Aerosol-generating material with combustion retarding properties and uses thereof

Abstract

To provide: a material with combustion retarding properties including a combustion retarding salt and an aerosol-generating material; consumables including the material, and non-combustible aerosol provision systems including such consumables; methods for manufacturing the material with combustion retarding properties; and the use of a combustion retarding salt to retard combustion.SOLUTION: A material with combustion retarding properties includes a combustion retarding salt and an aerosol-generating material. The combustion retarding salt is a metal halide optionally selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bromide, potassium bromide and combinations thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a material having combustion suppression properties, the material comprising an aerosol generating material and a combustion suppression salt. The present invention also relates to a consumable comprising a material having combustion suppression properties, and a non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising such a consumable. The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a material having combustion suppression properties, and the use of a combustion suppression salt for suppressing the combustion of an aerosol generating material. Background

[0002] Smoking articles such as cigarettes and cigars create tobacco smoke by burning tobacco during use. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these articles by creating products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such products are so-called "non-combustion heating type" products or tobacco heating devices or products that release compounds by heating but not burning the smoking material. The present invention relates to an aerosol generating material having combustion suppression properties, an article comprising said material, a consumable for use in an aerosol supply system, a non-combustible aerosol supply system, and a method of manufacturing an aerosol generating material. Summary

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a material having combustion suppression properties, comprising a combustion suppression salt and an aerosol generating material.

[0004] In some embodiments, the combustion suppression salt is a metal halide salt optionally selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bromide, potassium bromide, and combinations thereof.

[0005] In some embodiments, the combustion suppression salt is applied to the aerosol generating material.

[0006] In some embodiments, the combustion suppression salt at least partially coats the aerosol generating material.

[0007] In some embodiments, the aerosol generating material comprises from about 3 wt% to about 200 wt% of the combustion suppression salt (on a dry weight basis).

[0008] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material includes tobacco material. In some embodiments, the tobacco material is cut - filler tobacco or reconstituted tobacco.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a consumable including a material having combustion - suppressing characteristics according to the first aspect.

[0010] In some embodiments, the consumable is rod - shaped.

[0011] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non - combustible aerosol supply system including the consumable according to the second aspect.

[0012] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a material according to the first aspect, wherein the combustion - suppressing salt is incorporated into or added to the aerosol - generating material.

[0013] In some embodiments, a solution or suspension containing the combustion - suppressing salt is applied to the aerosol - generating material.

[0014] In some embodiments, the combustion - suppressing salt is added during the manufacture of the aerosol - generating material.

[0015] In some embodiments, the tobacco material is mixed with a solution containing the combustion - suppressing salt.

[0016] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the use of a combustion - suppressing salt for suppressing the combustion of an aerosol - generating material for use in a non - combustible aerosol supply system.

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention are described herein by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018]

Figure 1

Figure 2

[0019] The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating material having combustion suppression properties for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system, for example, by incorporation into a consumable. The combustion suppression properties are provided by adding at least one combustion suppression salt to the aerosol-generating material.

[0020] The present invention enjoys the advantage of an aerosol-generating material that can withstand higher temperatures without burning and can then release more volatile substances, which is desirable for the end user of a non-combustible aerosol supply system. Additionally, the present invention reduces the need for internal packages such as combustion suppression packages (s) or aluminum foil inner packages that may need to be incorporated into a non-combustible aerosol supply system in other situations.

[0021] The inventors have advantageously found that materials having combustion suppression properties can be brought about by adding a combustion suppression salt to the aerosol-generating material.

[0022] In some embodiments, the material comprises at least about 3 wt%, 3.5 wt%, 4 wt%, 4.5 wt%, 5 wt%, 5.5 wt%, 6 wt%, 6.5 wt%, 7 wt%, 7.5 wt%, 8 wt%, 9 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, 40 wt%, 50 wt%, 60 wt%, 70 wt%, 80 wt%, 90 wt%, 100 wt% of the aerosol-generating material (i.e., based on the weight of the aerosol-generating material before the addition of the salt), and / or about 200 wt%, 180 wt%, 160 wt%, 140 wt%, 120 wt%, 100 wt%, 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt% or 50 wt% or less of the combustion suppression salt (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0023] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material comprises a combustion - suppressing salt in an amount of from about 5 wt% to about 200 wt% based on the weight of the aerosol - generating material before addition of the salt. Alternatively, the amount of the combustion - suppressing salt comprised is from about 10 wt% to about 50 wt%.

[0024] To avoid doubt, references to the amount of salt in the treated aerosol - generating material are references to the amount of added salt and do not include salts that may be present in the aerosol - generating material prior to addition of the combustion - suppressing salts described herein.

[0025] In some embodiments, the combustion - suppressing salt is incorporated into the aerosol - generating material. This means that the combustion - suppressing salt is included within the aerosol - generating composition. For example, the combustion - suppressing salt is added during the preparation of the aerosol - generating material. This can result in a combustion - suppressing salt that is distributed throughout the resulting aerosol - generating material. In some embodiments, the distribution of the combustion - suppressing salt is uniform throughout the aerosol - generating material, which can be advantageous since the combustion - suppressing effect is effective throughout the material. The combustion - suppressing salt may be added in the form of a solution or suspension. Alternatively, the combustion - suppressing salt may be a solid, such as in particulate form, for example powder. [[ID=!0]]

[0026] In other embodiments, the combustion - suppressing salt is added to or applied to the aerosol - generating material. For example, a solution or suspension containing the combustion - suppressing salt is applied to the surface of the aerosol - generating material to deposit the combustion - suppressing salt on the surface of the aerosol - generating material.

[0027] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material is in contact with a solution or suspension containing the combustion - suppressing salt. This technique can be used to form a coating of salt on the surface of the aerosol - generating material. This technique may be repeated multiple times to form one or more layers of the combustion - suppressing salt. In some embodiments, different combustion - suppressing salts may be incorporated into one or more coatings and / or the aerosol - generating material. This can result in a specific combustion - suppressing profile.

[0028] In some embodiments, a solution or suspension of the combustion suppressing salt may be sprayed directly onto the aerosol-forming material. This is advantageous as the layer of inorganic solid can be uniformly distributed across the aerosol-forming material. This process may also be repeated to provide the desired thickness of the layer of combustion suppressing salt, which is a further advantage. The layer of combustion suppressing salt may contain the same salt or different salts. Additionally, the ratio of the combustion suppressing salt in the carrier liquid or solvent may be varied to impart desired properties to the layer of aerosol-forming material. In such embodiments, the ratio of the combustion suppressing salt in the solvent or carrier liquid may contain from about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt% or 25 wt% to about 40 wt%, 38 wt%, 35 wt% or 30 wt% of the combustion suppressing salt (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0029] In embodiments of the invention where the combustion suppressing salt is a coating on the aerosol-forming material, the coating layer may have a thickness of from about 0.2 μm to about 10 μm. The coating layer may have a thickness of about 1 μm, about 2 μm, about 3 μm, about 4 μm, or about 5 μm. The combustion suppressing salt coating may comprise two or more layers, and the thicknesses described herein refer to the total thickness of these layers. The coating may also contain other additives in addition to the combustion suppressing salt(s) disclosed herein. The coating may also be very thin and may not be consistent across the surface of the aerosol-forming material.

[0030] The thickness of the combustion suppressing salt coating can be measured using a microscope such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM) known to those skilled in the art, or any other suitable technique known to those skilled in the art.

[0031] In some cases, the thickness of the combustion suppressing salt coating may vary by 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5% or 1% or less across that area.

[0032] In some embodiments, all of the aerosol-forming material contains the combustion suppressing salt.

[0033] As described herein, the rod of the aerosol - generating material can have a first end and a second end. In use, the rod typically has a downstream end that is connected to and / or includes a mouthpiece and / or a filter, and an upstream end, also referred to as a distal end.

[0034] In some embodiments, the material having combustion - suppressing properties is locally supplied, for example, to the distal end of the rod of the aerosol - generating material, and there is little or no material having combustion - suppressing properties supplied to other parts of the consumable. In some of these embodiments, only a portion of the total aerosol - generating material contains the combustion - suppressing salt. In some embodiments where the consumable includes a material having combustion - suppressing properties (described herein), a portion of the aerosol - generating material towards or at the distal end of the consumable may contain the combustion - suppressing salt. This embodiment enjoys the advantage of preventing the aerosol - generating material from burning when attempting to light a consumable such as a cigarette.

[0035] In some embodiments, the material having combustion - suppressing properties is supplied at a greater concentration at a position closer to the distal end. In some embodiments, the material having combustion - suppressing properties is supplied limitedly at a position closer to the distal end. The region where the material having combustion - suppressing properties is supplied can be up to about 5%, up to about 10%, up to about 20%, up to about 30%, up to about 40%, up to about 50%, or up to about 60% of the rod from the distal end.

[0036] In some embodiments, the combustion - suppressing salt can be added to the distal end of the rod of the aerosol - generating material via injection or any suitable method. For example, a solution or suspension containing the combustion - suppressing salt may be injected, sprayed, or locally added to the rod of the aerosol - generating material in another way. The ratio of the aerosol - generating material containing the combustion - suppressing salt can be between about 3% and about 15%, or between about 3% and about 8%, or between about 8% and about 12% by weight of the total aerosol - generating material. The ratio of the aerosol - generating material containing the combustion - suppressing salt can extend from the distal end over a length of about 3 - about 8 mm, or about 4 - about 6 mm of the consumable.

[0037] Combustion-inhibiting salt As used herein, a salt is a compound consisting of an ionic assembly of a cation and an anion. The salts used herein are salts in which the anion and / or the cation thereof may be effective in suppressing combustion. In some embodiments, the salt is an inorganic salt.

[0038] In some embodiments, the salt is a halide salt, i.e., having a halide anion. In some embodiments, the salt is a chloride salt or a bromide salt. The presence of high concentrations of chloride or bromide has been shown to suppress combustion, as further discussed below.

[0039] In some embodiments, the salt can be an alkali metal salt, i.e., having an alkali metal cation. In some embodiments, the salt has an alkaline earth metal cation. In some embodiments, the salt has an iron cation such as a zinc cation or a ferric or ferrous cation. In some embodiments, the salt has an ammonium cation or a phosphonium cation.

[0040] In some embodiments, the salt may be an alkali metal halide such as sodium chloride or potassium chloride. The salt may be an alkaline earth metal halide such as magnesium chloride or calcium chloride. The salt may be another metal halide such as zinc chloride or sodium bromide.

[0041] In some embodiments, the salt has a carboxylic acid anion. For example, the salt may be an alkali metal carboxylate such as potassium citrate, potassium succinate, potassium malate, potassium acetate, potassium tartrate, potassium oxalate, sodium citrate, sodium succinate, sodium acetate, or sodium malate.

[0042] In other embodiments, the salt has an anion selected from: borate anion, carbonate anion, phosphate anion, sulfate anion or sulfamate anion.

[0043] Factors that can affect the choice of salt include, for example, a melting point that is preferably at least 450 °C. In some embodiments, the salt is soluble in water. In some embodiments, the salt is selected to provide a desired pH to the material being added. In some embodiments, the salt does not significantly change the pH of the material.

[0044] In some embodiments, sodium chloride (NaCl) is the salt used. It has been demonstrated that amorphous solid materials with a high chloride content are difficult to burn. Additionally, sodium chloride is neutral, highly soluble, and does not affect the pH of the amorphous solid material.

[0045] The combustion-inhibiting salt may be one salt disclosed herein or known in the art, or any combination of several salts, and is referred to herein as the "combustion-inhibiting salt". Advantageously, the combustion-inhibiting salt(s) can be selected to impart desired combustion-inhibiting properties to the material.

[0046] In some embodiments, the combustion-inhibiting salt selected may have one or more advantageous properties such as: being inert, solubility in the precursor liquid, solubility or distribution in the amorphous solid or in the amorphous solid of the precursor material, density, or other properties known in the art.

[0047] In some embodiments, the combustion-inhibiting salt comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bromide, and / or potassium bromide.

[0048] Depending on the desired combustion-inhibiting properties or other physical properties, the salt component may be in free base form, salt form, or as a complex, or as a solvate. The combustion-inhibiting salt may have any density and any crystal structure.

[0049] Liquid carrier In some embodiments, the combustion suppression salt is incorporated into or added to an aerosol-forming material dissolved in a solvent or liquid carrier. In some embodiments, the combustion suppression salt is suspended in the liquid carrier. The solvent or liquid carrier may be aqueous or an organic liquid, and may be polar or non-polar depending on its intended use.

[0050] The liquid carrier can be easily removed and can be selected such that the combustion suppression salt remains in or on the aerosol-forming material.

[0051] Aerosol-generating material The aerosol-forming material is a material capable of generating an aerosol when energy is applied, for example by heating, irradiation, or any other means. The aerosol-forming material can 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 include an "amorphous solid" which is sometimes alternatively referred to as an "integrated solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that can hold some fluid, such as a liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material can include, for example, from about 50 wt%, 60 wt% or 70 wt% to about 90 wt%, 95 wt% or 100 wt% of an amorphous solid.

[0052] The aerosol-forming material can include one or more active substances and / or fragrances, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0053] The aerosol-forming material referred to herein may include one or more different aerosol-forming materials.

[0054] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may include an active substance. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material does not include an active substance.

[0055] The active substances used in this specification can be physiologically active materials and are materials intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substances may be selected, for example, from nutraceuticals, nootropics, and psychoactive drugs. The active substances may be of natural origin or obtained synthetically. The active substances may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6, B12, or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or their constituents, derivatives, or combinations. The active substances may include one or more constituents, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or other plant substances.

[0056] In some embodiments, the active substance includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance includes caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0057] As shown herein, the active substance may include one or more of the constituents, derivatives, or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more of cannabinoids or terpenes.

[0058] As shown herein, the active substance may include one or more of plant substances or their constituents, derivatives or extracts, or may be derived therefrom. As used herein, the term "plant substance" includes any material derived from plants, including but not limited to extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, pods, husks, etc. Alternatively, the material may naturally occur in plant substances and contain active compounds obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, shreds, chips, sheets, etc. Examples of plant substances are tobacco, eucalyptus, dandelion, flax, cocoa, cannabis, dandelion, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, hemp, ginger, ginkgo, nettles, hibiscus, ginkgo biloba, liquorice, matcha, yerba mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, perilla, bilberry, nasturtium flower, vanilla, wintergreen, perilla, turmeric, curcumin, ginger, magnolia flower, coriander leaf, bergamot, orange flower, kinkan, blackcurrant, cotoneaster, mustard, hellebore flower, damiana, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, scallion, dwarf dandelion, barberry, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, burdock, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab or any combination thereof.The hacker can be selected from the following hacker variants: Mentha Arventis, Mentha c.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Mentha piperita c.v., Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Mentha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v. and Mentha suaveolens.

[0059] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more of a plant substance or its constituents, derivatives or extracts, and the plant substance is tobacco.

[0060] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more of a plant substance or its constituents, derivatives or extracts, and the plant substance is selected from eucalyptus, dill, cocoa and hemp.

[0061] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more of a plant substance or its constituents, derivatives or extracts, and the plant substance is selected from rooibos and dill.

[0062] The aerosol-forming material described herein may contain an aerosol modifier such as any of the flavorings described herein.

[0063] The aerosol-forming material may contain a flavoring and may contain up to about 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 55 wt%, 50 wt% or 45 wt% of the flavoring.

[0064] In some cases, the aerosol-forming material may contain at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt% or 40 wt% flavor (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0065] For example, the aerosol-forming material may contain 1-80 wt%, 10-80 wt%, 20-70 wt%, 30-60 wt%, 35-55 wt% or 30-45 wt% flavor. In some cases, the flavor contains menthol, consists essentially of menthol, or consists of menthol.

[0066] In some embodiments, the flavorant is disposed in the aerosol-forming material. Thus, the aerosol-forming material has the advantage of preventing combustion of the flavorant and preventing flavors that would give discomfort to the end user.

[0067] As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring" refer to materials that can be used to create a desired flavor, aroma, or other somatic sensory stimuli in products for adult consumers, where permitted by local regulations. They include naturally occurring flavor materials, plant substances, extracts of plant substances, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, hinoki leaves, chamomile, fenugreek, cloves, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed (anis), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, daikon, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus, damson, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, frankincense, bergamot, geranium, cart, naswar, kinma, shisha, pine, honey extract, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange flower, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, Japanese ginger, wasabi, pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, asa, mint oil of any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, Japanese ginger, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, ama, ginkgobiloba), hibiscus, hibiscus, ginkgo, mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, byakushin, nasturtium flower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, perilla, sesame, turmeric, coriander leaf, ginger, blackcurrant, corydalis, mustard, niku-zuku flower, damien, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, scallion, hime-uki-kyo, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphor), flavor enhancer, bitter receptor site blocker, sensory receptor site activator or stimulant, sugar and / or alternative sugar (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and may also include other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, plant substances, or breath fresheners. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural raw materials or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as a liquid like an oil or fat, a solid like a powder, or a gas.

[0068] In some embodiments, the fragrance includes menthol, spearmint and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the fragrance includes fragrance components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus and / or redberry. In some embodiments, the fragrance includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the fragrance includes fragrance components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the fragrance includes fragrance components extracted from cannabis.

[0069] In some embodiments, the fragrance is typically intended to achieve a chemically induced and perceived somatosensory stimulus, in addition to or instead of the nerves of smell or flavor, through the stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), and is perceived by the five senses, which may include agents that cause heat, cooling, tingling, or numbness effects. Suitable heat effect agents may include, but are not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and suitable cooling agents may include, but are not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3.

[0070] In some cases, the total content of the active substance and / or the fragrance 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 / or the fragrance may be less than about 90 wt%, 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt% or 40 wt% (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0071] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material includes plant materials such as tobacco materials and / or nicotine. In some cases, the aerosol - generating material may include 5 - 60 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of tobacco material and / or nicotine and / or tobacco extract. In some cases, the aerosol - generating material may include 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%, 40 wt%, 35 wt% or 30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of plant material and / or tobacco material and / or nicotine and / or tobacco extract. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the aerosol - generating material may include 5 - 60 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of plant material and / or tobacco material and / or nicotine and / or tobacco extract.

[0072] In some cases, the total content of the plant and / or tobacco material, nicotine and fragrance 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 / or the fragrance may be less than about 90 wt%, 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 50 wt% or 40 wt% (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0073] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises a plant material such as tobacco material. As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material including tobacco or its derivatives or alternatives. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco or tobacco alternatives. The tobacco material may include one or more of shredded tobacco, tobacco fibers, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, tobacco sheets, reconstituted tobacco and / or tobacco extracts.

[0074] In some embodiments, the plant material used is tobacco material, which may be any type of tobacco, and any part of a tobacco plant including tobacco sheets, stems, petioles, veins, scraps and shorts or a mixture of two or more thereof. Suitable tobacco materials include the following types: dark tobacco, light tobacco, Rajangan tobacco, Virginia or flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, oriental tobacco, or a blend of tobacco materials optionally including those listed herein. Some of these tobacco varieties can be processed differently, as is known to those skilled in the art.

[0075] Tobacco may be expanded, such as by dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET), or processed by any other means. In some embodiments, the tobacco material may be a reconstituted tobacco material. Tobacco may be pre-processed or unprocessed, for example, solid stem (SS); shredded dry stem (SDS); steam-treated stem (STS); or any combination thereof. The tobacco material may be fermented, fermentatively dried, not fermentatively dried, toasted, or pre-treated otherwise than these. The treatments listed herein or known in the art may be applied to the tobacco material before or after the application of the combustion-inhibiting salt material.

[0076] In a preferred embodiment, the tobacco material is raw or processed tobacco raw material generally known as "ama" in the art. Ama may be of any size, thickness and weight.

[0077] In some embodiments, the tobacco material is in the form of processed recycled tobacco or is processed therefrom and cut to form shredded tobacco.

[0078] In some embodiments, the tobacco material is in the form of tobacco particles. In some embodiments, the tobacco material is in the form of tobacco strips.

[0079] The tobacco material may be provided in the form of shredded tobacco. The shredded tobacco may have a cut width of at least 15 cuts per inch (corresponding to about 5.9 cuts per centimeter, corresponding to a cut width of about 1.7 mm). Preferably, the shredded tobacco has a cut width of at least 18 cuts per inch (corresponding to about 7.1 cuts per centimeter, corresponding to a cut width of about 1.4 mm), more preferably at least 20 cuts per inch (corresponding to about 7.9 cuts per centimeter, corresponding to a cut width of about 1.27 mm).

[0080] In one example, the shredded tobacco has a cut width of 22 cuts per inch (corresponding to about 8.7 cuts per centimeter, corresponding to a cut width of about 1.15 mm). Preferably, the shredded tobacco has a cut width of 40 cuts per inch (corresponding to about 15.7 cuts per centimeter, corresponding to a cut width of about 0.64 mm) or less. A cut width between 0.5 mm and 2.0 mm, for example between 0.6 and 1.7 mm or between 0.6 mm and 1.5 mm, has been found to result in a preferred tobacco material with respect to the surface area to volume ratio, especially when heated, as well as with respect to the overall density and pressure drop of the rod of aerosol - generating material.

[0081] The shredded tobacco can be formed from a mixture of forms of tobacco material, such as one or more mixtures of paper - recycled tobacco, leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and band - cast tobacco. The tobacco material preferably includes paper - recycled tobacco or a mixture of paper - recycled tobacco and leaf tobacco. Paper-recycled tobacco can be present in the tobacco components of the tobacco materials described herein in an amount of 10% to 100% by weight of the tobacco components. In embodiments, the paper-recycled tobacco is present in an amount of 10% to 80% by weight, or 20% to 70% by weight, of the tobacco components. In further embodiments, the tobacco components consist essentially of or consist of paper-recycled tobacco. In a preferred embodiment, leaf tobacco is present in the tobacco components of the tobacco materials in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco components. For example, leaf tobacco can be present in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco components, while the remaining tobacco components include paper-recycled tobacco, band-cast recycled tobacco, or a combination of other forms of tobacco such as band-cast recycled tobacco and tobacco granules. Preferably, leaf tobacco can be present in an amount up to 40% or 60% of the tobacco materials, while the remaining tobacco components include paper-recycled tobacco, band-cast recycled tobacco, or a combination of other forms of tobacco such as band-cast recycled tobacco and tobacco granules.

[0082] Paper-recycled tobacco refers to a tobacco material formed by a process in which a tobacco feedstock is extracted with a solvent to obtain an extract of soluble substances and a residue containing fibrous material, and then the extract (usually after concentration and optionally further processing) is recombined with the fibrous material from the residue by deposition of the extract onto the fibrous material (usually after purification of the fibrous material and optionally addition of some non-tobacco fibers). The recombination process is similar to the paper manufacturing process.

[0083] Paper-recycled tobacco can be any type of paper-recycled tobacco known in the art. In certain embodiments, the paper-recycled tobacco is made from a feedstock comprising one or more of tobacco shreds, tobacco stems, and whole leaf tobacco. In further embodiments, the paper-recycled tobacco is made from a feedstock consisting of tobacco shreds and / or whole leaf tobacco, and tobacco stems. However, in other embodiments, scraps, fines, and winnowing can alternatively or additionally be used in the feedstock.

[0084] The paper-recycled tobacco for use in the tobacco materials described in this specification can be prepared by methods known to those skilled in the art for preparing paper-recycled tobacco.

[0085] The density of the tobacco material affects the rate at which heat conducts through the material. At lower densities, such as less than 700 mg / cc, heat conducts more slowly through the material, thus allowing for a more sustained release of the aerosol.

[0086] Plant materials such as tobacco materials can have any suitable thickness. Plant materials such as tobacco materials can have a thickness of at least about 0.145 mm, such as at least about 0.15 mm, or at least about 0.16 mm. The plant material can have a maximum thickness of about 0.25 mm. For example, the thickness of the tobacco material can be less than about 0.22 mm, or less than about 0.2 mm. In some embodiments, the tobacco material can have an average thickness in the range of 0.175 mm to 0.195 mm. Such thickness can be particularly suitable when the plant material is a recycled tobacco material.

[0087] The tobacco material can include a recycled tobacco material having a density of less than about 700 mg / cc, such as a paper-recycled tobacco material. For example, the aerosol-generating material includes a recycled tobacco material having a density of less than about 600 mg / cc. Alternatively or in addition, the aerosol-generating material can include a recycled tobacco material having a density of at least 350 mg / cc.

[0088] The tobacco material described in this specification contains nicotine. The nicotine content is 0.5 to 1.75% by weight of the tobacco material, and for example, it may be 0.8 to 1.5% by weight of the tobacco material. Additionally or alternatively, the tobacco material contains 10% to 90% by weight of tobacco leaves having a nicotine content greater than 1.5% by weight of the tobacco leaves. When tobacco leaves having a nicotine content higher than 1.5% are used in combination with a lower nicotine base material such as recycled paper tobacco, it has been advantageously found that a tobacco material having an appropriate nicotine level but good sensory performance is provided compared to the sole use of recycled paper tobacco. Tobacco leaves, such as shredded tobacco, may have a nicotine content, for example, between 1.5% and 5% by weight of the tobacco leaves.

[0089] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material comprises a tobacco component as defined herein, an aerosol-forming material as defined herein, and a combustion-suppressing salt as defined herein. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material consists essentially of a tobacco component as defined herein, an aerosol-forming material as defined herein, and a combustion-suppressing salt as defined herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material consists of a tobacco component as defined herein, an aerosol-forming material as defined herein, and a combustion-suppressing salt as defined herein.

[0090] In one embodiment, the aerosol - generating material includes a plant material such as tobacco material and menthol, and forms an aerosol - generating material containing menthol. The plant material may contain 3 mg to 20 mg of menthol, preferably between 5 mg and 18 mg, more preferably between 8 mg and 16 mg of menthol in a tobacco rod (a tobacco rod having a total mass of approximately 340 mg). The plant material may contain 2 wt% to 8 wt% of menthol, preferably between 3 wt% and 7 wt% of menthol, more preferably between 4 wt% and 5.5 wt% of menthol. In one embodiment, the plant material contains 4.7 wt% of menthol. Such a high level of menthol loading can be achieved using a high percentage of recycled tobacco material, for example, greater than 50% by weight of the tobacco material. Alternatively or additionally, a high level of menthol loading can be achieved by incorporating menthol into an aerosol - generating material that includes an aerosol - forming agent and one or more binders and / or cross - linking agents.

[0091] Other components of the aerosol-generating material The aerosol - generating material may include one or more other functional materials that may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0092] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material contains a filler component. The filler component is generally a non - tobacco component, that is, a component that does not contain raw materials derived from tobacco.

[0093] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material includes less than 60 wt% of a filler, such as 1 wt% to 60 wt%, or 5 wt% to 50 wt%, or 5 wt% to 30 wt%, or 10 wt% to 20 wt%, etc.

[0094] In other embodiments, the aerosol - generating material includes less than 20 wt%, preferably less than 10 wt% or less than 5 wt% of a filler. In some cases, the aerosol - generating material includes less than 1 wt% of a filler, and in some cases, does not include a filler.

[0095] When present, the filler may include one or more inorganic filler materials such as suitable inorganic adsorbents such as calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, and molecular sieves, in addition to the combustion-inhibiting salt(s). The filler may include one or more organic filler materials such as wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives. In certain cases, the aerosol-forming material does not include calcium carbonate such as chalk.

[0096] In certain embodiments that include a filler, the filler is fibrous. For example, the filler may be a fibrous organic filler material such as wood pulp, hemp fiber, cellulose, or cellulose derivative. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that including a fibrous filler in the aerosol-forming material may increase the tensile strength of the material.

[0097] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material does not include tobacco fiber.

[0098] In some examples, such as where the aerosol-forming material includes a filler, the aerosol-forming material may have a tensile strength of 600 N / m to 900 N / m, or 700 N / m to 900 N / m, or approximately 800 N / m. Such a tensile strength may be particularly suitable for embodiments where the aerosol-forming material is included in an aerosol-generating article in the form of a wound sheet, preferably in the form of a tube or rod.

[0099] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material contains an aerosol-forming agent.

[0100] The aerosol-forming material may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may include 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 phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0101] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material included with the plant and / or tobacco material may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. Glycerol may be present in an amount of 10-20 wt% of the plant and / or tobacco material, such as 13-16 wt% of the composition, or about 14 wt% or 15 wt% of the composition. Propylene glycol, if present, may be present in an amount of 0.1-0.3 wt% of the composition.

[0102] The plant and / or tobacco material may contain between 10 wt% and 90 wt% of tobacco leaves, and the aerosol-forming material is supplied in an amount of up to about 10 wt% of the leaf tobacco. To achieve an overall level of aerosol-forming material between 10 wt% and 20 wt% of the plant and / or tobacco material, it has been advantageously found that the aerosol-forming material can be added to the plant and / or tobacco material of another component, such as recycled tobacco material, at a higher weight percentage.

[0103] The aerosol-generating material may include a binder. Optionally, the aerosol-generating material may include at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt% or 40 wt% of the binder (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0104] The aerosol - generating material may include one or more binding additives. The binding additives help to adhere the particles of the plant and / or tobacco material to each other and to other components in the aerosol - generating material. Suitable binding additives include, for example, thermoreversible gelling agents such as gelatin, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, alginate, wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethyl cellulose. The inclusion of the binding additive may have the advantage that the aerosol - generating material is easier to handle and process.

[0105] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material includes less than 60 wt% of a filler, for example, 1 wt% - 60 wt%, or 5 wt% - 50 wt%, or 5 wt% - 30 wt%, or 10 wt% - 20 wt%, etc.

[0106] In other embodiments, the aerosol - generating material includes less than 20 wt%, preferably less than 10 wt% or less than 5 wt% of a filler. In some cases, the aerosol - generating material includes less than 1 wt% of a filler and, in some cases, no filler.

[0107] When present, the filler may include one or more inorganic filler materials such as suitable inorganic adsorbents like calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, and molecular sieves, in addition to combustion - suppressing salt(s). The filler may include one or more organic filler materials such as wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives. In certain cases, the aerosol - generating material does not include calcium carbonate such as chalk.

[0108] In certain embodiments including a filler, the filler is fibrous. For example, the filler may be a fibrous organic filler material such as wood pulp, hemp fiber, cellulose, or a cellulose derivative. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that including a fibrous filler in the aerosol - generating material may increase the tensile strength of the material.

[0109] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material does not contain tobacco fibers.

[0110] In some examples, such as where the aerosol - generating material contains a filler, the aerosol - generating material may have a tensile strength of 600 N / m to 900 N / m, or 700 N / m to 900 N / m, or approximately 800 N / m. Such a tensile strength may be particularly suitable for embodiments where the aerosol - generating material is included in the aerosol - generating article as a wound sheet, preferably in the form of a tube or a rod.

[0111] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material includes an amorphous solid material. The amorphous solid material may alternatively be referred to as an "integrated solid" (i.e., non - fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material that can hold some fluid, such as a liquid, therein.

[0112] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid material includes one or more aerosol - forming materials. Optionally, the amorphous solid material may further include one or more active substances and / or fragrances, and / or optionally one or more other functional materials. The one or more other functional materials may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0113] Preferably, the amorphous solid material may contain a gelling agent (all calculated on a dry - weight basis) from about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt% or 25 wt% to about 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt% or 35 wt%. For example, the amorphous solid may contain 1 - 50 wt%, 5 - 45 wt%, 10 - 40 wt% or 20 - 35 wt% of the gelling agent. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes a hydrocolloid.

[0114] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of alginate, pectin, starch (and derivatives), cellulose (and derivatives), rubbers, silica or silicone compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises 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. Optionally, the gelling agent comprises alginate and / or pectin and may be combined with a curing agent (such as a calcium source) during the formation of the amorphous solid. Optionally, the amorphous solid may comprise calcium-crosslinked alginate and / or calcium-crosslinked pectin.

[0115] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises alginate, and the alginate is present in the amorphous solid in an amount of 10-30 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis) of the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, the alginate is the only gelling agent present in the amorphous solid. In other embodiments, the gelling agent comprises at least one additional gelling agent such as alginate and pectin.

[0116] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may comprise a gelling agent comprising carrageenan.

[0117] Preferably, the amorphous solid may comprise from about 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt% or 40% to about 75 wt%, 70 wt%, 65 wt%, 60 wt%, 55 wt% or 50 wt% of aerosol-forming material (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the amorphous solid may comprise 10-70 wt%, 40-60 wt% or 50-60 wt% of aerosol-forming material.

[0118] As used herein, 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 phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. In some cases, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more compounds selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, vegetable glycerin (VG), triacetin, sorbitol, and xylitol. In some cases, the aerosol-forming material comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of glycerol.

[0119] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid comprises a fragrance. Preferably, the amorphous solid may comprise up to about 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 55 wt%, 50 wt%, or 45 wt% of the fragrance. In some cases, the amorphous solid may comprise at least about 0.1 wt%, 1 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, 35 wt%, or 40 wt% of the fragrance (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0120] For example, the amorphous solid may comprise 1-80 wt%, 10-80 wt%, 20-70 wt%, 30-60 wt%, 35-55 wt%, or 30-45 wt% of the fragrance. In some cases, the fragrance comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of menthol.

[0121] The fragrance imparted to the amorphous solid material is more stably retained within the amorphous solid material and can provide a more consistent fragrance profile among the consumables disclosed herein, as compared to a fragrance directly added to the plant and / or tobacco material.

[0122] In some cases, the amorphous solid may additionally contain an emulsifier for emulsifying the molten flavor during production. For example, the amorphous solid may contain about 5 wt% to about 15 wt% of the emulsifier (calculated on a dry weight basis), preferably about 10 wt% of the emulsifier. The emulsifier may include acacia gum (gum arabic) or guar gum.

[0123] In some embodiments, the amorphous solid is a hydrogel and contains less than about 20 wt% water, calculated on a wet weight basis. In some cases, the hydrogel may contain less than about 15 wt%, 12 wt% or 10 wt% of water, calculated on a wet weight basis. In some cases, the hydrogel may contain at least about 1 wt%, 2 wt% or at least about 5 wt% of water (WWB).

[0124] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material comprises a blend of at least two aerosol - generating materials. In such embodiments, the blend may include a first component comprising a plant and / or tobacco material, and a second component comprising the amorphous solid material described herein. Such an aerosol - generating material can provide an aerosol having a desirable flavor profile during use, for example, because additional flavor can be introduced into the aerosol - generating material by inclusion in the amorphous solid material component. As described above, tobacco materials having a density of at least 350 mg / cc and less than about 700 mg / cc have been advantageously found to result in a more sustained release of the aerosol. To provide an aerosol with a consistent flavor profile, the amorphous solid material component of the aerosol - generating material must be uniformly distributed throughout the rod. This can be achieved by casting the amorphous solid material to have an areal density similar to that of the plant and / or tobacco material, and by processing the amorphous solid material to ensure uniform distribution throughout the aerosol - generating material.

[0125] To avoid any doubt, when referring herein to areal density, this refers to the average areal density calculated with respect to a given piece, chip or sheet of aerosol - forming material having a combustion - suppressing salt coating, and refers to the areal density calculated by measuring the surface area and weight of a given piece, chip or sheet of aerosol - forming material.

[0126] In some embodiments, when an amorphous solid material in the form of a sheet is shredded, an equal - proportion mixing of the plant and / or tobacco material component and the amorphous solid material component can be achieved. The cutting width of the shredded amorphous solid material is preferably between 0.75 mm and 2 mm, for example between 1 mm and 1.5 mm. The strands of the amorphous solid material formed by shredding may be cut in the width direction, in addition to the cutting width, to define the cutting length of the shredded amorphous solid material, for example in a cross - cutting shredding process. The cutting length of the shredded amorphous solid material is preferably at least 5 mm, for example at least 10 mm, or at least 20 mm. The cutting length of the shredded amorphous solid material may be less than 60 mm, less than 50 mm, or less than 40 mm. In some embodiments, to achieve an equal - proportion mixing of the shredded amorphous solid material and cut - lag tobacco, the cutting length of the shredded amorphous solid material is preferably non - uniform. Although referred to as the cutting length, the length of the shredded piece or chip of the amorphous solid material may alternatively or additionally be indicated by the dimensions of the material determined during its manufacture, for example by the sheet width of the manufactured material.

[0127] In an exemplary embodiment, the aerosol - forming material comprises a first component comprising a plant and / or tobacco material in an amount of 50% to 98%, for example 80% to 95%, where the tobacco material is provided, for example, as cut - lag tobacco, and a second component comprising a shredded amorphous solid material in an amount of 2% to 50%, for example 5% to 20%.

[0128] In some embodiments of the present invention where the aerosol - forming material is in sheet form, it may have any suitable areal density such as from about 30 g / m 2 to about 150 g / m 2 In some cases, the sheet may be about 55 g / m2 ~about 135 g / m 2 、or about 80 - about 120 g / m 2 、or about 70 - about 110 g / m 2 、or more particularly about 90 - about 110 g / m 2 、or preferably about 100 g / m 2 and may have a mass per unit area of. When an aerosol - forming material having combustion - suppressing properties is included in an aerosol - forming article as a shredded sheet, such an areal density may be particularly suitable (as further described herein). In some cases, the sheet may have a mass per unit area of about 30 - 70 g / m 2 、40 - 60 g / m 2 、or 25 - 60 g / m 2 and may have a mass per unit area of.

[0129] The density of the combustion - suppressing salt coating affects the rate at which heat conducts through the aerosol - forming material. At lower densities, for example, densities less than 700 mg / cc, heat conducts more slowly through the material, thus allowing for a more sustained release of the aerosol. The density of the combustion - suppressing salt also affects the rate of heat conduction, similar to the flammability of the consumable described above.

[0130] In some examples, the material is in the form of a sheet and may have a tensile strength of approximately 200 N / m - approximately 900 N / m. In some examples where the material does not contain a filler, the material may have a tensile strength of 200 N / m - 400 N / m, or 200 N / m - 300 N / m, or about 250 N / m. Such tensile strengths may be particularly suitable for embodiments where the aerosol - forming material is formed as a sheet and then shredded and incorporated into a consumable.

[0131] Addition of the combustion-inhibiting salt to the aerosol-generating material In some embodiments, an aerosol - forming material, such as a tobacco material, is mixed with a solution containing a combustion - suppressing salt. In some embodiments, the aerosol - forming material is sprayed with a solution or carrier liquid containing a combustion - suppressing salt. This technique can be used to form an external coating that at least partially coats the aerosol - forming material.

[0132] In some embodiments, the aerosol - forming material is moved, for example, on a rotating drum or a conveyor belt while being sprayed with a solution or a carrier liquid containing a combustion - suppressing salt to achieve a uniform coating. Thereby, the combustion - suppressing salt is advantageously distributed over the aerosol - forming material. The distribution of the combustion - suppressing salt can be uniform over the aerosol - forming material. This technique can be repeated one or more times to form one or more layers of the combustion - suppressing salt. This technique can also be repeated one or more times using one or more combustion - suppressing salts to apply one or more combustion - suppressing salts to the aerosol - forming material. Advantageously, different combustion - suppressing salts may be incorporated into the coating or the aerosol - forming material. Thereby, a specific combustion - suppression profile can be provided.

[0133] In an exemplary embodiment where the aerosol - forming material includes a tobacco material, the liquid carrier containing the combustion - suppressing salt is sprayed onto the tobacco material as part of the conventional processing of the tobacco material. Typically, the tobacco material is processed, blended, and cut into "rags" to achieve a homogeneous blend for packing into a consumable product. An example of a device for performing the conditioning process is known as a direct casing conditioner cylinder and can be used to apply substances to the tobacco material. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the carrier liquid containing the combustion - suppressing salt is sprayed onto the tobacco material using this device. This is advantageous because the combustion - suppressing salt, flavorants, humectants, and other additives disclosed herein can be added in one step. An additional advantage is that the addition of salts in other steps during the manufacture of the aerosol - forming material can cause corrosion of the associated machinery. Advantageously, only one drying step is required, which reduces the loss of volatile substances associated with the repeated drying of the tobacco material and thus maintains the nicotine content, flavor, and other volatile substances desirable for inhalation by the end - user.

[0134] In a further exemplary embodiment where the aerosol - forming material comprises a regenerated material such as regenerated tobacco, the salt is included in a concentrated liquid extract that is added to the solid extract to add flavorings and other soluble components. This concentrated liquid extract having the salt can be sprayed onto the regenerated material. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the regenerated material may be soaked or immersed in an extract containing the salt. These embodiments incorporate the application of the salt into the manufacture of the regenerated material rather than adding separate additional steps, thus avoiding the need for additional drying steps and the like.

[0135] In some embodiments, the aerosol - forming material is infused with a solution or carrier liquid comprising a combustion - suppressing salt. The aerosol - forming material may be infused during the preparation of the consumable or, alternatively, after assembly of the consumable. Thereby, the combustion - suppressing salt is advantageously distributed throughout the aerosol - forming material. The distribution of the combustion - suppressing salt can be uniform throughout the aerosol - forming material or the infusion process can advantageously result in a non - uniform distribution of the combustion - suppressing salt throughout the aerosol - forming material. This technique may be repeated one or more times to form one or more layers of the combustion - suppressing salt. This technique may also be repeated one or more times using one or more combustion - suppressing salts to apply one or more combustion - suppressing salts to the aerosol - forming material. Advantageously, different combustion - suppressing salts may be incorporated into the coating or the aerosol - forming material. Thereby, a particular combustion - suppression profile can be provided. This process enjoys the benefit that specific locations on the aerosol - forming material can be targeted for the application of the combustion - suppressing salt. For example, the aerosol - forming material disposed at the distal portion of the consumable may be coated with the aerosol - forming material.

[0136] In some embodiments, the combustion suppression salt coating may include the additional components described herein. In some embodiments where the combustion suppression salt is a coating on the aerosol-forming material, the additional components are also distributed on the surface of the aerosol-forming material. In some embodiments, the additive is added to the aerosol-forming material at a stage different from the addition of the combustion suppression salt. In some embodiments, the additive is added to the aerosol-forming material at the same stage as the addition of the combustion suppression salt.

[0137] In some cases, the aerosol-forming material may consist essentially of, or consist of, a combustion suppression salt, a humectant, and a tobacco material.

[0138] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may further optionally include a flavor, a binder, and / or an active substance.

[0139] The aerosol-forming material may include one or more combustion suppression salts, one or more active substances and / or flavors, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0140] Consumable A consumable is an article that includes an aerosol-forming material, and part or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. The consumable may comprise one or more other components such as a storage area for the aerosol-forming material, a moving element of the aerosol-forming material, an aerosol-forming area, a container, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0141] The consumable may also include an aerosol generator such as a heater that generates heat during use to generate an aerosol in the aerosol-forming material. The heater may include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor. The consumable may be of any shape or size suitable for a smoking device. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the consumable is rod-shaped.

[0142] In the present invention, the consumable includes a material having combustion suppression properties, which includes a combustion suppression salt and an aerosol-forming material disclosed herein.

[0143] In some embodiments, the consumable is intended for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system. In some fields, it is necessary for such a consumable to be resistant to combustion, which can be enhanced by the inclusion of a material having combustion suppression properties.

[0144] In some embodiments, the inclusion of a material having combustion suppression properties in the consumable means that it is not necessary for the consumable to include foil. The consumable may include a metal foil such as aluminum foil as part of a package that surrounds the aerosol-forming material to suppress or prevent combustion.

[0145] In some embodiments, a consumable for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device may comprise an aerosol-forming material, a storage area for the aerosol-forming material, a transfer element for the aerosol-forming material, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a container, a package, a filter, a mouthpiece, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0146] In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered may be an aerosol-forming material or a material not intended to be aerosolized. Suitably, any material may include one or more active ingredients, one or more fragrances, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and / or one or more other functional materials.

[0147] The aerosol-forming material is present on or in a support and may form a substrate. The support may be, for example, paper, card, cardboard, thick paper, recycled material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or metal alloy or may include these. In some embodiments, the support comprises a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is on one or both sides of the material.

[0148] An aerosol - generating material having combustion - inhibiting properties can be incorporated into a consumable of a non - combustible aerosol supply system by any method.

[0149] In some embodiments, the consumable further comprises a wrapper. The wrapper may be an outer coating, packaging material, or coating over the aerosol - generating material.

[0150] In some embodiments where the consumable comprises a wrapper, the wrapper may have a plurality of holes and / or perforations. This can increase the ventilation in the rod, enhance the user experience of the flavor characteristics of the aerosol - generating material, and provide an appropriate pressure drop to facilitate use. The position of these holes and / or perforations can be between about 0.5 mm and about 10 mm, between about 1 mm and about 4 mm, or between about 4 mm and about 8 mm from the distal end of the rod. The holes and / or perforations can be of any suitable size and / or number. The size, number, and position of the holes and / or perforations on the wrapper can be selected to provide an appropriate air flow. For example, a greater number and larger size of holes and / or perforations can introduce more air into the rod, increase the air flow, and thus provide an appropriate pressure drop.

[0151] The wrapper may comprise or consist essentially of paper or paper - like material. The paper or paper - like material can be between about 20 gsm and about 90 gsm, between about 25 gsm and about 35 gsm, or between about 55 gsm and 65 gsm. The inventors have found in the present invention that thicker paper functions better.

[0152] An aerosol - generating material having a combustion - inhibiting salt coating may be provided in sheet form, integrated form, as particles, or configured as shredded material.

[0153] In the embodiments described herein, the aerosol - generating material may be incorporated into an article in sheet form. The sheet - form material can be shredded and then incorporated into the article.

[0154] In further embodiments, the sheet may additionally be incorporated as a planar sheet, as a collected or grouped sheet, as a crimped sheet, or as a wound sheet (i.e., in the form of a tube). In such cases, the plant and / or tobacco material in these embodiments may be included in the aerosol-generating article as a sheet, such as a sheet enclosing a rod of aerosol-generating material (e.g., tobacco material).

[0155] Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a consumable or article 1 for use in an aerosol delivery system. Article 1 comprises a mouthpiece region 2 and an aerosol-generating region 3.

[0156] The aerosol-generating region 3 is in the form of a cylindrical rod and contains an aerosol-generating material 4 comprising reconstituted flue-cured tobacco and a combustion-inhibiting salt. The aerosol-generating material can be any of the materials discussed herein.

[0157] Although described in the form of a rod, the aerosol-generating region 3 can be provided in other forms, such as a plug, a pouch, or a packet of material within the article.

[0158] The mouthpiece region 2 includes a material body 5, such as fibrous tow or filamentary tow, in an exemplary embodiment.

[0159] The rod-shaped consumable 1 further comprises a wrapper 6 enclosing the mouthpiece region 2 and the aerosol-generating region 3, such as a paper wrapper.

[0160] Non-combustible aerosol supply system According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol supply system is a system in which the constituent aerosol-generating material of the aerosol supply system (or its components) is not burned or ignited to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0161] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol supply system.

[0162] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or an electronic nicotine delivery system (END), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0163] In some embodiments, the non-combustible 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.

[0164] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system is a composite system that uses a combination of aerosol-generating materials to generate an aerosol, one or more of which may be heated. Each aerosol-generating material may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the composite system includes 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.

[0165] Typically, the non-combustible aerosol supply system may comprise a non-combustible aerosol supply device and consumables for use with the non-combustible aerosol supply device.

[0166] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as the non-combustible aerosol supply device, may comprise a power source and a control device. 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-based substrate that can be energized to distribute power in the form of heat to the aerosol-generating material or heat transfer material in proximity to the heat-generating power source.

[0167] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system may comprise a region for receiving consumables, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation region, a container, a mouthpiece, a filter and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0168] Figure 2 shows an example of a non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 for generating an aerosol from an aerosol generating medium / material, such as the aerosol generating material of the consumable 110 described herein. Briefly, the device 100 heats a replaceable article 110 containing an aerosol generating medium, such as the article 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 or described elsewhere herein, and can be used to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium that is inhaled by a user of the device 100. The device 100 and the replaceable article 110 together form a system.

[0169] The device 100 includes a housing 102 (in the form of an outer cover) that surrounds and houses the various components of the device 100. The device 100 has an opening 104 at one end, through which the article 110 can be inserted for heating by a heating assembly. In use, the article 110 can be fully or partially inserted into the heating assembly and heated by one or more components of the heater assembly.

[0170] The device 100 of this example includes a first end 106 and a lid 108 that is movable relative to the first end 106 to close the opening 104 when the article 110 is not disposed therein. In FIG. 2, the lid 108 is shown in the open position, but the lid 108 can be moved to the closed position. For example, the user can slide the lid 108 in the direction of arrow "B".

[0171] The device 100 may also include a user-operable control element 112, such as a button or switch, that activates the device 100 when pressed. For example, the user can turn on the device 100 by operating the switch 112.

[0172] The device 100 may also include an electrical component, such as a socket / port 114, that can receive a cable for charging the battery of the device 100. For example, the socket 114 may be a charging port, such as a USB charging port.

Example

[0173] Tests were conducted to demonstrate that the addition of a combustion-inhibiting salt, namely sodium chloride, to an aerosol-forming material, namely shredded paper tobacco, imparts combustion inhibition to the aerosol-forming material.

[0174] In the first test, 35 g of sodium chloride was dissolved in 100 ml of water. This resulted in a solution containing 0.27 g of sodium chloride per gram of solution. 16.7 g of this solution was sprayed onto 2.6 g of shredded plugs on a tray. The sprayed shredded plugs were then dried, and the weight of the shredded plugs with added sodium chloride was calculated to be 7.5 g. Thus, 4.9 g of sodium chloride was added to the shredded plugs, resulting in a ratio of shredded plug tobacco to sodium chloride in the treated material of 1:1.88.

[0175] Next, a consumable was made with a paper wrapper surrounding the salt-treated tobacco. For testing, an attempt was made to smoke the consumables by igniting them in the manner of a combustible cigarette and inhaling. The consumables were also tested with a standard device for combustion. The greater the combustion resistance of the salt-treated tobacco, the less the consumable burned. The test showed that the shredded plug tobacco manufactured as described above resisted combustion well.

[0176] With a 55 ml inhalation, under a test regimen of 2-second durations every 30 seconds for 10 inhalations, only ignition inhalations were achieved before the consumable self-extinguished, so the consumable was defined as "non-smokable".

[0177] In a further test, 35 g of sodium chloride was again dissolved in 100 ml of water. 9.5 g of this solution was sprayed onto 2.4 g of shredded plugs on a tray. The sprayed shredded plugs were then dried, and the weight of the shredded plugs with added sodium chloride was calculated to be 5.0 g. Thus, 2.6 g of sodium chloride was added to the shredded plugs, resulting in a ratio of shredded plug tobacco to sodium chloride in the treated material of 1:1.08.

[0178] Next, as described above, the test of this salt-treated tobacco material was conducted, and it was again confirmed that it was well resistant to combustion.

[0179] In a further test, 3 g of sodium chloride was dissolved in 10 mL of distilled water to prepare a 23% salt solution. For a rod-shaped consumable containing tobacco, 30 μL of this solution was injected into the distal end of the rod and dried in a foil bag. The consumable resisted attempts at combustion at the distal end. This was repeated 5 times, and the same result was obtained for each prepared rod. Next, to simulate transportation, the rods were held in a foil-sealed bag for 2 weeks with continuous movement. Again, all 5 rods resisted combustion when attempted at the distal end of the rod.

[0180] The various embodiments described herein are presented only to assist in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as representative examples of the embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered to limit the scope of the invention defined by the claims or to limit the claimed equivalents, and it should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The various embodiments of the present invention preferably include, consist of, or consist essentially of a suitable combination of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. other than those specifically described herein. Additionally, the present disclosure may include other inventions that are not claimed herein but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. A material having combustion suppression characteristics, comprising a combustion suppressing salt and an aerosol generating material.

2. The material according to claim 1, wherein the combustion suppressing salt is a metal halide salt optionally selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bromide, potassium bromide, and combinations thereof.

3. The material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the combustion suppressing salt is applied to the aerosol generating material.

4. The material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the combustion suppressing salt at least partially coats the aerosol generating material.

5. The material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the material comprises from about 3 wt% to about 200 wt% of the combustion suppressing salt (on a dry weight basis).

6. The material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the aerosol generating material comprises a tobacco material.

7. The material according to claim 6, wherein the tobacco material is cut rag tobacco or reconstituted tobacco.

8. A consumable comprising the material having combustion suppression characteristics according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The consumable according to claim 8, which is in the shape of a rod.

10. The consumable according to claim 9, wherein the rod has a distal end and a proximal end, and the material is supplied at a limited or greater concentration at a position close to the distal end of the rod.

11. A non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising the consumable according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

12. A method of manufacturing the material according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the combustion suppressing salt is incorporated into or added to the aerosol generating material.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a solution or suspension containing the combustion suppressing salt is applied to the aerosol generating material.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the combustion suppressing salt is added during the manufacture of the aerosol generating material.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the tobacco material is mixed with a solution containing the combustion suppressing salt.

16. Use of a combustion suppressing salt for suppressing combustion of an aerosol generating material for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system.

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