Non-heated smoking article comprising a semi-solid medium portion

Abstract

The present application relates to a non-heated smoking article and an aerosol-generating system including the same, wherein the smoking article includes a semi-solid medium portion, a paper tube portion, and a filter portion, and wherein the semi-solid medium portion is in a semi-solid shape including nicotine and an aerosol-generating material. The non-heated smoking article and the aerosol-generating system including the same can effectively transfer nicotine without loss of nicotine by including the semi-solid medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a non-heated smoking article including a semi-solid medium portion. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, numerous smoking products have been proposed that are heated rather than burned. Unlike traditional smoking products, these non-combustible smoking products are used by inhaling the aerosol generated by heating the cigarette medium without burning it. As one type of heated smoking product, there are those that use electric heating.

[0003] Nicotine delivery via non-heated electronic cigarettes primarily occurs in a dissolved liquid state or as a sublimable free nicotine base, which is then inhaled using its vaporization properties. However, due to its sublimation nature, the free nicotine base form may lose some of its components.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent No. 2021-0017296 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0008] The purpose of one embodiment is to provide a non-heated smoking article including a semi-solid medium portion.

[0009] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Those skilled in the art can clearly understand other problems not mentioned through the following description.

[0010] means for solving problems

[0011] The present invention provides a non-heated smoking article, comprising: a semi-solid medium portion; a paper tube portion; and a filter portion, wherein the semi-solid medium portion is in a semi-solid shape containing nicotine and aerosol-generating substances.

[0012] As an embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol generating substance may be one or more selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, glycerol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol and tetraethylene glycol.

[0013] In another embodiment of the present invention, the semi-solid shape may be formed by one or more semi-solid agents selected from the group consisting of gelatin, starch, polysaccharide, pectin, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, carboxymethyl cellulose and alginate.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, the semi-solid medium portion can be adsorbed onto a porous material.

[0015] In another embodiment of the present invention, the porous material may be one or more selected from the group consisting of aerogel, zeolite and silica.

[0016] In another embodiment of the present invention, the filter tip may contain an acetate material.

[0017] Additionally, an aerosol generation system is provided, comprising: an aerosol generation apparatus; and a smoking article, which is a smoking article according to the present invention, and is contained in the aerosol generation apparatus to generate aerosols.

[0018] Invention Effects

[0019] Traditional liquid e-cigarettes have limitations due to the sublimation of nicotine, which can lead to the loss of certain components. To address this, the present invention provides a non-heated smoking product that utilizes a stable medium that is converted to a semi-solid state, preventing nicotine sublimation and thus enabling effective nicotine transfer even without heating. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view is provided to illustrate a smoking article according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view is provided to illustrate an aerosol generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0023] 100: Semi-solid media section; 200: Paper tube section; 300: Filter tip section

[0024] 400: Battery; 500: Atomizer; 600: Control Unit

[0025] 700: Capacity space; 1000: Non-heated smoking products

[0026] 2000: Aerosol generating device; 3000: Aerosol generating system Detailed Implementation

[0027] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In describing the present invention, detailed descriptions of relevant prior art will be omitted when it is determined that such detailed descriptions would unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention. Furthermore, the terminology used in this specification, as terms for appropriately describing preferred embodiments of the present invention, may be changed according to the intent of the user or operator or the conventions of the art to which this invention pertains. Therefore, the definitions of these terms should be based on the content throughout this specification. The same reference numerals disclosed in each drawing denote the same components.

[0028] Throughout the instruction manual, the phrase "when one component is on top of another component" includes not only situations where one component is in contact with another component, but also situations where there is another component between the two components.

[0029] Throughout the specification, when a section “includes” a component, it means that another component may be included, but not excluded.

[0030] Throughout this specification, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are used interchangeably. "Upstream" refers to the portion of the smoking product from the outside to the inside when the user inhales outside air while using the product; "downstream" refers to the portion of the smoking product from the inside, including the combustible heat source, to the outside. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" can also be used to indicate the relative position or direction between parts or segments constituting the smoking product.

[0031] Throughout this specification, "aerosol generating apparatus" may refer to an apparatus capable of generating aerosols. These aerosols include volatile compounds.

[0032] The non-heated smoking article of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and drawings.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a non-heated smoking article 1000, which includes: a semi-solid medium portion 100; a paper tube portion 200; and a filter portion 300, wherein the semi-solid medium portion is in a semi-solid shape containing nicotine and aerosol generating substances.

[0034] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the semi-solid medium comprises nicotine and an aerosol-generating substance, and has a semi-solid shape. The semi-solid shape can be formed by a semi-solidifying agent, such as a water-based gel, paste, or ointment. The semi-solid shape can be formed by a semi-curing agent such as gelatin, starch, polysaccharide, pectin, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, carboxymethyl cellulose, or alginate, but is not limited to the types described above.

[0035] The aforementioned “semi-solid shape” is a state of loss of fluidity. Specifically, even after the medium is contained in the container and the container is tilted to the side, the composition does not diffuse to the entire side of the container, which is the lower side after tilting, and this state can be visually confirmed.

[0036] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the semi-curing agent may be included in the total weight of the semi-solid medium portion from 5 to 40% by weight. When the content of the semi-curing agent is less than 5% by weight, it can have a near-liquid phase as the fluidity of the semi-solid medium portion increases; when its content exceeds 40% by weight, it may affect the transfer of nicotine contained in the medium portion. Not limited to the above range, but more preferably, its content range can be from 10 to 30% by weight, which can have excellent properties and smoothly transfer nicotine.

[0037] The viscosity of the semi-solid medium obtained by including the semi-curing agent can range from 2000 mPa·s to 90000 mPa·s at 25°C. When the viscosity is below 2000 mPa·s, the nicotine-containing material will migrate to other materials in the smoking product due to increased fluidity of the medium itself; when the viscosity exceeds 90000 mPa·s, its hardness is too high, which will affect nicotine transfer. The viscosity is measured using a rotational viscometer with a specified stress of 5 Pa, a specified speed of 1 Hz, and a sample injection volume of 3 mL. The sample is heated to 80°C and 3 mL of the sample is injected into a tray. A contactor is suspended and a silicone oil is used as a sealing system. Measurement begins when the tray temperature reaches 80°C, and the viscosity is measured at each temperature reaching 25°C.

[0038] In addition to the semi-curing agent, the semi-solid medium may also contain water as a solvent. The water content may be from 10% to 40% by weight, and by including water, the semi-curing agent can be easily mixed with nicotine and aerosol-generating substances. Besides the components described above, other additives (fragrances, etc.) may be further added to the semi-solid medium.

[0039] Regardless of whether it is based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes, the term "smoking article" can refer to any product that can be smoked or any product that provides a smoking experience, whether or not. In particular, in this invention, the smoking article can refer to a smokeable article capable of generating an aerosol in a non-heating manner (non-heated). The semi-solid medium portion of the smoking article according to the invention comprises nicotine, an aerosol-generating substance, and a semi-solidifying agent.

[0040] In this specification, "aerosol generating material" can refer to a material capable of generating aerosols. In this invention, the aerosol generating material can be a liquid phase.

[0041] For example, liquid-phase aerosol generating substances may comprise liquid-phase compositions based on tobacco extracts and / or various flavoring agents. In addition to liquid-phase aerosol generating substances, aerosol generating substances may also include solid-phase aerosol generating substances.

[0042] The solid-phase aerosol generating material may have the following structure: it comprises a solid material based on tobacco raw materials such as tobacco leaves, tobacco shreds, and reconstituted tobacco, but preferably does not contain a solid-phase aerosol generating material, and comprises an aerosol generating material containing nicotine and a liquid phase. However, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the above examples.

[0043] As a more specific example, the liquid-phase aerosol-generating substances may also include at least one of propylene glycol, glycerol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and tetraethylene glycol.

[0044] As another example, aerosol-generating substances may also contain at least one of water and flavoring substances.

[0045] The aerosol-generating material may be present in the semi-solid medium at a weight ratio of 5% to 60% by weight. When the content of the aerosol-generating material is less than 5% by weight, the atomization may be insufficient; when its content exceeds 60% by weight, excessive smoke generation will occur, thereby affecting the semi-solidity of the medium.

[0046] As another example, the aerosol generating material may also contain various additives, such as cinnamon, capsaicin, etc. The aerosol generating material may include not only highly fluid liquid substances but also substances in gel or solid form. In this way, the components of the aerosol generating material can be selected in various ways according to the embodiments, and its composition ratio can also be varied according to the embodiments. In the following description, the liquid phase may refer to the liquid phase of the aerosol generating material.

[0047] In this invention, after the nicotine is dissolved in the aerosol-generating substance, it can be appropriately semi-cured (e.g., gelled) by a semi-curing agent. The semi-curing agent can be any one of gelatin, starch, polysaccharide, pectin, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, carboxymethyl cellulose, and alginate, but is not limited to the above types.

[0048] The nicotine may be contained in the smoking article at a concentration of 0.1 to 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the semi-solid medium, and the amount may be adjusted according to the type of smoking article to be manufactured. The nicotine may be contained in the smoking article in gel form by a semi-curing agent, and unlike nicotine contained in the liquid phase, it does not continue to sublimate and can be stably contained.

[0049] As an embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol generating substance may further include a pH adjuster. For example, the pH adjuster may include potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or mixtures thereof. The pH adjuster can adjust the pH of the aerosol generating substance to the alkaline side, thereby promoting the release of flavor components from the aerosol generating substance. In conventional smoking products that include a medium portion having a liquid phase, nicotine is contained in a free alkaline form and continues to sublimate, making pH adjustment, which can increase the volatility of nicotine, somewhat difficult. However, the smoking product of the present invention is characterized by reduced nicotine sublimation due to its semi-solid shape. That is, the smoking product of the present invention can provide a rich flavor expression effect through pH adjustment. In other words, the pH of the medium portion of the present invention can be 7 or higher, more preferably, the pH of the medium portion of the present invention can be 8 or higher.

[0050] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the semi-solid medium can be used by adsorption onto a porous material. The porous material can be any of aerogel, zeolite, or silica, and is not limited to any of these materials, as long as it possesses the properties of a semi-solid medium capable of adsorbing nicotine and aerosol-generating substances as described above.

[0051] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the porous material may include pores with an average maximum diameter of 0.01 mm to 1.5 mm, and have a diameter of 100 cm. 3 / g to 500cm 3 The specific surface area is / g. When the average maximum diameter of the pores is less than 0.01mm, the adsorption of the semi-solid medium is uneven; and when it is greater than 1.5mm, the medium will be over-adsorbed onto the porous material itself. Furthermore, when the specific surface area is less than 100cm², the adsorption is uneven. 3 When the concentration is / g, the semi-solid medium cannot adsorb well; when it is greater than 500cm 3 At / g, nicotine in the semi-solid medium is excessively adsorbed onto the porous material, thus affecting nicotine transfer.

[0052] The porous material can be manufactured in a tubular shape, such that it can be in the form of a semi-solid medium injected into the tubular porous material, or in the form of a semi-solid medium portion adsorbed onto the granular porous material. However, the form of the porous material is just one example; the semi-solid medium portion can be adsorbed and included in various other forms of porous materials. Furthermore, as another example, when the porous material is granular, it can contain an adhesive, allowing the porous material to be stably encapsulated and contained within packaging paper for aggregation. The diameter of the particles can be from 2 mm to 10 mm, but is not limited to this.

[0053] As an example, the smoking article may have a diameter of 4 mm to 10 mm and a circumference of 14 mm to 29 mm. Furthermore, its total length may be 45 mm to 100 mm, but can vary depending on the type and shape of the smoking article to be manufactured, and is therefore not limited thereto.

[0054] The semi-solid medium portion may have a structure enclosed in wrapping paper. According to one embodiment of the invention, the wrapping paper is made of materials such as flax, wood pulp, or paper, and its thickness may be approximately 40 μm to 80 μm, with a porosity of approximately 5000 CU to 50000 CU. When the porosity is less than 5000 CU, the amount of nicotine sublimation in the semi-solid medium portion is reduced when the user smokes; when the porosity is greater than 50000 CU, excessive nicotine sublimation occurs, causing it to migrate to other materials. The wrapping paper may be in the form of further laminated paper sheets, aluminum foil, etc.

[0055] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the smoking article may further include a paper tube portion. The paper tube portion can gather the aerosol generated from the medium portion to the center of the rod and support the semi-solid medium to prevent it from being pushed downstream. The paper tube portion may be made of paper material, polymer material, etc., and may include any material suitable for non-heated tobacco, but is not limited to the aforementioned materials.

[0056] The paper tube may have an outer diameter of approximately 14 mm to 29 mm. The paper tube includes a hollow center, and the appropriate diameter of the hollow center may be in the range of approximately 2 mm to 10 mm, but is not limited thereto.

[0057] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the smoking article includes a filter tip. For example, the filter tip may be a single filter tip, a double filter tip, or a triple filter tip, and when the length of the filter tip is 20 to 30 mm, its suction resistance may be 10 mmWG to 150 mmWG, preferably 40 mmWG to 80 mmWG.

[0058] When the suction resistance value is less than 10 mmWG, the satisfaction during the suction process will decrease; when it is greater than 150 mmWG, the force required during the suction process is too large, which will lead to a decrease in satisfaction. Although the present invention is not limited to the above range, it is preferred that the smoking article including the semi-solid medium part uses a filter tip with a suction resistance in the range of 40 mmWG to 80 mmWG.

[0059] The filter tip packaging paper covering the filter tip has a porosity, which can be approximately 5000 CU to 50000 CU. In the filter tip packaging paper, when the porosity is less than 5000 CU, the filter's effectiveness decreases when the user smokes; when the porosity is greater than 500000 CU, the flavor of the smoking product is affected.

[0060] The filter tip may include a filter filament bundle having a fibrous shape, a filament shape, or both, wherein the filter filament bundle includes at least one of polymers, paper, acetate materials, cellulose acetate, activated carbon, and carbon. However, it is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the filter material may also contain, for example, a fragrance or a fragrance-containing capsule, or include at least one filter material known in the art, such as a carbon adsorbent, activated carbon, etc.

[0061] The capsule may be a spherical or cylindrical capsule with a coating comprising an inner solution containing a fragrance. The material forming the coating of the capsule may be starch and / or a gelling agent. For example, gellan gum or gelatin may be used as a gelling agent. Furthermore, a gelling aid may be used as the material forming the coating of the capsule. Here, calcium chloride, for example, may be used as a gelling aid. Additionally, a plasticizer may be used as the material forming the coating of the capsule. Here, glycerin and / or sorbitol may be used as a plasticizer. Furthermore, a colorant may be used as the material forming the coating of the capsule.

[0062] The inner solution of the capsule may include fragrances, such as menthol, plant essential oils, etc. In some embodiments, a solvent for the fragrances included in the inner solution of the capsule may be, for example, medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides (MCTG). Furthermore, the inner solution may also contain other additives, such as colorants, emulsifiers, thickeners, etc.

[0063] In the non-heated smoking article according to the present invention, flavorings (fragrance agents) may be included in any one or more of the semi-solid medium portion, the paper tube portion, and the filter portion. The flavorings may include naturally occurring flavoring materials, raw herbs, herbal extracts, synthetic materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, peppermint, cinnamon, turmeric, vanilla, cherry, berries, peach, apple, orange, mango, Clementine, lemon, lime, grape, blueberry, citrus fruits, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, sandalwood, bergamot, pine, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom). Blossom, Jasmine, Ylang-ylang, Sage, Peppermint oil from any type of coffee, Eucalyptus, Star anise, Cocoa, Lemongrass, Loipau, Flax, Ginkgo, Hazelnut, Hibiscus, Bay Leaf, Mate, Orange Peel, Rose, Tea (such as green or black tea), Thyme, Juniper Berry, Elderflower, Basil, Bay Leaf, Cumin, Oregano, Paprika, Rosemary, Saffron, Lemon Peel, Perilla, Turmeric, Coriander, Myrtle, Blackcurrant, Valerian, Pimento, Mace, Marjoram, Olive, Lemon Balm, Lemon Basil, Chives, Caraway, Verbena, Tarragon, Limonene, Thymol, Camphene, Flavor Enhancers Enhancers), sugars and / or sugar substitutes (such as sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclosulfonates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, raw herbs, or breath freshening agents. These can be artificial, synthetic, or natural ingredients or mixtures thereof, but are not limited to these.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides an aerosol generation system 3000, which includes: a battery 400; an aerosol generation device 2000 that generates aerosols by means of electricity supplied from the battery 400; and a smoking article 1000 as described above, which is contained in the aerosol generation device 2000 to generate aerosols.

[0065] In this specification, "aerosol generating device" can refer to a device that uses a semi-solid medium to generate aerosols that can be directly inhaled into the user's lungs through the user's mouth. However, Figure 2 Only components relevant to embodiments of the present invention are shown, and those skilled in the art will understand that, in addition to Figure 2 In addition to the components shown, other general-purpose components may also be included. The components of the aerosol generating apparatus 2000 will be described below.

[0066] The aerosol generating device may further include a control unit 600 and a housing space 700 within the battery 400 that houses the smoking product. However, this is merely a preferred embodiment for achieving the purposes of this disclosure, and of course, some components may be added or omitted as needed.

[0067] Figure 2 Each component of the aerosol generating apparatus shown represents a functionally distinct element, and multiple components can be implemented either as an integrated unit in a real physical environment or as a single component separated into multiple detailed functional elements.

[0068] Reference Figure 2 The smoking product 1000 is contained in an aerosol generating system to form an aerosol, and the generated aerosol passes through the smoking product 1000 so that it can be inhaled through the mouth of a user connected to the filter tip.

[0069] The aerosol generation system may include an atomizer 500 capable of generating smoke from aerosol-generating substances. The atomizer generates aerosols by sublimating the semi-solid medium portion of a smoking article contained in a housing space 700. The atomizer 500 may be arranged around the periphery of the housing space and generate atomization by vaporizing the aerosol-generating substances from the semi-solid medium portion of the smoking article contained in the housing space, or it may be located at a distance sufficiently close to generate smoke from the smoking article, although not in direct contact with the housing space. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to these examples.

[0070] As an embodiment of the present invention, the atomizer may include an ultrasonic vibrator. When the aerosol generating device has an atomizer with a structure including a vibrator, vibration is generated by the vibrator, and this vibration is transmitted to the aerosol generating material contained in the semi-solid medium portion of the containment space, thereby enabling it to be converted into a gaseous phase through vaporization and / or sublimation. The atomizer can generate an aerosol by microparticles and discharging nicotine and aerosol generating material contained in the semi-solid medium portion.

[0071] The control unit 600 can control the operation of the aerosol generating device 2000 as a whole. For example, the control unit 600 can control the operation of the atomizer 500 and the battery 400, and can also control the operation of other components included in the aerosol generating device 2000. The control unit 600 can control the power supplied by the battery 400, the operating level of the atomizer 500, etc.

[0072] The battery can be a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries may include, for example, lithium-ion batteries, nickel batteries (e.g., nickel-cadmium batteries), alkaline batteries, and / or others.

[0073] As described above, embodiments have been illustrated with limited accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art can make various technical modifications and variations based on the above description. For example, even if the described techniques are performed in a different order than the described methods, and / or the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, and other constituent elements are combined or integrated in a different form than the described methods, or are replaced or substituted by other constituent elements or equivalents, appropriate results can still be obtained.

[0074] Therefore, other embodiments, other implementations, and equivalents of the claims also fall within the scope of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. A non-heated smoking product, characterized in that, include: Semi-solid medium section; Paper tube department; and Filter tip, The semi-solid medium portion has a semi-solid shape containing nicotine and aerosol-generating substances. The semi-solid medium is adsorbed onto the porous material. The porous material comprises pores with an average maximum diameter of 0.01 mm to 1.5 mm, and has a diameter of 100 cm. 3 / g to 500cm 3 Specific surface area per g.

2. The non-heated smoking product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The aerosol-generating substance is selected from one or more of the group consisting of propylene glycol, glycerol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and tetraethylene glycol.

3. The non-heated smoking product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semi-solid shape is formed from one or more semi-solid agents selected from the group consisting of gelatin, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, carboxymethyl cellulose and alginate.

4. The non-heated smoking product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The porous material is selected from one or more of the group consisting of aerogel, zeolite and silica.

5. The non-heated smoking product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filter tip contains an acetate material.

6. An aerosol generation system, characterized in that, include: Aerosol generating apparatus; and A smoking article, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the article is contained in the aerosol generating apparatus to generate an aerosol.

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