Aerosol generating medium section, preparation method thereof and aerosol generating product

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an aerosol generating medium section, a preparation method thereof and an aerosol generating product. The preparation method of the aerosol generating medium section comprises the following steps: preparing slurry, wherein the slurry comprises a base material and fuming medium gel; carrying out tape casting on the slurry to form a sheet-shaped substrate; winding the sheet matrix to form a winding structure; the wound structure is cut to form aerosol-generating media segments. According to the aerosol generating medium section and the preparation method thereof, the aerosol generating product contains the fuming medium gel, and the fuming medium in the fuming medium gel is located in the meshes of the three-dimensional network structure, so that the intermolecular acting force of the fuming medium is improved, the hydrophilic capacity of the fuming medium is reduced, and the fuming effect is improved. And the possibility that the fuming medium is damped and mildewed during the storage period of the aerosol generating medium section can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of this application relate to the field of aerosol generation technology, and in particular to an aerosol generation medium segment and its preparation method, and an aerosol generation product. Background Technology

[0002] The aerosol generating medium section can form aerosols by ignition or by heating without combustion. In the heated but non-combustible aerosol generating medium section, an external heat source is used to heat the section just enough to release aerosols. The aerosol generating medium section does not burn; instead, it is loaded with a smoke-generating agent, and aerosols are released by heating the aerosol generating matrix during use.

[0003] There may be a shelf-storage period between when the aerosol generating medium is manufactured and when it is actually used. During this period, the aerosol generating medium provided in the relevant technology may experience problems such as the smoke-generating medium becoming damp and moldy. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the embodiments of this application aim to provide an aerosol generating medium segment and its preparation method, as well as an aerosol generating article, that can at least partially solve the above problems.

[0005] The first aspect of this application provides a method for preparing an aerosol generating medium segment, the method comprising: preparing a slurry, the slurry comprising a base material and a fumigating medium gel; casting the slurry to form a sheet matrix; winding the sheet matrix to form a wound structure; and cutting the wound structure to form an aerosol generating medium segment.

[0006] In some embodiments, the base material comprises powder of one or more herbal plants; and / or the smoking medium gel is a mixture of a smoking agent, an adhesive, and an emulsifier; and / or the slurry further comprises fibers and / or a flavoring medium.

[0007] In some embodiments, the adhesive comprises at least one of sodium alginate, pectin, guar gum, guar gum, and flaxseed gum; and / or the emulsifier comprises at least one of glyceryl stearate, lecithin, sucrose ester, and phytosterols.

[0008] In some embodiments, the preparation of the slurry includes: mixing 30-35 parts by weight of a base material, 30-35 parts by weight of a smoking medium gel, 10-15 parts by weight of a plant fiber solution, 10-15 parts by weight of water, 10-15 parts by weight of a flavoring agent, 1-2 parts by weight of a nicotine preparation and / or a cooling agent to form the slurry.

[0009] In some embodiments, the preparation of the slurry includes: mixing glycerol with 0.1-0.2% by mass of an adhesive and 1%-6% by mass of an emulsifier, and stirring at 60-90°C to form the fuming medium gel.

[0010] In some embodiments, prior to the step of casting the slurry into a sheet-like medium, the method further includes: foaming the slurry.

[0011] In some embodiments, the foaming treatment of the slurry includes: agitating the slurry at a set temperature to expand the volume of the slurry to 1.1-2 times its initial volume, wherein the fumigating medium gel has fluidity at the set temperature.

[0012] In some embodiments, casting the slurry to form a sheet matrix includes: casting the slurry onto the surface of a base layer to form a casting layer, such that the base layer and the casting layer are jointly shaped into the sheet matrix.

[0013] In some embodiments, the base layer is made of plant fiber fabric, non-woven fabric, or metal foil.

[0014] In some embodiments, the process of casting the slurry into a sheet-like matrix further includes: after forming the cast layer, performing a first stage of heating, a second stage of heating, and a third stage of heating in sequence to shape the cast layer and the base layer into the sheet-like matrix, wherein the temperatures of the first stage of heating, the second stage of heating, and the third stage of heating increase sequentially.

[0015] The second aspect of this application provides an aerosol generating medium segment, which is prepared by the aerosol generating medium segment preparation method described in the first aspect of this application.

[0016] A third aspect of this application provides an aerosol generating medium segment, the aerosol generating medium segment comprising a sheet-like matrix, the aerosol generating medium segment being constructed as a cylinder formed by winding the sheet-like matrix, wherein the sheet-like matrix comprises a base material and a smoke-generating medium gel.

[0017] In some embodiments, the sheet matrix includes a base layer and a cast layer stacked together, the cast layer comprising the base material and the smoking medium gel, and / or the sheet matrix is ​​formed as a porous structure; and / or the smoking medium gel is a mixture of a smoking agent, an adhesive and an emulsifier.

[0018] A fourth aspect of the present application provides an aerosol generating article, the aerosol generating article including the aerosol generating medium segment described in the second or third aspect of the present application.

[0019] The aerosol generating medium segment and aerosol generating product of this application contain a smoke-generating medium gel. The smoke-generating medium in the smoke-generating medium gel is located in the mesh of a three-dimensional network structure, which helps to enhance the intermolecular forces of the smoke-generating medium, thereby reducing the hydrophilicity of the smoke-generating medium and thus reducing the possibility of the smoke-generating medium becoming damp and moldy during the storage of the aerosol generating medium segment. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the preparation method of the aerosol generating medium segment according to an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating medium section according to an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating medium section according to another embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sheet-like matrix according to an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0025] 1. Sheet matrix; 11. Cast layer; 12. Base layer. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0027] The specific technical features described in the specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. For example, different combinations of specific technical features can form different embodiments and technical solutions. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the various possible combinations of the specific technical features in this invention will not be described separately.

[0028] In the following description, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used merely to distinguish different objects and do not indicate that the objects have the sameness or relationship. It should be understood that the directional descriptions "above," "below," "outside," and "inside" refer to the orientation under normal use conditions, while "left" and "right" refer to the left and right directions shown in the corresponding diagrams, which may or may not be the left and right directions under normal use conditions.

[0029] It should be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. "A plurality of" means two or more.

[0030] In the relevant description of this application, unless otherwise specified, the numerical range includes the endpoint values.

[0031] The embodiments of this application first provide a method for preparing an aerosol generating medium segment, referring to... Figure 1 The method includes the following steps.

[0032] Step S101: Prepare a slurry, which includes a base material and a fumigation medium gel.

[0033] Step S102: Cast the slurry to form a sheet matrix.

[0034] Step S103: The sheet-like substrate is wound to form a wound structure.

[0035] Step S104: Cut the wound structure to form an aerosol generating medium segment.

[0036] The fuming medium gel in step S101 specifically refers to a gel formed by mixing a fuming medium with auxiliary materials such as adhesives and emulsifiers. Here, the gel specifically refers to a semi-solid structure formed by the interconnection of colloidal particles or polymers in a sol or solution under certain conditions. Specifically, after the colloidal particles or polymers are interconnected, they form a three-dimensional network structure. The voids in the structure are filled with the fuming medium, which is surrounded in the mesh and cannot flow freely, thus forming a semi-solid.

[0037] The main function of the base material in step S101 is to enable the slurry to be formed into a sheet matrix after casting. Those skilled in the art can select a suitable material as the base material according to the actual molding requirements, and there are no restrictions on this.

[0038] It should be noted that, in addition to the base material and the smoking medium gel, the slurry may also include any other suitable substances, such as nicotine preparations, cooling agents, flavorings and other aroma-enhancing media.

[0039] The casting process in step S102 specifically refers to spreading a fluid slurry onto the surface of an object (such as a conveyor belt, roller, steel plate, non-woven fabric, etc.) so that the slurry spreads and diffuses to form a sheet-like structure.

[0040] It is understood that the fuming medium gel is generally not fluid at room temperature, but at a suitable temperature (e.g., 60-90°C), the three-dimensional network structure of the gel can be disrupted, thus making it fluid. After the temperature drops, the gel will reform the three-dimensional network structure. The slurry in step S101 needs to be prepared as a fluid dispersion system so that it can be cast into a sheet matrix in step S102. Therefore, the preparation of the slurry in step S101 and the casting into a sheet matrix in step S102 can be carried out at a temperature that makes the fuming medium gel fluid.

[0041] In step S103, the sheet-like matrix formed by casting needs to be wound to form a wound structure. As an example, the wound structure here can be a cylinder with a radial cross section of a circle or concentric circles. For example, it can be wound once or multiple times. Of course, those skilled in the art can also wind the sheet-like matrix into other structural forms according to actual usage requirements.

[0042] In step S104, the wound structure is cut to form aerosol generating medium segments. Those skilled in the art can rationally select the cutting process based on the specific structure of the aerosol generating medium segments required for actual operation, and there are no restrictions on this. Taking a wound structure as an example of a cylindrical structure with a circular or concentric radial cross-section, it can be cut along the axial direction of the wound structure to form multiple cylindrical aerosol generating medium segments. The diameter of the aerosol generating medium segments can be 4-9 mm, such as 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 7 mm, 7.5 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, etc., and the length of the aerosol generating medium segments can be 10-20 mm, such as 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm, 14 mm, 15 mm, 16 mm, 17 mm, 18 mm, 19 mm, 20 mm, etc.

[0043] In this embodiment, a smoke-generating medium gel is used to prepare the aerosol-generating medium segment. The smoke-generating medium in the smoke-generating medium gel is located in the mesh of a three-dimensional network structure. This helps to enhance the intermolecular forces of the smoke-generating medium, thereby reducing its hydrophilicity. This reduces the possibility of the smoke-generating medium becoming damp and moldy during storage and also helps to increase the smoke-generating medium loading capacity (in related technologies, the loading capacity is limited because the smoke-generating medium is prone to absorbing moisture). Furthermore, during actual suction, the three-dimensional network structure of the smoke-generating medium gel is destroyed by high temperature, releasing the smoke-generating medium and ensuring the smoke generation capacity.

[0044] Furthermore, in related technologies, sheet-like matrices are formed using processes such as slurry processing, papermaking, or roll pressing. These sheet-like matrices are then cut into filaments and packaged into aerosol-generating media segments. Alternatively, granular media are prepared using granulation and then filled into aerosol-generating media segments. These processes are relatively complex and costly. The filamentous and granular matrices also have poor strength, increasing the difficulty of material transfer, packaging, and cutting. Moreover, significant losses occur during the packaging and cutting process to form aerosol-generating media segments.

[0045] In this embodiment, after the slurry is cast into a sheet matrix, the sheet matrix is ​​directly wound to form a wound structure and cut into aerosol to generate a matrix. This process has high production efficiency, low cost, and less loss during production.

[0046] In some embodiments, the base material comprises powder of one or more herbal plants. In this embodiment, the use of herbal plant powder as the base material has the advantage of being readily available as a natural material, thus reducing preparation costs. Another advantage is that herbal plants are less likely to release unpleasant odors and / or harmful substances when heated in the aerosol generation medium section, which helps improve the inhalation experience and safety.

[0047] In some embodiments, the herbaceous plants specifically include at least one of honeysuckle, mulberry leaves, chrysanthemum, dandelion, kudzu root, ophiopogon japonicus, almond, hyacinth bean, and lycium bark. These herbaceous plants are inexpensive and, when heated, release virtually no unpleasant odors and / or substances harmful to human health.

[0048] In some embodiments, the powder of herbal plants specifically refers to powder of 160-200 mesh.

[0049] In some embodiments, the smoke-generating medium gel is a mixture of a smoke-generating agent, an adhesive, and an emulsifier. For example, the smoke-generating agent may include glycerol, glycerol, butylene glycol, glycerol, propylene glycol, diacetyl ester, and trimethylolpropane, etc. The smoke-generating medium gel prepared using the smoke-generating agent, adhesive, and emulsifier has thermally reversible properties, i.e., it is fluid at high temperatures (e.g., 60-90°C). Therefore, in actual preparation, steps S101 and S102 can be successfully completed simply by maintaining the temperature within the aforementioned range, reducing preparation difficulty and cost. Furthermore, it ensures the smooth release of the smoke-generating medium during actual inhalation. Of course, in some other embodiments, other smoke-generating media and polymeric materials can also be selected to prepare the smoke-generating medium gel.

[0050] In some embodiments, the adhesive specifically includes at least one of sodium alginate, pectin, gluconol, guar gum, and flaxseed gum. These materials are all natural, and one advantage of using them as adhesives is their availability and low cost. Another advantage is that these materials release virtually no unpleasant odors and / or harmful substances when heated, which helps improve the suction experience and safety during the aerosol generation process.

[0051] In some embodiments, the emulsifier specifically includes at least one of glyceryl stearate, lecithin, sucrose ester, and phytosterols. These emulsifiers are harmless to humans and release virtually no unpleasant odors when heated, contributing to improved suction experience and safety in the aerosol generation medium segment.

[0052] In some embodiments, the slurry further includes fibers and / or flavoring media. Including fibers in the slurry helps to further improve the toughness of the sheet-like matrix obtained by casting, increasing its winding success rate and reducing losses during winding. Including flavoring media in the slurry helps to enhance the flavor during inhalation of the aerosol-generating medium segment, improving the inhalation experience.

[0053] In some embodiments, the fiber specifically comprises broadleaf plant fiber, and the broadleaf plants include at least one of poplar, Eucalyptus grandis, and mulberry branches. It is understood that broadleaf plant fiber is a natural plant material, which further reduces preparation costs and further reduces the possibility that the aerosol generating medium will produce unpleasant odors and / or harmful gases when heated.

[0054] In some embodiments, the flavoring medium includes at least one of a flavoring agent, a nicotine preparation, and a cooling agent. Those skilled in the art can choose according to actual usage requirements.

[0055] In some embodiments, the preparation of the slurry in step S101 specifically includes: mixing 30-35 parts by weight of base material, 30-35 parts by weight of smoking medium gel, 10-15 parts by weight of plant fiber solution, 10-15 parts by weight of water, 10-15 parts by weight of fragrance, 1-2 parts by weight of nicotine preparation and / or cooling agent to form a slurry. The slurry with this ratio has good flowability, and the sheet substrate obtained after casting has good toughness, facilitating subsequent winding and cutting.

[0056] In this embodiment, the plant fiber solution specifically refers to an aqueous solution of plant fiber, such as an aqueous solution with a mass fraction of 1.5%.

[0057] In some embodiments, the preparation of the slurry includes mixing glycerol with 0.1-0.2% by mass of an adhesive and 1%-6% by mass of an emulsifier, and stirring at 60-90°C to form a fuming medium gel. Fuming medium gels prepared with this material ratio exhibit good flowability at 60-90°C.

[0058] In this embodiment, the specific stirring time is not limited; as an example, the stirring time can be 10-60 minutes. Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the fuming medium gel is formed by stirring, it can be mixed with the base material and other materials to prepare a slurry before the fuming medium gel solidifies (i.e., while the fuming medium gel is still fluid), thereby improving production efficiency.

[0059] In some embodiments, before casting the slurry into a sheet-like medium in step S102, the method further includes: foaming the slurry.

[0060] In this embodiment, the slurry was foamed before casting, resulting in a porous structure in the sheet-like matrix formed by casting. The fumigating medium gel contains surface-active components, allowing it to be directionally distributed at the gas-solid interface of the sheet-like matrix. Furthermore, the porous structure blocks the migration of water into the sheet-like matrix, further reducing the likelihood of the fumigating medium becoming damp and moldy. In addition, the porous structure also blocks the migration of most of the fumigating medium and other components (such as flavoring media) to the outside, reducing the migration of these substances during storage and thus contributing to improved suction quality of the aerosol-generating medium.

[0061] In this embodiment, the specific process and related processing parameters for foaming are not limited.

[0062] In some embodiments, foaming the slurry specifically includes: agitating the slurry at a set temperature to expand the volume of the slurry to 1.1-2 times its initial volume, wherein the fuming medium gel has fluidity at the set temperature.

[0063] Taking the aforementioned fumigating medium gel as an example, which is a mixture of fumigating agent (glycerin), adhesive, and emulsifier, the set temperature can be 60-90℃. The volume of the slurry can specifically expand to 1.1 times, 1.2 times, 1.3 times, 1.4 times, 1.5 times, 1.6 times, 1.7 times, 1.8 times, 1.9 times, 2 times, etc., of its initial volume.

[0064] The foaming parameters in this embodiment can ensure the foaming effect and prevent significant bubble rupture after the slurry is heated, thereby enabling the final sheet matrix to form a relatively dense porous structure.

[0065] In some embodiments, step S102, which involves casting the slurry to form a sheet-like matrix, specifically includes: casting the slurry onto the surface of the substrate layer to form a casting layer, thereby shaping the substrate layer and the casting layer together into a sheet-like matrix.

[0066] In this embodiment, the slurry is cast onto the base layer to form a cast layer, and the base layer and the cast layer are jointly shaped into a sheet matrix. This helps to further improve the flexibility and structural strength of the sheet matrix, reduce the requirements for casting quality, facilitate subsequent winding and cutting, reduce media loss, and improve yield.

[0067] In this embodiment, the base layer specifically refers to a thin sheet-like structure that can support the cast layer, and the specific material of the base layer is not limited.

[0068] As an example, the thickness of the base layer can be 0.008-0.05 mm, such as 0.008 mm, 0.01 mm, 0.012 mm, 0.014 mm, 0.016 mm, 0.018 mm, 0.02 mm, 0.04 mm, 0.05 mm, etc. The thickness of the cast layer can be 0.5-1.5 mm, such as 0.5 mm, 0.52 mm, 0.54 mm, 0.56 mm, 0.58 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.62 mm, 0.64 mm, 0.66 mm, 0.68 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.72 mm, 0.74 mm, 0.75 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.5 mm, etc. Taking a non-woven fabric substrate as an example, the weight ratio of the substrate to the cast layer is 1:5-1:15, such as 1:3, 1:5, 1:8, 1:8.5, 1:9, 1:9.5, 1:10, 1:15, etc. Using the above parameters for casting helps to improve the coupling between the cast layer and the substrate, and improve the utilization rate of the medium.

[0069] In some embodiments, the base layer is made of plant fiber fabric, non-woven fabric, or metal foil. Using non-woven fabric as the base layer material effectively controls the heating rate of the smoke-generating medium during actual inhalation and provides good air permeability, thereby improving the consistency between the inhalation and post-inhalation stages of the aerosol-generating product. Using metal foil as the base layer material helps to further enhance the structural strength of the sheet-like matrix, and because metal foil has good thermal conductivity, it helps to increase the smoke generation rate of the aerosol-generating product.

[0070] In some embodiments, step S102, which involves casting the slurry to form a sheet-like matrix, further includes: after forming the cast layer, sequentially performing a first stage of heating, a second stage of heating, and a third stage of heating to solidify the cast layer and the base layer into a sheet-like matrix, wherein the temperatures of the first stage of heating, the second stage of heating, and the third stage of heating increase sequentially. In this embodiment, a three-stage heating method with sequentially increasing temperatures is used to solidify the cast layer and the base layer into a sheet-like matrix. This heating method helps to reduce the water content in the sheet-like matrix, thereby helping to improve the suction experience of the aerosol generation medium section.

[0071] In this embodiment, the specific heating methods and temperatures for the first, second, and third stages of heating are not limited. As an example, all three stages of heating can be performed using hot air heating. This helps accelerate the evaporation of moisture in the cast layer during heating, thereby further reducing the water content in the sheet matrix. Of course, at least one of the first, second, and third stages of heating can also be achieved using heating methods other than hot air heating. In an embodiment where all three stages of heating use hot air heating, the hot air temperature for the first stage can be 70-75°C, the hot air temperature for the second stage can be 75-80°C, and the hot air temperature for the third stage can be 90-95°C. Excessively high temperatures will significantly damage the gel structure.

[0072] In some embodiments, before winding the sheet substrate to form a wound structure in step S103, the method further includes drying the sheet substrate. In some of the above embodiments, a heat treatment is performed in step S102, which is mainly to set the shape of the cast layer; of course, moisture also evaporates during this process. In this embodiment, the drying treatment further reduces the moisture content of the sheet substrate after it has been set. In this embodiment, the specific process of the drying treatment is not limited; as an example, drying can be performed at 105-110°C for 3-5 minutes.

[0073] The preparation method of the aerosol generating medium segment in one or more of the above embodiments will be described in more detail below with reference to a specific embodiment.

[0074] First, add 0.1%-2% by mass of an adhesive and 1%-6% by mass of an emulsifier to glycerol, and stir at 60-90℃ for 10-60 minutes to form a fuming gel. The adhesive components include at least one of sodium alginate, pectin, gluconol, guar gum, and flaxseed gum, and the emulsifier components include at least one of glyceryl stearate, lecithin, and phytosterols.

[0075] Then, crush one or more of the following ingredients to 160-200 mesh: honeysuckle, mulberry leaves, chrysanthemum, dandelion, kudzu root, ophiopogon japonicus, almond, hyacinth bean, and lycium bark, mix them evenly, and use them as a base material.

[0076] By weight, take 30-35 parts of base material, 30-35 parts of glycerol gel, 10-15 parts of broadleaf fiber solution (based on a 2.5% aqueous solution), 10-15 parts of water, 10-15 parts of fragrance (the solvent is mainly propylene glycol and a small amount of alcohol), and 1-2 parts of nicotine preparation and / or cooling agent. While the smoky medium gel is still fluid, mix them to form a slurry and stir at high temperature for 60-75 minutes, so that the volume of the slurry expands to 1.1-2 times the initial volume. At this time, the slurry contains dense air bubbles.

[0077] The foamed slurry is cast onto a 0.008-0.05 mm thick nonwoven fabric or aluminum foil using a casting machine. The casting machine employs a three-stage hot air heating system with temperatures of 70-75℃, 75-80℃, and 90-95℃, respectively, to obtain a shaped sheet matrix. The sheet matrix is ​​then dried at 105-110℃ for 3-5 minutes.

[0078] The dried sheet matrix is ​​rolled into a roll with a diameter of 4-9 mm, and then cut into 10-20 mm aerosol generating medium segments with a cutter.

[0079] In the aerosol generation medium section of this embodiment, the glycerol loading reaches more than 40% (dry basis), the product absorbs moisture and gains less than 10% during the shelf life, the number of product suction ports can reach 30, the average smoke volume is greater than 4.0mg / port, the consistency RSD of each port is less than 30%, and the production cost is more than 20% lower than that of traditional slurry method, papermaking method or roll pressing method.

[0080] The embodiments of this application also provide an aerosol generating medium segment, which is prepared by the preparation method of the aerosol generating medium segment of any of the above embodiments.

[0081] Embodiments of this application also provide an aerosol generation medium segment, see reference. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The aerosol generating medium section includes a sheet matrix 1, which is constructed as a cylinder formed by winding the sheet matrix 1. The sheet matrix 1 includes a base material and a fumigation medium gel (not shown in the figure).

[0082] In this embodiment, the sheet-like medium of the aerosol generating medium segment includes a smoke-generating medium gel. Within the smoke-generating medium gel, the smoke-generating medium is situated within the mesh of a three-dimensional network structure. This helps to enhance the intermolecular forces of the smoke-generating medium, thereby reducing its hydrophilicity. This reduces the likelihood of the smoke-generating medium becoming damp and moldy during storage of the aerosol generating medium segment, and also helps to increase the smoke-generating medium's loading capacity (in related technologies, the loading capacity is limited because the smoke-generating medium is easily hygroscopic). Furthermore, during actual suction, the three-dimensional network structure of the smoke-generating medium gel is destroyed by high temperatures, releasing the smoke-generating medium and ensuring the smoke generation rate.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the aerosol generating medium section is constructed as a cylinder formed by winding the sheet-like matrix 1, rather than a structure formed by filling filamentary or granular matrix. This structure has lower cost and less loss during the production process.

[0084] In this embodiment, the aerosol generation medium segment can be constructed as follows: Figure 2 The single-layer cylinder shown in the diagram can be either an open or closed structure in the circumferential direction. The aerosol generating medium section can also be constructed as follows: Figure 3 The multi-layered cylinder shown can be specifically configured by those skilled in the art according to actual usage requirements. In embodiments where the aerosol generating medium section is constructed as a multi-layered cylinder, the number of layers can be specifically 3-5, and the radial cross-section of the multi-layered cylinder can be concentric circles, or it can also be concentric circles.

[0085] In some embodiments, specifically, the diameter of the aerosol generating medium segment can be 4-9 mm, such as 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.5 mm, 6 mm, 6.5 mm, 7 mm, 7.5 mm, 8 mm, 8.5 mm, 9 mm, etc., and the length of the aerosol generating medium segment can be 10-20 mm, such as 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm, 14 mm, 15 mm, 16 mm, 17 mm, 18 mm, 19 mm, 20 mm, etc.

[0086] In some embodiments, the base material comprises one or more herbal plants. In this embodiment, herbal plant powder is chosen as the base material. One advantage is that herbal plants are readily available as natural materials, reducing preparation costs. Another advantage is that herbal plants are less likely to release unpleasant odors and / or harmful substances when heated in the aerosol generation medium section, which helps improve the inhalation experience and safety.

[0087] In some embodiments, the herbaceous plants specifically include at least one of honeysuckle, mulberry leaves, chrysanthemum, dandelion, kudzu root, ophiopogon japonicus, almond, hyacinth bean, and lycium bark. These herbaceous plants are inexpensive and, when heated, release virtually no unpleasant odors and / or substances harmful to human health.

[0088] In some embodiments, the smoke-generating medium gel is a mixture of a smoke-generating agent, an adhesive, and an emulsifier. The smoke-generating medium gel prepared using the smoke-generating agent, adhesive, and emulsifier has thermally reversible properties, meaning it is fluid at high temperatures (e.g., 60-90°C). This ensures the smooth release of the smoke-generating medium during actual inhalation, thereby increasing the amount of smoke generated.

[0089] In some embodiments, the adhesive specifically includes at least one of sodium alginate, pectin, gluconol, guar gum, and flaxseed gum. These materials are all natural, and one advantage of using them as adhesives is their availability and low cost. Another advantage is that these materials release virtually no unpleasant odors and / or harmful substances when heated, which helps improve the suction experience and safety of the aerosol generation medium.

[0090] In some embodiments, the emulsifier specifically includes at least one of glyceryl stearate, lecithin, sucrose ester, and phytosterols. These emulsifiers have low human toxicity and release virtually no unpleasant odor when heated, contributing to improved suction experience and safety in the aerosol generation medium segment.

[0091] In some embodiments, the sheet matrix 1 further comprises fibers and / or flavoring media. Fibers help to further enhance the structural strength of the aerosol generation medium segment. Flavoring media help to enhance the flavor of the aerosol generation medium segment during inhalation, thus improving the vaping experience.

[0092] In some embodiments, the fiber specifically comprises broadleaf plant fiber, and the broadleaf plants include at least one of poplar, Eucalyptus grandis, and mulberry branches. It is understood that broadleaf plant fiber is a natural plant material, which further reduces preparation costs and further reduces the possibility that the aerosol generating medium will produce unpleasant odors and / or harmful gases when heated.

[0093] In some embodiments, the flavoring medium includes at least one of a flavoring agent, a nicotine preparation, and a cooling agent. Those skilled in the art can choose according to actual usage requirements.

[0094] In some embodiments, the sheet-like matrix 1 is formed into a porous structure. The advantage of forming a porous structure in the sheet-like matrix 1 is that the smoke-generating medium gel contains surface-active components, which allows the smoke-generating medium gel to be directionally distributed at the gas-solid interface of the sheet-like matrix 1. Furthermore, the porous structure blocks the channels for water migration into the interior of the sheet-like matrix 1, thereby further reducing the possibility of the smoke-generating medium becoming damp and moldy. In addition, the porous structure can also block most of the migration channels of the smoke-generating medium and other components (e.g., flavoring media) to the outside, reducing the migration of these substances during storage, thereby helping to improve the suction quality of the aerosol-generating medium. The specific process for forming the sheet-like matrix 1 into a porous structure can be referred to the relevant section of the preparation method for the aerosol-generating medium segment above, and will not be repeated here.

[0095] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 4 The sheet-like matrix 1 includes a base layer 12 and a casting layer 11 stacked together. The casting layer 11 comprises the aforementioned base material and a smoking medium gel. In this embodiment, in addition to the casting layer 11 composed of the base material and the smoking medium gel, the sheet-like matrix 1 also includes a base layer 12. This helps to further improve the flexibility and structural strength of the sheet-like matrix 1, reduce the requirements for casting quality in the actual preparation process, facilitate subsequent winding and cutting, reduce medium loss during the preparation process, and improve the yield.

[0096] In this embodiment, the base layer 12 specifically refers to a sheet-like structure that can support the cast layer 11, and the specific material of the base layer 12 is not limited. As mentioned above, the sheet-like matrix 1 is formed into a porous structure. In this embodiment, when the sheet-like matrix 1 includes the base layer 12 and the cast layer 11, the sheet-like matrix 1 being formed into a porous structure specifically means that the cast layer 11 is formed into a porous structure.

[0097] As an example, the thickness of the base layer 12 can be 0.008-0.05 mm, such as 0.008 mm, 0.01 mm, 0.012 mm, 0.014 mm, 0.016 mm, 0.018 mm, 0.02 mm, etc. The thickness of the cast layer 11 can be 0.5-1.5 mm, such as 0.5 mm, 0.52 mm, 0.54 mm, 0.56 mm, 0.58 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.62 mm, 0.64 mm, 0.66 mm, 0.68 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.72 mm, 0.74 mm, 0.75 mm, etc. Taking the base layer 12 as a non-woven fabric as an example, the weight ratio of the base layer 12 to the cast layer 11 is 1:5-1:15, such as 1:8, 1:8.5, 1:9, 1:9.5, 1:10, etc.

[0098] The specific material of the base layer 12 is not limited. In some embodiments, the material of the base layer 12 may include non-woven fabric or aluminum foil. Using non-woven fabric as the preparation material of the base layer 12 can effectively control the heating rate of the smoke-generating medium during actual suction, thereby improving the consistency between the pre- and post-suction stages of the aerosol generation product. Using metal foil as the preparation material of the base layer 12 helps to further improve the structural strength of the sheet matrix 1, and because metal foil has good thermal conductivity, it helps to increase the smoke generation rate of the aerosol generation product.

[0099] Embodiments of this application also provide an aerosol generating article comprising an aerosol generating medium segment as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0100] The specific structure of the aerosol generating product is not limited. As an example, the aerosol generating product also includes a functional section located at one end of the aerosol generating medium section. The functional section includes a cooling section and a filtration section. The aerosol generating product is used in conjunction with an aerosol generating device with a heating component. Specifically, the heating component heats and atomizes the aerosol generating medium section to generate aerosols, and the user draws in the filtered aerosols through the filtration section.

[0101] The cooling section is located between the filtration section and the aerosol generation medium section. It is used to cool the aerosol before it is filtered in the filtration section, thereby reducing the temperature of the aerosol and alleviating the "burning" sensation when users inhale the aerosol.

[0102] There are various heating methods for heating components. For example, heating methods include center heating and peripheral heating. Center heating refers to the heating component being inserted into the aerosol generating medium section to bake and heat the aerosol generating medium section from the inside out. Peripheral heating refers to the heating component being positioned around the aerosol generating product to bake and heat the aerosol generating medium section from the outside in. These heating methods can specifically include resistance heating, electromagnetic induction heating, infrared heating, microwave heating, laser heating, air heating, electric field heating, carbon source heating, plasma heating, etc., and are not specifically limited here.

[0103] It should be noted that aerosol-generating products rely on the aerosol-generating medium section to produce aerosols, while the functional section does not produce aerosols.

[0104] In the description of this application, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiments of this application. In this application, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine different embodiments or examples described in this application, as well as features of different embodiments or examples.

[0105] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for preparing an aerosol generating medium segment, characterized in that, The method includes: Prepare a slurry, the slurry comprising a base material and a fumigating medium gel; The slurry is cast to form a sheet-like matrix; The sheet-like matrix is ​​wound to form a wound structure; The wound structure is cut to form an aerosol generating medium segment.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base material includes powders of one or more herbal plants; and / or The smoke-generating medium gel is a mixture of a smoke-generating agent, an adhesive, and an emulsifier; and / or The pulp also includes fibers and / or flavoring media.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adhesive comprises at least one of sodium alginate, pectin, guar gum, guar gum, and flaxseed gum; and / or The emulsifier includes at least one of glyceryl stearate, lecithin, sucrose ester and phytosterol.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The preparation of the slurry comprises, by weight, mixing 30-35 parts of base material, 30-35 parts of smoking medium gel, 10-15 parts of plant fiber solution, 10-15 parts of water, 10-15 parts of flavoring, 1-2 parts of nicotine preparation and / or cooling agent to form the slurry.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The preparation of the slurry includes: mixing the smoking agent with 0.1-0.2% by mass of the adhesive and 1%-6% by mass of the emulsifier, and stirring at 60-90°C to form the smoking medium gel.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Prior to the step of casting the slurry into a sheet-like medium, the method further includes: The slurry is then subjected to a foaming treatment.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The foaming treatment of the slurry includes: The slurry is agitated at a set temperature to expand its volume to 1.1-2 times its initial volume, wherein the fumigating medium gel has fluidity at the set temperature.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The process of casting the slurry into a sheet-like matrix includes: The slurry is cast onto the surface of the substrate to form a cast layer, and the substrate and the cast layer are jointly shaped into the sheet matrix.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The base layer is made of plant fiber fabric, non-woven fabric, or metal foil.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The process of casting the slurry into a sheet-like matrix further includes: After the cast layer is formed, a first stage of heating, a second stage of heating, and a third stage of heating are performed sequentially to shape the cast layer and the substrate layer into the sheet-like matrix, wherein the temperatures of the first stage of heating, the second stage of heating, and the third stage of heating increase sequentially.

11. An aerosol generating medium section, characterized in that, The aerosol generating medium segment is prepared by the aerosol generating medium segment preparation method according to any one of claims 1-10.

12. An aerosol generating medium section, characterized in that, The aerosol generating medium segment includes a sheet-like matrix, and the aerosol generating medium segment is constructed as a cylinder formed by winding the sheet-like matrix, wherein the sheet-like matrix comprises a base material and a smoke-generating medium gel.

13. The aerosol generating medium section according to claim 12, characterized in that, The sheet-like matrix comprises a base layer and a casting layer stacked together, wherein the casting layer comprises the base material and the smoking medium gel, and / or The sheet-like matrix is ​​formed into a porous structure; and / or The smoke-generating medium gel is a mixture of a smoke-generating agent, an adhesive, and an emulsifier.

14. An aerosol-generating product, characterized in that, The aerosol generating article includes the aerosol generating medium segment as described in any one of claims 11-13.

Images