flavor components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry. In some embodiments, the flavor comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavor comprises flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavor comprises flavor components extracted from cannabis.

[0059] In some embodiments, the flavor may comprise a sensate intended to achieve a somatosensory sensation that is typically chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the flavor or taste nerves, and may comprise agents that provide a fever, cold, tingling, or numbing effect. A suitable fever agent may be vanillyl ethyl ether, but is not limited thereto, and a suitable cold agent may be eucalyptol or WS-3, but is not limited thereto.

[0060] In the drawings described herein, the same reference numbers are used to illustrate equivalent features, articles, or components.

[0061] FIG. 1a is a side cross-sectional view of an article (1) comprising a component (2) — in this example, a mouthpiece (2) — at least a portion of the mouthpiece (2) is arranged to be received in a user's mouth for use in an aerosol delivery system. FIG. 1b is a cross-sectional view along line (A-A') of the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 1a. In alternative examples, the component (2) may comprise a portion of the article (1) that is not arranged to be received in a user's mouth.

[0062] The article (1) comprises a cylindrical rod of an aerosol-generating material (3), in this case a tobacco material, connected to a mouthpiece (2). The mouthpiece (2) comprises a section (6) having a cross-sectional area measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ('X'). In this invention, the terms 'longitudinal' and 'longitudinal' refer to a direction along the longitudinal axis (X) of the article (1), while the terms 'transverse' and 'transverse' refer to a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X) of the article (1).

[0063] In this example, section (6) comprises a material body. In this example, the material body is in the shape of a cylinder. First and second destructible capsules (11a, 11b) are disposed in the material body. It is desirable that the material body has a substantially uniform density throughout the cylinder. Preferably, the length of the material body (6) is less than about 15 mm. More preferably, the length of the material body (6) is less than about 10 mm. Additionally, or alternatively, the length of the material body (6) is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the material body (6) is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the material body (6) is about 5 mm to about 15 mm, more preferably about 6 mm to about 12 mm, much more preferably about 6 mm to about 10 mm, most preferably about 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm. In this example, the length of the material body (6) is 10 mm.

[0064] In this example, the material body (6) is formed from filament tow. In this example, the tow used in the material body (6) has a denier per filament of 8.4 and a total denier of 21,000. Alternatively, for example, the tow may have a denier per filament (dpf) of 9.5 and a total denier of 12,000. As a further alternative, the tow may have a denier per filament (dpf) of 6 and a total denier of 17,000, or a denier per filament (dpf) of 8.0 and a total denier of 15,000. In this example, the tow comprises plasticized cellulose acetate tow. The plasticizer used in the tow comprises about 8 weight percent of the tow, but may be from about 5 weight percent to about 12 weight percent. In this example, the plasticizer is triacetin. In other examples, the body (6) may be formed from tows other than cellulose acetate, for example, polylactic acid (PLA), other materials described herein for filament tow, or similar materials. The tow is preferably formed of cellulose acetate.

[0065] For a given tow specification (e.g., 8.4Y21000), it is known that a tow capability curve is generated for each tow weight range, which represents the pressure drop through the rod length formed using the tow. Parameters such as rod length and circumference, wrapper thickness, and tow plasticizer level are specified and combined with the tow specification to generate a tow capability curve, which indicates the pressure drop that will be provided by different tow weights between the minimum and maximum weights achievable using a standard filter rod forming machine. These tow capability curves can be calculated, for example, using software provided by tow suppliers. It has been found particularly advantageous to use a material body (6) containing a filament tow, which includes a filament tow having a weight per mm length of the material body (6) that is about 10% to about 30% of the range between the minimum and maximum weights of the tow capability curve generated for the filament tow. This can provide an acceptable balance between providing sufficient toe weight to avoid shrinkage after the main body (6) is formed, and providing an acceptable pressure drop while simultaneously assisting in the placement of capsules within the toe, for example, for capsules of the sizes described herein.

[0066] In other examples, other materials may be used to form the material body (6). For example, instead of tow, the body (6) may be formed of paper in a manner similar to paper filters known to be used in cigarettes, for example. Alternatively, the body (6) may be formed from tows other than cellulose acetate, for example, polylactic acid (PLA), other materials described herein for filament tow, or similar materials. Whether formed of cellulose acetate or other materials, the tow has a dpf of at least 5, more preferably at least 6, and even more preferably at least 7. These denier values ​​per filament provide a tow having relatively coarse and thick fibers with a low surface area, which results in a lower pressure drop across the mouthpiece (2) than tows having lower dpf values. Preferably, to achieve a sufficiently uniform material body, the tow has a denier per filament of 12 dpf or less, preferably 11 dpf or less, and more preferably 10 dpf or less.

[0067] The total denier of the toe forming the material body (6) is preferably up to 30,000, more preferably up to 28,000, and even more preferably up to 25,000. These total denier values ​​provide a toe that occupies a reduced proportion of the cross-sectional area of ​​the mouthpiece (2), which results in lower suction resistance across the mouthpiece (2) and consequently a pressure drop compared to toes having higher total denier values. For proper rigidity of the material body (6), the toe preferably has a total denier of at least 8,000, and more preferably at least 10,000. Preferably, the denier per filament is 5 to 12, and the total denier is 10,000 to 20,000. More preferably, the denier per filament is 6 to 10, and the total denier is 11,000 to 22,000. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the tow filament is 'Y' shaped, although other shapes such as 'X' shaped filaments may be used in other embodiments, and has the same dpf and total denier values ​​as provided herein.

[0068] The aerosol modifier is provided within a material body (6), which in this example is in the form of capsules (11a, 11b), and an oil-resistant first plug wrap (7) surrounds the material body (6). The material body (6) is in the form of a cylinder having a longitudinal axis, and the capsules (11a, 11b) are embedded within the material body (6) such that the capsules (11a, 11b) are surrounded by the material forming the body (6). The capsules (11a, 11b) have a shell that encapsulates the liquid aerosol modifier. The largest cross-sectional area of ​​the capsules measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is less than about 28% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the material body (6) measured perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

[0069] Providing a plurality of capsules, each having a cross-sectional area of ​​less than about 28% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the portion of the provided mouthpiece (2), has the advantage that the pressure drop across the mouthpiece (2) is reduced compared to a single capsule having a larger cross-sectional area, and that there is adequate space left around the capsules so that the aerosol can pass through without the material body (6) removing a significant amount of aerosol mass when the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece (2).

[0070] The maximum cross-sectional area of ​​each of the capsules (11a, 11b) at maximum cross-sectional area is less than 35% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the portion of the mouthpiece (2) where the capsules (11a, 11b) are provided, more preferably less than about 28%, and even more preferably less than about 25%. For example, the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​each of the capsules (11a, 11b) within the body (6) at maximum cross-sectional area is about 5% to about 24%, or about 9% to about 22%, or about 14% to about 21%. For example, in the case of a spherical capsule with a diameter of 2.5 mm, the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the capsule is 4.91 mm². In the case of a mouthpiece (2) having a circumference of about 17 mm as described herein, the material body (6) has an outer circumference of about 16.8 mm, and the radius of this component will be 2.67 mm, corresponding to a cross-sectional area of ​​22.46 mm². The maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the capsule is, in this example, about 21% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the mouthpiece (2). For a mouthpiece having a circumference of about 21 mm as described herein, the material body (6) has an outer circumference of 20.8 mm, and the radius of this component will be 3.31 mm, corresponding to a cross-sectional area of ​​34.43 mm². The capsule cross-sectional area is, in this example, 14.3% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the mouthpiece (2). As another example, if the capsule has a diameter of 2 mm, its maximum cross-sectional area will be 3.14 mm². In this case, the cross-sectional area of ​​the capsule will be about 14% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the material body (6) with a circumference of about 16.8 mm and about 9% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the material body (6) with a circumference of about 20.8 mm. In this example, each of the capsules (11a, 11b) has a diameter of 2.5 mm.

[0071] Each of the capsules (11a, 11b) may comprise a capsule that can be destroyed, for example, a capsule having a hard and brittle shell that surrounds a liquid payload. In this example, two capsules (11a, 11b) are used. The capsules (11a, 11b) are completely embedded within the material body (6). In other words, the capsules (11a, 11b) are completely surrounded by the material forming the body (6). In other examples, more than two capsules that can be destroyed may be placed within the material body (6), for example, three, four, five or more capsules that can be destroyed may be placed. The length of the material body (6) may be increased to accommodate the required number of capsules. The individual capsules (11a, 11b) may be identical to each other, or may differ from each other in terms of size and / or capsule payload. In other examples, multi-material bodies (6) may be provided, and each body has two or more capsules.

[0072] The capsules (11a, 11b) have a core-shell structure. In other words, each of the capsules may include a shell that encapsulates a liquid formulation, which may be any one of the flavoring agents or aerosol modifiers described herein. The shells of the capsules may be ruptured by a user to release the flavoring agent or other formulation into the material body (6). The mouthpiece further includes a second plug wrap (9) and a tipping paper (5). The first plug wrap (7) may include a barrier coating that makes the material of the plug wrap substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of the capsule (11). In this example, the first plug wrap (7) is an oil-resistant plug wrap. Alternatively or additionally, the second plug wrap (9) and / or tipping paper (5) may include a barrier coating that makes the material of the plug wrap and / or tipping paper substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of the capsules (11a, 11b).

[0073] In this example, the capsules (11a, 11b) are spherical and each has a diameter of about 2.5 mm. In other examples, other shapes and sizes of the capsules may be used. The total combined weight of the capsules (11a, 11b) may be in the range of about 10 mg to about 50 mg.

[0074] In this example, the capsules (11a, 11b) are positioned at the longitudinal center position within the material body (6). In this case, the capsule (11a) is positioned such that its center is 2.75 mm from the upstream end of the material body (6), and the capsule (11b) is axially aligned with the capsule (11a) and arranged in an adjacent and contact relationship such that its center is 2.75 mm from the downstream end of the material body (6). Thus, the point between the capsules (11a, 11b) with a diameter of 2.5 mm is 4 mm from each end of the material body (6). In other examples, each of the capsules (11a, 11b) may be positioned at a position other than the longitudinal center position in the material body (6), namely, closer to the downstream end of the material body (6) than the upstream end, or closer to the upstream end of the material body (6) than the downstream end. In other examples, the capsules (11a and 11b) may not be aligned laterally and may be offset from each other in a direction along the line AA' of FIG. 1, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X) of the article. Preferably, the mouthpiece (2) is configured such that the capsules (11a, 11b) and the ventilation holes (12) are offset from each other in the longitudinal direction within the mouthpiece (2).

[0075] A cross-section of the mouthpiece (2) is shown in FIG. 1b, taken along the line AA' of FIG. 1a. FIG. 1b shows a capsule (11b), a material body (6), first and second plug wraps (7, 9), and a tipping paper (5). In this example, the capsule (11b) is located at the center of the longitudinal axis (not shown) of the mouthpiece (2). The first and second plug wraps (7, 9) and the tipping (5) are arranged concentrically around the material body (6).

[0076] In this example, capsule (11a) is substantially identical to capsule (11b). However, in other embodiments, capsules (11a, 11b) may differ in structure, shell composition, additive composition, diameter, or any other features described herein.

[0077] The capsules (11a, 11b) that can be destroyed have a core-shell structure. That is, the encapsulating material or carrier material forms a shell around a core containing an aerosol modifier. The shell structure prevents the movement of the aerosol modifier during storage of the article (1), but allows for the controlled release of the aerosol modifier, also referred to as an aerosol modifier, during use.

[0078] In some cases, the barrier material (also referred to herein as the encapsulation material) is brittle. The capsule is crushed, otherwise ruptured, or destroyed by the user to release the encapsulated aerosol modifier. Typically, the capsule is destroyed just before heating begins, but the user may choose when to release the aerosol modifier. The term "destructible capsule" refers to a capsule in which the shell can be destroyed by pressure to release the core; more specifically, the shell can be ruptured under pressure applied by the user's finger when the user wishes to release the core of the capsule.

[0079] In some cases, the barrier material is heat-resistant. That is, in some cases, the barrier will not rupture, melt, or otherwise fail at the temperature reached at the capsule point during the operation of the aerosol delivery device. For example, the capsule located in the mouthpiece may be exposed to temperatures ranging, for example, from 30°C to 100°C, and the barrier material may continue to maintain the liquid core at least up to about 50°C to 120°C.

[0080] In other cases, the capsule releases the core composition upon heating, for example, by melting the barrier material or by capsule expansion causing the barrier material to rupture.

[0081] The total weight of the capsule may be in the range of about 1 mg to about 100 mg, suitably about 5 mg to about 60 mg, about 8 mg to about 50 mg, about 10 mg to about 20 mg, or about 12 mg to about 18 mg.

[0082] The total weight of the core formulation may be in the range of about 2 mg to about 90 mg, suitably about 3 mg to about 70 mg, about 5 mg to about 25 mg, about 8 mg to about 20 mg, or about 10 mg to about 15 mg.

[0083] The capsule according to the present invention comprises a core and a shell as described above. The capsule may exhibit a crush strength of about 4.5 N to about 40 N, more preferably about 5 N to about 30 N or about 28 N (e.g., about 9.8 N to about 24.5 N). The capsule rupture strength can be measured when the capsule is removed from the material body (6), and the force at which the capsule ruptures when pressed between two flat metal plates can be measured using a force gauge. A suitable measuring device is a Sauter FK 50 force gauge having a flat head attachment, which can be used to crush the capsule against a flat, hard surface having a surface similar to the attachment.

[0084] The capsules may be substantially spherical, and their diameter is at least about 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.8 mm, or 3.0 mm. The diameter of the capsules may be about 10.0 mm, 8.0 mm, 7.0 mm, 6.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 3.2 mm, or less than 2.5 mm. For example, the capsule diameter may be in the range of about 0.4 mm to about 10.0 mm, about 0.8 mm to about 6.0 mm, about 2.5 mm to about 5.5 mm, or about 2.8 mm to about 3.2 mm. In some cases, the capsules may have a diameter of about 2.5 mm. These sizes are particularly suitable for incorporating the capsules into articles as described herein.

[0085] Preferably, the pressure drop or difference across the article (also referred to as suction resistance), measured as the open pressure drop (i.e., with the vent openings open), is reduced by less than about 15 mmH2O when both capsules are destroyed. More preferably, the open pressure drop is reduced by less than about 10 mmH2O, more preferably by less than about 8 mmH2O or less than about 6 mmH2O. These values ​​are measured as the average achieved by at least 80 articles manufactured with the same design. These small variations in pressure drop mean that other aspects of the product design can be achieved, such as setting the correct vent level for a given product pressure drop regardless of whether the consumer chooses to destroy the capsules.

[0086] The barrier material may include one or more of a gelling agent, an extender, a buffer, a coloring agent, and a plasticizer.

[0087] Suitably, the gelling agent may be, for example, a polysaccharide or cellulose gelling agent, gelatin, gum, gel, wax, or a mixture thereof. Suitable polysaccharides include alginates, dextrans, maltodextrins, cyclodextrins, and pectin. Suitable alginates include, for example, salts of alginic acid, esterified alginates, or glyceryl alginates. Salts of alginic acid include ammonium alginate, triethanolamine alginate, and Group I or II metal ion alginates such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium alginates. Esterified alginates include propylene glycol alginate and glyceryl alginate. In one embodiment, the barrier material is sodium alginate and / or calcium alginate. Suitable cellulose materials include methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, and cellulose ether. The gelling agent may include one or more modified starches. The gelling agent may include carrageenan. Suitable gums include agar, gellan gum, arabic gum, pullulan gum, mannan gum, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, karaya, locust bean, acacia gum, guar, quince seed, and xanthan gum. Suitable gels include agar, agarose, carrageenan, furoidan, and furcellaran. Suitable waxes include carnauba wax.In some cases, the gelling agent may include carrageenans and / or gellan gum; these gelling agents are particularly suitable to include as gelling agents because the pressure required to break the resulting capsules is particularly suitable.

[0088] The barrier material may include one or more extenders, such as starches, modified starches (e.g., oxidized starches), and sugar alcohols such as maltitol.

[0089] The barrier material may include a colorant that more easily renders the position of the capsule within the aerosol generating device during the manufacturing process of the aerosol generating device. The colorant is preferably selected from colorants and pigments.

[0090] The barrier material may additionally include at least one buffer, such as a citrate or phosphate compound.

[0091] The barrier material may additionally include at least one plasticizer, which may be glycerol, sorbitol, maltitol, triacetin, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or other polyhydric alcohols having plasticizing properties, and optionally one acid of the type of monolic, dilic, or trilic acid, in particular citric acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, etc. The amount of plasticizer is in the range of 1% to 30% by weight, preferably 2% to 15% by weight, and more preferably 3% to 10% by weight of the total dry weight of the shell.

[0092] Additionally, the barrier material may include one or more filler materials. Suitable filler materials include starch derivatives such as dextrin, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin (alpha, beta, or gamma), or cellulose derivatives such as hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), methylcellulose (MC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), polyvinyl alcohol, polyols, or mixtures thereof. Dextrin is a preferred filler. The amount of filler in the shell is up to 98.5 weight%, preferably 25 weight% to 95 weight%, more preferably 40 weight% to 80 weight%, and even more preferably 50 weight% to 60 weight%, based on the total dry weight of the shell.

[0093] The capsule shell may further comprise a hydrophobic outer layer that reduces the capsule's sensitivity to moisture-induced degradation. The hydrophobic outer layer is suitably selected from the group comprising waxes, in particular carnauba wax, candelilla wax or beeswax, carbowax, shellac (in alcohol or aqueous solution), ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyl-propyl cellulose, latex compositions, polyvinyl alcohol, or combinations thereof. More preferably, at least one moisture barrier agent is ethyl cellulose or a mixture of ethyl cellulose and shellac.

[0094] The capsule core comprises an aerosol modifier. This aerosol modifier may be any volatile substance that modifies at least one characteristic of the aerosol. For example, the aerosol material may modify pH, sensory characteristics, moisture content, delivery characteristics, or flavor. In some cases, the aerosol modifier may be selected from acids, bases, water, or flavoring agents. In some embodiments, the aerosol modifier comprises one or more flavoring agents.

[0095] The flavoring agent may be, suitably, licorice, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint flavor, suitably, mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha such as menthol and / or peppermint oil and / or spearmint oil, or lavender, fennel, or anise.

[0096] In some cases, flavoring agents include menthol.

[0097] In some cases, the capsule may contain at least about 25% w / w flavoring (based on the total weight of the capsule), suitably at least about 30% w / w flavoring, 35% w / w flavoring, 40% w / w flavoring, 45% w / w flavoring, or 50% w / w flavoring.

[0098] In some cases, the core may contain at least about 25% w / w of flavoring (based on the total weight of the core), suitably at least about 30% w / w of flavoring, 35% w / w of flavoring, 40% w / w of flavoring, 45% w / w of flavoring, or 50% w / w of flavoring. In some cases, the core may contain less than about 75% w / w of flavoring (based on the total weight of the core), suitably about 65% w / w of flavoring, 55% w / w of flavoring, or less than or equal to 50% w / w of flavoring. For example, the capsule may contain an amount of flavoring in the range of 25 to 75% w / w, about 35 to 60% w / w, or about 40 to 55% w / w (based on the total weight of the core).

[0099] The capsules may contain at least about 2 mg, 3 mg, or 4 mg of aerosol modifier, suitably at least about 4.5 mg of aerosol modifier, 5 mg of aerosol modifier, 5.5 mg of aerosol modifier, or 6 mg of aerosol modifier.

[0100] In some cases, the consumable comprises at least about 7 mg of aerosol modifier, suitably at least about 8 mg of aerosol modifier, 10 mg of aerosol modifier, 12 mg of aerosol modifier, or 15 mg of aerosol modifier. The core may also comprise a solvent for dissolving the aerosol modifier.

[0101] Any suitable solvent may be used.

[0102] If the aerosol modifier contains a flavoring agent, the solvent may suitably include short or medium chain fats and oils. For example, the solvent may include triesters of glycerol, such as C2-C12 triglycerides, suitably C6-C10 triglycerides or Cs-C12 triglycerides. For example, the solvent may include medium chain triglycerides (MCT-C8-C12), which may be derived from palm oil and / or coconut oil.

[0103] Esters may be formed from caprylic acid and / or capric acid. For example, the solvent may contain medium-chain triglycerides that are caprylic acid triglycerides and / or capric acid triglycerides. For example, the solvent may contain compounds identified in the CAS registry by numbers 73398-61-5, 65381-09-1, and 85409-09-2. These medium-chain triglycerides are odorless and tasteless.

[0104] The hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of the solvent may be in the range of 9 to 13, suitably 10 to 12. Methods for manufacturing the capsules include co-extrusion, optionally followed by centrifugation and curing and / or drying. The contents of WO 2007 / 010407 A2 are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0105] In some embodiments, when the aerosol generating material (3) is heated to provide an aerosol within a non-flammable aerosol providing device as described herein, for example, the portion of the mouthpiece (2) where the capsule is located reaches a temperature of 58 to 70 degrees Celsius while using the system to generate the aerosol. As a result of this temperature, the capsule contents are heated sufficiently to facilitate the volatilization of the capsule contents, for example, the aerosol modifier, into the aerosol formed by the system as the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece (2). Since the heating of the contents of the capsules (11a, 11b) occurs, for example, before the capsules (11a, 11b) are destroyed, the capsule contents are more easily released into the aerosol passing through the mouthpiece (2) when the capsules (11a, 11b) are destroyed. Alternatively, the contents of the capsules (11a, 11b) can be heated to this temperature after the capsules (11a, 11b) are destroyed, which again increases the release of the contents into the aerosol. Advantageously, mouthpiece temperatures in the range of 58 to 70 degrees Celsius are found to be high enough so that the capsule contents can be released more easily, but low enough so that the outer surface of the part of the mouthpiece (2) where the capsule is located does not reach a temperature that is uncomfortable for a consumer to touch in order to burst the capsules (11a, 11b) by squeezing the mouthpiece (2).

[0106] The temperature of the portion of the mouthpiece (2) where the capsules (11a, 11b) are located can be measured using a digital thermometer having a penetration probe, wherein the probe enters the mouthpiece (2) through the wall of the mouthpiece (2) (forming a seal to limit the amount of external air that may leak into the mouthpiece around the probe) and is arranged to be located near the location of the capsules (11a, 11b), for example, between the capsules (11a, 11b). Similarly, a temperature probe may be placed on the outer surface of the mouthpiece (2) to measure the temperature of the outer surface.

[0107] Table 2 below shows the temperature at the location of the capsule in the mouthpiece (2) of the article used in the aerosol delivery system during the first five puffs. Data for the article when heated using a coil heating device as described herein with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6 using a 'standard' heating profile and data for the same article when heated using the same device using a 'boost' heating profile are provided. The 'boost' heating profile can be selected by the user and may allow higher heating temperatures to be achieved.

[0108] As shown in Table 2, the temperature of the mouthpiece (2) at the location of the capsule (11b) reaches a maximum temperature of 61.5°C under the 'standard' heating profile and a maximum temperature of 63.8°C under the 'boost' heating profile. A maximum temperature in the range of 58°C to 70°C, preferably in the range of 59°C to 65°C, more preferably in the range of 60°C to 65°C, has been found to be particularly advantageous in helping to volatilize the contents of the capsules (11a, 11b) while maintaining an appropriate external surface temperature of the mouthpiece (2).

[0109]

[0110] The capsules (11a, 11b) may be destroyed by an external force applied to the mouthpiece (2), for example, by a consumer using their fingers or other instruments to squeeze the mouthpiece (2). As previously described, the portion of the mouthpiece where the capsules are located is arranged to reach a temperature of 58°C or higher while using the aerosol delivery system to generate an aerosol. Preferably, the bursting strength of the capsules (11a, 11b) when located within the mouthpiece (2) and before heating the aerosol generating material (3) is 1500 to 4000 grams. Preferably, the bursting strength of the capsules (11a, 11b) when located within the mouthpiece (2) and within 30 seconds of using the aerosol delivery system to generate an aerosol is 1000 to 4000 grams. Accordingly, despite being exposed to temperatures exceeding 58°C, for example, between 58°C and 70°C, the capsules (11a, 11b) can maintain burst strength within a range where the capsules (11a, 11b) are found to be easily crushed by the consumer, while providing the consumer with sufficient tactile feedback that the capsules (11a, 11b) have been destroyed. Maintaining this burst strength is achieved by selecting a suitable gelling agent for the capsule as described herein, such as polysaccharides comprising, for example, gum Arabic, gellan gum, acacia gum, xanthan gums, or carrageenans, either alone or in combination with gelatin. Additionally, a suitable wall thickness for the capsule shell must be selected.

[0111] Suitably, when placed in the mouthpiece and before heating the aerosol-generating material, the burst strength of the capsule is 2000 to 3500 g-weight, or 2500 to 3500 g-weight. Suitably, when placed in the mouthpiece and within 30 seconds of using the system to generate an aerosol, the burst strength of the capsule is 1500 to 4000 g-weight, or 1750 to 3000 g-weight. In one example, when placed in the mouthpiece and before heating the aerosol-generating material, the average burst strength of the capsule is about 3175 g-weight, and when placed in the mouthpiece and within 30 seconds of using the system to generate an aerosol, the average burst strength of the capsule is about 2345 g-weight.

[0112] The burst strength of the capsule can be tested using a force measuring instrument such as a texture analyzer. A type TA.XTPlus texture analyzer with a circular metal probe centered on the position of the capsule with a diameter of 6 mm (i.e., 12 mm from the mouth end of the mouthpiece (2)) can be used. The test speed of the probe can be 0.3 mm / sec, while a pre-test speed of 5.00 mm / sec and a post-test speed of 10 mm / sec can be used. The force used can be 5000 g. The tested articles can be aspirated using a Borgwaldt A14 syringe drive unit according to the known Health Canada Intense puffing regime (55 ml puff volume applied for a duration of 2 seconds every 30 seconds) using standard test equipment. Using this puffing method, three puffs can be performed, and the capsule rupture strength can be measured within 30 seconds after the third puff.

[0113] The aerosol generating material (3) provides an aerosol when heated within a non-combustible aerosol providing device, for example, as described herein, which forms a system including a coil. In other embodiments, the article (1) may include its own heat source, which forms an aerosol providing system without requiring a separate aerosol providing device.

[0114] The aerosol-forming material (3), also referred to herein as an aerosol-forming substrate (3), comprises at least one aerosol-forming material. In this example, the aerosol-forming material is glycerol. In alternative examples, the aerosol-forming material may be other materials as described herein or a combination thereof. The aerosol-forming material has been found to improve the sensory performance of an article by helping to deliver compounds, such as flavor compounds, from the aerosol-forming material to the consumer. However, the problem with adding such aerosol-forming materials to an aerosol-forming material in an article for use in a non-flammable aerosol delivery system is that when the aerosol-forming material is aerosolized upon heating, it can increase the mass of the aerosol delivered by the article, and this increased mass can maintain a higher temperature as it passes through the mouthpiece. As the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece, it transfers heat to the mouthpiece, which causes the outer surface of the mouthpiece, including the area that comes into contact with the consumer's lips during use, to warm. The mouthpiece temperature can be significantly higher than what consumers are accustomed to, for example, when smoking conventional cigarettes, and this may be an undesirable effect caused by the use of these aerosol-forming materials.

[0115] The part of the mouthpiece that comes into contact with the consumer's lips was generally hollow or a paper tube surrounding a cylindrical body of filter material.

[0116] As illustrated in FIG. 1a, the mouthpiece (2) of the article (1) comprises an upstream end (2a) adjacent to the aerosol generating substrate (3) and a downstream end (2b) distal from the aerosol generating substrate (3). At the downstream end (2b), the mouthpiece (2) has a hollow tubular element (4) formed of a filament tow. This has been found to advantageously significantly reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece (2) at the downstream end (2b) of the mouthpiece, which comes into contact with the consumer's mouth when the article (1) is in use. Additionally, the use of the tubular element (4) has also been found to significantly reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece (2) upstream of the tubular element (4). Without being bound by theory, it is assumed that this is because the tubular element (4) channeles the aerosol closer to the center of the mouthpiece (2), and thus reduces the transfer of heat from the aerosol to the outer surface of the mouthpiece (2).

[0117] The material body (6) and the hollow tubular element (4) each define an overall external shape that is substantially cylindrical and share a common longitudinal axis. The material body (6) is wrapped in a first plug wrap (7). Preferably, the first plug wrap (7) has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably about 20 gsm to 40 gsm. Preferably, the first plug wrap (7) has a thickness of 30 µm to 60 µm, more preferably 35 µm to 45 µm. Preferably, the first plug wrap (7) is a non-porous plug wrap having a permeability of, for example, less than 100 coresta units, for example, less than 50 coresta units. However, in other embodiments, the first plug wrap (7) may be a porous plug wrap having a permeability of, for example, more than 200 coresta units.

[0118] In this example, the article (1) has an outer circumference of about 17 mm (i.e., the article is in a super-slim format). In other examples, the article may be provided in any of the formats described herein having an outer circumference of, for example, 15 mm to 25 mm.

[0119] The outer circumference of the mouthpiece (2) is substantially the same as the outer circumference of the rod of the aerosol generating material (3), so that a smooth transition exists between these components. In this example, the outer circumference of the mouthpiece (2) is about 16.8 mm. Tipping paper (5) is wrapped around the entire length of the mouthpiece (2) and over a portion of the rod of the aerosol generating material (3), and has adhesive on its inner surface to connect the mouthpiece (2) and the rod (3). In this example, the tipping paper (5) extends 5 mm over the rod of the aerosol generating material (3), but alternatively, it may extend 3 mm to 10 mm, or more preferably 4 mm to 6 mm over the rod (3), to provide a secure attachment between the mouthpiece (2) and the rod (3). The tipping paper (5) may have a basis weight higher than that of the plug wraps used in the article (1), for example, a basis weight of 40 gsm to 80 gsm, more preferably 50 gsm to 70 gsm, and in this example, 58 gsm. These ranges of basis weights have been found to provide the tipping papers with sufficient flexibility to wrap around the article (1) and adhere to themselves along the longitudinal lap seam on the paper, while also having acceptable tensile strength. Once wrapped around the mouthpiece (2), the outer circumference of the tipping paper (5) is about 21 mm.

[0120] The "wall thickness" of the hollow tubular element (4) corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the tube (4) in the radial direction. This can be measured, for example, using a caliper. The wall thickness is advantageously greater than 0.9 mm and more preferably greater than 1.0 mm. Preferably, the wall thickness is substantially constant around the entire wall of the hollow tubular element (4). However, if the wall thickness is not substantially constant, the wall thickness is preferably greater than 0.9 mm at any point around the hollow tubular element (4) and more preferably greater than 1.0 mm.

[0121] Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element (4) is less than about 20 mm. More preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element (4) is less than about 15 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element (4) is less than about 10 mm. Additionally, or alternatively, the length of the hollow tubular element (4) is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element (4) is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element (4) is about 5 mm to about 20 mm, more preferably about 6 mm to about 10 mm, much more preferably about 6 mm to about 8 mm, most preferably about 6 mm, 7 mm, or about 8 mm. In this example, the length of the hollow tubular element (4) is 6 mm.

[0122] In some embodiments, it may be particularly advantageous to use a hollow tubular element (4) having a length of more than about 10 mm, for example, from about 10 mm to about 30 mm or from about 12 mm to about 25 mm. Since the consumer's lips may extend up to about 12 mm from the mouse end of the article (1) in some cases when inhaling an aerosol through the article (1), it has been found that having a length of at least 10 mm or at least 12 mm means that most of the consumer's lips surround this element (4).

[0123] Preferably, the density of the hollow tubular element (4) is at least about 0.25 grams / cubic centimeter (g / cc), more preferably at least about 0.3 g / cc. Preferably, the density of the hollow tubular element (4) is less than about 0.75 grams / cubic centimeter (g / cc), more preferably less than 0.6 g / cc. In some embodiments, the density of the hollow tubular element (4) is 0.25 to 0.75 g / cc, more preferably 0.3 to 0.6 g / cc, more preferably 0.4 g / cc to 0.6 g / cc or about 0.5 g / cc. These densities have been found to provide a good balance between the improved rigidity provided by denser materials and the lower heat transfer characteristics of low-density materials. For the purposes of the present invention, the “density” of the hollow tubular element (4) refers to the density of the filament tow forming the element into which any plasticizer is incorporated. Density can be determined by dividing the total weight of the hollow tubular element (4) by the total volume of the hollow tubular element (4), where the total volume can be calculated using appropriate measurements of the hollow tubular element (4) taken, for example, using calipers. If necessary, appropriate dimensions can be measured using a microscope.

[0124] The filament tow forming the hollow tubular element (4) preferably has a total denier of less than 45,000, more preferably less than 42,000. This total denier has been found to allow for the formation of a tubular element (4) that is not too dense. Preferably, the total denier is at least 20,000, more preferably at least 25,000. In a preferred embodiment, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element (4) has a total denier of 25,000 to 45,000, more preferably 35,000 to 45,000. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the filaments of the tow is a 'Y' shape, but in other embodiments, other shapes such as 'X' shaped filaments may be used.

[0125] The filament tow forming the hollow tubular element (4) preferably has a denier per filament greater than 3. It has been found that such a denier per filament allows for the formation of a tubular element (4) that is not too dense. Preferably, the denier per filament is at least 4, more preferably at least 5. In a preferred embodiment, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element (4) has a denier per filament of 4 to 10, more preferably 4 to 9. In one example, the filament tow forming the hollow tubular element (4) has an 8Y40,000 tow formed of cellulose acetate and containing 18% plasticizer, for example, triacetin.

[0126] The hollow tubular element (4) preferably has an inner diameter greater than 3.0 mm. Smaller diameters than this can increase the speed of the aerosol passing through the mouthpiece (2) into the consumer's mouth more than desired, so the aerosol becomes too warm, for example, reaching a temperature greater than 40°C or greater than 45°C. More preferably, the hollow tubular element (4) has an inner diameter greater than 3.1 mm, and even more preferably greater than 3.5 mm or 3.6 mm. In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular element (4) is about 3.9 mm.

[0127] The hollow tubular element (4) preferably contains 15% to 22% by weight of a plasticizer. In the case of cellulose acetate tow, the plasticizer is preferably triacetin, but other plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) may be used. More preferably, the tubular element (4) contains 16% to 20% by weight of a plasticizer, for example, about 17% by weight, about 18% by weight, or about 19% by weight of a plasticizer.

[0128] The pressure drop or difference (also referred to as suction resistance) across the portion of the article (1) downstream of the mouthpiece, for example, the aerosol generating material (3), is preferably less than about 40 mmH2O. This pressure drop has been found to allow sufficient aerosol containing desirable compounds, such as flavor compounds, to be delivered to the consumer through the mouthpiece (2). More preferably, the pressure drop across the mouthpiece (2) is less than about 32 mmH2O. In some embodiments, particularly improved aerosols were achieved using a mouthpiece (2) having a pressure drop of less than 31 mmH2O, for example, about 29 mmH2O, about 28 mmH2O, or about 27.5 mmH2O. Alternatively or additionally, the mouthpiece pressure drop may be at least 10 mmH2O, preferably at least 15 mmH2O, more preferably at least 20 mmH2O. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece pressure drop may be about 15 mmH2O to 40 mmH2O. These values ​​allow the mouthpiece (2) to slow down the speed of the aerosol as it passes through the mouthpiece (2), so that the temperature of the aerosol has time to decrease before reaching the downstream end (2b) of the mouthpiece (2).

[0129] In this example, the hollow tubular element (4) is the first hollow tubular element (4), and the mouthpiece includes a second hollow tubular element (8), also called a cooling element, located upstream of the first hollow tubular element (4). In this example, the second hollow tubular element (8) is located upstream of the material body (6), adjacent to it, and in contact with it. The material body (6) and the second hollow tubular element (8) each define an overall external shape that is substantially cylindrical and share a common longitudinal axis. The second hollow tubular element (8) is formed from a plurality of parallel wound paper layers having butted seams to form the tubular element (8). In this example, the first and second paper layers are provided as two-layer tubes, but in other examples, three, four, or more paper layers may be used to form three, four, or more layers of tubes. Other structures such as spirally wound paper layers, cardboard tubes, tubes formed using a papier-mâché type process, molded or extruded plastic tubes, or similar ones may be used. The second hollow tubular element (8) may also be formed using a rigid plug wrap and / or tipping paper as the second plug wrap (9) and / or tipping paper (5) described herein, which means that a separate tubular element is not required. The rigid plug wrap and / or tipping paper is manufactured to have sufficient rigidity to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacturing and while the article (1) is used. For example, the rigid plug wrap and / or tipping paper may have a basis weight of 70 gsm to 120 gsm, more preferably 80 gsm to 110 gsm. Additionally or alternatively, the rigid plug wrap and / or tipping paper may have a thickness of 80 µm to 200 µm, more preferably 100 µm to 160 µm, or 120 µm to 150 µm.To achieve an acceptable overall level of stiffness for the second hollow tubular element (8), it may be desirable for both the second plug wrap (9) and the tipping paper (5) to have values ​​of these ranges.

[0130] The second hollow tubular element (8) preferably has a wall thickness that can be measured in the same way as the first hollow tubular element (4) and is at least about 100 µm and at most about 1.5 mm, preferably 100 µm to 1 mm and more preferably 150 µm to 500 µm, or about 300 µm. In this example, the second hollow tubular element (8) has a wall thickness of about 290 µm.

[0131] In other embodiments, the second hollow tubular element (8) has a wall thickness of at least about 325 µm and up to about 2 mm, preferably 500 µm to 1.5 mm, more preferably 750 µm to 1 mm. For example, the second hollow tubular element (8) may have a wall thickness of about 1 mm.

[0132] In some embodiments, the thickness of the wall of the second hollow tubular element (8) is at least 325 microns, and preferably at least 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, or 1000 microns. In some embodiments, the thickness of the wall of the second hollow tubular element (8) is at least 1250 or 1500 microns.

[0133] In some embodiments, the thickness of the wall of the second hollow tubular element (8) is less than 2000 microns, preferably less than 1500 microns.

[0134] The increased wall thickness of the second hollow tubular element (8) means that it has a greater thermal mass, which has been found to help reduce the temperature of the aerosol passing through the second hollow tubular element (8) and reduce the surface temperature of the mouthpiece at locations downstream of the second hollow tubular element (8).

[0135] This is thought to be because the larger thermal mass of the second hollow tubular element (8) allows the second hollow tubular element (8) to absorb more heat from the aerosol compared to the second hollow tubular element (8) having a thinner wall thickness. Additionally, the increased thickness of the second hollow tubular element (8) causes the aerosol to flow into the center inside the mouthpiece, so that less heat from the aerosol is transferred to the outer parts of the mouthpiece, such as the outer parts of the material body.

[0136] In some embodiments, the permeability of the second hollow tubular element (8) is at least 100 coresta units, and preferably at least 150 or 200 coresta units.

[0137] The relatively high permeability of the second hollow tubular element (8) was found to increase the amount of heat transferred from the aerosol to the tubular part and thus reduce the temperature of the aerosol. The permeability of the second hollow tubular element (8) was also found to increase the amount of moisture transferred from the aerosol to the second hollow tubular element (8), which was found to improve the sensation of the aerosol in the user's mouth. The high permeability of the second hollow tubular element (8) also means that it is easier to cut the ventilation holes using a laser, allowing for the use of a lower power laser.

[0138] In some examples, the article (1) may be configured such that there is a separation (i.e., minimum distance) between the heater of the non-flammable aerosol providing device (100) and the second hollow tubular element (8). This prevents heat from the heater from damaging the material forming the second hollow tubular element (8).

[0139] The minimum distance between the heater of the non-combustible aerosol providing device (100) and the second hollow tubular element (8) may be 3 mm or more. In some examples, the minimum distance between the heater of the non-combustible aerosol providing device (100) and the second hollow tubular element (8) may be in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm, for example, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm.

[0140] Separation between the heating element of the non-combustible aerosol providing device (100) and the second hollow tubular element (8) can be achieved, for example, by adjusting the length of the aerosol generating material (21).

[0141] Preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element (8) is less than about 50 mm. More preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element (8) is less than about 40 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element (8) is less than about 30 mm. Additionally, or alternatively, the length of the second hollow tubular element (8) is preferably at least about 10 mm. Preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element (8) is at least about 15 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the second hollow tubular element (8) is about 20 mm to about 30 mm, more preferably about 22 mm to about 28 mm, much more preferably about 24 mm to about 26 mm, most preferably about 25 mm. In this example, the length of the second hollow tubular element (8) is 25 mm.

[0142] The second hollow tubular element (8) is positioned around the air gap within the mouthpiece (2) which acts as a cooling segment and defines it. The air gap provides a chamber through which heated volatile components generated by the aerosol generating material (3) flow. The second hollow tubular element (8) is hollow to provide a chamber for aerosol accumulation, but is rigid enough to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacturing and while the article (1) is in use. The second hollow tubular element (8) provides a physical displacement between the aerosol generating material (3) and the material body (6). The physical displacement provided by the second hollow tubular element (8) will provide a thermal gradient along the length of the second hollow tubular element (8).

[0143] Preferably, the mouthpiece (2) comprises a cavity having an internal volume greater than 450 mm³. It has been found that providing a cavity of at least this volume enables improved aerosol formation. This cavity size provides sufficient space within the mouthpiece (2) to allow heated volatilized components to cool, and thus allows the aerosol generating material (3) to be exposed to higher temperatures than would otherwise be possible, as this could generate an aerosol that is too warm. In this example, the cavity is formed by the second hollow tubular element (8), but in alternative arrangements, it may be formed within another part of the mouthpiece (2). More preferably, the mouthpiece (2) comprises a cavity formed, for example, within the second hollow tubular element (8), with an internal volume greater than 500 mm³ and, more preferably, greater than 550 mm³, allowing for further improvement of the aerosol. In some examples, the internal cavity contains a volume of about 550 mm³ to about 750 mm³, for example, about 600 mm³ or 700 mm³.

[0144] The second hollow tubular element (8) may be configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40 degrees Celsius between the heated volatilizing component entering the first upstream end of the second hollow tubular element (8) and the heated volatilizing component exiting the second downstream end of the second hollow tubular element (8). The second hollow tubular element (8) is preferably configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60 degrees Celsius, preferably at least 80 degrees Celsius, more preferably at least 100 degrees Celsius between the heated volatilizing component entering the first upstream end of the second hollow tubular element (8) and the heated volatilizing component exiting the second downstream end of the second hollow tubular element (8). This temperature difference over the length of the second hollow tubular element (8) protects the temperature-sensitive body material (6) from the high temperatures of the aerosol-generating material (3) when heated.

[0145] In alternative articles, the second hollow tubular element (8) may be replaced with an alternative cooling element, for example, an element formed of a material body that allows the aerosol to pass through it longitudinally and also performs the function of cooling the aerosol.

[0146] In some examples, the aerosol generating material described herein is a first aerosol generating material, and the second hollow tubular element (8) may include the second aerosol generating material. The second hollow tubular element (8) may include a wall which includes the second aerosol generating material. For example, the second aerosol generating material (4b) may be placed on the inner wall of the second hollow tubular element (8).

[0147] The second aerosol generating material comprises at least one aerosol forming material and may also comprise at least one aerosol modifying material or other sensitizing material. The aerosol forming material and / or aerosol modifying material may be any aerosol forming material or aerosol modifying material as described herein, or a combination thereof.

[0148] As the aerosol generated from the aerosol generating material (3) (referred to herein as the first aerosol) is inhaled through the second hollow tubular element (8) of the mouthpiece, heat from the first aerosol can aerosolize the aerosol-forming material of the second aerosol generating material to form the second aerosol. The second aerosol may include a flavoring agent that may be additional or complementary to the flavor of the first aerosol.

[0149] Providing a second aerosol generating material on the second hollow tubular element (8) may result in the generation of a second aerosol that boosts or complements the flavor or visual appearance of the first aerosol.

[0150] In the present example, the first hollow tubular element (4), the material body (6), and the second hollow tubular element (8) are combined using a second plug wrap (9) that wraps around all three sections. Preferably, the second plug wrap (9) has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably about 20 gsm to 45 gsm. Preferably, the second plug wrap (9) has a thickness of 30 µm to 60 µm, more preferably 35 µm to 45 µm. The second plug wrap (9) is preferably a non-porous plug wrap having a permeability of less than 100 coresta units, for example, less than 50 coresta units. However, in alternative embodiments, the second plug wrap (9) may be a porous plug wrap having a permeability of, for example, more than 200 coresta units.

[0151] In this example, the aerosol generating material (3) is wrapped in a wrapper (10). The wrapper (10) may be, for example, paper or a paper-backed foil wrapper. In this example, the wrapper (10) is substantially impermeable to air. In alternative embodiments, the wrapper (10) preferably has a permeability of less than 100 Cholesta units, more preferably less than 60 Cholesta units. For example, low-permeability wrappers having a permeability of less than 100 Cholesta units, more preferably less than 60 Cholesta units, have been found to result in improved aerosol formation in the aerosol generating material (3). Without being bound by theory, this is assumed to be due to reduced loss of aerosol compounds through the wrapper (10). The permeability of the wrapper (10) can be measured according to ISO 2965:2009 regarding the determination of air permeability for materials used as cigarette papers, filter plug wraps and filter binding papers.

[0152] In this embodiment, the wrapper (10) comprises aluminum foil. Aluminum foil has been found to be particularly effective in enhancing the formation of aerosols within the aerosol generating material (3). In this example, the aluminum foil has a metal layer having a thickness of about 6 µm. In this example, the aluminum foil has a paper backing. However, in alternative arrangements, the aluminum foil may have other thicknesses, for example, a thickness of 4 µm to 16 µm. The aluminum foil also does not need to have a paper backing, but may have a backing formed of other materials to help provide adequate tensile strength to the foil, for example, or it may not have a backing material. Other metal layers or foils other than aluminum may also be used. The total thickness of the wrapper is preferably 20 µm to 60 µm, more preferably 30 µm to 50 µm, which can provide a wrapper with adequate structural integrity and heat transfer properties. The tensile force that can be applied to the wrapper before the wrapper breaks may exceed 3,000 grams force, for example, 3,000 to 10,000 grams force or 3,000 to 4,500 grams force.

[0153] In some examples, the wrapper surrounding the aerosol-generating material contains a citrate such as sodium citrate and / or potassium citrate. In these examples, the wrapper may have a citrate content of 2 weight percent or less, or 1 weight percent or less. Reducing the citrate content of the wrapper may help reduce any visible discoloration of the wrapper during use.

[0154] The article has a ventilation level of approximately 75% of the aerosol aspirated through the article. In alternative embodiments, the article may have a ventilation level of 50% to 80%, for example, 65% to 75% of the aerosol aspirated through the article. Ventilation at these levels helps to slow the flow of the aerosol aspirated through the mouthpiece (2), thereby allowing the aerosol to be sufficiently cooled before reaching the downstream end (2b) of the mouthpiece (2). Ventilation is provided directly to the mouthpiece (2) of the article (1). In this example, ventilation is provided to the second hollow tubular element (8), which has been found to be particularly beneficial in assisting the aerosol generation process. Air is provided through first and second parallel rows of perforations (12), formed in this case by laser perforations, at positions 17.925 mm and 18.625 mm respectively from the downstream end of the mouthpiece (2). These perforations pass through the tipping paper (5), the second plug wrap (9), and the second hollow tubular element (8). In alternative embodiments, air may be provided into the mouthpiece at other locations, for example, into the material body (6) or the first tubular element (4).

[0155] Alternatively, ventilation can be provided into the portion of the article where the hollow tubular element is located through a single row of perforations, for example, laser perforations. This has been found to improve aerosol formation, which is thought to result from airflow through perforations that are more uniform than through multiple rows of perforations for a given level of ventilation.

[0156] Aerosol temperature has been found to generally increase as the air level decreases. However, the relationship between aerosol temperature and air level does not appear linear, and, for example, changes in air due to manufacturing tolerances have less impact on lower target air levels. For example, if the air tolerance is ±15% and the target air level is 75%, the aerosol temperature may increase by about 6°C at the lower air limit (60% air). However, if the target air level is 60%, the aerosol temperature may increase by only about 3.5°C at the lower air limit (45% air). Therefore, the target air level of the article may be in the range of 40% to 70%, for example, 45% to 65%. For example, the average air level of at least 20 articles may be 40% to 70%, for example, 45% to 70% or 51% to 59%.

[0157] In some examples, the wrapper (10) surrounding the aerosol-generating material has a high level of permeability, such as, for example, more than about 1000 Cholesta units, more than about 1500 Cholesta units, or more than about 2000 Cholesta units. The permeability of the wrapper (10) can be measured according to ISO 2965:2009 regarding the determination of air permeability for materials used as cigarette papers, filter plug wraps, and filter binding papers.

[0158] The wrapper (10) may be formed from a material having a high intrinsic level of permeability, an intrinsically porous material, or may be formed from a material having any intrinsic level of permeability where the final level of permeability is achieved by providing a permeable zone or region to the wrapper (10). Providing a permeable wrapper (10) provides a route for air to enter the smoking article. The wrapper may be provided with permeability such that the amount of air entering the article through a load of aerosol-generating material is relatively greater than the amount of air entering the article through the ventilation area (12) of the mouthpiece. An article having such an arrangement may generate a more flavorful aerosol that is more satisfying to the user.

[0159] In the present example, the aerosol-forming material added to the aerosol-generating substrate (3) comprises 14% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate (3). Preferably, the aerosol-forming material comprises at least 5% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate, more preferably at least 10% by weight. Preferably, the aerosol-forming material comprises less than 25% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate, more preferably less than 20% by weight, for example, 10% to 20% by weight, 12% to 18% by weight, or 13% to 16% by weight.

[0160] Preferably, the aerosol generating material (3) is provided as a cylindrical rod of the aerosol generating material. Regardless of the shape of the aerosol generating material, it is preferable that it have a length of about 10 mm to 100 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the aerosol generating material is preferably in the range of about 25 mm to 50 mm, more preferably in the range of about 30 mm to 45 mm, and even more preferably in the range of about 30 mm to 40 mm.

[0161] The volume of the provided aerosol generating material (3) can vary from about 200 mm³ to about 4300 mm³, preferably about 500 mm³ to 1500 mm³, more preferably about 1000 mm³ to about 1300 mm³. For example, providing these volumes of aerosol generating material of about 1000 mm³ to about 1300 mm³ has been advantageous in achieving a superior aerosol with greater visibility and sensory performance compared to volumes selected at the lower end of the range.

[0162] The mass of the provided aerosol generating material (3) may be greater than 200 mg, for example, about 200 mg to 400 mg, preferably about 230 mg to 360 mg, more preferably about 250 mg to 360 mg. Advantageously, it has been found that providing a higher mass of aerosol generating material produces improved sensory performance compared to an aerosol generated from a lower mass of tobacco material.

[0163] Preferably, the aerosol generating material or substrate is formed from a tobacco material as described herein, comprising a tobacco component.

[0164] In the tobacco material described herein, the tobacco component preferably contains paper-reconstituted tobacco. The tobacco component may also contain leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and / or bandcast tobacco.

[0165] The aerosol generating material (3) may comprise a reconstituted tobacco material having a density of less than about 700 milligrams per cubic centimeter (mg / cc). These tobacco materials have been found to be particularly effective in providing an aerosol generating material that can be heated rapidly to release an aerosol compared to denser materials. For example, the inventors tested the properties of various aerosol generating materials, such as bandcast reconstituted tobacco materials and paper reconstituted tobacco materials, when heated. For each given aerosol generating material, it was found that a specific zero heat flow temperature exists; below the specific zero heat flow temperature, the net heat flow is endothermic, in other words, more heat enters the material than leaves it, and above the specific zero heat flow temperature, the net heat flow is exothermic, in other words, while heat is applied to the material, more heat leaves the material than enters it. Materials with a density of less than 700 mg / cc have a lower zero heat flow temperature. Since a significant portion of heat flow from the material occurs through the formation of aerosols, having a lower zero heat flow temperature has a favorable effect on the time required to first release aerosols from the aerosol-generating material. For example, aerosol-generating materials with a density of less than 700 mg / cc were found to have a zero heat flow temperature of less than 164°C compared to materials with a density greater than 700 mg / cc that had a zero heat flow temperature greater than 164°C.

[0166] The density of the aerosol-generating material also affects the rate at which heat is conducted through the material, and lower densities, for example, less than 700 mg / cc, conduct heat more slowly through the material, thus enabling a more sustained release of the aerosol.

[0167] Preferably, the aerosol generating material (3) comprises a reconstituted tobacco material having a density of about 700 mg / cc or less, e.g., a paper reconstituted tobacco material. More preferably, the aerosol generating material (3) comprises a reconstituted tobacco material having a density of about 600 mg / cc or less. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol generating material (3) preferably comprises a reconstituted tobacco material having a density of at least 350 mg / cc, which is considered to allow a sufficient amount of heat conduction through the material.

[0168] The tobacco material may be provided in the form of cut rag tobacco. The cut rag tobacco may have a cut width of at least 15 cuts per inch (about 5.9 cuts per cm, corresponding to a cut width of about 1.7 mm). Preferably, the cut rag tobacco may have a cut width of at least 18 cuts per inch (about 7.1 cuts per cm, corresponding to a cut width of about 1.4 mm), and more preferably, at least 20 cuts per inch (about 7.9 cuts per cm, corresponding to a cut width of about 1.27 mm). In one example, the cut rag tobacco has a cut width of 22 cuts per inch (about 8.7 cuts per cm, corresponding to a cut width of about 1.15 mm). Preferably, the cut rag tobacco has a cut width of 40 cuts per inch (about 15.7 cuts per cm, corresponding to a cut width of about 0.64 mm) or fewer. Cut widths of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, for example, 0.6 mm to 1.5 mm, or 0.6 mm to 1.7 mm have been found to produce a desirable tobacco material in terms of surface area to volume ratio, and the overall density and pressure drop of the substrate (3), particularly when heated. The cut rag tobacco may be formed from a mixture of forms of tobacco materials, for example, a mixture of one or more of paper reconstituted tobacco, leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and bandcast tobacco. Preferably, the tobacco material comprises paper reconstituted tobacco or a mixture of paper reconstituted tobacco and leaf tobacco.

[0169] In the tobacco material described herein, the tobacco material may contain a filler component. The filler component is generally a non-tobacco component, that is, a component that does not contain components derived from tobacco. The filler component may be a non-tobacco fiber, such as wood fiber or pulp or wheat fiber. The filler component may also be an inorganic material, such as chalk, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, or magnesium carbonate. The filler component may also be a non-tobacco cast material or a non-tobacco extruded material. The filler component may be present in an amount of 0 to 20 weight percent of the tobacco material, or in an amount of 1 to 10 weight percent of the composition. In some embodiments, the filler component is not present.

[0170] In the tobacco materials described herein, the tobacco materials possess an aerosol-forming material. In this context, an "aerosol-forming material" is a formulation that promotes the generation of an aerosol. The aerosol-forming material may promote the generation of an aerosol by promoting initial vaporization and / or the condensation of gas into an inhalable solid and / or liquid aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may improve the delivery of flavor from the aerosol-forming material. Generally, any suitable aerosol-forming material or formulation, including those described herein, may be included in the aerosol-forming material of the present invention. Other suitable aerosol-forming materials include, but are not limited to, the following: sorbitol, glycerol, and polyols such as glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol; Non-polyols such as monohydric alcohols, high boiling point hydrocarbons, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as diacetin, triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, myristates including triethyl citrate or ethyl myristate and isopropyl myristate, and aliphatic carboxylic acid esters such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol.Glycerol may be present in an amount of 10% to 20% by weight of the tobacco material, for example, 13% to 16% by weight of the composition, or about 14% or 15% by weight of the composition. Propylene glycol may be present, if present, in an amount of 0.1% to 0.3% by weight of the composition.

[0171] The aerosol-forming material may be included in any component of the tobacco material, for example, any tobacco component and / or, if present, a filler component. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol-forming material may be added separately to the tobacco material. In either case, the total amount of the aerosol-forming material within the tobacco material may be as defined herein.

[0172] The tobacco material may contain 10% to 90% by weight of tobacco leaves, wherein the aerosol-forming material is provided in an amount of about 10% by weight or less of the tobacco leaves. It has been advantageously found that, in order to achieve a total level of 10% to 20% by weight of the aerosol-forming material in the tobacco material, this can be added in a higher weight percentage to other components of the tobacco material, such as the reconstituted tobacco material.

[0173] The tobacco material described herein contains nicotine. The nicotine content is 0.5% by weight to 1.75% by weight of the tobacco material, and may be, for example, 0.8% by weight to 1.5% by weight of the tobacco material. Additionally or alternatively, the tobacco material contains 10% by weight to 90% by weight of tobacco leaves having a nicotine content of more than 1.5% by weight of the tobacco leaves. Advantageously, it has been found that using tobacco leaves with a nicotine content of more than 1.5% in combination with a base material having a low nicotine content, such as paper reconstituted tobacco, provides an appropriate nicotine level to the tobacco material but provides better sensory performance than using paper reconstituted tobacco alone. For example, the tobacco leaves, such as cut rag tobacco, may have a nicotine content of, for example, 1.5% by weight to 5% by weight of the tobacco leaves.

[0174] The tobacco material described herein may contain an aerosol modifier such as any of the flavors described herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material contains menthol to form a menthol-containing article. The tobacco material may contain 3 mg to 20 mg of menthol, preferably 5 mg to 18 mg, more preferably 8 mg to 16 mg of menthol. In this example, the tobacco material contains 16 mg of menthol. The tobacco material may contain 2 wt% to 8 wt% of menthol, preferably 3 wt% to 7 wt% of menthol, more preferably 4 wt% to 5.5 wt% of menthol. In one embodiment, the tobacco material contains 4.7 wt% of menthol. These high levels of menthol loading can be achieved by using a high percentage of the reconstituted tobacco material, for example, more than 50 wt% of the tobacco material. Alternatively or additionally, the use of a high volume of aerosol-generating material, e.g., tobacco material, can increase the menthol loading level that can be achieved when more than about 500 mm³ or, suitably, more than about 1000 mm³ of aerosol-generating material, such as tobacco material, is used.

[0175] In the compositions described herein where amounts are provided in weight percent, to avoid any doubt, this refers to a dry weight basis unless otherwise specifically indicated. Accordingly, any moisture that may be present in the tobacco material or any of its components is completely ignored for the purpose of determining the weight percent. The moisture content of the tobacco material described herein may vary and may be, for example, 5 to 15 weight percent. The moisture content of the tobacco material described herein may vary depending, for example, on the temperature, pressure, and humidity conditions under which the compositions are maintained. The moisture content may be determined by Karl-Fisher analysis, as is known to those skilled in the art. Meanwhile, to eliminate any doubt, any component other than water, even if the aerosol-forming material is a liquid component such as glycerol or propylene glycol, is included in the weight of the tobacco material. However, if the aerosol-forming material is provided to the tobacco component of the tobacco material or the filler component of the tobacco material (if present), instead of being added separately to the tobacco material or in addition thereto, the aerosol-forming material is not included in the weight of the tobacco component or the filler component, but is included in the weight of the "aerosol-forming material" in the weight percent defined herein. All other components present in the tobacco component are included in the weight of the tobacco component, even if they are of non-tobacco source (e.g., non-tobacco fibers in the case of paper-reconstituted tobacco).

[0176] In one embodiment, the tobacco material comprises a tobacco component as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material is essentially composed of a tobacco component as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material is composed of a tobacco component as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein.

[0177] Paper-reconstituted tobacco is present in the tobacco component of the tobacco material described herein in an amount of 10% to 100% by weight of the tobacco component. In the embodiments, paper-reconstituted tobacco is present in an amount of 10% to 80% by weight, or 20% to 70% by weight of the tobacco component. In additional embodiments, the tobacco component is essentially composed of paper-reconstituted tobacco or is composed of paper-reconstituted tobacco. In a preferred embodiment, leaf tobacco is present in the tobacco component of the tobacco material in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco component. For example, leaf tobacco may be present in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco component, and the remainder of the tobacco component comprises paper-reconstituted tobacco, bandcast-reconstituted tobacco, or a combination of other forms of tobacco such as bandcast-reconstituted tobacco and tobacco granules.

[0178] Reconstituted paper tobacco refers to tobacco material formed by a process in which tobacco feedstock is extracted with a solvent to provide a residue containing extracts of soluble substances and fibrous material, which is then recombined with the fibrous material from the residue by depositing the extract (typically after concentration and optionally after further processing) onto the fibrous material (typically after purification of the fibrous material and optionally with the addition of a portion of non-tobacco fibers). The recombination process is similar to the papermaking process.

[0179] The paper-reconstituted cigarette may be any type of paper-reconstituted cigarette known in the art. In certain embodiments, the paper-reconstituted cigarette is prepared from a feedstock comprising one or more of tobacco strips, tobacco stems, and whole leaf tobacco. In further embodiments, the paper-reconstituted cigarette is prepared from a feedstock consisting of tobacco strips and / or whole leaf tobacco, and tobacco stems. However, in other embodiments, scraps, fines, and winnowings may be used alternatively or additionally in the feedstock.

[0180] Paper-reconstituted cigarettes for use in the tobacco materials described herein can be manufactured by methods known to those skilled in the art for manufacturing paper-reconstituted cigarettes.

[0181] In the examples described above, the mouthpiece (2) comprises a single material body (6). In other examples, the mouthpiece of FIG. 1a may comprise a plurality of material bodies. The mouthpiece (2) may comprise cavities between the material bodies.

[0182] In some examples, the mouthpiece (2) downstream of the aerosol generating material (3) may comprise a wrapper, for example, first or second plug wraps (7, 9), or tipping paper (5) containing an aerosol modifier as described herein. The aerosol modifier may be placed on the inward or outward surface of the mouthpiece wrapper. For example, the aerosol modifier may be provided on an area of ​​the wrapper, such as the outward surface of the tipping paper (5), which comes into contact with the consumer's lips during use. By placing the aerosol modifier on the outward surface of the mouthpiece wrapper, the aerosol modifier may be delivered to the consumer's lips during use. Delivering the aerosol modifier to the consumer's lips during use of the article may modify the sensory characteristics (e.g., taste) of the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating material (3) or otherwise provide the consumer with an alternative sensory experience. For example, an aerosol modifier can impart flavor to the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating substrate (3). The aerosol modifier can be at least partially dissolved in water and delivered to the user through the consumer's saliva. The aerosol modifier may be volatile due to heat generated by the aerosol delivery system. This can facilitate the delivery of the aerosol modifier to the aerosol generated by the aerosol generating substrate (3). Suitable sensory materials may be flavoring agents as described herein, or cooling agents such as sucralose or menthol or similars.

[0183] A non-flammable aerosol providing device is used to heat an aerosol generating material (3) of the article (1) described herein. The non-flammable aerosol providing device preferably comprises a coil, because it has been found that this enables improved heat transfer to the article (1) compared to other arrays.

[0184] In some examples, the coil is configured to heat at least one electrically conductive heating element when in use, so that thermal energy can be conducted from at least one electrically conductive heating element to an aerosol generating material, thereby causing heating of the aerosol generating material.

[0185] In some examples, the coil is configured to generate a changing magnetic field to penetrate at least one heating element during use, thereby generating inductive heating and / or magnetic hysteresis heating of at least one heating element. In such an arrangement, the heating element or each heating element may be referred to as a “susceptor” as defined herein. A coil configured to generate a changing magnetic field to penetrate at least one electrically conductive heating element during use, thereby generating inductive heating of at least one electrically conductive heating element, may be called an “induction coil” or an “inductor coil.”

[0186] The device may include heating elements(s), for example, electrically conductive heating elements(s), and the heating elements(s) may be appropriately positioned relative to the coil to enable such heating of the heating elements(s). The heating elements(s) may be in a fixed position relative to the coil. Alternatively, at least one heating element, for example, at least one electrically conductive heating element may be included in the article (1) to be inserted into the heating zone of the device, and the article (1) may also include an aerosol generating material (3) and be removed from the heating zone after use. Alternatively, both the device and the article (1) may include at least one individual heating element, for example, at least one electrically conductive heating element, and the coil may generate heating of the heating element(s) of the device and the article, respectively, when the article is in the heating zone.

[0187] In some examples, the coil is helical. In some examples, the coil surrounds at least a portion of the heating zone of a device configured to accommodate aerosol-generating material. In some examples, the coil is a helical coil that surrounds at least a portion of the heating zone.

[0188] In some examples, the device includes an electrically conductive heating element that at least partially surrounds a heating zone, and the coil is a spiral coil that surrounds at least a portion of the electrically conductive heating element. In some examples, the electrically conductive heating element is tubular. In some examples, the coil is an inductor coil.

[0189] In some examples, the use of a coil enables a non-combustible aerosol delivery device to reach an operating temperature more quickly than a non-coil aerosol delivery device. For example, a non-combustible aerosol delivery device comprising a coil as described above can reach an operating temperature such that a first puff can be provided within 30 seconds, more preferably within 25 seconds, from the start of the device heating program. In some examples, the device can reach an operating temperature within about 20 seconds from the start of the device heating program.

[0190] It has been found that using a coil as described herein in a device to generate heating of the aerosol-generating material enhances the aerosol produced. For example, consumers have reported that the aerosol generated by a device containing a coil as described herein is sensorially closer to that generated in factory-made cigarettes (FMC) than that generated by other non-combustible aerosol delivery systems. Without being bound by theory, this is assumed to be a result of the reduced time required to reach the heating temperature when the coil is used, the higher heating temperatures that can be achieved when the coil is used, and / or the fact that these systems can simultaneously heat a relatively large volume of aerosol-generating material by the coil, thereby generating aerosol temperatures similar to those of FMC aerosols. In FMC products, burning coal generates hot aerosols that heat the tobacco within the tobacco rod behind the coal when the aerosol is inhaled through the rod. It is understood that these hot aerosols release flavor compounds from the tobacco within the rod behind the burning coal. A device comprising a coil as described herein is also thought to be capable of heating an aerosol-generating material, such as the tobacco material described herein, to release flavor compounds and generate an aerosol reported to be more similar to an FMC aerosol.

[0191] By using an aerosol supply system comprising a coil as described herein, for example, an induction coil that heats at least a portion of an aerosol-generating material to at least 200°C, more preferably at least 220°C, an aerosol can be generated from an aerosol-generating material having certain characteristics that are considered to be more similar to the characteristics of FMC products. For example, when an aerosol-generating material containing nicotine is heated using an induction heater heated to at least 250°C for a period of 2 seconds under an air flow of at least 1.50 L / m during this period, one or more of the following characteristics were observed:

[0192] At least 10 μg of nicotine is aerosolized from an aerosol generating material;

[0193] The weight ratio of the aerosol-forming material to nicotine in the generated aerosol is at least about 2.5:1, suitably at least 8.5:1;

[0194] At least 100 μg of the aerosol-forming material can be aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material;

[0195] The average particle or droplet size of the generated aerosol is less than about 1000 nm; and

[0196] The aerosol density is at least 0.1 μg / cc.

[0197] In some cases, at least 10 µg of nicotine, suitably at least 30 µg or 40 µg of nicotine, is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material under an air flow of at least 1.50 L / m during this period. In some cases, less than about 200 µg, suitably less than about 150 µg or less than about 125 µg of nicotine, is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material under an air flow of at least 1.50 L / m during this period.

[0198] In some cases, the aerosol contains at least 100 µg of aerosol-forming material, and suitably, at least 200 µg, 500 µg, or 1 mg of aerosol-forming material is aerosolized from the aerosol-forming material under an air flow of at least 1.50 L / m during this period. Suitably, the aerosol-forming material may contain glycerol or be composed of glycerol.

[0199] As defined herein, the term “average particle or droplet size” refers to the average size of the solid or liquid components of an aerosol (i.e., components suspended in the gas). Where the aerosol contains suspended liquid droplets and suspended solid particles, this term refers to the average size of all components.

[0200] In some cases, the average particle or droplet size in the generated aerosol may be about 900 nm, 800 nm, 700 nm, 600 nm, 500 nm, 450 nm, or less than 400 nm. In some cases, the average particle or droplet size may be about 25 nm, 50 nm, or greater than 100 nm.

[0201] In some cases, the aerosol density generated during this period is at least 0.1 µg / cc. In some cases, the aerosol density is at least 0.2 µg / cc, 0.3 µg / cc, or 0.4 µg / cc. In some cases, the aerosol density is about 2.5 µg / cc, 2.0 µg / cc, 1.5 µg / cc, or less than 1.0 µg / cc.

[0202] The non-flammable aerosol providing device is preferably arranged to heat the aerosol generating material (3) of the article (1) to a maximum temperature of at least 160°C. Preferably, the non-flammable aerosol providing device is arranged to heat the aerosol forming material (3) of the article (1) to a maximum temperature of at least about 200°C, or at least about 220°C, or at least about 240°C, more preferably at least about 270°C, at least once during a subsequent heating process by the non-flammable aerosol providing device.

[0203] Using an aerosol delivery system comprising a coil as described in this specification, for example, an induction coil that heats at least a portion of an aerosol generating material to at least 200°C, more preferably at least 220°C, can enable the generation of aerosol from an aerosol generating material as described in this specification having a higher temperature than previous devices when the aerosol leaves the mouse end of the mouthpiece (2), thereby contributing to the generation of an aerosol considered to be closer to an FMC product. For example, the maximum aerosol temperature measured at the mouse end of the article (1) may preferably be greater than 50°C, more preferably greater than 55°C, and even more preferably greater than 56°C or 57°C. Additionally or alternatively, the maximum aerosol temperature measured at the mouse end of the article (1) may be less than 62°C, more preferably less than 60°C, and even more preferably less than 59°C. In some embodiments, the maximum aerosol temperature measured at the mouse end of the article (1) may preferably be 50°C to 62°C, more preferably 56°C to 60°C.

[0204] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a non-flammable aerosol providing device (100) for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating medium / material, such as the aerosol generating material (3) of the articles (1) described herein. Roughly speaking, the device (100) may be used to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium by heating a replaceable article (110) containing an aerosol generating medium, for example, the articles (1) described herein. The device (100) and the replaceable article (110) together form a system.

[0205] The device (100) includes a housing (102) (in the form of an external cover) that surrounds and encloses various components of the device (100). The device (100) has an opening (104) at one end, through which an article (110) can be inserted for heating by a heating assembly. In use, the article (110) can be fully or partially inserted into a heating assembly that can be heated by one or more components of the heating assembly.

[0206] The device (100) of this example includes a first end member (106), and the first end member includes a cover (108) that can be moved relative to the first end member (106) to close the opening (104) when the article (110) is not in place. In FIG. 2, the cover (108) is shown in an open configuration, but the cover (108) can be moved to a closed configuration. For example, the user can cause the cover (108) to slide in the direction of arrow “B”.

[0207] The device (100) may also include a user-operable control element (112), such as a button or switch, that operates the device (100) when pressurized. For example, the user can turn on the device (100) by operating the switch (112).

[0208] Additionally, the device (100) may include an electrical component, such as a socket / port (114), capable of receiving a cable for charging the battery of the device (100). For example, the socket (114) may be a charging port, such as a USB charging port.

[0209] FIG. 3 depicts the device (100) of FIG. 2 with the outer cover (102) removed and the article (110) not present. The device (100) defines a longitudinal axis (134).

[0210] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a first end member (106) is arranged at one end of the device (100), and a second end member (116) is arranged at the opposite end of the device (100). The first and second end members (106, 116) together define at least partially the end surfaces of the device (100). For example, the lowest surface of the second end member (116) defines at least partially the lowest surface of the device (100). The edges of the outer cover (102) may also define part of the end surfaces. In this example, the cover (108) also defines part of the uppermost surface of the device (100).

[0211] The end of the device closest to the opening (104) may be known as the proximal end (or mouse end) of the device (100) because it is closest to the user's mouth during use. During use, the user inserts the item (110) into the opening (104), operates the user control unit (112) to start heating the aerosol generating material, and inhales the aerosol generated from the device. This causes the aerosol to flow through the device (100) along a flow path toward the proximal end of the device (100).

[0212] The other end of the device furthest from the opening (104) may be known as the distal end of the device (100) because it is the end furthest from the user's mouth during use. As the user inhales the aerosol generated from the device, the aerosol flows away from the distal end of the device (100).

[0213] The device (100) further includes a power source (118). The power source (118) may be, for example, a battery, such as a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, a lithium battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery), a nickel battery (e.g., a nickel-cadmium battery), and an alkaline battery. The battery is electrically coupled to a heating assembly to supply electric power when needed under the control of a controller (not shown) to heat the aerosol-generating material. In this example, the battery is connected to a central support (120) that holds the battery (118) in place.

[0214] The device further includes at least one electronic module (122). The electronic module (122) may include, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB (122) may support at least one controller, such as a processor, and memory. The PCB (122) may also include one or more electrical tracks to electrically connect various electronic components of the device (100) to one another. For example, battery terminals may be electrically connected to the PCB (122) so that power can be distributed throughout the device (100). A socket (114) may also be electrically connected to the battery via the electrical tracks.

[0215] In an exemplary device (100), the heating assembly is an induction heating assembly and includes various components for heating an aerosol-generating material of an article (110) through an induction heating process. Induction heating is a process of heating an electrically conductive object (e.g., a susceptor) by electromagnetic induction. The induction heating assembly may include an inductive element, e.g., one or more inductor coils, and a device for delivering a variable current, such as an alternating current, through the inductive element. The variable current of the inductive element generates a changing magnetic field. The changing magnetic field penetrates a susceptor appropriately positioned relative to the inductive element and generates eddy currents on the inside of the susceptor. Since the susceptor has electrical resistance to the eddy currents, the susceptor is heated by Joule heating due to the flow of eddy currents against this resistance. In cases where the susceptor comprises ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, nickel, or cobalt, heat can also be generated by magnetic hysteresis losses within the susceptor—that is, by various orientations of magnetic dipoles in the magnetic material resulting from the alignment of magnetic dipoles with varying magnetic fields. In induction heating, heat is generated within the susceptor, allowing for rapid heating, unlike, for example, heating by conduction. Furthermore, since no physical contact is required between the induction heater and the susceptor, it allows for enhanced freedom in configuration and application.

[0216] An induction heating assembly of an exemplary device (100) comprises a susceptor array (132) (referred to herein as "susceptor"), a first inductor coil (124), and a second inductor coil (126). The first and second inductor coils (124, 126) are made of an electrically conductive material. In this example, the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) are made of Litz wire / cable that is wound in a spiral shape to provide spiral inductor coils (124, 126). The Litz wire comprises a plurality of individual wires that are individually insulated and twisted together to form a single wire. The Litz wires are designed to reduce skin effect losses in the conductor. In the example of device (100), the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) are made of copper Litz wire having a rectangular cross-section. In other examples, the Litz wire may have cross-sections of other shapes, such as circular.

[0217] The first inductor coil (124) is configured to generate a first changing magnetic field for heating a first section of the susceptor (132), and the second inductor coil (126) is configured to generate a second changing magnetic field for heating a second section of the susceptor (132). In this example, the first inductor coil (124) is adjacent to the second inductor coil (126) in a direction along the longitudinal axis (134) of the device (100) (i.e., the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) do not overlap). The susceptor array (132) may include a single susceptor or two or more distinct susceptors. The ends (130) of the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) may be connected to the PCB (122).

[0218] It will be understood that the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) may, in some examples, have at least one characteristic different from one another. For example, the first inductor coil (124) may have at least one characteristic different from the second inductor coil (126). More specifically, in one example, the first inductor coil (124) may have an inductance value different from the second inductor coil (126). In FIG. 3, the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) have different lengths so that the first inductor coil (124) is wound over a smaller section of the susceptor (132) than the second inductor coil (126). Thus, the first inductor coil (124) may have a different number of turns than the second inductor coil (126) (assuming the spacing between individual turns is substantially the same). In another example, the first inductor coil (124) may be made of a different material than the second inductor coil (126). In some examples, the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) may be substantially the same.

[0219] In this example, the first inductor coil (124) and the second inductor coil (126) are wound in opposite directions. This can be useful when the inductor coils are activated at different times. For example, initially, the first inductor coil (124) can be operated to heat a first section / part of the article (110), and later, the second inductor coil (126) can be operated to heat a second section / part of the article (110). Winding the coils in opposite directions helps to reduce the current induced in the inactive coil when used with a certain type of control circuit. In FIG. 3, the first inductor coil (124) is a right-hand helix, and the second inductor coil (126) is a left-hand helix. However, in other embodiments, the inductor coils (124, 126) may be wound in the same direction, or the first inductor coil (124) may be a left-handed spiral and the second inductor coil (126) may be a right-handed spiral.

[0220] The susceptor (132) in this example is hollow and thus defines a receptacle into which an aerosol-generating material is received. For example, an article (110) can be inserted into the susceptor (132). In this example, the susceptor (120) is tubular with a circular cross-section.

[0221] The susceptor (132) may be manufactured from one or more materials. Preferably, the susceptor (132) comprises carbon steel having a coating of nickel or cobalt.

[0222] In some examples, the susceptor (132) may comprise at least two materials that can be heated at two different frequencies for the selective aerosolization of at least two materials. For example, a first section of the susceptor (132) (heated by the first inductor coil (124)) may comprise a first material, and a second section of the susceptor (132) heated by the second inductor coil (126) may comprise a second different material. In other examples, the first section may comprise first and second materials, wherein the first and second materials may be heated differently based on the operation of the first inductor coil (124). The first and second materials may be adjacent along an axis defined by the susceptor (132) or may form different layers within the susceptor (132). Similarly, the second section may include third and fourth materials, wherein the third and fourth materials may be heated differently based on the operation of the second inductor coil (126). The third and fourth materials may be adjacent along an axis defined by the susceptor (132) or may form different layers within the susceptor (132). For example, the third material may be identical to the first material, and the fourth material may be identical to the second material. Alternatively, each of the materials may be different. The susceptor may include, for example, carbon steel or aluminum.

[0223] The device (100) of FIG. 3 further comprises an insulating member (128) which may generally be tubular and may at least partially surround the susceptor (132). The insulating member (128) may be composed of any insulating material, such as plastic. In this particular example, the insulating member is composed of PEEK (polyether ether ketone). The insulating member (128) may help insulate various components of the device (100) from heat generated in the susceptor (132).

[0224] The insulating member (128) may also fully or partially support the first and second inductor coils (124, 126). For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) are positioned around the insulating member (128) and come into contact with the radially outer surface of the insulating member (128). In some examples, the insulating member (128) does not come into contact with the first and second inductor coils (124, 126). For example, a small gap may exist between the outer surface of the insulating member (128) and the inner surface of the first and second inductor coils (124, 126).

[0225] In a particular example, the susceptor (132), the insulating member (128), and the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) are coaxial around the central longitudinal axis of the susceptor (132).

[0226] FIG. 4 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the side view of the device (100). An outer cover (102) is present in this example. The rectangular cross-sectional shape of the first and second inductor coils (124, 126) is more clearly visible.

[0227] The device (100) further includes a support member (136) that engages with one end of the susceptor (132) to hold the susceptor (132) in place. The support member (136) is connected to a second end member (116).

[0228] The device may also include a second printed circuit board (138) associated within the control element (112).

[0229] The device (100) further includes a spring (142) and a second cover / cap (140) arranged toward the distal end of the device (100). The spring (142) allows the second cover (140) to be opened to provide access to the susceptor (132). A user may open the second cover (140) to clean the susceptor (132) and / or the support (136).

[0230] The device (100) further includes an expansion chamber (144) extending away from the proximal end of the susceptor (132) toward the opening (104) of the device. Within the expansion chamber (144), a retention clip (146) is at least partially positioned to contact and hold an article (110) when received within the device (100). The expansion chamber (144) is connected to the end member (106).

[0231] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the device (100) of FIG. 4 with the outer cover (102) omitted.

[0232] FIG. 6a depicts a cross-sectional view of a portion of the device (100) of FIG. 4. FIG. 6b depicts an enlarged view of the area of ​​FIG. 6a. FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b illustrate an article (110) housed within a susceptor (132), wherein the article (110) is dimensioned such that the outer surface of the article (110) contacts the inner surface of the susceptor (132). This ensures that heating is performed most efficiently. The article (110) of this example includes an aerosol-generating material (110a). The aerosol-generating material (110a) is positioned within the susceptor (132). The article (110) may also include other components such as filters, wrapping materials, and / or cooling structures.

[0233] FIG. 6b illustrates that the outer surface of the susceptor (132) is spaced apart from the inner surface of the inductor coils (124, 126) by a distance (150) measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (158) of the susceptor (132). In one particular example, the distance (150) is about 3 mm to 4 mm, about 3 to 3.5 mm, or about 3.25 mm.

[0234] FIG. 6b further illustrates that the outer surface of the insulating member (128) is spaced apart from the inner surface of the inductor coils (124, 126) by a distance (152) measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (158) of the susceptor (132). In one particular example, the distance (152) is about 0.05 mm. In another example, the distance (152) is substantially 0 mm, and accordingly, the inductor coils (124, 126) come into contact with the insulating member (128).

[0235] In one example, the susceptor (132) has a wall thickness (154) of about 0.025 mm to 1 mm, or about 0.05 mm.

[0236] In one example, the susceptor (132) has a length of about 40 mm to 60 mm, about 40 mm to 45 mm, or about 44.5 mm.

[0237] In one example, the insulating member (128) has a wall thickness (156) of about 0.25 mm to 2 mm, 0.25 mm to 1 mm, or about 0.5 mm.

[0238] When in use, the articles (1) described herein may be inserted into a non-flammable aerosol providing device such as the device (100) described with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6. At least a portion of the mouthpiece (2) of the article (1) may protrude from the non-flammable aerosol providing device (100) and be placed into the user's mouth. An aerosol is generated by heating the aerosol generating material (3) using the device (100). The aerosol generated by the aerosol generating material (3) is delivered to the user's mouth through the mouthpiece (2).

[0239] When the article (1) is inserted into the device (100), the minimum distance between one or more components of the heater assembly and the tubular element of the article (1) may be in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm, for example, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm or 10 mm.

[0240] The articles (1) described herein have special advantages when used with non-flammable aerosol providing devices, such as the device (100) described with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6, for example. In particular, the first tubular element (4) formed from a filament tow was found to have a significant effect on the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece (2) of the articles (1). For example, when the hollow tubular element (4) formed from a filament tow is wrapped in an outer wrapper, for example, tipping paper (5), the outer surface of the outer wrapper at a longitudinal position corresponding to the position of the hollow tubular element (4) was found to reach a maximum temperature of less than 42°C, suitably less than 40°C, more suitably less than 38°C, or less than 36°C during use.

[0241] Table 3 below illustrates the temperature of the outer surface of an article (1) (as described herein with reference to FIGS. 1a and 1b) when heated using the device (100) described herein with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6. First, second, and third temperature measuring probes were used at corresponding first, second, and third positions along the mouthpiece (2) of the article (1). The first position (numbered as position 1 in Table 2) was 4 mm from the downstream end (2b) of the mouthpiece (2), the second position (numbered as position 2 in Table 2) was 8 mm from the downstream end (2b) of the mouthpiece (2), and the third position (numbered as position 3 in Table 2) was 12 mm from the downstream end (2b) of the mouthpiece (2).

[0242] Accordingly, the first position was on the outer surface of the mouthpiece (2) portion where the first tubular element (4) is placed, and the second and third positions were on the outer surface of the mouthpiece (2) portion where the material body (6) is placed.

[0243] A control article was tested for comparison with the filament tow tubular elements (4) described herein, and instead of the filament tow tubular elements (4), a known spirally wrapped paper tube was used that has the same configuration as the second hollow tubular element (8) described herein, but has a length of 6 mm instead of 25 mm.

[0244] Tests were performed on the first five puffs of the product, as the temperatures of the fifth puff typically reach a peak and begin to drop, so that approximate maximum temperatures could be observed. Each sample was tested five times, and the temperatures provided are the average of these five tests. The known Health Canada Intense puffing regime was applied using standard test equipment (a 55 ml puff volume applied for a duration of 2 seconds every 30 seconds).

[0245] As shown in the table below, surprisingly, the use of the tubular element (4) formed from a filament tow was found to reduce the external surface temperature of the mouthpiece (2) compared to the control article in all test positions and in all puffs of the mouthpiece (2). The tubular element (4) formed from a filament tow was particularly effective in reducing the temperature in the first probe position where the consumer's lips are positioned when using the article (1). In particular, the temperature of the external surface of the mouthpiece (2) in the first probe position was reduced by more than 7°C in the first three puffs and by more than 5°C in the fourth and fifth puffs.

[0246]

[0247] FIG. 7 illustrates a method for manufacturing an article as described herein.

[0248] In step (S101), at least two additive-releasing components are received in a supply mechanism configured to distribute the additive-releasing components at predetermined longitudinal intervals in a flow of fibrous tow material. In this example, the fibrous tow material comprises cellulose acetate tow, and the additive-releasing components comprise destructible capsules (11a, 11b). In this example, the supply mechanism comprises a horizontally oriented disc assembly for receiving destructible capsules and a vertically oriented rotary transfer wheel for delivering the capsules in a flow of fibrous tow.

[0249] Known machinery for inserting capsules into a flow of fibrous tow material can be modified to achieve the insertion of at least two destructible capsules of the present invention.

[0250] In step (S102), at least two additive-releasing components are distributed from a supply mechanism into a flow of fibrous tow material. In step (S103), the fibrous tow now containing at least two additive-releasing components passes through wrapped paper and decorations to form a rod. In this case, the paper wrap includes an oil-resistant plug wrap (7).

[0251] In step (S104), the rod is cut to form a mouthpiece rod having at least two additive-releasing components. In optional additional steps, the formed mouthpiece rod may be combined with additional mouthpiece sections and / or a source of aerosol-generating material to form an article.

[0252] The various embodiments described herein are presented merely to aid understanding and to teach the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as representative samples of the embodiments and are not comprehensive and / or exclusive. It should be understood that the advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein are not to be considered as limitations to equivalents of the claims, and that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may suitably include, be composed of, or constitute essentially of other disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. Furthermore, the present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but will be claimed in the future.

Claims

Claim 1 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein the component comprises a fiber material body comprising first and second additive-releasing components embedded within a fiber material body, wherein each of the first and second additive-releasing components has a maximum diameter of about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm, and the first and second additive-releasing components are separated by a distance of less than about 2.5 mm. Claim 2 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein the first and second additive-releasing components are separated by a distance of less than about 2.0 mm, less than about 1.5 mm, or less than about 1.0 mm. Claim 3 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in claim 1 or 2, the longitudinal separation between the centers of the first additive-releasing component and the second additive-releasing component is at least about 0.75 mm, at least about 1.0 mm, at least about 1.5 mm, at least about 2.0 mm, or at least about 2.5 mm. Claim 4 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 3, each of the first and second additive-releasing components is arranged along the longitudinal axis of said components. Claim 5 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 3, at least one of the first and second additive-releasing components has a center offset from the longitudinal axis of the component by at least about 2 mm. Claim 6 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 5, the maximum separation between the respective centers of the first additive-releasing component and the second additive-releasing component is less than about 2.5 mm, less than about 2.0 mm, less than about 1.5 mm, less than about 1.0 mm, or less than about 0.8 mm. Claim 7 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 6, each of the first and second additive-releasing components retains an additive, and the total mass of the additive retained in the first and second additive-releasing components is 10 to 14 mg. Claim 8 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 7, the total volume of the first and second additive-releasing components is about 2 mm³ to about 12 mm³. Claim 9 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 8, the diameter of the first additive-releasing component is different from the diameter of the second additive-releasing component. Claim 10 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 9, each of the first and second additive-releasing components comprises a capsule. Claim 11 In claim 10, each of the first and second additive-releasing components comprises a shell and an additive enclosed within the shell, a component for use in an article for an aerosol delivery system. Claim 12 In claim 11, the shell is a component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, which is destructible to release an additive enclosed inside. Claim 13 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 12, the first and second additive-releasing components are substantially spherical. Claim 14 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 13, the additive retained in the first and second additive-releasing components comprises an aerosol modifying agent. Claim 15 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 14, the first additive-releasing component has a first aerosol modifier and the second additive-releasing component has a second aerosol modifier. Claim 16 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, further comprising a third additive-releasing component in any one of claims 1 to 15. Claim 17 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 16, the fiber material comprises a filamentary tow. Claim 18 A component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, wherein the filament tow comprises a weight per mm length of the material body that is about 10% to about 30% of the range between the minimum and maximum weights of the tow capability curve generated for the filament tow. Claim 19 An article for use in an aerosol delivery system, wherein the article comprises: an aerosol generating material; and a component according to any one of claims 1 to 18. Claim 20 In claim 19, the aerosol generating material is an article for use in an aerosol delivery system comprising a tobacco material. Claim 21 Article 19 or 20, wherein the article is substantially cylindrical in shape, an article for use in an aerosol delivery system. Claim 22 In claim 21, the article is for use in an aerosol delivery system, having a circumference in the range of 15 mm to 23 mm. Claim 23 An article for use in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 1 to 22, the aerosol cooling section is further included. Claim 24 Article 23, wherein the aerosol cooling section comprises a wall comprising an aerosol generating material, for use in an aerosol delivery system. Claim 25 Article for use in an aerosol delivery system, wherein the aerosol cooling section comprises a cavity surrounded by a paper tube, and the paper tube has a wall thickness of at least 325 microns and / or a permeability of at least 100 Coresta Units. Claim 26 An article for use in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 19 to 24, the article further comprises a hollow tubular element, said hollow tubular element is arranged at an end of the article distal to the aerosol generating material, and said hollow tubular element comprises a length of more than about 10 mm or more than about 12 mm. Claim 27 An article for use in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 19 to 26, the aerosol generating material is wrapped by a wrapper having a permeability level greater than about 2000 Cholesta units, and the component comprises at least one ventilation area. Claim 28 Article for use in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 19 to 27, the component is arranged downstream of the aerosol generating material and the component comprises at least one ventilation area, wherein a first air flow path is defined such that air drawn through the article at the downstream end passes through the aerosol generating material, and a second air flow path is defined such that air drawn through the article at the downstream end is drawn into the article through at least one ventilation area in the component, and the resistance to draw of the second air flow path is greater than the resistance to draw of the first air flow path. Claim 29 An article for use in an aerosol delivery system, wherein, in any one of claims 19 to 27, the component comprises at least one ventilation area, and the ventilation level provided by the at least one ventilation area is within the range of 45% to 65% of the aerosol volume passing through the component, or 40% to 60% of the aerosol volume passing through the component. Claim 30 A system comprising an article according to any one of claims 19 to 29, and a non-flammable aerosol providing device for heating an aerosol generating material of said article. Claim 31 A system according to claim 30, comprising an article according to claim 23 or 24, wherein the article is configured such that when the article is inserted into a non-combustible aerosol providing device, the minimum distance between the heater of the non-combustible aerosol providing device and the aerosol cooling section is at least about 3 mm. Claim 32 A method for manufacturing a component for an article to be used in an aerosol delivery system, the method comprising: inserting first and second additive-releasing components into a flow of a fiber material; and forming the fiber material flow into a fiber material body containing the first and second additive-releasing components embedded within a body, wherein each of the first and second additive-releasing components has a maximum diameter of about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm, and the first and second additive-releasing components are separated by a distance of less than about 2.5 mm.

Images