A heating non-combustion cigarette cooling unit and a heating non-combustion cigarette

Abstract

This invention discloses a heated tobacco cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity and a heated tobacco product, comprising a carrier sheet, several metal foils, and several phase change cooling materials. The carrier sheet has several perforated holes. Several metal foils are disposed on at least one side of the carrier sheet and cover the perforated holes. The metal foils are spaced apart and discretely arranged. The phase change cooling materials are filled within the perforated holes using the metal foils as a carrier. The carrier sheet containing the metal foils and phase change cooling materials is formed into the heated tobacco cooling unit by at least one of the following methods: winding, folding, gathering, bending, and pleating. The metal foils are regularly and intermittently distributed along the longitudinal direction of the tobacco strip. The cooling unit has multiple longitudinally extending channels, and the porosity of the cross-section is 40%-90%. The heated tobacco cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity of this invention has the advantages of high latent heat of phase change, low thermal hysteresis effect, high heat absorption efficiency, apparent stability without collapse, and no leakage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of cigarette materials, specifically relating to a heat-not-burning cigarette cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity and a heat-not-burning cigarette. Background Technology

[0002] Existing e-cigarettes are relatively mature, offering good atomization and a wide variety, but their safety remains a concern. In contrast, heated tobacco products, due to their different heating method compared to traditional cigarettes, can provide a healthier smoking experience while satisfying consumers' sensory needs. Heated tobacco products involve inserting tobacco into a heating device, which then heats the tobacco to release nicotine and other aromatic substances. Heated tobacco products are gaining increasing popularity in the market, with various tobacco companies launching their own products.

[0003] However, the large-scale promotion of heated tobacco products still faces many problems. On the one hand, the heating temperature of heated tobacco products is 200-380℃, which prevents some flavor compounds from being fully released, resulting in an unsatisfactory taste. On the other hand, heated tobacco cigarettes are generally shorter, and to ensure the number of puffs, the filter length is also shortened accordingly. Compared to traditional cigarettes, this makes the smoke more prone to overheating during transmission, resulting in excessively high temperatures when the smoke enters the mouth, causing a burning sensation and a strong feeling of heat and dryness, thus affecting the smoking experience. Furthermore, all tobacco companies' products suffer from poor filter cooling performance. Currently, the commonly used cooling material for heated tobacco products is polylactic acid (PLA) film. However, PLA film has poor mechanical strength, is prone to breakage during folding and gathering, and is thermoplastic, easily deformed by heat, causing the cooling unit to collapse. This affects the cooling unit's support performance for the cigarette, and the deformed PLA film can block part of the smoke passage, affecting the cooling effect and reducing the amount of smoke. Furthermore, the cooling effect of gathered PLA film is limited; the smoke temperature after passing through the gathered PLA film still cannot reach a comfortable temperature for the mouth. Existing phase change material cooling systems based on polyethylene glycol (PEG) are prone to leakage when heated during use, summer storage, or outdoor transportation, affecting the appearance and performance of the product and limiting its application in heated tobacco products. Therefore, finding an economical, safe, environmentally friendly cooling unit with stable cooling performance and quality, and further improving the smoking experience of heated tobacco products, remains a pursuit in this technical field. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention adopts the following technical solution to solve the above problems:

[0005] A heated tobacco cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity includes a carrier sheet, metal foil sheets, and a phase change cooling material. The carrier sheet has a plurality of perforated holes. The metal foil sheets are disposed on at least one side of the carrier sheet and cover the perforated holes. The metal foil sheets are spaced apart and discretely arranged. The phase change cooling material, using the metal foil sheets as a carrier, fills the perforated holes. The carrier sheet containing the metal foil sheets and the phase change cooling material is formed into the heated tobacco cooling unit by at least one of the following methods: winding, folding, gathering, bending, and pleating. The metal foil sheets are regularly and intermittently distributed along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette bar. The cooling unit has multiple longitudinally extending channels with a cross-sectional porosity of 40%-90%; wherein the carrier sheet is selected from carrier paper or polymer sheet; wherein the phase change cooling material comprises 55-96 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol, 1-5 parts by weight of in-situ reinforcing material, and 3-40 parts by weight of thermally conductive filler; wherein the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of 1500-2500 Da and a melting point of 45-60℃; wherein the in-situ reinforcing material is fully dispersed in the polyethylene glycol matrix and plays a physical reinforcing role in situ, and is selected from cellulose acetate or polylactic acid with a molecular weight of 50,000-150,000.

[0006] In this invention, the term "longitudinal direction" refers to the direction extending along the column axis of the cigarette bar or parallel to the column axis of the bar.

[0007] Furthermore, the carrier paper is selected from Xuan paper, cigarette paper, tipping paper, forming paper, tobacco sheet, cellulose paper, dust-free paper, and ceramic fiber paper.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the carrier paper is selected from ceramic fiber paper with high thermal conductivity.

[0009] Furthermore, the polymer sheet is selected from polyethylene sheet, polypropylene sheet, polyvinyl chloride sheet, polyethylene terephthalate sheet, polylactic acid sheet, polyamide sheet, polyimide sheet or polyphenylene sulfide sheet.

[0010] In this invention, the size and thickness of the carrier sheet are not limited, and are selected according to the actual needs of the product (such as the required length of the cigarette cooling unit and the diameter of the cigarette bar) and the actual performance of the product.

[0011] Furthermore, the length of the carrier sheet is preferably 100-300mm, the width of the carrier sheet is preferably 7-28mm, and the thickness of the carrier sheet is preferably 0.05-0.5mm.

[0012] Furthermore, the metal foil is selected from gold foil, silver foil, copper foil, aluminum foil, zinc foil, and tin foil, with aluminum foil being more preferred due to its high cost-effectiveness.

[0013] In this invention, the metal foil not only enhances the support strength of the carrier sheet and improves the heat deformation resistance of the cooling unit and even the entire cigarette, but also plays a good role in heat conduction.

[0014] In this invention, the shape of the hollowed-out holes is not limited. They can have regular geometric configurations or irregular configurations. It is preferred to have regular geometric configurations, which facilitates the batch drilling of carrier sheets using equipment such as hole punchers and hole punching machines, and is beneficial for controlling the hole structure, size, and amount of phase change cooling material filled in. The regular geometric configurations include, but are not limited to, circles, ellipses, oval, egg-shaped, polygons, and rounded polygons. More preferably, circles, ellipses, oval, triangles, rectangles, rounded rectangles, rhombuses, and hexagons are used. Most preferably, circles and rectangles are used.

[0015] In this invention, the size of the perforated hole is not limited, but it is preferably 0.25-100mm. 2 The area.

[0016] In this invention, the metal foil sheets are arranged in regular discrete intervals, thus presenting a regular discontinuous distribution along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette bar.

[0017] In this invention, the regular discontinuous distribution refers to the fact that the metal foil sheets are distributed on the carrier sheet not randomly, but according to certain rules. This regular distribution ensures that the metal foil does not form continuous pathways along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette stick, thus facilitating heat dissipation and cooling of the smoke in the cooling unit. This avoids the problems of excessively high filter unit temperature and scalding cooling unit caused by continuous heat conduction from uninterrupted metal foil sheets. These problems would lead to a burning, stinging, and dry sensation in the mouth during inhalation, affecting the smoking experience. Preferably, this invention employs a "uniform and regular discontinuous distribution," which means that the metal foil sheets are distributed at equal intervals on the carrier sheet, maintaining a certain uniform spacing between the metal foil sheets, thereby ensuring a consistent distribution density of metal foil sheets in all areas of the carrier sheet.

[0018] Furthermore, the regular discontinuous distribution of the metal foil is selected from a uniformly spaced strip distribution or a uniformly spaced island distribution.

[0019] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the metal foil can be laminated onto a carrier sheet by suitable processing methods such as bonding, rolling, plating, electroplating, spraying, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and vacuum evaporation.

[0020] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the phase change cooling material can be laminated onto the metal foil in the pores of the carrier sheet by suitable processes such as dispensing, coating, spraying, or transfer printing.

[0021] Furthermore, the phase change cooling material has a filling rate of 40%-90% within the hollowed-out holes of the carrier sheet, preferably 50%-80%. This appropriate filling rate ensures that the phase change cooling material can effectively absorb and cool the product during use. The blank areas on the metal foil (i.e., areas not filled with phase change cooling material) provide a certain flow space for the phase change cooling material during its phase change process, acting as a kind of "floodgate," thereby effectively inhibiting the leakage of polyethylene glycol from the phase change cooling material. In addition, the metal foil itself, as a thermally conductive substrate, can quickly conduct heat to the phase change cooling material when heated, and then rapidly conduct and dissipate the phase change heat after the phase change cooling material is heated, thus achieving good heat conduction and dissipation.

[0022] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, when the carrier sheet is selected from carrier paper, the phase change cooling material preferably has a high filling rate within the perforated holes of the carrier sheet. In one specific embodiment, the filling rate range can be 70%-100%. Since the carrier paper itself can adsorb a certain amount of polyethylene glycol, thereby playing a role in preventing leakage, the phase change cooling material within the holes can have a high filling rate.

[0023] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, when the carrier sheet is selected from polymer sheets, the phase change cooling material preferably has a moderate filling rate within the perforated holes of the carrier sheet. In one specific embodiment, the filling rate range is 40%-70%. Since the polymer sheet itself has a limited adsorption of polyethylene glycol, the phase change cooling material within the holes has a moderate filling rate, mainly relying on the blank areas to provide flow space for polyethylene glycol, thereby playing a role in preventing leakage.

[0024] In this invention, due to the regular, intermittent distribution, the carrier sheet containing metal foil and phase change cooling material, after being formed into a cooling unit by winding, folding, gathering, bending, and wrinkling, can form multiple longitudinally extending channels. This ensures that the smoke has a certain throughput in the cooling unit, significantly increasing the effective heat exchange area and preventing problems such as reduced cigarette smoke concentration and increased draw resistance, thus providing consumers with a good smoking experience. The hollow inner cavity provided by the carrier sheet and the metal foil also maintain a certain mechanical rigidity, enhancing the support strength of the carrier sheet. In addition, when the smoke passes through the longitudinally extending channels, the phase change cooling material in each area of ​​the carrier sheet can be heated evenly, thereby achieving a good cooling effect.

[0025] In this invention, the heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity has a porosity of 40%-90% along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette bar. Adjusting the porosity appropriately ensures normal flow of smoke within the cooling unit and achieves a good and stable cooling effect. In this invention, the porosity of the heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit is further preferably 60%-90%.

[0026] In this invention, the porosity refers to the percentage of the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction occupied by the through holes in the cooling unit.

[0027] In this invention, the polyethylene glycol, as a phase change material, can absorb heat and undergo an isothermal phase change (energy storage process) when the temperature is above the phase change point, and undergo a reverse phase change (energy release process) when the temperature is below the phase change point, thus exhibiting strong energy storage and temperature control capabilities. Utilizing the heat storage or release property of polyethylene glycol, it can be used to control or regulate the temperature of the working source or the environment surrounding the material, thereby achieving its specific application functions.

[0028] In this invention, the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of 1500-2500 Da and a melting point of 45-60℃. During its solid-to-liquid phase transition, it undergoes an endothermic process. When the melting point of the polyethylene glycol in the phase change cooling material is below 45℃, fluid-like substances will diffuse onto the cooling unit during natural storage and outdoor transportation, affecting preservation and use. When the melting point is above 60℃, the viscosity of the polyethylene glycol in the molten state increases, and the hardness after solidification is too high, reducing the stability of the preparation process and its quality. Selecting polyethylene glycol with this molecular weight distribution and melting point range ensures that it possesses a certain consistency. Combined with in-situ reinforcing materials and thermally conductive fillers, this effectively mitigates deformation and flow within the cooling unit during natural storage and outdoor transportation of the phase change cooling material. Simultaneously, it ensures good fluidity at processing temperatures, appropriate viscosity and hardness after cooling, and overall stable preparation process and quality. Furthermore, through extensive experiments by the inventors, polyethylene glycol with this molecular weight and melting point range was selected. When blended with in-situ reinforcing materials and thermally conductive fillers, the resulting phase change cooling material has a phase change temperature range that falls within the suitable temperature range of 50-60℃, exhibiting high heat absorption efficiency. Thus, it has a good heat absorption and cooling effect as a cigarette cooling unit.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, cellulose acetate is selected as an in-situ reinforcing material. As an in-situ reinforcing material, cellulose acetate can be uniformly dispersed in the polyethylene glycol matrix, playing an in-situ reinforcing role of the fiber. Furthermore, the fiber structure distributed in the polyethylene glycol also hinders the flow of polyethylene glycol during thermal phase change, alleviating the flow and leakage of polyethylene glycol.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, polylactic acid with a molecular weight of 50,000 to 150,000 is selected as an in-situ reinforcing material. Polylactic acid with this molecular weight can be melt-blended with polyethylene glycol without phase separation when heated, and dispersed in the polyethylene glycol matrix when cooled due to its high molecular weight, acting as a physical rivet, thereby reinforcing the polyethylene glycol matrix in situ and hindering the flow of polyethylene glycol during thermal phase change, thus alleviating the flow and leakage of polyethylene glycol.

[0031] In this invention, the thermally conductive filler is selected from alumina, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, molybdenum disulfide, thermally conductive carbon powder, thermally conductive graphite, and graphene; the thermally conductive filler can be selected from micron-sized or nano-sized materials. The thermally conductive filler in the phase change cooling material can greatly improve the heat transfer capacity of the polymer matrix, constructing a continuous and uniform heat transfer network, thereby facilitating heat diffusion and achieving a good cooling effect. It also plays a certain role in reinforcement and physical anti-flowing.

[0032] Furthermore, the thermally conductive filler is selected from alumina, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, thermally conductive graphite, and graphene, which have high thermal conductivity.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the amount of thermally conductive filler added is 10-20 parts by weight.

[0034] In this invention, the length of the heat-conducting heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit is between 7-28 mm.

[0035] In this invention, a flavor enhancer may be selectively added to the phase change cooling material. The main function of the flavor enhancer in this invention is to supplement the aroma of the tobacco and impart unique aroma characteristics to the cigarette. When the smoke passes through the cooling unit, the aroma substances in the flavor enhancer are released after the phase change cooling material absorbs heat, effectively supplementing the aroma of the heated tobacco product and thus improving its taste and comfort.

[0036] In this invention, the flavoring agent can be selected from one or more of the following: tobacco, floral, fruity, tea, herbal, alcoholic, milky, and mint flavoring agents. The preferred tobacco flavoring agent is tobacco essence; the preferred floral flavoring agent is rose essence; the preferred fruity flavoring agent is orange essence; the preferred tea flavoring agent is Tieguanyin tea essence; the preferred herbal flavoring agent is traditional Chinese medicine essence; the preferred alcoholic flavoring agent is baijiu essence; the preferred milky flavoring agent is milk essence; and the preferred mint flavoring agent is mint essence.

[0037] In this invention, the amount of flavor enhancer added is 0-10 parts by weight.

[0038] In this invention, the phase change cooling material has a phase change temperature range of 50-60℃ and a phase change enthalpy greater than 80J / g. These values ​​can be obtained by measuring the phase change temperature and phase change enthalpy of the phase change cooling material using a differential scanning calorimeter.

[0039] In this invention, the heat-conducting heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit absorbs more than 2J of heat during use.

[0040] In this invention, the phase change cooling material is prepared through the following steps:

[0041] Thermally conductive filler is added to polyethylene glycol and heated to 60-80℃ and mixed evenly to obtain a premix. Then, a phase change cooling material is obtained by method (1) or method (2). Method (1) uses cellulose acetate as an in-situ reinforcing material, dissolves it in an organic solvent and mixes it evenly with the premix, and then removes the solvent to obtain the phase change cooling material. Method (2) uses polylactic acid as an in-situ reinforcing material, heats it with the premix to 120-230℃ and mixes it evenly, and then cools it to obtain the phase change cooling material.

[0042] The organic solvent used may be selected from one or a mixture of two of the following: ethanol, diethyl ether, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, dichloromethane, chloroform, methyl acetate, and dimethylformamide, or a mixture thereof in any proportion. Acetone, a low-boiling-point organic solvent, is preferred.

[0043] In this invention, the mixing method can be selected from mechanical stirring, magnetic stirring, or ultrasound. During the mixing process, appropriate heating can be used to promote the mixing between components.

[0044] The present invention also discloses a heated non-combustible cigarette, which includes a smoke-generating unit (1), a hollow isolation unit (2), a heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit (3) with enhanced thermal conductivity as described above, a filter unit (4), and a packaging unit (5) for wrapping the above units.

[0045] In this invention, the smoke-generating unit (1) is formed by vertically arranging and gathering strips or sheets of tobacco material, with irregular air pores densely distributed between the tobacco materials. The tobacco material may be selected from one or more of vanilla leaves, tobacco leaves, tobacco rib fragments, tobacco sheets, homogenized tobacco, extruded tobacco, and expanded tobacco, as well as powders, granules, pellets, fragments, spaghetti-like pieces, strips, or sheets.

[0046] In this invention, the packaging unit (5) is composed of cigarette paper, forming paper, and tipping paper.

[0047] In this invention, the total length of the heated non-combustible cigarette is between 40 and 95 mm.

[0048] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0049] 1. The phase change cooling material used in this invention has the characteristics of high latent heat of phase change, low thermal hysteresis effect, high heat absorption efficiency, non-toxicity, non-irritation, and stable performance. It has a certain consistency and good processability, and is not prone to deformation and flow during natural storage and outdoor transportation. As a cigarette cooling unit, it has a good heat absorption and cooling effect. In addition, the physical barrier network formed by the uniformly dispersed in-situ reinforcing material and thermally conductive filler in the phase change cooling material not only reinforces the polyethylene glycol matrix in situ, improving the mechanical properties of the cooling unit and preventing it from collapsing due to heat, but also inhibits the flow of polyethylene glycol during thermal phase change. It also has a blocking effect on the diffusion of harmful substances produced by tobacco combustion, reducing the intake of harmful substances by the human body. Thus, a continuous and uniform heat transfer, barrier, and reinforcing network is constructed, which reduces the temperature of cigarette smoke and greatly enhances the practical value of the phase change material cooling system for heated non-combustible cigarettes.

[0050] 2. The cooling unit in this invention features a carrier sheet with perforated holes, which are covered by discretely spaced metal foil sheets. The holes are filled with a phase-change cooling material. The discretely spaced metal foil sheets cause the cooling unit to be discontinuous along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette stick, thus avoiding the problems of excessively high filter unit temperature and scalding hot cooling unit caused by continuous heat conduction from uninterrupted metal foil sheets. This facilitates heat dissipation and cooling of the smoke within the cooling unit, preventing burning, stinging, and dry sensations in the mouth during inhalation, which would negatively impact the smoking experience. Furthermore, the phase change cooling material is filled in the pores and uses metal foil as a carrier. Through the organic combination of these three elements, they jointly play the roles of support, coverage, and heat conduction. The phase change cooling material of this invention, combined with metal foil, not only enhances the supporting strength of the carrier sheet and improves the heat deformation resistance of the cooling unit and even the entire cigarette, but also provides good heat conduction. When heated, the metal foil can quickly conduct heat to the phase change cooling material, and after the phase change cooling material is heated, it can quickly dissipate the phase change heat, thereby giving the cooling unit excellent heat absorption and cooling capacity. The carrier sheet and metal foil also provide a carrier for the phase change cooling material and play a covering role. The blank areas reserved on the carrier paper and metal foil can provide a certain flow space for the phase change cooling material during the phase change process, thereby effectively suppressing the leakage of the phase change cooling material during natural storage and outdoor transportation.

[0051] 3. The phase change cooling material in the heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit of this invention has a suitable phase change temperature (50-60℃) and a high phase change enthalpy (greater than 80J / g), and has a higher latent heat of phase change per unit mass, realizing a truly practical phase change heat absorption with high heat absorption efficiency. When used as a cigarette cooling unit, it has a good heat absorption and cooling effect. During use, the average temperature of the smoke is reduced by 10-20℃ compared with existing domestic products, effectively reducing the burning sensation of smoke in the mouth and improving the smoking experience of heated non-combustible cigarettes.

[0052] 4. The heated non-combustible cigarette sample of this invention has an intact appearance and does not collapse during use, and there is no leakage on the surface. It solves the problems of poor mechanical strength, easy breakage during the gathering and folding process, easy deformation and collapse when heated, and partial blockage of the smoke passage by polylactic acid film as a cooling material, as well as the leakage problem of polyethylene glycol phase change material system. Attached Figure Description

[0053] Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the heated non-combustible cigarette in the embodiment; wherein, (1) is the smoke generating unit, (2) is the hollow isolation unit, (3) is the heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity, (4) is the filter unit, and (5) is the packaging unit;

[0054] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the metal foils distributed in a uniformly spaced strip structure on a carrier sheet in the heat-conducting heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit of the embodiment. The diagram shows the positional relationship in the top view; where y is the longitudinal direction and x is the winding direction; where the black strips represent metal foils, the gray squares represent hollow holes on the carrier sheet in which metal foils are composited, and the white dots represent phase change cooling materials filled in the holes on the metal foils.

[0055] Figure 3 In the embodiment of the heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity, metal foil sheets are evenly distributed in an island-like pattern on a carrier sheet, wherein the island-like structure is a circular schematic diagram, and the positional relationship is shown in the top view; wherein, in the figure, black circles represent metal foil sheets, gray squares represent hollow holes on the carrier sheet in which metal foil sheets are composited, and white dots represent phase change cooling materials filled in the holes on the metal foil sheets;

[0056] Figure 4 In the embodiment of the heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity, metal foil sheets are evenly distributed in an island-like pattern on a carrier sheet. The island-like structure is a rectangular schematic diagram, and the positional relationship is shown in the top view. In the figure, black rectangles represent metal foil sheets, gray squares represent hollow holes on the carrier sheet with metal foil sheets, and white dots represent phase change cooling materials filled in the holes on the metal foil sheets.

[0057] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity, as shown in the embodiment. The diagram shows the positional relationship between the carrier sheet, the metal foil sheet, and the phase change cooling material.

[0058] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit with enhanced thermal conductivity, according to another embodiment. The diagram shows the positional relationship between the carrier sheet, the metal foil sheet, and the phase change cooling material.

[0059] Figure 7 This is a comparison chart of the DSC test results of the phase change cooling materials used in Comparative Example 4 and Example 2. Detailed Implementation

[0060] The present invention will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. Specific processes and equipment not specified in the embodiments are carried out according to the techniques or conditions described or implemented in literature or actual processes and equipment in the art.

[0061] refer to Figure 1 The heated tobacco product of the embodiment includes a smoke-generating unit 1, a hollow isolation unit 2, a heated tobacco cooling unit 3 with enhanced thermal conductivity, a filter unit 4, and a packaging unit 5 for wrapping the above units, which are assembled in sequence in the form of a bar.

[0062] refer to Figures 2 to 6 The heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit 3, which enhances thermal conductivity, includes a carrier sheet 31, several metal foils 32, and several phase change cooling materials 33. The carrier sheet 31 has several perforated holes 31a distributed in an array pattern along both the transverse and longitudinal directions. The metal foils 32 cover the perforated holes 31a, with longitudinally extending intervals between them. The phase change cooling materials 33, using the metal foils 32 as a carrier, fill the perforated holes 31a.

[0063] refer to Figure 2 Metal foils 32 are distributed on the carrier sheet 31 in a uniformly spaced strip structure, and each metal foil 32 covers a horizontal row of perforated holes 31a. When distributed in a strip manner, the number of strips can be selected from 2 to 16, and the width of each strip can be selected from 0.5 to 3 mm; when distributed in a wide band, the coating width can be selected from 3 to 20 mm.

[0064] Furthermore, the metal foils 32 can also be evenly spaced in an island-like distribution on the carrier sheet 31. This island-like distribution refers to the metal foils being evenly spaced along the longitudinal direction, with each metal foil 32 covering one or more adjacent perforations 31a in the horizontal row. The geometric configuration of the island-like metal foils is not limited; it can be a regular or irregular geometric configuration, depending on the product obtained during the actual manufacturing process. Preferably, the geometric configuration of the island-like structure is circular, elliptical, oval, egg-shaped, polygonal, or rounded polygonal; more preferably, circular, elliptical, oval, triangular, rectangular, rounded rectangle, rhombus, or hexagonal; and most preferably circular (e.g., elliptical, oval, triangular, rectangular, rounded rectangle, rhombus, or hexagonal). Figure 3 As shown), rectangle (as shown) Figure 4 (As shown).

[0065] The oval shape mentioned above refers to a closed shape formed by dividing a circle into two semicircular arcs through the center and translating them in opposite directions, and connecting the endpoints of the two semicircular arcs with two parallel lines of equal length.

[0066] The oval shape refers to an ellipse after tapering, with a longitudinal section similar to an egg, wider at the base and narrower at the head.

[0067] The polygons referred to are planar figures composed of three or more line segments connected end to end in sequence, such as triangles, rectangles, pentagons, and hexagons.

[0068] The term "rounded polygon" refers to a polygon whose corners have a certain degree of roundness.

[0069] Figures 2-4 The carrier sheet containing metal foil and phase change cooling material is wound, folded, gathered, bent and wrinkled along the horizontal axis of the schematic diagram to form a heating non-combustible cigarette cooling unit, thereby ensuring that the metal foil does not form a continuous path along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette bar, but is distributed intermittently.

[0070] refer to Figure 5 The metal foil 32 is distributed only on one side of the carrier sheet 31, and the phase change cooling material 33 is filled in the hollow hole 31a with the metal foil 32 as the carrier.

[0071] refer to Figure 6 The metal foil 32 can also be distributed on both sides of the carrier sheet 31 and cover the same area. The phase change cooling material 33 is filled in the hollow hole 31a with the metal foil 31 as the carrier.

[0072] Example 1

[0073] Ten parts by weight of graphene were added to 87 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol 2,000, and the mixture was heated to 65°C and mixed thoroughly to obtain a premix. Three parts by weight of cellulose acetate were dissolved in acetone and mixed thoroughly with the premix. The mixture was then placed in an oven at 40°C to remove the solvent and cooled to obtain a phase change cooling material.

[0074] Using ceramic fiber paper as a carrier sheet (160mm × 18mm), uniform holes are punched into it using a small punching machine (the holes are circular, approximately 2mm in diameter, with a 4mm spacing between the edges). Square aluminum foil sheets (approximately 3mm × 3mm) are then evenly spaced and adhered to one side of the ceramic fiber paper using aluminum foil adhesive, covering the holes. Phase change cooling material is then heated and coated onto the aluminum foil sheets within the holes, with approximately 0.8mg of coating per hole. (The distribution of the aluminum foil sheets and phase change cooling material on the ceramic fiber paper can be found in [reference needed]). Figure 4 , Figure 5 (as shown), and then air dry and cool.

[0075] The thermally enhanced heating-not-burning cigarette cooling unit was fabricated by winding, folding, and gathering ceramic fiber paper incorporating aluminum foil and phase change cooling material. The fabricated heating-not-burning cigarette cooling unit was then used to prepare heating-not-burning cigarette samples, and its performance was tested.

[0076] Example 2

[0077] 15 parts by weight of boron nitride were added to 80 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol 2,000, and the mixture was heated to 65°C and mixed thoroughly to obtain a premix. 5 parts by weight of cellulose acetate were dissolved in acetone and mixed thoroughly with the premix. The mixture was then placed in an oven at 40°C to remove the solvent and cooled to obtain a phase change cooling material.

[0078] Using ceramic fiber paper as a carrier sheet (160mm × 18mm), uniform holes are punched into it using a small punching machine (the holes are circular, approximately 2mm in diameter, with a 4mm spacing between the edges). On one side of the ceramic fiber paper, strips of aluminum foil (approximately 160mm × 3mm) are evenly spaced and adhered with aluminum foil adhesive, covering the holes. Phase change cooling material is then heated and coated onto the aluminum foil within the holes, with approximately 0.8mg of coating per hole. A similarly sized aluminum foil is then adhered to the same location on the other side of the ceramic fiber paper. (The distribution of the aluminum foil and phase change cooling material on the ceramic fiber paper can be found in [reference needed]). Figure 2 , Figure 6 (as shown), and then air dry and cool.

[0079] The heated tobacco cooling unit was fabricated by winding, folding, and gathering ceramic fiber paper incorporating aluminum foil and phase change cooling material. The fabricated heated tobacco cooling unit was then used to prepare heated tobacco samples, and its performance was tested.

[0080] Example 3

[0081] Ten parts by weight of boron nitride were added to 86 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol 2,000, and the mixture was heated to 65°C and stirred until homogeneous to obtain a premix. Four parts by weight of polylactic acid (Hubei Xinyuhong, molecular weight 100,000) were added to the premix and heated to 200°C and stirred until homogeneous. The mixture was then cooled to obtain the phase change cooling material.

[0082] Using PET (polyethylene terephthalate) sheets as carrier sheets (120mm × 18mm), uniform holes are punched into the sheets using a small punching machine (the holes are circular, approximately 2mm in diameter, with a 4mm spacing between the edges). Long strips of aluminum foil (approximately 120mm × 3mm) are then evenly spaced and laminated onto one side of the PET sheet using a rolling process, covering the holes. Phase change cooling material is then heated and coated onto the aluminum foil within the holes, with approximately 0.5mg of coating per hole. (The distribution of the aluminum foil and phase change cooling material on the PET sheet can be found in [reference needed]). Figure 2 , Figure 5 (as shown), and then air dry and cool.

[0083] The heated tobacco cooling unit was fabricated by winding, folding, and gathering PET sheets incorporating aluminum foil and phase change cooling material. The fabricated heated tobacco cooling unit was then used to prepare heated tobacco samples, and its performance was tested.

[0084] Example 4

[0085] 20 parts by weight of thermally conductive graphite were added to 75 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol 1,500, and the mixture was heated to 60°C and mixed evenly to obtain a premix. 5 parts by weight of cellulose acetate were dissolved in acetone solvent and mixed evenly with the premix. The mixture was placed in an oven at 40°C to remove the solvent, and after cooling, a phase change cooling material was obtained.

[0086] Using cigarette paper as a carrier sheet (160mm × 18mm), uniform holes are punched into it using a small punching machine (the holes are circular, approximately 2mm in diameter, with a 4mm gap between the edges). On one side of the cigarette paper, pre-cut circular tin foil sheets (approximately 3mm in diameter) are evenly distributed and adhered using a composite adhesive, covering the holes. Phase change cooling material is then heated and applied to the tin foil sheets within the holes, with approximately 0.8mg applied to each hole. Tin foil sheets of the same size are then adhered to the same positions on the other side of the cigarette paper. (The distribution of the tin foil sheets and phase change cooling material on the cigarette paper can be found in [reference needed]). Figure 3 , Figure 6 (as shown), and then air dry and cool.

[0087] The heated tobacco cooling unit was fabricated by winding, folding, and gathering cigarette paper incorporating tin foil and phase change cooling material. The fabricated heated tobacco cooling unit was then used to prepare heated tobacco samples, and its performance was tested.

[0088] Example 5

[0089] 20 parts by weight of graphene and 2 parts by weight of rose fragrance were added to 75 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol 2,000, and heated to 65°C to mix evenly to obtain a premix. 3 parts by weight of cellulose acetate were dissolved in acetone and mixed evenly with the premix. The mixture was placed in a 40°C oven to remove the solvent and cooled to obtain a phase change cooling material.

[0090] Using polylactic acid (PLA) sheets as carrier sheets (120mm × 18mm), uniform holes are punched into the sheets using a small punching machine (the holes are circular, approximately 2mm in diameter, with a 4mm spacing between the edges). Rectangular zinc foil sheets (approximately 4mm × 3mm) are then evenly spaced and laminated onto one side of the PLA sheet using a rolling process, covering the holes. Phase change cooling material is then heated and coated onto the zinc foil sheets within the holes, with a coating amount of approximately 0.5mg per hole. (The distribution of the zinc foil sheets and phase change cooling material on the PLA sheet can be found in [reference needed]). Figure 4 , Figure 5 (as shown), and then air dry and cool.

[0091] The heat-not-burning cigarette cooling unit was fabricated by winding, folding, and gathering polylactic acid sheets composited with zinc foil and phase change cooling material. The fabricated heat-not-burning cigarette cooling unit was then used to prepare heat-not-burning cigarette samples, and its performance was tested.

[0092] Example 6

[0093] 15 parts by weight of boron nitride were added to 81 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol 2,000, and the mixture was heated to 65°C and stirred until homogeneous to obtain a premix. 4 parts by weight of polylactic acid (Hubei Xinyuhong, molecular weight 100,000) were added to the premix and heated to 200°C, stirred until homogeneous, and then cooled to obtain the phase change cooling material.

[0094] Using a pre-formed paper as a carrier sheet (160mm × 18mm), uniform holes are punched into it using a small punching machine (the holes are circular, approximately 2mm in diameter, with a 4mm spacing between the edges). Rectangular aluminum foil sheets (approximately 4mm × 3mm) are then applied to one side of the pre-formed paper using aluminum foil adhesive at even intervals, covering the holes. Phase change cooling material is then heated and coated onto the aluminum foil sheets within the holes, with approximately 0.8mg of coating per hole. Finally, aluminum foil sheets of the same size are adhered to the same positions on the other side of the pre-formed paper (the distribution of the aluminum foil sheets and phase change cooling material on the pre-formed paper can be referenced). Figure 4 , Figure 6 (as shown), and then air dry and cool.

[0095] The heated tobacco cooling unit is fabricated by winding, folding, and gathering a molded paper incorporating aluminum foil and phase change cooling material. The fabricated heated tobacco cooling unit is then used to prepare heated tobacco samples, and its performance is tested.

[0096] Comparative Example 1

[0097] Using ceramic fiber paper as a carrier sheet (160mm×18mm in size), uniform holes are punched on it using a small punching machine (the holes are circular, with a diameter of about 2mm and a spacing of 4mm between the edges). On one side of the ceramic fiber paper, an aluminum foil sheet of the same size as the carrier paper is bonded with aluminum foil adhesive to cover the holes. Then, an aluminum foil sheet of the same size is bonded to the same position on the other side of the ceramic fiber paper (the aluminum foil sheets on both sides of the ceramic fiber paper form a continuous heat conduction path). Then, it is dried and cooled.

[0098] The heated tobacco cooling unit was fabricated by winding, folding, and gathering ceramic fiber paper coated with aluminum foil. The fabricated heated tobacco cooling unit was then used to prepare heated tobacco samples, and its performance was tested.

[0099] Comparative Example 2

[0100] Using ceramic fiber paper as a carrier sheet (160mm × 18mm), uniform holes were punched on it using a small punching machine (the holes were circular, about 2mm in diameter, and 4mm apart at the edges). An aluminum foil sheet of the same size as the carrier paper was then bonded to one side of the ceramic fiber paper with aluminum foil adhesive to cover the holes. The phase change cooling material from Example 2 was then heated and coated onto the aluminum foil sheet inside the holes, with a coating amount of about 0.8mg per hole. Then, an aluminum foil sheet of the same size was attached to the same position on the other side of the ceramic fiber paper (the aluminum foil sheets on both sides of the ceramic fiber paper formed a continuous heat conduction path), and then the paper was dried and cooled.

[0101] The heated tobacco cooling unit was fabricated by winding, folding, and gathering ceramic fiber paper incorporating aluminum foil and phase change cooling material. The fabricated heated tobacco cooling unit was then used to prepare heated tobacco samples, and its performance was tested.

[0102] Comparative Example 3

[0103] The cigarettes used are the commercially available Fujian Tobacco Jinqiao brand cigarettes.

[0104] Comparative Example 4

[0105] It uses commercially available Marlboro IQOS cigarettes.

[0106] The phase change temperature and phase change enthalpy of the phase change cooling material of the heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit in the comparative example and various embodiments of the present invention were tested using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC200F3, NETZSCH, Germany), and the test results are listed in Table 1.

[0107] The heated tobacco products in each comparative example and embodiment were simulated for smoking according to the cigarette smoking model specified in the national standard YC / T29-1996. A K-type thermocouple temperature detector was used to measure the temperature at the center of the cigarette filter rod during smoking. The smoke temperature test results corresponding to the number of puffs are listed in Table 2. The highest and lowest smoke temperatures of each comparative example and embodiment were statistically analyzed. The sensory evaluation of the cigarette samples in each comparative example and embodiment was conducted using the YCT138-1998 cigarette sensory evaluation standard, and the results are listed in Table 3. Figure 7 This is a comparison chart of the DSC test results of the phase change cooling materials used in Comparative Example 4 and Example 2 of the present invention.

[0108] Table 1. Phase change temperature and enthalpy of phase change cooling materials in the cooling units of the comparative examples and embodiments of the present invention.

[0109] Phase transition temperature (°C) Phase transition enthalpy (J / g) Comparative Example 4 69.3 11.23 Example 1 52.7 87.85 Example 2 53.2 84.15 Example 3 58.7 90.26 Example 4 51.5 103.28 Example 5 58.2 106.90 Example 6 55.7 85.89

[0110] Table 2. Flue Gas Temperature Test Results of Comparative Examples and Embodiments of the Present Invention

[0111] Number of mouths 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Comparative Example 1 62.5 68.0 69.5 66.3 66.2 64.7 62.5 60.2 Comparative Example 2 54.9 59.9 61.7 58.0 57.4 56.8 55.9 55.6 Comparative Example 3 54.2 62.0 60.5 57.3 54.4 53.1 53.2 53.1 Comparative Example 4 46.4 50.7 51.9 48.9 45.9 43.3 41.4 40.4 Example 1 42.3 44.7 49.8 44.9 44.4 43.1 41.6 39.4 Example 2 33.9 40.4 42.8 41.9 40.7 38.9 36.3 32.0 Example 3 41.6 47.3 48.8 46.2 44.8 43.7 40.9 40.7 Example 4 39.3 44.4 44.9 43.1 41.5 38.4 37.0 36.8 Example 5 45.0 49.9 49.5 48.6 47.8 46.6 45.2 42.1 Example 6 36.9 39.8 45.6 41.4 38.0 37.6 36.5 35.8

[0112] Table 3. Comparison of Smoke Temperature Test Results and Sensory Evaluation of Cigarettes in the Comparative Example and Embodiment of the Invention

[0113]

[0114] The data results from the above sets show that the phase change cooling material in the heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit of the embodiment has a more suitable phase change temperature (50-60℃) and a higher phase change enthalpy (greater than 80J / g) compared to Comparative Example 4, and has a higher latent heat of phase change per unit mass, achieving truly practical phase change heat absorption. A comparison of the data from Comparative Example 1 (without phase change cooling material) and Comparative Example 2 (with phase change cooling material) shows that the phase change cooling material in the embodiment has a higher heat absorption efficiency, and its use as a cigarette cooling unit has a good heat absorption and cooling effect. Furthermore, a comparison of the data from Comparative Example 2 and Embodiment 2 shows that the regularly discontinuously distributed metal foil in the embodiment exhibits a significantly better cooling and temperature control effect compared to continuous metal foil, reducing the average smoke temperature by up to 20℃ and significantly improving the smoking experience.

[0115] The heated tobacco sample prepared using the thermally enhanced cooling unit of the embodiment showed significant improvements in oral comfort, smoke irritation, and burning sensation compared to the Fujian Tobacco control sample. The average smoke temperature was reduced by 10-20°C, and the overall smoking quality of the cigarette was significantly improved. Compared to Philip Morris's Marlboro cigarettes, the heated tobacco sample of the embodiment also exhibited superior cooling performance, with an average smoke temperature reduction of 2-9°C. Furthermore, the heated tobacco sample prepared using the thermally enhanced cooling unit of the embodiment remained intact and did not collapse during use, with no leakage. This solved the problems of poor mechanical strength, easy breakage during folding and gathering, easy deformation and collapse under heat, and partial blockage of smoke channels by polylactic acid film as a cooling material, as well as the leakage problem of polyethylene glycol phase change material systems.

[0116] The above embodiments illustrate and describe the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cooling unit for heated non-combustible cigarettes with enhanced thermal conductivity, characterized in that, The device comprises a carrier sheet, several metal foils, and several phase change cooling materials. The carrier sheet has several perforated holes. The metal foils are disposed on at least one side of the carrier sheet and cover the perforated holes. The metal foils are spaced apart and discretely arranged. The phase change cooling materials, using the metal foils as a carrier, fill the perforated holes with a filling rate of 40%-90%. The carrier sheet containing the metal foils and phase change cooling materials is formed into a cooling unit for a heated non-combustible cigarette by at least one of the following methods: winding, folding, gathering, bending, and pleating. The metal foils are regularly and intermittently distributed along the longitudinal direction of the cigarette strip. The cooling unit has multiple longitudinally extending channels with a cross-sectional porosity of 40%-90%. The carrier sheet is selected from carrier paper or polymer sheet; the phase change cooling material comprises 55-96 parts by weight of polyethylene glycol, 1-5 parts by weight of in-situ reinforcing material and 3-40 parts by weight of thermally conductive filler; the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of 1500-2500 Da and a melting point of 45-60℃; the in-situ reinforcing material is selected from cellulose acetate or polylactic acid with a molecular weight of 50,000-150,000.

2. The enhanced thermal conductivity heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier paper is selected from Xuan paper, cigarette paper, tipping paper, forming paper, tobacco sheet, cellulose paper, dust-free paper or ceramic fiber paper.

3. The enhanced thermal conductivity heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The polymer sheet is selected from polyethylene sheet, polypropylene sheet, polystyrene sheet, polyethylene terephthalate sheet, polylactic acid sheet, polyamide sheet, polyimide sheet, or polyphenylene sulfide sheet.

4. The enhanced thermal conductivity heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The metal foil is selected from gold foil, silver foil, copper foil, aluminum foil, zinc foil or tin foil.

5. The enhanced thermal conductivity heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hollowed-out holes have a regular geometric shape, selected from circles, ellipses, oval, egg-shaped, polygons, or rounded polygons.

6. The enhanced thermal conductivity heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The perforated array is arranged such that the metal foil sheets are distributed in a spaced strip pattern or a uniform island pattern, and each metal foil sheet covers one or more of the perforated holes.

7. The enhanced thermal conductivity heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit according to claim 6, characterized in that, The geometric configuration of the island-like structure in the island-like distribution is selected from circles, ellipses, oval, ovals, polygons, or rounded polygons.

8. The enhanced thermal conductivity heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermally conductive filler is selected from at least one of alumina, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, molybdenum disulfide, thermally conductive carbon powder, thermally conductive graphite, and graphene.

9. A heated non-combustible cigarette, characterized in that, It includes a smoke-generating unit (1) assembled in sequence in the form of a bar, a hollow isolation unit (2), a heated non-combustible cigarette cooling unit (3) with enhanced thermal conductivity as described in any one of claims 1-8, a filter unit (4), and a packaging unit (5) used to wrap the above units.

Images