Flavor bar and heat-not-burn flavor inhalation system

Abstract

A flavor wand inserted into a heating chamber of a flavor inhalation device during use and heated from the outer peripheral side by a heater, the flavor wand comprising: a flavor wand section comprising an aerosol substrate and a flavor source; the suction nozzle section is connected to the rear end of the flavor rod section and is provided with a suction nozzle end; the first wrapping sheet is used for wrapping the outermost layer of the flavor rod section; and a second wrapping sheet at least partially wrapping the outermost layer of the nozzle section, where the basis weight and / or thickness of the second wrapping sheet is relatively greater than the first wrapping sheet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flavor stick and a heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, flavor sticks used in heat-not-burn flavor inhalers are known. These inhalers are used to inhale flavors derived from a flavor source without combustion. As one form, a flavor stick is known that includes: a flavor rod section that contains a flavor source and an aerosol matrix; and a mouthpiece section connected to the flavor rod section (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] This type of flavor stick is used together with a flavor inhalation device during inhalation. Typically, the flavor stick is inserted into a heating chamber of the flavor inhalation device and heated by a heater.

[0004] Citation List

[0005] Patent Document

[0006] PTL 1 JP 7021079 B2 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Problems to be Solved

[0008] However, conventionally, there has been a problem that the stick is easily broken when inserted into the heating chamber of the flavor inhalation device. For example, in a so-called slender flavor stick having a small diameter, it is particularly desirable to solve this problem. The present disclosure is designed in view of the above situation and aims to provide a technique that makes the flavor stick less likely to break when inserted into the heating chamber of the flavor inhalation device.

[0009] Solutions to the Problems

[0010] [Aspect 1]

[0011] A flavor stick according to the present disclosure for solving the above problems is a flavor stick that is inserted into a heating chamber of a flavor inhalation device during use and heated from the outer peripheral side by a heater. The flavor stick includes: a flavor rod section that contains an aerosol matrix and a flavor source; a mouthpiece section that is connected to the rear end of the flavor rod section and has a mouthpiece end; a first wrapping sheet that wraps the outermost layer of the flavor rod section; and a second wrapping sheet that at least partially wraps the outermost layer of the mouthpiece section, wherein at least one of the basis weight and the thickness of the second wrapping sheet is relatively larger than that of the first wrapping sheet.

[0012] [Aspect 2]

[0013] In aspect 1, equation (1) can be satisfied, where ρ1 is the basis weight of the first wrapper sheet and ρ2 is the basis weight of the second wrapper sheet.

[0014] 0.3 ≤ ρ1 / ρ2 < 1... (Equation 1)

[0015] [Aspect 3]

[0016] In aspect 1 or 2, equation (2) can be satisfied, where t1 is the thickness of the first wrapper sheet and t2 is the thickness of the second wrapper sheet.

[0017] 0.3 ≤ t1 / t2 < 1... (Equation 2)

[0018] [Aspect 4]

[0019] In any one of aspects 1 to 3, the basis weight ρ2 of the second wrapper sheet can be 50 gsm or greater and 80 gsm or less, and the thickness t2 can be 50 μm or greater and 80 μm or less.

[0020] [Aspect 5]

[0021] In any one of aspects 1 to 4, the mouthpiece section can include a hollow element disposed adjacent to the rear end of the flavor rod section, and the hollow element can include a paper tube. In this case, equation (3) can be satisfied, where t3 is the thickness of the paper tube and D1 is the diameter of the flavor rod.

[0022] 0.015 ≤ t3 / D1 ≤ 0.06... (Equation 3)

[0023] [Aspect 6]

[0024] In any one of aspects 1 to 5, the flavor source can include a reconstituted tobacco sheet, and the reconstituted tobacco sheet can be a sheet that has been curled. Equation (4) can be satisfied, where W is the curled width of the reconstituted tobacco sheet and D1 is the diameter of the flavor rod.

[0025] 0.01 ≤ W / D1 ≤ 0.08... (Equation 4)

[0026] [Aspect 7]

[0027] In any one of aspects 1 to 5, the flavor source can include a reconstituted tobacco sheet, and the reconstituted tobacco sheet can be a sheet that has been curled. Equation (5) can be satisfied, where W is the curled width of the reconstituted tobacco sheet and D1 is the diameter of the flavor rod.

[0028] 0.1 ≤ W / D1 ≤ 0.4... (Equation 5)

[0029] [Aspect 8]

[0030] In any one of Aspects 1 to 7, the total length of the flavor stick can be 60 mm or greater and 85 mm or less, and the length of the flavor rod section can be 20 mm or greater and 30 mm or less.

[0031] [Aspect 9]

[0032] In any one of Aspects 1 to 8, the flavor stick can further include a front section connected to the front end side of the flavor rod section. The ventilation resistance of the front section can be greater than the ventilation resistance of the mouthpiece section.

[0033] [Aspect 10]

[0034] In Aspect 9, Equation (6) can be satisfied, where L1 is the length of the front section and D1 is the diameter of the flavor stick.

[0035] 0.8 ≤ L1 / D1 ≤ 2.0... (Equation 6)

[0036] [Aspect 11]

[0037] In Aspect 10, the length of the front section can be 5 mm or greater and 10 mm or less.

[0038] [Aspect 12]

[0039] In any one of Aspects 1 to 11, the flavor stick can have a ventilation hole for introducing air from the outside into the inside of the mouthpiece section. In the longitudinal direction of the flavor stick, the distance L2 from the rear end of the flavor rod section to the ventilation hole can be less than the distance L3 from the mouthpiece end to the ventilation hole.

[0040] [Aspect 13]

[0041] In Aspect 12, the relationship between the distance L2 and the diameter D1 of the flavor stick can satisfy Equation (7).

[0042] 0.5 ≤ L2 / D1 ≤ 2.0... (Equation 7)

[0043] [Aspect 14]

[0044] The heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product according to the present disclosure may include a flavor inhalation device and a flavor stick according to any one of aspects 1 to 13. The flavor inhalation device may include: a housing in which an insertion port for the flavor stick is formed; a heating chamber formed within the housing and allowing the flavor stick to be inserted through the insertion port; and a heater for heating the flavor stick inserted into the heating chamber from the outer peripheral side.

[0045] [Aspect 15]

[0046] In aspect 14, the insertion port may be formed in the upper wall of the housing, a cleaning port may be formed in the bottom wall of the housing, and the insertion port, the heating chamber, and the cleaning port may be coaxially arranged. An elastic sheet may be further provided to partially cover the cleaning port to form an air inlet for introducing air from the outside into the heating chamber, wherein the elastic sheet is arranged to protrude from the cleaning port toward the heating chamber side in its original shape, and when the flavor stick is inserted into the heating chamber, the front end of the flavor stick may be positioned by contacting the elastic sheet.

[0047] [Aspect 16]

[0048] In aspect 15, inside the housing, a heat insulation member may be provided in the region located between the bottom wall of the housing and the heater.

[0049] [Aspect 17]

[0050] In any one of aspects 14 to 16, the housing may include a separable upper housing and a lower housing.

[0051] [Aspect 18]

[0052] In aspect 17, the insertion port may be formed in the upper housing. A power supply unit may be accommodated in the lower housing such that when the upper housing is removed from the lower housing, the power supply unit is exposed to the outside from the upper open end of the lower housing.

[0053] [Aspect 19]

[0054] In aspect 17 or 18, the heater may be positioned at a position retracted downward from the upper open end of the lower housing.

[0055] [Aspect 20]

[0056] In any one of aspects 17 to 19, a groove may be formed on the outer surface of the housing, the groove straddles the lower open end of the upper housing and the upper open end of the lower housing and extends along the lower open end of the upper housing and the upper open end of the lower housing. A second air inlet for introducing air from the outside into the heating chamber may be formed at the bottom of the groove.

[0057] Advantageous Effects of the Present Invention

[0058] According to the present disclosure, a technique can be provided such that a flavor stick is not easily broken when inserted into a heating chamber of a flavor inhalation device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] Figure 1 is a schematic external view of a flavor inhalation device.

[0060] Figure 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a flavor inhalation device.

[0061] Figure 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a flavor inhalation device.

[0062] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a flavor stick.

[0063] Figure 5 is a view showing an elastic sheet.

[0064] Figure 6 is a view showing a modified example of the elastic sheet.

[0065] Figure 7 is a partial schematic view showing a second air inlet formed in a groove of a housing.

[0066] Figure 8 is a view showing a modified example of a flavor stick.

[0067] Figure 9 is a view showing a state where a flavor stick is inserted into a heating chamber of a flavor inhalation device.

[0068] Figure 10 is a view showing a reconstituted tobacco sheet forming a flavor source.

[0069] Figure 11 is a view showing a modified example of a flavor stick.

[0070] Figure 12 is a view showing a modified example of a flavor inhalation device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] Embodiments of a flavor stick and a heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly stated, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of components disclosed in the following embodiments should not be construed as limiting the technical scope of the present invention to those mentioned.

[0072] The flavor stick according to the present disclosure is a flavor stick that is inserted into a heating chamber of a flavor inhalation device and is provided with a flavor rod, which is heated from the outer peripheral side by a heater provided on the side peripheral portion of the heating chamber.

[0073] <Example 1>

[0074] Figure 1 is a schematic external view of a flavor inhalation device 30 for non-combustion heating of the flavor stick according to Example 1. Figure 2 and Figure 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the flavor inhalation device 30. Figure 2 and Figure 3 shows the internal structure of the flavor inhalation device 30. Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the flavor stick 1 according to Example 1. The flavor inhalation device 30 is an inhalation device used when inhaling the flavor stick 1, and the non-combustion heating flavor inhalation product is composed of the flavor stick 1 and the flavor inhalation device 30.

[0075] As Figures 1 to 3 shown, the flavor inhalation device 30 includes a housing 31 that houses various elements constituting the device, and a heating chamber 34 is formed within the housing 31. The housing 31 also houses a heater 50, a power supply unit 51, a control unit 52, etc. In Figure 1 it, the vertical direction (height direction) of the flavor inhalation device 30 is shown as the X direction, the width direction is shown as the Y direction, and the depth direction is shown as the Z direction. However, these directions are merely illustrative for convenience of explanation.

[0076] In Figure 1 the example shown, the housing 31 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, but the shape of the housing 31 is not particularly limited. The housing 31 includes an upper housing 32 and a lower housing 33. The upper housing 32 and the lower housing 33 are separably joined by joining means. The joining means can be, for example, a snap-fit structure, or other known structures can be adopted. Figure 2 Schematically shows the state in which the upper housing 32 and the lower housing 33 are joined together. Figure 3 Schematically shows the state in which the upper housing 32 is removed from the lower housing 33. In Figure 1 the example shown, the parting line at the connection of the upper housing 32 and the lower housing 33 is generally located in the middle in the height direction (X direction) of the housing 31. However, the position of the parting line of the housing 31 is not particularly limited. Note that Figure 2 the single-dot chain line L shown in

[0077] Inside the housing 31, the heating chamber 34 extends along the vertical direction (X direction) of the flavor inhalation device 30 (housing 31), and this heating chamber allows the flavor stick 1 to be inserted (i.e., can accommodate) through the insertion port 37 described later. For example, the central axis extending along the extending direction of the heating chamber 34 extends parallel to the X direction. The heating chamber 34 is defined by an upper sleeve 35 installed in the upper housing 32 and a lower sleeve 36 installed in the lower housing 33. The upper end of the upper sleeve 35 is fixed to the upper wall 321 of the upper housing 32, for example. The upper sleeve 35 includes a tapered tube section 351 from the upper end side and a straight tube section 352 connected to the lower end of the tapered tube section 351. The straight tube section 352 is a tubular (cylindrical) member with a constant inner diameter, and the tapered tube section 351 is a tubular member formed such that the inner diameter gradually increases from the lower end to the upper end. The lower end of the lower sleeve 36 is fixed to the bottom wall 331 of the lower housing 33, for example. The lower sleeve 36 is a tubular member with a constant inner diameter and has the same inner diameter as the straight tube section 352.

[0078] In a state where the upper housing 32 and the lower housing 33 are joined together, the upper sleeve 35 and the lower sleeve 36 are coaxially arranged, and the lower end 35A of the upper sleeve 35 and the upper end 36A of the lower sleeve 36 are configured to abut against each other in an abutting state. The heating chamber 34 is formed by the cavities formed inside the upper sleeve 35 and the lower sleeve 36. Note that Figure 3 the reference numeral 320 in the figure is the lower opening end of the upper housing 32, and the reference numeral 330 is the upper opening end of the lower housing 33. The lower end 35A of the upper sleeve 35 is arranged flush with the lower opening end 320 of the upper housing 32 in the X direction. Similarly, the upper end 36A of the lower sleeve 36 is arranged flush with the upper opening end 330 of the lower housing 33 in the X direction. In addition, a protrusion 353 is provided on the inner surface of the straight tube section 352 of the upper sleeve 35. This protrusion 353 is a protrusion for preventing the flavor stick 1 inserted into the heating chamber 34 from accidentally moving out (falling out) of the heating chamber 34. The protrusion 353 can be rib-shaped and protrude from the inner surface of the straight tube section 352 toward the heating chamber 34. In addition, the protrusion 353 can be arranged at multiple positions along the circumferential direction of the straight tube section 352.

[0079] The insertion port 37 is formed in the upper wall 321 of the upper housing 32, allowing the flavor stick 1 to be inserted into the heating chamber 34 through the insertion port 37. In other words, the insertion port 37 of the flavor inhalation device 30 communicates with the upper end of the heating chamber 34 and can be regarded as the upper end opening of the heating chamber 34. A sliding baffle member 38 is also provided on the upper wall 321 of the upper housing 32, allowing the baffle member 38 to be freely opened and closed.

[0080] As Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, a cleaning port 39 is formed in the bottom wall 331 of the lower housing 33, and the cleaning port is an opening for cleaning. The flavor inhalation device 30 has an insertion port 37, a heating chamber 34, and a cleaning port 39 that are arranged coaxially in a straight line. The cleaning port 39 can be used to insert the cleaning head of a cleaning tool from the outside (beneath the device) into the heating chamber 34 and remove it from the heating chamber, or conversely, to insert and remove the cleaning head of a cleaning tool inserted into the heating chamber 34 from the insertion port 37 to the outside.

[0081] An elastic (flexible) elastic sheet 40 is attached to the bottom wall 331 of the lower housing 33 to partially cover the cleaning port 39. Figure 5 It is a view showing the elastic sheet 40. (A) is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the cleaning port 39 (bottom side) of the flavor inhalation device 30. The longitudinal section of the flavor inhalation device 30 is a cross section cut along the vertical direction (X direction) of the flavor inhalation device 30. For example, (A) shows a cross section at a position passing through the central axis of the heating chamber 34. (B) is a plan view of the elastic sheet 40 arranged in the cleaning port 39 as viewed from the direction of arrow A shown in (A). The elastic sheet 40 is integrally formed with the mounting portion 41, for example, and is attached to the bottom wall 331 via the mounting portion 41. The mounting portion 41 has an annular shape, for example. A recess 332 (having a counterbore shape and for attaching the mounting portion 41) is formed on the outer surface 331A of the bottom wall 331 at the edge of the cleaning port 39, and the mounting portion 41 is fixed in the recess 332. However, the shape of the mounting portion 41 and its attachment method are not particularly limited.

[0082] The elastic sheet 40 extends from the inner end of the mounting portion 41. The elastic sheet 40 is arranged to protrude (rise) upward in a dome shape from the cleaning port 39 toward the heating chamber 34 side in its original shape. That is, the elastic sheet 40 has a convex shape extending from the inner end of the mounting portion 41 toward the heating chamber 34 side (i.e., upward). The original shape refers to the shape of the elastic sheet 40 when it is not deformed by an external force. The elastic sheet 40 partially covers the cleaning port 39 to form a first air inlet 42 for introducing (inhaling) air from the outside to the bottom of the heating chamber 34.

[0083] In Figure 5 In the example shown in (B), the first air inlet 42 in the elastic sheet 40 includes slits 42A and 42B that intersect in a cross shape. In addition, a circular hole 42C is formed at the intersection of the slits 42A and 42B. Of course, the configuration of the first air inlet 42 in the elastic sheet 40 is not particularly limited. For example, the number of slits is not particularly limited, and the angle at which the slits intersect is not particularly limited.

[0084] As Figure 6As shown, the elastic sheet 40 may include a hole 42C (air inlet) and a cut section 42D. The cut section 42D is a cut formed in the elastic sheet 40. Generally, the lips 43A and 43B located on both sides of the cut section 42D of the elastic sheet 40 are in contact with each other. However, for example, when the user uses the cleaning tool, the elastic sheet 40 is pressed by the cleaning head, causing the cut section 42D to open, thereby allowing easy cleaning with the cleaning tool.

[0085] In this embodiment, the heater 50, the power supply unit 51, and the control unit 52 are accommodated in the lower housing 33, as Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown. The heater 50 is disposed, for example, in the lower sleeve 36. The lower sleeve 36 is a metal tube, such as stainless steel, and the planar heater 50 can be arranged to cover the outer peripheral surface of the metal tube. For example, the heater 50 can be a flexible metal film heater or a film heater. Additionally, an electrical insulating material (such as polyimide) can be disposed on the outer peripheral side of the heater 50 to cover the heater 50. When operating power is supplied from the power supply unit 51, the heater 50 generates heat. As described above, the flavor inhalation device 30 includes a heater 50 disposed on the side peripheral portion of the heating chamber 34, thereby allowing the flavor stick 1 inserted into the heating chamber 34 to be heated from the outer peripheral side. The power supply unit 51 can be configured to include, for example, a lithium-ion battery, a nickel battery, or an alkaline battery, etc. The control unit 52 is an electronic component that performs various controls in the flavor inhalation device 30, and can be, for example, an MCU (microcontroller unit). The MCU is mainly configured with a processor and can further include a memory, which is composed of a storage medium, such as a RAM (random access memory) necessary for the operation of the processor and a ROM (read only memory) for storing various information. For example, the processor is a circuit of combined circuit elements (such as semiconductor elements). During the operation of the flavor inhalation device 30, the control unit 52 controls the power supply from the power supply unit 51 to the heater 50.

[0086] In addition, a heat insulating member 306 is disposed inside the housing 31 of the flavor inhalation device 30. The heat insulating member 306 is positioned in the region between the bottom wall 331 of the housing 31 and the heater 50.

[0087] In this embodiment, the housing 31 has the separable upper housing 32 and lower housing 33 as described above. By removing the upper housing 32 from the lower housing 33, the power supply unit 51 accommodated in the lower housing 33 is allowed to be exposed to the outside through the upper opening end 330 of the lower housing 33. Therefore, it is easy to replace or discard the battery.

[0088] As Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the heater 50 is accommodated inside the lower housing 33. The heater 50 is not arranged in the upper end section of the lower sleeve 36. Accordingly, the heater 50 can be positioned at a location retracted downward from the upper opening end 330 of the lower housing 33. This makes it less likely for a user's finger to directly touch the heater 50 when the upper housing 32 is removed from the lower housing 33.

[0089] In addition, the lower housing 33 can be provided with an operation unit and a notification unit. The operation unit can be operated by the user, and the notification unit is used to notify various information. The operation unit can be, for example, a button switch, but can also be composed of a switch other than the button type or a touch panel. The notification unit can include, for example, a light-emitting element. The notification unit can notify various information according to the color emitted by the light-emitting element. In addition, the notification unit can also be configured to include a vibration element.

[0090] As Figure 1 shown, a groove 300 is formed on the outer surface of the housing 31. The groove 300 straddles the lower opening end 320 of the upper housing 32 and the upper opening end 330 of the lower housing 33, and extends along the lower opening end 320 and the upper opening end 330. The groove 300 is formed to surround the housing 31 along a circumferential direction orthogonal to the height direction (X direction) of the housing 31. A second air inlet for introducing air from the outside into the heating chamber 34 is formed at the bottom of the groove 300 of the groove 300.

[0091] Figure 7 is a partial schematic view showing the second air inlet 301 formed in the groove 300 of the housing 31. Specifically, it shows the schematic configuration of the part surrounded by the chain line B in Figure 2 The reference numeral 302 in Figure 7 is the first half groove formed on the outer surface side of the lower opening end 320 of the upper housing 32, and the reference numeral 303 is the second half groove formed on the outer surface side of the upper opening end 330 of the lower housing 33. When the upper housing 32 and the lower housing 33 are joined together, the first half groove 302 and the second half groove 303 are combined to form the groove 300.

[0092] As Figure 7As shown, the second air inlet 301 opens at the bottom 304 of the groove 300 of the groove. The second air inlet 301 communicates with the heating chamber 34 through the air passage 305, and the air inhaled from the outside through the second air inlet 301 is introduced into the heating chamber 34 through the air passage 305. In this embodiment, the air introduced through the second air inlet 301 and the air passage 305 is introduced to an intermediate position in the height direction of the heating chamber 34, as will be described in detail later. In this embodiment, since the second air inlet 301 opens at the bottom 304 of the groove 300 of the groove, the second air inlet 301 can be prevented from being accidentally blocked by the user's finger when the user holds the housing 31.

[0093] Next, the structure of the flavor stick 1 will be described. As Figure 4 shown, the flavor stick 1 is a so-called slender non-combustible heated flavor inhalation article in which a plurality of rod-shaped segments are connected to each other and have a diameter of, for example, 6 mm or less. In this embodiment, each segment constituting the flavor stick 1 has a cylindrical rod shape. In this specification, the flavor stick 1 having a diameter of 6 mm or less is referred to as a slender type. Moreover, in this specification, the diameter of the flavor stick 1 refers to the diameter of the flavor rod segment 11 described later. The diameter of the flavor stick 1 can be 4 mm or more and 6 mm or less, or can be 5 mm or more and 6 mm or less.

[0094] The flavor stick 1 includes a flavor rod segment 11 and a mouthpiece segment 12, which is connected to the rear end of the flavor rod segment 11 and has a mouthpiece end. The flavor stick 1 has a cylindrical rod form extending in one direction, and Figure 3 the reference numeral CL in the figure is the central axis of the flavor stick 1. It should be noted that the flavor rod segment 11 and the mouthpiece segment 12 are coaxially arranged, and the central axis CL can also be said to be the central axis of the flavor rod segment 11 and the mouthpiece segment 12. Hereinafter, the direction in which the central axis CL extends is also referred to as the axial direction of the flavor rod segment 11 and the mouthpiece segment 12.

[0095] Figure 3 The reference numeral 1a in the figure is the mouthpiece end 1a formed on the rear end (downstream end) side of the flavor stick 1, and the reference numeral 1b is the front end (upstream end) of the flavor stick 1. When inhaling the flavor stick 1, the flavor stick 1 is inserted into the heating chamber 34 of the flavor inhalation device 30 from the front end 1b side. During the inhalation of the flavor stick 1, the air supplied to the heating chamber 34 through the first air inlet 42 of the flavor inhalation device 30 is introduced into the interior of the flavor stick 1 from the front end 1b.

[0096] The flavor rod segment 11 is a segment in which the flavor source 111 is wrapped with wrapping paper 112, and this segment releases flavor components when heated from the outer peripheral side by the heater 50 in a state of being inserted into the heating chamber 34. The flavor source 111 is, for example, a tobacco filler containing an aerosol matrix. The tobacco filler may include, for example, one or more types of cut tobacco, tobacco particles, or reconstituted tobacco materials.

[0097] The reconstituted tobacco material may be in the form of granules or powder obtained by cutting or grinding reconstituted tobacco sheets into small pieces, or the reconstituted tobacco material may be folded without cutting the reconstituted tobacco sheets. The reconstituted tobacco sheets are formed through the following process: adding binders, gelling agents, crosslinking agents, flavoring agents, viscosity regulators, etc. to homogenized tobacco and kneading, and then forming the resulting product into sheets by an appropriate method. The homogenized tobacco is a tobacco material obtained by crushing and mixing tobacco leaves, dried tobacco leaves, cut tobacco, expanded tobacco, and reconstituted tobacco, etc. The reconstituted tobacco sheets may be reconstituted tobacco slurry sheets (reconstituted tobacco casting sheets), reconstituted tobacco paper sheets, or reconstituted tobacco rolled sheets formed by an appropriate method (such as the slurry method, the papermaking method, or the rolling method). For example, the reconstituted tobacco slurry sheets are reconstituted tobacco sheets manufactured by drying and dehydrating the reconstituted tobacco slurry spread on a flat plate. The reconstituted tobacco paper sheets are reconstituted tobacco sheets manufactured by making paper from the reconstituted tobacco slurry mixed with pulp (cellulose fibers). The reconstituted tobacco rolled sheets are reconstituted tobacco sheets manufactured by rolling the reconstituted tobacco slurry into sheets with rollers, etc. and drying the resulting product.

[0098] The tobacco filler may also contain flavoring agents. The type of flavoring agent is not particularly limited. In addition, the flavor source 111 does not necessarily have to be a tobacco filler, as long as it is a material that releases flavor components when heated by the heater 50. In this case, for example, the flavor source 111 may be exemplified by plant materials containing no tobacco components. That is, the flavor source 111 may include one or more selected from the parenchyma, leaf veins, stems, roots, flowers, seeds, and pulp of plants containing no tobacco components. Herbaceous materials can be appropriately used as the flavor source of plant materials containing no tobacco components.

[0099] The filling amount of the flavor source 111 in the flavor rod segment 11 is not particularly limited, and it may be, for example, 140 mg or more and 350 mg or less. Preferably, the filling amount of the flavor source 111 is 140 mg or more and 280 mg or less, more preferably 140 mg or more and 250 mg or less, and even more preferably 140 mg or more and 200 mg or less. The volume of the flavor source 111 is not particularly limited, but it may be, for example, 450 mm 3 or more.

[0100] The aerosol matrix is a matrix that releases volatile substances when heated by the heater 50, and the released volatile substances produce an aerosol when cooled. The type of the aerosol matrix is not particularly limited and may be a liquid containing one or more substances selected from glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, and 1,3-butanediol. The content of the aerosol matrix in the flavor source 111 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, 8% or more by weight.

[0101] In addition, the wrapper paper 112 can be any sheet material capable of wrapping the flavor source 111 into a rod form, and materials such as paper or polymer film can be used. The wrapper paper 112 can be composed of a single sheet material or can be formed by laminating multiple sheet materials. The wrapper paper 112 can also have a coating on the outer surface or the inner surface. For example, the wrapper paper 112 can be a laminated sheet of paper and a polymer film, and a waterproof coating can be applied to either or both of the inner surface and the outer surface. Such a configuration can suppress the formation of stains caused by the volatilization or leakage of the volatile flavor source or the aerosol matrix from the flavor rod segment 11 during the storage or inhalation of the flavor stick 1.

[0102] In Figure 4 the illustrated example, the mouthpiece segment 12 includes a cooling segment 121 and a filtering segment 122. The cooling segment 121 is formed as a hollow element disposed adjacent to the rear end of the flavor rod segment 11. In this embodiment, the flavor rod segment 11 (hollow element) is formed of a paper tube that is processed into a cylindrical shape by laminating one or more sheets of paper. As Figure 3 illustrated, the cooling segment 121 is disposed adjacent to the rear end of the flavor rod segment 11. That is, the cooling segment 121 is disposed behind (downstream of) the flavor rod segment 11, and the filtering segment 122 is disposed behind (downstream of) the cooling segment 121.

[0103] In Figure 3 the illustrated example, the flavor stick 1 is formed by wrapping the flavor rod segment 11 and the mouthpiece segment 12 together with tipping paper 13. The tipping paper 13 is a wrapper sheet material that wraps the flavor rod segment 11 and the mouthpiece segment 12 together. Specifically, the tipping paper 13 wraps the flavor rod segment 11, the cooling segment 121, and the filtering segment 122 together and coaxially connects them. It should be noted that the cooling segment 121 and the filtering segment 122 of the mouthpiece segment 12 can be wrapped together with the wrapper paper and connected into one body, and the integrated mouthpiece segment 12 can be connected to the flavor rod segment 11 with the tipping paper 13. In Figure 4In the illustrated example, the rear side of the flavor rod section 11 and the entire mouthpiece section 12 are wrapped in a state covered by the tipping paper 13. The length of the section of the rear side of the flavor rod section 11 covered by the tipping paper 13 (the length in the rod axial direction) is preferably shortened within a range that allows the flavor rod section 11 and the mouthpiece section 12 to be firmly connected, and is preferably 5 mm or less. This makes it easier for heat to be transferred to the flavor source 111 when the flavor rod section 11 is heated from the outer peripheral side by the heater 50.

[0104] The cooling section 121 is a section for cooling the volatile substances released from the flavor rod section 11 (flavor source 111) during the inhalation of the flavor stick 1. The volatile substances released from the flavor rod section 11 (flavor source 111) are cooled as they flow downstream (backward) along the cooling section 121, thereby promoting the generation of aerosol. As Figure 4 shown, the cooling section 121 has ventilation holes 14 for introducing air into the interior of the mouthpiece section 12. The ventilation holes 14 are formed to penetrate the tipping paper 13 and the cooling section 121 (paper tube) in the thickness direction. During the inhalation of the flavor stick 1, the volatile substances introduced from the flavor rod section 11 are mixed with the air that enters the interior of the cooling section 121 through the ventilation holes 14, thereby promoting the cooling of the volatile substances and the generation of aerosol. However, the flavor stick 1 may not have the ventilation holes 14. In Figure 3 the illustrated configuration example, the ventilation holes 14 are provided on the upstream side (front end side) of the cooling section 121. By setting the position for inhaling air from the ventilation holes 14 to the upstream side (front end side) of the cooling section 121, it is easy to ensure a section for cooling the volatile substances introduced from the flavor rod section 11 into the cooling section 121, thereby enhancing the effect of promoting the cooling of the volatile substances and the generation of aerosol.

[0105] In addition, the inner surface of the paper tube constituting the cooling section 121 may be coated with a polymer coating (such as polyvinyl alcohol) or a polysaccharide (such as pectin). This can increase the cooling effect by utilizing the endothermic heat and heat of dissolution associated with the phase change of the coating. As another aspect of the cooling section 121, a cooling sheet member may be filled inside the cylindrical paper tube.

[0106] The thickness of the material (paper tube) constituting the cooling section 121 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, 5 μm or more and 500 μm or less, or 10 μm or more and 250 μm or less.

[0107] The filter section 122 is a section including, for example, a filter material 1221 and a wrapper paper 1222 that wraps the filter material 1221. For example, the wrapper paper 1222 can be adhered to the outer periphery of the filter material 1221 with an adhesive. The filter material 1221 can be a filter material commonly used in smoking articles. The filter material 1221 can be, for example, a cellulose acetate filter material formed into a cylindrical shape from cellulose acetate fibers. The form of the filter material 1221 is not particularly limited and can be, for example, a center-hole filter material. A center-hole filter material is a filter material having a hollow portion in the central part of the cross-section along the axial direction. For example, it is formed by creating a center hole along the axial direction of the cellulose acetate filter material. Note that the filter material 1221 may also not be wrapped with the wrapper paper 1222.

[0108] The filter section 122 can include a variety of filter materials. For example, the filter section 122 can have a cellulose acetate filter material arranged on the mouthpiece end 1a side, and a center-hole filter material is arranged upstream of the cellulose acetate filter material. Of course, the form of the filter section 122 is not particularly limited and can take other forms. When the filter section 122 includes a variety of filter materials, each filter material can be individually wrapped with a first wrapper paper, and these various filter materials can be jointly wrapped with a second wrapper paper.

[0109] The material of the wrapper paper 1222 is not particularly limited, and known materials can be used. The thickness of the wrapper paper 1222 is not particularly limited and is generally 20 μm or more and 140 μm or less. The basis weight of the wrapper paper 1222 is also not particularly limited and is generally 20 gsm or more and 100 gsm or less. Additionally, a waterproof coating can be applied to either or both of the inner surface and the outer surface of the wrapper paper 1222.

[0110] The material of the tipping paper 13 is not particularly limited and can include paper made from general plant fibers (pulp), sheets using polymer-based chemical fibers (such as polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon), polymer sheets, metal foils, or composite materials combining these. For example, the tipping paper 13 can be made from a composite material by laminating a polymer sheet onto a paper substrate. Additionally, a waterproof coating can be applied to either or both of the inner surface and the outer surface of the tipping paper 13.

[0111] In addition, the flavor stick 1 can adopt various modification examples. Figure 8 is a diagram showing a modification example of the flavor stick 1 according to Embodiment 1. Here, the focus of the explanation is on the differences from the Figure 4 structure shown, and the detailed explanation of common elements is omitted by assigning the same reference numerals.

[0112] In Figure 8In the aspect of the flavor stick 1 shown in (A), only the configuration of the mouthpiece section 12 is different from that of Figure 4 the aspect shown. Figure 8 The mouthpiece section 12 shown in (A) is formed as a section in which the central hole filter material 1221A is wrapped with the wrapping paper 1222. The central hole 1221B is provided to pass through the central portion of the cross-section of the central hole filter material 1221A in the axial direction. Therefore, the central hole provides the functions of both the cooling section and the filtering section. In Figure 8 the aspect shown in (A), ventilation holes 14 are formed in the mouthpiece section 12. The ventilation holes 14 penetrate the tipping paper 13, the wrapping paper 1222, and the central hole filter material 1221A in the thickness direction, thereby allowing external air to be introduced into the central hole 1221B.

[0113] In Figure 8 the aspect of the flavor stick 1 shown in (B), only the configuration of the mouthpiece section 12 is different from that of Figure 3 the aspect shown. Figure 8 The mouthpiece section 12 shown in (B) includes a support section 123, a cooling section 121, and a filtering section 122. The support section 123, the cooling section 121, and the filtering section 122 are arranged in this order from the front end side (upstream side) of the mouthpiece section 12. The support section 123 is a section of a hollow element that is arranged to contact the rear end of the flavor rod section 11, thereby supporting the rear end of the flavor rod section 11 with its front surface. The support section 123 is formed as a section in which the central hole filter material 1231 is wrapped with the wrapping paper 1232. The central hole 1233 is provided to pass through the central portion of the cross-section of the central hole filter material 1231 in the axial direction. During inhalation of the flavor stick 1, the volatile substances released from the flavor rod section 11 (flavor molding body 22) flow through the central hole 1233 of the support section 123.

[0114] In Figure 8 the aspect of the flavor stick 1 shown in (C), the difference from the aspect shown in Figure 4 is that the front section 15 is connected to the front end side of the flavor rod section 11. In Figure 8In the flavor stick 1 shown in (C), the front end 1b of the flavor stick 1 is formed by the front end surface of the front section 15. The front section 15 is a member for preventing the volatile substances released from the flavor rod section 11 from leaking out from the front end 1b side of the flavor stick 1. The front section 15 includes a plug material 151 having a cylindrical shape and a wrapper paper 152 that wraps the plug material 151. The plug material 151 can be, for example, a member formed of cellulose acetate fibers into a cylindrical shape. The front section 15 can adopt other configurations, such as a paper filter in which sheet-like pulp paper is filled in the wrapper paper 152. In the case of the paper filter, this is preferable because it is less likely to be deformed by the heat of the heater 50. When cellulose acetate fibers are used for the plug material 151, it can be configured not to include a plasticizer such as triacetin. This makes it easier to prevent the plug material 151 from being deformed (shrunk) by the heat of the heater 50. Instead of forming the plug material 151 with a fibrous body, the plug material 151 can be formed with a porous body.

[0115] In Figure 8 In the example shown in (C), the first tipping paper 16 wraps the front section 15, the flavor rod section 11, and the cooling section 121. The first tipping paper 16 adheres to the outer peripheral surfaces of the front section 15, the flavor rod section 11, and the cooling section 121, thereby connecting them integrally. The intermediate assembly in which the front section 15, the flavor rod section 11, and the cooling section 121 are integrated by the first tipping paper 16 is connected to the filter section 122 by wrapping them together with a second tipping paper 17. The second tipping paper 17 adheres to the first tipping paper 16, the cooling section 121, and the filter section 122.

[0116] In Figure 8 In the example shown in (C), the front end position of the first tipping paper 16 coincides with the front end of the front section 15 (the front end 1b of the flavor stick 1), and the rear end position of the first tipping paper 16 is positioned at the middle part in the axial direction of the cooling section 121. The rear end position of the second tipping paper 17 coincides with the rear end of the filter section 122 (the mouthpiece end 1a of the flavor stick 1). The front end position of the second tipping paper 17 is arranged at the upstream side (front end side) position of the cooling section 121 and is positioned on the front end 1b side (upstream side) of the flavor stick 1 compared with the rear end of the first tipping paper 16. As Figure 8 shown in (C), the first tipping paper 16 and the second tipping paper 17 partially overlap and adhere, such that the front end side of the second tipping paper 17 covers the rear end side of the first tipping paper 16 from the outside.

[0117] In Figure 8 In the configuration example shown in (C), ventilation holes 14 are formed on the upstream side (front end side) of the cooling section 121. In Figure 8In the aspect shown in (C), only the first tipping paper 16 is wrapped around the upstream side (front end side) of the cooling section 121, and both the first tipping paper 16 and the second tipping paper 17 are wrapped around the downstream side (rear end side) of the cooling section 121. The vent hole 14 is arranged in the upstream region of the cooling section 121, and only the first tipping paper 16 wraps this upstream region. By arranging the vent hole 14 at a position where the first tipping paper 16 and the second tipping paper 17 do not overlap, the output of the laser used to form the vent hole 14 during the manufacture of the flavor stick 1 can be kept low.

[0118] As described above, the variations of the flavor stick 1 have been explained with reference to Figure 8 (A) to Figure 8 (C), but the variations of the flavor stick 1 are not limited to these, and various aspects can be adopted. For example, Figure 8 the mouthpiece section 12 of the flavor stick 1 shown in (C) can be replaced with Figure 8 (A) or Figure 8 the mouthpiece section 12 shown in (B).

[0119] Figure 9 is a view showing a state in which the flavor stick 1 is inserted into the heating chamber 34 of the flavor inhalation device 30. In this stick insertion state, the heater 50 operates to heat the flavor rod section 11 of the flavor stick 1 from the outer peripheral side, so that volatile substances containing flavor components are released from the flavor source 111.

[0120] The flavor stick 1 is positioned in a state where the front end 1b is inserted into the heating chamber 34 until a specified position (the bottom of the heating chamber 34), and at this specified position, the flavor stick contacts the elastic sheet 40. When the front end 1b of the flavor stick 1 inserted into the heating chamber 34 contacts the elastic sheet 40, the elasticity of the elastic sheet 40 provides a sense of insertion for the flavor stick 1 and allows the flavor stick 1 to be inserted into an appropriate position. As Figure 8 shown, when the flavor stick 1 is inserted until the bottom of the heating chamber 34, the mouthpiece section 12 of the flavor stick 1 is held by the protrusion 353 of the heating chamber 34 (upper sleeve 35). This prevents the flavor stick 1 from accidentally falling out of the heating chamber 34.

[0121] The flavor inhalation device 30 is configured as a bottom-flow inhalation device, in which air is introduced into the bottom of the heating chamber 34. That is, during the inhalation of the flavor stick 1 using the flavor inhalation device 30, air is introduced into the bottom of the heating chamber 34 through the first air inlet 42 formed in the bottom wall 331 of the housing 31 (lower housing 33) (more specifically, the elastic sheet 40 provided in the cleaning port 39). The air introduced into the bottom of the heating chamber 34 from the first air inlet 42 enters the flavor stick 1 from the front end 1b of the flavor stick 1, and the volatile substances released from the flavor source 111 by heating with the heater 50 are mixed with the air to generate an aerosol.

[0122] In addition, the flavor inhalation device 30 has a second air inlet 301 (see Figure 7 ). The air inhaled into the housing 31 from the second air inlet 301 of the flavor inhalation device 30 is introduced through the air passage 305 into the middle part in the height direction of the heating chamber 34. The air introduced into the middle part of the heating chamber 34 from the second air inlet 301 is introduced into the interior of the mouthpiece section 12 through the vent holes 14 of the flavor stick 1, and the volatile substances and aerosol flowing from the flavor rod section 11 to the mouthpiece section 12 are cooled by the air. As Figure 9 shown, the height of the vent holes 14 in the flavor stick 1 inserted until the bottom of the heating chamber 34 can be designed to roughly match the height of the second air inlet 301 in the flavor inhalation device 30. This allows the air from the second air inlet 301 to be efficiently guided to the vent holes 14 in the flavor stick 1 while keeping the flow path length of the air passage 305 short.

[0123] In addition, during the use of the flavor inhalation device 30, during the intervals when the user is not inhaling the flavor stick 1 (hereinafter referred to as "inhalation intervals"), or during the preheating of the heater 50, it is not preferable for the aerosol (smoke) to leak from the vent holes 14 of the flavor stick 1 into the heating chamber 34, flow back through the air passage 305 and leak to the outside of the housing 31 from the second air inlet 301. Therefore, it is preferable that the flavor inhalation device 30 is designed such that the ventilation resistance of the air passage 305 is greater than the ventilation resistance of the gap formed between the heating chamber 34 and the flavor stick 1. By doing so, it is possible to appropriately prevent the aerosol (smoke) from leaking to the outside of the housing 31 through the air passage 305 and the second air inlet 301 during the user's inhalation intervals or during the preheating of the heater 50.

[0124] In addition, the elastic sheet 40 of the flavor inhalation device 30 is set in a dome shape that rises from the cleaning port 39 toward the heating chamber 34 side (i.e., upward). Therefore, even if condensate is formed by cooling the volatile substances released from the flavor rod section 11 and the condensate drips from the front end 1b of the flavor stick 1, the condensate flows along the surface of the elastic sheet 40 rising in a dome shape and accumulates on the mounting portion 41 (i.e., accumulates at the bottom of the heating chamber 34). As a result, it is possible to prevent the droplets (the above-mentioned condensate) from leaking to the outside of the housing 31 through the first air inlet 42.

[0125] In addition, the flavor inhalation device 30 is provided with a heat insulation member 306 in the region between the bottom wall 331 of the housing 31 and the heater 50. Therefore, it is possible to make it difficult for the heat of the heater 50 to be transferred to the bottom wall 331 of the housing 31. As a result, during the use of the flavor inhalation device 30, it is less likely that the fingers of the user holding the housing 31 will feel heat. As Figure 9As shown, when the flavor stick 1 is inserted into the heating chamber 34 of the flavor inhalation device 30 until the specified position, the nozzle end 1a side of the flavor stick 1 is exposed to the outside from the insertion port 37. The length of the portion of the flavor stick 1 protruding (exposed) from the insertion port 37 is not particularly limited, but may protrude about 15 mm to 20 mm.

[0126] As described above, the flavor stick 1 in this embodiment is an elongated non-combustion heated flavor inhalation article, and the heating chamber 34 of the flavor inhalation device 30 used for its inhalation is also of a small diameter. The nozzle section 12 of the flavor stick 1 usually includes a hollow element inside, which tends to weaken its stiffness. For this reason, there is a problem that when the flavor stick 1 is inserted into the heating chamber 34 of the flavor inhalation device 30, the nozzle section 12 may be easily broken. Therefore, in this embodiment, the flavor stick 1 adopts a structure such that the nozzle section 12 is not easily broken when inserted into the heating chamber 34.

[0127] Specifically, the flavor stick 1 in this embodiment includes a first wrapping sheet that wraps the outermost layer of the flavor rod section 11 and a second wrapping sheet that at least partially wraps the outermost layer of the nozzle section 12, wherein at least one of the basis weight and thickness of the second wrapping sheet is relatively greater than that of the first wrapping sheet.

[0128] In Figure 4 and Figure 8 In the flavor stick 1 shown in (A) and (B), the wrapping paper 112 corresponds to the first wrapping sheet, and the tipping paper 13 corresponds to the second wrapping sheet. In this case, at least one of the basis weight and thickness of the tipping paper 13 is made relatively greater than that of the wrapping paper 112. In Figure 8 In the flavor stick 1 shown in (C), the first tipping paper 16 corresponds to the first wrapping sheet, and the second tipping paper 17 corresponds to the second wrapping sheet. In this case, at least one of the basis weight and thickness of the second tipping paper 17 is made relatively greater than that of the first tipping paper 16. In this regard, the stiffness of the nozzle section 12 can be increased. As a result, when the flavor stick 1 is inserted into the heating chamber 34 of the flavor inhalation device 30, the nozzle section 12 becomes not easily broken.

[0129] Here, it is preferably satisfied with formula (1), where ρ1 is the basis weight of the first wrapping sheet and ρ2 is the basis weight of the second wrapping sheet.

[0130] 0.3 ≤ ρ1 / ρ2 < 1... (Formula 1)

[0131] In addition, it is preferably satisfied with formula (2), where t1 is the thickness of the first wrapping sheet and t2 is the thickness of the second wrapping sheet.

[0132] 0.3 ≤ t1 / t2 < 1... (Equation 2)

[0133] There are no particular restrictions on the basis weight ρ1 and the thickness t2 of the first wrapping sheet, but one example is an aspect where the basis weight ρ1 is 20 gsm or more and less than 50 gsm, and the thickness t2 is 30 μm or more and less than 50 μm. By doing so, the thermal conductivity of the first wrapping sheet increases, thereby allowing the flavor rod section 11 to be effectively heated from the outer peripheral side when the heater 50 operates.

[0134] In addition, it is preferable to set the basis weight ρ2 of the second wrapping sheet to 50 gsm or more and 80 gsm or less, and set the thickness t2 to 50 μm or more and 80 μm or less. By doing so, the stiffness of the mouthpiece section 12 can be increased, so that when the flavor stick 1 is inserted into the heating chamber 34 of the flavor inhalation device 30, the mouthpiece section 12 is not easily broken.

[0135] In addition, as in Figure 4 or Figure 8 In the flavor stick 1 shown in (C), when the cooling section 121 (hollow element) adjacent to the rear end of the flavor rod section 11 is configured to include a paper tube, it is preferable to satisfy Equation (3), where t3 is the thickness of the paper tube and D1 is the diameter of the flavor stick 1.

[0136] 0.015 ≤ t3 / D1 ≤ 0.06... (Equation 3)

[0137] By defining the relationship between the thickness t3 of the paper tube constituting the cooling section 121 (hollow element) and the diameter D1 of the flavor stick 1 as described above, when the flavor stick 1 is inserted into the heating chamber 34 of the flavor inhalation device 30, the cooling section 121 (hollow element) is not easily broken.

[0138] In addition, as in Figure 8 (A) and Figure 8 (B) shown, when hollow elements such as the central hole filter materials 1221A, 1231 are arranged adjacent to the rear end of the flavor rod section 11, it is preferable to satisfy Equation (3.1), where D2 is the inner diameter of the central hole filter material and D1 is the diameter of the flavor stick 1.

[0139] 0.3 ≤ D2 / D1 ≤ 0.6... (Equation 3.1)

[0140] By defining the relationship between the inner diameter D2 of the central hole filter material and the diameter D1 of the flavor stick 1 in this way, when the flavor stick 1 is inserted into the heating chamber 34 of the flavor inhalation device 30, the central hole filter materials 1221A, 1231 (hollow elements) are not easily broken.

[0141] In addition, when the flavor source 111 of the flavor rod section 11 includes a reconstituted tobacco sheet, the reconstituted tobacco sheet may be a sheet that has been curled (processed to add creases in the longitudinal direction), and such a reconstituted tobacco sheet folded into an aggregated form may be wrapped with a wrapping paper 112. Figure 10 FIG. Figure 10 is a view showing a reconstituted tobacco sheet 113 that forms the flavor source 111. Reference numeral 114 is a crease of the reconstituted tobacco sheet 113 that has been curled. A plurality of creases 114 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the reconstituted tobacco sheet 113. For example, the reconstituted tobacco sheet 113 has creases 114 formed at regular intervals in the width direction. Here, the interval between the creases 114 is referred to as the curl width W.

[0142] The relationship between the curl width W of the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the diameter D1 of the flavor rod 1 is preferably such that Equation (4) is satisfied.

[0143] 0.01 ≤ W / D1 ≤ 0.08... (Equation 4)

[0144] By defining the relationship between the curl width W of the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the diameter D1 of the flavor rod 1 as described above and reducing the curl width W of the reconstituted tobacco sheet 113, it becomes easier to wrap the reconstituted tobacco sheet 113 folded into an aggregated form with the wrapping paper 112, making it suitable for the slender flavor rod 1. In this case, the curl width W of the reconstituted tobacco sheet 113 may be, for example, 0.1 mm or more and 0.4 mm or less.

[0145] In addition, the relationship between the curl width W of the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the diameter D1 of the flavor rod 1 is preferably such that Equation (5) is satisfied.

[0146] 0.1 ≤ W / D ≤ 0.4... (Equation 5)

[0147] By defining the relationship between the curl width W of the reconstituted tobacco sheet and the diameter D1 of the flavor rod 1 as described above and increasing the curl width W, the ventilation resistance of the flavor rod section 11 can be reduced. In this case, the curl width W of the reconstituted tobacco sheet 113 may be, for example, 0.7 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less.

[0148] In addition, when a reconstituted tobacco sheet cut into strips is used as the flavor source 111 of the flavor rod section 11, the width in the short side direction may be, for example, 0.1 mm or more and 0.4 mm or less. By doing so, it becomes easier to wrap the plurality of cut pieces of the reconstituted tobacco sheet cut into strips with the wrapping paper 112, making it suitable for the slender flavor rod 1.

[0149] As Figure 8As explained in (C), when the flavor stick 1 includes the front section 15, preferably, the ventilation resistance of the front section 15 is greater than that of the mouthpiece section 12. By increasing the ventilation resistance of the front section 15 in this way, leakage of smoke (aerosol) from the front end 1b of the flavor stick 1 can be suppressed. In particular, since the flavor inhalation device 30 in this embodiment is an underflow device, suppressing leakage of smoke (aerosol) from the front end 1b of the flavor stick 1 can prevent smoke (aerosol) from leaking from the first air inlet 42 (cleaning port 39) of the flavor inhalation device 30.

[0150] In the elongated flavor stick 1 as in this embodiment, during inhalation, the internal pressure tends to increase, making it easier for smoke (aerosol) to leak from the front end 1b. Therefore, it is preferable to increase the axial length of the front section 15.

[0151] Therefore, the relationship between the length L1 of the front section 15 and the diameter D1 of the flavor stick 1 preferably satisfies Equation (6).

[0152] 0.8 ≤ L1 / D1 ≤ 2.0... (Equation 6)

[0153] In addition, the length of this front section can be 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less.

[0154] By doing so, leakage of smoke (aerosol) from the front end 1b of the flavor stick 1 can be more appropriately suppressed.

[0155] Next, the position of the ventilation hole 14 in the flavor stick 1 will be described. In the longitudinal direction of the flavor stick 1, preferably, the distance L2 from the rear end of the flavor rod section 11 to the ventilation hole 14 is defined to be less than the distance L3 from the mouthpiece end 1a to the ventilation hole 14. By arranging the opening position of the ventilation hole 14 near the rear end of the flavor rod section 11 in this way, the aerosol can be cooled from a position immediately downstream of the flavor rod section 11.

[0156] In particular, preferably, the relationship between the distance L2 from the rear end of the flavor rod section 11 to the ventilation hole 14 and the diameter D1 of the flavor stick 1 satisfies Equation (7).

[0157] 0.5 ≤ L2 / D1 ≤ 2.0... (Equation 7)

[0158] By defining the relationship between the distance L2 from the rear end of the flavor rod section 11 to the ventilation hole 14 and the diameter D1 of the flavor stick 1 in this way, the cooling effect of the air introduced from the ventilation hole 14 on the aerosol can be enhanced. In addition, the distance L2 from the rear end of the flavor rod section 11 to the ventilation hole 14 can be 3 mm or more and 12 mm or less.

[0159] The total length of the flavor stick 1 is not particularly limited. However, for example, as a long stick, it can be 60 mm or greater and 85 mm or less, and as a short stick, it can be 40 mm or greater and 50 mm or less.

[0160] The length of each segment constituting the flavor stick 1 can be appropriately adjusted according to the total length of the flavor stick 1, the type of the flavor stick 1, the number of segments included therein, and the like. For example, in the case of the long flavor stick 1 with a total length of 60 mm or greater and 85 mm or less, the length of the flavor rod segment 11 can be 20 mm or greater and 30 mm or less. Additionally, the length of the cooling segment 121 can be 10 mm or greater and 25 mm or less for the long flavor stick 1 and 5 mm or greater and 15 mm or less for the short flavor stick 1, but this is not a limitation.

[0161] Furthermore, the configurations of the flavor stick 1 according to this embodiment and the flavor inhalation device 30 for inhaling the flavor stick can be appropriately changed. For example, as Figure 8 explained in (C), when the current segment 15 is provided at the front end of the flavor stick 1, the front segment 15 can be attached to the front portion of the flavor rod segment 11 in such a manner that the side portion (hereinafter referred to as "front side portion") 151A on the front end side of the plug material 151 located in the front segment 15 is exposed, as Figure 11 shown. Figure 11 is a partial side view of the front end 1b side of the flavor stick 1 according to a modified example. In the aspect shown in Figure 11 , the front side portion 151A of the plug material 151 is not covered by the wrapping paper 152 and the first tipping paper 16 and is exposed to the outside. For example, at the front end of the plug material 151, the cellulose acetate fibers constituting the plug material 151 are in an exposed state. The axial length of the region where the front side portion 151A of the plug material 151 is exposed to the outside can be, for example, 0.1 mm or greater and 3 mm or less. By exposing the front side portion 151A of the plug material 151 to the outside in this way, the condensate that drips onto the bottom (mounting portion 41) of the heating chamber 34 through the front side portion 151A during the inhalation of the flavor stick 1 becomes easier to absorb.

[0162] In addition, Figures 1 to 3 the shown flavor inhalation device 30 is formed such that the heating chamber 34 extends substantially over the entire section from the upper end to the lower end inside the housing 31, and a structure mainly suitable for the long flavor stick 1 is illustrated, but the length of the section where the heating chamber 34 is formed inside the housing 31 can be appropriately changed to match the length of the flavor stick 1 used.

[0163] Figure 12 is a diagram showing the flavor inhalation device 30A suitable for using the short flavor stick 1.Figure 12 shows the internal structure of the flavor inhalation device 30A. Moreover, Figure 12 schematically shows the state in which the upper housing 32 is removed from the lower housing 33, similar to Figure 3 . The flavor inhalation device 30A has an internal structure of the lower housing 33 different from that of the above-described flavor inhalation device 30. Specifically, in the flavor inhalation device 30A, the lower sleeve 36 installed in the lower housing 33 has a bottom wall 361 forming the bottom surface of the heating chamber 34, and an air inlet 362 is formed in the bottom wall 361. The air inlet 362 is formed as a through hole penetrating the bottom wall 361 in the thickness direction.

[0164] In addition, the ventilation port 334 is open in the bottom wall 331 of the lower housing 33, so as to penetrate the bottom wall 331 in the thickness direction. The ventilation port 334 formed in the bottom wall 331 and the air inlet 362 formed in the bottom wall 361 are communicated through the air passage 333. As a result, the flavor inhalation device 30A can introduce air from the outside of the housing into the bottom of the heating chamber 34 through the ventilation port 334, the air passage 333, and the air inlet 362. In Figure 12 the shown flavor inhalation device 30A, the insertion port 37, the heating chamber 34, and the ventilation port 334 are arranged coaxially in a straight line. In addition, the flavor inhalation device 30A is not provided with the cleaning port 39 or the elastic sheet 40. By adjusting Figure 12 the lengths of the lower sleeve 36 and the air passage 333 in the shown flavor inhalation device 30A, an inhalation device suitable for flavor rods 1 of various lengths (including short flavor rods 1) can be provided.

[0165] As a product form, the flavor rod 1 can be accommodated in a package. When a plurality of flavor rods 1 are accommodated in the package, each flavor rod 1 can be individually packaged. In the above-described embodiments and modification examples, a so-called slender flavor rod is given as an example, and a specific form for solving the problem that the flavor rod is easily broken during insertion into the heating chamber of the flavor inhalation device is described, but the present invention can also be applied to flavor rods other than the so-called slender flavor rods. For example, the flavor rod can have a diameter greater than 6 mm and 7.5 mm or less.

[0166] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the flavor rod and the heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product according to the present invention are not limited to these. In addition, each aspect disclosed in the above-described embodiments and modification examples can be combined with any other aspect disclosed in this specification.

[0167] List of reference numerals

[0168] 1... Flavor rod

[0169] 11... Flavor rod section

[0170] 12... Suction nozzle section

[0171] 13... Filter paper

[0172] 30... Flavor inhalation device

[0173] 31... Housing

[0174] 34... Heating chamber

[0175] 40... Elastic sheet

[0176] 50... Heater

Claims

1. A flavor stick that is inserted into a heating chamber of a flavor inhalation device during use and heated from an outer peripheral side by a heater, the flavor stick comprising: A flavor rod segment, which contains an aerosol matrix and a flavor source; A mouthpiece segment, which is connected to the rear end of the flavor rod segment and has a mouthpiece end; a first wrapping sheet, which wraps the outermost layer of the flavor rod segment; and a second wrapping sheet, which at least partially wraps the outermost layer of the mouthpiece segment, wherein at least one of the basis weight and thickness of the second wrapping sheet is relatively greater than that of the first wrapping sheet.

2. The flavor stick according to claim 1, wherein Satisfy formula (1), in which ρ1 is the basis weight of the first wrapping sheet, and ρ2 is the basis weight of the second wrapping sheet, 0.3 ≤ ρ1 / ρ2 < 1... (Formula 1).

3. The flavor stick according to claim 1 or 2, wherein Satisfy formula (2), in which t1 is the thickness of the first wrapping sheet, and t2 is the thickness of the second wrapping sheet, 0.3 ≤ t1 / t2 < 1... (Formula 2).

4. The flavor stick according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The basis weight ρ2 of the second wrapping sheet is 50 gsm or more and 80 gsm or less, and the thickness t2 is 50 μm or more and 80 μm or less.

5. The flavor stick according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The mouthpiece segment includes a hollow element disposed adjacent to the rear end of the flavor rod segment, the hollow element includes a paper tube, and satisfy formula (3), in which t3 is the thickness of the paper tube, and D1 is the diameter of the flavor rod, 0.015 ≤ t3 / D1 ≤ 0.06... (Formula 3).

6. The flavor stick according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The flavor source includes a reconstituted tobacco sheet, the reconstituted tobacco sheet is a sheet that has been curled, and satisfy formula (4), in which W is the curled width of the reconstituted tobacco sheet, and D1 is the diameter of the flavor rod, 0.01 ≤ W / D1 ≤ 0.08... (Formula 4).

7. The flavor bar according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The flavor source includes a reconstituted tobacco sheet, the reconstituted tobacco sheet is a sheet that has been curled, and satisfy formula (5), in which W is the curled width of the reconstituted tobacco sheet, and D1 is the diameter of the flavor rod, 0.1 ≤ W / D1 ≤ 0.4... (Formula 5).

8. The flavor stick according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The total length of the flavor rod is 60 mm or more and 85 mm or less, and the length of the flavor rod segment is 20 mm or more and 30 mm or less.

9. The flavor bar according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a front section connected to the front end side of the flavor rod section, wherein, The ventilation resistance of the front segment is greater than that of the mouthpiece segment.

10. The flavor stick according to claim 9, wherein Satisfy formula (6), in which L1 is the length of the front segment, and D1 is the diameter of the flavor rod, 0.8 ≤ L1 / D1 ≤ 2.0... (Formula 6).

11. The flavor stick according to claim 9 or 10, wherein, The length of the front segment is 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less.

12. The flavor stick according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the flavor stick having a vent hole for introducing air from the outside into the inside of the mouthpiece section, wherein, In the longitudinal direction of the flavor rod, the distance L2 from the rear end of the flavor rod segment to the ventilation hole is less than the distance L3 from the mouthpiece end to the ventilation hole.

13. The flavor stick according to claim 12, wherein, The relationship between the distance L2 and the diameter D1 of the flavor rod satisfies formula (7), 0.5 ≤ L2 / D1 ≤ 2.0... (Formula 7).

14. A heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product, comprising a flavor inhalation device and a flavor stick according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The flavor inhalation device includes: a housing, in which an insertion port for the flavor rod is formed; a heating chamber, which is formed in the housing and allows the flavor rod to be inserted through the insertion port; and a heater, which is used to heat the flavor rod inserted into the heating chamber from the outer peripheral side.

15. The heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product according to claim 14, wherein, The insertion port is formed in the upper wall of the housing, and the cleaning port is formed in the bottom wall of the housing. The insertion port, the heating chamber, and the cleaning port are coaxially arranged. An elastic sheet is further provided to partially cover the cleaning port to form an air inlet for introducing air from the outside into the heating chamber. The elastic sheet is arranged to protrude from the cleaning port toward the heating chamber side in its original shape, and when the flavor stick is inserted into the heating chamber, the front end of the flavor stick is positioned by contacting the elastic sheet.

16. The heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product according to claim 15, wherein, Inside the housing, a heat insulation member is provided in the region located between the bottom wall of the housing and the heater.

17. The heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein The housing includes an upper housing and a lower housing that are separable from each other.

18. The heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product according to claim 17, wherein, The insertion port is formed in the upper housing, and the power supply unit is accommodated in the lower housing such that when the upper housing is removed from the lower housing, the power supply unit is exposed to the outside from the upper open end of the lower housing.

19. The heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product according to claim 17 or 18, wherein The heater is positioned at a position retracted downward from the upper open end of the lower housing.

20. The heat-not-burn flavor inhalation product according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein, A groove is formed on the outer surface of the housing. The groove straddles the lower open end of the upper housing and the upper open end of the lower housing and extends along the lower open end and the upper open end. A second air inlet for introducing air from the outside into the heating chamber is formed at the bottom of the groove.

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