Article used for apparatus for heating smokable material

Abstract

To provide a smoking article used together with an apparatus for heating a smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material.SOLUTION: There is provided a smoking article 101 used together with an apparatus for heating a smokable material 103 to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. The smoking article has a body made of the smokable material and a filter assembly 105. The filter assembly includes: a cooling segment 107 of 20 mm to 30 mm in length for cooling at least one volatilized component of the smokable material; a filter segment 109 adjacent to the cooling segment for filtering the at least one volatilized component of the smokable material; and a mouth side end segment 111 adjacent to the filter segment for being received in the mouth of a user. The cooling segment is arranged between the body made of the smokable material, and the filter segment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article used together with an apparatus for heating a smoking material to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material, an apparatus for heating a smoking material to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material, and a kit comprising the article and the apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Articles such as cigarettes and cigars generate tobacco smoke by burning tobacco during use. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these articles that burn tobacco by creating products that release compounds without burning. Examples of such products include so-called heat-not-burn products, also known as tobacco heating products or tobacco heating devices. These release compounds by heating the material rather than burning it. The material may be, for example, tobacco, other non-tobacco products, or a combination such as a blended mixture, and they may or may not contain nicotine.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a smoking article (also referred to as an "article") used together with an apparatus for heating a smoking material to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material. The smoking article comprises a body made of a smoking material, a cooling segment having a length of 20 mm to 30 mm for cooling at least one volatilized component of the smoking material, a filter segment adjacent to the cooling segment for filtering at least one volatilized component of the smoking material, and a mouth-side end segment adjacent to the filter segment and adapted to be received in a user's mouth. The cooling segment is disposed between the body made of the smoking material and the filter segment.

[0004] In an exemplary embodiment, the cooling segment comprises a hollow tube. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system comprising a heating device configured to volatilize at least one component of a smoking material and a smoking article inserted into the heating device. The heating device includes a housing having a first opening at a first end into which the smoking article can be inserted, and at least one heater construct (also referred to as a "heating construct") disposed within the housing for heating the smoking material during use.

[0005] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention given only by way of example, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, will be described.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] As used herein, the term "smoking material" includes a material that provides volatile components, typically in the form of an aerosol, when heated. The "smoking material" can be a tobacco-free material or a tobacco-containing material. The "smoking material" may include, for example, one or more of tobacco itself, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco extracts, homogenized tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The smoking material can be in the form of shredded tobacco, cut rag tobacco, extruded tobacco, gel, or a mass. The "smoking material" may also include other non-tobacco products, and these non-tobacco products may or may not contain nicotine depending on the product.

[0008] As used herein, the term "polyimide" refers to any polymer comprising imide monomers, or any polymer substantially formed from imide monomers, which may be saturated or unsaturated. The polyimide may be hydrophobic.

[0009] As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring" refer to materials that can be used (when permitted by local regulations) to impart a desired taste or aroma to products for adult consumers. These materials can include extracts (such as licorice, hydrangea, Japanese cypress leaves, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, rum, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, frankincense, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, perilla, pepper, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or sensory receptor site stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (such as sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, thaumatin, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives (such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, plant substances, or breath fresheners). These can be imitation, synthetic, or natural materials, or mixtures thereof. They can contain natural or nature-identical aromatic chemicals. They can take any suitable form, such as oil, liquid, powder, or gel.

[0010] As used herein, the term "circular" refers to being in a ring shape or form. "Circular" does not mean that it is itself circular. In some embodiments, elements described herein as "circular" may actually be circular, but in other embodiments, such elements may be "circular" or may be non-circular such as elliptical or polygonal.

[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a partial cutaway sectional view and a perspective view of an example of a smoking article 101 according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown respectively. The smoking article 101 is configured to be used with a device having a power source and a heater. The smoking article 101 of this embodiment is particularly suitable for use with the device 1 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 described below. In use, the smoking article 101 can be removably inserted into the device shown in FIG. 5 at the insertion point 20 of the device 1.

[0012] An example of the smoking article 101 is in the form of a substantially cylindrical rod, which includes a body made of a smoking material 103 and a filter assembly 105 in the form of a rod. The filter assembly 105 includes three segments, namely a cooling segment 107, a filter segment 109, and a mouth-end segment 111. The smoking article 101 has a first end 113, also known as the mouth-end (referred to as the "mouth-end" in this document) or proximal end, and a second end 115, also known as the distal end. The body made of the smoking material 103 is disposed near the distal end 115 of the smoking article 101. In one example, the cooling segment 107 is disposed adjacent to the body made of the smoking material 103 between the body made of the smoking material 103 and the filter segment 109 so as to be in contact with the smoking material 103 and the filter segment 130. In other examples, there may be a gap between the body made of the smoking material 103 and the cooling segment 107, and between the body made of the smoking material 103 and the filter segment 109. The filter segment 109 is disposed between the cooling segment 107 and the mouth-end segment 111. The mouth-end segment 111 is disposed adjacent to the filter segment 109 near the proximal end 113 of the smoking article 101. In one example, the filter segment 109 is in contact with the mouth-end segment 111. In one embodiment, the total length of the filter assembly 105 is 37 mm to 45 mm, and more preferably the total length of the filter assembly 105 is 41 mm.

[0013] In one embodiment, the body consisting of the smoking material 103 contains tobacco. However, in each of the other embodiments, the body consisting of the smoking material 103 may be made of tobacco, may be substantially entirely made of tobacco, may include tobacco and a smoking material other than tobacco, may include a smoking material other than tobacco, or may not contain tobacco. The smoking material may include an aerosol-forming agent such as glycerol.

[0014] In one example, the length of the body consisting of the smoking material 103 is 34 mm to 50 mm, more preferably the length of the body consisting of the smoking material 103 is 38 mm to 46 mm, and even more preferably the length of the body consisting of the smoking material 103 is 42 mm.

[0015] In one example, the overall length of the smoking article 101 is 71 mm to 95 mm, more preferably the overall length of the smoking article 101 is 79 mm to 87 mm, and even more preferably the overall length of the smoking article 101 is 83 mm.

[0016] The axial end of the body consisting of the smoking material 103 can be seen at the distal end 115 of the smoking article 101. However, in other embodiments, the distal end 115 of the smoking article 101 may include an end member (not shown) that covers the axial end of the body consisting of the smoking material 103.

[0017] The body consisting of the smoking material 103 is joined to the filter assembly 105 by an annular tip paper (not shown), and this tip paper is disposed substantially around the entire circumference of the filter assembly 105 so as to surround the filter assembly 105 and extends partially along the length of the body consisting of the smoking material 103. In one example, the tip paper is made from a standard tipping base paper of 58 GSM. Also, in one example, the tip paper has a length of 42 mm to 50 mm, more preferably a length of 46 mm.

[0018] In one example, the cooling segment 107 is an annular tube that is disposed around the void within the cooling segment and defines the void within the cooling segment. The void provides a chamber for flowing the heated volatile components emitted from the body made of the smoking material 103. The cooling segment 107 is hollow to provide a chamber for storing the aerosol, but is rigid enough to withstand the axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacturing, and the axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur when the smoking article 101 is used while inserted into the device 1. In one example, the wall thickness of the cooling segment 107 is about 0.29 mm.

[0019] The cooling segment 107 causes a physical displacement between the smoking material 103 and the filter portion 109. The physical displacement caused by the cooling segment 107 provides a thermal gradient across the entire length of the cooling segment 107. In one example, the cooling segment 107 is configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40 °C between the heated volatile components entering the first end of the cooling segment 107 and the heated volatile components exiting the second end of the cooling segment 107. In one example, the cooling segment 107 is configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60 °C between the heated volatile components entering the first end of the cooling segment 107 and the heated volatile components exiting the second end of the cooling segment 107. This temperature difference across the length of the cooling element 107 protects the temperature-sensitive filter segment 109 from the high temperature of the smoking material 103 when heated by the heating configuration of the device 1. If no physical displacement is imparted between the filter segment 109, the body made of the smoking material 103, and the heating element of the device 1, the temperature-sensitive filter segment 109 may be damaged during use, and thus may not effectively perform the necessary functions.

[0020] In one example, the length of the cooling segment 107 is at least 15 mm. In one example, the length of the cooling segment 107 is from 20 mm to 30 mm, more specifically from 23 mm to 27 mm, more specifically from 25 mm to 27 mm, and even more specifically 25 mm.

[0021] The cooling segment 107 is made of paper, which means that it is composed of a material that does not produce the compounds in question, such as toxic compounds, even when placed in the vicinity of the heater assembly of the device 1 during use. In one example, the cooling segment 107 is manufactured from a spiral-wound paper tube that provides a hollow internal chamber and maintains mechanical rigidity. The spiral-wound paper tube can meet the stringent dimensional accuracy requirements of the high-speed manufacturing process with respect to the tube length, outer diameter, roundness, and straightness.

[0022] In another example, the cooling segment 107 is a recess made from stiff plug wrap paper or chip paper. The stiff plug wrap paper or chip paper is manufactured to have sufficient rigidity to withstand the axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacturing and the axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur when the smoking article 101 is used while inserted into the device 1.

[0023] For each example of the cooling segment 107, the dimensional accuracy of the cooling segment is sufficient to meet the dimensional accuracy requirements of the high-speed manufacturing process.

[0024] The filter segment 109 may be made from any filter material sufficient to remove one or more volatile compounds from the heated volatile components from the smoking material. In one example, the filter segment 109 is made from a monoacetate material such as cellulose acetate. The filter segment 109 cools the heated volatile components without reducing the amount of the heated volatile components to an unsatisfactory level for the user, enabling reduction of the irritation therefrom.

[0025] The density of the cellulose acetate tow material of the filter segment 109 controls the pressure drop from end to end of the filter segment 109 and thus the draw resistance of the smoking article 101. Therefore, the selection of the material of the filter segment 109 is important for controlling the draw resistance of the smoking article 101. Further, the filter segment performs a filtering function in the smoking article 101.

[0026] In one example, the filter segment 109 is made of a 8Y15 grade filter tow material, which exerts a filtering effect on the heated volatile material, reduces the size of the condensed aerosol droplets generated from the heated volatile material, and reduces the irritation and throat impact of the heated volatile material to a satisfactory level.

[0027] The presence of the filter segment 109 provides a heat insulation effect by further cooling the heated volatile components flowing out of the cooling segment 107. This further cooling effect lowers the contact temperature of the user's lips on the surface of the filter segment 109.

[0028] One or more flavorings can be added to the filter segment 109 either in the form of directly injecting the flavored liquid into the filter segment 109 or by embedding or placing one or more flavored perishable capsules or other flavor carriers into the cellulose acetate tow of the filter segment 109.

[0029] In one example, the filter segment 109 has a length of 6 mm to 10 mm, more preferably 8 mm.

[0030] The mouth-side end segment 111 is an annular tube and is arranged around and defines the void within the mouth-side end segment 111. The void provides a chamber for the heated volatile components flowing from the filter segment 109. The mouth-side end segment 111 is hollow to provide a chamber for accommodating the aerosol, but is rigid enough to withstand the axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacturing and the axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur when the smoking article 101 is used while inserted into the device 1.

[0031] In one example, the length of the mouth-side end segment 111 is 6 mm to 10 mm, more preferably 8 mm. In one example, the thickness of the mouth-side end segment is 0.29 mm.

[0032] The mouth-side end segment 111 can be manufactured from a helically wound paper tube that provides a hollow internal chamber and maintains critical mechanical rigidity. The helically wound paper tube can meet the stringent dimensional accuracy requirements of high-speed manufacturing processes with respect to the tube length, outer diameter, roundness, and straightness.

[0033] The mouth-side end segment 111 functions to prevent the liquid condensate accumulating at the outlet of the filter segment 109 from coming into direct contact with the user.

[0034] In one example, the mouth-side end segment 111 and the cooling segment 107 may be formed from a single tube, with the filter segment 109 disposed therein, and it should be understood that the mouth-side end segment 111 and the cooling segment 107 are separated.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a partial cutaway cross-sectional view and a perspective view of an example of an article or smoking article 301 according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown, respectively. The reference numerals shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are the same as the values obtained by adding "200" to the reference numerals shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0036] In the example of the smoking article 301 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an air ventilation region 317 is provided within the smoking article 301 to enable air to flow from the outside of the smoking article 301 into the inside of the smoking article 301. In one example, the air ventilation region 317 takes the form of one or more ventilation holes 317 formed through the outer layer of the smoking article 301. The ventilation holes may be disposed in the cooling segment 307 to assist in cooling the smoking article 301. In one example, the air ventilation region 317 includes one or more rows of holes, and preferably, the holes in each row are disposed over the entire circumference of the smoking article 301 in a cross-section substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the smoking article 301.

[0037] In one example, there are one to four rows of ventilation holes in the smoking article 301 to allow ventilation. Each row of ventilation holes can have 12 to 36 ventilation holes 317. The ventilation holes 317 can have a diameter of, for example, 100 μm to 500 μm. In one example, the axial distance between the rows of ventilation holes 317 is 0.25 mm to 0.75 mm, and more preferably, the axial distance between the rows of ventilation holes 317 is 0.5 mm.

[0038] In one example, the ventilation holes 317 are of uniform size. In another example, the ventilation holes 317 are of different sizes. The ventilation holes can be made using any suitable technique, for example, one or more of the following techniques. That is, laser technology, mechanical drilling of the cooling segment 307, or pre-drilling of the cooling segment 307 before forming it in the smoking article 301. The ventilation holes 317 are arranged to effectively cool the smoking article 301.

[0039] In one example, the rows of ventilation holes 317 are arranged at least 11 mm from the proximal end 313 of the smoking article, and more preferably, the ventilation holes are arranged between 17 mm and 20 mm from the proximal end 313 of the smoking article 301. The position of the ventilation holes 317 is arranged so that the user does not block the ventilation holes 317 during use of the smoking article 301.

[0040] Advantageously, as can be understood from FIGS. 6 and 7, by providing a row of ventilation holes between 17 mm and 20 mm from the proximal end 313 of the smoking article 301, when the smoking article 301 is fully inserted into the device 1, the ventilation holes 317 can be arranged outside the device 1. By arranging the ventilation holes outside the device, unheated air can enter the smoking article 301 through the ventilation holes from outside the device 301, assisting in cooling the smoking article 301.

[0041] The length of the cooling segment 307 is such that when the smoking article 301 is fully inserted into the device 1, a part of the cooling segment 307 is inserted into the device 1. The length of the cooling segment 307 provides a first function of providing a physical gap between the heater construct of the device 1 and the heat-sensitive filter construct 309, and a second function of enabling the ventilation hole 317 to be disposed not only within the cooling segment but also outside the device 1 when the smoking article 301 is fully inserted into the device 1. As can be seen from FIGS. 6 and 7, most of the cooling element 307 is disposed within the device 1. However, there is also a portion of the cooling element 307 that extends outside the device 1. This portion of the cooling element 307 extends out of the device 1, where the ventilation hole 317 is disposed.

[0042] Referring more particularly to FIGS. 5 - 7, an example of a device 1 configured to heat a smoking article to volatilize at least one component of the smoking article to form an aerosol that can typically be inhaled is shown. The device 1 is a heating device 1 that releases compounds by heating the smoking article without burning it.

[0043] The first end 3 is herein also referred to as the mouth-side end (mouth-side end) or proximal end 3 of the device 1, and the second end 5 is herein also referred to as the distal end 5 of the device 1. The device 1 is provided with an on-off button 7 that enables the entire device 1 to be switched on and off according to the user's desire.

[0044] The device 1 includes a housing 9 for disposing and protecting various internal components of the device 1. In the illustrated example, the housing 9 includes an integral sleeve 11 that surrounds the device 1, and this sleeve 11 is closed by an upper panel 17 that generally defines the "upper part" of the device 1 and a bottom panel 19 that generally defines the "bottom part" of the device 1. In other examples, the housing includes, in addition to the upper panel 17 and the bottom panel 19, a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of opposing side panels.

[0045] The upper panel 17 and / or the bottom panel 19 may be removably fixed to the integral sleeve 11 to enable easy access to the interior of the device 1, or may be "permanently" fixed to the integral sleeve 11 so that, for example, the user cannot access the interior of the device 1. In one example, the panels 17, 19 are made of a plastic material (such as glass-filled nylon formed by injection molding, etc.), and the integral sleeve 11 is made of aluminum, but other materials and other manufacturing processes may be used.

[0046] The upper panel 17 of the device 1 has an opening 20 at the mouth-side end 3 of the device 1, through which the user can insert and remove the smoking articles 101, 301 containing the smoking material into and from the device 1 during use.

[0047] Inside the housing 9, a heater assembly 23, a control circuit 25, and a power source 27 are arranged or fixed. In this example, the heater assembly 23, the control circuit 25, and the power source 27 are laterally adjacent to each other with the control circuit 25 generally arranged between the heater assembly 23 and the power source 27 (that is, adjacent when viewed from one end), but other arrangements are also possible.

[0048] The control circuit 252 can include a controller such as a microprocessor device configured and arranged to control the heating of the smoking material in the smoking articles 101, 301, as will be further described below.

[0049] The power source 274 may be a battery such as a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium-ion batteries, nickel batteries (such as nickel-cadmium batteries), alkaline batteries, etc. The battery 27 is electrically connected to the heater assembly 23 to supply power when needed and to heat the smoking material of the smoking article under the control of the control circuit 25 (to volatilize the smoking material without burning it as described above).

[0050] The advantage of arranging the power supply 27 adjacent to the side of the heater assembly 23 is that a physically large power supply 25 can be used without making the entire device 1 overly long. As is understood, generally, a physically large power supply 25 has a higher capacity (i.e., the total electrical energy that can be supplied, often measured in ampere-hours, etc.), and thus, the battery life of the device 1 can be made longer.

[0051] In one example, the heater assembly 23 generally takes the form of a cylindrical hollow tube having a hollow internal heating chamber 29, and within the heating chamber 29, smoking articles 101, 301 containing smoking materials are inserted for heating during use. The heater assembly 23 can also have another different configuration. For example, the heater assembly 23 may consist of a single heating element, or may be formed from a plurality of heating elements aligned along the longitudinal axis of the heater assembly 23. The heating elements may be annular, tubular, or at least partially annular or partially tubular around it. In one example, the heating element can be a thin-film heater. In other examples, the heating element may be made of a ceramic material. Examples of suitable ceramic materials include alumina, aluminum nitride, and silicon nitride ceramics, which may be laminated and sintered. Other heating configurations are also possible, such as induction heating, infrared heating elements that heat by radiating infrared rays, or resistance heating elements formed, for example, by resistance electric windings.

[0052] In one particular example, the heater assembly 23 is supported by a stainless-steel support tube and includes a polyimide heating element. The heater assembly 23 is dimensioned such that when smoking articles 101, 301 are inserted into the device 1, the entire body of the smoking material 103, 303 in the smoking articles 101, 301 is substantially inserted within the heater assembly 23.

[0053] The heating elements can be arranged and configured such that selected portions of the smoking material are heated individually, for example, in sequence (gradually) or together (simultaneously) as required.

[0054] In this example, the heater assembly 23 is surrounded along at least a portion of its length by a thermal insulator 31. The thermal insulator 31 serves to reduce the heat transmitted from the heater assembly 23 to the outside of the apparatus 1. This generally reduces heat loss and thus helps to keep the power requirements of the heater assembly 23 low. The thermal insulator 31 also serves to keep the outside of the apparatus 1 at a low temperature during operation of the heater assembly 23. In one example, the thermal insulator 31 is a double-wall sleeve, which may have a low-pressure region between the two walls of the sleeve. That is, the thermal insulator 31 may be, for example, a "vacuum" tube, i.e., a tube that is at least partially evacuated to minimize heat transfer by conduction and / or convection. In addition to or instead of the double-wall sleeve, other arrangements for the thermal insulator 31 are possible, such as using a heat insulating material including a suitable foamed material, etc.

[0055] The housing 9 can further include various internal support structures 37 for supporting not only the heating assembly 23 but also all internal components.

[0056] The apparatus 1 further includes a collar 33 that extends around the opening 20 and protrudes into the interior of the housing 9 from the opening 20, and a generally tubular chamber 35 disposed between the collar 33 and one end of the vacuum sleeve 31. The chamber 35 further includes a cooling structure 35f, which in this example includes a plurality of cooling fins 35f spaced along the outer surface of the chamber 35 and each circumferentially disposed around the outer surface of the chamber 35. When the smoking articles 101, 301 are inserted into the apparatus 1 over at least a portion of the length of the hollow chamber 35, a void 36 is formed between the hollow chamber 35 and the smoking articles 101, 301. The void 36 is formed around the entire circumference of the smoking articles 101, 301 over at least a portion of the cooling segment 307.

[0057] Color 33 includes a plurality of ridges 60 arranged circumferentially around the opening 20, and these ridges 60 project into the opening 20. The ridges 60 occupy the space within the opening 20 such that the opening span of the opening 20 at the position of the ridges 60 is smaller than the opening span of the opening 20 at a position without the ridges 60. The ridges 60 are configured to engage with the smoking articles 101, 301 inserted into the device 1 and assist in fixing it within the device 1. The open spaces (not shown) defined by adjacent pairs of ridges 60 and the smoking articles 101, 301 form ventilation passages around the outside of the smoking articles 101, 301. These ventilation passages 1 allow the hot vapor dissipated from the smoking articles 101, 301 to flow out of the device 1 and allow the cooling air to flow into the device 1 around the smoking articles 101, 301 within the gap 36.

[0058] During operation, the smoking articles 101, 301 are removably inserted into the insertion point 20 of the device 1 as shown in FIGS. 5 - 7. Referring particularly to FIG. 6, in one example, the body consisting of the smoking materials 103, 303 disposed near the distal ends 115, 315 of the smoking articles 101, 301 is completely housed within the heater assembly 23 of the device 1. The proximal ends 113, 313 of the smoking articles 101, 301 project from the device 1 and function as a mouthpiece assembly for the user.

[0059] During operation, the heater assembly 23 heats the consumable articles 101, 301 to volatilize at least one component of the smoking material from the body consisting of the smoking materials 103, 303.

[0060] The mainstream passage for the heated volatile components from the body consisting of the smoking material 103, 303 penetrates the smoking articles 101, 301 in the axial direction, passes through the chambers inside the cooling segments 107, 307, passes through the filter segments 109, 309, and reaches the user through the mouth-side end segments 111, 311. In one example, the temperature of the heated volatile components emitted from the body consisting of the smoking material is 60°C to 250°C, which may be higher than the acceptable suction temperature for the user. As the heated volatile components move through the cooling segments 107, 307, the volatile components are cooled, and some of the volatile components condense on the inner surfaces of the cooling segments 107, 307.

[0061] In the example of the smoking article 301 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the low-temperature air can flow into the cooling segment 307 through the ventilation holes 317 formed in the cooling segment 307. This low-temperature air mixes with the heated volatile components and further cools the heated volatile components.

[0062] When the smoking article 317 is heated by the device 1 during use, the generation of visible heated volatile components from the smoking article 317 is promoted by ventilation. The heated volatile components are visualized by a process of cooling the heated volatile components so that supersaturation of the heated volatile components occurs. Then, the heated volatile components form droplets, which is also known as nucleation, and finally, the size of the aerosol particles of the heated volatile components increases due to further condensation of the heated volatile components and solidification of the newly formed droplets from the heated volatile components.

[0063] In one embodiment, the ratio of the low-temperature air to the total of the heated volatile components and the low-temperature air (known as the ventilation rate) is at least 15%. A ventilation rate of 15% enables the heated volatile components to be visualized by the above method. The visibility of the heated volatile components allows the user to recognize that the volatile components are generated, which is intended to enhance the sensory experience in the smoking experience.

[0064] In another example, the ventilation rate is set to 50% to 85% in order to further cool the heated volatile components.

[0065] In order to address various problems and advance technology, the entire present disclosure shows, with various exemplary or illustrative embodiments, that the claimed invention can be implemented and provides excellent smoking articles for use with an apparatus for heating a smoking article to volatilize at least one component of the smoking article. The advantages and features of the present disclosure are merely representative examples of the embodiments and are not comprehensive and / or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teaching the features recited in the claims and other disclosed features. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects in the present disclosure should not be considered as limiting the present disclosure defined by the claims or as limiting equivalents of the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and modifications can be made without departing from the scope and / or spirit of the present disclosure. The various embodiments may preferably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of a suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. Further, the present disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently recited in the claims but may be recited in the future.

Claims

1. 1. A smoking article for use with a device for heating smoking material to volatilize at least one component of said smoking material, comprising: a main body made of smoking material; 1. An assembly comprising a cooling segment and a filter segment, the cooling segment cools at least one volatilized component of the smoking material; a filter segment including one or more flavorings; a cooling segment including a hollow tube made of paper; a ventilation area provided in the cooling segment to allow air to pass through the cooling segment, the ventilation area comprising one or more rows of holes formed through a wall of the hollow tube; and the ventilation area being at least 11 mm from the proximal end of the assembly.

2. 10. A smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the cooling segment comprises a spirally wound paper tube.

3. 3. A smoking article as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cooling segment is configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40°C between heated volatile components entering a first end of the cooling segment and heated volatile components exiting a second end of the cooling segment.

4. 4. A smoking article as described in claim 3, wherein the cooling segment is configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60°C between heated volatile components entering a first end of the cooling segment and heated volatile components exiting a second end of the cooling segment.

5. 3. A smoking article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assembly further comprises a mouth end segment adapted to be received in a user's mouth, the mouth end segment comprising a hollow tube having a length of between 6mm and 10mm.

6. 3. A smoking article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter segment is adjacent to the cooling segment and filters at least one volatilized component of the smoking material.

7. 7. A smoking article according to claim 6, wherein the filter segment comprises a monoacetate material and is between 6 mm and 10 mm in length.

8. A smoking article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the length of the assembly is between 37mm and 45mm.

9. 3. A smoking article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the body of smoking material is between 34mm and 50mm in length.

10. 3. A smoking article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the one or more rows of holes is arranged around the entire circumference of the wall of the hollow tube.

11. 11. A smoking article as described in claim 10, wherein the ventilation region comprises a plurality of rows of holes formed through a wall of the hollow tube, the plurality of rows being axially spaced apart from one another along the ventilation region.

12. 12. A system comprising a heating device arranged to heat smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material, and a smoking article according to any one of claims 1 to 11 inserted into the heating device, The heating device is a housing having a first opening at a first end through which the smoking article can be inserted into the heating device; at least one heater arrangement disposed within the housing for heating the smokable material in the smoking article in use; A system comprising:

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