Article for use in incombustible aerosol supply system

Abstract

To provide a novel article for use in an incombustible aerosol supply system, and a novel method for manufacturing the article like that.SOLUTION: An article for use in an incombustible aerosol supply system is disclosed. The article comprises a support element (11) having at least one cavity, and an aerosol generating material that is arranged within the at least one cavity. The aerosol generating material has an amorphous solid material (13). An aerosol generating system, and a method for manufacturing the article for use in the incombustible aerosol supply system are also disclosed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article used in a non-combustible aerosol supply system, a method of manufacturing such an article, and a non-combustible aerosol supply system including the article.

Background Art

[0002] Smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars generate tobacco smoke by burning tobacco during use. Another type of smoking article provides an inhalable aerosol or vapor by releasing compounds from an aerosol-generating material without combustion. These articles may be referred to as non-combustible smoking articles or aerosol supply systems.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to some embodiments described herein, an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system is provided, the article comprising a support element having at least one cavity and an aerosol-generating material disposed within the at least one cavity, the aerosol-generating material comprising an amorphous solid material.

[0004] One or more cavities may comprise an opening extending completely through the thickness of the support element and / or a recess comprising a notch, a depression, or other formation extending partially through the thickness of the support element.

[0005] The support element may comprise a substantially planar body. At least one cavity may extend at least partially through the thickness of the support element.

[0006] The aerosol-generating material may be offset relative to the thickness or plane of the support element or a portion thereof and aligned with at least one cavity such that it is accessible therethrough. The aerosol-generating material may be disposed within the cavity within the thickness or plane of the support element or a portion thereof.

[0007] The aerosol generating material may be provided on a carrier layer or on a substrate. The carrier layer or the substrate may comprise a sheet material. The carrier layer or the substrate may be attached to at least one support element.

[0008] At least one cavity may comprise an opening extending completely through the thickness of the support element. At least one cavity may comprise a recess extending partially through the thickness of the support element.

[0009] The support element may comprise at least two layers of sheet material. The aerosol generating material may be sandwiched between at least two layers of sheet material.

[0010] The sheet material may have a weight of 180 GSM to 210 GSM. The sheet material may have a thickness of 150 μm to 400 μm.

[0011] The thickness of the support element may be 300 μm to 800 μm.

[0012] The aerosol generating material may comprise an amorphous solid material having regions of different compositions within the same material body.

[0013] The article may comprise a plurality of separate and spaced cavities comprising the aerosol generating material.

[0014] The aerosol generating material may be perforated.

[0015] The aerosol generating material may be provided on a substrate. The substrate may comprise a metal foil.

[0016] The material of the support element may comprise at least one of paper, cardboard, or foil.

[0017] The material of the support element may be a biodegradable material.

[0018] The article may be provided with an identification element. The identification element may be a barcode, a QR code, or an RFID chip.

[0019] The amorphous solid material may be provided with a gelling agent. The gelling agent may be provided with alginate, pectin, and / or carrageenan.

[0020] The amorphous solid material may be a dried hydrogel.

[0021] The amorphous solid material may further be provided with an aerosol-forming agent, an active substance, and / or a flavoring agent. The aerosol-forming agent may be glycerol. The active substance may be nicotine.

[0022] The amorphous solid material may have a thickness of about 0.015 mm to 0.5 mm, or 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, or 0.15 mm to 0.25 mm.

[0023] The aerosol-forming material may be provided with a plurality of holes arranged to define separate regions of the aerosol-forming material.

[0024] The article may be provided with a plurality of separate cavities containing the amorphous solid material, in which case each cavity contains a different amorphous solid material.

[0025] According to other embodiments described herein, there is provided a non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising the aforementioned article and a non-combustible aerosol supply device.

[0026] The aerosol-forming device may be configured to implement a customizable heating profile such that the amorphous solid material within a separate cavity of the article can be heated independently.

[0027] According to other embodiments described herein, a method for manufacturing the aforementioned article is provided. The method may include the step of providing a support element including at least one cavity, and the step of providing an aerosol-forming material comprising an amorphous solid material within at least one cavity.

[0028] The method may include the step of forming at least two layers of sheet material to form the support element, wherein at least one of the layers includes at least one cavity, and the step of sandwiching the aerosol-forming material between at least two layers of sheet material.

[0029] The method may include the step of providing the aerosol-forming material on a substrate. The method may include the step of providing the substrate to comprise a metal foil.

[0030] Here, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described as merely an example. In the drawings, like reference numerals are used to indicate like features.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0032] As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to encompass a system for delivering a substance to a user, a combustible aerosol supply system such as cigarettes, cigars, cigars, and tobacco for pipes or hand-rolled or self-made cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, foamed tobacco, recycled tobacco, tobacco substitutes, or other smoking materials), a non-flammable aerosol supply system that releases a compound from an aerosolizable material without burning the aerosolizable material, such as an electronic cigarette, a tobacco heating product, and a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of an aerosolizable material; an article containing an aerosolizable material and configured to be used with one of these non-flammable aerosol supply systems; an aerosol-free delivery system that delivers a material to a user without forming an aerosol, such as an article equipped with lozenges, gums, patches, inhalable powders, and smokeless tobacco products such as snus and sniff tobacco, where the material may or may not contain nicotine; including.

[0033] According to the present disclosure, a "flammable" aerosol supply system is a system in which a constituent aerosolizable material of the aerosol supply system (or a component thereof) is combusted or burned to facilitate delivery to a user.

[0034] According to the present disclosure, a "non-flammable" aerosol supply system is a system in which a constituent aerosolizable material of the aerosol supply system (or a component thereof) is not combusted or burned to facilitate delivery to a user.

[0035] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-flammable aerosol supply system, such as an electric non-flammable aerosol supply system.

[0036] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol supply system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a device that absorbs vapor or an electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0037] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol supply system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0038] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol supply system is a hybrid system that uses a combination of aerosol-generating materials to generate an aerosol, one or more of which can be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may include, for example, tobacco or non-tobacco products.

[0039] Generally, a non-flammable aerosol supply system may comprise a non-flammable aerosol supply device and consumables for use with the non-flammable aerosol supply device.

[0040] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables that comprise an aerosol-generating material and are configured to be used with a non-flammable aerosol supply device. These consumables may sometimes be referred to as articles throughout the present disclosure.

[0041] In some embodiments, a non-flammable aerosol supply system, such as the non-flammable aerosol supply device, may comprise a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, a power supply or a heat-generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat-generating power source comprises a carbon substrate that may be powered to distribute power in the form of heat to the aerosol-generating material or a heat-transfer material proximate to the heat-generating power source.

[0042] In some embodiments, the non-flammable aerosol supply system may comprise a region for receiving the consumables, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation region, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0043] In some embodiments, the consumables for use with the non-flammable aerosol supply device may comprise an aerosol-generating material, an aerosol-generating material storage region, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation region, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0044] Figures 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of an article 10 for use with a non-flammable aerosol supply device. The article 10 comprises a consumable for use with a non-flammable aerosol supply device and is intended to be a replaceable component that can be exchanged with another article 10 for use with the non-flammable aerosol supply device when depleted or used up. As referred to herein, a non-flammable aerosol supply system comprises a non-flammable aerosol supply device in combination with one or more articles 10 for use with the non-flammable aerosol supply device.

[0045] The article 10 comprises a support element 11 and a plurality of regions 12 each comprising a part of an amorphous solid material 13, at least one of the regions comprising an aerosol-generating material. In the illustrated embodiment, the article 10 comprises six regions 12 of substantially uniform size and shape arranged in three rows of two. However, any arrangement and / or number of regions may be provided within the scope of the invention, including a single region, and one or more of the regions 12 may have a uniform size / shape, or some or all of the regions 12 may have a different size / shape from other regions 12. The support element 11 includes a plurality of cavities in the form of openings 14 that extend completely through the thickness of the support element 11 defining the regions 12 of the article 10 in which a part of the amorphous solid material 13 is located.

[0046] The support element 11 comprises a two-ply component having a first layer 11a and a second layer 11b. Six separate portions of the amorphous solid material 13 are spaced apart from each other and are sandwiched between the first and second layers 11a, 11b. The structure of the article 10 can be understood in more detail from the exploded view of FIG. 4. Each of the first and second layers 11a, 11b includes a plurality of openings 14a, 14b that extend completely through the thickness of the layers 11a, 11b that define the opening 14 of the support element 11. A portion of the amorphous solid material 13 is larger than the dimensions of their respective openings 14a, 14b such that they are located over regions of the first and second layers 11a, 11b across the outer perimeters of their respective openings 14a, 14b. The first and second layers 11a, 11b are joined to each other to form the two-ply support element 11, thereby fixing a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 in a predetermined position within each opening 14. The layers 11a, 11b may be joined by any suitable binder such as PVA or other adhesives, or may be joined by non-adhesive means such as welding or other mechanical fixing methods.

[0047] An advantage of the configuration of the consumable 10 comprising a plurality of separate portions of the amorphous solid material 13 that are spaced apart from each other is that in embodiments where two or more of the portions of the amorphous solid material 13 comprise different substances or compositions, for example, different chemical compositions, different flavorants or other aerosol-generating materials, the tendency for a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 in one region to become contaminated or otherwise be affected by an adjacent portion of the amorphous solid material is reduced. For example, if adjacent portions of the amorphous solid material are in contact, there may be a tendency for the components of one portion to diffuse into the adjacent portion. In embodiments where a particular region of the article 10 is selectively activated during use, this can make it more difficult to accurately control the resulting aerosol composition.

[0048] In the illustrated example of the consumable 10, the support element 11 is formed from cardboard. The cardboard may have a basis weight of 100 to 300 GSM, advantageously a basis weight of 150 to 250 GSM, advantageously a basis weight of 180 to 210 GSM, and advantageously a basis weight of about 195 GSM. The cardboard may have a thickness of 150 to 550 μm, advantageously a thickness of 250 to 450 μm, advantageously a thickness of 300 to 400 μm, and advantageously a thickness of about 350 μm.

[0049] The material of the support element 11 is advantageously heat resistant up to about 300 °C, advantageously heat resistant up to about 250 °C, advantageously heat resistant up to about 200 °C, advantageously heat resistant up to about 150 °C, and advantageously heat resistant up to about 90 °C. This can help avoid deterioration of the material of the support element 11 when exposed to heat during use with the non-flammable aerosol supply device 100 (described below).

[0050] The material of the support element 11 is advantageously biodegradable to enable or enhance the recyclability of the consumable 10 after use. The support element 11 being formed from paperboard or cardboard is advantageously enhancing the biodegradability of the article 10. The material of the support element 11 advantageously complies with the European biodegradability standard EN 13430. The material of the support element 11 is compostable and can be decomposed aerobically by composting and advantageously complies with the European composting standard EN 13432.

[0051] Any suitable material can be used for the construction of the support element 11, and the material is not necessarily limited to cardboard. Instead, it may comprise paper, paperboard, thick paper, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or metal alloy, or any combination thereof.

[0052] The material of the support element 11 advantageously has resistance to the ingress of oil or grease. This can advantageously help prevent the leaching of components of the amorphous solid material 13 into the material of the support element 11, which could render the article 10 less effective during use if some of the desired components of the amorphous solid material 13 become partially dispersed from the amorphous solid material 13. Such resistance to oil or large ingress can be provided by a material of the support element 11 having a layered structure in which one layer of the material comprises a fluid-impermeable layer. In one embodiment, at least one of the first and second layers 11a, 11b may have a layered structure including a fluid-impermeable layer, and in one embodiment, both the first and second layers 11a, 11b may have a layered structure including a fluid-impermeable layer. The fluid-impermeable layer(s) is / are advantageously disposed on the side of each of the first and second layers 11a, 11b that faces and contacts a portion of the amorphous solid material 13. In one embodiment, the fluid-impermeable layer(s) may comprise a metal material such as plastic or aluminum. In one embodiment, the first and second layers 11a, 11b may comprise cardboard or paperboard having a fluid-impermeable layer.

[0053] The consumable 10 may be 20 mm to 40 mm wide at its widest part and preferably may be about 30 mm wide at its widest part. The consumable 10 may be 35 mm to 55 mm long and preferably may be about 45 mm long. Each region of the amorphous solid material may be a quadrilateral with side lengths of 5 mm to 20 mm, may be a square with side lengths of about 6 mm to 10 mm, or may be a square with side lengths of about 8 mm.

[0054] Figures 5 and 6 show a non-flammable aerosol supply device 100 (hereinafter, for simplicity, referred to as "device" 100), and using this system, the article 10 of FIGS. 1 to 4 can be used as a non-flammable aerosol supply system. The device 100 includes a housing 101 having an inlet 102 and an outlet 103. The inlet 102 is provided at the first end of the device 100, and the outlet 103 is formed in a mouthpiece 104 at the second end of the device 100 opposite to the first end. The first end of the device includes a slot 105 that can receive and hold the consumable 10 for insertion and for use of the device 100 within the device 100.

[0055] Figure 6 shows a schematic view of the components within the housing 101 of the device 100. Figure 6 also shows the consumable 10 received and held within the device 100 in a position for use of the device 100. The device 100 includes a heater 106 having a plurality of heating elements 106a. Each of the heating elements 106a is arranged to correspond to the position of each region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 of the consumable 10 when the consumable 10 is received and held within the device 100. During use, the device 100 is configured such that the heater 106 can controllably heat at least one of a plurality of portions of the amorphous solid material 13 to generate an aerosol for inhalation. Each heating element 106a may be in direct contact with each portion of the amorphous solid material 13 to heat each portion of the amorphous solid material 13, or may be arranged in proximity to but spaced from each portion of the amorphous solid material 13.

[0056] Each of the heating elements 106a provides thermal energy to a specific portion of the amorphous solid material 13 to enable aerosolization of each portion of the amorphous solid material 13 or to release one or more volatile substances from a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 to form an aerosol or to be incorporated into the aerosol. During use of the device 100, one or more of the heating elements 106a can be activated to generate an aerosol / release volatile substances from one or more portions of the amorphous solid material 13.

[0057] Device 100 includes a power source 107 for supplying power to the heater 106. The device 100 also includes a controller 108 connected to the power source 107 and to the heater 106 that is operable to control the operation of the power source 107 and the heater element 106a. A user interface 109 is provided on the housing 101 and is connected to the controller 108. A user can selectively control the operation of the device 100 by inputting an operation command to the device controller 108 via the user interface 109. The user command(s) can be received by the controller 108 via a wired or wireless interface so that the device 100 can operate, for example, via Bluetooth® or a LAN or via a smartphone or other such device. The user interface 109 may include one or more manually operable actuators, such as buttons or regions of a touch-sensitive screen, for manual operation of the device 100 and for a user to select a desired operation of the device 100.

[0058] In one example, the controller 108 is configured to control the activation of a particular heater element 106a of the heater 106 to generate an aerosol. The selective activation of the heater element 106a results in the selective heating of a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 so that a personalized aerosol is generated. Accordingly, a user can select a contribution material to be heated to generate an aerosol, thereby providing a personalized aerosol. Thus, "personalized aerosol" is used herein to mean one that has been selected by the user or otherwise adjusted to meet the user's desires in some way.

[0059] An air flow path 110 extends through the device 100 from an inlet 102 to an outlet 103 and is in fluid communication with a region within the housing 101 occupied by the consumable 10 when the consumable 10 is received and held within the device 100.

[0060] To use the non-flammable aerosol supply system 1 described in this specification, the user inserts the consumable 10 into the slot 105 of the device 100 until the article 10 is fully received and held within the device 100. In the fully inserted position, a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 is positioned adjacent to, opposite to, or in proximity to each heating element 106a of the heater 106. Thereafter, the user activates the device 100 via the user interface 109, providing an operation command to the controller 108, which results in the activation of a specific heating element 106a of the heater 106. The heating element 106a heats one or more regions of the amorphous solid material 13 of the article 10 to generate an aerosol and releases one or more volatile substances from a portion(s) of the amorphous solid material 13 to entrain them within the aerosol. The user inhales through the mouthpiece 104, and ambient air is drawn into the air flow path 110 through the inlet 102, through the air flow path 110 to the user's mouth, and inhaled through the outlet 103. The aerosol generated from a portion(s) of the amorphous solid material 13 is entrained within the air flow to be inhaled by the user.

[0061] In some embodiments, some or all of the amorphous solid material 13 may include one or more perforations 15, as shown in a typical second embodiment of the consumable 10 shown in FIG. 7. In embodiments of the non-combustible aerosol supply system 1 where a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 is in contact with or adjacent to and disposed proximate the heating element 106a, gas and / or vapor may be generated from the surface of the amorphous solid material 13 adjacent to each heating element 106a. This can form or expand a gap between the surface of the heating element 106a and each portion of the amorphous solid material 13. Such a gap can be detrimental to the heating efficiency of the amorphous solid material 13 by each heating element 106a. The perforations 15 allow any gas and / or vapor generated between the surface of the heating element 106a and an adjacent surface of a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 to escape away from the heating element 106 and through a portion of the amorphous solid material 13, and thus can advantageously serve to prevent a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 from being extruded from the heater element 106a.

[0062] The perforations may be of any suitable size and number, and may comprise a single perforation advantageously disposed substantially centrally of a portion (s) of the amorphous solid material 13, or may comprise a plurality of perforations arranged in an array across a portion (s) of the amorphous solid material 13, as shown in FIG. 7. The amorphous solid material 13 may be perforated by a skin grinding roller or any other suitable means, and may be perforated during the manufacture of the amorphous solid material or during the manufacture of the consumable 10.

[0063] In the embodiment of the article 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4, the opening 14 extends completely through the support element. This can be advantageous for heating efficiency since heat from the heating element 106a is transmitted directly to the amorphous solid material 13 without other parts of the article 10 being significantly heated or absorbing thermal energy. This configuration can be even more advantageous since less of the material of the support element 11 is heated or the material of the support element 11 is not significantly heated during use. This can serve to reduce or avoid undesirable aerosols, scents or fragrances imparted by the material of the support element, such as avoiding a detectable cardboard smell if the support material is made of cardboard. However, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to this configuration of the article 10 where the opening 14 extends completely through the support element 11.

[0064] Another configuration of the consumable 10 of the third embodiment is shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 8. The article 10 of FIG. 8 appears in front view similar to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and includes six regions 12 of substantially uniform size and shape arranged in three rows of two (although, as described in connection with the embodiment of the article of FIGS. 1-4, regions of any arrangement / number / size may be provided within the scope of the present invention).

[0065] The difference from the article 10 of FIG. 8 is that the support element 11 is a one-ply component with a single layer 11c. The six regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 are provided in cavities in the form of recesses 14c formed with the thickness of the single layer 11c. The recesses 14c extend partially through, rather than completely through, the thickness of the single layer 11c. The recesses 14c may be formed by any suitable method, for example, by laser or mechanical cutting, machining, reaming, or by compressing selected regions of the layer 11c that will become the regions 12 of the amorphous solid material. The amorphous solid material may be provided in the recesses 14c by cutting a sheet of the solid material into sections of appropriate size and sections disposed within the recesses 14c, or may be provided in the recesses 14c in liquid form and solidified within the recesses 14c, for example, after being placed in the recesses 14c with a pipette. The solidification step may include applying a hardening agent to the liquid material within the recesses 14c.

[0066] The use of the article 10 of the third embodiment in the non-flammable aerosol supply system 1 is the same as that described above in connection with the first embodiment of the consumable 10. The heating element 106a heats selected regions of the single layer 11c corresponding to the recesses 14c, and the heat is transferred to the respective regions of the amorphous solid material 13 through the material of the single layer 11c. The heating element 106a must transfer heat through the material of the single layer 11c rather than directly heating the amorphous solid material 13, but since the single layer 11c is thinner in the regions of the recesses 14c, the resistance to heat transfer through the thickness of the single layer 11c is less than when the heat would have to travel through the entire thickness of the single layer 11c. Thus, the recesses 14c of the third embodiment of the consumable 10 serve to avoid a reduction in the efficiency of heat transfer to the amorphous solid material.

[0067] The consumable 10 of the fourth embodiment is shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 9 and appears the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in the front view, and includes six regions 12 of substantially uniform size and shape arranged in three two-row configurations (however, as described in connection with the embodiments of the articles of FIGS. 1-4, regions of any arrangement / number / size may be provided within the scope of the present invention).

[0068] The support element 11 of the article 10 of FIG. 9 comprises a two-ply component having a first layer 11a and a second layer 11d. The first layer 11a includes a plurality of openings 14a extending completely through the thickness of the first layer 11a. The difference from the consumable 10 of the fourth embodiment is that the second layer 11d does not include an opening extending through its thickness. Instead, the second layer 11d comprises a carrier or substrate in which discrete regions 12 of amorphous solid material 13 are formed. The first and second layers 11a, 11d are joined to each other to form a two-ply support element 11, and a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 is located within each of the openings 14a of the first layer 11a. The layers 11a, 11d may be joined by any suitable binder such as PVA or other adhesives or by non-adhesive means such as welding or other mechanical fixing methods.

[0069] The amorphous solid material 13 may be provided on the second layer 11d of the substrate before the first and second layers 11a, 11d are joined to each other. In such an embodiment, the amorphous solid material 13 may be sandwiched between the second layer 11d of the substrate and the first layer 11a. Alternatively, the amorphous solid material 13 may be provided within the openings 14a after the first and second layers 11a, 11d are joined to each other. In the latter case, the amorphous solid material 13 may be provided by cutting a sheet of the solid material into sections of appropriate size and sections disposed within the openings 14a, or may be solidified within the openings 14a after being provided in liquid form in the openings 14a. The solidification step may include applying a hardening agent to the liquid material within the openings 14a.

[0070] The use of the article 10 of the fourth embodiment in the non-flammable aerosol supply system 1 is the same as that described above in connection with the first embodiment of the consumable 10. The heating element 106a heats a selected area of the second substrate layer 11d corresponding to the area 12 of the solid amorphous material 13, and the heat is transferred to each area of the amorphous solid material 13 through the material of the second substrate layer 11d. Although the heating element 106a must transfer heat through the material of the second substrate layer 11d rather than directly heating the amorphous solid material 13, since the second layer 11d is thinner than the total thickness of the support element 11, the resistance to heat transfer through the thickness of a single second layer 11d is less than when the heat has to be transmitted through the entire thickness of the support element. Also, the second substrate layer 11d may be formed of a material having good thermal conductivity, such as a metal, to improve the heating efficiency and heat transfer from the heating element 106a to the amorphous solid material 13. In some embodiments, the second layer 11d of the substrate or carrier may comprise a metal foil such as aluminum foil.

[0071] The consumable 10 of the fifth embodiment is shown in a schematic cross-sectional view in FIG. 10 and appears similar to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in a front view, and includes six regions 12 of substantially uniform size and shape arranged in three rows of two (however, as described in connection with the embodiments of the article in FIGS. 1-4, regions of any arrangement / number / size may be provided within the scope of the present invention).

[0072] The consumable 10 of the fifth embodiment is similar to the fourth embodiment and includes a support 11 having a first layer 11a with a plurality of openings 14a extending completely through the thickness of the first layer 11a and a second layer 11d comprising a carrier or substrate in which separate regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 are formed. However, the article 10 of the fifth embodiment further includes a third support layer 11e having a plurality of openings 14e extending completely through the thickness of the third layer 11e. Thus, the third layer 11e of the fifth embodiment is configured similarly to the second layer 11b of the first embodiment described above.

[0073] The first, second, and third layers 11a, 11d, 11e are joined together to form the support element 11, and a portion of the amorphous solid material 13 is located within each opening 14a of the first layer 11a. The layers 11a, 11d, 11e may be joined by any suitable binder such as PVA or other adhesives or by non - adhesive means such as welding or other mechanical fixing methods.

[0074] Similar to the article 10 of the fourth embodiment, the amorphous solid material 13 may be provided on the second layer 11d of the substrate before the first, second, and third layers 11a, 11d, 11e are joined together. In such an embodiment, the amorphous solid material 13 may be sandwiched between the second layer 11d of the substrate and the first layer 11a. Alternatively, the amorphous solid material 13 may be provided within the opening 14a after the first, second, and third layers 11a, 11d, 11e are joined together in a manner similar to that described above.

[0075] The use of the article 10 of the fifth embodiment in the non - flammable aerosol supply system 1 is the same as that described above with respect to the fourth embodiment of the consumable 10. Since the third layer 11e has an opening 14e in the region 12 of the solid amorphous material 13, the heat from the heating element 106a heats a selected region of the second substrate layer 11d corresponding to the region 12 of the solid amorphous material 13, similar to the article 10 of the fourth embodiment. The heat is transferred to each region of the amorphous solid material 13 through the material of the second substrate layer 11d. Also in this case, it is advantageous that the second layer 11d may be thinner than the total thickness of the support element 11, so that the resistance to heat transfer through the thickness of a single second layer 11d is less than when the heat has to be transmitted through the entire thickness of the support element 11. Also, the second substrate layer 11d may be formed of a material having good thermal conductivity, such as a metal, to improve the heating efficiency and the heat transfer from the heating element 106a to the amorphous solid material 13. In some embodiments, the second layer 11d of the substrate or carrier may comprise a metal foil such as aluminum foil.

[0076] The consumable 10 of the sixth embodiment is shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 and appears the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in the front view, and includes six regions 12 of substantially uniform size and shape arranged in three rows of two (however, as described in connection with the embodiments of the articles of FIGS. 1-4, regions of any arrangement / number / size may be provided within the scope of the present invention).

[0077] The consumable 10 of the sixth embodiment is similar to the fourth embodiment and includes a support 11 having a first layer 11a with a plurality of openings 14a extending completely through the thickness of the first layer 11a and a second layer 11d including a carrier or substrate in which separate regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 are formed. However, the difference from the article 10 of the sixth embodiment is that the substrate layer 11d comprises a multi-ply material including a primary substrate layer 11d' and a secondary substrate layer 11d''.

[0078] The first and second layers 11a, 11d are bonded to each other as described above to form the support element 11, and a part of the amorphous solid material 13 is located within each opening 14a of the first layer 11a. The amorphous solid material 13 is disposed on the primary substrate layer 11d'. The substrate layer 11d may comprise a two-layer material such as cardboard lined with foil, and the primary substrate layer 11d' may comprise a metal foil layer such as an aluminum layer, and the secondary substrate layer 11d'' may comprise a layer of another material such as cardboard or paperboard. This can impart increased structural strength to the article 10.

[0079] The use of the article 10 of the sixth embodiment in the nonflammable aerosol supply system 1 is the same as that described above in connection with the fourth embodiment of the consumable 10. The heat from the heating element 106a heats the selected regions of the second substrate layer 11d corresponding to the regions 12 of the solid amorphous material 13, similar to the article 10 of the fourth embodiment. The heat is transferred to the respective regions of the amorphous solid material 13 through the material of the second substrate layer 11d. Also in this case, it is advantageous that the second layer 11d may be thinner than the total thickness of the entire support element 11, so that the resistance to heat transfer through the thickness of the single second layer 11d is smaller than when the heat has to be transmitted through the entire thickness of the support element 11. In embodiments where the second substrate layer 11d includes a layer formed of a material having good thermal conductivity, such as a metal, the heating efficiency and the heat transfer from the heating element 106a to the amorphous solid material 13 can be improved. Also in a system that may employ induction heating (described in more detail below), the primary substrate layer 11d' may be formed of a material suitable as a susceptor such that the regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 can directly heat the respective regions 12 of the primary substrate layer 11d' by induction heating. However, in a variant of the sixth embodiment, the secondary substrate layer 11d'' may comprise a metal layer, and the primary substrate layer 11d' may comprise another material, such as cardboard or paperboard.

[0080] The consumables 10 of the second to sixth embodiments include a plurality of separate portions of the amorphous solid material 13 spaced apart from each other, with the advantages described above with respect to the article 10 of the first embodiment.

[0081] The consumable 10 of the seventh embodiment is shown in an exploded perspective view in FIG. 12 and appears similar to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in a front view, and includes six regions 12 of substantially uniform size and shape arranged in three rows of two (however, as described in connection with the embodiments of the article in FIGS. 1 to 4, regions of any arrangement / number / size may be provided within the scope of the present invention).

[0082] The support element 11 of the article 10 in FIG. 11 is the same as the article 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 - 4, and like features remain with the same reference numbers. The difference from the consumable 10 of the seventh embodiment is that the amorphous solid material 13 is provided as a single sheet sandwiched between the first and second layers 11a, 11b. This can enable a simpler and more cost - effective article manufacturing method since only a single portion of the amorphous solid material is required per consumable 10. The single sheet of amorphous solid material 13 may have a uniform composition or may include different compositions in different regions of the sheet so as to be able to generate different compositions of aerosol by selective activation of each heating element 106a.

[0083] The sheet of amorphous solid material 13 may optionally include an array of split holes 16 that define separate regions 12 of the amorphous solid material. Such split holes are shown in FIG. 11. These split holes can help reduce heat transfer by conduction through the amorphous solid material 13 from one region 12 to an adjacent region. This can be advantageous, for example, when one region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 is selectively heated by one heating element 106a, but the adjacent region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 is not intended to be heated. This can be beneficial for accurately controlling the composition of the personalized aerosol generated by the device 100 by avoiding aerosol or volatile generation from regions 12 that are not intended to be activated.

[0084] In addition to or instead of this, the split holes 16 can help reduce the unwanted movement of components of one region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 to an adjacent region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 in embodiments where different regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 have different compositions. The different compositions may tend to diffuse into adjacent regions 12 due to concentration gradients within the amorphous solid material 13, and the split holes 16 can prevent or at least reduce the ability of such diffusion to occur.

[0085] The use of the article 10 of the seventh embodiment in the nonflammable aerosol supply system 1 is the same as that described above with respect to the first embodiment of the consumable 10, and thus will not be repeated.

[0086] Within the scope of the present invention, embodiments of the consumable 10 are contemplated that may comprise several discrete distinct regions of an amorphous solid material of uniform composition and at least one region of an amorphous solid material having a different composition in a different region of the same body of the amorphous solid material. Such regions may have similar or different sizes, shapes, and areas.

[0087] The illustrated and described embodiment of the consumable 10 comprises an enlarged end region 17 at one end of the support element 11. The enlarged end region 17 is shown wider than the remainder of the support element 11. Such an enlarged end region 17 may facilitate handling by the consumer by providing a larger area gripping region, particularly to facilitate insertion into and removal from the device 100 for users with limited dexterity. The enlarged end region 17 may also serve to ensure proper full insertion position of the article 10 within the device 100. For example, the article 10 may be configured to reach the proper full insertion position when the enlarged end region 17 contacts the edge of the slot 105 or other portion of the housing 101 and cannot be inserted further into the device 100.

[0088] A method of manufacturing the consumable 10 of the first embodiment can be understood in relation to the flowchart of FIG. 13. This method includes a step (S1) of providing openings 14a, 14b in the first and second layers 11a, 11b of the sheet material, respectively, in each of the respective layers 11a, 11b of the sheet material; a step (S2) of providing separate portions of the amorphous solid material, at least one of those portions comprising an aerosol-forming material; a step (S3) of positioning a separate portion of the amorphous solid material over the opening 14a / 14b on one of the layers 11a / 11b of the sheet material; and a step (S4) of joining the two layers 11a, 11b of the sheet material to each other to sandwich a separate portion of the amorphous solid material between the two layers of the sheet material 11a, 11b.

[0089] The step S4 of joining the two layers 11a, 11b to each other may include supplying a PVA adhesive, which may be a roller or other suitable means of an adhesive applicator, to at least one of the layers 11a, 11b. The step S1 of providing the first and second layers 11a, 11b of the sheet material with the openings 14a, 14b may include laser cutting or stamp or press cutting the first and second layers from a blank of the sheet material.

[0090] The consumable 10 of the various embodiments described herein may optionally comprise an identification element 18 (see FIG. 1). Such an identification element may comprise, for example, a barcode, a QR code, an RFID tag, or other optical, electrically or wirelessly detectable and / or readable identification element.

[0091] The device 100 may include a sensor 111 configured to detect, read, or otherwise interact with the identification element 18. Such a sensor 111 is connected to the controller 108. In use, the identification element 18 may include information regarding the article 10 and the composition of the amorphous solid material 13 comprising the aerosol-forming material it comprises.

[0092] In the non-flammable aerosol supply system 1, different consumables 10 may be provided that contain different compositions of the amorphous solid material 13, for example, different components, flavorings, volatiles, and aerosol-generating compounds. In this case, if the same heating pattern is applied to different consumables 10, different aerosol mixtures may be produced, not all of which may be desirable. Therefore, it is understood that, optionally, it is necessary to notify the controller 108 that controls the heating so that the composition of the current consumable 10 can produce an appropriate mixture.

[0093] Accordingly, in an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of a portion of a given consumable 10 can be obtained via the identification element 18 and the sensor 111. Once identified, some of the composition on the consumable 10 can be obtained from any local or remote storage, for example, together with other configuration information regarding preset mixing, vaporization temperatures of different sub-materials, and / or restrictions or correlations between parts (e.g., to avoid undesirable mixing).

[0094] The embodiment of the consumable 10 illustrated and described herein comprises a flat planar element. This can also be advantageous for simplicity and thus ease and cost of manufacture, as well as space efficiency of packaging. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited to such a configuration. For example, the article 10 may have a cross-section in the shape of a "V" or "U", or any other suitable form, and the slot 105 of the device may be shaped to receive the article 10 accordingly. In such another embodiment, it is understood that it is advantageous for the heater 106 in the device 100 to be appropriately configured to align with the region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 of the associated consumable 10.

[0095] As used herein, the term "cavity" is intended to include an opening that extends completely through the thickness of an element, and a recess that includes a notch, depression, or other formation that extends partially through the thickness of the element.

[0096] In an embodiment of the article 10 described herein, the aerosol-forming material is described as being within at least one cavity. This is intended to include an aerosol-forming material that is offset from but accessible through the thickness or plane of a support element or a part thereof and aligned with at least one cavity, as well as an aerosol-forming material disposed within the cavity within the thickness or plane of the support element or a part thereof.

[0097] The heater 106 in the described example may be an electrical resistance heater 106. However, in other examples, the heater 106 may be a chemically activated heater that may or may not operate via an exothermic reaction or the like. The heater 106 may be part of an induction heating system, in which case the heater 106 is an energy source for induction heating, such as a coil of copper wire, and the support element 11 may be a susceptor or the like or include a susceptor or the like, including one or more of its layers 11a, 11b, 11c or other components within the device 100. The susceptor may be, for example, a metal sheet, such as a sheet of aluminum foil. In one example, the heating elements 106a are not all of the same type. In one example, at least one heating element 106a of the heater 106 is an electrical resistance heater, another heating element 106 is optionally a chemically activated heater, and another heating element 106a is optionally an induction heater.

[0098] The heater may comprise one or more electrical resistance heaters, including, for example, one or more nichrome resistance heaters (plural) and / or one or more ceramic heaters (plural). The heater may include one or more induction heaters, and the induction heater includes a configuration comprising one or more susceptors that may form a chamber into which an article containing an aerosolizable material is inserted or otherwise positioned during use. Alternatively or in addition, one or more susceptors may be provided on the aerosolizable material. Other heating configurations may be used.

[0099] The power source 107 may be a battery such as, for example, a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium batteries (such as lithium ion batteries), nickel batteries (such as nickel cadmium batteries), and alkaline batteries. The battery is electrically coupled to the heater 106 to supply power under the control of the controller 108 when needed.

[0100] In one example, the plurality of regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 and the plurality of heating elements 106a may be different in number. For example, one heating element 106a can heat two regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 if it is desired that they are always heated together. Conversely, two heating elements 106a may in some cases be used for each region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13, but in other cases may be used in cooperation to heat a larger region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 (e.g., with respect to the main component of the aerosol or the more frequently consumed component). Alternatively or in addition, the support element may be physically movable relative to the heater 106 to newly position one or more different regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 across respective heater elements 106a so as to enable a new mixing palette. In one example, the plurality of regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 may be samples or reservoirs of aerosolizable substances that may contain nicotine and nicotine-containing substances.

[0101] In use, the heating elements 106a may be activated simultaneously or may be operated with a delay between operations. This may be used to allow a particular atmosphere of the aerosol to spread more or less widely throughout the aerosol or smoking session. In one example, a particular heating element 106a can heat a particular region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13, such as the tobacco portion, to generate an inhalable tobacco aerosol at a first time. Thereafter, a different heating element 106a that heats the menthol region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 at a second time immediately follows to follow the tobacco aerosol with a menthol aerosol if the user desires to end the smoking session.

[0102] To provide a personalized aerosol, various heating profiles can be supplied to multiple regions 12 of the amorphous solid material 13. By utilizing complex combinations of profiles, a very specific combination of blend and release time can be generated to highly personalize the aerosol.

[0103] In one example, a first heating element 106a heats a first region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 over a first time, and a second heating element 106a heats a second region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 over a second time. The first time and the second time are different. This improves the personalization of the aerosol. Also, this allows the generation of aerosols with different atmospheres during a smoking session.

[0104] In one example, the first heating element 106a heats the first region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 at a first power level, and the second heating element 106a heats the second region 12 of the amorphous solid material 13 at a second power level, where the first power level and the second power level are different power levels. This further enables the personalization of the generated aerosol. Since the aerosol released can be related to the power at which the heater 106a operates, the flavorings can be released at different times during the session, which, as described above, leads to a level of control over the creation of different atmospheres within the smoking session.

[0105] In one example, the amorphous solid material 13 has a thickness of 1 mm. In another embodiment, the amorphous solid sheet material may have a thickness of from 0.2 mm to 2 mm, or from 0.4 mm to 1.8 mm, or from 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm. However, the amorphous solid material may have any suitable thickness as described herein.

[0106] In embodiments where the support element comprises aluminum foil, the aluminum foil may comprise a layer having a thickness of about 6 μm. However, in another configuration, the aluminum foil may be of another thickness, for example, from 4 μm to 16 μm.

[0107] The amorphous solid material 13 may comprise an aerosol-forming material, an aerosol-generating material that includes an aerosolizable material, also referred to as an aerosol-forming material. The aerosolizable material may be present on or in a support or carrier to form a substrate. The support may be, for example, paper, cardboard, paperboard, thick paper, reconstituted material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, a metal such as aluminum, or a metal alloy, or may comprise them. In some embodiments, the support or carrier comprises a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded in the material. In some other embodiments, the susceptor is on one or both sides of the material.

[0108] An aerosol modifier is a substance that can modify an aerosol during use. The modifier can modify the aerosol to produce a physiological or sensory effect on the human body. Examples of aerosol modifiers are flavorants and sensates. Sensates produce a sensory sensation that can be perceived through sensations such as coldness or sourness.

[0109] An aerosol-forming material can promote the generation of an aerosol by facilitating the initial vaporization of a gas and / or the condensation of inhalable solids and / or liquids into an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material can improve the delivery of flavor from an aerosol-generating material. Generally, any suitable aerosol-forming material or agent can be included in the aerosol-generating material of the present invention, including those described herein. Other suitable aerosol-forming materials include polyols such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol, non-polyols such as monohydric alcohols, high-boiling hydrocarbons, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as diacetin, triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, or myristic acid including ethyl myristate and isopropyl myristate, and aliphatic carboxylic acid esters such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanoate, and dimethyl tetradecanoate, but are not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. Glycerol can be present in an amount of a composition of 10 to 20% by weight, such as a composition of 13 to 16% by weight, or a composition of about 14% or 15% by weight. Propylene glycol, if present, can be present in an amount of a composition of 0.1 to 0.3% by weight.

[0110] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerin, esters of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol mono-, di-, or triacetate, and / or aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids such as dimethyl dodecanoate and dimethyl tetradecanoate.

[0111] Embodiments of the consumable 10 described herein are intended to be used with a non-flammable aerosol supply system such as an electric non-flammable aerosol supply system.

[0112] Embodiments of the non-flammable aerosol supply system described herein comprise a non-flammable aerosol supply device and an article for use with such a device.

[0113] The aerosolizable material, which may also be referred to herein as the aerosol-forming material, is a material that can generate an aerosol when heated, irradiated, or energized by other means, for example. The aerosolizable material may or may not contain nicotine and / or flavorants.

[0114] The aerosol-forming material may be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, which may or may not contain, for example, an active substance and / or a flavorant. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may comprise an "amorphous solid", which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that may hold a fluid such as a liquid inside. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may comprise from about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% amorphous solid to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid, for example.

[0115] The aerosol-forming material may comprise one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may comprise one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0116] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material or the amorphous solid comprises one or more polyhydric alcohols, such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerin, esters of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol mono-, di-, or triacetate, and / or aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids such as dimethyl dodecanoate and dimethyl tetradecanoate.

[0117] One or more other functional materials may comprise one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0118] In one embodiment, the non-combustible aerosol supply device comprises a heater capable of interacting with the aerosol-generating material, and the aerosol-generating material is a material capable of releasing one or more volatile substances from the aerosolizable material to form an aerosol. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating component can generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without heating. For example, the aerosol-generating component may be able to generate an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without applying heat to the aerosolizable material via one or more of, for example, vibrational, mechanical, pressurized or electrostatic means.

[0119] In one embodiment, the aerosolizable material may include a biological material, an aerosol-forming material, and optionally one or more functional materials. The biological material may include nicotine (optionally contained in tobacco or tobacco derivatives) or one or more other non-olfactory physiologically active materials. The non-olfactory physiologically active material is a material contained in the aerosolizable material to achieve a physiological reaction other than olfaction.

[0120] In some cases, the mass per unit area of the amorphous solid sheet material may be 30 to 120 g / m 2 It may be. In some embodiments, the amorphous solid sheet material may have a basis weight of about 30 to 70 g / m 2 or about 40 to 60 g / m 2 It may have a basis weight. In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be about 80 to 120 g / m 2 or about 70 to 110 g / m 2 or particularly about 90 to 110 g / m 2 It may have a basis weight.

[0121] In some examples, the sheet-like amorphous solid may have a tensile strength of about 200 N / m to about 900 N / m. In some examples, such as when the amorphous solid does not contain a filler, the amorphous solid may have a tensile strength of 200 N / m to 400 N / m, or 200 N / m to 300 N / m, or about 250 N / m.

[0122] In some examples, such as when the amorphous solid contains a filler, the amorphous solid may have a tensile strength of 600 N / m to 900 N / m, or 700 N / m to 900 N / m, or about 800 N / m.

[0123] The support element may be any suitable material that can be used to support the amorphous solid. In some cases, the support element may be formed from a material selected from metals such as metal foils, paper, carbon paper, greaseproof paper, ceramics, carbon allotropes such as graphite and graphene, plastics, cardboard, wood, or combinations thereof. In some cases, the support element may be a laminated structure comprising layers of materials selected from the aforementioned list. In some cases, the support element may also function as a fragrance carrier, for example, the support element may be impregnated with a flavorant or a tobacco extract.

[0124] In some cases, the surface of the support element in contact with the amorphous solid may be porous. For example, in some cases, the support element comprises paper. The porous support element may be particularly suitable for forming a strong bond with the amorphous solid material. The amorphous solid may be formed by drying a gel. Without being limited by theory, a slurry for forming the gel is partially impregnated into the porous support element, such that when the gel sets and forms crosslinks, the support element is partially bonded to the gel. However, in another embodiment, the support element may comprise a non-porous material as described above.

[0125] Furthermore, surface roughness can contribute to the strength of the bond between the layer of the support element and / or the amorphous solid material. The roughness of the paper may suitably be in the range of 50 to 1000 Bekk seconds, suitably 50 to 150 Bekk seconds, suitably 100 Bekk seconds (measured over an air pressure interval of 50.66 to 48.00 kPa). (A Bekk smoothness tester is a device used to determine the smoothness of the surface of paper where air at a specific pressure leaks between a smooth glass surface and a paper sample, and the time (in seconds) for a predetermined amount of air to penetrate between these surfaces is the "Bekk smoothness").

[0126] In one particular case, the support element may comprise a foil lined with paper, the paper layer may abut against the amorphous solid, and the properties described in the previous paragraph are imparted by this abutment. Alternatively, the foil layer may abut against the amorphous solid. The lining of the foil is substantially impermeable and can also serve to conduct heat to the amorphous solid. Also, the foil prevents water provided in the amorphous solid from being absorbed by the paper and weakening its structural integrity.

[0127] In other cases, it has been found that paper and greaseproof paper laminates are also particularly useful for the present invention. The paper layer abuts against the amorphous solid, and the adhesive amorphous solid does not readily adhere to the greaseproof paper carrier lining.

[0128] In some cases, one or more of the surfaces of the support element other than the surface of the layer attached to the first surface of the amorphous solid can be treated to prevent the adhesion of the adhesive amorphous solid when the amorphous solid has solidified and dried. For example, the surface can be treated with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and / or other non-stick materials.

[0129] In some cases, the amorphous solid may have a thickness of from about 0.005 mm to about 1.0 mm. Suitably, the thickness may be in the range of from about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm, and may be about 0.09 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness may be from about 0.06 mm to about 0.09 mm, and may be about 0.077 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness may be in the range of from about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm or 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm. The inventors have found that a material having a thickness of 0.2 mm is particularly suitable. The amorphous solid may comprise two or more layers, and the thicknesses described herein refer to the total thickness of those layers.

[0130] The thicknesses defined herein are the average thicknesses of the materials. In some cases, the variation in the thickness of the amorphous solid is no more than 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, or 1%.

[0131] In some cases, the amorphous solid may contain 1 to 60% by weight of a gelling agent, and these weights are calculated based on the dry weight.

[0132] Suitably, the amorphous solid may contain from about 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% by weight to about 60%, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, or 27% by weight of the gelling agent (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the amorphous solid may contain 1 to 50% by weight, 5 to 40% by weight, 10 to 30% by weight, or 15 to 27% by weight of the gelling agent.

[0133] In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes a hydrophilic colloid. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of alginates, pectins, starches (and derivatives), celluloses (and derivatives), gums, silica or silicone compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the gelling agent includes one or more of alginate, pectin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, acacia gum, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol. In some cases, the gelling agent includes alginate and / or pectin and may be combined with a curing agent (such as a calcium source) during the formation of the amorphous solid. In some cases, the amorphous solid may include calcium cross-linked alginate and / or calcium cross-linked pectin.

[0134] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises alginate, which is present in the amorphous solid in an amount of 10 to 30% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, alginate is the only gelling agent present in the amorphous solid. In other embodiments, the gelling agent comprises alginate and at least one further gelling agent such as pectin.

[0135] The gelling agent may comprise one or more compounds selected from cellulose-based gelling agents, non-cellulose-based gelling agents, guar gum, acacia gum, and mixtures thereof.

[0136] In some embodiments, the cellulose-based gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), and combinations thereof.

[0137] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more of (or is one or more of) hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethylcellulose, guar gum, or acacia gum.

[0138] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more non-cellulose-based gelling agents including but not limited to agar, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, starch, alginate, and combinations thereof. In preferred embodiments, the non-cellulose-based gelling agent is alginate or agar.

[0139] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may include a gelling agent comprising carrageenan.

[0140] The aerosol-forming material or the amorphous solid may include an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of a monobasic acid, a dibasic acid, and a tribasic acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may include at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of an alpha-hydroxy acid, a carboxylic acid, a dicarboxylic acid, a tricarboxylic acid, and a keto acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be an alpha-keto acid.

[0141] In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvic acid.

[0142] Suitably, the acid is lactic acid. In other embodiments, the acid is benzoic acid. In other embodiments, the acid may be an inorganic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be a mineral acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid, and phosphoric acid. In some embodiments, the acid is levulinic acid.

[0143] In certain embodiments, the aerosol-forming material or the amorphous solid comprises a cellulose-based gelling agent and / or a non-cellulose-based gelling agent, an active substance, and a gelling agent comprising an acid.

[0144] Suitably, the amorphous solid may contain from about 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, or 20 wt% to about 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 55 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, or 35 wt% of an aerosol - forming agent (all calculated on a dry - weight basis). The aerosol - forming agent may act as a plasticizer. For example, the amorphous solid may contain from 5 to 60 wt%, 10 to 50 wt%, or 20 to 40 wt% of an aerosol - forming agent. In some cases, the aerosol - forming agent comprises one or more compounds selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, triacetin, sorbitol, and xylitol. In some cases, the aerosol - forming agent contains glycerol or consists essentially of glycerol or consists of glycerol. The inventors have demonstrated that when the content of the plasticizer is too high, the amorphous solid can absorb water, resulting in a material that does not produce an appropriate consumption experience during use. The inventors have also demonstrated that when the content of the plasticizer is too low, the amorphous solid can become brittle and be easily broken. The plasticizer content defined herein provides the flexibility of the amorphous solid such that the amorphous solid sheet can be wound around a bobbin, which is useful for the manufacture of aerosol - forming articles.

[0145] In some cases, the amorphous solid further contains an active substance. For example, in some cases, the amorphous solid further contains a tobacco material and / or nicotine. For example, the amorphous solid may further contain powdered tobacco and / or nicotine and / or a tobacco extract. In some cases, the amorphous solid may contain from about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt% or 25 wt% to about 70 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt% or 40 wt% (calculated on a dry - weight basis) of an active substance. In some cases, the amorphous solid may contain from about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, or 40 wt% (calculated on a dry weight) of a tobacco material and / or nicotine.

[0146] In some cases, the amorphous solid contains an active substance such as a tobacco extract. In some cases, the amorphous solid may contain 5 to 60% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco extract. In some cases, the amorphous solid may contain from about 5% by weight, 10% by weight, 15% by weight, 20% by weight or 25% by weight to about 55% by weight, 50% by weight, 45% by weight or 40% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the tobacco extract. For example, the amorphous solid may contain 5 to 60% by weight, 10 to 55% by weight, or 25 to 55% by weight of the tobacco extract. The tobacco extract may contain nicotine at a concentration such that the amorphous solid comprises from 1% by weight, 1.5% by weight, 2% by weight or 2.5% by weight to about 6% by weight, 5% by weight, 4.5% by weight or 4% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of nicotine. In some cases, the amorphous solid may be free of nicotine other than that arising from the tobacco extract.

[0147] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid does not comprise tobacco material but contains nicotine. In some such cases, the amorphous solid may contain from about 1% by weight, 2% by weight, 3% by weight or 4% by weight to about 20% by weight, 15% by weight, 10% by weight or 5% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis) of nicotine. For example, the amorphous solid may contain 1 to 20% by weight or 2 to 5% by weight of nicotine.

[0148] In some cases, the amorphous solid may contain a flavoring. Suitably, the amorphous solid may contain up to about 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 40 wt%, 30 wt%, 20 wt%, 10 wt%, or 5 wt% of the flavoring. In some cases, the amorphous solid may contain at least about 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, or 30 wt% (all calculated on a dry weight basis) of the flavoring. For example, the amorphous solid may contain 0.1 - 60 wt%, 1 - 60 wt%, 5 - 60 wt%, 10 - 60 wt%, 20 - 50 wt%, or 30 - 40 wt% of the flavoring. In some cases, the flavoring (if present) comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of menthol. In some cases, the amorphous solid does not contain a flavoring.

[0149] In some cases, the total content of the active substance and the flavoring may be at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, or 30 wt%. In some cases, the total content of the active substance and the flavoring may be less than about 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt%, or 40 wt% (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0150] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may contain a colorant. The addition of the colorant can change the visual appearance of the amorphous solid. The presence of the colorant in the amorphous solid can improve the visual appearance of the amorphous solid and the aerosol - generating material. By adding a colorant to the amorphous solid, the amorphous solid can match the color to other components of the aerosol - generating material or other components of an article comprising the amorphous solid.

[0151] Depending on the desired color of the amorphous solid, various colorants can be used. The color of the amorphous solid can be, for example, white, green, red, purple, blue, brown, or black. Other colors are also envisioned. Natural or synthetic colorants such as natural or synthetic dyes, food-grade colorants, and pharmaceutical-grade colorants can be used. In certain embodiments, the colorant is caramel, which can provide an amorphous solid with a brown appearance. In such embodiments, the color of the amorphous solid may be similar to the color of other components (such as tobacco materials) in the aerosol-forming material comprising the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, the addition of the colorant to the amorphous solid makes the amorphous solid visually indistinguishable from other components in the aerosol-forming material.

[0152] The colorant may be incorporated during the formation of the amorphous solid (e.g., when forming a slurry comprising the material for forming the amorphous solid), or may be applied to the amorphous solid after the formation of the amorphous solid (e.g., by spraying the colorant onto the amorphous solid).

[0153] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid is a hydrogel and contains less than about 20% by weight of water calculated on a wet weight basis. In some cases, the hydrogel may contain less than about 15%, 12%, or 10% by weight of water calculated on a wet weight basis (WWB). In some cases, the hydrogel may contain at least about 1%, 2%, or at least about 5% by weight of water (WWB). The amorphous solid contains from about 1% to about 15% by weight of water, or from about 5% to about 15% by weight of water, calculated on a wet weight basis. Suitably, the water content of the amorphous solid may be from about 5%, 7%, or 9% to about 15%, 13%, or 11% (WWB), most suitably about 10% by weight.

[0154] The amorphous solid may be formed from a gel, which may further contain a solvent contained in an amount of 0.1 to 50% by weight. However, the inventors have demonstrated that including a solvent in which the fragrance can dissolve reduces the stability of the gel and allows the fragrance to crystallize from the gel. Therefore, in some cases, the gel does not contain a solvent in which the fragrance can dissolve.

[0155] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises less than 60% by weight of a filler, for example, 1% to 60% by weight, or 5% to 50% by weight, or 5% to 30% by weight, or 10% to 20% by weight of a filler.

[0156] In other embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises less than 20% by weight, suitably less than 10% by weight, or less than 5% by weight of a filler. In some cases, the amorphous solid comprises less than 1% by weight of a filler and, in some cases, does not contain a filler.

[0157] When present, the filler may include one or more inorganic fillers such as calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, and suitable inorganic adsorbents such as molecular sieves. The filler may include one or more organic filler materials such as wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives. In some cases, the amorphous solid comprises less than 1% by weight of a filler and, in some cases, does not contain a filler. In particular, in some cases, the amorphous solid does not contain calcium carbonate such as chalk.

[0158] In some cases, the amorphous solid may consist essentially of or consist of a gelling agent, an aerosol-forming agent, water, and optionally a fragrance and / or an active substance (such as a tobacco material and / or a nicotine source).

[0159] A susceptor is a material that can be heated by penetrating a changing magnetic field such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be a conductive material, so that when a changing magnetic field penetrates the susceptor, induction heating of the heating material is caused. The heating material may be a magnetic material, so that when a changing magnetic field penetrates the susceptor, magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material is caused. The susceptor may be both conductive and magnetic, so that the susceptor can be heated by both heating mechanisms. A device configured to generate a changing magnetic field is referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

[0160] Induction heating is a process in which a conductive object is heated by penetrating it with a changing magnetic field. This process is explained by Faraday's law of induction and Ohm's law. An induction heater may include an electromagnet and a device for passing a changing current, such as an alternating current, through the electromagnet. When the electromagnet and the object to be heated are properly positioned relative to each other such that the changing magnetic field generated as a result of the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated inside the object. The object has resistance to the flow of current. Therefore, when such eddy currents are generated in the object, the object is heated as the eddy currents flow against the electrical resistance of the object. This process is called Joule heating, Ohmic heating, or resistive heating. An object that can be induction heated is known as a susceptor.

[0161] Magnetic hysteresis heating is a process in which an object made of a magnetic material is heated by penetrating it with a changing magnetic field. A magnetic material can be considered to comprise many atomic-scale magnets, or magnetic dipoles. When a magnetic field penetrates such a material, the magnetic dipoles align with the magnetic field. Thus, when a changing magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field generated by, for example, an electromagnet, penetrates the magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipoles changes with the changing applied magnetic field. Heat is generated in the magnetic material due to such reorientation of the magnetic dipoles.

[0162] When an object is both conductive and magnetic, by introducing a changing magnetic field into the object, both Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating can be induced in the object. Furthermore, using a magnetic material can strengthen the magnetic field, thereby strengthening the Joule heating.

[0163] In each of the above processes, since heat is generated inside the object itself rather than by an external heat source through heat conduction, by selecting particularly appropriate object materials and shapes and the appropriate magnitude and direction of the changing magnetic field for the object, a rapid temperature rise and a more uniform heat distribution of the object can be achieved. Furthermore, induction heating and magnetic hysteresis heating do not require a physical connection between the source of the changing magnetic field and the object, so the degree of freedom in design and the control of the heating profile are greater, and the cost can be lower.

[0164] As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are relative terms defined in relation to the direction of the main aerosol drawn through an article or device in use.

[0165] As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material including tobacco or its derivatives or its alternatives. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, foamed tobacco, recycled tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Tobacco materials may include one or more of shredded tobacco, tobacco fibers, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, tobacco thin layers, recycled tobacco and / or tobacco extracts.

[0166] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered contains an active substance.

[0167] The active substance used in this specification may be a physiologically active material that is a material adapted to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substance can be selected, for example, from nutraceuticals, nootropics, and psychotropic drugs. The active substance may be either naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. The active substance may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. The active substance may include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another plant-based substance.

[0168] In some embodiments, the active substance includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance includes caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0169] As described herein, the active substance may include one or more plant substances or components, their derivatives or extracts, or may be derived therefrom. As used herein, the term "plant substance" includes any material derived from plant substances including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, skin, husks, etc. Alternatively, the material may synthetically obtained and contain active compounds naturally present in plant substances. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, chips, strips, sheets, etc. Examples of plant substances are tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, licorice, matcha, mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, teas such as green tea and black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, beefsteak plant, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, coriander, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiana, marjoram, olive, lemon essential oil, lemon basil, chive, carvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof.The mint may be selected from the following mint varieties, namely, Mentha Arventis, Menthac.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Mentha piperita c.v., Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cordifolia, Mentha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v., and Mentha suaveolens.

[0170] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances or components, their derivatives or extracts, and the plant substance is tobacco.

[0171] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances or components, their derivatives or extracts, and the plant substances are selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa and hemp.

[0172] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances or components, their derivatives or extracts, and the plant substances are selected from rooibos and fennel.

[0173] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material or the amorphous solid comprises one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromevarin (CBCV), cannabigerovarin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), cannabinodiol (CBE), cannabicitran (CBT).

[0174] The aerosol - generating material or the amorphous solid may comprise one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0175] The aerosol - generating material or the amorphous solid may comprise cannabidiol (CBD).

[0176] The aerosol - generating material or the amorphous solid may comprise nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

[0177] The aerosol - generating material or the amorphous solid may comprise nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0178] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered comprises a flavor.

[0179] As used herein, the terms "flavoring" and "flavorant" refer to materials that can be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatic sensations in products for adult consumers, where local regulations permit. Such materials include naturally occurring flavor materials, vegetable substances, extracts of vegetable substances, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, phoebe leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, anise, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, redberry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, rhubarb, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, drumbooi, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, cart, naswar, betel, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, iran iran, sage, fennel, wasabi, pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, mint oil of any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo biloba, hazel, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange skin, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, beefsteak plant, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiana, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, calvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or alternative sugars (e.g., sucralose,acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and may also contain other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, plant substances, or breath fresheners. These materials may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. These materials may be in any suitable form, such as a liquid like oil, a solid like powder, or a gas.,

[0180] In some embodiments, the flavoring includes menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes cucumber, blueberry, citrus fruit, and / or redberry flavor components. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavor components extracted from cannabis.

[0181] In some embodiments, the flavoring may include sensations aimed at achieving somatosensory sensations that are typically chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of olfactory or gustatory nerves, and these may include heating, cooling, tingling, agents that give a numbing effect. Suitable heat effect agents may include, but are not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and suitable coolants may include, but are not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3.

[0182] The various embodiments described herein are presented only to assist in understanding and teaching the features recited in the claims. These embodiments are provided only as representative samples and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations of the scope of the invention defined by the claims or limitations of equivalents of the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and modifications can be made without departing from the invention recited in the claims. The various embodiments of the present invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. other than those specifically described herein. Further, this disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently recited in the claims but may be recited in the claims in the future.

Claims

1. 1. An article for use in a non-flammable aerosol delivery system, comprising: a support element comprising at least one cavity; an aerosol-forming material disposed in the at least one cavity, the aerosol-forming material comprising an amorphous solid material; and Equipped with the support element comprises at least two layers of sheet material; The article, wherein each of the at least two layers of sheet material in the support element comprises at least one of paper, paperboard, or cardboard.

2. 10. The article of claim 1, wherein the sheet material has a weight of between 180 GSM and 210 GSM.

3. The article of claim 1 or 2, wherein the sheet material has a thickness of from 150 μm to 400 μm.

4. The article of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support element has a thickness of 300 μm to 800 μm.

5. The article of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aerosol-forming material is sandwiched between the at least two layers of the sheet material.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cavity comprises an opening extending completely through the thickness of the support element.

7. The article of claim 1 or 6, wherein the at least one cavity comprises a recess extending partially through the thickness of the support element.

8. The article of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the aerosol-forming material comprises an amorphous solid material having regions of different composition within the same body of material.

9. The article of any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a plurality of separate, spaced apart cavities containing aerosol-forming material.

10. The article of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the aerosol-forming material is perforated.

11. The article of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the aerosol-forming material is provided on a substrate.

12. The article of claim 11 , wherein the substrate comprises a metal foil.

13. The article of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the material of the support element is a biodegradable material.

14. The article of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the article comprises an identification element.

15. The article of claim 14 , wherein the identification element is a barcode, a QR code, or an RFID chip.

16. The article of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the amorphous solid material comprises a gelling agent.

17. 17. The article of claim 16, wherein the gelling agent is alginate, pectin, and / or carrageenan.

18. The article of any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the amorphous solid material is a dry hydrogel.

19. The article of any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the amorphous solid material further comprises an aerosol generating agent, an active agent, and / or a flavoring agent.

20. 20. The article of claim 19, wherein the aerosol generating agent is glycerol.

21. 21. The article of claim 19 or 20, wherein the active substance is nicotine.

22. The article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amorphous solid material has a thickness of about 0.015 mm to 0.5 mm, or 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, or 0.15 mm to 0.25 mm.

23. The article of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol-forming material comprises a plurality of holes arranged to define a plurality of distinct regions of the aerosol-forming material.

24. The article of any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the support element comprises a substantially planar body.

25. An article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one cavity extends at least partially through the thickness of the support element.

26. 26. The article of any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the article comprises a plurality of separate cavities comprising an amorphous solid material, each cavity comprising a different amorphous solid material.

27. An aerosol generation system comprising an aerosol generation device and an article according to any one of claims 1 to 26.

28. 28. The aerosol generating system of claim 27, comprising the article of claim 26, wherein the aerosol generating device is configured to provide a customizable heating profile so as to independently heat the amorphous solid material in the plurality of separate cavities of the article.

29. 1. A method of making an article for use in a non-flammable aerosol delivery system, comprising: providing a support element including at least one cavity; providing an aerosol-generating material in the at least one cavity, the aerosol-generating material comprising an amorphous solid material; Including, the support element comprises at least two layers of sheet material; The method, wherein each of the at least two layers of sheet material in the support element comprises at least one of paper, paperboard, or cardboard.

30. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the sheet material has a weight of between 180 GSM and 210 GSM.

31. A method according to claim 29 or 30, wherein the sheet material has a thickness of from 150 μm to 400 μm.

32. 32. The method of any one of claims 29 to 31, wherein the support element has a thickness of 300 μm to 800 μm.

33. 33. The method of any one of claims 29 to 32, comprising forming at least two layers of sheet material to form the support element, at least one of the layers including at least one cavity, and sandwiching the aerosol-generating material between the at least two layers of sheet material.

34. A method according to any one of claims 29 to 33, comprising providing the aerosol-generating material on a substrate, the substrate may comprise a metal foil.

Images