Manufacture of a gas discharge medium for increasing the migration of active ingredients

Abstract

The present invention provides an aerosol generating material including a reconstituted tobacco slurry, wherein the reconstituted tobacco slurry contains sugar crystals having a gas inside, and a method of manufacturing the same, and an aerosol generating article including the same.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a gas emission medium for improving the migration of effective components and a method for manufacturing the same. Background Technology

[0002] Tobacco typically refers to perennial plants of the Solanaceae family, which are dicotyledonous plants. However, recently, it has also come to refer collectively to tobacco leaves wrapped in cigarette paper with a filter on one side for smoking. There are thousands of such tobacco products worldwide, sold in various shapes and forms.

[0003] As an alternative to combustion-type cigarettes such as cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco, the method of generating aerosols by heating aerosol-generating materials in cigarettes is widely used, rather than generating aerosols by burning cigarettes, and the demand for this method is increasing. Therefore, research on heated (non-combustible) cigarettes or heated (non-combustible) aerosol generation systems is actively underway.

[0004] Specifically, the aerosol generation system has a shape similar to that of traditional combustible cigarettes, and generates mainstream smoke including aerosols by heating the aerosol-generating material in heated (non-combustible) cigarettes using methods such as heaters or ultrasonic vibrations. Therefore, the aerosol generation system can minimize the emission of components from cigarettes while simultaneously satisfying smokers' cravings, thus creating a new market to replace traditional combustible cigarettes.

[0005] On the other hand, regarding this aerosol generation system, in the migration method of heating the existing tobacco medium, the active ingredients migrate smoothly on the surface of the reconstituted tobacco pulp in the tobacco medium, but there is a problem that the components inside the pulp are difficult to diffuse.

[0006] The diffusion and migration of active ingredients are one of the important factors that consumers expect from the functions of e-cigarettes. Unless the medium is crushed by a separate external force, the surface area of ​​the medium will become the factor that determines the level of ingredient diffusion and migration.

[0007] Therefore, there are limitations to delivering active ingredients into the tobacco medium through heating, and the following problems exist: to meet the target migration amount of active ingredients, a certain amount of reconstituted tobacco pulp contained in the tobacco medium is required. Furthermore, there is a problem that active ingredients that do not migrate into the reconstituted tobacco pulp after smoking may be wasted. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0009] Therefore, in order to overcome the above-mentioned problems and / or limitations of the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a gas emission medium for improving the migration of effective components and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0010] However, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art through the following description.

[0011] means for solving problems

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol generating material is provided, which is an aerosol generating material comprising reconstituted tobacco pulp, wherein the reconstituted tobacco pulp comprises sugar crystals, and the sugar crystals contain gas therein.

[0013] According to one aspect, an aerosol generating article is provided, comprising a tobacco medium portion and a filter portion, wherein the tobacco medium portion includes an aerosol generating material, the aerosol generating material comprises reconstituted tobacco pulp, the reconstituted tobacco pulp comprises sugar crystals, the sugar crystals contain gas therein, and the filter portion includes a cooling portion.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for preparing an aerosol-generating material is provided, wherein the method comprises:

[0015] Step a) Melt the sugar at a temperature of 120°C to 150°C and inject gas into the liquid;

[0016] Step b) involves cooling the injected sugar to 50°C to 90°C to form sugar crystals;

[0017] Step c), mixing the binder and the sugar crystals with the reconstituted tobacco pulp; and

[0018] Step d) involves processing the mixed reconstituted tobacco pulp.

[0019] Invention Effects

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, when a reconstituted tobacco pulp containing gases such as carbon dioxide is contained in an aerosol generating material, sugar is melted during the heating process of the electronic tobacco medium, causing carbon dioxide inside the electronic tobacco medium to be released to the outside. At the same time, the interior of the medium is exposed, thereby increasing the surface area and allowing the effective components inside the tobacco medium to be easily migrated.

[0021] Furthermore, compared to manufacturing tobacco sticks by pre-forming porous pores to increase surface area, the absence of pre-formed pores during manufacturing eliminates the problem of weakened strength, making stick manufacturing easier. Moreover, since a larger surface area of ​​tobacco medium can be used during smoking, the migration of active ingredients can be further increased compared to the same amount of conventional tobacco medium.

[0022] Furthermore, since the sugar components, which act as the outer shell of sugar crystals, can not only retain compressed carbon dioxide, but also exhibit the effect of generating pyrazine-like flavor components through the Maillard reaction when the tobacco medium is heated, it can ultimately improve smoker satisfaction.

[0023] Furthermore, the advantage of this technology is that it can be applied not only to traditional cigarettes, but also to alternative cigarettes and other technologies where the preferred target is the delivery of specific active ingredients.

[0024] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of the invention as described in the detailed description or claims of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the structure of an aerosol-generating article including a front-end plug according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the state in which gas inside sugar crystals is released and internal components are migrated when reconstituted tobacco pulp according to an embodiment of the present invention is processed into flakes.

[0027] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the state in which gas inside sugar crystals is released and internal components are migrated when reconstituted tobacco pulp according to an embodiment of the present invention is processed into spherical shapes.

[0028] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates, schematically, a method for processing reconstituted tobacco pulp using a strip casting method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, various modifications can be made to the embodiments, and the scope of the present invention is not limited or restricted by the embodiments. All variations, equivalents, or substitutions of the embodiments are included within the scope of the claims.

[0030] The terminology used in the embodiments is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the embodiments. Unless otherwise specified in the content, a single modifier may have multiple meanings. In this specification, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are used to indicate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, constituent elements, accessories, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and do not exclude the presence of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, constituent elements, accessories, or combinations thereof, or additional functions.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Terms that are commonly used and are identical to their dictionary definitions shall be understood to have a meaning consistent with the general content of the relevant art, and shall not be overly idealized or interpreted as having a formal meaning unless expressly stated in this application.

[0032] Furthermore, in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings, identical constituent elements are assigned the same reference numerals, regardless of the drawing references, and repeated descriptions of these elements are omitted. In describing embodiments, detailed descriptions of relevant well-known technologies are omitted when it is determined that such detailed descriptions would unnecessarily obscure the embodiments.

[0033] Furthermore, in the description of the components of the embodiments, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (B) may be used. These terms are used only to distinguish one constituent element from another, and the nature, sequence, or order of the elements is not limited by these terms.

[0034] Elements included in one embodiment and elements having common functions may be described using the same names in another embodiment. Unless otherwise stated, the description of one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments, and detailed descriptions will be omitted to the extent of repetition.

[0035] In this document, "aerosol-generating articles" can refer to aerosol-generating materials or articles that may include an aerosol-forming matrix. Additionally, aerosol-generating articles may also include solid materials based on tobacco raw materials (aerosol-generating materials), such as leaf tobacco, shredded tobacco, and reconstituted tobacco. Aerosol-generating materials may contain volatile compounds.

[0036] As used herein, "aerosol generation system" can refer to a device that uses an aerosol generating article to generate an aerosol that can be directly inhaled into a user's lungs through their mouth. The aerosol generation system uses an electrically heated, non-combustible tobacco article instead of direct combustion. Non-combustible tobacco articles include heated tobacco articles and unheated tobacco articles; in this disclosure, heated tobacco articles are preferred. Heated tobacco articles can be articles that generate aerosols by inhaling ambient air heated by electrical energy, and allow smoking to be achieved by releasing the aerosols after they are inhaled into the user's body. For example, it can include hybrid aerosol generating devices that use liquid cartridges and cigarettes together, and in addition, it can include various other types of aerosol generating devices; therefore, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the examples described above.

[0037] Furthermore, throughout the instruction manual, "upstream" or "upstream direction" refers to the direction away from the user's mouth of the aerosol-generating article 100, while "downstream" or "downstream direction" refers to the direction towards the user's mouth of the aerosol-generating article 100. For example, in Figure 1 In the aerosol generating article 100 shown, the tobacco medium section 120 is located upstream of or in the upstream direction of the filter tip section 130.

[0038] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol generating material comprising reconstituted tobacco pulp is provided, wherein the reconstituted tobacco pulp comprises sugar crystals, the sugar crystals containing gas therein.

[0039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, sugar crystals may contain gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) within their core, and the shell portion serving as the outer shell may be made of sugar components. In this way, sugar crystals can be formed by compressing carbon dioxide with the shell of sugar components, and when these sugar crystals are dispersed in reconstituted tobacco pulp, the shell of the sugar components melts during the heating process of the aerosol-generating material, allowing the carbon dioxide contained within the sugar crystals to be released to the outside. Thus, pores are formed in the spaces within the reconstituted tobacco pulp where the sugar crystals exist, making it easier for active ingredients, not only those present outside but also within the reconstituted tobacco pulp, to migrate upwards, and the total amount of active ingredients migrating can also be increased accordingly.

[0040] The active ingredient present inside the medium may be an active ingredient such as nicotine, and may migrate together with glycerol or propylene glycol (PG) used to increase the amount of vaporization during the smoking process of aerosol-generating articles.

[0041] Reconstituted tobacco pulp that generates aerosols can be processed into various shapes, such as flakes or spheres.

[0042] When processing sheet-like reconstituted tobacco pulp according to an embodiment of the present invention, processing methods such as papermaking, rolling, or band casting can be used.

[0043] In addition, the aerosol generating material generated according to an embodiment of the present invention may include, in addition to the reconstituted tobacco pulp containing the sugar crystals, substances such as flavoring agents. Such flavoring agents may be selected from one or more of the group consisting of peppermint, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, licorice, coriander, vanillin, ethyl vanillin, maltol, ethyl maltol, eucalyptol, acetic acid, breath freshener fragrance, spices, bergamot oil, geranium oil, lemon oil, orange oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil, peppermint oil, ginger oil, isosweet, and rosemary. However, the present invention is not limited to the above types.

[0044] The following describes a method for preparing an aerosol-generating material according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] A method for preparing aerosol-generating materials according to an embodiment of the present invention may include:

[0046] Step a) Melt the sugar at a temperature of 120°C to 150°C and inject gas into the liquid;

[0047] Step b) involves cooling the injected sugar to 50°C to 90°C to form sugar crystals;

[0048] Step c), mixing the binder and the sugar crystals with the reconstituted tobacco pulp; and

[0049] Step d) involves processing the mixed reconstituted tobacco pulp.

[0050] The sugar in step a) refers to sugar such as table sugar, and in order to form sugar crystals according to an embodiment of the present invention, a gas such as carbon dioxide (CO2) is first injected into the sugar under high temperature and high pressure. Subsequently, the injected sugar is rapidly cooled to form sugar crystals.

[0051] To prepare reconstituted tobacco pulp, the raw materials of reconstituted tobacco are crushed to prepare raw material powder, which is then filtered. The binder is dissolved in a solvent, and the binder solution and the filtered raw material powder are then mixed to prepare the pulp.

[0052] The adhesives used in this article may be, for example, gum arabic, guar gum, or xanthan gum, and the solvents may be, for example, water, glycerin, or propylene glycol.

[0053] Then, the sugar crystals prepared in steps a) and b) are mixed with the slurry and processed by methods such as papermaking, rolling, or band casting to prepare reconstituted tobacco slurry of the desired shape and aerosol-generating materials comprising it.

[0054] The aerosol generating material prepared in this manner is substantially the same as the aerosol generating material according to the above embodiment of the present invention, and in this manner, it can exhibit the effect of effectively migrating the effective components present in the tobacco medium.

[0055] On the other hand, according to another embodiment of the present invention, an aerosol generating article comprising a tobacco medium portion and a filter portion can be provided, wherein the tobacco medium portion comprises an aerosol generating material, the aerosol generating material comprises reconstituted tobacco pulp, the reconstituted tobacco pulp comprises sugar crystals, the sugar crystals contain gas therein, and the filter portion comprises a cooling portion.

[0056] Since the filter tip includes a cooling section, the aerosol generated when the tobacco medium is heated can be cooled, and the user can inhale the aerosol cooled to an appropriate temperature.

[0057] The cooling section can be made of cellulose acetate or paper and can be formed with a hollow tubular structure inside.

[0058] Furthermore, the filter tip may be located at the rear end of the tobacco medium section and may consist of multiple segments or a single segment.

[0059] Furthermore, the aerosol generating article can be a non-combustible aerosol generating article, and the aforementioned aerosol generating material can be included in the tobacco medium portion constituting the aerosol generating article.

[0060] In addition to the above-described structure, the aerosol generating article may also include a front-end insert, which may be a cellulose acetate filter, a paper filter, or a filter made of polymer material, and may include a humectant.

[0061] The aerosol generating article includes a front-end insert, which prevents the tobacco medium from separating from the outside and prevents aerosols liquefied from the tobacco medium from flowing into the aerosol generating device during smoking.

[0062] Figure 1 An aerosol-generating article including a front-end plug is shown. Figure 1The invention is shown only in one example form according to the invention and is not limited thereto. The front-end plug is an additional component of the aerosol-generating article according to an embodiment of the invention, and the invention can be implemented in various configurations other than the front-end plug.

[0063] Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol generating article can be combined with an aerosol generating device including a battery, a control unit, a detector, etc. to form an aerosol generating system, and the aerosol generating system may further include a liquid storage unit containing aerosol generating materials, and may include a cartridge containing an atomizer for generating aerosols.

[0064] The aerosol-generating material included in the liquid storage section may typically include at least one of propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG), and may further include at least one of ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol and oleyl alcohol, and may include at least one of nicotine, moisture and flavoring agent.

[0065] In summary, embodiments have been described with reference to the limited accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the above description. For example, the described techniques may be performed in a different order than the described methods, and / or the described constituent elements may be combined or arranged in a different form than the described methods, or the same effect may be obtained by replacing or substituting other constituent elements or equivalents.

[0066] Therefore, all other embodiments, other implementations, and equivalents of the claims fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for preparing an aerosol-generating material, characterized in that, The method includes: Step a), the injection step, involves melting the sugar at a temperature of 120°C to 150°C and injecting carbon dioxide into the liquid; Step b), the formation step, involves cooling the sugar injected with carbon dioxide to 50°C to 90°C to form sugar crystals; Step c), the mixing step, involves mixing the binder and the sugar crystals with the reconstituted tobacco pulp; and Step d), processing step, processing the mixed reconstituted tobacco pulp, The sugar crystals are dispersed within the reconstituted tobacco pulp, and the sugar crystals contain carbon dioxide within them.

2. The method for preparing aerosol-generating materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The processing steps utilize papermaking methods, rolling methods, or strip casting methods.

3. An aerosol generating material, prepared according to the preparation method described in claim 1.

4. The aerosol generating material according to claim 3, characterized in that, The reconstituted tobacco pulp is prepared into flakes or spheres.

5. The aerosol generating material according to claim 3, characterized in that, The aerosol generating material also includes at least one flavoring agent selected from the group consisting of peppermint, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, licorice, coriander, vanillin, maltol, eucalyptol, acetic acid, bergamot oil, geranium oil, lemon oil, orange oil, grapefruit oil, ginger oil, and rosemary.

6. An aerosol-generating article, comprising a tobacco medium portion and a filter tip portion, characterized in that, The tobacco medium includes an aerosol-generating material prepared according to the preparation method of claim 1. The aerosol generating material is processed from recycled tobacco pulp. The reconstituted tobacco pulp contains sugar crystals, which contain carbon dioxide within them. The sugar crystals are dispersed within the reconstituted tobacco pulp. The filter nozzle includes a cooling section.

7. The aerosol-generating product according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cooling section is made of cellulose acetate or paper and is in the form of a hollow tubular shape.

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