Flavored inhalation article

Abstract

To provide a flavored inhalation article that allows a base portion and a filter portion to be easily distinguished.SOLUTION: A flavored inhalation article 1 includes a flavor source 11, a filter located on a downstream side of the flavor source 11, and a connecting member 30 provided so as to cover at least a part of an outer peripheral surface of at least one of the flavor source 11 and the filter. The connecting member 30 has ridge portions 31 and valley portions 32 alternately in a circumferential direction, and at least one of the valley portions 32 is formed with a communication passage 40 for communication between an exterior and an interior.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to flavor inhalation articles. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, the cigarette described in Patent Document 1 comprises a filter part including a plurality of filter sections, base paper around which each filter section is individually wrapped, and forming paper around which the filter sections each made of the base paper are integrally wound, a tobacco part in which tobacco material is wrapped in cigarette paper, and tipping paper that butts the filter part and the tobacco part together at their ends and wraps the entire filter part and the base end of the tobacco part to connect them together. Furthermore, ventilation holes are pre-opened in the tipping paper in the part located in the filter section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] WO2013 / 124954 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the flavor inhalation article, the connecting member (tipping paper in Patent Document 1) that connects the substrate portion (tobacco portion in Patent Document 1) and the filter portion has a thickness of 30 to 100 μm, so the portion corresponding to the substrate portion and the portion corresponding to the filter portion are cylindrical and have approximately the same diameter. Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish between the substrate portion and the filter portion just by touch, and there is a risk that the tobacco portion will be held in the mouth. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a flavor inhalation article that makes it easy to distinguish between a substrate portion and a filter portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure, which was completed with this objective in mind, is a flavor inhalation article comprising a flavor source, a filter located downstream of the flavor source, and an exterior member arranged to cover at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of at least one of the flavor source or the filter, wherein the exterior member has alternating peaks and valleys in the circumferential direction, and at least one of the valleys has a communication passage formed therein that connects the outside with the inside. Here, the exterior member may have the peaks and valleys alternately over the entire area in the longitudinal direction of the filter. The peaks and valleys may be arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the filter. The peaks and valleys may be provided in a direction inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the filter. The valleys may be formed in a wavy shape when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the filter. The wave shape may be a cosine wave shape. Furthermore, the valleys may be V-shaped or have a shape in which a plurality of V-shapes are aligned in the longitudinal direction when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the filter. The valleys may be formed in a diagonal lattice pattern. The communication passage may be formed in plurality along the longitudinal direction of the filter. The communication passages may be formed in at least a plurality of the valleys formed in the circumferential direction. The difference in level between the peaks and valleys may be 50 μm or more. The circumferential distance between adjacent peaks may be 5 mm or less. The outer casing may also have a connecting member that is wound around the first winding member to cover at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the first winding member wound around the flavor source and at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the second winding member wound around the filter, connecting the first winding member and the second winding member, and the peaks and valleys may be formed on the connecting member. The peaks and valleys may be formed in a portion that covers the filter. The outer casing may have a first winding member wound around the flavor source and a second winding member wound around the filter, and the peaks and valleys may be formed on at least one of the first winding member and the second winding member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a flavor inhalation article that allows the substrate portion and the filter portion to be easily distinguished. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a flavor inhalation article according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of a flavor inhalation article according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a cross section taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a user is holding a flavor inhalation article. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a flavor inhalation article according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a flavor inhalation article according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a flavor inhalation article according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a flavor inhalation article according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 9] 1A is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of peaks and valleys according to a first modified example, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of a surface of a connecting member on which peaks and valleys are formed before being wound around a base material portion and a filter portion. [Figure 10] 10A is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of peaks and valleys according to a second modified example, and FIG. 10B is a diagram showing an example of a surface of a connecting member on which peaks and valleys are formed before being wound around a base material portion and a filter portion. [Figure 11]10A is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of peaks and valleys according to a third modified example, and FIG. 10B is a diagram showing an example of a surface of a connecting member on which peaks and valleys are formed before being wound around a base material and a filter. [Figure 12] 10 is a diagram showing an example of a surface on which peaks and valleys according to a fourth modified example of the peaks and valleys are formed in a connecting member before being wound around a base member and a filter member. FIG. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of peaks and valleys according to a modified example of the cross section of the peaks and valleys. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0009] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a vertical cross section of the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a cross section taken along line III-III of FIG. The flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment includes a substrate 10, a filter 20, and a connecting member 30 that connects the substrate 10 and the filter 20. The flavor inhalation article 1 can be exemplified by a cigarette that generates smoke by burning tobacco leaves, or a non-combustion heat-type smoking article that releases tobacco components together with added glycerin by heating. The substrate 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape. Hereinafter, the direction of the center line CL of the substrate 10 may be referred to as the "center line direction." The flavor inhalation article 1 is wound around the connecting member 30 so as to integrate the substrate 10 and the filter 20, arranged in this order, in the center line direction. Hereinafter, one end side in the center line direction (the left side in FIG. 2) may be referred to as the first side, and the other end side in the center line direction (the right side in FIG. 2) may be referred to as the second side. The first side is the end side that is ignited or heated during inhalation and is the upstream side in the flow of aerosol during inhalation. The second side is the opposite side to the first side, and is the end side (suction end side) that the user holds in their mouth for inhalation, and is the downstream side in the flow of aerosol during inhalation. Furthermore, a cross section along the center line direction is called a "longitudinal cross section," and a cross section cut along a plane perpendicular to the center line direction is defined as a "transverse cross section." The cross section of the flavor inhalation article 1 is substantially circular, and its circumference can be changed appropriately according to the size of the product, but is usually 16 mm to 27 mm, and preferably 21 mm to 25 mm. If the cross section is not circular, the circumference is assumed to be a circle having the same area as the cross section, and the circumference of that circle is applied. The size of the flavor inhalation article 1 in the direction of the center line can be changed appropriately according to the size of the product, but is usually 40 mm or more and 100 mm or less, and preferably 50 mm or more and 85 mm or less.

[0010] (Base material part 10) The substrate 10 has a flavor source 11 containing an aerosol source, and a wrapping paper 12 (an example of a first wrapping member) that wraps around the outer periphery of the flavor source 11. The aerosol source generates vapor that generates an aerosol when burned or heated. By wrapping the flavor source 11 in the wrapping paper 12, the substrate 10 is formed into a cylindrical shape with the center line direction as the longitudinal direction. However, the shape of the substrate 10 is not limited to a cylindrical shape. Flavor source 11 can be, for example, a tobacco-derived product, such as a processed product obtained by molding tobacco shreds or tobacco raw materials into granules, sheets, or powder. Flavor source 11 may also include a non-tobacco-derived product made from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint and herbs). As an example, flavor source 11 may include a flavoring. The type of flavoring is not particularly limited, and menthol is particularly preferred from the viewpoint of imparting a good flavor. These flavorings may be used alone or in combination of two or more types. Flavor source 11 is not limited to a solid, and may also be a liquid, such as polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin and propylene glycol, or water. The cross-sectional area and size in the center line direction of the substrate portion 10 and the content of the flavor source 11 can be appropriately changed according to the size of the flavor inhalation article 1.

[0011] Furthermore, when the flavor source 11 is derived from tobacco, the type of tobacco used is not particularly limited, and various known types can be used. Examples of types of tobacco include flue-cured tobacco, burley tobacco, oriental tobacco, native tobacco, other Nicotiana tabacum varieties, Nicotiana rustica varieties, and mixtures thereof. For mixtures, various varieties are appropriately blended to achieve the desired flavor. In addition, even when the flavor source 11 is derived from tobacco, it may contain extracts and / or components thereof from various natural products depending on the intended use. Examples of extracts and / or components thereof include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof.

[0012] Furthermore, when the flavor source 11 is a processed product obtained by forming tobacco shreds or tobacco raw materials into a sheet (hereinafter referred to as "tobacco sheet"), it can be appropriately manufactured by known methods such as papermaking, slurrying, rolling, etc. Furthermore, the tobacco sheet may be made by grinding dried tobacco leaves to obtain tobacco grounds, homogenizing this using known means, and then processing it into a sheet. The number of tobacco sheets may be one or two or more. The two or more tobacco sheets may all have the same composition or physical properties, or some or all of the tobacco sheets may have different compositions or physical properties. Furthermore, the thickness of each tobacco sheet may be the same or different.

[0013] In the case where the flavor source 11 is composed of a single tobacco sheet, for example, a tobacco sheet having one side approximately the same size as the centerline of the substrate 10 is packed in a state where it is folded back multiple times horizontally to the centerline of the substrate 10 (so-called gathered sheet). Another example is a tobacco sheet having one side approximately the same size as the centerline of the substrate 10 and packed in a state where it is wound in a direction perpendicular to the centerline of the substrate 10.

[0014] In the case where the flavor source 11 is composed of two or more tobacco sheets, for example, a plurality of tobacco sheets, each having a side approximately the same size as the size in the center line direction of the base part 10, are packed in a state where they are wound in a direction perpendicular to the center line direction of the base part 10 so as to be concentrically arranged. "Concentrically arranged" means that the centers of all the tobacco sheets are arranged in approximately the same position. The flavor source 11 may also be a shredded tobacco sheet. Furthermore, the flavor source 11 may be a so-called strand type, in which a tobacco sheet having a size approximately the same as the size of the base material 10 in the center line direction is shredded approximately parallel to the center line direction and filled.

[0015] The composition of the cigarette paper 12 is not particularly limited and may be any common embodiment, for example, one whose main component is pulp. Pulp may be made from wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, or may be made by mixing non-wood pulp commonly used in cigarette papers 12 for tobacco products, such as flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, or esparto. Usable types of pulp include chemical pulp produced by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral or alkaline sulfite cooking, soda cooking, etc., ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, thermomechanical pulp, etc. The wrapping paper 12 tightly wraps around the outer periphery of the substrate portion 10. The wrapping paper 12 is flax paper of about 5 to 100 CORESTA (defined as the amount of air measured in cubic centimeters that passes through one square centimeter of material, e.g., a paper sheet, per minute at a pressure drop of 1.0 kilopascal), more preferably about 10 to 45 CORESTA, and has a density of about 23 to 35 grams per square meter (g / m 2 ) basis weight, more preferably about 23 to 30 g / m 2 and has about 23 to 35% by weight, more preferably 28 to 33% by weight, of a filler (preferably calcium carbonate). The wrapping paper 12 contains sodium citrate or other combustion improver, with preferred levels of sodium citrate ranging from 0 to about 2.6% by weight of the paper.

[0016] The shape of the wrapping paper 12 for producing the substrate 10 can be, for example, a square or a rectangle. When the flavor source 11 is wrapped in the wrapping paper 12 into a cylindrical shape, for example, an end of the wrapping paper 12 and an end of the wrapping paper 12 on the opposite side are overlapped by about 2 mm in the circumferential direction and glued together to form a cylindrical paper tube shape, inside which the substrate 10 is filled. The size of the wrapping paper 12 can be determined depending on the size of the substrate 10.

[0017] A coating agent may be added to at least one of the two surfaces, the front and back surfaces, of the wrapping paper 12. There are no particular limitations on the coating agent, but it may be an agent that can form a film on the surface of the paper and reduce liquid permeability. Examples of the coating agent include polysaccharides such as alginic acid and its salts (e.g., sodium salts), pectin, cellulose derivatives such as ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and nitrocellulose, starch and its derivatives (e.g., ether derivatives such as carboxymethyl starch, hydroxyalkyl starch, and cationic starch, and ester derivatives such as starch acetate, starch phosphate, and starch octenyl succinate).

[0018] (filter section) The filter unit 20 is located on the second side (downstream side) of the base unit 10. The filter unit 20 has a filter 21 through which the aerosol passes and a wrapping paper 22 (an example of a second wrapping member) wrapped around the outer circumferential surface of the filter 21. The filter unit 20 is formed into a cylindrical shape with the center line direction as the longitudinal direction by wrapping the filter 21 around the wrapping paper 22. However, the filter unit 20 is not limited to a cylindrical shape. Furthermore, the filter unit 20 is connected to the base unit 10 by being wound around the end of the second side of the base unit 10 using a connecting member 30. When a user inhales an aerosol, the aerosol generated by the flavor source 11 of the base unit 10 passes through the filter 21 and is inhaled by the user.

[0019] The filter 21 is not particularly limited as long as it contains a filter material and has the general functions of a filter, such as reducing nicotine and tar, as well as reducing unpleasant sensations such as irritation. The filter material constituting the filter 21 is, for example, a cylindrically shaped filler made of acetate, charcoal, cellulose fiber, nonwoven fabric, pulp paper, etc. Alternatively, a paper filter filled with sheet-like pulp paper may be used.

[0020] The wrapping paper 22 may be made primarily of pulp. Pulp may be made from wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, or may be made by blending non-wood pulp commonly used in tobacco wrapping papers, such as flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, or esparto. These pulps may be used alone or in any combination of two or more types. The wrapping paper 22 may also contain fillers such as calcium carbonate.

[0021] The embodiment of the web 22 is not particularly limited and may include one or more rows of adhesive-containing seams. The adhesive may include a hot melt adhesive, which may further include polyvinyl alcohol. Furthermore, the wrapper 22 may be either coated or uncoated, but is preferably coated with a desired material from the standpoint of imparting functions such as strength and structural rigidity. The wrapper paper 22 may be porous paper having a plurality of pores and having breathability.

[0022] The shape of the wrapper paper 22 for producing the filter portion 20 can be, for example, a square or a rectangle. When the filter 21 is wound in the wrapping paper 22 into a cylindrical shape, for example, an end of the wrapping paper 22 and an end of the wrapping paper 22 on the opposite side are overlapped by about 2 mm in the circumferential direction and glued together to form a cylindrical paper tube shape, inside which the filter 21 is packed. The size of the wrapping paper 22 can be determined depending on the size of the filter part 20.

[0023] The filter unit 20 is located on the second side (downstream side) of the base member 10. The filter unit 20 is also arranged on the end side (mouth end side) of the flavor inhalation article 1 that the user holds in their mouth for inhalation. The size of the filter unit 20 in the center line direction is 8 mm or more. The area 8 mm or less from the end face on the mouth end side is the area where the user is expected to hold the flavor inhalation article 1 in their mouth, so it is expected that the user will hold the part corresponding to the filter unit 20 in their mouth. When the user inhales aerosol, the aerosol generated by the flavor source 11 of the base member 10 passes through the filter 21 and is inhaled by the user. The filter unit 20 may not have the wrapping paper 22, and the connecting member 30 may be wound around the outer circumferential surface of the filter 21.

[0024] (Connecting member 30) The connecting member 30 is wound so as to cover at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the base member 10 and at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the filter member 20, and connects the base member 10 and the filter member 20. The connecting member 30 according to the first embodiment is wound so as to cover the second end of the base member 10 and the entire area of ​​the filter member 20. The shape of the connecting member 30 before being wound can be, for example, a square or a rectangle.

[0025] The material of the connecting member 30 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include those containing pulp as a main component. Pulp may be made from wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, or may be made by mixing non-wood pulp commonly used in cigarette paper for tobacco products, such as flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, or esparto. These pulps may be used alone or in any combination of two or more types in any ratio.

[0026] In addition to the materials described above, the connecting member 30 may contain fillers, such as calcium carbonate, to improve whiteness and opacity and increase the heating rate. In addition to the materials and fillers described above, the connecting member 30 may contain various auxiliary agents, such as a water resistance improver including a wet strength agent (WS agent) and a sizing agent. These fillers may be used alone or in combination.

[0027] A coating agent may be added to at least one of the two surfaces, the front and back surfaces, of the connecting member 30. There are no particular limitations on the coating agent, but a coating agent that can form a film on the surface and reduce liquid permeability is preferred. A portion of the outer surface of the connecting member 30 may be coated with a known lip release material. The lip release material refers to a material configured to help the lips and the connecting member 30 easily separate without substantial sticking when the user holds the second end of the flavor inhalation article 1 between their mouths. The lip release material may include, for example, ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, etc. For example, the outer surface of the connecting member 30 may be coated with the lip release material by applying an ethyl cellulose-based or methyl cellulose-based ink to the outer surface of the connecting member 30.

[0028] The connecting member 30 has alternating peaks 31 and valleys 32 in the circumferential direction. The peaks 31 and valleys 32 are formed on the outer surface, parallel to the centerline direction, and across the entire area in the centerline direction. When viewed in the centerline direction, the peaks 31 and valleys 32 are arc-shaped when the connecting member 30 is wound around the base member 10 and the filter member 20. For example, the connecting member 30 can be formed by embossing a sheet-like substrate that serves as the base of the connecting member 30 before it is wound around the base member 10 and the filter member 20, thereby forming at least the valleys 32. For example, when only the valleys 32 are formed by embossing, the peaks 31 remain in the sheet-like substrate that serves as the base of the connecting member 30.

[0029] Furthermore, in the connecting member 30, through holes 33 that communicate between the outside and the inside are formed in the valley portions 32 at positions corresponding to the filter portion 20. A plurality of through holes 33 are formed along the center line direction. When a plurality of valley portions 32 are provided, a through hole 33 is formed in at least one valley portion 32. In other words, through holes 33 may be formed in all of the plurality of valley portions 32, or through holes 33 may be formed in some of the plurality of valley portions 32, and through holes 33 may not be formed in the remaining valley portions 32. The shape of the through-hole 33 can be, for example, a cylindrical shape, an elliptical cylindrical shape, a long-hole cylindrical shape, a polygonal cylindrical shape, or a rounded polygonal cylindrical shape. For example, the diameter of the circle of the cylindrical shape is 200 μm to 1000 μm, and the major axis of the elliptical cylindrical shape is 500 μm to 2000 μm, and the minor axis is 100 μm to 500 μm. For example, the long hole of the long-hole cylindrical shape has a width of 100 μm to 500 μm and a length of 500 μm to 2000 μm. For example, the circle-equivalent diameter of the polygon of the polygonal cylindrical shape is 200 μm to 1000 μm. The circle-equivalent diameter is the diameter of a circle calculated from the area of ​​the communicating passage 40.

[0030] An example of a method for forming the through holes 33 is to wrap the connecting member 30 around the wrapper paper 22 of the filter section 20, and then irradiate the valley portions 32 with laser light from the outside. At this time, it is preferable to adjust the intensity of the laser light to an intensity sufficient to form the through holes 23 penetrating the wrapper paper 22. This simultaneously forms the through holes 33 in the connecting member 30 and the through holes 23 in the wrapper paper 22. These through holes 33 in the connecting member 30 and the through holes 23 in the wrapper paper 22 form a communication passage 40 that connects the outside of the flavor inhalation article 1 with the filter 21 disposed inside. The method for forming the communication passage 40 constituted by the through holes 33 in the connecting member 30 and the through holes 23 in the wrapper paper 22 is not limited to laser. For example, electrical discharge or a needle may also be used.

[0031] (Communication path 40) The communication passage 40 communicates between the outside and the inside of the flavor inhalation article 1. Therefore, the communication passage 40 allows air outside the flavor inhalation article 1 to flow into the inside during inhalation. The shape of the communication passage 40 can be, for example, a circular cylinder, an elliptical cylinder, a polygonal cylinder, or a polygonal cylinder with rounded corners. The presence of the communication passage 40 that connects the outside and the inside of the flavor inhalation article 1 allows air to flow from the outside into the inside of the filter unit 20 when a user inhales the flavor inhalation article 1. This allows the concentration of the inhaled flavor components and aerosol to be adjusted. It also allows the temperature of the steam and air flowing in from the substrate unit 10 to be lowered. Note that when the substrate unit 10 is burned or heated, steam generated with aerosol as condensation nuclei comes into contact with air from the outside and its temperature is lowered, liquefying, thereby accelerating the generation of aerosol.

[0032] Furthermore, when the wrapper paper 22 is a porous paper having a plurality of pores and exhibiting breathability, the through holes 33 may be formed in the connecting member 30 before it is wound around the wrapper paper 22 of the filter section 20. That is, the connecting member 30 with the through holes 33 formed therein may be wound around the wrapper paper 22 of the filter section 20. The method for forming the through holes 33 in the connecting member 30 before it is wound around the wrapper paper 22 is not particularly limited. For example, the base material that forms the connecting member 30 may be irradiated with laser light. Alternatively, the through holes 33 may be formed in the connecting member 30 using electrical discharge or a needle. Alternatively, the through holes 33 may be formed using a mold simultaneously with embossing the base material that forms the connecting member 30 to form the valleys 32.

[0033] As described above, the flavor inhalation article 1 includes a substrate 10 having a flavor source 11 containing an aerosol source, a filter 21 located downstream of the flavor source 11, and a connecting member 30 (an example of an exterior member) that sheathes the flavor source 11 and the filter 21. The connecting member 30 has alternating peaks 31 and valleys 32 in the circumferential direction. As a result, while the substrate 10 is cylindrical, the end side (suction end) that the user holds in their mouth for inhalation has irregularities. This makes it easy to distinguish between the substrate 10 and the mouth end just by touch, preventing the user from accidentally holding the substrate 10 in their mouth. Furthermore, the irregularities in the portion that is held in their mouth reduce the contact area with the lips compared to when the portion is cylindrical, making the connecting member 30 less likely to stick to the lips and tear. Furthermore, the unevenness in the portion corresponding to the filter portion 20 can increase the grip strength when the user holds the flavor inhalation article 1 with his / her fingers, thereby preventing the flavor inhalation article 1 from being dropped. Furthermore, the unevenness provides the user with a unique feeling of comfort when holding the flavor inhalation article 1 in his / her mouth.

[0034] Furthermore, in the flavor inhalation article 1, a through hole 33 that connects the outside to the inside is formed in the valley portion 32 of the connecting member 30. The through hole 33, together with the through hole 23 formed in the wrapping paper 22, constitutes a communication passage 40 that connects the outside of the flavor inhalation article 1 to the inside of the filter section 20. Furthermore, if the wrapping paper 22 is porous paper that has a plurality of pores and is breathable, the through hole 33, together with the plurality of pores in the wrapping paper 22, constitutes the communication passage 40.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a user holds the flavor inhalation article 1. As shown in FIG. The flavor inhalation article 1 configured as described above can provide the user with a desired flavor with high accuracy. That is, even if the user holds the part corresponding to the filter portion 20 with their fingers during inhalation, the communication passage 40 (through hole 33) formed in the valley portion 32 is unlikely to be blocked.

[0036] If the communication passage 40 were to be blocked, it might be impossible to take in the amount of air necessary to provide the desired flavor into the flavor inhalation article 1 through the communication passage 40, and so the desired flavor might not be provided to the user. In contrast, in the flavor inhalation article 1, the communication passage 40 is unlikely to be blocked, so the amount of air necessary to provide the desired flavor can be taken in through the communication passage 40. Therefore, the flavor inhalation article 1 can provide the desired flavor to the user.

[0037] The circumferential size W (see FIG. 3) of the valley portion 32 is 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less, and the depth F (see FIG. 3) of the valley portion 32 from the outer circumferential surface of the connecting member 30 is 50 μm or more and 5 mm or less, for example. This is set in consideration of the following points. That is, if the size W is too small, it becomes difficult to accurately irradiate the valley portion 32 with the laser light for forming the through hole 33. On the other hand, if the size W is too large, the user's finger will penetrate deep into the valley portion 32 and will likely block the communicating path 40. Also, if the depth F is too small, the user's finger will likely block the communicating path 40. On the other hand, to increase the depth F, the thickness of the base material that forms the base of the connecting member 30 must be increased. Therefore, by setting the size W to 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less and the depth F to 50 μm or more and 5 mm or less, the flavor inhalation article 1 can provide the user with a desired flavor with high accuracy. Note that the lower limit of the depth F is 50 μm, but the depth F is preferably 55 μm or more, more preferably 60 μm or more, even more preferably 80 μm or more, and particularly preferably 100 μm or more. Note that the upper limit of the depth F is 5 mm, but is preferably 3 mm or less, more preferably 2 mm or less, even more preferably 1 mm or less, and particularly preferably 500 μm or less. In addition, the circumferential distance between adjacent peaks 31 can be set to 5 mm or less, for example. This makes it difficult for the user's fingers to reach deep into the valleys 32, making it possible to provide the user with the desired flavor with a high degree of accuracy.

[0038] The presence or absence of peaks 31 and valleys 32 in the connecting member 30 can be measured using a known surface roughness measuring device. Furthermore, the presence or absence of peaks 31 and valleys 32 can be determined by measuring the distance from the peaks 31 to the outer peripheral surface (thickness of peaks 31) and the distance from the valleys 32 to the outer peripheral surface (thickness of valleys 32) using the inner peripheral surface of the connecting member 30, in other words, the contact surface with the outer peripheral surface of the wrapper paper 22 of the filter section 20, as a reference.

[0039] Furthermore, in the flavor inhalation article 1, the thickness of the connecting member 30 at the peak portions 31 is greater than the thickness at the valley portions 32. Therefore, the thickness of the portion that the user holds in their mouth for inhalation is greater than the thickness of the connecting member whose entire periphery is formed to the thickness at the valley portions 32. This makes it difficult to feel heat even if the temperature of the aerosol being inhaled rises.

[0040] Furthermore, in the flavor inhalation article 1, the valley portions 32 and the communication passages 40 are formed in the connecting member 30 at positions corresponding to the filter 21. In other words, the communication passages 40 are not formed in a portion covering the outer peripheral surface of the base member 10. This is for the following reason. When the connecting member 30 is irradiated with laser light to form the communication passages 40, if the laser light is irradiated onto the flavor source 11 of the base member 10, the flavor source 11 may become hot and burn. Therefore, by not forming the communication passages 40 in a portion covering the outer peripheral surface of the base member 10, it is possible to prevent the flavor source 11 from burning. However, for example, if it is possible to change the intensity of the laser light so that the flavor source 11 does not burn, the communication passages 40 may be provided in a portion corresponding to the flavor source 11.

[0041] In the example shown, the connecting member 30 is formed by embossing to form recessed valley portions 32 on the surface of the sheet-like substrate that forms the base of the connecting member 30, but the peak portions 31 may also be formed by embossing. Furthermore, the valley portions 32 of the connecting member 30 are portions parallel to the center line direction, and through holes 33 are formed in the valley portions 32 along the center line direction, but this is not particularly limited to this aspect. For example, it is preferable that the valley portions 32 extend in a direction inclined toward the center line direction, and that at least one through hole 33 is formed in the valley portions 32.

[0042] 3, multiple peaks 31 and multiple valleys 32 are provided in the circumferential direction, but this is not a limitation. The connecting member 30 only needs to have peaks 31 on both sides of a valley 32 so as to form at least one valley 32. For example, the valley 32 may be formed in one location in the circumferential direction.

[0043] Furthermore, when a plurality of valley portions 32 are provided, a through hole 33 is formed in at least one of the valley portions 32. In other words, the through holes 33 may be formed in all of the plurality of valley portions 32, or the through holes 33 may be formed in some of the plurality of valley portions 32, and the through holes 33 may not be formed in the remaining valley portions 32.

[0044] Furthermore, although the peaks 31 and valleys 32 are formed over the entire area of ​​the connecting member 30 in the center line direction, this is not particularly limited to this embodiment. The peaks 31 and valleys 32 do not have to be formed in the area corresponding to the base member 10. Furthermore, the peaks 31 and valleys 32 do not have to be formed in the area on the end side (suction mouth end side) that the user holds in their mouth for suction. Preferably, the peaks 31 and valleys 32 do not have to be formed in an area 8 mm or less from the end face on the suction mouth end side.

[0045] Also, at least one protrusion may be formed in the valley portion 32. The protrusion may have a height that is the same as the depth of the valley portion 32 or that is smaller than the depth of the valley portion 32. Furthermore, the through-holes 33 are not limited to being formed at the bottoms of the valleys 32. For example, the through-holes 33 may be formed at the sides of the valleys 32 (in other words, at portions parallel to the radial direction), or at the bends that are the boundaries between the sides and the bottoms.

[0046] Second Embodiment Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the flavor inhalation article 2 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section, similar to Fig. 3. The flavor inhalation article 2 according to the second embodiment differs from the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a connecting member 230 that corresponds to the connecting member 30. Hereinafter, the flavor inhalation article 2 according to the second embodiment will be described in terms of differences from the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be used for the same parts as the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0047] A connecting member 230 according to the second embodiment differs from connecting member 30 according to the first embodiment in that it has peaks 231 corresponding to peaks 31 and valleys 232 corresponding to valleys 32. The peaks 231 are arc-shaped as shown in Fig. 5, whereas the peaks 31 according to the first embodiment are sharply pointed. Furthermore, the valleys 232 are arc-shaped as shown in Fig. 5, whereas the valleys 32 according to the first embodiment are concave at an acute angle. A through-hole 233 corresponding to the through-hole 33 according to the first embodiment is formed at the deepest part of the valley 232. The through-hole 233 and the through-hole 23 of the wrapper paper 22 form a communication passage 240 that communicates between the outside of the flavor inhalation article 2 and the filter 21 arranged inside.

[0048] According to the flavor inhalation article 2 configured as described above, because the valley portions 232 are recessed at an acute angle, the circumferential dimension between the peak portions 231 provided on both sides of the valley portions 232 can be reduced, making it difficult for the communicating passages 240 formed in the valley portions 232 to be blocked. Furthermore, because the peak portions 231 are pointed at an acute angle, the number of valley portions 232 provided on both sides of the peak portions 231 can be increased, and therefore the number of communicating passages 240 can also be increased. Therefore, even if some of the multiple communicating passages 240 are blocked, the proportion of blocked communicating passages 240 to all the communicating passages 240 can be reduced. As a result, the amount of air required to provide the desired flavor can be inhaled with high reliability.

[0049] There is no particular limitation on the method for forming the peaks 231 and the valleys 232 in the connecting member 230. For example, the peaks 231 and the valleys 232 may be formed by gathering a sheet-like base material that serves as the base of the connecting member 230. Furthermore, at least one protrusion may be formed in the valley portion 232. The protrusion may have a height that is the same as the depth of the valley portion 232 or that is smaller than the depth of the valley portion 232. Furthermore, the through-holes 233 are not limited to being formed in the deepest parts of the valleys 232. For example, the through-holes 233 may be formed in parts of the valleys 232 that are inclined in the radial direction.

[0050] Third Embodiment FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a flavor inhalation article 3 according to the third embodiment. The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the third embodiment differs from the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a connecting member 330 corresponding to the connecting member 30. Hereinafter, the flavor inhalation article 3 according to the third embodiment will be described in terms of differences from the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be used for the same parts as the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0051] The connecting member 330 according to the third embodiment is formed by stacking a plurality of sheet members. By varying the number of stacked sheet members, the connecting member 330 is formed with peaks 331 corresponding to the peaks 31 and valleys 332 corresponding to the valleys 32. The connecting member 330 has peaks 331 and valleys 332 alternately arranged in the circumferential direction.

[0052] 6, the connecting member 330 has a first sheet member 351 wound around the base member 10 so as to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the filter member 20, second sheet members 352 arranged intermittently in the circumferential direction so as to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the first sheet member 351, and a third sheet member 353 arranged so as to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the second sheet member 352. The first sheet member 351, the second sheet member 352, and the third sheet member 353 can be, for example, molded from the same material as the connecting member 30 according to the first embodiment.

[0053] The first sheet member 351 is wrapped around the same area as the area around which the connecting member 30 according to the first embodiment is wrapped. The second sheet members 352 are disposed on the first sheet member 351 at all locations except for predetermined regions that form the valley portions 332. In other words, the second sheet members 352 are disposed on the first sheet member 351 intermittently in the circumferential direction. The third sheet member 353 is wrapped around the entire area of ​​the second sheet member 352 . As a result, valley portions 332 are formed on the first sheet member 351 in areas where the second sheet member 352 and the third sheet member 353 are not arranged, and peak portions 331 are formed by the second sheet member 352 and the third sheet member 353. Then, a through hole 333 similar to the through hole 33 according to the first embodiment is formed in the first sheet member 351 constituting the valley portion 332. Furthermore, the through hole 333 and the through hole 23 of the wrapping paper 22 form a communication passage 340 that communicates between the outside of the flavor inhalation article 3 and the filter 21 arranged inside.

[0054] As described above, the flavor inhalation article 3 includes the base member 10 having the flavor source 11 containing an aerosol source, the filter 21 located downstream of the flavor source 11, and the connecting member 330 (an example of an exterior member) that sheathes the flavor source 11 and the filter 21. The connecting member 330 has alternating peaks 331 and valleys 332 in the circumferential direction. While the base member 10 is cylindrical, the end side (suction end) that the user holds in their mouth for inhalation has irregularities. This makes it easy to distinguish between the base member 10 and the mouth end by touch, preventing the user from accidentally holding the base member 10 in their mouth. Furthermore, because the communication passage 340 is not easily blocked, the amount of air required to provide the desired flavor can be taken in through the communication passage 340. Therefore, the flavor inhalation article 3 can provide the desired flavor to the user.

[0055] The second sheet member 352 and the third sheet member 353 do not have to be made of the same material as the first sheet member 351. For example, the second sheet member 352 and the third sheet member 353 may be made of a material other than paper containing pulp as a main component, and may be molded from, for example, resin. Furthermore, two sheet members, the second sheet member 352 and the third sheet member 353, are stacked on the first sheet member 351, but the number of sheets to be stacked is not particularly limited. As long as the communication passage 340 is not blocked, the number of sheets to be stacked on the first sheet member 351 may be one, or three or more.

[0056] Furthermore, if a valley portion 332 is formed in the connecting member 330, the second sheet member 352 and the third sheet member 353 may be laminated on the wrapping paper 22 of the filter section 20 without providing the first sheet member 351.

[0057] Furthermore, in the flavor inhalation article 3 described above, the valley portions 332 are formed by laminating the second sheet member 352 and the third sheet member 353 on the first sheet member 351, but the valley portions 332 may be formed by thickly applying the above-described lip release material instead of laminating the second sheet member 352 and the third sheet member 353. In other words, it is preferable to thickly apply the lip release material to portions on the first sheet member 351 other than the predetermined regions where the valley portions 332 are to be formed. Furthermore, the lip release material may be applied thickly only to the regions on both sides of the predetermined region that forms the valley 332. Furthermore, the material that is applied to the regions on both sides of the predetermined region to form the valley 332 is not limited to the lip release material, and may be, for example, varnish. Furthermore, the connecting member 230 having the peaks 231 and valleys 232 according to the second embodiment may be formed by laminating a plurality of sheet members.

[0058] <Fourth embodiment> FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a flavor inhalation article 4 according to the fourth embodiment. The flavor inhalation article 4 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment in that a peak portion 425 and a valley portion 426 corresponding to the peak portion 31 and the valley portion 32, respectively, are formed in a filter portion 420 corresponding to the filter portion 20. Hereinafter, the flavor inhalation article 4 according to the fourth embodiment will be described in terms of differences from the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be used for the same parts as the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0059] The flavor inhalation article 4 includes a substrate portion 10, a filter portion 420, and a connecting member 430 corresponding to the connecting member 30. The filter section 420 has the filter 21 and a wrapping paper 422 corresponding to the wrapping paper 22 . The wrapper 422 has alternating peaks 425 and valleys 426 in the circumferential direction. The peaks 425 and valleys 426 are parallel to the centerline direction and are formed across the entire area in the centerline direction. When viewed in the centerline direction, the peaks 425 and valleys 426 are arc-shaped, similar to the peaks 31 and valleys 32 described with reference to FIG. 3, when the wrapper 422 is wrapped around the filter 21. For example, the wrapper 422 may have at least the valleys 426 formed by, for example, embossing a sheet-like base material that forms the base of the wrapper 422.

[0060] Then, a through hole 427 that communicates between the outside and the inside is formed in the valley portion 426. A plurality of through holes 427 are formed along the center line direction. When a plurality of valley portions 426 are provided, the through hole 427 is formed in at least one valley portion 426. That is, the through holes 427 may be formed in all of the plurality of valley portions 426, or the through holes 427 may be formed in some of the plurality of valley portions 426, and the through holes 427 may not be formed in the remaining valley portions 426. Then, the through holes 427 form a communication passage 440 that communicates between the outside of the flavor inhalation article 4 and the filter 21 arranged inside. The method of forming the through holes 427 can be, for example, the same as the method of forming the through holes 33 in the connecting member 30.

[0061] Connecting member 430 is wound so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the second-side end of base member 10 and at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of filter member 420, and connects base member 10 and filter member 420. Connecting member 430 is wound so as to cover a portion of filter member 420 that is more than 8 mm from the end face on the second side in the center line direction to the first side. As a result, a portion of filter unit 420 on the second side of connecting member 430 is exposed to the outside. The end portion of filter unit 420 on the second side may be covered with the lip release material described above.

[0062] As described above, the flavor inhalation article 4 includes the flavor source 11 containing an aerosol source, the filter 21 located downstream of the flavor source 11, and the wrapping paper 422 (an example of an exterior member) that wraps the filter 21. The wrapping paper 422 has alternating peaks 425 and valleys 426 in the circumferential direction. As a result, while the base member 10 is cylindrical, the end side (suction end side) that the user holds in their mouth for inhalation has irregularities. This makes it easy to distinguish between the base member 10 and the mouth end just by touch, preventing the user from accidentally holding the base member 10 in their mouth.

[0063] Furthermore, according to the flavor inhalation article 4, even if the user holds the peak portion 425 and the valley portion 426 with his / her fingers when inhaling, the communicating passage 440 (through hole 427) formed in the valley portion 426 is unlikely to be blocked, so that the desired flavor can be provided to the user with high accuracy.

[0064] The method of forming the peaks 425 and valleys 426 on the roll 422 is not limited to embossing. For example, similar to the connecting member 330 according to the third embodiment, the roll 422 on which the peaks 425 and valleys 426 are formed may be formed by stacking a plurality of sheet members. Alternatively, the peaks 425 and valleys 426 may be formed by applying a thick layer of the lip release material or varnish to areas of the roll 422 other than the areas where the valleys 426 are to be formed. Furthermore, the shapes of the peaks 425 and valleys 426 formed on the paper roll 422 may be similar to the shapes of the peaks 231 and valleys 232 of the connecting member 230 according to the second embodiment.

[0065] Fifth Embodiment FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a flavor inhalation article 5 according to the fifth embodiment. The flavor inhalation article 5 according to the fifth embodiment differs from the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment in that a peak portion 515 and a valley portion 516 corresponding to the peak portion 31 and the valley portion 32, respectively, are provided on a base portion 510 corresponding to the base portion 10. Hereinafter, the flavor inhalation article 5 according to the fifth embodiment will be described in terms of differences from the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be used for the same parts as the flavor inhalation article 1 according to the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] The flavor inhalation article 5 includes a base member 510, a filter member 20, and a connecting member 530 corresponding to the connecting member 30. The base material portion 510 has a flavor source 11 and a wrapping paper 512 that covers the outer periphery of the flavor source 11 . The wrapper paper 512 has alternating peaks 515 and valleys 516 in the circumferential direction. The peaks 515 and valleys 516 are parallel to the centerline direction and are formed across the entire area of ​​the base material 510 in the centerline direction. When viewed in the centerline direction, the peaks 515 and valleys 516 form arcs when the wrapper paper 512 is wrapped around the flavor source 11. For example, the wrapper paper 512 may have at least the valleys 516 formed by, for example, embossing a sheet-like base material that serves as the base of the wrapper paper 512.

[0067] Further, a through hole 517 that communicates between the outside and the inside is formed in the valley portion 516. A plurality of through holes 517 are formed along the center line direction. The through hole 517 is formed in a portion of the valley portion 516 on the second side (downstream side). The through hole 517 forms a communication passage 540 that communicates between the outside of the flavor inhalation article 5 and the flavor source 11 arranged inside. The method for forming the through hole 517 can be, for example, the same as the method for forming the through hole 33 in the connecting member 30.

[0068] Similar to the connecting member 30 according to the first embodiment, the connecting member 530 is wound around the second end of the base member 510 and the periphery of the filter member 20, connecting the base member 510 and the filter member 20.

[0069] As described above, the flavor inhalation article 5 includes the flavor source 11 containing an aerosol source, the filter 21 located downstream of the flavor source 11, and the wrapping paper 512 (an example of an exterior member) that wraps the flavor source 11. The wrapping paper 512 has peaks 515 and valleys 516 alternately arranged in the circumferential direction. The wrapping paper 512 has the valleys 516 formed therein, and the valleys 516 have communication paths 540 (through holes 517) that connect the outside and the inside of the flavor inhalation article 5. Even if the user holds the peaks 515 and the valleys 516 with their fingers during inhalation, the communication paths 540 (through holes 517) formed in the valleys 516 are unlikely to be blocked, and the flavor inhalation article 5 can be provided to the user with a high degree of certainty.

[0070] The method for forming the peaks 515 and the valleys 516 in the wrapping paper 512 is not limited to embossing. For example, similar to the connecting member 330 according to the third embodiment, the peaks 515 and the valleys 516 may be formed by stacking a plurality of sheet members. Alternatively, the peaks 515 and the valleys 516 may be formed by applying a thick layer of the lip release material or varnish to areas of the wrapping paper 512 other than the areas where the valleys 516 are to be formed.

[0071] Furthermore, although the peaks 515 and valleys 516 are formed over the entire area of ​​the base material 510 on the second side of the central portion in the center line direction, this is not particularly limited to this aspect. The peaks 515 and valleys 516 do not have to be formed in the area covered by the connecting member 530. Furthermore, the thickness of the area of ​​the base material 510 on the first side of the central portion in the center line direction may be the thickness of the valleys 516 instead of the thickness of the peaks 515 shown in FIG. 8. Furthermore, the shapes of the peaks 515 and valleys 516 formed in the wrapping paper 512 may be similar to the shapes of the peaks 231 and valleys 232 of the connecting member 230 according to the second embodiment.

[0072] <Modification of the shape of the peaks and valleys in the center line direction> The peaks 31 and valleys 32 according to the first embodiment, the peaks 231 and valleys 232 according to the second embodiment, the peaks 331 and valleys 332 according to the third embodiment, the peaks 425 and valleys 426 according to the fourth embodiment, and the peaks 515 and valleys 516 according to the fifth embodiment are parallel to the center line direction, but are not limited to this. Below, variations of the peaks 31 and valleys 32, the peaks 231 and valleys 232, the peaks 331 and valleys 332, the peaks 425 and valleys 426, and the peaks 515 and valleys 516 will be described using the peaks 31 and valleys 32. Variations of the peaks 231 and valleys 232, the peaks 331 and valleys 332, the peaks 425 and valleys 426, and the peaks 515 and valleys 516 are similar to the variations of the peaks 31 and valleys 32, and therefore will not be described in detail.

[0073] Fig. 9(A) is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of peaks 61 and valleys 62 according to a first modified example of the peaks 31 and valleys 32. Fig. 9(B) is a diagram showing an example of a surface of the connecting member 30 on which the peaks 61 and valleys 62 are formed before being wound around the base material 10 and the filter unit 20. The peaks 61 and valleys 62 according to the first modification are arranged in a direction inclined with respect to the center line direction (i.e., the longitudinal direction of the filter unit 20), whereas the peaks 31 and valleys 32 according to the first modification are parallel to the center line direction. Even though the peaks 61 and valleys 62 are arranged in a direction inclined with respect to the center line direction, the end side (suction end side) that the user holds in their mouth for inhalation has unevenness. This makes it easy to distinguish between the base unit 10 and the suction end just by touch, thereby preventing the user from accidentally holding the base unit 10 in their mouth. Furthermore, the connecting member 30 is less likely to stick to the lips and is less likely to tear. Furthermore, this increases the grip strength when the user holds the flavor inhalation article 1 with their fingers, preventing the flavor inhalation article 1 from being dropped. Furthermore, because the communicating passages 40 formed in the valleys 62 are less likely to be blocked, the flavor inhalation article 1 can take in the amount of air necessary to provide a desired flavor through the communicating passages 40, thereby providing the desired flavor to the user.

[0074] Fig. 10(A) is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a peak portion 261 and a valley portion 262 according to a second modified example of the peak portion 31 and the valley portion 32. Fig. 10(B) is a diagram showing an example of a surface of the connecting member 30 on which the peak portion 261 and the valley portion 262 are formed before being wound around the base member 10 and the filter portion 20. The peaks 261 and valleys 262 according to the second modification are formed in a wave shape extending in the centerline direction. In other words, the peaks 261 and valleys 262 are formed in a wave shape when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the filter unit 20. For example, the peaks 261 and valleys 262 can be exemplified as a cosine wave shape, as shown in FIG. 10(B). Even if the peaks 261 and valleys 262 are formed in a wave shape extending in the centerline direction, the user is prevented from accidentally biting the base member 10. Furthermore, in the flavor inhalation article 1 having the peaks 261 and valleys 262, the connecting member 30 is less likely to stick to the lips and is less likely to tear. Furthermore, the flavor inhalation article 1 having the peaks 261 and valleys 262 can prevent the user from dropping the flavor inhalation article 1, and the connecting passages 40 formed in the valleys 262 are less likely to be blocked, thereby providing the user with a desired flavor.

[0075] Fig. 11(A) is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a peak portion 361 and a valley portion 362 according to a third modified example of the peak portion 31 and the valley portion 32. Fig. 11(B) is a diagram showing an example of a surface of the connecting member 30 on which the peak portion 361 and the valley portion 362 are formed before being wound around the base material portion 10 and the filter portion 20. The peaks 361 and valleys 362 according to the third modified example are W-shaped when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the center line direction (in other words, the longitudinal direction of the filter unit 20). Even if the peaks 361 and valleys 362 are W-shaped, the user is prevented from accidentally biting the base member 10. Furthermore, in the flavor inhalation article 1 having the peaks 361 and valleys 362, the connecting member 30 is less likely to stick to the lips and is less likely to tear. Furthermore, the flavor inhalation article 1 having the peaks 361 and valleys 362 can prevent the user from dropping the flavor inhalation article 1, and the communicating passages 40 formed in the valleys 362 are less likely to be blocked, so that the desired flavor can be provided to the user. In other words, the peaks 361 and valleys 362 according to the third modification are formed in a shape of two V-shapes lined up in the center line direction when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the filter section 20. However, the peaks 361 and valleys 362 according to the third modification may be formed in a shape of one V-shape when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the filter section 20, or in a shape of three or more V-shapes lined up in the center line direction.

[0076] Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of the surface of the connecting member 30 before it is wound around the base material portion 10 and the filter portion 20, on which the peak portion 461 and the valley portion 462 relating to the fourth modified example of the peak portion 31 and the valley portion 32 are formed. The valley portions 462 according to the fourth modified example are formed in a diagonal lattice pattern. In other words, the peak portions 461 according to the fourth modified example are formed in a diamond-shaped quadrangular prism shape. Even if the valley portions 462 are formed in a diagonal lattice pattern, the user is prevented from accidentally biting the base member 10. Furthermore, in the flavor inhalation article 1 having the peak portions 461 and the valley portions 462, the connecting member 30 is less likely to stick to the lips and is less likely to tear. Furthermore, the flavor inhalation article 1 having the peak portions 461 and the valley portions 462 can prevent the user from dropping the flavor inhalation article 1, and the communicating passages 40 formed in the valley portions 462 are less likely to be blocked, so that the desired flavor can be provided to the user.

[0077] <Modifications of the cross-sectional shapes of the peaks and valleys> Modified examples of the cross-sectional shapes of the peaks 31 and valleys 32 according to the first embodiment, the peaks 331 and valleys 332 according to the third embodiment, the peaks 425 and valleys 426 according to the fourth embodiment, and the peaks 515 and valleys 516 according to the fifth embodiment will be described using the peaks 31 and valleys 32. The modified examples of the cross sections of the peaks 331 and valleys 332, the peaks 425 and valleys 426, and the peaks 515 and valleys 516 are similar to the modified examples of the cross sections of the peaks 31 and valleys 32, and therefore will not be described in detail again.

[0078] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a peak portion 71 and a valley portion 72 according to a modified example of the cross section of the peak portion 31 and the valley portion 32. In FIG. The valley portion 72 has a bottom portion 721 provided at the deepest portion and side portions 722 provided at both circumferential ends of the bottom portion 721. As shown in FIG. 13 , the bottom portion 721 is arc-shaped. In this case, the side portion 722 is not limited to being a linear surface extending in the normal direction from the arc-shaped bottom portion 721. For example, as shown in FIG. 13 , the side portion 722 may be provided so as to form an obtuse angle with respect to a tangent at the connection portion between the side portion 722 and the bottom portion 721. As shown in FIG. 13 , the opening 41 of the communicating passage 40 is formed in the bottom portion 721. Note that the bottom portion 721 is not limited to being arc-shaped. The bottom portion 721 may be, for example, a linear flat surface.

[0079] The opening 41 of the communication passage 40 may be formed in the side portion 722, or may be formed in the side portion 722 and the bottom portion 721 (in other words, the connection portion between the bottom portion 721 and the side portion 722). Furthermore, the side portion 722 may be provided so as to form an acute angle with a tangent to the bottom portion 721 from the connection portion with the bottom portion 721 .

[0080] <Summary> The present disclosure includes the following configurations. (1) A flavor inhalation article comprising: a flavor source; a filter located downstream of the flavor source; and an exterior member arranged to cover at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of at least one of the flavor source or the filter, wherein the exterior member has alternating peaks and valleys in the circumferential direction, and at least one of the valleys has a communication passage formed therein that connects the outside with the inside. (2) The flavor inhalation article according to (1), wherein the exterior member has the peaks and valleys alternately over the entire area in the longitudinal direction of the filter. (3) The flavor inhalation article according to (1) or (2), wherein the peaks and valleys are arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the filter. (4) The flavor inhalation article according to (1) or (2), wherein the peaks and valleys are provided in a direction inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the filter. (5) The flavor inhalation article according to (1) or (2), wherein the valleys are formed in a wavy shape when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the filter. (6) The flavor inhalation article according to (5), wherein the wave shape is a cosine wave shape. (7) A flavor inhalation article described in (1) or (2), wherein the valley portion has a V-shape or a shape of multiple V-shapes lined up in the longitudinal direction when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the filter. (8) The flavor inhalation article according to (1) or (2), wherein the valleys are formed in a diagonal lattice pattern. (9) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein a plurality of the communication passages are formed along the longitudinal direction of the filter. (10) A flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the communication passages are formed in at least a plurality of the valley portions formed in the circumferential direction. (11) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the height difference between the peaks and valleys is 50 μm or more. (12) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (11), wherein the circumferential distance between adjacent peaks is 5 mm or less. (13) A flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (12), wherein the outer covering member has a connecting member wound around the first winding member so as to cover at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the second winding member wound around the filter, and connects the first winding member and the second winding member, and the peaks and valleys are formed on the connecting member. (14) The flavor inhalation article according to (13), wherein the peaks and valleys are formed in a portion that covers the filter. (15) A flavor inhalation article described in any one of (1) to (12), wherein the outer covering member has a first winding member wound around the flavor source and a second winding member wound around the filter, and the peaks and valleys are formed in at least one of the first winding member and the second winding member. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1,2,3,4,5...Flavor inhalation article, 10,510...Base material portion, 11...Flavor source, 12,512...Wrapping paper, 20,420...Filter portion, 21...Filter, 22,422...Wrapping paper, 23,33,233,333,427,517...Through-hole, 30,230,330,430,530...Connecting member, 31,231,331,425,515...Crown portion, 32,232,332,426,516...Trough portion, 40,240,340,440,540...Communicating passage

Claims

1. Flavor source and a filter located downstream of the flavor source; an exterior member provided so as to cover at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface of at least one of the flavor source and the filter; Equipped with The exterior member has peaks and valleys alternately arranged in a circumferential direction, and a communication passage connecting the outside and the inside is formed in at least one of the valleys. Flavor suction article.

2. The exterior member has the peaks and valleys alternately over the entire area in the longitudinal direction of the filter. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 1 .

3. The peaks and valleys are arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the filter. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The peaks and valleys are provided in a direction inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the filter. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The valleys are formed in a wavy shape when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the filter. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The wave shape is a cosine wave shape. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 5 .

7. The valley portion has a V-shape or a shape in which a plurality of V-shapes are arranged in the longitudinal direction when viewed from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the filter. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The valleys are formed in a diagonal lattice pattern. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The communication passages are formed in plurality in the longitudinal direction of the filter. The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. the communication passages are formed in at least a plurality of the valleys formed in the circumferential direction, The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The difference in level between the peaks and valleys is 50 μm or more. The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The circumferential distance between adjacent peaks is 5 mm or less. The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. the exterior member has a connecting member wound so as to cover at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface of a first winding member wound around the flavor source and at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface of a second winding member wound around the filter, and connecting the first winding member and the second winding member; The peaks and valleys are formed on the connecting member. The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The peaks and valleys are formed in a portion that covers the filter. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 13.

15. The exterior member is a first wrapping member wrapped around the flavor source; a second winding member wound around the filter; and the peaks and valleys are formed on at least one of the first winding member and the second winding member, The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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