Plant processing method for inhaling inherent aroma of plant as aerosol, processed plant product for aroma inhalation obtained by said method, and inhalation article

Abstract

The present invention relates to: a plant processing method for inhaling an inherent aroma of a plant as an aerosol; and a processed plant product for aroma inhalation obtained by the method. A plant processing method for inhaling an inherent aroma of a plant as an aerosol, according to the present invention, may comprise the steps of: preparing a mixed solution for immersing a plant to be processed for aroma inhalation; immersing, in the mixed solution, the plant to be processed; and drying the immersed plant to be processed. The processed plant product for inhaling an aroma, according to the present invention, can be applied for use for inhaling, through the mouth, an aerosol generated by inserting the processed plant product into a heating device and heating the processed plant product.

Description

A method for processing plants to inhale the unique scent of plants as an aerosol, and a processed plant product and an inhalation article for inhaling the scent produced by the method

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for processing plants for inhaling the unique fragrance of plants as an aerosol, and to a plant product for inhalation obtained by the method. The present invention can be applied to a product manufactured using the plant product as a raw material, which is inserted into a heating device and heated, thereby generating an aerosol for inhalation through the mouth.

[0002] Smoking is a deeply ingrained habit in human history. While combustible cigarettes, which are typically lit and burned, are being used for smoking, e-cigarettes, which heat the tobacco rather than burning it, and inhale the resulting aerosol, have emerged.

[0003] E-cigarettes provide nicotine in liquid form or within the tobacco, mimicking the flavor of tobacco. However, because they heat the nicotine rather than burning it, they do not produce the smoke produced by combustible cigarettes. To achieve a similar effect to the smoke produced by combustible cigarettes, e-cigarettes heat vegetable glycerin (VG) to produce a vapor (aerosol) similar to smoke.

[0004] E-cigarettes can be broadly categorized into liquid, cigarette, and hybrid types. Liquid types supply both the nicotine for tobacco flavor and VG for vaporization in a liquid cartridge. Cigarette types supply both the tobacco flavor and vaporization components within the cigarette. Hybrid types take a compromise approach, supplying the tobacco flavor primarily through the cigarette and vaporization primarily through the liquid.

[0005] Liquid type provides a rich vaporization, but lacks the sensation of smoking a conventional combustible cigarette. Cigarette type provides a similar sensation to smoking a conventional combustible cigarette, but has the disadvantage of relatively lacking vaporization. Hybrid type, which emerged to solve the lack of vaporization of cigarette type, always has the inconvenience of having to carry cigarette and liquid separately.

[0006] In the above methods, the liquid for vaporization had the limitation that it could only be provided by a cartridge containing the liquid due to leakage problems.

[0007] Recently, a new cigarette manufacturing technology has emerged that allows VG to be absorbed into a porous absorbent and exist in a gel form (or a form more solid than a gel) at room temperature, and to be included as a rod in a cigarette, thereby making it possible to generate vaporization within the cigarette itself despite being in the form of a cigarette.

[0008] As mentioned above, electronic cigarettes have evolved while continuously striving to provide a smoking experience (tobacco taste, impact, smoke, etc.) similar to that of the original combustion cigarette, and even a new cigarette technology that gels or solidifies VG and includes it as a rod within the cigarette has recently appeared. However, even for such cigarettes, the problem of maintaining a sufficient amount of liquid VG in a clean state within the cigarette has always remained an issue.

[0009] Additionally, in order to provide a variety of tobacco flavors, e-cigarettes often include flavoring agents in the liquid or cigarette.

[0010] However, flavoring agents are artificial extracts, and there are many legal regulations surrounding the use of such artificial extracts in e-cigarettes, so there are many restrictions on the flavoring agents that can be used.

[0011] Meanwhile, there are plants that have a pleasant scent when inhaled, or plants that are beneficial to human health or act on the human brain to satisfy human mental preferences even without scent (e.g., plants called herbs or medicinal plants).

[0012] In the past, the typical use of these types of plants was to brew them into tea to enjoy their unique scent, burn them to make incense, use them as herbal medicine, or use them as ingredients in food.

[0013] As above, electronic cigarettes basically have a need to provide more sufficient and cleaner liquid VG for vaporization, and there is also a need to add various flavorings for a variety of tobacco tastes, but legal regulations on artificial extract flavoring are an obstacle. If the desired flavor can be provided using natural herbs rather than artificial extracts, and at the same time, VG can be provided through these natural herbs, this could bring about a groundbreaking transformation in the electronic cigarette industry.

[0014] The present invention provides a method for processing a plant for inhaling the unique scent of a plant through the mouth in the form of an aerosol, and a processed plant product and an inhalation article for scent inhalation manufactured by the method.

[0015] The present invention also provides a plant processing method for producing an aerosol generating medium that suits the user's taste by combining various plants, and a plant processed product and an inhalation article for inhaling a fragrance produced by the method.

[0016] A method for producing an aerosol-generating medium according to the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution by mixing at least one of a solvent, nicotine, an aerosol target substance, and a surfactant, a step of immersing a plant support in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed plant support.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, during the step of immersing the plant support in the mixed solution, moisture contained in the plant support may be replaced by nicotine and the aerosol target substance.

[0019] In one or more embodiments, a flavoring agent may be further added to the mixed solvent.

[0020] An aerosol-generating medium according to the present invention is manufactured according to a method for manufacturing an aerosol-generating medium according to the present invention, and includes a plant support containing nicotine and an aerosol target substance.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol generating medium can be used in a heated smoking article.

[0022] In one or more embodiments, the plant support may include a flavoring agent, a carbohydrate, pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, or a sugar.

[0023] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol target material may comprise one to four hydroxyl groups.

[0024] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol generating medium may include a flavorant.

[0025] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol generating medium is solid at room temperature and can generate an aerosol upon heating.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, only the aerosol target substance may be vaporized when the aerosol generating medium is heated.

[0027] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol generating medium may further comprise a thickener and oil on the interior and exterior of the plant support.

[0028] In one or more embodiments, the thickener may include at least one selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, oligosaccharides including more than one disaccharide, polysaccharides, gelatin, albumin proteins, soy proteins, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polyglutamic acid, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneimine, polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, acid-polymerized polymers, polymers, and derivatives of the above polymers.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, the monomers constituting the polymer may include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, butyl methacrylic acid, acrylamide, dimethylacetamide, formamide, methacrylamide, sodium amide, sulfanilamide, nicotinamide, urea, vinyl alcohol, and vinylpyrrolidone.

[0030] A method for processing a plant for inhaling the unique scent of a plant as an aerosol according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution for immersing a plant to be processed for scent inhalation, a step of immersing the plant to be processed in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed plant to be processed.

[0031] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may include a solvent and a water-displacing agent within the plant.

[0032] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a surfactant.

[0033] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a bactericidal substance.

[0034] In one or more embodiments, the solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0035] In one or more embodiments, the water-displacing agent within the plant may be one or more of vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the water-displacing agent within the plant may further comprise menthol.

[0037] In one or more embodiments, the plant to be processed may be one of peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, or leaf tobacco.

[0038] In one or more embodiments, the temperature range of the mixed solution for immersing the plant to be processed may be 30 to 60° C.

[0039] In one or more embodiments, the process may further comprise a step of washing the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution between the soaking step and the drying step.

[0040] The plant processed product for inhalation of fragrance according to the present invention may be obtained by one or more embodiments of the plant processing method.

[0041] A method for processing a plant for inhaling the unique scent of a plant together with vaporization according to one embodiment of the present invention may include the steps of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG), the step of immersing a plant to be processed for scent inhalation in the mixed solution, and the step of drying the immersed plant to be processed.

[0042] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may include a solvent and vegetable glycerin (VG).

[0043] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a surfactant.

[0044] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a bactericidal substance.

[0045] In one or more embodiments, the solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0046] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise nicotine.

[0047] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise menthol.

[0048] In one or more embodiments, the plant to be processed may be one of peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, or leaf tobacco.

[0049] In one or more embodiments, the temperature range of the mixed solution for immersing the plant to be processed may be 30 to 60° C.

[0050] In one or more embodiments, the process may further comprise a step of washing the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution between the soaking step and the drying step.

[0051] The plant processed product for inhaling fragrance according to the present invention may be obtained by one or more embodiments of the plant processing method.

[0052] A method for processing a plant to impart tobacco flavor and aroma in addition to the plant's inherent aroma according to one embodiment of the present invention may include the steps of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine, immersing a plant to be processed for aroma inhalation in the mixed solution, and drying the immersed plant to be processed.

[0053] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may include a solvent, vegetable glycerin (VG), and nicotine.

[0054] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a surfactant.

[0055] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a bactericidal substance.

[0056] In one or more embodiments, the solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0057] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise menthol.

[0058] In one or more embodiments, the plant to be processed may be one of peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, or leaf tobacco.

[0059] In one or more embodiments, the temperature range of the mixed solution for immersing the plant to be processed may be 30 to 60° C.

[0060] In one or more embodiments, the process may further comprise a step of washing the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution between the soaking step and the drying step.

[0061] The plant-based product for inhaling tobacco flavor and aroma according to the present invention may be obtained by one or more embodiments of the plant-based processing method.

[0062] A method for processing tobacco leaves to vaporize tobacco leaves themselves when heated according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG), a step of immersing tobacco leaves in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed tobacco leaves.

[0063] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may include a solvent and vegetable glycerin (VG).

[0064] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a surfactant.

[0065] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a bactericidal substance.

[0066] In one or more embodiments, the solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0067] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise nicotine.

[0068] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise menthol.

[0069] In one or more embodiments, the temperature range of the mixed solution for steeping the tobacco leaves may be 30 to 60°C.

[0070] In one or more embodiments, the step of washing the tobacco leaves that have been soaked in the mixed solution may be further included between the soaking step and the drying step.

[0071] The leaf tobacco processed product according to the present invention may be obtained by one or more embodiments of the leaf tobacco processing method.

[0072] A heated cigarette using a VG substituted hub according to one embodiment of the present invention is a cigarette that is inserted into a heating device and generates an aerosol by heating, and includes a filter and a tobacco medium portion divided along the length of the cigarette, and the tobacco medium portion may include a tobacco medium and a VG substituted hub.

[0073] In one or more embodiments, the VG substituted herb may be dried such that moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) and self-vaporizes upon heating.

[0074] In one or more embodiments, the tobacco medium may be a tobacco medium made of leaf tobacco or reconstituted tobacco.

[0075] In one or more embodiments, the tobacco medium comprises a rod, wherein the rod may comprise leaf tobacco medium or reconstituted tobacco medium mixed with VG substituted herbs.

[0076] In one or more embodiments, the tobacco medium comprises two rods along the length of the cigarette, one of the two rods being a rod of tobacco medium of leaf tobacco or reconstituted tobacco and the other being a rod of VG substituted herbs.

[0077] In one or more embodiments, the VG substituted herb may be prepared by soaking the herb in a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) and then drying the soaked herb.

[0078] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may include a solvent, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant.

[0079] In one or more embodiments, the VG replacement hub may be manufactured by first washing the hub that has been immersed in the mixed solution and then drying it.

[0080] An aerosol generating system using a VG substituted herb cigarette according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an aerosol generating device including a cigarette receiving portion, a liquid portion, a first heater, a second heater, an airflow discharge portion, and an airflow passage passing through the cigarette receiving portion and the liquid portion and connecting to the airflow discharge portion, and a cigarette inserted and received in the cigarette receiving portion, wherein the cigarette receiving portion receives the cigarette from the bottom to the top of the aerosol generating device, the cigarette including a filter and a tobacco medium portion, and the tobacco medium portion may include a tobacco medium and a VG substituted herb.

[0081] In one or more embodiments, the VG substituted herb may be dried such that moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) and self-vaporizes upon heating.

[0082] In one or more embodiments, the tobacco medium may be comprised solely of dried leaf tobacco, which is a common tobacco.

[0083] In one or more embodiments, the tobacco medium may be a rod, the rod comprising dried leaf tobacco mixed with VG substituted herbs.

[0084] In one or more embodiments, the tobacco medium comprises two rods along the length of the cigarette, one of the two rods comprising only dried leaf tobacco and the other rod comprising VG substituted herbs.

[0085] In one or more embodiments, the VG substituted herb may be prepared by soaking the herb in a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) and then drying the soaked herb.

[0086] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may include a solvent, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant.

[0087] In one or more embodiments, the VG replacement hub may be manufactured by first washing the hub that has been immersed in the mixed solution and then drying it.

[0088] A heated cigarette using a hub containing a smoking substitute material according to one embodiment of the present invention is a cigarette that is inserted into a heating device and generates an aerosol by heating, and includes a filter and a tobacco medium portion divided along the length of the cigarette, and the tobacco medium portion may include a hub containing a smoking substitute material.

[0089] In one or more embodiments, the herb comprising the smoking substitute material may be dried such that moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine, thereby self-generating a nicotine aerosol and vaporization upon heating.

[0090] In one or more embodiments, the tobacco medium comprises a rod, which rod may be comprised solely of a hub comprising a smoking substitute material.

[0091] In one or more embodiments, the tobacco medium comprises two rods extending along the length of the cigarette, one of the two rods being a rod of a hub comprising a smoking substitute material and the other being a rod of a gel absorbent.

[0092] In one or more embodiments, the herb comprising the smoking substitute material may be prepared by soaking the herb in a mixed solution comprising vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine, and then drying the soaked herb.

[0093] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a surfactant.

[0094] In one or more embodiments, the herb comprising the smoking substitute material may be prepared by first washing the herb that has been immersed in the mixed solution and then drying it.

[0095] A heated cigarette using a herb containing a smoking substitute substance according to one embodiment of the present invention is a cigarette that is inserted into a heating device and generates an aerosol by heating, and includes a filter and an aerosol generating unit separated along the length of the cigarette, wherein the aerosol generating unit includes a herb containing a smoking substitute substance, and the herb containing the smoking substitute substance may be clove flowers.

[0096] In one or more embodiments, the herb comprising the smoking substitute material may be dried such that moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine, thereby self-generating a nicotine aerosol and vaporization upon heating.

[0097] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol generating unit comprises a rod, which rod may be comprised solely of a hub comprising a smoking substitute material.

[0098] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol generating unit comprises two rods along the length of the cigarette, one of the two rods being a rod of a hub comprising a smoking substitute material and the other being a rod of a gel absorbent.

[0099] In one or more embodiments, the herb comprising the smoking substitute material may be prepared by soaking the herb in a mixed solution comprising vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine, and then drying the soaked herb.

[0100] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may include a surfactant.

[0101] In one or more embodiments, the herb comprising the smoking substitute material may be manufactured by first washing the herb that has been immersed in the mixed solution and then drying it.

[0102] A heated cigarette using a VG replacement hub according to one embodiment of the present invention is a cigarette that is inserted into a heating device and generates an aerosol by heating, and includes a filter and an aerosol generating unit separated along the length of the cigarette, and the aerosol generating unit may include a solidified absorbent and a VG replacement hub.

[0103] In one or more embodiments, the VG substituted herb may be dried such that moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) and self-vaporizes upon heating.

[0104] In one or more embodiments, the solidified absorbent may be a porous ceramic grain.

[0105] In one or more embodiments, when the solidified absorbent is in the form of a sheet, the aerosol generating unit may be in the form of a solidified absorbent sheet surrounding a central VG replacement hub.

[0106] In one or more embodiments, the VG substituted herb may be prepared by soaking the herb in a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) and then drying the soaked herb.

[0107] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may include a solvent, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant.

[0108] In one or more embodiments, the VG replacement hub may be manufactured by first washing the hub that has been immersed in the mixed solution and then drying it.

[0109] A method for processing a plant to absorb an active substance together with the plant's unique fragrance according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution for immersing a plant to be processed for absorbing the active substance, a step of immersing the plant to be processed in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed plant to be processed.

[0110] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may include a solvent and a water-displacing agent within the plant.

[0111] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a surfactant.

[0112] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise a bactericidal substance.

[0113] In one or more embodiments, the mixed solution may further comprise oil.

[0114] In one or more embodiments, the solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0115] In one or more embodiments, the water-displacing material within the plant comprises an active substance, which may comprise one or more of nicotine, caffeine, and taurine.

[0116] In one or more embodiments, the water-displacing material within the plant may further comprise one or more polyhydric alcohols as a softening agent.

[0117] In one or more embodiments, the softener may comprise one to four hydroxyl groups.

[0118] In one or more embodiments, the plant to be processed may be one of peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, or leaf tobacco.

[0119] In one or more embodiments, the temperature range of the mixed solution for immersing the plant to be processed may be 30 to 60° C.

[0120] In one or more embodiments, the process may further comprise a step of washing the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution between the soaking step and the drying step.

[0121] The active substance absorbing article according to the present invention may be manufactured using a plant processed product obtained by one or more embodiments of the plant processing method.

[0122] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol generating medium is manufactured using plants, so it is environmentally friendly, and fragrance regulations can be avoided by not adding artificial flavoring agents.

[0123] According to one embodiment of the present invention, by utilizing the unique scents of various plants, it is possible to provide a user with a sensation other than that provided by the tobacco plant.

[0124] Figure 1 is a flow chart of a process for manufacturing an aerosol generating medium using a plant support.

[0125] Figure 2 is a photograph of eucalyptus that can be used as a plant support.

[0126] Figures 3a to 3c are photographs taken after bending eucalyptus that has been naturally dried and soaked.

[0127] Figures 4a to 4d are photographs taken to determine whether or not aerosol generation was achieved after preparing an aerosol generating medium using naturally dried and soaked eucalyptus.

[0128]

[0129] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0130] Figure 6 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and immersion treatment for peppermint, which can be used as a processing target plant of the present invention.

[0131] Figure 7 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and immersion treatment of rosemary, which can be used as a processing target plant of the present invention.

[0132] Figures 8a to 8d are photographs showing whether atomization occurred in a plant processed product for inhalation of fragrance obtained according to the natural drying and plant processing method of the present invention.

[0133] Figure 9 is a flowchart of a plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0134] Figure 10 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and immersion treatment for peppermint, which can be used as a processing target plant of the present invention.

[0135] Figure 11 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and immersion treatment of rosemary, which can be used as a processing target plant of the present invention.

[0136] Figures 12a to 12d are photographs showing whether atomization occurred in a plant processed product for inhalation of fragrance obtained according to the natural drying and plant processing method of the present invention.

[0137] Figure 13 is a flowchart of a plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0138] Figure 14 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and immersion treatment for peppermint, which can be used as a processing target plant of the present invention.

[0139] Figure 15 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and immersion treatment of rosemary, which can be used as a processing target plant of the present invention.

[0140] Figures 16a to 16d are photographs showing whether atomization occurred in a plant processed product for inhalation of fragrance obtained according to the natural drying and plant processing method of the present invention.

[0141] Figure 17 is a flow chart of a leaf tobacco processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0142] Fig. 18 is a photograph of leaf tobacco used in the present invention.

[0143] Figures 19a to 19c are photographs taken to determine whether or not atomization occurred using a leaf tobacco product obtained by natural drying and the leaf tobacco processing method of the present invention.

[0144] Figure 20 is a flowchart of a hub processing method for obtaining a VG replacement hub used in the present invention.

[0145] Figure 21 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Figure 20 for peppermint.

[0146] Figure 22 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing of rosemary according to the herb processing method of Figure 20.

[0147] Figures 23a to 23d are photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred in VG-substituted herbs obtained by natural drying and the herb processing method of Figure 20.

[0148] Figures 24 and 25 illustrate heated cigarettes according to respective embodiments of the present invention.

[0149] Figure 26 is a flowchart of a hub processing method for obtaining a VG replacement hub used in the present invention.

[0150] Figure 27 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Figure 26 for peppermint.

[0151] Figure 28 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing of rosemary according to the herb processing method of Figure 26.

[0152] Figures 29a to 29d are photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred in VG-substituted herbs obtained by natural drying and the herb processing method of Figure 26.

[0153] Figures 30 and 31 illustrate heated cigarettes that adopt a VG substituted hub obtained according to the hub processing method of Figure 26.

[0154] Figure 32 illustrates an aerosol generating system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0155] Figure 33 schematically illustrates a liquid portion according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0156] Figure 34 illustrates an aerosol generating system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0157] Figure 35 is a flow chart of a herb processing method for obtaining a herb containing a smoking substitute material used in the present invention.

[0158] Figure 36 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Figure 35 for peppermint.

[0159] Figure 37 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing of rosemary according to the herb processing method of Figure 35.

[0160] Figures 38a to 38d are photographs showing whether atomization occurred in herbs containing a smoking substitute obtained by natural drying and the herb processing method of Figure 35.

[0161] Figures 39 and 40 illustrate heated cigarettes according to respective embodiments of the present invention.

[0162] Figure 41 is a flow chart of a herb processing method for obtaining a herb containing a smoking substitute material used in the present invention.

[0163] Figure 42 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Figure 41 for peppermint.

[0164] Figure 43 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing of rosemary according to the herb processing method of Figure 41.

[0165] Figures 44a to 44d are photographs showing whether atomization occurred in herbs containing a smoking substitute obtained by natural drying and the herb processing method of Figure 41.

[0166] Figures 45 and 46 illustrate heated cigarettes according to respective embodiments of the present invention.

[0167] Figure 47 is a flowchart of a hub processing method for obtaining a VG replacement hub used in the present invention.

[0168] Figure 48 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Figure 47 for peppermint.

[0169] Figure 49 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing of rosemary according to the herb processing method of Figure 47.

[0170] Figures 50a to 50d are photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred in VG-substituted herbs obtained by natural drying and the hub processing method of Figure 47.

[0171] Figure 51 illustrates a heated cigarette according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0172] Figure 52 is a flowchart of a plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0173] Figure 53 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and immersion treatment for peppermint, which can be used as a processing target plant of the present invention.

[0174] Figure 54 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and immersion treatment of rosemary, which can be used as a processing target plant of the present invention.

[0175] Figure 55 is a photograph comparing the results of varying the immersion period according to a plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0176] Figure 56 is a photograph showing a state in which a plant processed product obtained by a plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is cut into different sizes.

[0177] Fig. 57 is a photograph of an active substance absorbing article manufactured using a plant processed material cut as in Fig. 56.

[0178] The aforementioned and additional aspects of the invention are embodied through embodiments described with reference to the attached drawings. However, the embodiments described below are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the described embodiments.

[0179] In addition, the components of each embodiment may be combined in various ways within the embodiment or between the embodiments as long as there is no other mention or contradiction between them, and when describing the present invention, if it is determined that a specific description of a related known function or component may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0180] In addition, throughout the specification, terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to specify only the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not excluding in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0181] Additionally, throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly connected" but also cases where it is "electrically connected" with another element in between.

[0182] Additionally, throughout the specification, when a layer, film, region, plate, or other part is described as being "on" another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly above" the other part, but also cases where there are other parts in between. Conversely, when a layer, film, region, plate, or other part is described as being "under" another part, this includes not only cases where it is "directly below" the other part, but also cases where there are other parts in between. Furthermore, in the present application, "on" may include cases where it is disposed below as well as above.

[0183] In addition, the flowcharts illustrated in the drawings are merely exemplary sequences for obtaining the most desirable results in carrying out the present invention, and it is obvious that other steps may be added or some steps may be deleted.

[0184] In addition, since the inventor may appropriately define and use the concept of terms to best describe his or her invention, the terms or words used in this specification should not necessarily be interpreted only in their usual or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted in the sense and concept that conforms to the technical idea of ​​the present invention.

[0185] Additionally, in this specification, singular forms also include plural forms unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0186] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, descriptions of content that overlap with previous embodiments may be omitted, and the descriptions of each embodiment may be applied to other embodiments as long as there is no contradiction.

[0187] The present invention relates to a method for producing a novel aerosol-generating medium and to the aerosol-generating medium produced thereby. Furthermore, as used herein, "aerosol" refers to fine solid or liquid particles suspended in the air. Heated smoking devices, such as electronic cigarettes, vaporize their components through heating, which then condense into small liquid droplets in the form of an aerosol, which is then inhaled by the user. Furthermore, as used herein, "aerosol target material" refers to a target material to be inhaled in aerosol form.

[0188] Plants absorb water (hereinafter referred to as moisture) through their roots (or stems if they lack roots) and transport the absorbed moisture through the stem to the upper leaves via pathways such as xylem vessels within the plant. In other words, within plants, a fundamental force acts to suck up water from the roots or stem and push it upward toward the upper leaves. The present invention utilizes this metabolic function, which is fundamentally possessed by all plants.

[0189] The present invention also seeks to utilize the metabolic function of the plant as described above, and ultimately to obtain additional effects derived from substances that the plant does not originally have by replacing moisture within the plant cell with a new substance and utilizing the result.

[0190] [Example 1]

[0191] Figure 1 is a flow chart of a process for manufacturing an aerosol-generating medium using a plant support. According to Figure 1, the method for manufacturing an aerosol-generating medium according to the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution by mixing at least one of a solvent, nicotine, an aerosol target substance, and a surfactant, a step of immersing a plant support in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed plant support.

[0192] Additionally, in the first step of preparing the aerosol-generating medium, the solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol. Methanol or ethanol may be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates during the subsequent drying step, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the plant support during the drying step.

[0193] Meanwhile, surfactants can exhibit the effects of effectively introducing aerosol target substances, acids, flavoring agents, etc. into the aerosol generating medium, firmly bonding between these substances, and suppressing side reactions caused by the external environment. That is, since the water contained in the mixed solution has a high surface tension, it is difficult for the substances in the mixed solution to be absorbed into the plant support, so the surfactant is used to reduce the surface tension of the water, facilitating the absorption of the solutes in the mixed solution into the plant support.

[0194] Specifically, the surfactant can be any one of a hydrophilic substance, an amphoteric substance, and a hydrophobic substance, and when an amphoteric substance is introduced as a surfactant, it can exhibit the effect of strengthening the bond between the substances or preventing reaction with other substances, deterioration due to temperature, deterioration due to moisture, etc. In addition, the degree of hydrophilicity, amphotericity, or hydrophobicity of the surfactant is selected and used in a type and amount so as to exhibit the desired properties depending on the type, physical and chemical characteristics, and the type and amount of the aerosol target substance and thickener used, thereby allowing the strength of the bonding force to be controlled.

[0195] Examples of surfactants that can be used include:

[0196] 분류전하종류HLB비이온성(Non-ionic)중성Sorbitan laurate (=Span 20)8.6Sorbitan palmitate (=Span 40)6.7Sorbitan stearate (=Span 60)4.7Sorbitan tristearate (=Span 65)2.1Sorbitan oleate (=Span 80)4.3Sorbitan trioleate (=Span 85)1.8Polyoxyethylene sorbitan laurate (=Tween 20)16.7Polyoxyethylene sorbitan palmitate (=Tween 40)15.6Polyoxyethylene sorbitan stearate (=Tween 60)14.9Polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate (=Tween 65)10.5Polyoxyethylene sorbitan oleate (=Tween 80)15.0Polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate (=Tween 85)11.0Sucrose ester11.0~15.0Brij 309.5Brij 3516.9Polyglycerol polyricinoleate0.6Glycerol monooleate2.8Propyleneglycol monoester3.4Glycerol monolaurate4.0Glycerol monostearate5.0Polyglycerol monooleate13.0음이온계(Anionic)(-) 전하Sodium stearoyl lactate8.3Sodium dodecyl sulfate40Sodium oleate18.0Potassium oleate20.0양이온계(Cationic)(+) 전하Ethyl lauroyl arginate HCl16양성(Amphoteric, Zwitterionic)pH에 의존Soy lecithin다양함

[0197]

[0198] In the second step, the plant support may include one or more of the plant's leaves and stems. Furthermore, during the step of immersing the plant support in the mixed solution, the moisture contained within the plant support may be replaced by the nicotine and aerosol target substance within the mixed solution. In other words, the replaced plant support contains water, nicotine, and aerosol target substance within it, and the plant support can function as an aerosol-generating medium. When the plant support is directly used as an aerosol-generating medium, the unique aroma components, carbohydrates, pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, sugar components, etc. of each plant can provide the user with a unique sensation beyond that experienced from commonly used tobacco plants. Furthermore, while the plant support is immersed, the nicotine and aerosol target substance within the mixed solution diffuse through the plant's xylem and transport channels, thus remaining in the preservative between plant cells, eliminating the need for a separate absorbent. Furthermore, since disposable plastic cartridges are not used, the method is environmentally friendly.

[0199] Additional flavoring can be added to the mixed solution, but this is not necessary, as the plant support has its own unique flavor. However, additional flavoring can be added based on user preference.

[0200] After immersion, the plant support, which has been replaced with the substances contained in the mixed solution, is subjected to a drying process. The drying process evaporates the moisture within the plant support, resulting in the plant support containing only nicotine and the aerosol target substance, excluding water.

[0201] An aerosol-generating medium according to the present invention is manufactured according to the method for manufacturing an aerosol-generating medium according to the present invention, and includes a plant support containing nicotine and an aerosol target substance. The plant support may include a flavoring component, a carbohydrate, pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, or sugar.

[0202] The aerosol-generating medium can be used in a heated smoking device, where the heated smoking device may refer to an electronic cigarette. Specifically, the user inhales the aerosol target substance generated by the heated smoking device, and perceives the aroma of the plant support itself. Upon heating, the nicotine and the aerosol target substance from the plant support are released in aerosol form.

[0203] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol target material may contain one to four hydroxyl groups. Specifically, the aerosol target material is a polyhydric alcohol, which also acts as a softening agent within the plant support. The more hydroxyl groups are present in the aerosol target material, the more hydrophilic the aerosol-generating medium can be.

[0204] The aerosol target substance that has one hydroxyl group (OH group) may be a monohydric alcohol, and examples of this include methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol (Propan-2-ol), butanol (Butan-1-ol), pentanol (Pentan-1-ol), and cetyl alcohol (Hexadecan-1-ol).

[0205] The aerosol target substance that has two hydroxyl groups (OH groups) may be a dihydric alcohol, and examples of this include ethylene glycol (1,2-Ethanediol), propylene glycol (propane-1,2-diol), 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, and 1,6-hexanediol.

[0206] The aerosol target substance that has three hydroxyl groups (OH groups) may be a trihydric alcohol, and glycerol can be used as an example.

[0207] Aerosol target substances with four or more hydroxyl groups (OH groups) may be polyhydric alcohols or polyols, and examples thereof include Erythritol, Threitol, Arabitol, Xylitol, Ribitol, Mannitol, Sorbitol, Galactitol, Fucitol, Iditol, Inositol, Menthol, Volemitol, Isomalt, Maltitol, Lactitol, Maltotriitol, Maltotetraitol, Pentaerythritol, Examples include polyglycitol, polyglycerol, polypropylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol, and derivatives containing or processed from these or naturally occurring derivatives can be used.

[0208] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol-generating medium may further include a thickener and oil on the inside and outside of the plant support. The oil serves to maintain the shape of the aerosol-generating medium and increase its moisture-resistant strength.

[0209] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol-generating medium may include a flavorant. However, the flavorant is not an essential component of the aerosol-generating medium according to the present invention.

[0210] The following substances can be used as flavoring agents:

[0211] CategoryFlavoring ingredientCAS No.M.W(g / mol)Tobacco(8 flavorings)Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13Vanillin121-33-5152.152,3,5-Trimethylpyrazine14667-55-1122.17Furaneol3658-77-3128.13β-Damascone23726-91-2192.302-Acetylpyrazine22047-25-2122.12Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14Menthol / mint(6 flavorings)Menthol1490-04-6156.26Menthone89-80-5154.25Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Vanillin121-33-5152.15Eucalyptol470-82-6154.25Peppermint Oil Spices(9 flavorings)Menthol1490-04-6156.26Anethole104-46-1148.20Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17trans-Anethole104-46-1 Vanillin121-33-5152.15Anisaldehyde123-11-5136.15Nuts(32 flavorings)Vanillin121-33-5152.15Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17Acetoin513-86-088.11Maltol118-71-8126.112,3-Pentanedione600-14-6100.12Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13Butyric Acid107-92-688.11δ-Decalactone705-86-2170.25γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Acetic Acid64-19-760.05Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Anisaldehyde123-11-5136.15Guaiacol90-05-1124.14δ-Dodecalactone713-95-1198.302,3,5-Trimethylpyrazine14667-55-1122.17Ethyl Propionate105-37-3102.132-Acetylpyrazine22047-25-2122.12Butyl Butyryl Lactate7492-70-8216.27γ-Octalactone104-50-7142.202,5-Dimethylpyrazine123-32-0108.144,5-Dimethyl-3-Hydroxy-2,5-Dihydrofuran-2-one28664-35-9128.135-Methyl Furfural620-02-0110.11Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14Ethyl Lactate97-64-3 γ-Dodecalactone2305-05-7198.30Triethyl Citrate77-93-0276.28Piperonal120-57-0150.13Veratraldehyde (3,4-Dimethoxybenzaldehyde)120-14-9166.172-3-Hexanedione3848-24-6114.14Coffee / tea(13 flavorings)Vanillin121-33-5152.15Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Maltol118-71-8126.11δ-Decalactone705-86-2170.25Acetic Acid64-19-760.05δ-Dodecalactone713-95-1198.30Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Dihydrocoumarin119-84-6148.16Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Alcohol(22 flavorings)Vanillin121-33-5152.15Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Ethyl Propionate105-37-3102.13Ethyl Heptanoate106-30-9158.24Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Benzaldehyde100-52-7106.12γ-Nonalactone104-61-0156.22Ethyl Hexanoate123-66-0144.21Acetic Acid64-19-760.05Maltol118-71-8126.11Allyl Hexanoate123-68-2156.22Piperonal120-57-0150.13δ-Decalactone705-86-2170.25Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13Isoamyl Alcohol123-51-388.15Isoamyl Acetate123-92-2130.18Lactic Acid50-21-590.08Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17Ethyl Nonanoate123-29-5186.29Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Menthol1490-04-6156.26Otherbeverages(44 flavorings)Vanillin121-33-5152.15Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17Maltol118-71-8126.11Isoamyl Acetate123-92-2130.18Ethyl 2-Methyl Butyrate7452-79-1130.18Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Ethyl Hexanoate123-66-0144.21Linalool78-70-6154.25Methyl Cinnamate103-26-4162.18Cis-3-hexenol928-96-1100.16γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25Butyric Acid107-92-688.11Ethyl Isovalerate108-64-5130.18Acetic Acid64-19-760.05Benzyl Acetate140-11-4150.17Isoamyl Isovalerate659-70-1172.26Benzaldehyde100-52-7106.12Lemon oil Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14Sucralose56038-13-2397.6Citral5392-40-5152.23Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13Isoamyl Butyrate106-27-4158.24β-Ionone14901-07-6192.30Eugenol97-53-0164.20Ethyl Propionate105-37-3102.13Hexanoic Acid142-62-1116.16γ-Undecalactone104-67-6184.274-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone5471-51-2164.20Lime oil Alpha-Ionone127-41-3192.30alpha-Terpineol98-55-5154.25Cinnamaldehyde14371-10-9132.16Limonene138-86-3136.23Cis-3-hexenyl Acetate3681-71-8142.20Piperonal120-57-0150.13Hexyl Acetate142-92-7144.21Allyl Hexanoate123-68-2156.22Anisaldehyde123-11-5136.15γ-Nonalactone104-61-0156.222-Methyl Butyric Acid116-53-0102.13Fruit (berries)(36 flavorings)Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Cis-3-hexenol928-96-1100.16Vanillin121-33-5152.15Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Ethyl 2-Methyl Butyrate7452-79-1130.18Acetic Acid64-19-760.05Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25Maltol118-71-8126.114-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone5471-51-2164.20Linalool78-70-6154.25Hexanoic Acid142-62-1116.162-Methyl Butyric Acid116-53-0102.13Butyric Acid107-92-688.11Ethyl Hexanoate123-66-0144.21Ethyl Isovalerate108-64-5130.18Methyl Cinnamate103-26-4162.18Isoamyl Acetate123-92-2130.18Cis-3-hexenyl Acetate3681-71-8142.20Benzyl Acetate140-11-4150.17γ-Undecalactone104-67-6184.27Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14Hexyl Acetate142-92-7144.21Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17β-Ionone14901-07-6192.30Ethyl Propionate105-37-3102.13Benzaldehyde100-52-7106.12Alpha-Ionone127-41-3192.30Menthol1490-04-6156.26Dimethyl Sulfide Isoamyl Isovalerate659-70-1172.26Isoamyl Butyrate106-27-4158.24δ-Decalactone705-86-2170.25Sucralose56038-13-2397.6Propionic Acid 74.08Fruit(citrus)(31 flavorings)Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Vanillin121-33-5152.15Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Linalool78-70-6154.25Citral5392-40-5152.23Lemon oil Maltol118-71-8126.11Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17Lime oil alpha-Terpineol98-55-5154.25Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Cis-3-hexenol928-96-1100.16Limonene138-86-3136.23Orange oil γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13Ethyl Hexanoate123-66-0144.21δ-Dodecalactone713-95-1198.30Ethyl 2-Methyl Butyrate7452-79-1130.18Acetic Acid64-19-760.05Sucralose56038-13-2397.6γ-Nonalactone104-61-0156.22Ethyl Propionate105-37-3102.134-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone5471-51-2164.20Butyric Acid107-92-688.11Hexanoic Acid142-62-1116.16Isoamyl Isovalerate659-70-1172.262-Methyl Butyric Acid116-53-0102.13Ethyl Isovalerate108-64-5130.18Fruit (tropical)(39 flavorings)Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Vanillin121-33-5152.15Isoamyl Acetate123-92-2130.18Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Cis-3-hexenol928-96-1100.16Ethyl Hexanoate123-66-0144.21Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Maltol118-71-8126.11γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25Allyl Hexanoate123-68-2156.22Acetic Acid64-19-760.05Ethyl 2-Methyl Butyrate7452-79-1130.18Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17γ-Undecalactone104-67-6184.27Isoamyl Isovalerate659-70-1172.26Butyric Acid107-92-688.11Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14γ-Nonalactone104-61-0156.22Benzaldehyde100-52-7106.12Isoamyl Butyrate106-27-4158.24Benzyl Acetate140-11-4150.17Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13Limonene138-86-3136.23Hexanoic Acid142-62-1116.16Ethyl Propionate105-37-3102.13γ-Octalactone104-50-7142.20Linalool78-70-6154.25Ethyl Isovalerate108-64-5130.182-Methyl Butyric Acid116-53-0102.13Lemon oil Cis-3-hexenyl Acetate3681-71-8142.20Hexyl Acetate142-92-7144.21Methyl Cinnamate103-26-4162.18Sucralose56038-13-2397.6δ-Decalactone705-86-2170.25Eugenol97-53-0164.20Piperonal120-57-0150.13Acetoin513-86-088.11Fruit(other)(35 flavorings)Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Isoamyl Acetate123-92-2130.18Vanillin121-33-5152.15Maltol118-71-8126.11Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Ethyl 2-Methyl Butyrate7452-79-1130.18Hexyl Acetate142-92-7144.21Cis-3-hexenol928-96-1100.16Benzaldehyde100-52-7106.12γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25Acetic Acid64-19-760.05Linalool78-70-6154.25γ-Undecalactone104-67-6184.27Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Ethyl Hexanoate123-66-0144.21Cis-3-hexenyl Acetate3681-71-8142.20Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14Benzyl Acetate140-11-4150.17Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17Ethyl Isovalerate108-64-5130.18Isobutyl Acetate110-19-0116.16Butyric Acid107-92-688.11trans-2-Hexenal6728-26-398.142-Methyl Butyric Acid116-53-0102.13Ethyl Propionate105-37-3102.134-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone5471-51-2164.20Isoamyl Isovalerate659-70-1172.26δ-Decalactone705-86-2170.25Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13β-Ionone14901-07-6192.30Limonene138-86-3136.23Anisaldehyde123-11-5136.15Menthol1490-04-6156.26Sucralose56038-13-2397.6Dessert(47 flavorings)Vanillin121-33-5152.15Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17Maltol118-71-8126.11Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13Butyric Acid107-92-688.11Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25δ-Decalactone705-86-2170.25Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Furaneol3658-77-3128.13γ-Nonalactone104-61-0156.22Isoamyl Isovalerate659-70-1172.26Piperonal120-57-0150.13Anisaldehyde123-11-5136.154-Methyl-5-Thiazole Ethanol (sulfurol)137-00-8143.21Guaiacol90-05-1124.14Ethyl Propionate105-37-3102.13Anisyl Alcohol105-13-5138.16δ-Dodecalactone713-95-1198.30Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14Hexanoic Acid142-62-1116.16γ-Octalactone104-50-7142.20Cis-3-hexenol928-96-1100.16γ-Hexalactone (gamma-Caprolactone)695-06-7114.14Acetoin513-86-088.11Ethyl 2-Methyl Butyrate7452-79-1130.18Sucralose56038-13-2397.6Acetic Acid64-19-760.05Dihydrocoumarin119-84-6148.162-Acetylpyrazine22047-25-2122.12Benzaldehyde100-52-7106.12Ethyl Hexanoate123-66-0144.21Linalool78-70-6154.252-Methyl Butyric Acid116-53-0102.13Methyl Cinnamate103-26-4162.18Butyl Butyryl Lactate7492-70-8216.272,3-Pentanedione600-14-6100.12γ-Undecalactone104-67-6184.27Benzyl Benzoate120-51-4212.24Isoamyl Acetate123-92-2130.18Methyl-alpha-ionone127-42-4206.32Ethyl Lactate97-64-3 Methyl-thio-methylpyrazine(2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)pyrazine)2882-20-4140.21β-Ionone14901-07-6192.30Hexyl Acetate142-92-7144.21Propenyl Guaethol (Vanitrope)63477-41-8178.23Candy(34 flavorings)Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Isoamyl Acetate123-92-2130.18Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Vanillin121-33-5152.15Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Maltol118-71-8126.11Cis-3-hexenol928-96-1100.16Ethyl 2-Methyl Butyrate7452-79-1130.18Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17Linalool78-70-6154.25Butyric Acid107-92-688.11Ethyl Hexanoate123-66-0144.21γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25Ethyl Isovalerate108-64-5130.18Benzaldehyde100-52-7106.12Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Benzyl Acetate140-11-4150.174-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone5471-51-2164.20Benzyl Alcohol100-51-6108.14γ-Undecalactone104-67-6184.27Hexyl Acetate142-92-7144.21Isoamyl Butyrate106-27-4158.24Isoamyl Isovalerate659-70-1172.26Methyl Cinnamate103-26-4162.18Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13Hexanoic Acid142-62-1116.162-Methyl Butyric Acid116-53-0102.13Citral5392-40-5152.23Acetic Acid64-19-760.05β-Ionone14901-07-6192.30Cis-3-hexenyl Acetate3681-71-8142.20Ethyl Propionate105-37-3102.13Eugenol97-53-0164.20Lemon oil Other sweets(20 flavorings)Vanillin121-33-5152.15Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Ethyl Vanillin121-32-4166.17Maltol118-71-8126.11Piperonal120-57-0150.13Methyl cyclopentenolone80-71-7112.13δ-Decalactone705-86-2170.25Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16γ-Nonalactone104-61-0156.22Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Isoamyl Isovalerate659-70-1172.262,3,5-Trimethylpyrazine14667-55-1122.17Anisaldehyde123-11-5136.15Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25Butyric Acid107-92-688.11Acetoin513-86-088.11Guaiacol90-05-1124.14δ-Dodecalactone713-95-1198.30Veratraldehyde (3,4-Dimethoxybenzaldehyde)120-14-9166.17Other flavors(34 flavorings)Linalool78-70-6154.25Ethyl Butyrate105-54-4116.16Ethyl Acetate141-78-688.11Maltol118-71-8126.11Ethyl 2-Methyl Butyrate7452-79-1130.18Vanillin121-33-5152.15Acetic Acid64-19-760.05Isoamyl Acetate123-92-2130.18Cis-3-hexenyl Acetate3681-71-8142.20Cis-3-hexenol928-96-1100.16Ethyl Acetoacetate141-97-9130.14Ethyl Hexanoate123-66-0144.21Butyric Acid107-92-688.11Hexyl Acetate142-92-7144.21Isoamyl Butyrate106-27-4158.24Cis-3-Hexenyl Butyrate16491-36-4170.25Ethyl Isovalerate108-64-5130.18γ-Decalactone706-14-9170.25Hexanal66-25-1100.16Linalyl Acetate115-95-7196.29Furaneol3658-77-3128.13Myrcene123-35-3136.23Anisaldehyde123-11-5136.15Dihydrocoumarin119-84-6148.16Ethyl maltol4940-11-8140.14Limonene138-86-3136.232-Phenylethanol60-12-8122.16Citronellol106-22-9156.262-Methyl Butyric Acid116-53-0102.13Benzaldehyde100-52-7106.12β-Caryophyllene10579-93-8204.35Hexanoic Acid142-62-1116.16Methyl Cinnamate103-26-4162.18β-Damascenone23726-93-4190.28.

[0212]

[0213] Additionally, the aerosol-generating medium may contain acids, acidity regulators, preservatives, antioxidants, and other ingredients. These can enhance antibacterial, antiseptic, and preservative properties. Acids have the advantage of converting nicotine into a salt form, thereby softening the nicotine hit.

[0214] As the acid, carboxylic acid and carboxylic acid derivatives can be used, and the carboxylic acid and carboxylic acid derivatives can include the following substances.

[0215] A carboxylic acid with one carbon atom may be applicable, examples of which include formic acid and carbonic acid.

[0216] Carboxylic acids with two carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include acetic acid, glycolic acid, glyoxylic acid, oxalic acid, and glycine.

[0217] Carboxylic acids with three carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include propionic acid, acrylic acid, propiolic acid, lactic acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, glyceric acid, pyruvic acid, 3-oxopropanoic acid, 2,3-dioxopropanoic acid, malonic acid, tartronic acid, dihydroxymalonic acid, mesoxalic acid, glycidic acid, alanine, and serine.

[0218] Carboxylic acids with four carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include butyric acid, isobutyric acid, crotonic acid, isocrotonic acid, methacrylic acid, vinylacetic acid, tetrolic acid, 2-hydroxybutyric acid, β-hydroxybutyric acid, γ-hydroxybutyric acid, α-ketobutyric acid, acetoacetic acid, succinic semialdehyde, succinic acid, methylmalonic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, These include acetylenedicarboxylic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, oxaloacetic acid, dioxosuccinic acid, asparagine, aspartic acid, and threonine.

[0219] Carboxylic acids with five carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include valeric acid, isovaleric acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, pivalic acid, β-hydroxyvaleric acid, γ-hydroxyvaleric acid, β-hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid, glutaric acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, 2-hydroxyglutaric acid, 3-hydroxyglutaric acid, acetonedicarboxylic acid, 2-furoic acid, and tetrahydro-2-furoic acid. There are amino acids, glutamic acid, methionine, proline, and valine.

[0220] Carboxylic acids with six carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include caproic acid, adipic acid, 2,3-dimethylbutanoic acid, 3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid, citric acid, aconitic acid, isocitric acid, sorbic acid, gluconic acid, nicotinic acid (niacin), 2-hydroxyisocaproic acid, arginine, and histidine.

[0221] Carboxylic acids with 7 carbon atoms may be applicable, and examples thereof include enanthic acid, pimelic acid, cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (gentisic acid), 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, Protocatechuic acid, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,4,6-Trihydroxybenzoic acid, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, gallic acid, 2,2-dimethylpentanoic acid, 2,3-dimethylpentanoic acid, 2,4-dimethylpentanoic acid, 3,3-dimethylpentanoic acid, 2-ethylpentanoic acid, 3-ethylpentanoic acid, 2-methylhexanoic acid, 3-methylhexanoic acid, 2,2,3-trimethylbutanoic acid, 2-ethyl-2-methylbutanoic acid, There is 2-ethyl-3-methylbutanoic acid,

[0222] Carboxylic acids with 8 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include caprylic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, phenylacetic acid, vanillin, vanillic acid, homogentisic acid, orsellinic acid, 2-methylheptanoic acid, 3-methylheptanoic acid, 4-methylheptanoic acid, 5-methylheptanoic acid, 6-methylheptanoic acid, 2,2-dimethylhexanoic acid, 2,3-dimethylhexanoic acid, 2,4-dimethylhexanoic acid, 2,5-dimethylhexanoic acid, 3,3-dimethylhexanoic acid, 3,4-dimethylhexanoic acid, 3,5-dimethylhexanoic acid, 4,4-dimethylhexanoic acid, 4,5-dimethylhexanoic acid, 5,5-dimethylhexanoic acid, 2-ethanehexanoic acid, 3-ethanehexanoic acid, 4-ethanehexanoic acid, 5-ethaneehexanoic acid, 2-octenoic acid, 3-octenoic acid, There are 4-octenoic acid, 5-octenoic acid, 6-octenoic acid, and 7-octenoic acid,

[0223] Carboxylic acids with nine carbon atoms may be involved, examples of which include pelargonic acid, trimesic acid, cinnamic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, phenylalanine, tyrosine, syringic acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, and levodopa.

[0224] Carboxylic acids with 10 carbon atoms may be applicable, and examples include decanoic acid (capric acid), sebacic acid, Eudesmic acid, α-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid, and ferulic acid.

[0225] Carboxylic acids with 11 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include undecanoic acid, tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, and sinapinic acid.

[0226] Carboxylic acids with 12 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include lauric acid and mellitic acid.

[0227] Carboxylic acids with 13 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include tridecylic acid and 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid 4-O-glucoside.

[0228] Carboxylic acids with 14 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include myristic acid, chebulic acid, theogallin, and ellagic acid.

[0229] A carboxylic acid with 15 carbon atoms may be applicable, an example of which is pentadecanoic acid.

[0230] Carboxylic acids with 16 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include palmitic acid and chlorogenic acid.

[0231] A carboxylic acid with 17 carbon atoms may be applicable, an example of which is heptadecanoic acid.

[0232] Carboxylic acids with 18 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and stearidonic acid.

[0233] A carboxylic acid with 19 carbon atoms may be applicable, an example of which is nonadecylic acid.

[0234] Carboxylic acids with 20 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include arachidic acid, mead acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and pimaric acid.

[0235] A carboxylic acid with 21 carbon atoms may be applicable, an example of which is heneicosanoic acid.

[0236] Carboxylic acids with 22 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include behenic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and chicoric acid.

[0237] A carboxylic acid with 23 carbon atoms may be applicable, an example of which is tricosylic acid.

[0238] Carboxylic acids with 24 carbon atoms may be applicable, examples of which include lignoceric acid, cholic acid, deoxycholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, and lithocholic acid.

[0239] A carboxylic acid with 25 carbon atoms may be applicable, an example of which is pentacosylic acid.

[0240] A carboxylic acid having 26 carbon atoms may be applicable, including, for example, cerotic acid, glycocholic acid, glycochenodeoxycholic acid, or a derivative thereof, a naturally occurring derivative thereof, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

[0241] The acid derivative comprises ethyl protocatechuate, bergenin, ethyl gallate, norbergenin, coumarin, an ester of an acid, or a derivative thereof processed therefrom, a derivative thereof naturally occurring therefrom, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

[0242] Sulfinic acid and sulfinic acid derivatives include phenylsulfinic acid, formamidinesulfinic acid (Thiourea dioxide), hypotaurine, Rongalite, sulfinate, etc., or derivatives thereof processed therefrom, derivatives thereof naturally occurring therefrom, or combinations thereof including at least one or more thereof.

[0243] Sulphonic acids and sulfonic acid derivatives include perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, vinylsulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, methanesulfonic acid, Taurochenodeoxycholic acid, taurocholic acid, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, Nafion, Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, alkylbenzenesulfonate, Coenzyme M, Sulfate, etc., or derivatives thereof processed therefrom, derivatives thereof naturally occurring therefrom, or combinations thereof including at least one or more thereof.

[0244] Amino acids and amino acid derivatives include Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Asparagine, Glutamine, Cysteine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Tryptophan, Aspartate, Glutamate, Histidine, Lysine, Arginine, Selenocysteine, Pyrrolysine, etc. or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring It consists of a derivative or a combination including at least one of these.

[0245] Amino acids and amino acid derivatives include Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Asparagine, Glutamine, Cysteine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Tryptophan, Aspartate, Glutamate, Histidine, Lysine, Arginine, Selenocysteine, Pyrrolysine, etc. or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring It consists of a derivative or a combination including at least one of these.

[0246] Also, as acidity regulators, preservatives, and antioxidants, sodium acetate, calcium acetate, sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, sodium lactate, potassium lactate, calcium lactate, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, calcium citrate, sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, sodium adipate, triammonium citrate, diphosphate, sodium carbonate, bicarbonate Sodium bicarbonate, Sodium sesquicarbonate, Potassium carbonate, Magnesium carbonate, Sodium sulfate, Sodium hydroxide, Potassium hydroxide, Glucono delta-lactone, Potassium gluconate, Calcium gluconate, Sodium sulfite, sodium sulphite, Sodium sorbate, Sorbates, Calcium benzoate, Potassium benzoate, Sodium benzoate, parabens, Benzoates,Sulfur dioxide, sulfites, nitrites, nitrates, propionates, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, sodium gallate, and tocopherols can be used.

[0247] In one or more embodiments, the aerosol-generating medium is solid at room temperature and can generate an aerosol upon heating. Furthermore, upon heating, the aerosol-generating medium vaporizes only the aerosol target substance, excluding other components. The user of the heated smoking device inhales the aerosol target substance generated at this time.

[0248] In addition, the aerosol target material may include at least one of VG (vegetable glycerin) and PG (propylene glycol). When VG (vegetable glycerin) and PG (propylene glycol) are included in the aerosol generating medium, they can be preferably used in that a rich aerosol and visual effect (smoke) can be generated. When the aerosol generating medium is in the form of a sheet, if the amount of VG (vegetable glycerin) is small, the problem of crumbling after drying occurs, and if the amount of VG (vegetable glycerin) is appropriate, a flexible sheet shape is produced after drying, and if the amount of VG (vegetable glycerin) is large, the problem of stickiness after drying occurs, making subsequent processing difficult. Therefore, it is important to include an appropriate amount of VG (vegetable glycerin) in the aerosol generating medium.

[0249] Specifically, the substance that can be used as a thickener may include at least one selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, oligosaccharides including more than disaccharides, polysaccharides, gelatin, albumin protein, soy protein, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polyglutamic acid, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneimine, polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, acid-polymerized polymers, polymers, and derivatives of the above polymers. The polymer may be at least one of a urea polymer, a polymer produced through a polymerization reaction, a processed derivative of the above polymer, and a naturally occurring derivative.

[0250] Polyether diol can preferably be used as a thickener, which fixes the tissue of the plant support and contributes to ensuring that the fragrance component remains stably within the cells of the plant support even after the drying step.

[0251] The above monosaccharides and monosaccharide derivatives include glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone corresponding to triose, erythrose, threose, erythrulose corresponding to tetrose, arabinose, lyxose, ribose, xylose, ribulose, xylulose, deoxyribose corresponding to pentose, allose, altrose, galactose, glucose, gulose, idose corresponding to hexose, Mannose, Talose, Fructose, Psicose, Sorbose, Tagatose, Fucose, Fuculose, Rhamnose, Mannoheptulose, Sedoheptulose, Octose having more than 7 carbons, Nonose (Neuraminic acid), etc., which are heptoses, or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring derivatives can be used.

[0252] The above disaccharides and disaccharide derivatives include sucrose, lactose, maltose, trehalose, cellobiose, chitobiose, kojibiose, nigerose, isomaltose, β,β-trehalose, α,β-trehalose, sophorose, laminaribiose, gentiobiose, trehalulose, turanose, maltulose, leucrose, isomaltulose, gentiobiulose, Mannobiose, Melibiose, Allolactose, Melibiulose, Lactulose, Rutinose, Rutinulose, Xylobiose, etc., or processed derivatives thereof or naturally occurring derivatives thereof may be used.

[0253] The above trisaccharides and trisaccharide derivatives may include nigerotriose, maltotriose, melezitose, maltotriulose, raffinose, kestose, etc., or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring derivatives may be used.

[0254] The above tetrasaccharides and tetrasaccharide derivatives include lychnose (1-α-galactosyl-raffinose), maltotetraose, nigerotetraose, nystose (β-D-fructosyl-1-kestose), sesamose, stachyose, etc., or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring derivatives can be used.

[0255] The above oligosaccharides and oligosaccharide derivatives include those higher than disaccharides, such as disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides, and include acarbose, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, isomaltooligosaccharides, and maltodextrins, or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring derivatives can be used.

[0256] The above polysaccharides and polysaccharide derivatives include cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, glucan, chitosan, agar, alginate, carrageenan, chitin, soluble soybean polysaccharide, mucilage, dextrin, fructan, galactogen, inulin, galactan, capsular polysaccharide, polysaccharide gum, levan, lignin, pectin, starch, etc., or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring Derivatives can be used.

[0257] The above cellulose and cellulose derivatives include cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, nitrocellulose (cellulose nitrate), cellulose sulfate, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, ethyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose, Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, etc., or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring derivatives can be used.

[0258] The above hemicellulose and hemicellulose derivatives include xylan, homoxylan, glucuronoxylan, glucuronoarabinoxylan, arabinoxylan, glucan, xyloglucan, xylogalactan, mannan, galactomannan, glucomannan, etc., or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring derivatives can be used.

[0259] The above glucans and glucan derivatives include beta-glucans such as Cellulose, Curdlan, Lichenin, pleuran isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus, oat beta-glucan, Lentinan, Sizofiran, Zymosan, Cellulose, Chitin, Callose, Laminarin, and Chrysolaminarin, and alpha-glucans such as Dextran, Floridean starch, Glycogen, Pullulan, Starch, and Amylose. Amylopectin, etc., or a derivative processed from them or a naturally occurring derivative can be used.

[0260] The above polysaccharide gums include guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, gellan gum, welan gum, Arabic gum, ghatti gum, diutan gum, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, basil seed gum, jujube gum, tamarind gum, mucilage, tara gum, cherry gum, almond gum, cashew gum, cashew nut gum, Gleditsia triacanthos gum, Flamboyant gum, Albizia stipulata Boiv. It is possible to use derivatives containing gum, Curdlan gum, cholic acid, K30 antigen, Taro, Konjac glucomannan, etc., or their processed derivatives or naturally occurring derivatives.

[0261] The above starch and starch derivatives include dextrin, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, γ-cyclodextrin, acid-treated starch, alkaline-treated starch, bleached starch, oxidized starch, enzyme-treated starch, monostarch phosphate, distarch phosphate, phosphated distarch phosphate, acetylated distarch phosphate, starch acetate, Acetylated distarch adipate, hydroxypropyl starch, hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate, hydroxypropyl distarch glycerol, starch sodium octenyl succinate, acetylated oxidized starch, etc., or processed derivatives thereof or naturally occurring derivatives thereof may be used.

[0262] In addition, the monomers constituting the polymer may include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, butyl methacrylic acid, acrylamide, dimethylacetamide, formamide, methacrylamide, sodium amide, sulfanilamide, nicotinamide, urea, vinyl alcohol, and vinylpyrrolidone. Specifically, the polymer produced through the polymerization reaction is a substance having multiple bonds such as a double bond or a triple bond, or a substance that is produced by another polymerization reaction due to its high reactivity, and a monomer, dimer, multimer, high molecular substance having multiple bonds such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, butyl methacrylic acid, acrylamide, dimethylacetamide, formamide, methacrylamide, sodium amide, sulfanilamide, nicotinamide, urea, vinyl alcohol, and vinylpyrrolidone may be a reactant. In addition, the polymer produced through the reaction may be a polymer composed of various combinations of monomers corresponding to the reactants, including polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, etc., or a combination of polymers in which the reaction is completed.

[0263] A thickener is added to the aerosol-generating medium to maintain a solid state at room temperature. When the aerosol-generating medium is heated, only the aerosol target substance is released, and the user can inhale only the aerosol target substance.

[0264] Figure 2 is a photograph of eucalyptus that can be used as a plant support. In the present invention, two types of eucalyptus leaves were used as examples, of which Pablo has narrow leaves and Blackjack has wide leaves. Pablo was soaked from February 19, 2024 to March 18, 2024, and dried on March 18, 2024. Blackjack was soaked from February 15, 2024 to March 18, 2024, and dried on March 18, 2024.

[0265] Figures 3a to 3c are photographs of bent eucalyptus leaves that were naturally dried and soaked. Figure 3a shows naturally dried Pablo, and when bent, the leaves were damaged due to the lack of moisture within the leaves. Figure 3b shows soaked and naturally dried Pablo, and when bent, the leaves were not damaged but bent flexibly due to the retention of vegetable glycerin (VG) within the leaves instead of moisture. Figure 3c shows soaked and naturally dried Blackjack, and similarly, when bent, the leaves retained their shape due to the presence of vegetable glycerin (VG).

[0266] Figures 4a to 4d are photographs taken to demonstrate the generation of aerosol using naturally dried and soaked eucalyptus to produce an aerosol-generating medium. Specifically, Figure 4a is a photograph of an experimental setup for examining the generation of aerosol using an aerosol-generating medium prepared according to the Pablo example. The device connected to the syringe is a heated smoking device containing the aerosol-generating medium according to the example, and the syringe acts as if the user were to inhale the aerosol. Referring to Figure 4b, Pablo, which was not soaked and naturally dried, produced almost no aerosol, whereas Pablo and Blackjack, which were soaked and naturally dried in Figures 4c and 4d, produced a lot of aerosol. This supports the point that, as described above, when VG (vegetable glycerin) is included in the aerosol-generating medium, a rich aerosol is generated. In heated smoking devices, the generation of aerosol plays an important role in the visual effect.

[0267] [Example 2]

[0268] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a plant processing method (hereinafter referred to as “plant processing method”) for inhaling the unique scent of a plant as an aerosol according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0269] Referring to FIG. 5, a method for processing a plant according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution for immersing a plant to be processed for inhaling a fragrance, a step of immersing the plant to be processed in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed plant to be processed.

[0270] The present invention is basically for people to inhale the unique scent of a plant in the form of an aerosol.

[0271] The plants to be processed here can generally be any plant that has a scent, or is expected to have a health-related effect, or has the function of acting on the human brain to produce a special mental effect, but peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, hemp, or leaf tobacco are particularly preferable.

[0272] Even if not explicitly mentioned below, all plants applicable to the present invention are plants that are still capable of absorbing and releasing moisture in an undried state after harvest.

[0273] The mixed solution for soaking the plant to be processed may be a solution in which a water-displacing substance within the plant is mixed with a solvent.

[0274] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0275] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates and disappears during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the plant.

[0276] Alcohol also has the function of removing the scent of the plant along with dehydration, so it can be even more useful when it is necessary to reduce the level of the scent of the plant in a product using the present invention.

[0277] The above-mentioned water-exchanger within plants is a substance that fills the empty spaces within plant leaf cells created when water is lost through the leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the plant.

[0278] As the water-displacing substance in the plant, one or more of polyhydric alcohols such as vegetable glycerin (hereinafter referred to as VG) and nicotine may be used.

[0279] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners in plants. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the higher the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0280] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0281] The second step of the plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of immersing the plant to be processed in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step.

[0282] The plants to be processed by immersing them in the mixed solution may be cut from the stem or from only the leaves.

[0283] The plants to be processed, immersed in the mixed solution, absorb the mixed solution through the cut end at the lower part of the water movement path within the plant (the stem if it includes stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only leaves are cut).

[0284] At this time, the moisture contained within the plant's leaf cells is discharged through the leaf surface, and the empty space within the cells from which moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the leaf cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0285] One thing to keep in mind during the immersion step above is that if the plant being immersed includes both stems and leaves, it's fine to immerse only the stems, or the entire plant can float on the surface of the mixture with some exposed to the air. However, if the plant is cut with only leaves and no stems, the exposed parts can quickly discolor and become damaged. Therefore, in this case, the plant to be processed must be completely submerged in the mixture so that no part comes into contact with the air.

[0286] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder absorption by the plant due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the plant is ripe and blanched, and a temperature of approximately 30 to 60°C is preferable.

[0287] The soaking time in the above-mentioned soaking step varies depending on the type of plant and the components of the mixed solution, but can generally range from 1 day to 6 weeks. If the mixed solution contains only water, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant, approximately 3 days to 4 weeks is appropriate.

[0288] The third step of the plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of removing the immersed plant to be processed from the mixed solution and drying it.

[0289] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the plant cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the plant through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that a plant product for inhalation of fragrance is obtained in which only the moisture-displacing substance remains inside the plant cells.

[0290] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0291] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step of the present invention, a step of removing the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing it before drying may be further included.

[0292] When a viscous substance such as vegetable glycerin (VG) is included in the mixed solution, the substance remains on the surface of the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution. If the plant to be processed in this state is dried as is, the viscous substance on the surface of the plant to be processed will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as it dries.

[0293] When an inhalation product such as a cigarette is manufactured using the plant-based product for inhalation obtained in this way, the cigarette paper that wraps the cigarette may become contaminated due to the ingredients remaining on the surface, or the intended taste and aroma may not be obtained.

[0294] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0295] The plant processed product for inhalation of fragrance obtained by the plant processing method of the present invention can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an inhalation product having a shape similar to a cigarette of a cigarette-type electronic cigarette.

[0296] The plant processed material for inhalation of fragrance obtained according to the present invention is cut into an appropriate size, manufactured into a cigarette shape, and then inserted into a heating device to inhale the fragrance aerosol generated by heating.

[0297] The plant-based product for inhalation of fragrance according to the present invention is made by replacing moisture in a plant that originally has its own fragrance with a substance capable of providing an additional fragrance or mental symbol and then drying it. Therefore, when manufactured in the form of a cigarette and heated in the future, it is possible to obtain the original fragrance of the plant as well as additional fragrance, taste, or vaporization effects obtained from the newly substituted substance.

[0298] FIG. 6 is a photograph comparing the case of natural drying and the case of immersion treatment according to the present invention for peppermint that can be used as a processing target plant according to the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a photograph comparing the case of natural drying and the case of immersion treatment according to the present invention for rosemary.

[0299] By testing both varieties with relatively broad leaves (peppermint) and varieties with needle-like, thin leaves (rosemary), it was intended to demonstrate that the intended results of the present invention can be obtained regardless of leaf shape or size.

[0300] From Figures 6 and 7, it can be seen that for both peppermint and rosemary, when moisture is replaced with VG by the immersion treatment according to the present invention, the leaves still maintain their original leaf shape and are flexible enough not to break when bent, whereas when naturally dried, they shrink in size and easily break when bent. Vegetable glycerin (VG) thus functions as a softening agent within the plant.

[0301] FIGS. 8A to 8D are comparative photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred using peppermint and rosemary that were naturally dried and those that were soaked and dried according to the plant processing method of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 8A is a photograph of an experimental setup for determining whether atomization occurred. The device connected to the syringe is a heated inhalation product containing a plant-based product for inhaling a fragrance according to an embodiment, and the syringe functions as if the user were to inhale an aerosol. Referring to FIG. 8B, peppermint that was naturally dried without being soaked hardly atomized, whereas peppermint and rosemary that were soaked and dried according to the plant processing method of the present invention of FIGS. 8C and 8D showed a lot of atomization.

[0302] This supports the previously mentioned observation that vegetable glycerin (VG) replaces the original moisture in plant-based products for inhalation, resulting in a rich vaporization. In heated inhalation products, vaporization plays a crucial role in the visual effect.

[0303] Even if the plant-based inhalation product according to the present invention includes a nicotine component that gives a tobacco flavor, even if the user inhales only the original flavor of the plant to be processed without the nicotine component, the user will experience a psychological effect similar to smoking a cigarette, which can help in quitting smoking.

[0304] [Example 3]

[0305] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a plant processing method (hereinafter referred to as “plant processing method”) for inhaling the unique scent of a plant together with vaporization according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0306] Referring to FIG. 9, a method for processing a plant according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG), a step of immersing a plant to be processed for inhaling a fragrance in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed plant to be processed.

[0307] The present invention is basically for people to inhale the unique scent of a plant in the form of an aerosol.

[0308] The plants to be processed here can generally be any plant that has a scent, or is expected to have a health-related effect, or has the function of acting on the human brain to produce a special mental effect, but peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, or leaf tobacco are particularly preferable.

[0309] Even if not explicitly mentioned below, all plants applicable to the present invention are plants that are still capable of absorbing and releasing moisture in an undried state after harvest.

[0310] The mixed solution for soaking the plant to be processed may be a solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) mixed with a solvent. This vegetable glycerin (VG) ultimately acts as a water-displacing agent (hereinafter referred to as a "water-displacing agent within the plant cell") that replaces moisture within the plant cell.

[0311] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0312] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates and disappears during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the plant.

[0313] Alcohol also has the function of removing the scent of the plant along with dehydration, so it can be even more useful when it is necessary to reduce the level of the scent of the plant in a product using the present invention.

[0314] The above-mentioned water-exchanger within plants is a substance that fills the empty spaces within plant leaf cells created when water is lost through the leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the plant.

[0315] As a water-displacing agent in the above plant, a polyhydric alcohol such as vegetable glycerin (VG) can be used.

[0316] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners in plants. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the higher the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0317] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0318] The second step of the plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of immersing the plant to be processed for fragrance inhalation in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step.

[0319] The plants to be processed by immersing them in the mixed solution may be cut from the stem or from only the leaves.

[0320] The plants to be processed, immersed in the mixed solution, absorb the mixed solution through the cut end at the lower part of the water movement path within the plant (the stem if it includes stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only leaves are cut).

[0321] At this time, the moisture contained within the plant's leaf cells is discharged through the leaf surface, and the empty space within the cells from which moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the leaf cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0322] One thing to keep in mind during the immersion step above is that if the plant being immersed includes both stems and leaves, it's fine to immerse only the stems, or the entire plant can float on the surface of the mixture with some exposed to the air. However, if the plant is cut with only leaves and no stems, the exposed parts can quickly discolor and become damaged. Therefore, in this case, the plant to be processed must be completely submerged in the mixture so that no part comes into contact with the air.

[0323] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder absorption by the plant due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the plant is ripe and blanched, and the temperature is preferably around 30 to 60°C.

[0324] The soaking time in the above-mentioned soaking step varies depending on the type of plant and the components of the mixed solution, but can generally range from 1 day to 6 weeks. If the mixed solution contains only water, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant, approximately 3 days to 4 weeks is appropriate.

[0325] The third step of the plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of removing the immersed plant to be processed from the mixed solution and drying it.

[0326] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the plant cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the plant through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that ultimately, only the moisture-displacing substance containing at least vegetable glycerin (VG) remains inside the plant cells, resulting in a plant-derived fragrance-inhaling product.

[0327] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0328] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step of the present invention, a step of removing the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing it before drying may be further included.

[0329] Vegetable glycerin (VG) remains on the surface of the plants to be processed that have been immersed in the mixed solution. Since vegetable glycerin (VG) is a viscous substance, if the plants to be processed in this state are dried as is, the vegetable glycerin (VG) that was on the surface of the plants to be processed will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as they dry together.

[0330] When an inhalation product such as a cigarette is manufactured using the plant-based product for inhalation obtained in this way, the cigarette paper that wraps the cigarette may become contaminated due to the vegetable glycerin (VG) remaining on the surface, or the intended taste and aroma may not be sufficiently obtained from the plant.

[0331] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0332] The plant processed product for inhalation of fragrance obtained by the plant processing method of the present invention can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an inhalation product having a shape similar to a cigarette of a cigarette-type electronic cigarette.

[0333] The plant processed product for inhaling fragrance obtained according to the present invention is cut into an appropriate size, manufactured into a cigarette shape, and then inserted into a heating device so that the fragrance aerosol generated by heating can be inhaled together with the atomization.

[0334] The plant-based product for inhaling fragrance that produces a vapor according to the present invention is made by replacing the moisture in a plant that originally has a unique fragrance with vegetable glycerin (VG) and drying it, so that when it is manufactured in the form of a cigarette and heated in the future, it can obtain the effect of vaporization along with the unique fragrance that the plant originally had.

[0335] In addition, the plant-based product for inhaling aromas according to the present invention has the great advantage of eliminating the need for a plastic cartridge required to provide a liquid such as vegetable glycerin (VG) in a general liquid electronic cigarette, since the vegetable glycerin in the mixed solution spreads through the plant's xylem and transport channels while the product is immersed and remains conservatively within the plant cells, and eliminating the need for a separate absorbent required when providing vegetable glycerin (VG) within the cigarette of a heat-not-burn electronic cigarette. Meanwhile, not using a plastic cartridge also has the advantage of being environmentally friendly.

[0336] FIG. 10 is a photograph comparing the case of natural drying and the case of immersion treatment according to the present invention for peppermint that can be used as a processing target plant according to the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a photograph comparing the case of natural drying and the case of immersion treatment according to the present invention for rosemary.

[0337] By testing both varieties with relatively broad leaves (peppermint) and varieties with needle-like, thin leaves (rosemary), it was intended to demonstrate that the intended results of the present invention can be obtained regardless of leaf shape or size.

[0338] From Figures 10 and 11, it can be seen that for both peppermint and rosemary, when moisture is replaced with VG by the immersion treatment according to the present invention, the leaves still maintain their original leaf shape and are flexible enough not to break when bent, whereas when naturally dried, they shrink in size and easily break when bent. Vegetable glycerin (VG) functions as a softening agent in plants in this way.

[0339] FIGS. 12A to 12D are comparative photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred using peppermint and rosemary that were naturally dried and those that were soaked and dried according to the plant processing method of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 12A is a photograph of an experimental setup for determining whether atomization occurred. The device connected to the syringe is a heated inhalation product containing a plant processed product for inhaling a fragrance according to an embodiment, and the syringe functions as if the user were to inhale an aerosol. Referring to FIG. 12B, peppermint that was naturally dried without being soaked hardly atomized, whereas peppermint and rosemary that were soaked and dried according to the plant processing method of the present invention of FIGS. 12C and 12D showed a lot of atomization.

[0340] This supports the previously mentioned observation that vegetable glycerin (VG) replaces the original moisture in the plant-based inhalation products, resulting in a rich vaporization. In heated inhalation products, vaporization plays a crucial role in the visual effect.

[0341] Even if the plant-based inhalation product for producing a vaporized aroma according to the present invention includes a nicotine component that gives a tobacco flavor, even if only the original aroma of the plant to be processed is inhaled without the nicotine component, the user will experience a psychological effect similar to smoking a cigarette, which can help in quitting smoking.

[0342] [Example 4]

[0343] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a plant processing method (hereinafter referred to as “plant processing method”) for imparting tobacco flavor and aroma in addition to the plant’s unique aroma according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0344] Referring to FIG. 13, a method for processing a plant according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine, a step of immersing a plant to be processed for inhaling a fragrance in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed plant to be processed.

[0345] The present invention is basically for people to inhale the unique scent of a plant in the form of an aerosol.

[0346] The plants to be processed here can generally be any plant that has a scent, or is expected to have a health-related effect, or has the function of acting on the human brain to produce a special mental effect, but peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, or leaf tobacco are particularly preferable.

[0347] Even if not explicitly mentioned below, all plants applicable to the present invention are plants that are still capable of absorbing and releasing moisture in an undried state after harvest.

[0348] The mixed solution for soaking the plant to be processed may be a solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine in a solvent. This vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine ultimately function as a water-displacing agent (hereinafter referred to as a "water-displacing agent within the plant cell").

[0349] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0350] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates and disappears during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the plant.

[0351] Alcohol also has the function of removing the scent of the plant along with dehydration, so it can be even more useful when it is necessary to reduce the level of the scent of the plant in a product using the present invention.

[0352] The above-mentioned water-exchanger within plants is a substance that fills the empty spaces within plant leaf cells created when water is lost through the leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the plant.

[0353] As a water-displacing agent in the above plant, polyhydric alcohols such as vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine can be used together.

[0354] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners in plants. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the higher the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0355] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0356] The second step of the plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of immersing the plant to be processed for fragrance inhalation in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step.

[0357] The plants to be processed by immersing them in the mixed solution may be cut from the stem or from only the leaves.

[0358] The plants to be processed, immersed in the mixed solution, absorb the mixed solution through the cut end at the lower part of the water movement path within the plant (the stem if it includes stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only leaves are cut).

[0359] At this time, the moisture contained within the plant's leaf cells is discharged through the leaf surface, and the empty space within the cells from which moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the leaf cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0360] One thing to keep in mind during the immersion step above is that if the plant being immersed includes both stems and leaves, it's fine to immerse only the stems, or the entire plant can float on the surface of the mixture with some exposed to the air. However, if the plant is cut with only leaves and no stems, the exposed parts can quickly discolor and become damaged. Therefore, in this case, the plant to be processed must be completely submerged in the mixture so that no part comes into contact with the air.

[0361] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder absorption by the plant due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the plant is ripe and blanched, and the temperature is preferably around 30 to 60°C.

[0362] The soaking time in the above-mentioned soaking step varies depending on the type of plant and the components of the mixed solution, but can generally range from 1 day to 6 weeks. If the mixed solution contains only water, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant, approximately 3 days to 4 weeks is appropriate.

[0363] The third step of the plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of removing the immersed plant to be processed from the mixed solution and drying it.

[0364] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the plant cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the plant through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that ultimately, only the moisture-displacing substance containing at least vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine remains inside the plant cells, and a plant-processed product for inhaling flavor and atomization that produces tobacco flavor is obtained.

[0365] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0366] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step of the present invention, a step of removing the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing it before drying may be further included.

[0367] Vegetable glycerin (VG) remains on the surface of the plants to be processed that have been immersed in the mixed solution. Since vegetable glycerin (VG) is a viscous substance, if the plants to be processed in this state are dried as is, the vegetable glycerin (VG) that was on the surface of the plants to be processed will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as they dry together.

[0368] When an inhalation product such as a cigarette is manufactured using the plant-based product for inhalation obtained in this way, the cigarette paper that wraps the cigarette may become contaminated due to the vegetable glycerin (VG) remaining on the surface, or the intended taste and aroma may not be sufficiently obtained from the plant.

[0369] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0370] The plant-processed product for inhalation of a tobacco flavor and vapor obtained by the plant processing method of the present invention can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an inhalation product having a shape similar to a cigarette of a cigarette-type electronic cigarette.

[0371] The plant-processed product for inhaling the flavor and vapor obtained according to the present invention is cut into an appropriate size and manufactured into a cigarette shape, and then inserted into a heating device so that the flavor aerosol generated by heating can be inhaled together with the vapor while experiencing the flavor of the tobacco.

[0372] The plant-based product for inhaling a tobacco flavor and vaporization according to the present invention is made by replacing the moisture in a plant with at least vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine and drying the plant, which originally has a unique flavor, so that when it is manufactured in the form of a cigarette and heated in the future, it can obtain the effect of tobacco flavor and vaporization along with the unique flavor originally possessed by the plant.

[0373] In this way, when the plant-processed product for inhaling the flavor and aroma of tobacco according to the present invention is directly used as an aerosol generating medium for cigarettes such as electronic cigarettes, it can provide the user with a special sensation different from that provided by the commonly used tobacco plant (leaf tobacco) due to the unique flavor or other carbohydrates, pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, sugar components, etc. that each plant originally possesses.

[0374] In addition, since the plant-based processed product for inhaling tobacco flavor and vapor according to the present invention, while being immersed, vegetable glycerin and nicotine in the mixed solution spread through the plant's xylem and transport channels and remain conservatively within the plant cells, there is no need for a plastic cartridge required to provide liquids such as vegetable glycerin (VG) or nicotine in general liquid electronic cigarettes, and there is no need for a separate absorbent required when providing vegetable glycerin (VG) within the cigarette of a heat-not-burn electronic cigarette, which has the great advantage of being environmentally friendly. Meanwhile, not using a plastic cartridge also has the advantage of being environmentally friendly.

[0375] FIG. 14 is a photograph comparing the case of natural drying and the case of immersion treatment according to the present invention for peppermint that can be used as a processing target plant according to the present invention, and FIG. 15 is a photograph comparing the case of natural drying and the case of immersion treatment according to the present invention for rosemary.

[0376] By testing both varieties with relatively broad leaves (peppermint) and varieties with needle-like, thin leaves (rosemary), it was intended to demonstrate that the intended results of the present invention can be obtained regardless of leaf shape or size.

[0377] From Figures 14 and 15, it can be seen that, for both peppermint and rosemary, when moisture is replaced with VG by the immersion treatment according to the present invention, the leaves still maintain their original leaf shape and are flexible enough not to break when bent, whereas, when naturally dried, they shrink in size and easily break when bent. Vegetable glycerin (VG) thus functions as a softening agent within plants.

[0378] FIGS. 16A to 16D are comparative photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred using peppermint and rosemary that were naturally dried and those that were soaked and dried according to the plant processing method of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 16A is a photograph of an experimental setup for determining whether atomization occurred. The device connected to the syringe is a heated inhalation product containing a plant-based product for inhaling a fragrance according to an embodiment, and the syringe functions as if the user were to inhale an aerosol. Referring to FIG. 16B, peppermint that was naturally dried without being soaked hardly atomized, whereas peppermint and rosemary that were soaked and dried according to the plant processing method of the present invention of FIGS. 16C and 16D showed a lot of atomization.

[0379] This supports the idea that, as previously mentioned, the original moisture in the plant-based preparations used to inhale tobacco flavor and vapor is replaced by vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine, and that the rich vaporization is achieved by the VG. In heated inhalation products, vaporization plays a significant role in the visual effect.

[0380] Even if the tobacco flavoring and vaporizing plant-based product according to the present invention includes a nicotine component that provides a tobacco flavor, and even if only the original flavor of the plant to be processed is inhaled without a nicotine component, the user will experience a psychological effect similar to smoking a cigarette, which can help in quitting smoking.

[0381] [Example 5]

[0382] Figure 17 is a flow chart of a leaf tobacco processing method (hereinafter referred to as “leaf tobacco processing method”) for producing vapor from leaf tobacco itself when heated according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0383] Referring to FIG. 17, a method for processing tobacco leaves according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG), a step of immersing tobacco leaves in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed tobacco leaves.

[0384] The present invention is basically for a person to inhale the nicotine component contained in leaf tobacco in the form of an aerosol.

[0385] The mixed solution for steeping these tobacco leaves may be a solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) mixed with a solvent. This vegetable glycerin (VG) ultimately acts as a water-displacing agent (hereinafter also referred to as a "water-displacing agent") that replaces moisture within the tobacco leaves' cells.

[0386] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0387] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture within the tobacco leaves.

[0388] Alcohol also has the function of removing the aroma or taste of the plant along with dehydration, so it can be even more useful when it is necessary to reduce the degree of aroma or taste of the leaf tobacco in a product using the present invention.

[0389] The above-mentioned moisture-displacing agent is a substance that fills the empty spaces within tobacco cells created when moisture is released through the tobacco leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the tobacco leaves.

[0390] Polyhydric alcohols, such as vegetable glycerin (VG), can be used as the above-mentioned moisture-displacing agent. Nicotine or other flavoring agents can also be used, if necessary.

[0391] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners in plants. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the higher the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0392] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0393] The second step of the leaf tobacco processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of immersing the leaf tobacco in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step.

[0394] The tobacco leaves to be immersed in the mixed solution may be cut from the stem or from which only the leaf portion is cut.

[0395] The tobacco leaves immersed in the mixed solution absorb the mixed solution through the cut end located at the lower part of the moisture movement path within the tobacco leaves (the stem if it includes stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only the leaves are cut).

[0396] At this time, the moisture contained within the leaf cells of the tobacco leaf is discharged through the leaf surface, and the empty space within the cells from which moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the leaf cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0397] One thing to keep in mind during the above immersion step is that if the tobacco being immersed contains both stems and leaves, it is okay to immerse only the stems, or for the entire tobacco to float on the surface of the mixture with some parts exposed to the air. However, if the tobacco being immersed is cut with only the leaves and no stems, the parts exposed to the air will quickly discolor and become damaged. Therefore, in this case, the tobacco must be completely submerged in the mixture so that no part comes into contact with the air.

[0398] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder the absorption of the tobacco leaf due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the tobacco leaf is ripened and blanched, and the temperature is preferably about 30 to 60°C.

[0399] The steeping time in the above-mentioned steeping step varies depending on the type of tobacco leaf and the components of the blending solution, but can generally range from one day to six weeks. If the blending solution contains only water, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant, approximately three days to four weeks is appropriate.

[0400] The third step of the method for processing tobacco leaves according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of removing the soaked tobacco leaves from the mixed solution and drying them.

[0401] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the tobacco leaf cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the tobacco leaf through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that ultimately, a processed tobacco leaf product is obtained in which only moisture-displacing substances containing at least vegetable glycerin (VG) remain inside the tobacco leaf cells.

[0402] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0403] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step of the present invention, a step of removing the tobacco leaves immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing them before drying may be further included.

[0404] Vegetable glycerin (VG) remains on the surface of the tobacco leaves that have been immersed in the mixed solution. Since vegetable glycerin (VG) is a viscous substance, if the tobacco leaves in this state are dried as is, the vegetable glycerin (VG) that was on the surface of the tobacco leaves will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as they dry together.

[0405] When manufacturing an inhalation product such as a cigarette using the processed leaf tobacco obtained in this way, the cigarette paper that wraps the cigarette may become contaminated due to the vegetable glycerin (VG) remaining on the surface, or the intended taste and aroma may not be sufficiently obtained from the leaf tobacco.

[0406] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0407] The leaf tobacco processed product obtained by the leaf tobacco processing method of the present invention can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an inhalation article having a shape similar to a cigarette of a cigarette-type electronic cigarette.

[0408] The leaf tobacco processed product obtained according to the present invention is cut into an appropriate size, manufactured into a cigarette shape, and then inserted into a heating device so that the aerosol generated by heating can be inhaled together with the vaporization.

[0409] The leaf tobacco processed product according to the present invention is dried by replacing moisture in the leaf tobacco with at least vegetable glycerin (VG), so that when it is manufactured in the form of a cigarette and heated in the future, it can obtain the unique tobacco flavor originally possessed by the leaf tobacco as well as the effect of vaporization.

[0410] In this way, the leaf tobacco processed product according to the present invention has the great advantage of eliminating the need for a plastic cartridge required to provide liquids such as vegetable glycerin (VG) or nicotine in general liquid electronic cigarettes while being immersed, as the vegetable glycerin and other substances in the mixed solution diffuse through the plant's xylem and transport channels and remain conserved within the leaf tobacco cells, and eliminating the need for a separate absorbent required when providing vegetable glycerin (VG) within the cigarette of a heat-not-burn electronic cigarette. Meanwhile, not using a plastic cartridge also has the advantage of being environmentally friendly.

[0411] Fig. 18 is a photograph of the tobacco leaf used in the present invention.

[0412] In a method for processing tobacco leaves according to one embodiment of the present invention, tobacco leaves as shown in FIG. 18 were subjected to a soaking treatment for about 30 days, and then dried for about one day.

[0413] Figures 19a to 19c are comparative photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred using naturally dried tobacco and tobacco leaves steeped and dried according to the leaf tobacco processing method of the present invention. Specifically, Figure 19a is a photograph of an experimental setup for determining whether atomization occurred. Connected to the syringe is a heated inhalation device containing a processed leaf tobacco product according to one embodiment, and the syringe functions as if the user were inhaling an aerosol.

[0414] Referring to Fig. 19b, the naturally dried tobacco leaves without steeping hardly produced any atomization, whereas the tobacco leaves dried after steeping according to the method for processing the tobacco leaves of the present invention as shown in Fig. 19c produced a lot of atomization. This supports the fact that, as described above, vegetable glycerin (VG) replaces the original moisture in the tobacco leaves processed according to the present invention, resulting in abundant atomization. In heated smoking articles, atomization plays an important role in the visual effect.

[0415] [Example 6]

[0416] The present invention also utilizes the metabolic function of the plant as described above, and ultimately obtains a smoke-generating effect through the plant by replacing moisture within the plant cell with vegetable glycerin (hereinafter abbreviated as 'VG') and utilizing the result.

[0417] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described using the expression 'herb', a term generally recognized as a plant having a scent, but it should be understood that the term 'herb' includes not only the plants that originally produced a scent called herbs, but also medicinal plants that do not have a scent, or all plants that can have a mental and health-related effect on the human brain and body, as long as the principles of the present invention can be applied.

[0418] Hereinafter, a hub processing method for obtaining a VG substituted hub used in manufacturing a heated cigarette of the present invention will first be described, and then a cigarette manufactured using the VG substituted hub obtained by such hub processing method will be described.

[0419] Figure 20 is a flow chart of a hub processing method for obtaining a VG substituted hub used as a key element in manufacturing a heated cigarette of the present invention.

[0420] Referring to FIG. 20, a method for processing herbs for obtaining VG substituted herbs used in cigarettes of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG), a step of immersing herbs for inhaling aroma in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed herbs.

[0421] The present invention is basically for a person to inhale the unique scent of natural herbs in the form of an aerosol together with an aerosol from a tobacco medium.

[0422] Herbs used here can generally be any plant that has a scent, or is expected to have a health-related effect, or has the ability to act on the human brain to produce a special mental effect, but peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, and leaf tobacco are particularly preferable.

[0423] Even if not explicitly mentioned below, all herbs applicable to the present invention are natural herbs that are still capable of absorbing and releasing moisture in an undried state after harvest.

[0424] The mixed solution for soaking herbs may be a solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) mixed with a solvent. This vegetable glycerin (VG) ultimately acts as a water-displacing agent (hereinafter referred to as a "water-displacing agent") that replaces moisture within the herb cells.

[0425] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0426] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates and disappears during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the herb.

[0427] Alcohol also has the function of removing the scent of herbs along with dehydration, so it can be useful when it is necessary to reduce the level of scent emitted by herbs in a product using the present invention.

[0428] The above-mentioned moisture-displacing agent is a substance that fills the empty spaces within the herb leaf cells that result from moisture loss through the leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the herb.

[0429] As the above moisture-displacing agent, a polyhydric alcohol such as vegetable glycerin (VG) can be used.

[0430] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners within the herb. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the greater the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0431] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0432] The second step of the herb processing method for obtaining the VG substituted herb used in the present invention is a step of immersing the herb for inhaling the fragrance in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step.

[0433] The herbs to be immersed in the mixed solution may be cut from the stem or from only the leaf portion.

[0434] Herbs immersed in the mixed solution absorb the mixed solution through the cut end located at the lower part of the moisture movement path within the herb (closer to the stem if the herb contains stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only the leaves are cut).

[0435] At this time, the moisture contained within the leaf cells of the herb is discharged through the leaf surface, and the empty space within the cells from which moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the leaf cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0436] One thing to keep in mind during the immersion step above is that if the herb being immersed contains both stems and leaves, it's fine to immerse only the stems, or the entire stems can float on the surface of the mixture, leaving some exposed to the air. However, if the herb being immersed is cut leaves without stems, the exposed parts can quickly discolor and become damaged. Therefore, in this case, the herb must be completely submerged in the mixture, ensuring that no part is exposed to air.

[0437] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder the absorption of the herb due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the herb is cooked and blanched, and the temperature is preferably around 30 to 60°C.

[0438] The steeping time in the above-mentioned steeping step varies depending on the type of herb and the ingredients of the blended solution, but can generally range from 1 day to 6 weeks. If the blended solution contains only water, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant, approximately 3 days to 4 weeks is appropriate.

[0439] The third step of the herb processing method for obtaining the VG substituted herb used in the present invention is a step of removing the soaked herb from the mixed solution and drying it.

[0440] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the herb cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the herb through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that ultimately, a VG-substituted herb is obtained that produces an atomized substance containing only moisture-displacing substances, including at least vegetable glycerin (VG), inside the herb cells.

[0441] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0442] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step, a step of removing the herbs immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing them before drying may be further included.

[0443] Vegetable glycerin (VG) remains on the surface of herbs that have been immersed in the mixed solution. Since vegetable glycerin (VG) is a viscous substance, if the herbs in this state are dried as is, the vegetable glycerin (VG) that was on the surface of the herbs will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as they dry together.

[0444] When manufacturing an inhalation product such as a cigarette using the VG-substituted herb obtained in this way, the cigarette paper that wraps the cigarette may become contaminated due to the vegetable glycerin (VG) remaining on the surface, or the intended taste and aroma may not be sufficiently obtained from the herb.

[0445] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0446] The VG substituted herb obtained by the above herb processing method can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an inhalation article having a shape similar to a cigarette of a cigarette-type electronic cigarette.

[0447] The VG substituted herb that produces vapor is obtained by the above-mentioned herb processing method, cut into an appropriate size, manufactured into a cigarette shape together with a tobacco medium, and then inserted into a heating device so that the aerosol from the tobacco medium generated by heating and the aroma aerosol from the VG substituted herb can be inhaled together with vapor.

[0448] The VG-substituted herb used in the present invention is an herb that originally has its own unique scent, and the moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) and dried. Therefore, when it is manufactured in the form of a cigarette and heated in the future, the herb can have the unique scent it originally had as well as the effect of vaporization.

[0449] In addition, since the VG substituted herb used in the present invention spreads the vegetable glycerin in the mixed solution through the herb's water vessels and transport channels while being immersed and remains conserved within the herb cells, there is no need for a plastic cartridge required to provide a liquid such as vegetable glycerin (VG) in a general liquid e-cigarette, and there is no need for a separate absorbent required when providing vegetable glycerin (VG) within the cigarette of a heat-not-burn e-cigarette, which has the great advantage of being environmentally friendly. Meanwhile, not using a plastic cartridge also has the advantage of being environmentally friendly.

[0450] Fig. 21 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 20 for peppermint, and Fig. 22 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 20 for rosemary.

[0451] By testing both varieties with relatively broad leaves (peppermint) and varieties with needle-like leaves (rosemary), we aimed to demonstrate that the VG substitution results described above can be achieved regardless of leaf shape or size.

[0452] From Figures 21 and 22, it can be seen that for both peppermint and rosemary, when moisture was replaced with VG by the immersion treatment according to the above herb processing method, the original leaf shape was maintained and the leaf was flexible enough not to break when bent, whereas when naturally dried, the leaf shrank in size and easily broke when bent. In this way, vegetable glycerin (VG) functions as a softening agent within the herb.

[0453] FIGS. 23a to 23d are comparative photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred using peppermint and rosemary that were naturally dried and soaked and dried according to the herb processing method of FIG. 20. Specifically, FIG. 23a is a photograph of an experimental setup for determining whether atomization occurred. The device connected to the syringe is a heated inhalation device containing a VG substituted herb, and the syringe acts as if the user were to inhale the aerosol. Referring to FIG. 23b, peppermint that was naturally dried without soaking hardly produced atomization, and referring to FIGS. 23c and 23d, peppermint and rosemary that were soaked and dried according to the herb processing method applied to the VG substituted herb used in the present invention produced a lot of atomization.

[0454] This supports the previously mentioned notion that VG-substituted herbs produce a rich vapor by replacing the original moisture with vegetable glycerin (VG). In heated inhalation products, vaporization plays a crucial role in the visual effect.

[0455] Below, a heated cigarette manufactured using the VG substituted herb described above is described.

[0456] Figures 24 and 25 illustrate heated cigarettes according to respective embodiments of the present invention.

[0457] Figure 24 illustrates a case where the tobacco medium is made up of one rod, and Figure 25 illustrates a case where the tobacco medium is separated into two rods.

[0458] First, referring to FIG. 24, a heated cigarette (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a filter (110) and a tobacco medium (120) along the length of the cigarette.

[0459] Typically, cigarettes are manufactured from several rods that are individually manufactured and then packaged into a single cigarette paper in the final process to form the final product.

[0460] Here, the rod refers to a rod-shaped component that is included in a single cigarette but serves different functions. In Fig. 24, the filter (110) and the tobacco medium (120) each form an independent rod. The filter (110) is for a person to hold in their mouth and inhale the aerosol, and the tobacco medium (120) is a rod made of tobacco material, such as dried leaf tobacco, containing a nicotine component.

[0461] Since the material and function of the filter (110) are already widely known, an explanation is omitted.

[0462] The tobacco medium portion (120) of a heated cigarette according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a tobacco medium containing a nicotine component and a VG substituted herb.

[0463] The above tobacco medium may include dried leaf tobacco used as a material for regular combustion cigarettes, or reconstituted tobacco used for electronic cigarettes.

[0464] Reconstituted tobacco is made by mixing tobacco byproducts (stems, tobacco leaves, etc.) generated during the manufacturing process of regular combustible cigarettes with other materials and processing them into sheets. It is also called homogenized tobacco or sheet tobacco.

[0465] Since this reconstituted tobacco is also generally known, a detailed description will be omitted.

[0466] In one embodiment of the present invention, dried leaf tobacco or reconstituted tobacco sheets used as a material for a combustion-type cigarette are cut into an appropriate size and mixed with VG-substituted herbs obtained through the above-described herb processing method to form a tobacco medium (rod).

[0467] VG replacement hubs can also be cut to an appropriate size and used as needed.

[0468] If the above tobacco medium is dried leaf tobacco, it can be randomly mixed with VG substituted herbs, and if the above tobacco medium is a reconstituted tobacco sheet, the sheet can be cut and randomly mixed with VG substituted herbs, or (when viewed from the circular cross-section of the cut cigarette) the VG substituted herbs can be placed in the center and the outer edge can be wrapped with a reconstituted tobacco sheet.

[0469] Fig. 25 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, a heated cigarette in which the tobacco medium portion is composed of two rods.

[0470] Referring to FIG. 25, a heated cigarette (200) according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a filter (210) and a tobacco medium (220) along the length of the cigarette.

[0471] A difference from Fig. 24 is that the tobacco medium portion is divided into two rods: the rod (221) made of tobacco medium is located just below the filter (210), and the rod (222) of the VG replacement hub may be located at the very bottom of the cigarette.

[0472] The tobacco medium portion of the heated cigarette illustrated in Fig. 24 is a mixture of tobacco medium and VG substituted herb, but the tobacco medium portion of the heated cigarette illustrated in Fig. 25 is a mixture of tobacco medium and VG substituted herb that are not mixed with each other but are separated as independent rods.

[0473] The two rods of the tobacco medium of Fig. 25 may be switched in position.

[0474] In the heated cigarette of Fig. 25, the tobacco medium may include dried leaf tobacco used as a material for general combustion cigarettes or reconstituted tobacco used for electronic cigarettes, and the VG substituted herb may be obtained by the herb processing method described above, which is the same as in Fig. 24.

[0475] When a heated cigarette, such as that shown in FIGS. 24 and 25, is inserted into a cigarette receiving portion of a cigarette-type heating device or a hybrid heating device and heated by a heater of the heating device, a nicotine aerosol having a tobacco flavor is generated from the tobacco medium of the tobacco medium portion, and an aerosol having a unique aroma of the herb is generated from the VG-substituted herb of the tobacco medium portion, and the VG substituted inside the herb is converted into an aerosol, thereby generating a vaporization similar to tobacco smoke.

[0476] Accordingly, a user who inhales a cigarette as in Figs. 24 and 25 using a heating device can simultaneously enjoy the taste of the cigarette according to the type and characteristics of the tobacco medium, as well as the herbal scent of the natural herbs and the vaporization by the VG substituted in the herbs.

[0477] [Example 7]

[0478] Figure 26 is a flowchart of a hub processing method for obtaining a VG substituted hub used as a key element in manufacturing a heated cigarette of the present invention.

[0479] Referring to FIG. 26, a method for processing herbs for obtaining VG substituted herbs used in cigarettes of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG), a step of immersing herbs for inhaling aroma in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed herbs.

[0480] The present invention is basically for a person to inhale the unique scent of natural herbs in the form of an aerosol together with an aerosol from a tobacco medium.

[0481] Herbs used here are generally any plant that has a scent, or is expected to have a health-related effect, or has the ability to act on the human brain to produce a special mental effect, but peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, and leaf tobacco are particularly preferable.

[0482] Even if not explicitly mentioned below, all herbs applicable to the present invention are natural herbs that are still capable of absorbing and releasing moisture in an undried state after harvest.

[0483] The mixed solution for soaking herbs may be a solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) mixed with a solvent. This vegetable glycerin (VG) ultimately acts as a water-displacing agent (hereinafter referred to as a "water-displacing agent") that replaces moisture within the herb cells.

[0484] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0485] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates and disappears during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the herb.

[0486] Alcohol also has the function of removing the scent of herbs along with dehydration, so it can be useful when it is necessary to reduce the level of scent emitted by herbs in a product using the present invention.

[0487] The above-mentioned moisture-displacing agent is a substance that fills the empty spaces within the herb leaf cells that result from moisture loss through the leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the herb.

[0488] As the above moisture-displacing agent, a polyhydric alcohol such as vegetable glycerin (VG) can be used.

[0489] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners within the herb. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the higher the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0490] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0491] The second step of the herb processing method for obtaining the VG substituted herb used in the present invention is a step of immersing the herb for inhaling the fragrance in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step.

[0492] The herbs to be immersed in the mixed solution may be cut from the stem or from only the leaf portion.

[0493] Herbs immersed in the mixed solution absorb the mixed solution through the cut end located at the lower part of the moisture movement path within the herb (closer to the stem if the herb contains stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only the leaves are cut).

[0494] At this time, the moisture contained within the leaf cells of the herb is discharged through the leaf surface, and the empty space within the cells from which moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the leaf cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0495] One thing to keep in mind during the immersion step above is that if the herb being immersed contains both stems and leaves, it's fine to immerse only the stems, or the entire stems can float on the surface of the mixture, leaving some exposed to the air. However, if the herb being immersed is cut leaves without stems, the exposed parts can quickly discolor and become damaged. Therefore, in this case, the herb must be completely submerged in the mixture, ensuring that no part is exposed to air.

[0496] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder the absorption of the herb due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the herb is cooked and blanched, and the temperature is preferably around 30 to 60°C.

[0497] The steeping time in the above-mentioned steeping step varies depending on the type of herb and the ingredients of the blended solution, but can generally range from 1 day to 6 weeks. If the blended solution contains only water, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant, approximately 3 days to 4 weeks is appropriate.

[0498] The third step of the herb processing method for obtaining the VG substituted herb used in the present invention is a step of removing the soaked herb from the mixed solution and drying it.

[0499] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the herb cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the herb through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that ultimately, a VG-substituted herb is obtained that produces an atomized substance containing only moisture-displacing substances, including at least vegetable glycerin (VG), inside the herb cells.

[0500] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0501] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step, a step of removing the herbs immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing them before drying may be further included.

[0502] Vegetable glycerin (VG) remains on the surface of herbs that have been immersed in the mixed solution. Since vegetable glycerin (VG) is a viscous substance, if the herbs in this state are dried as is, the vegetable glycerin (VG) that was on the surface of the herbs will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as they dry together.

[0503] When manufacturing an inhalation product such as a cigarette using the VG-substituted herb obtained in this way, the cigarette paper that wraps the cigarette may become contaminated due to the vegetable glycerin (VG) remaining on the surface, or the intended taste and aroma may not be sufficiently obtained from the herb.

[0504] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0505] The VG substituted herb obtained by the above herb processing method can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an inhalation article having a shape similar to a cigarette of a cigarette-type electronic cigarette.

[0506] The VG substituted herb that produces vapor is obtained by the above-mentioned herb processing method, cut into an appropriate size, manufactured into a cigarette shape together with a tobacco medium, and then inserted into a heating device so that the aerosol from the tobacco medium generated by heating and the aroma aerosol from the VG substituted herb can be inhaled together with vapor.

[0507] The VG-substituted herb used in the present invention is an herb that originally has its own unique scent, and the moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) and dried. Therefore, when it is manufactured in the form of a cigarette and heated in the future, the herb can have the unique scent it originally had as well as the effect of vaporization.

[0508] In addition, since the VG substituted herb used in the present invention spreads the vegetable glycerin in the mixed solution through the herb's water vessels and transport channels while being immersed and remains conserved within the herb cells, there is no need for a plastic cartridge required to provide a liquid such as vegetable glycerin (VG) in a general liquid e-cigarette, and there is no need for a separate absorbent required when providing vegetable glycerin (VG) within the cigarette of a heat-not-burn e-cigarette, which has the great advantage of being environmentally friendly. Meanwhile, not using a plastic cartridge also has the advantage of being environmentally friendly.

[0509] Fig. 27 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 26 for peppermint, and Fig. 28 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 26 for rosemary.

[0510] By testing both varieties with relatively broad leaves (peppermint) and varieties with needle-like leaves (rosemary), we aimed to demonstrate that the VG substitution results described above can be achieved regardless of leaf shape or size.

[0511] From Figures 27 and 28, it can be seen that for both peppermint and rosemary, when moisture was replaced with VG by the immersion treatment according to the above herb processing method, the original leaf shape was maintained and the leaf was flexible enough not to break when bent, whereas when naturally dried, the leaf shrank in size and easily broke when bent. Vegetable glycerin (VG) thus functions as a softening agent within the herb.

[0512] FIGS. 29a to 29d are comparative photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred using peppermint and rosemary that were naturally dried and soaked and dried according to the herb processing method of FIG. 26. Specifically, FIG. 29a is a photograph of an experimental setup for determining whether atomization occurred. The device connected to the syringe is a heated inhalation device containing a VG substituted herb, and the syringe acts as if the user were to inhale the aerosol. Referring to FIG. 29b, peppermint that was naturally dried without soaking hardly produced atomization, and referring to FIGS. 29c and 29d, peppermint and rosemary that were soaked and dried according to the herb processing method applied to the VG substituted herb used in the present invention produced a lot of atomization.

[0513] This supports the previously mentioned notion that VG-substituted herbs produce a rich vapor by replacing the original moisture with vegetable glycerin (VG). In heated inhalation products, vaporization plays a crucial role in the visual effect.

[0514] Below, a cigarette manufactured using the VG substituted herb described above (hereinafter referred to as a “VG substituted herb cigarette”) is described.

[0515] Figures 30 and 31 illustrate cigarettes manufactured using VG substituted hubs obtained according to the hub processing method of Figure 26.

[0516] Figure 30 illustrates a case where the tobacco medium is made of one rod, and Figure 31 illustrates a case where the tobacco medium is separated into two rods.

[0517] First, referring to FIG. 30, the VG substituted herb cigarette (100) used in the present invention includes a filter (110) and a tobacco medium (120) along the length of the cigarette.

[0518] Typically, cigarettes are manufactured from several rods that are individually manufactured and then packaged into a single cigarette paper in the final process to form the final product.

[0519] Here, the rod refers to a rod-shaped component that is included in a single cigarette but serves different functions. In Fig. 5, the filter (110) and the tobacco medium (120) each form an independent rod. The filter (110) is for a person to hold in their mouth and inhale the aerosol, and the tobacco medium (120) is a rod made of tobacco material, such as dried leaf tobacco, containing a nicotine component.

[0520] Since the material and function of the filter (110) are already widely known, an explanation is omitted.

[0521] The tobacco medium (120) of the VG substituted herb cigarette used in the present invention includes a tobacco medium containing a nicotine component and a VG substituted herb.

[0522] The above tobacco medium may be a leaf tobacco cut into an appropriate size using dried leaf tobacco used as a material for general combustion-type cigarettes.

[0523] In the present invention, dried leaf tobacco used as a material for a combustion-type cigarette is cut into an appropriate size and mixed with a VG-substituted herb obtained through the above-described herb processing method to form a tobacco medium (rod).

[0524] VG replacement hubs can also be cut to an appropriate size and used as needed.

[0525] Figure 31 illustrates a VG substituted herbal cigarette (100) in which the tobacco medium is composed of two rods.

[0526] Referring to FIG. 31, the VG substituted herb cigarette (100) used in the present invention includes a filter (110) and a tobacco medium (120) along the length of the cigarette.

[0527] A difference from Fig. 30 is that the tobacco medium portion is divided into two rods: the rod (121) made of tobacco medium is located just below the filter (110), and the rod (122) of the VG replacement hub may be located at the very bottom of the cigarette.

[0528] The tobacco medium portion of the VG substituted hub cigarette illustrated in FIG. 30 is a mixture of tobacco medium and VG substituted hub, but the tobacco medium portion of the VG substituted hub cigarette illustrated in FIG. 31 is a mixture of tobacco medium and VG substituted hub that are not mixed with each other but are separated as independent rods.

[0529] The two rods of the tobacco medium of Fig. 31 may be switched in position.

[0530] The VG substituted herb cigarette of Fig. 31 is also the same as Fig. 30 in that the tobacco medium is dried leaf tobacco used as a material for general combustion cigarettes, and the VG substituted herb can be obtained by the herb processing method described above.

[0531] When a VG substituted herb cigarette, such as that illustrated in FIGS. 30 and 31, is inserted into a cigarette receiving portion of an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention to be described below and heated by a heater, a nicotine aerosol having a tobacco flavor is generated from the tobacco medium (dried and cut leaf tobacco cut tobacco) of the tobacco medium portion, and an aerosol having a unique aroma of the herb is generated from the VG substituted herb of the tobacco medium portion, and the VG substituted inside the herb is changed into an aerosol, thereby generating a vaporization similar to tobacco smoke.

[0532] Accordingly, a user who inhales a VG substituted herb cigarette such as that shown in FIGS. 30 and 31 using an aerosol generating device can simultaneously enjoy the taste of the cigarette according to the type and characteristics of the tobacco medium, as well as the herbal scent of the natural herbs and the vaporization by the VG substituted in the herbs.

[0533] Figure 32 schematically illustrates an aerosol generating system (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0534] An aerosol generating system (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an aerosol generating device and a cigarette inserted into the device and heated. The cigarette is a VG-substituted herbal cigarette (100), as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, in which moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG).

[0535] Referring to FIG. 32, the aerosol generator may include a body (200), a first heater (250), a liquid portion (300), and a battery (400).

[0536] The body (200) may include a cigarette receiving portion (210), an airflow discharge portion (220), and an airflow passage (230) extending between the cigarette receiving portion (210) and the airflow discharge portion (220) to guide airflow from the cigarette receiving portion (210) to the airflow discharge portion (220).

[0537] The cigarette receiving portion (210) is where the VG substituted herb cigarette (100) according to the present invention is inserted and received. The VG substituted herb cigarette (100) according to the present invention uses dried leaf tobacco, which is a common tobacco, and VG substituted herb as a tobacco medium. In this way, the present invention can provide a taste and aroma closer to a traditional combustion cigarette by using dried leaf tobacco, which is a common tobacco, as a tobacco medium of a cigarette used in an aerosol generating device, and further, by using VG substituted herb as a tobacco medium together with dried leaf tobacco, there is an advantage in that the cigarette itself can provide a certain level of vaporization along with the unique aroma of the natural herbs.

[0538] The cigarette receiving portion (210) may be formed in a direction facing upward (e.g., vertically) with an insertion hole at the lower end so that a cigarette can be inserted from the lower end of the aerosol generating device. This has the advantage of being easy to clean because it has a structure in which used cigarettes and some residues detached from the cigarettes can easily fall downward.

[0539] The airflow discharge unit (220) is formed at the upper part of the device so that the user can inhale the generated aerosol, and may include a structure into which a drip tip (600) that the user can bite with his / her mouth is inserted. Typically, the drip tip (600) may be configured to be detachable from the airflow discharge unit (220), but may also be formed integrally.

[0540] The airflow passage (230) is a passage through which airflow moves within the device, and may be formed to extend from the insertion hole at the bottom of the cigarette receiving portion (210) to the airflow discharge portion (220). Accordingly, the insertion hole of the cigarette receiving portion (210) functions as an inlet through which air flows in, and the airflow discharge portion (220) functions as an outlet through which the generated aerosol escapes. As the user inhales, air flows from the outside through the insertion hole into the cigarette receiving portion (210), and when this air flows through the VG substituted herb cigarette (100) area, various aerosols (nicotine, herb flavor, VG aerosol) generated from the VG substituted herb cigarette (100) heated by the first heater (250) are mixed with the air, and when the air flows through the liquid portion (300), mainstream smoke mixed with aerosols generated from a liquid (vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, etc.) described later can be discharged through the air discharge portion (220).

[0541] The first heater (250) may be configured to heat the VG substituted herb cigarette (100) inserted into the cigarette receiving portion (210). The first heater (250) may be arranged to surround the outer periphery of the tobacco medium portion (120) of the VG substituted herb cigarette (100). The first heater (250) may be a heating heater that generates resistive heat using power supplied from a battery (400) to heat the tobacco medium portion (120) of the VG substituted herb cigarette (100). Alternatively, the first heater (250) may be an induction heating heater. The induction heating heater may include a susceptor (magnetizing heating element) arranged to surround the outer periphery of the tobacco medium portion (120) of the VG substituted herb cigarette (100). In addition, the aerosol generator may include an induction coil arranged to inductively heat the susceptor. For induction heating, power is supplied from a battery (400) to supply an alternating current of a predetermined frequency to an induction coil, and by controlling this alternating current supplied to the induction coil, the susceptor can be heated and maintained at a desired temperature or changed.

[0542] The liquid portion (300) can accommodate an aerosol-generating substance and generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol-generating substance. The liquid portion (300) is arranged to communicate with the airflow passage (230) so that the generated aerosol is introduced into the airflow passage (230).

[0543] The aerosol-generating material may contain at least vegetable glycerin (VG) and propylene glycol (PG).

[0544] The VG-substituted herb according to the present invention can generate vaporization by VG within the herb itself when heated, since the moisture within the natural herb has been replaced with VG. However, since the tobacco medium is mainly made of dried leaf tobacco, which hardly generates vaporization, rather than reconstituted tobacco, which can generate vaporization to some extent, even if the VG-substituted herb can generate considerable vaporization from the VG within, it may not be enough to generate a level of vaporization that satisfies smokers. Therefore, when the vaporization generated from the VG-substituted herb itself is not sufficient and additional vaporization needs to be generated, the liquid portion of the present invention can generate the necessary additional vaporization.

[0545] The liquid portion may also include liquid nicotine or liquid flavoring agents, as needed. Liquid nicotine can be added to the aerosol of dried leaf tobacco, the tobacco medium, to provide a stronger tobacco flavor. Flavoring agents can be used to provide a variety of flavors and tobacco tastes by adding new aromas to the unique properties of the VG-substituted herbs in the tobacco medium.

[0546] The battery (400) supplies power to the first heater (250) and the second heater (330). The battery (400) may be, for example, a rechargeable secondary battery.

[0547] The aerosol generator may include a control unit (not shown) that controls the power supplied to the first heater (250) and the second heater (330) to vary the heating temperature profile. That is, the control unit may control the first heater (250) and the second heater (330) to operate at a preset optimal temperature profile.

[0548] The aerosol generator may further include a sensor (700). The sensor (700) can detect the user's puffing and transmit the detection result to the control unit, and the control unit can adjust the power supplied to the first heater (250) and the second heater (330) based on the detection result. The sensor (700) may be any type of sensor capable of detecting the user's puffing, but is preferably a pressure sensor that detects pressure changes.

[0549] Figure 33 is a drawing schematically showing a liquid portion according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0550] As illustrated in FIG. 33, the liquid portion (300) may include a case (310), a moisture absorbent (320), and a second heater (330).

[0551] The case (310) can accommodate an aerosol-generating substance therein. The case (310) can be arranged to surround the airflow passage (230) so that the airflow passage (230) can pass through the case. That is, the case (310) can have a hollow airflow passage (230). According to one embodiment, the case (310) can have a hole open toward the airflow passage (230).

[0552] The absorbent (320) may be configured such that one portion comes into contact with a liquid aerosol-generating substance and absorbs the liquid aerosol-generating substance, while the other portion is exposed to the airflow passage (230). The second heater (330) may heat the absorbent (320), thereby heating the liquid aerosol-generating substance absorbed by the absorbent (320), thereby generating an aerosol. According to one embodiment, the absorbent (320) may be configured to block a hole formed in the case (310) to accommodate the liquid aerosol-generating substance together with the case (310) inside the case (310), while being exposed toward the airflow passage (230).

[0553] The absorbent (320) may be a porous material such as cotton, non-woven fabric, porous ceramic, etc.

[0554] The liquid portion (300) may include a sealing member (340) interposed at the boundary between the case (310) and the absorbent body (320) to prevent leakage of liquid aerosol-generating material between the case (310) and the absorbent body (320). The sealing member (340) may be made of an elastic material such as rubber or silicone.

[0555] The second heater (330) may be a resistance heating heater or an induction heating heater. The second heater (330) of the induction heating type may include a susceptor. In addition, the aerosol generator may include an induction coil for inductively heating the susceptor. The susceptor and the induction coil may be spaced apart from each other. In particular, the induction coil may be protected by positioning the moisture absorber (320) between the susceptor and the induction coil to prevent heat from the susceptor from being transferred to the induction coil. The susceptor may be configured to include a magnetic metal for induction heating. The susceptor may be heated to a temperature of, for example, 400°C or lower by induction heating of the induction coil.

[0556] According to one embodiment, the liquid portion (300) is a cartridge in which a case (310), a moisture absorbent (320), and a second heater (330) are combined, and can be attached to and detached from the body (200) as a single unit.

[0557] There may be two or more liquid parts.

[0558] Figure 34 schematically illustrates an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0559] The aerosol generator of Fig. 34 has a structure similar to that of the aerosol generator of Fig. 32, except for the drip tip (600) and the cover (240).

[0560] In the cigarette receiving portion (210), the tobacco medium portion (120) of the VG substituted herb cigarette (100) and the filter (110), among which the tobacco medium portion (120) is separated from the filter (110), may be inserted, and in the airflow discharge portion (220), the filter (110) separated from the tobacco medium portion (120) may be inserted. In addition, in order to prevent the tobacco medium portion (120) inserted into the cigarette receiving portion (210) from coming off, the body (200) may include a cover (240) that closes the cigarette receiving portion (210) and supports the tobacco medium portion (120). A hole is formed in the cover (240), so that air can be introduced from the outside into the airflow passage (230) when the user puffs.

[0561] In this embodiment, the tobacco medium (120) and the filter (110) of the VG substituted herb cigarette (100) are separated, and the separated filter (110) is used instead of the drip tip (600) for the purpose of being held in the mouth by the user and inhaled, thereby replacing the use of the drip tip (600), thereby providing an advantage in terms of cost. In addition, by using the filter (110) that can be discarded after a single use instead of the drip tip (600) that is reused and not easy to clean, it is possible to provide an advantage in terms of hygiene. Above all, there is an advantage in that it can increase the satisfaction of users who long for the feeling of biting the filter of a traditional combustion cigarette.

[0562] [Example 8]

[0563] Figure 35 is a flow chart of a herb processing method for obtaining a herb including a smoking substitute material used as a key element in manufacturing a heated cigarette of the present invention.

[0564] Referring to FIG. 35, a method for processing herbs to obtain herbs containing a smoking substitute used in a cigarette of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine, a step of immersing herbs for inhaling aroma in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed herbs.

[0565] The present invention is basically for a person to inhale the unique aroma of natural herbs in the form of an aerosol together with an aerosol from a substance for tobacco flavoring.

[0566] Herbs used here are generally any plant that has a scent, or is expected to have a health-related effect, or has the ability to act on the human brain to produce a special mental effect, but peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, and leaf tobacco are particularly preferable.

[0567] Even if not explicitly mentioned below, all herbs applicable to the present invention are natural herbs that are still capable of absorbing and releasing moisture in an undried state after harvest.

[0568] The mixture used to steep the herbs can be a solvent containing vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine. These vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine ultimately act as a substitute for the moisture within the herb cells (a substitute for smoking).

[0569] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0570] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates and disappears during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the herb.

[0571] Alcohol also has the function of removing the scent of herbs along with dehydration, so it can be useful when it is necessary to reduce the level of scent emitted by herbs in a product using the present invention.

[0572] The above-mentioned smoking substitute is a substance that fills the empty spaces within the herb leaf cells created when moisture is released through the leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the herb.

[0573] As the above smoking substitute, polyhydric alcohols such as vegetable glycerin (VG) can be used first, and may further contain nicotine.

[0574] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners within the herb. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the higher the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0575] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0576] The second step of the herb processing method for obtaining a herb containing a smoking substitute used in the present invention is a step of immersing the herb for inhaling the aroma in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step.

[0577] The herbs to be immersed in the mixed solution may be cut from the stem or from only the leaf portion.

[0578] Herbs immersed in the mixed solution absorb the mixed solution through the cut end located at the lower part of the moisture movement path within the herb (closer to the stem if the herb contains stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only the leaves are cut).

[0579] At this time, the moisture contained within the leaf cells of the herb is discharged through the leaf surface, and the empty space within the cells from which moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the leaf cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0580] One thing to keep in mind during the immersion step above is that if the herb being immersed contains both stems and leaves, it's fine to immerse only the stems, or the entire stems can float on the surface of the mixture, leaving some exposed to the air. However, if the herb being immersed is cut leaves without stems, the exposed parts can quickly discolor and become damaged. Therefore, in this case, the herb must be completely submerged in the mixture, ensuring that no part is exposed to air.

[0581] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder the absorption of the herb due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the herb is cooked and blanched, and the temperature is preferably around 30 to 60°C.

[0582] The steeping time in the above-mentioned steeping step varies depending on the type of herb and the ingredients of the blended solution, but can generally range from 1 day to 6 weeks. If the blended solution contains only water, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant, approximately 3 days to 4 weeks is appropriate.

[0583] The third step of the herb processing method for obtaining a herb containing a smoking substitute used in the present invention is a step of removing the soaked herb from the mixed solution and drying it.

[0584] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the herb cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the herb through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that ultimately, only the smoking substitute containing at least vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine remains inside the herb cells, thereby obtaining a herb containing a smoking substitute.

[0585] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0586] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step, a step of removing the herbs immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing them before drying may be further included.

[0587] Vegetable glycerin (VG) remains on the surface of herbs that have been immersed in the mixed solution. Since vegetable glycerin (VG) is a viscous substance, if the herbs in this state are dried as is, the vegetable glycerin (VG) that was on the surface of the herbs will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as they dry together.

[0588] When an inhalation product such as a cigarette is manufactured using an herb containing a smoking substitute obtained in this way, the cigarette paper that wraps the cigarette may become contaminated due to the vegetable glycerin (VG) remaining on the surface, or the intended taste and aroma may not be sufficiently obtained from the herb.

[0589] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0590] The herb containing the smoking substitute material obtained by the above herb processing method can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an inhalation article (cigarette) for an electronic cigarette.

[0591] By cutting the herb containing the smoking substitute material obtained by the above herb processing method into an appropriate size and using it as a rod constituting an electronic cigarette cigarette, it is possible to simultaneously obtain a flavor aerosol, a nicotine aerosol (tobacco flavor), and a VG aerosol (vapor) from the herb containing the smoking substitute material.

[0592] The herb containing the smoking substitute used in the present invention is a herb that originally has its own unique aroma, and the moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine and dried. Therefore, when it is manufactured in the form of a cigarette and heated in the future, it can obtain the unique aroma originally possessed by the herb as well as the taste and effect of tobacco vaporization.

[0593] Furthermore, the herb containing the smoking substitute used in the present invention has the significant advantage of eliminating the need for a plastic cartridge, which is required to provide liquids such as vegetable glycerin (VG) in conventional liquid e-cigarettes, since the vegetable glycerin and nicotine in the mixed solution diffuse through the herb's water vessels and transport channels while being immersed, thereby remaining intact within the herb cells. Furthermore, eliminating the need for a plastic cartridge also offers the advantage of being environmentally friendly.

[0594] Fig. 36 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 35 for peppermint, and Fig. 37 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 35 for rosemary.

[0595] By testing both varieties with relatively broad leaves (peppermint) and varieties with needle-like leaves (rosemary), we aimed to demonstrate that the VG substitution results described above can be achieved regardless of leaf shape or size.

[0596] From Figures 36 and 37, it can be seen that for both peppermint and rosemary, when moisture was replaced with VG by the immersion treatment according to the above herb processing method, the original leaf shape was maintained and the leaf was flexible enough not to break when bent, whereas when naturally dried, the leaf shrank in size and easily broke when bent. Vegetable glycerin (VG) thus functions as a softening agent within the herb.

[0597] FIGS. 38a to 38d are comparative photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred using peppermint and rosemary that were naturally dried and soaked and dried according to the herb processing method of FIG. 35. Specifically, FIG. 38a is a photograph of an experimental setup for determining whether atomization occurred. The heated inhalation article containing the herb including the smoking substitute substance is connected to the syringe, and the syringe acts as if the user were to inhale the aerosol. Referring to FIG. 38b, peppermint that was naturally dried without soaking hardly atomized, and referring to FIGS. 38c and 38d, peppermint and rosemary that were soaked and dried according to the herb processing method applied to the herb including the smoking substitute substance used in the present invention showed a lot of atomization.

[0598] This supports the previously mentioned observation that herbs containing smoking substitutes substitute vegetable glycerin (VG) for the original moisture, resulting in a rich vaporization. In heated inhalation products, vaporization plays a crucial role in the visual effect.

[0599] Below, a heated cigarette manufactured using a herb containing the smoking substitute material described above is described.

[0600] Figures 39 and 40 illustrate heated cigarettes according to respective embodiments of the present invention.

[0601] Figure 39 illustrates a case where the tobacco medium is made of one rod, and Figure 40 illustrates a case where the tobacco medium is separated into two rods.

[0602] First, referring to FIG. 39, a heated cigarette (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a filter (110) and a tobacco medium (120) along the length of the cigarette.

[0603] Typically, cigarettes are manufactured from several rods that are individually manufactured and then packaged into a single cigarette paper in the final process to form the final product.

[0604] Here, the rod refers to a rod-shaped component that is included in a single cigarette but serves different functions. In Fig. 39, the filter (110) and the tobacco medium (120) each form an independent rod. The filter (110) is for a person to hold in their mouth and inhale the aerosol, and the tobacco medium (120) is a rod made of a material containing a nicotine component for the taste of tobacco.

[0605] Since the material and function of the filter (110) are already widely known, an explanation is omitted.

[0606] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the tobacco medium (120) of the heated cigarette is made of only a hub containing a smoking substitute material.

[0607] The herb containing the smoking substitute used in the present invention is in a state where the moisture within the herb is replaced with the smoking substance containing at least vegetable glycerin and nicotine, so that when heated, the herb itself generates not only the herbal scent but also a nicotine aerosol that has the taste of tobacco and an atomized aerosol.

[0608] In one embodiment of the present invention, a herb containing a smoking substitute material is cut into an appropriate size and then collected in an amount required for one cigarette to form a tobacco medium (rod).

[0609] FIG. 40 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, a heated cigarette in which the tobacco medium portion is composed of two rods.

[0610] Referring to FIG. 40, a heated cigarette (200) according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a filter (210) and a tobacco medium (220) along the length of the cigarette.

[0611] What is different from Fig. 39 is that the tobacco medium is divided into two rods. The one just below the filter (210) is a rod (221) of herbs containing a smoking substitute, and the one at the very bottom of the cigarette is a gel absorbent rod (222) made by heating liquid VG (or a mixed solution of VG and propylene glycol) and absorbing it into a moisture absorbent together with a thickening agent such as gelatin in a liquid state, then cooling it at room temperature to form a gel, and cutting the gel into an appropriate size.

[0612] By adding a gel absorbent rod (222) that absorbs liquid VG or the like to a hub rod (221) containing a smoking substitute material, such as a heated cigarette illustrated in FIG. 40, a richer vaporization occurs upon heating, and the nicotine aerosol generated from the hub rod (221) is diluted by the VG aerosol with a much higher concentration, thereby obtaining the effect of making the tobacco taste relatively milder.

[0613] The two rods of the tobacco medium of Fig. 40 may be switched in position with respect to each other, and each rod may be heated using two heaters controlled to different temperatures.

[0614] By using two heaters to heat each rod separately, the intensity of the herbal scent and the amount of vapor produced from the gel absorbent can be controlled independently, allowing for a variety of combinations of herbal scent intensity and vapor amount to be achieved according to the user's preference.

[0615] Additionally, two heaters for heating each load can be controlled according to respective optimized temperature profiles for the hub load (221) and the gel absorbent load (222).

[0616] In the heated cigarette of Fig. 40, the herb containing the smoking substitute material can also be obtained by the herb processing method described above, which is the same as in Fig. 39.

[0617] When a heated cigarette, such as that shown in FIGS. 39 and 40, is inserted into the cigarette receiving portion of the heating device and heated by the heater, an aerosol having the unique aroma of the herb from the herb containing the smoking substitute material is converted into an aerosol, and an aerosol for tobacco flavor and vaporization is also generated, along with the VG and nicotine substituted inside the herb.

[0618] Accordingly, a user who inhales cigarettes such as those in Figs. 39 and 40 using a heating device can simultaneously enjoy the herbal scent of natural herbs and the tobacco taste and vaporization caused by the VG and nicotine substituted in the herbs.

[0619] [Example 9]

[0620] Figure 41 is a flow chart of a herb processing method for obtaining a herb including a smoking substitute material used as a key element in manufacturing a heated cigarette of the present invention.

[0621] Referring to FIG. 41, a method for processing herbs to obtain herbs containing a smoking substitute used in a cigarette of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG), a step of immersing herbs (clove flowers) for inhaling aroma in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed herbs.

[0622] The present invention is basically for a person to inhale the unique scent of natural herbs in the form of an aerosol.

[0623] Herbs used here can generally be any plant that has a scent, or is expected to have a health-related effect, or has the ability to act on the human brain to produce a special mental effect, but peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, and leaf tobacco are particularly preferable.

[0624] Even if not explicitly mentioned below, all herbs applicable to the present invention are natural herbs that are still capable of absorbing and releasing moisture in an undried state after harvest.

[0625] The mixture used to steep the herbs may be a solvent mixed with vegetable glycerin (VG). This mixture may further contain nicotine. This vegetable glycerin (VG) or VG plus nicotine ultimately acts as a substitute (a smoking substitute) that replaces the moisture within the herb cells.

[0626] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0627] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates and disappears during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the herb.

[0628] Alcohol also has the function of removing the scent of herbs along with dehydration, so it can be useful when it is necessary to reduce the level of scent emitted by herbs in a product using the present invention.

[0629] The above-mentioned smoking substitute is a substance that fills the empty spaces within the herb leaf cells created when moisture is released through the leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the herb.

[0630] As the above smoking substitute, polyhydric alcohols such as vegetable glycerin (VG) can be used first, and may further contain nicotine.

[0631] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners within the herb. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the greater the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0632] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0633] The second step in the herb processing method for obtaining herbs containing the smoking substitute used in the present invention is a step of immersing the herbs for inhalation of aroma in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step. In one embodiment of the present invention, clove flowers are primarily used as the herb for inhalation of aroma.

[0634] Herbs immersed in the mixed solution absorb the mixed solution through the cut end at the lower part of the moisture movement path within the herb (the stem if it contains stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only leaves or flowers are cut).

[0635] At this time, the moisture contained within the hub cells is discharged through the hub surface, and the empty space within the cells from which the moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the hub cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0636] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder the absorption of the herb due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the herb is cooked and blanched, and the temperature is preferably around 30 to 60°C.

[0637] The steeping time in the above-mentioned steeping step varies depending on the type of herb and the ingredients of the blended solution, but can generally range from 1 day to 6 weeks. If the blended solution contains only water, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant, approximately 3 days to 4 weeks is appropriate.

[0638] The third step of the herb processing method for obtaining a herb containing a smoking substitute used in the present invention is a step of removing the soaked herb from the mixed solution and drying it.

[0639] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the herb cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the herb through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that ultimately, only the smoking substitute material containing at least vegetable glycerin (VG) and / or nicotine remains inside the herb cells, thereby obtaining a herb containing a smoking substitute material.

[0640] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0641] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step, a step of removing the herbs immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing them before drying may be further included.

[0642] Vegetable glycerin (VG) remains on the surface of herbs that have been immersed in the mixed solution. Since vegetable glycerin (VG) is a viscous substance, if the herbs in this state are dried as is, the vegetable glycerin (VG) that was on the surface of the herbs will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as they dry together.

[0643] When an inhalation product such as a cigarette is manufactured using an herb containing a smoking substitute obtained in this way, the cigarette paper that wraps the cigarette may become contaminated due to the vegetable glycerin (VG) remaining on the surface, or the intended taste and aroma may not be sufficiently obtained from the herb.

[0644] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0645] The herb containing the smoking substitute material obtained by the above herb processing method can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an article for inhaling fragrance (cigarette).

[0646] By cutting the herb containing the smoking substitute material obtained by the above herb processing method into an appropriate size and using it as a rod constituting a cigarette for inhaling flavor, flavor aerosol, VG aerosol (atomization) and / or nicotine aerosol (tobacco flavor) can be obtained simultaneously from the herb containing the smoking substitute material.

[0647] The herb containing the smoking substitute used in the present invention is a herb that originally has its own unique aroma, and the moisture in the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) or VG and nicotine and then dried. Therefore, when it is manufactured in the form of a cigarette and heated in the future, it can obtain the unique aroma originally possessed by the herb as well as the vaporizing effect and / or the taste of tobacco.

[0648] Furthermore, the herb containing the smoking substitute used in the present invention has the significant advantage of eliminating the need for a plastic cartridge, which is required to provide liquids such as vegetable glycerin (VG) in conventional liquid e-cigarettes, since the vegetable glycerin or VG and nicotine in the mixed solution diffuse through the herb's water vessels and transport channels while being immersed, thereby remaining intact within the herb cells. Furthermore, eliminating the need for a plastic cartridge also offers the advantage of being environmentally friendly.

[0649] Fig. 42 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 41 for peppermint, and Fig. 43 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 41 for rosemary.

[0650] By testing both varieties with relatively broad leaves (peppermint) and varieties with needle-like leaves (rosemary), we aimed to demonstrate that the VG substitution results described above can be achieved regardless of leaf shape or size.

[0651] From Figures 42 and 43, it can be seen that for both peppermint and rosemary, when moisture was replaced with VG by the immersion treatment according to the above herb processing method, the original leaf shape was maintained and the leaf was flexible enough not to break when bent, whereas when naturally dried, the leaf shrank in size and easily broke when bent. In this way, vegetable glycerin (VG) functions as a softening agent within the herb.

[0652] FIGS. 44a to 44d are comparative photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred using peppermint and rosemary that were naturally dried and soaked and dried according to the herb processing method of FIG. 41. Specifically, FIG. 44a is a photograph of an experimental setup for determining whether atomization occurred. The heated inhalation article containing the herb including the smoking substitute substance is connected to the syringe, and the syringe acts as if the user were to inhale the aerosol. Referring to FIG. 44b, peppermint that was naturally dried without soaking hardly atomized, and referring to FIGS. 44c and 44d, peppermint and rosemary that were soaked and dried according to the herb processing method applied to the herb including the smoking substitute substance used in the present invention showed a lot of atomization.

[0653] This supports the previously mentioned observation that herbs containing smoking substitutes substitute vegetable glycerin (VG) for the original moisture, resulting in a rich vaporization. In heated inhalation products, vaporization plays a crucial role in the visual effect.

[0654] Below, a heated cigarette manufactured using a herb containing the smoking substitute material described above is described.

[0655] Figures 45 and 46 illustrate heated cigarettes for directional inhalation according to respective embodiments of the present invention.

[0656] Figure 45 illustrates a case where the aerosol generating unit is composed of one rod, and Figure 46 illustrates a case where the aerosol generating unit is separated into two rods.

[0657] First, referring to FIG. 45, a heated cigarette (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a filter (110) and an aerosol generating unit (120) along the length of the cigarette.

[0658] Typically, cigarettes are manufactured from several rods that are individually manufactured and then packaged into a single cigarette paper in the final process to form the final product.

[0659] Here, the rod refers to a rod-shaped component that is included in a single cigarette but serves different functions. In Fig. 45, the filter (110) and the aerosol generating unit (120) each form an independent rod. The filter (110) is for a person to hold in the mouth and inhale the aerosol, and the aerosol generating unit (120) is a rod made of various materials that can be heated to generate aerosol.

[0660] Since the material and function of the filter (110) are already widely known, an explanation is omitted.

[0661] An aerosol generating unit (120) of a heated cigarette according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a hub containing a smoking substitute material.

[0662] The herb containing the smoking substitute used in the present invention is in a state where the moisture within the herb is replaced with at least vegetable glycerin or a smoking substance containing vegetable glycerin and nicotine, so that when heated, the herb itself generates not only the herb aroma but also an atomized aerosol and a nicotine aerosol.

[0663] Among the herbs to which the present invention is applied, in the case of herbs using leaves, the herbs containing the smoking substitute are cut into an appropriate size and then collected in the amount required for one cigarette to form an aerosol generating portion (rod). However, in the case of using clove flowers as the herb, the clove flowers are very small, about the size of a grain of rice, and fall out of the rod, making it difficult to make a rod with only these clove flowers.

[0664] Therefore, to prevent the clove flowers from falling out, you can sprinkle them on cotton and make a rod with the cotton, or you can make a rod with herbs such as peppermint, rosemary, or cypress that have been treated to contain the same smoking substitute.

[0665] Herbs such as peppermint, rosemary, and cypress should be cut to an appropriate size and used. If you make a rod by mixing clove flowers with the herb pieces cut to an appropriate size, the pieces of other herbs besides the clove flowers can serve as a support for the clove flowers.

[0666] Herbs other than clove flowers can also help to tone down the intensity of the relatively strong scent of clove.

[0667] When wrapping a rod containing clove herbs with cigarette paper, it is advisable to use aluminum foil to trap the scent of the rod.

[0668] Fig. 46 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, a heated cigarette having an aerosol generating unit composed of two rods.

[0669] Referring to FIG. 46, a heated cigarette (200) according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a filter (210) and an aerosol generating unit (220) along the length of the cigarette.

[0670] What is different from Fig. 45 is that the aerosol generating part is divided into two rods. The one just below the filter (210) is a rod (221) of herbs containing a smoking substitute, and the one at the very bottom of the cigarette is a gel absorbent rod (222) made by heating liquid VG (or a mixed solution of VG and propylene glycol) and absorbing it into a moisture absorbent together with a thickening material such as liquid gelatin, then cooling it at room temperature to form a gel, and cutting the gel into an appropriate size.

[0671] By adding a gel absorbent rod (222) that absorbs liquid VG or the like to a hub rod (221) containing a smoking substitute material, such as a heated cigarette as shown in Fig. 46, a richer atomization is generated upon heating, and the strong aroma generated from the hub rod (221) is relatively softened by the VG aerosol with a much higher concentration.

[0672] The two rods of the aerosol generating unit of Fig. 46 may be switched in position, and each rod may be heated using two heaters controlled to different temperatures.

[0673] By using two heaters to heat each rod separately, the intensity of the herbal scent and the amount of vapor produced from the gel absorbent can be controlled independently, allowing for a variety of combinations of herbal scent intensity and vapor amount to be achieved according to the user's preference.

[0674] Additionally, two heaters for heating each load can be controlled according to respective optimized temperature profiles for the hub load (221) and the gel absorbent load (222).

[0675] In the heated cigarette of Fig. 46, the hub containing the smoking substitute material can be obtained by the hub processing method described above, which is the same as in Fig. 45.

[0676] When a heated cigarette, such as that shown in FIGS. 45 and 46, is inserted into the cigarette receiving portion of the heating device and heated by the heater, an aerosol having the unique aroma of the herb from the herb containing the smoking substitute material is converted into an aerosol, and an aerosol for tobacco flavor and vaporization is also generated, along with the VG and nicotine substituted inside the herb.

[0677] Accordingly, a user who inhales a cigarette as in Fig. 45 and Fig. 46 using a heating device can simultaneously enjoy the herbal scent of natural herbs and the tobacco taste and vaporization caused by the VG and nicotine substituted in the herbs.

[0678] [Example 10]

[0679] Figure 47 is a flow chart of a hub processing method for obtaining a VG substituted hub used as a key element in manufacturing a heated cigarette of the present invention.

[0680] Referring to FIG. 47, a method for processing herbs for obtaining VG substituted herbs used in cigarettes of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG), a step of immersing herbs for inhaling aroma in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed herbs.

[0681] The present invention is basically for a person to inhale the unique scent of natural herbs in the form of an aerosol together with an aerosol from a tobacco medium.

[0682] Herbs used here can generally be any plant that has a scent, or is expected to have a health-related effect, or has the ability to act on the human brain to produce a special mental effect, but peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, raw cannabis, and leaf tobacco are particularly preferable.

[0683] Even if not explicitly mentioned below, all herbs applicable to the present invention are natural herbs that are still capable of absorbing and releasing moisture in an undried state after harvest.

[0684] The mixed solution for soaking herbs may be a solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) mixed with a solvent. This vegetable glycerin (VG) ultimately acts as a water-displacing agent (hereinafter referred to as a "water-displacing agent") that replaces moisture within the herb cells.

[0685] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0686] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates and disappears during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the herb.

[0687] Alcohol also has the function of removing the scent of herbs along with dehydration, so it can be useful when it is necessary to reduce the level of scent emitted by herbs in a product using the present invention.

[0688] The above-mentioned moisture-displacing agent is a substance that fills the empty spaces within the herb leaf cells that result from moisture loss through the leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the herb.

[0689] As the above moisture-displacing agent, a polyhydric alcohol such as vegetable glycerin (VG) can be used.

[0690] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners within the herb. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the greater the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0691] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0692] The second step of the herb processing method for obtaining the VG substituted herb used in the present invention is a step of immersing the herb for inhaling the fragrance in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step.

[0693] The herbs to be immersed in the mixed solution may be cut from the stem or from only the leaf portion.

[0694] Herbs immersed in the mixed solution absorb the mixed solution through the cut end located at the lower part of the moisture movement path within the herb (closer to the stem if the herb contains stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only the leaves are cut).

[0695] At this time, the moisture contained within the leaf cells of the herb is discharged through the leaf surface, and the empty space within the cells from which moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the leaf cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0696] One thing to keep in mind during the immersion step above is that if the herb being immersed contains both stems and leaves, it's fine to immerse only the stems, or the entire stems can float on the surface of the mixture, leaving some exposed to the air. However, if the herb being immersed is cut leaves without stems, the exposed parts can quickly discolor and become damaged. Therefore, in this case, the herb must be completely submerged in the mixture, ensuring that no part is exposed to air.

[0697] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder the absorption of the herb due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the herb is cooked and blanched, and the temperature is preferably around 30 to 60°C.

[0698] The steeping time in the above-mentioned steeping step varies depending on the type of herb and the ingredients of the blended solution, but can generally range from 1 day to 6 weeks. If the blended solution contains only water, vegetable glycerin (VG), and a surfactant, approximately 3 days to 4 weeks is appropriate.

[0699] The third step of the herb processing method for obtaining the VG substituted herb used in the present invention is a step of removing the soaked herb from the mixed solution and drying it.

[0700] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the herb cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the herb through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that ultimately, a VG-substituted herb is obtained that produces an atomized substance containing only moisture-displacing substances, including at least vegetable glycerin (VG), inside the herb cells.

[0701] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0702] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step, a step of removing the herbs immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing them before drying may be further included.

[0703] Vegetable glycerin (VG) remains on the surface of herbs that have been immersed in the mixed solution. Since vegetable glycerin (VG) is a viscous substance, if the herbs in this state are dried as is, the vegetable glycerin (VG) that was on the surface of the herbs will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as they dry together.

[0704] When manufacturing an inhalation product such as a cigarette using the VG-substituted herb obtained in this way, the cigarette paper that wraps the cigarette may become contaminated due to the vegetable glycerin (VG) remaining on the surface, or the intended taste and aroma may not be sufficiently obtained from the herb.

[0705] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0706] The VG substituted herb obtained by the above herb processing method can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an inhalation article having a shape similar to a cigarette of a cigarette-type electronic cigarette.

[0707] The VG substituted herb that produces vapor is obtained by the above-mentioned herb processing method, cut into an appropriate size, manufactured into a cigarette shape together with an aerosol generating unit, and then inserted into a heating device so that the aerosol from the aerosol generating unit generated by heating and the fragrance aerosol from the VG substituted herb can be inhaled together with vaporization.

[0708] The VG-substituted herb used in the present invention is an herb that originally has its own unique scent, and the moisture within the herb is replaced with vegetable glycerin (VG) and dried. Therefore, when it is manufactured in the form of a cigarette and heated in the future, the herb can have the unique scent it originally had as well as the effect of vaporization.

[0709] In addition, since the VG substituted herb used in the present invention spreads the vegetable glycerin in the mixed solution through the herb's water vessels and transport channels while being immersed and remains conserved within the herb cells, there is no need for a plastic cartridge required to provide a liquid such as vegetable glycerin (VG) in a general liquid e-cigarette, and there is no need for a separate absorbent required when providing vegetable glycerin (VG) within the cigarette of a heat-not-burn e-cigarette, which has the great advantage of being environmentally friendly. Meanwhile, not using a plastic cartridge also has the advantage of being environmentally friendly.

[0710] Fig. 48 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 47 for peppermint, and Fig. 49 is a photograph comparing the results of natural drying and processing according to the herb processing method of Fig. 47 for rosemary.

[0711] By testing both varieties with relatively broad leaves (peppermint) and varieties with needle-like leaves (rosemary), we aimed to demonstrate that the VG substitution results described above can be achieved regardless of leaf shape or size.

[0712] From Figures 48 and 49, it can be seen that for both peppermint and rosemary, when moisture was replaced with VG by the immersion treatment according to the above herb processing method, the original leaf shape was maintained and the leaf was flexible enough not to break when bent, whereas when naturally dried, the leaf size decreased and it easily broke when bent. In this way, vegetable glycerin (VG) functions as a softening agent within the herb.

[0713] FIGS. 50a to 50d are comparative photographs taken to determine whether atomization occurred using peppermint and rosemary that were naturally dried and soaked and dried according to the herb processing method of FIG. 47. Specifically, FIG. 50a is a photograph of an experimental setup for determining whether atomization occurred. The device connected to the syringe is a heated inhalation device containing a VG substituted herb, and the syringe acts as if the user were to inhale the aerosol. Referring to FIG. 50b, peppermint that was naturally dried without soaking hardly produced atomization, and referring to FIGS. 50c and 50d, peppermint and rosemary that were soaked and dried according to the herb processing method applied to the VG substituted herb used in the present invention produced a lot of atomization.

[0714] This supports the previously mentioned notion that VG-substituted herbs produce a rich vapor by replacing the original moisture with vegetable glycerin (VG). In heated inhalation products, vaporization plays a crucial role in the visual effect.

[0715] Below, a heated cigarette manufactured using the VG substituted herb described above is described.

[0716] Figure 51 illustrates a heated cigarette according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0717] Referring to FIG. 51, a heated cigarette (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a filter (110) and an aerosol generating unit (120) along the length of the cigarette.

[0718] Typically, cigarettes are manufactured from several rods that are individually manufactured and then packaged into a single cigarette paper in the final process to form the final product.

[0719] Here, the rod refers to a rod-shaped component that is included in a single cigarette but serves different functions. In Fig. 51, the filter (110) and the aerosol generating unit (120) each form an independent rod. The filter (110) is for a person to hold in their mouth and inhale aerosol, and the aerosol generating unit (120) is a rod containing a nicotine component.

[0720] Since the material and function of the filter (110) are already widely known, an explanation is omitted.

[0721] An aerosol generating unit (120) of a heated cigarette according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a VG substituted hub and a solidified absorbent.

[0722] A solidified absorbent refers to a substance that is made by absorbing vegetable glycerin or vegetable glycerin and nicotine together with a thickener into a porous material (porous ceramic, non-woven cotton, sponge, etc.) and then gelling or solidifying at room temperature.

[0723] The above aerosol generating unit may be a completed rod including the VG replacement hub described above cut to an appropriate size and the solidified absorbent.

[0724] The above solidified absorbent may be in the form of grains in the case of porous ceramics, and may be in the form of sheets or pieces in the case of non-woven fabrics and sponges.

[0725] If the solidified absorbent is in the form of grains, the VG substituted herb core and absorbent grains can be randomly mixed to form a load.

[0726] When the solidified absorbent is in the form of a sheet, a VG replacement hub can be placed in the center, and a solidified absorbent sheet can be wrapped around it to form a load.

[0727] In this case, the solidified absorbent can be positioned closer to the heater, which has the advantage of allowing more appropriate control of the vaporization timing of each component.

[0728] Additionally, the mixing ratio of VG replacement herbs and absorbents can be adjusted depending on the intensity of the flavor, the degree of vaporization, and the intensity of the tobacco taste.

[0729] It is desirable that the exterior of the aerosol generating unit be wrapped with cigarette paper such as aluminum foil.

[0730] When a heated cigarette, such as that illustrated in Fig. 51, is inserted into a cigarette receiving portion of a cigarette-type heating device or a hybrid heating device and heated by a heater of the heating device, nicotine aerosol and VG aerosol are generated from the absorbent material of the aerosol generating portion, and the VG substituted inside the herb is converted into aerosol together with an aerosol having the unique aroma of the herb from the VG substituted herb of the aerosol generating portion, thereby generating a richer atomization together with the VG of the absorbent material.

[0731] Accordingly, a user who inhales a cigarette like Fig. 51 using a heating device can simultaneously enjoy the taste of the cigarette according to the type and characteristics of the tobacco medium, as well as the herbal scent of the natural herbs and the vaporization by the VG substituted in the herbs.

[0732] [Example 11]

[0733] Figure 52 is a flow chart of a plant processing method (hereinafter referred to as “plant processing method”) for absorbing an active substance together with the plant’s unique fragrance according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0734] Referring to FIG. 52, a method for processing a plant according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a step of preparing a mixed solution for immersing a plant to be processed for absorption of an active substance, a step of immersing the plant to be processed in the mixed solution, and a step of drying the immersed plant to be processed.

[0735] The present invention is basically for a person to absorb active ingredients derived from various active substances that the plant does not originally have, along with the unique fragrance of the plant.

[0736] The plants to be processed here can generally be any plant that has a scent, or is expected to have a health-related effect, or has the ability to act on the human brain to produce a special mental effect, but peppermint, rosemary, cypress, clove, angelica, hemp, or leaf tobacco are particularly preferable.

[0737] Even if not explicitly mentioned below, all plants applicable to the present invention are plants that are still capable of absorbing and releasing moisture in an undried state after harvest.

[0738] The mixed solution for soaking the plant to be processed may be a solution in which a water-displacing substance within the plant is mixed with a solvent.

[0739] The solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0740] Methanol or ethanol can be used as the alcohol. The solvent evaporates and disappears during the subsequent drying process, and the alcohol facilitates the evaporation of moisture present within the plant.

[0741] Alcohol also has the function of removing the scent of the plant along with dehydration, so it can be even more useful when it is necessary to reduce the level of the scent of the plant in a product using the present invention.

[0742] The above-mentioned water-exchanger within plants is a substance that fills the empty spaces within plant leaf cells created when water is lost through the leaves. This substance can be supplied by the mixed solution absorbed by the plant.

[0743] The water-displacing substance in the plant may include an active substance, wherein one or more of nicotine, caffeine, and taurine may be selected as the active substance.

[0744] In addition to the above substances, the above active substances may further include catechin, silymarin, arginine, carnitine, Alpha GPC, L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine, Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Xanax, Theobromine, Guarana extract, magnesium, sweetener, sugar, sodium, minerals, clove extract, cypress extract, hemp extract, polyphenol, amino acid, fatty acid, vitamin, quasi-drug ingredients, pharmaceutical ingredients, and health functional food extracts.

[0745] The water-exchanging material in the plant may further include one or more polyhydric alcohols as a softening agent.

[0746] The above polyhydric alcohols contain one to four hydroxyl groups and act as softeners within plants, keeping them more elastic and fresh. The more hydroxyl groups a substance contains, the greater the hydrophilicity it can impart.

[0747] The types of substances according to the number of hydroxyl groups (OH groups), types of flavoring agents and surfactants, types of mixed solutions and acidity regulators, types of preservatives and antioxidants, types of acid substances, etc. are the same as in the first embodiment, so description thereof is omitted.

[0748] The above mixed solution may further contain oil.

[0749] This oil helps active substances or flavoring agents to be introduced into the plant more efficiently.

[0750] That is, hydrophobic substances among the active substances do not dissolve well in water but dissolve well in oil. Therefore, when dissolved in oil, they can remain dissolved in the mixed solution and can be easily introduced into the plant during the plant's metabolic process.

[0751] The second step of the plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of immersing the plant to be processed in the mixed solution prepared in the previous step.

[0752] The plants to be processed by immersing them in the mixed solution may be cut from the stem or from only the leaves.

[0753] The plants to be processed, immersed in the mixed solution, absorb the mixed solution through the cut end at the lower part of the water movement path within the plant (the stem if it includes stems and leaves, or closer to the stem if only leaves are cut).

[0754] At this time, the moisture contained within the plant's leaf cells is discharged through the leaf surface, and the empty space within the cells from which moisture was discharged is filled with the mixed solution. In other words, the moisture within the leaf cells is replaced by the mixed solution.

[0755] One thing to keep in mind during the immersion step above is that if the plant being immersed includes both stems and leaves, it's fine to immerse only the stems, or the entire plant can float on the surface of the mixture with some exposed to the air. However, if the plant is cut with only leaves and no stems, the exposed parts can quickly discolor and become damaged. Therefore, in this case, the plant to be processed must be completely submerged in the mixture so that no part comes into contact with the air.

[0756] In the above immersion step, the appropriate temperature of the mixed solution can be determined in the range of 5 to 70°C depending on the type of material included in the mixed solution. However, if a viscous material is included, the lower limit is the temperature at which the viscosity can be reduced to a level that does not hinder absorption by the plant due to the viscosity, and the upper limit is the temperature at which the plant is ripe and blanched, and the temperature is preferably around 30 to 60°C.

[0757] The immersion time in the above-mentioned immersion step varies depending on the type of plant and the components of the mixed solution, but can generally be determined within the range of 1 day to 6 weeks, and is preferably 2 weeks or longer. As will be described again in Fig. 55, when the immersion time was approximately 2 weeks, the active substance was absorbed into the plant to a much greater extent and the plant was shown to be in a much more tightly spread state compared to when the immersion time was approximately 3 days.

[0758] The third step of the plant processing method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a step of removing the immersed plant to be processed from the mixed solution and drying it.

[0759] In the previous immersion step, the moisture inside the plant cells has already been replaced by the mixed solution, and the solvent (water or water and ethanol) inside the mixed solution absorbed into the plant through the replacement is also evaporated through this drying step, so that a plant product is obtained in which only the moisture-displacing substance remains inside the plant cells.

[0760] The drying temperature in the above drying step may be 30°C or higher, but in order to complete drying within a short period of time, a temperature of 40 to 50°C is preferable.

[0761] Meanwhile, between the immersion step and the drying step of the present invention, a step of removing the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution from the mixed solution and washing it before drying may be further included.

[0762] When a viscous substance such as glycerin is included in the mixed solution, the substance remains on the surface of the plant to be processed that has been immersed in the mixed solution. If the plant to be processed in this state is dried as is, the viscous substance on the surface of the plant to be processed will not be removed and will remain on the surface until the end as it dries.

[0763] When manufacturing an active substance absorbing product such as gum tobacco using the plant processed product obtained in this way, problems may arise such as contamination of the external packaging material due to the remaining ingredients on the surface, or failure to obtain the originally intended taste and aroma.

[0764] Therefore, additional cleaning processes may be added to prevent the occurrence of problems such as the above.

[0765] The plant processed product obtained by the plant processing method of the present invention can be used as a raw material for manufacturing an article for absorbing active substances in a form similar to a tea bag for brewing tea or a gum tobacco pouch.

[0766] The plant processed product obtained according to the present invention is cut into an appropriate size and optionally packaged as a packaging material for a tea bag or a gum tobacco along with additional materials to complete an article for absorbing an active substance.

[0767] The plant processed product according to the present invention is obtained by replacing moisture in a plant that originally has its own scent with a substance that can provide an additional scent or mental symbol and then drying it. Therefore, when used as a material for a tea bag or an article for absorbing active substances through the mouth in the future, it is possible to obtain an additional scent, taste, or mental or health effect obtained from the newly replaced substance in addition to the original scent of the plant.

[0768] FIG. 53 is a photograph comparing the case of natural drying and the case of immersion treatment according to the present invention for peppermint that can be used as a processing target plant according to the present invention, and FIG. 54 is a photograph comparing the case of natural drying and the case of immersion treatment according to the present invention for rosemary.

[0769] By testing both varieties with relatively broad leaves (peppermint) and varieties with needle-like, thin leaves (rosemary), it was intended to demonstrate that the intended results of the present invention can be obtained regardless of leaf shape or size.

[0770] From Figures 53 and 54, it can be confirmed that in the case of both peppermint and rosemary, when the moisture is replaced by the active substance (nicotine) and polyhydric alcohol in the mixed solution by the immersion treatment according to the present invention, the original leaf shape is still maintained and the leaf has flexibility that does not break when bent, whereas in the case of natural drying, the leaf is reduced in size and easily breaks when bent.

[0771] Figure 55 is a photograph comparing the differences in results depending on the immersion period. Peppermint was used as the processing target plant, and nicotine was used as the active ingredient. The left side shows the case of immersion for 3 days in a mixed solution containing polyalcohol, and the right side shows the case of immersion for 2 weeks.

[0772] Referring to Figure 55, it can be seen that even for the same target plant for processing, the condition after final drying varies greatly depending on how long it was soaked.

[0773] The two-week soaking treatment contained more active substances and substituted substances, such as polyhydric alcohols, than the three-day soaking treatment, resulting in a more flexible and soft appearance even after drying. In other words, the longer the soaking period, the greater the content of active substances within the plant.

[0774] FIG. 56 is a photograph of a dried plant product cut into an appropriate size for manufacturing an active substance absorbing article using the plant product obtained through the plant processing method of the present invention described above, and FIG. 57 is a photograph of the result of manufacturing the final active substance absorbing article by packaging the plant product in the cut state of FIG. 56 in a packaging material.

[0775] Although Fig. 57 is a product intended for use as a tea bag, it can also be packaged in a small size that fits between the lips and gums (or cheek) to manufacture a product for absorbing active substances, such as gum tobacco.

[0776] When packaging with the above packaging material, other ingredients such as acidity regulators, thickeners, fillers, powdered flavors or sweeteners may be included in the packaging material together with the plant processed product according to the present invention, depending on the intended use.

[0777] Additionally, by varying the thickness or mesh size of the packaging material in an active substance absorbent product, the rate at which the active substance is dissolved in tea water or absorbed into the oral mucosa can be varied for each product.

[0778] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a variety of active ingredients that the plant did not originally have along with the unique fragrance of the plant using only one plant material.

[0779]

[0780] Although the present invention has been described with reference to limited embodiments and drawings, it is not limited to the embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made based on this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the claims set forth below, but also by equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A step of preparing a mixed solution by mixing at least one of a solvent, nicotine, an aerosol target substance, and a surfactant; A step of immersing a plant support in the above mixed solution; and A step of drying the above-mentioned immersed plant support A method for producing an aerosol generating medium comprising:

2. In paragraph 1, A method for producing an aerosol generating medium, characterized in that in the step of immersing the plant support in the above mixed solution, moisture contained in the plant support is replaced with nicotine and an aerosol target substance.

3. Manufactured in accordance with paragraph 1, An aerosol generating medium comprising a plant support containing nicotine and an aerosol target substance.

4. A step of preparing a mixed solution for immersing the plant to be processed for inhalation of fragrance; A step of immersing the plant to be processed in the mixed solution; and A step of drying the immersed plant to be processed; A method for processing plants for inhaling the unique scent of plants as an aerosol, including:

5. A plant-based product for inhalation of fragrance manufactured by the method of Article 4.

6. A step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG); A step of immersing a plant to be processed for inhalation of fragrance in the above mixed solution; and A step of drying the immersed plant to be processed; A method for processing plants for inhaling the unique scent of plants together with incense.

7. A plant-processed product for inhaling fragrance that produces a fragrance by the method of Article 6.

8. A step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG) and nicotine; A step of immersing a plant to be processed for inhalation of fragrance in the above mixed solution; and A step of drying the immersed plant to be processed; A method of processing plants to impart tobacco flavor and aroma in addition to the plant's inherent aroma, including:

9. A plant-based product for inhaling a flavor and aroma that produces tobacco flavor and vapor, manufactured by the method of Article 8.

10. A step of preparing a mixed solution containing vegetable glycerin (VG); A step of immersing tobacco leaves in the above mixed solution; and A step of drying the above-mentioned soaked tobacco leaves; A method for processing tobacco leaves to produce vapor from the tobacco leaves themselves when heated, comprising:

11. A leaf tobacco product manufactured by the method of Article 10.

12. An inhalation article that is inserted into a heating device and generates an aerosol by heating, Containing a filter and a tobacco medium separated along the length of the inhalation article, The above tobacco medium is, A heated inhalation article comprising a tobacco medium and a VG substituted herb, wherein the VG substituted herb is used.

13. An aerosol generating device including a cigarette receiving portion, a liquid portion, a first heater, a second heater, an airflow discharge portion, and an airflow passage connecting the cigarette receiving portion and the liquid portion to the airflow discharge portion; and A cigarette inserted and received in the above cigarette receiving portion; Including, The above cigarette receiving portion receives cigarettes from the bottom to the top of the aerosol generating device, The above cigarette comprises a filter and a tobacco medium, An aerosol generating system using a VG substituted herb cigarette, wherein the tobacco medium comprises a tobacco medium and a VG substituted herb.

14. An inhalation article that is inserted into a heating device and generates an aerosol by heating, Containing a filter and a tobacco medium separated along the length of the inhalation article, The above tobacco medium is, A heated inhalation article comprising a herb comprising a smoking substitute substance.

15. An inhalation article that is inserted into a heating device and generates an aerosol by heating, Contains a filter and an aerosol generating unit separated along the length of the inhalation article, The above aerosol generating unit is, Contains herbs containing smoking substitutes, A heated inhalation article for clove inhalation, characterized in that the herb containing the above smoking substitute material is clove flower.

16. An inhalation article that is inserted into a heating device and generates an aerosol by heating, Contains a filter and an aerosol generating unit separated along the length of the inhalation article, The above aerosol generating unit is, Containing a solidified absorbent and a VG replacement hub, A heated inhalation article using a VG replacement hub and a solidified absorbent.

17. A step of preparing a mixed solution for immersing the target plant for processing to absorb the active substance; A step of immersing the plant to be processed in the mixed solution; and A step of drying the immersed plant to be processed; A method for processing plants to absorb active substances together with the unique fragrance of the plants.

18. An article for absorbing an active substance manufactured using a plant processed product obtained by the method of Article 17.

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