Aerosol-generating article and method for improving puff-to-puff stability of aerosol concentration

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to the field of heated tobacco technology, and specifically relates to an aerosol-generating article and a method for improving aerosol stability. The aerosol-generating article comprises: an aerosol-forming substrate section, an aerosol storage section, and an outer wrapper. The aerosol storage section comprises a tube wall and an aerosol storage chamber located within the tube wall. The outer wrapper encloses at least the aerosol-forming substrate section and the aerosol storage section. The aerosol-generating article is provided with a plurality of vents distributed along its circumference. A ratio of a diameter of the aerosol storage chamber to an outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article ranges from 75% to 95%. A ratio of a total area of the vents to an area of a ring-shaped band region on an outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents are located ranges from 2.7% to 13.6%. A ratio of a distance between the vents and a downstream end of the aerosol storage section to a length of the aerosol storage section ranges from 34% to 60%. The present application effectively solves the problem of puff-to-puff inconsistency in aerosol concentration, enabling the aerosol concentration to remain stable throughout the entire inhalation process.

Description

AEROSOL-GENERATING ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING PUFF-TO-PUFF STABILITY OF AEROSOL CONCENTRATION CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]    The present application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510731179.6, filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on June 3, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002]    The present application pertains to the field of heated tobacco product technology, and more specifically, to an aerosol-generating article and a method for improving the puff-to-puff stability of aerosol concentration. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003]    Aerosol-generating articles, a type of novel tobacco product that operates by heating tobacco material through baking rather than combustion, form a system for consumer use with a heating device. While providing a sensory experience similar to that of traditional cigarettes, they can significantly reduce harm to the human body, as the amount of harmful components released in the aerosol formed through baking is only 10% or less of that in traditional cigarettes. Consequently, heated tobacco products have gained increasing consumer acceptance and a rapidly growing user base since their introduction. The structure of an aerosol-generating article generally comprises, from upstream to downstream: an aerosol-forming substrate section, a cooling support section (generally a hollow tube, which can be referred to as an aerosol storage section), and a filter section.

[0004]    A problem with current aerosol-generating articles on the market is that the aerosol concentration is often inconsistent from one puff to the next. Taking an aerosol-generating article that is inhaled for 8 to 12 puffs as an example, the aerosol concentration and flavor are high in the first few puffs, while the aerosol concentration and flavor decay in the later puffs, which is a common problem of poor puff-to-puff aerosol stability.

[0005]    The puff-to-puff stability of an aerosol is affected by the combined stabilities of generation (i.e., the aerosol-forming substrate being heated to produce an aerosol) and delivery (i.e., the aerosol passing through the downstream sections of the aerosol-generating article) before it reaches the user's mouth. Existing technologies have primarily focused on adjusting puff-to-puff stability from the perspective of generation stability. For example, approaches such as using two combined types of tobacco cores, adding flavor-enhancing components in the cooling support section, or adding breakable capsules in the filter section (filter tip), are all methods that enhance the stability of the aerosol and flavor by supplementing the total amount of aerosol generated. While these methods can, to a certain extent, slow down the decay of aerosol and flavor, they also lead to significant increases in product cost and significant elevations in processing difficulty.

[0006]    The present application takes a different approach to improve puff-to-puff aerosol stability from the perspective of delivery stability. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007]    Accordingly, an object of the present application is to provide an aerosol-generating article and a method for improving the puff-to-puff stability of aerosol concentration, in order to solve the problem of poor puff-to-puff stability of aerosol concentration, and to avoid a significant increase in the manufacturing cost and processing difficulty of the article.

[0008]    A first aspect of the present application provides an aerosol-generating article, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises: an aerosol-forming substrate section, an aerosol storage section, and an outer wrapper;

[0009]    wherein the aerosol storage section is located downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section, and comprises a tube wall and an aerosol storage chamber located within the tube wall;

[0010]    wherein the outer wrapper encloses at least the aerosol-forming substrate section and the aerosol storage section, and defines the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article;

[0011]    wherein the aerosol-generating article is provided with a plurality of vents distributed along its circumference, the vents penetrating the tube wall of the aerosol storage section and the outer wrapper to establish fluid communication between the aerosol storage chamber and the ambient air; and,

[0012]    a ratio of a diameter of the aerosol storage chamber to the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article ranges from 75% to 95%;

[0013]    a ratio of a total area of the vents to an area of a ring-shaped band region on an outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents are located ranges from 2.7% to 13.6%, wherein the area of the ring-shaped band region is a product of an equivalent diameter of the largest of the vents and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article;

[0014]    a ratio of a distance M between the vents and a downstream end of the aerosol storage section to a length N of the aerosol storage section ranges from 34% to 60%, i.e., M / N = 34-60%.

[0015]    Preferably, M / N = 34.7-60%, more preferably, M / N = 35.2-60%. Still more preferably, M / N = 35.3-60%.

[0016]    It should be noted that the area of the aforementioned vent is the projected area of the vent on the outer wrapper, and the total area of the vents is the sum of the projected areas of all vents on the outer wrapper.

[0017]    The shape of the vent can be arbitrary. The equivalent diameter of the aforementioned vents refers to the equivalent diameter of the vent having the largest area.

[0018]    In the present application, the outer diameter and outer circumference of the outer wrapper are the outer diameter and outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article.

[0019]    The aforementioned distance between the vents and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section is based on the distance from the center of the vent to the downstream end of the aerosol storage section. When the vent has an irregular shape, the center of gravity of the vent is taken as the center of the vent.

[0020]    Preferably, the total area of the vents is 0.25-1.25mm².

[0021]    Preferably, the number of the vents ranges from 2 to 10. Of course, if the diameter of the vents changes, the number may change accordingly, and may exceed 10. It is only necessary to ensure that the ratio of the total area of the vents to the area of the ring-shaped band region on the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents are located is 2.7%-13.6%.

[0022]    Preferably, the number of the vents is 4 or more.

[0023]    Preferably, the vents are distributed at equal intervals along the circumference of the aerosol-generating article.

[0024]    Preferably, the length of the aerosol storage section is 15-25mm.

[0025]    Preferably, the ratio of the total area of the vents to the area of the ring-shaped band region on the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents are located is 3%-10%.

[0026]    Preferably, the ratio of the distance between the vents and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section is 35-60%.

[0027]    Preferably, the ratio of the length of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol-generating article is 0.3-0.6.

[0028]    Preferably, the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article is 19.8-23mm.

[0029]    The outer wrapper of the present application comprises sections that wrap the aerosol-forming substrate section, the aerosol storage section, and other sections. The outer wrapper can be cigarette paper. The outer wall of the aerosol storage section and the inner wall of the cigarette paper are substantially in contact.

[0030]    Preferably, the aerosol-generating article further comprises: a filter section located downstream of the aerosol storage section. The material of the filter section can be plant fiber or non-plant fiber. For example, the filter section is a cellulose acetate tow section.

[0031]    Preferably, the aerosol-generating article further comprises: a front plug located upstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section.

[0032]    The material of the front plug can be an aerosol-forming substrate (e.g., tobacco, tea, and other plants), paper, cellulose acetate, polylactic acid, and other materials. In other words, the front plug can be: an aerosol-forming substrate rod, a paper functional rod, a cellulose acetate rod, a polylactic acid (PLA) rod, etc. The front plug may also contain a smoking agent or flavor. The front plug has a blocking and / or flavor-carrying function.

[0033]    The aerosol storage section is made from any suitable material such as plant fiber (e.g., paper), cellulose acetate, or polylactic acid tube. In other words, the aerosol storage section is a paper tube, a cellulose acetate tube, a plant solid article, a polylactic acid tube, etc.

[0034]    The aerosol-forming substrate section contains an aerosol-forming substrate. The material of the aerosol-forming substrate can be any substance that generates an aerosol upon heating, such as tobacco, tea, and other plants, or a carrier containing extracts of the aforementioned plants. The form of the aerosol-forming substrate can be any suitable form such as granules, filaments, powder, flakes, or paste.

[0035]    The aerosol-forming substrate is a single or composite aerosol-forming substrate. The aerosol-forming substrate contains an electromagnetic induction heating element, for adapting to an electromagnetic induction-type smoking device. Or the aerosol-forming substrate does not contain an electromagnetic induction heating element, for adapting to a resistive heating-type smoking device.

[0036]    A second aspect of the present application also provides a method for improving the puff-to-puff stability of aerosol concentration, wherein the aerosol-generating article according to the first aspect is used for inhalation.

[0037]    Preferably, when inhaling using the aerosol-generating article of the first aspect, the coefficient of variation between puff-to-puff aerosol concentrations is less than 5.0%.

[0038]    Preferably, a heater is used for inhalation, and the downstream end of the heater is located upstream of the vents. In other words, the vents of the aerosol-generating article are not covered by the heater.

[0039]    The aforementioned puff-to-puff stability of aerosol concentration refers to the puff-to-puff consistency of the smoke density. The puff-to-puff consistency of the smoke density also reflects the puff-to-puff consistency of flavor release.

[0040]    In the present application, when the aerosol-generating article is heated, the direction of aerosol movement is defined as from upstream to downstream.

[0041]    The aerosol-generating article has an upstream end and a downstream end. Each section of the aerosol-generating article, for example, the aerosol-forming substrate section and the aerosol storage section, also has an upstream end and a downstream end, respectively.

[0042]    In addition, when the aerosol-generating article is inhaled using a heater, according to the direction of aerosol movement, the heater also has an upstream end and a downstream end.

[0043]    Compared to the prior art, the present application has the following advantageous effects:

[0044]    The inventors have unexpectedly discovered that without modifying the aerosol generation amount, but by precisely designing the structure of the aerosol storage section downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section (for example, the ratio of the diameter of the aerosol storage chamber of the aerosol storage section to the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article, and the position and area of the vents) to change the aerosol delivery process, the problem of puff-to-puff stability of aerosol concentration can be effectively solved, so that the smoke density and flavor release are kept stable throughout the entire inhalation process. This point was not conceived by previous researchers. Perforating the side wall of an aerosol-generating article is indeed a prior art, but its purpose is mostly to introduce external air to cool the aerosol, and the perforation position is mostly located on the side of the aerosol storage section close to the filter tip (for example, the ratio of the distance between the vent and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section is less than 20% or even less than 10%); or in the so-called natural smoke type cigarette products (Nature Smoke Cigarettes, NSCs), the vent position is located on the side of the aerosol storage section close to the aerosol-forming substrate section (for example, the ratio of the distance between the perforation and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section is greater than 80% or even greater than 90%), in order to enhance the extraction of the aerosol through airflow. However, previous researchers did not anticipate that perforating a hole of a specific size at a specific position and controlling the ratio of the diameter of the aerosol storage chamber to the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article within a specific range could also improve the puff-to-puff stability of the aerosol concentration.

[0045]    In the preferred technical solution, the number of the vents is 4 or more, and the vents are distributed at equal intervals along the circumference of the aerosol-generating article. If the number of vents is too small, under the condition of a certain total vent area, the diameter of a single vent will be too large. When the vent diameter is too large, industrialization is more difficult, and at the same time, it will cause certain damage to the support of the aerosol-generating article. Furthermore, distributing the vents at equal intervals can improve the uniformity of the vents, which is conducive to the uniform distribution of air, so as to have a good mixing and cooling effect on the aerosol, and thus it is easier to obtain an aerosol of a suitable temperature.

[0046]    The technical solution of the present application is simple in structure, easy to implement, does not increase the processing difficulty of the product, and is conducive to large-scale production and promotion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047]    FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating article according to a first embodiment of the present application.

[0048]    FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the relationship between the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article and the diameter of the aerosol storage section according to a first embodiment of the present application.

[0049]    FIG. 3 is a schematic top-view of an aerosol-generating article according to a second embodiment of the present application.

[0050]    FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating article according to a third embodiment of the present application.

[0051]    List of Reference Numerals:

[0052]    1. outer wrapper; 2. front plug; 3. aerosol-forming substrate section; 4. aerosol storage section; 5. filter section; 6. vent; 7. ring-shaped band region; 8. electromagnetic heating element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0053]    The following, in combination with the embodiments, provides a further detailed description of the present application.

[0054]    It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the following embodiments are only for illustrating the present application and should not be construed as limiting the scope thereof. For embodiments where specific techniques or conditions are not specified, they are performed according to the techniques or conditions described in the literature in the art or according to the product specifications. For materials or equipment for which the manufacturer is not specified, they are all conventional products that can be obtained through commercial purchase.

[0055]    It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. It should also be understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.

[0056]    An aerosol-generating article, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises: an aerosol-forming substrate section 3, an aerosol storage section 4, and an outer wrapper 1, wherein,

[0057]    the aerosol storage section 4 is located downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section 3, and comprises a tube wall and an aerosol storage chamber located within the tube wall;

[0058]    the outer wrapper 1 encloses at least the aerosol-forming substrate section 3 and the aerosol storage section 4, and defines the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article;

[0059]    the aerosol-generating article is provided with a plurality of vents 6 distributed along its circumference, the vents 6 penetrating the tube wall of the aerosol storage section 4 and the outer wrapper 1, to establish fluid communication between the vents 6 and the aerosol storage chamber; and,

[0060]    a ratio of a diameter of the aerosol storage chamber to the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article ranges from 75% to 95%;

[0061]    a ratio of a total area of the vents 6 to an area of a ring-shaped band region 7 on an outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents 6 are located ranges from 2.7% to 13.6%, wherein the area of the ring-shaped band region 7 is a product of an equivalent diameter of the largest of the vents 6 and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article;

[0062]    a ratio of a distance between the vents 6 and a downstream end of the aerosol storage section 4 to a length of the aerosol storage section 4 ranges from 34% to 60%.

[0063]    The following provides several embodiments to further describe the aerosol-generating article of the present application.

[0064]    FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating article according to a first embodiment of the present application. In the figure, the number of vents 6 is for illustrative purposes only. The aerosol-forming substrate section 3 does not contain an electromagnetic induction heating element. This aerosol-generating article is for use with a resistive heating-type smoking device.

[0065]    FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the relationship between the outer diameter D1 of the aerosol-generating article and the diameter D2 of the aerosol storage section according to a first embodiment of the present application. D2 / D1=75-95%. Preferably, D2 / D1=85-95%. More preferably, D2 / D1=90-95%.

[0066]    FIG. 3 is a schematic top-view of an aerosol-generating article according to a second embodiment of the present application. In the figure, the number of vents 6 is for illustrative purposes only. The distance from the vents 6 to the downstream end of the aerosol storage section 4 is M. The length of the aerosol storage section 4 is N. Therefore, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is M / N. M / N=34.7-60%, more preferably, M / N=35.2-60%. Still more preferably, M / N=35.3-60%. More preferably, M / N=35-60%.

[0067]    The ratio of the total area of the vents 6 to the area of the ring-shaped band region 7 on the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents 6 are located is 2.7%-13.6%, preferably 3%-10%. The area of the ring-shaped band region 7 is the product of the equivalent diameter of the vents 6 and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article.

[0068]    FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating article according to a third embodiment of the present application. In the figure, the number of vents 6 is for illustrative purposes only. The aerosol-generating article comprises an outer wrapper 1, and inside the outer wrapper 1, from upstream to downstream, are arranged in sequence: a front plug 2, an aerosol-forming substrate section 3, an aerosol storage section 4, and a filter section 5. The aerosol-forming substrate section 3 is provided with an electromagnetic heating element 8 for adapting to an electromagnetic induction-type smoking device.

[0069]    The following provides embodiments and comparative examples to further describe the aerosol-generating article of the present application. In the following embodiments and comparative examples: the shape of the vents 6 is circular. And on the same aerosol-generating article, the size of the vents 6 is consistent. The outer wrapper 9 is made of cigarette paper.

[0070]    Embodiments 1-4, Comparative Examples 1-2

[0071]    Embodiments 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2 each provide an aerosol-generating article. The common features of these aerosol-generating articles are as follows: these aerosol-generating articles all comprise an outer wrapper 1, and inside the outer wrapper 1, from upstream to downstream, are arranged: a front plug 2, an aerosol-forming substrate section 3, an aerosol storage section 4, and a filter section 5. The aerosol storage section 4 is a hollow tubular structure, and the aerosol storage chamber inside it is a continuous cavity. The outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article is 23mm. The aerosol storage chamber has a length that accounts for 0.3 times the total length of the aerosol-generating article.

[0072]    The tube wall of the aerosol storage section 4 has two vents 6 distributed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The total area of the vents 6 is 0.25 mm². The area of each vent 6 is 0.125 mm². The diameter of the vents 6 is 0.4mm. The area of the ring-shaped band region 7 on the outer wall of the aerosol-generating article where the vents 6 are located is 23*0.4=9.2 mm². In other words, this ring-shaped band region 7 has the diameter of the vents 6 as its width and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article as its length. The area of the ring-shaped band region 7 is the product of the diameter of the vents 6 and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article. The ratio of the total area of the vents 6 to the area of this ring-shaped band region 7 is 2.7%.

[0073]    The distance of the vents 6 from the downstream end of the aerosol storage section 4 is 8mm. The length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 23mm, therefore the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 8 / 23=35%.

[0074]    The diameter of the aerosol storage chamber is denoted as D2, and the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article is denoted as D1. The difference between Embodiments 1-4 and Comparative Examples 1-2 lies only in: D2 is different, thus leading to different D2 / D1 ratios, as detailed in Table 1 below.

[0075]    The aerosol-generating articles of Embodiments 1-4, Comparative Examples 1-2, and existing HEETS and TEREA aerosol-generating articles were subjected to inhalation tests. The specific method was: using an electronic cigarette smoke density testing machine to test the samples. Test conditions: smoking speed 17.5m / s, puff volume 35ml, puff interval 13s, 13 puffs per stick. The vents 6 of the aerosol-generating article were not covered by the heater of the testing machine. The puff-to-puff smoke density index was tested, and the mean value of the smoke density index and the puff-to-puff smoke density coefficient of variation were calculated. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0076]    Table 1 shows: the smoke density index and the coefficient of variation are related to the ratio of the diameter of the aerosol storage chamber to the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article. When D2 / D1 is 75%~95%, the mean value of the smoke density index is generally above 45, and the coefficient of variation is less than 5%, indicating that the smoke density is high and relatively stable. When D2 / D1 is not within the above range, the coefficient of variation is greater than 5%, indicating that the smoke density is unstable.   Table 1 Emb. 1Emb. 2Emb. 3Emb. 4Comp. Ex. 1Comp. Ex. 2HEETS ArticleTEREA Article 9590857570604168D1, mm7.327.327.327.327.327.327.327.32D2, mm6.966.596.235.495.134.393.004.98Smoke Density Index Mean48.0247.8647.5847.0146.9345.4244.9845.86Puff-to-puff Smoke Density CV, %4.054.374.654.985.326.436.575.86 

[0077]    In Table 1:

[0078]    Features of the HEETS aerosol-generating article are as follows: the HEETS aerosol-generating article comprises, from upstream to downstream, an aerosol-forming substrate section, a hollow section, a polylactic acid cooling section, and a filter tip section. The entire HEETS aerosol-generating article has no vents.

[0079]    Features of the TEREA aerosol-generating article are as follows: the TEREA aerosol-generating article comprises, from upstream to downstream in sequence, a front plug, an aerosol-forming substrate section, a first hollow section, a second hollow section, and a filter tip section. The first hollow section and the second hollow section of the TEREA aerosol-generating article are collectively considered as the aerosol storage section 4. The ratio of the distance of the vents 6 of the aerosol storage section 4 from the downstream end of the aerosol storage section 4 to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 6 / (8+8)=37.5%. The total area of the vents is: 0.055-0.11mm².

[0080]    The heaters in the embodiments and comparative examples of the present application are all of a circumferential heating type. Of course, the solution of the present application can also employ heaters of other heating types, for example, a central heating type, an end heating type, and the like.

[0081]    The smoke density index mean value of the present application is the mean of the puff-to-puff smoke density indices over 13 puffs.

[0082]    The puff-to-puff smoke density coefficient of variation (CV) of the present application, also known as the coefficient of dispersion, is calculated by the formula:

[0083]    CV = (Standard Deviation of the Sample / Mean of the Sample) × 100%; wherein the said sample refers to the puff-to-puff smoke density indices of 13 puffs.

[0084]    Embodiments 5-14, Comparative Examples 3-17

[0085]    Embodiments 5-14 and Comparative Examples 3-17 each provide an aerosol-generating article. The common features of these aerosol-generating articles are as follows: these aerosol-generating articles all comprise, from upstream to downstream, a front plug 2, an aerosol-forming substrate section 3, an aerosol storage section 4, and a filter tip section 5. The aerosol storage section 4 is a hollow tubular structure, and the aerosol storage chamber inside it is a continuous cavity. The outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article is 22.9mm. The length of the aerosol storage chamber accounts for 0.6 times the total length of the aerosol-generating article. The length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 23mm. The tube wall of the aerosol storage section 4 has 2-10 vents 6 distributed in the circumferential direction. The area of each vent 6 is 0.125 mm². The diameter of the aerosol storage chamber is denoted as D2=6.93mm, and the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article is denoted as D1=7.29mm. D2 / D1=95%.

[0086]    Example 5 is taken as an example:

[0087]    The area of each vent 6 is 0.125 mm². The number of vents is 2. The diameter of the vents 6 is 0.4mm. The area of the ring-shaped band region 7 on the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents 6 are located is 22.9*0.4=9.16 mm². In other words, this ring-shaped band region 7 has the diameter of the vents 6 as its width and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article as its length. The area of the ring-shaped band region 7 is the product of the diameter of the vents 6 and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article. The ratio of the total area of the vents 6 to the area of this ring-shaped band region 7 is 2.7%.

[0088]    The downstream end of the aerosol storage section 4 is denoted as A. The distance of the vents 6 from the downstream end A of the aerosol storage section 4 is 10mm, and the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 23mm. Therefore, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end A of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 10 / 23=43%.

[0089]    The difference between Embodiments 6-14, Comparative Examples 3-17, and Embodiment 5 is that: only the area of the vents 6 and / or the position of the vents 6 are changed. This is detailed in Table 2.

[0090]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 15mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 15 / 23=65.2%.

[0091]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 10mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 10 / 23=43.4%.

[0092]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 8mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 8 / 23=34.7%.

[0093]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 3mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 23%.                Table 2 Ratio of Total Area of Vents 6 to Area of Ring-Shaped Band Region 7  -  -  2.7%  5.4%  8.2%  10.9%  13.6%  16.3 %Total Area of Vent 6 / Position of Vent 6Project0 mm²0.25 mm²0.50 mm²0.75 mm²1.00 mm²1.25 mm²1.50 mm²  -  -Comp. Ex. 3 Comp. Ex. 4 Comp. Ex. 5 Comp. Ex. 6 Comp. Ex. 7 Comp. Ex. 8 Comp. Ex. 9  Distance A: 15mm(65.2%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs) 49.51 48.31 48.20 47.50 47.07 46.80 45.31Coefficientof Variation9.168.687.547.367.227.217.05 - - Emb. 5 Emb. 6 Emb. 7 Emb. 8 Emb. 9 Comp. Ex. 10 Distance A: 10mm (43.4%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs)  48.01 47.72 47.76 47.48 46.9844.27Coefficientof Variation 4.354.353.544.184.695.68 - - Emb. 10Emb. 11Emb. 12Emb. 13Emb. 14Comp. Ex. 11  Distance A: 8mm (34.7%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs)  48.40 47.58 47.02 46.78 45.0243.98Coefficientof Variation 4.323.923.323.674.014.00 - - Comp. Ex. 12Comp. Ex. 13Comp. Ex. 14Comp. Ex. 15Comp. Ex. 16 Comp. Ex. 17 Distance A: 3mm (23%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs)  47.98 47.02 47.58 47.03 46.3145.48Coefficientof Variation 6.325.786.015.916.436.78   

[0094]    The aerosol-generating articles of Embodiments 5-14 and Comparative Examples 3-17 were subjected to inhalation tests. The specific method was: using an electronic cigarette smoke density testing machine to test the samples. Test conditions: smoking speed 17.5m / s, puff volume 35ml, puff interval 13s, 13 puffs per stick. The puff-to-puff smoke density index was tested, and the mean value of the smoke density index and the puff-to-puff smoke density coefficient of variation were calculated. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0095]    Table 2 shows: the smoke density index and the coefficient of variation are related to the area and position of the vents 6. When the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 34.7~43.4%, and the ratio of the total area of the vents 6 to the area of this ring-shaped band region 7 is 2.7%~13.6%, the mean value of the smoke density index is generally above 45, and the coefficient of variation is less than 5%, indicating that the smoke density is high and relatively stable. When the area and position of the vents 6 are not within the above range, the coefficient of variation is greater than 5%, indicating that the smoke density is unstable.

[0096]    Embodiments 15-20, Comparative Examples 18-28

[0097]    Embodiments 15-20 and Comparative Examples 18-28 each provide an aerosol-generating article. The common features of these aerosol-generating articles are as follows: these aerosol-generating articles all comprise, from upstream to downstream, a front plug 2, an aerosol-forming substrate section 3, an aerosol storage section 4, and a filter tip section 5. The aerosol storage section 4 is a hollow tubular structure, and the aerosol storage chamber inside it is a continuous cavity. The outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article is 19.8mm. The length of the aerosol storage chamber accounts for 0.6 times the total length of the aerosol-generating article. The length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 15mm. The tube wall of the aerosol storage section 4 has 2-10 vents 6 distributed in the circumferential direction. The area of each vent 6 is 0.125 mm². The diameter of the aerosol storage chamber is denoted as D2, and the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article is denoted as D1. The diameter of the aerosol storage chamber is D2=6.3mm, and the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article is D1=5.99mm. D2 / D1=95%.

[0098]    Example 15 is taken as an example:

[0099]    The area of each vent 6 is 0.125 mm². The number of vents is two. The diameter of each vent 6 is 0.4mm. The area of the ring-shaped band region 7 on the outer wall of the aerosol-generating article where the vents 6 are located is 19.8*0.4=7.92 mm². In other words, this ring-shaped band region 7 has the diameter of the vents 6 as its width and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article as its length. The area of the ring-shaped band region 7 is the product of the diameter of the vents 6 and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article. The ratio of the total area of the vents 6 to the area of this ring-shaped band region 7 is 2.7%.

[0100]    The downstream end of the aerosol storage section 4 is denoted as A. The distance of the vents 6 from the downstream end A of the aerosol storage section 4 is 10mm, and the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 23mm. Therefore, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end A of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 10 / 23=43%.                  Table 3Ratio of Total Area of Vents 6 to Area of Ring-Shaped Band Region 7  2.7%8.2%13.6%16.3%Total Area of Vent 6 / Position of Vent 6Project0 mm²0.25 mm²0.75 mm²1.25 mm²1.50 mm²  Comp. Ex. 18Comp. Ex. 19 Comp. Ex. 20 Comp. Ex. 21Comp. Ex. 22Distance A: 10mm (66.7%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs)47.0247.7246.7645.4744.61Coefficient of Variation8.947.546.526.037.20   Emb. 15Emb. 16Emb. 17Comp. Ex. 23 Distance A: 9mm(60%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs) 47.5247.0646.8844.48Coefficient of Variation 4.053.344.495.97   Emb. 18Emb. 19 Emb. 20Comp. Ex. 24 Distance A: 5.3 mm (35.3%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs) 47.5847.0246.7845.01Coefficient of Variation 3.923.323.675.69   Comp. Ex. 25Comp. Ex. 26Comp. Ex. 27Comp. Ex. 28Distance A: 5 mm (33.3%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs) 46.0545.5845.0344.21Coefficient of Variation 5.486.326.907.16 

[0101]    The difference between Embodiments 16-20, Comparative Examples 18-28, and Embodiment 15 is that: only the area of the vents 6 and / or the position of the vents 6 are changed. This is detailed in Table 3 above.

[0102]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 10mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 10 / 15=66.7%.

[0103]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 9mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 9 / 15=60%.

[0104]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 5.3mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 5.3 / 15=35.3%.

[0105]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 5mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 5 / 15=33.3%.

[0106]    The aerosol-generating articles of Embodiments 15-20 and Comparative Examples 18-28 were subjected to inhalation tests. The specific method was: using an electronic cigarette smoke density testing machine to test the samples. Test conditions: smoking speed 17.5m / s, puff volume 35ml, puff interval 13s, 13 puffs per stick. The puff-to-puff smoke density index was tested, and the mean value of the smoke density index and the puff-to-puff smoke density coefficient of variation were calculated. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0107]    Table 3 shows: the smoke density index and the coefficient of variation are related to the area and position of the vents 6. When the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 35.3-60%, and the ratio of the total area of the vents 6 to the area of this ring-shaped band region 7 is 2.7-13.6%, the mean value of the smoke density index is generally above 45, and the coefficient of variation is less than 5%, indicating that the smoke density is high and relatively stable. When the area and position of the vents 6 are not within the above range, the coefficient of variation is greater than 5%, indicating that the smoke density is unstable.

[0108]    Embodiments 21-26, Comparative Examples 29-39

[0109]    Embodiments 21-26 and Comparative Examples 29-39 each provide an aerosol-generating article. The common features of these aerosol-generating articles are as follows: these aerosol-generating articles all comprise, from upstream to downstream, a front plug 2, an aerosol-forming substrate section 3, an aerosol storage section 4, and a filter tip section 5. The aerosol storage section 4 is a hollow tubular structure, and the aerosol storage chamber inside it is a continuous cavity. The outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article is 23mm. The length of the aerosol storage chamber accounts for 0.3 times the total length of the aerosol-generating article. The length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 25mm. The tube wall of the aerosol storage section 4 has 2-10 vents 6 distributed in the circumferential direction. The area of each vent 6 is 0.125 mm². The diameter of the aerosol storage chamber is denoted as D2, and the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article is denoted as D1. The diameter of the aerosol storage chamber is D2=6.96mm, and the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article is D1=7.32mm. D2 / D1=95%.

[0110]    Example 21 is taken as an example:

[0111]    The area of each vent 6 is 0.125 mm². The number of vents is two. The diameter of each vent 6 is 0.4mm. The area of the ring-shaped band region 7 on the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents 6 are located is 19.8*0.4=7.92 mm². In other words, this ring-shaped band region 7 has the diameter of the vents 6 as its width and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article as its length. The ratio of the total area of the vents 6 to the area of this ring-shaped band region 7 is 2.7%.

[0112]    The downstream end of the aerosol storage section 4 is denoted as A. The distance of the vents 6 from the downstream end A of the aerosol storage section 4 is 10mm, and the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 23mm. Therefore, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end A of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 10 / 23=43%.

[0113]    The difference between Embodiments 22-26, Comparative Examples 29-39, and Embodiment 21 is that: only the area of the vents 6 and / or the position of the vents 6 are changed. This is detailed in Table 4 below.

[0114]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 16mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 16 / 25=64%.

[0115]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 15mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 15 / 25=60%.

[0116]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 8.8mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 8.8 / 25=35.2%.

[0117]    When the distance of the vents 6 from A is 8mm, the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 8 / 25=32%.

[0118]    The aerosol-generating articles of Embodiments 21-26 and Comparative Examples 29-39 were subjected to inhalation tests. The specific method was: using an electronic cigarette smoke density testing machine to test the samples. Test conditions: smoking speed 17.5m / s, puff volume 35ml, puff interval 13s, 13 puffs per stick. The puff-to-puff smoke density index was tested, and the mean value of the smoke density index and the puff-to-puff smoke density coefficient of variation were calculated. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0119]    Table 4 shows: the smoke density index and the coefficient of variation are related to the area and position of the vents 6. When the ratio of the distance between the vents 6 and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section to the length of the aerosol storage section 4 is 35.2-60%, and the ratio of the total area of the vents 6 to the area of this ring-shaped band region 7 is 2.7-13.6%, the mean value of the smoke density index is generally above 45, and the coefficient of variation is less than 5%, indicating that the smoke density is high and relatively stable. When the area and position of the vents 6 are not within the above range, the coefficient of variation is greater than 5%, indicating that the smoke density is unstable.        Table 4Ratio of Total Area of Vents 6 to Area of Ring-Shaped Band Region 7  2.7%8.2%13.6%16.3%Total Area of Vent 6 / Position of Vent 6Project0 mm²0.25 mm²0.75 mm²1.25 mm²1.50 mm²  Comp. Ex. 29Comp. Ex. 30 Comp. Ex. 31 Comp. Ex. 32Comp. Ex. 33Distance A: 16mm (64%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs)47.3147.8947.0446.1745.10Coefficient of Variation7.936.546.426.217.18   Emb. 21Emb. 22Emb. 23Comp. Ex. 34Distance A: 15mm (60%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs) 47.7647.2146.9545.48Coefficient of Variation 4.143.983.765.97   Emb. 24Emb. 25 Emb. 26Comp. Ex. 35 Distance A: 8.8 mm (35.2%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs) 47.8547.5347.0146.02Coefficient of Variation 4.213.724.675.52   Comp. Ex. 36Comp. Ex. 37Comp. Ex. 38Comp. Ex. 39Distance A: 8 mm (32%)Smoke Density Index Mean (13 puffs) 47.0146.4845.7644.83Coefficient of Variation 5.766.036.526.03 

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating article, compris ing : an aerosol-forming substrate section (3), an aerosol storage section (4), and an outer wrapper (1), wherein, the aerosol storage section (4) is located downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section (3), and comprises a tube wall and an aerosol storage chamber located within the tube wall; the outer wrapper (1) encloses at least the aerosol-forming substrate section (3) and the aerosol storage section (4), and defines the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article; the aerosol-generating article is provided with a plurality of vents (6) distributed along its circumference, the vents (6) penetrating the tube wall of the aerosol storage section (4) and the outer wrapper (1) to establish fluid communication between the vent s (6) and the aerosol storage chamber; and, a ratio of a diameter of the aerosol storage chamber to the outer diameter of the aerosol-generating article ranges from 75% to 95%; a ratio of a total area of the vents (6) to an area of a ring-shaped band region (7) on an outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents (6) are located ranges from 2.7% to 13.6%, wherein the area of the ring-shaped band region (7) is a product of an equivalent diameter of the largest of the vents (6) and the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article; a ratio of a distance between the vents (6) and a downstream end of the aerosol storage section (4) to a length of the aerosol storage section (4) ranges from 34% to 60%.

2. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the total area of the vents (6) ranges from 0.25 to 1.25mm².

3. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the number of the vents (6) is 4 or more.

4. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the vents (6) are distributed at equal intervals along the circumference of the aerosol-generating article.

5. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the length of the aerosol storage section (4) ranges from 15 to 25mm.

6. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the length of the aerosol storage section (4) to the length of the aerosol-generating article ranges from 0.3 to 0.

6.

7. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article ranges from 19.8 to 23mm.

8. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the total area of the vents (6) to the area of the ring-shaped band region (7) on the outer circumference of the aerosol-generating article where the vents (6) are located ranges from 3% to 10%.

9. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the distance between the vents (6) and the downstream end of the aerosol storage section (4) to the length of the aerosol storage section (4) ranges from 35% to 60%.

10. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-generating article further comprises: a front plug (2) located upstream of the aerosol-forming substrate section (3), and / or, a filter section (5) located downstream of the aerosol storage section (4).

11. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-forming substrate section (3) contains an electromagnetic induction heating element (8) or does not contain an electromagnetic induction heating element (8).

12. A method for improving puff-to-puff stability of aerosol concentration, wherein the aerosol-generating article according to claim 1 is used for inhalation.

Images