Method for producing a product including an aerosol-forming material

Abstract

A method of making a support (2, 102) is disclosed that includes an aerosol-generating material (4, 104) and a substrate (6, 106). The method includes the steps of providing a support surface (28), applying a layer of aerosol-generating material slurry (4, 104) to the support surface (28), providing a support (6, 106), applying the support (6, 106) to the layer of aerosol-generating material slurry (4, 104), at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry (4, 104) or at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry (4, 104), dividing the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material (4, 104) and support (6, 106) into a plurality of support portions (2, 102), and separating the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material (4, 104) and support (6, 106) or support portions (2, 102) from the support surface (28).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of non-combustion aerosol delivery systems, and in particular to methods of manufacturing products including aerosol generating materials for use as consumables for use with aerosol delivery devices, methods for manufacturing consumables for use with aerosol delivery devices, and aerosol delivery systems including consumables and aerosol delivery devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Aerosol-producing articles release inhalable aerosols or vapors by releasing compounds from a substrate material through heating without combustion. These may be referred to as non-combustion articles, aerosol generating assemblies, or aerosol delivery devices.

[0003] One example of such a product is a heating device that releases a compound by heating an aerosolizable material, which may be referred to as a solid aerosol-generating material. The heating volatilizes at least one component of the material, typically forming an inhalable aerosol. These products may be referred to as non-combustion heated devices.

[0004] Another example is a hybrid device, which includes a liquid source (which may or may not contain an active substance) that is vaporized by heating to produce an inhalable vapor or aerosol. The device further includes a solid aerosol-generating material (which may or may not include plant material), the components of which are entrained in the inhalable vapor or aerosol to produce the inhalation medium. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a support comprising an aerosol-generating material and a support, the method comprising the steps of providing a support surface, applying a layer of aerosol-generating material slurry to the support surface, providing a support, applying the support to the layer of aerosol-generating material slurry, at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry or at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry, dividing the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material and support into a plurality of support portions, and separating the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material and support, or the plurality of support portions, from the support surface.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a support manufactured according to the method of the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0007] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a product for use in manufacturing a consumable for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device. The product includes a product support and at least one support. The method includes providing a product support and providing at least one support according to the second aspect of the present disclosure or at least one support made using the method of the first aspect of the present disclosure, where the at least one support is applied to the product support.

[0008] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a product produced according to the method of the third aspect of the present disclosure.

[0009] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a consumable for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the consumable being a part of a product according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure shaped and dimensioned to a desired configuration, or a part of a product made according to the method of the third aspect of the present disclosure.

[0010] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol delivery device for use with a consumable according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the device comprising an aerosol generator configured to heat at least a portion of an aerosol-generating material supported on a support.

[0011] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device and a consumable according to the method of the fifth aspect of the present disclosure.

[0012] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of generating an aerosol from a consumable according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure using an aerosol generation device having at least one aerosol generator arranged to heat but not burn the consumable during use, wherein the at least one aerosol generator is a resistive heater element, or a magnetic field generator and a susceptor.

[0013] Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the disclosure, given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a support according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 2A-2C show schematic embodiments of a method for manufacturing the support of FIG. 1; [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic detailed view of the method of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a support during the method of FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a support according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 6 shows a schematic representation of a portion of one embodiment of the support during the manufacture of the support of FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the support of FIG. 6 taken along the section line A-A'. [Figure 8]2 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a product manufactured in accordance with the present disclosure and using the support of FIG. 1; [Figure 9] FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic embodiment of a method for manufacturing the product of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 9 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a consumable product according to the present disclosure manufactured using the product of FIG. 8. [Figure 11] 6 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a product made in accordance with the present disclosure and using the support of FIG. 5. [Figure 12] 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the product of FIG. 11 taken along section line BB'. [Figure 13] FIG. 12 is a schematic exploded view of the product of FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 12 illustrates a schematic embodiment of a method for manufacturing the product of FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of a consumable product according to the present disclosure manufactured using the product of FIG. [Figure 16] 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the consumable of FIG. 15 taken along section line CC'. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Consumables herein may alternatively be referred to as articles.

[0016] In some embodiments, the consumable includes an aerosol-generating material. The consumable may include an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, an aerosol modifier, one or more active ingredients, one or more flavorings, one or more aerosol former materials, and / or one or more other functional materials.

[0017] The device for heating the aerosol-generating material with which the consumable is used is part of a non-combustion aerosol delivery system that releases compounds from the aerosol-generating material without combusting the aerosol-generating material, such as e-cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems that generate aerosols using a combination of aerosol-generating materials.

[0018] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the constituent aerosol-generating materials (or components thereof) of the aerosol delivery system are not combusted or burned to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0019] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-combustion aerosol delivery system.

[0020] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an e-cigarette, also known as a vaporization device or an electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0021] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. One example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0022] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in solid, liquid or gel form and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid 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 a non-tobacco product.

[0023] Typically, a non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and a consumable for use with the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

[0024] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables that include an aerosol generating material and are configured for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout this disclosure.

[0025] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as the non-combustion aerosol delivery device, may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, a power source or a heat generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat generating power source includes a carbon substrate that can be energized to deliver power in the form of heat to an aerosol generating material or a heat transfer material in proximity to the heat generating power source.

[0026] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system may include an area for receiving a consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0027] In some embodiments, consumables for use with non-combustion aerosol delivery devices may include aerosol generating materials, aerosol generating material storage areas, aerosol generating material transfer components, aerosol generators, aerosol generating areas, housings, packaging materials, filters, mouthpieces, and / or aerosol modifiers.

[0028] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a support comprising an aerosol-generating material and a support, the method comprising the steps of providing a support surface, applying a layer of aerosol-generating material slurry to the support surface, providing a support, applying the support to the layer of aerosol-generating material slurry, at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry or at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry, dividing the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material and support into a plurality of support portions, and separating the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material and support, or the plurality of support portions, from the support surface.

[0029] In one embodiment of the above embodiments, the support comprises a plurality of support elements.

[0030] An advantage of the disclosed method is that the amount of support used in the manufacture of the consumable can be minimized, which is economically and environmentally beneficial. Minimizing the support material, e.g., aluminum foil, is beneficial because this material can be the most expensive part of the consumable and requires the most resources to produce.

[0031] In some embodiments, the layer of aerosol-generating material slurry can be a continuous sheet on the support surface, while in other embodiments, the layer of aerosol-generating material slurry can be more precisely deposited so that the amount of aerosol-generating material used is minimized.

[0032] A further advantage of the disclosed method is that the application of a support to the aerosol-generating material slurry has the effect that the natural adhesiveness of the aerosol-generating material slurry ensures that the support is fixed to the aerosol-generating material when the aerosol-generating material slurry solidifies.

[0033] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, each support comprises a portion of a support or at least one support element, and an aerosol-generating material.

[0034] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the support surface is supported on a rigid surface while the aerosol-generating material slurry is applied to the support surface. This provides temporary rigidity to the support surface, aiding both in accurate application of the support to the aerosol-generating material slurry and in preventing distortions of the support surface from being reflected in the configuration of the aerosol-generating material slurry when it solidifies.

[0035] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the support surface is under tension in at least one direction while the aerosol-generating material slurry is being applied to the support surface. In some embodiments, the tension is in at least one direction within the plane of the support surface. Again, this helps provide temporary stiffness to the support surface, helping both to accurately apply the support to the aerosol-generating material slurry and to avoid distortions of the support surface being reflected in the aerosol-generating material slurry when it solidifies.

[0036] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, applying the support to the aerosol-forming material slurry includes applying the support to a portion or substantially the entire layer of the aerosol-forming material slurry.

[0037] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the aerosol-forming material slurry is applied to the substrate in a layer of substantially uniform thickness. In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the method includes moving the support surface with the aerosol-generating material slurry thereon relative to a blade spaced a predetermined distance from a rigid surface on which the support surface is supported, the support surface and the aerosol-generating material slurry thereon passing between the blade and the rigid surface, And this relative movement results in the support surface and the aerosol-generating material slurry having a predetermined thickness, which is a result of the blade scraping off excess aerosol-generating material slurry from the overly thick portions of the aerosol-generating material slurry, in some embodiments, the blade redistributes the overly thick aerosol-generating material slurry to thinner portions of the aerosol-generating material slurry or to the edges of the aerosol-generating material slurry.

[0038] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the method includes measuring a thickness of the aerosol-generating material slurry or the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material slurry, the thickness measurement being performed before or after the aerosol-generating material slurry has at least partially solidified or allowing the aerosol-generating material slurry to at least partially solidify.

[0039] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the aerosol-generating material slurry at least partially solidifies or the step of at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry comprises exposing the support and the aerosol-generating material slurry thereon to an environment that can at least control the rate at which the aerosol-generating material slurry solidifies. Controlling the environment in which the aerosol-generating material slurry solidifies helps to achieve a solidified aerosol-generating material that is consistent in nature and provides a consistent user experience when the aerosol-generating material is aerosolized.

[0040] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the aerosol-generating material slurry is at least partially solidified or the step of at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry comprises exposing the aerosol-generating material slurry to one or more of electromagnetic radiation, a radiative heat source, a heated atmosphere, a partial or absolute vacuum, and indirect heating.

[0041] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the electromagnetic radiation is one or more of infrared, microwave, or radio frequency.

[0042] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the indirect heating comprises indirectly heating the aerosol-forming material slurry by heating the substrate, which then heats the aerosol-forming material slurry.

[0043] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the layer of aerosol-generating material slurry at least partially solidifies in less than one of 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds, 120 seconds, 180 seconds, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, or 30 minutes.

[0044] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the support element is of a predetermined configuration.

[0045] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the configuration of the support elements is determined by the amount of aerosol-generating material covered by each support element.

[0046] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the amount is measured by an area of ​​the aerosol-generating material, a volume of the aerosol-generating material, or a mass of the aerosol-generating material, which is preferred as it provides a user with a consistent experience when the consumable is used.

[0047] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, once the aerosol-generating material slurry has solidified or at least partially solidified, the combined support and aerosol-generating material may be placed in storage. The support and aerosol-generating material may be configured as a roll or bellows shape of the support and aerosol-generating material for storage. A barrier paper may be placed over the aerosol-generating material prior to reconstitution to prevent the aerosol-generating material from adhering to the support or adjacent layers of the aerosol-generating material.

[0048] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the step of dividing the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material and support into a plurality of supports is performed using a kiss-cutting technique, hi other embodiments, the partially solidified aerosol-generating material and support can be cut into supports using an alternative cutting technique.

[0049] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the support is a flexible sheet material.

[0050] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the support is a surface of one of a plastic film, a plastic sheet, a metal film, a metal foil, or an aluminum foil.

[0051] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the support comprises a susceptor.

[0052] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the support is a laminate material.

[0053] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the supports, once formed, are placed in storage and / or transported between their place of manufacture and a different intended use. In other embodiments, the supports are moved from the equipment or manufacturing line in which they are manufactured to the equipment or manufacturing line in which the products in which they are incorporated are manufactured. Separating the manufacture of the supports from the manufacture of the products in which they are incorporated is preferred because the manufacturing rates of the supports and the products in which they are incorporated can be significantly different. One reason for such different manufacturing rates is that the aerosol-generating material slurry applied to the support must solidify when making the supports. The solidification of the aerosol-generating material slurry can be accelerated by exposing the slurry to conditions that accelerate and aid in the solidification of the slurry, but the solidification still requires a period of time to occur. That period of time may be significantly longer than would be available if the application and solidification of the aerosol-generating material slurry were part of the same manufacturing process of the products in which the supports are incorporated. This is particularly true when it is desired to minimize the risk of non-uniform solidification of the aerosol-generating material slurry. It has been found that minimizing uneven solidification is aided by a slow solidification rate of the aerosol-generating material slurry.

[0054] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a support manufactured according to the method of the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0055] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of making an article for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device. The article includes an article support and at least one support. The method includes providing an article support and providing at least one support according to the second aspect of the present disclosure made according to the method of the first aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the at least one support is applied to the article support.

[0056] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the step of providing a support comprises fabricating the support using a method according to the method of the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0057] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, applying the at least one support to the product support includes applying an adhesive to one or both of the product support and the at least one support.

[0058] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the adhesive comprises an aerosol-generating material slurry, which acts as an adhesive before solidifying and is therefore a suitable material for use as an adhesive, particularly because of the control and acceptability of the components of the aerosol-generating material.

[0059] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the method further includes providing a second product support and applying the second product support to a surface of the product support to which the at least one support is applied and to a surface of the at least one support that is not in contact with the product support. In this embodiment, the method includes forming a product that is a laminate material, at least a portion of the product is a laminate that includes layers of the product support, the support, the aerosol-generating material film, and the second product support. In the laminate, the support and the aerosol-generating material film are located between the product support and the second product support.

[0060] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the application of the at least one support to the product support and the application of the second product support to the surface of the product support to which the at least one support is applied and to a surface of the at least one support not in contact with the product support occur sequentially or substantially simultaneously, In this embodiment, the product support, the support, and the second product support are all provided at a location where they are secured to one another.

[0061] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, applying the second product support to the surface of the product support to which the at least one support is applied and to a surface of the at least one support that is not in contact with the product support includes applying an adhesive to one or more of the product support, the at least one support, and the second product support.

[0062] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the adhesive comprises an aerosol-forming material slurry.

[0063] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, applying the second product support to the product support includes compressing the second product support against the product support at one or more locations where no supports are present. Such locations may include, but are not limited to, around the edges of the product support / second product support and in the areas between the supports that will eventually be cut when the product is used to create a consumable. Compression of the product support and the second product support against one another may result in deformation of one or both of the product support and the second product support.

[0064] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, one or both of the product support and the second product support are materials that undergo a dimensional change when the aerosol-generating material slurry is applied to the material. Thus, applying at least one support to the product support and / or the second product support avoids causing its dimensional change. Such materials for the product support and / or the second product support may be, but are not limited to, paper. The dimensional change may be an expansion of the material. This may cause undesirable wrinkling of the material.

[0065] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, one or both of the product support and the second product support are materials that have a physical property that changes when the aerosol-generating material slurry is applied to the material, which physical property can be, but is not limited to, strength, flatness, or color.

[0066] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the method further comprises the step of introducing one or more perforations through at least a portion of the product. Such perforations allow aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating material to escape the product when the aerosol is generated. This helps maximum aerosol to be extracted from the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, at least one perforation extends completely through the product. In some embodiments, at least one perforation only partially penetrates the product. The perforations may be blind in that they have only one open end.

[0067] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an article of manufacture manufactured according to the third aspect of the present disclosure.

[0068] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a consumable for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the consumable being a part of a product according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure shaped and dimensioned to a desired configuration, or a part of a product made according to the method of the third aspect of the present disclosure.

[0069] According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol delivery device for use with a consumable according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the device comprising an aerosol generator configured to heat at least a portion of an aerosol-generating material supported on a support.

[0070] According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device and a consumable according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure.

[0071] According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of generating an aerosol from a consumable according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure using an aerosol generation device having at least one aerosol generator arranged to heat but not burn the consumable during use, wherein the at least one aerosol generator is a resistive heater element, or a magnetic field generator and a susceptor.

[0072] An aerosol-forming material is a material that is capable of generating an aerosol when, for example, heated, irradiated, or energized in any other manner. The aerosol-forming material can be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or semi-solid (such as a gel), which may or may not contain active substances and / or fragrances.

[0073] The aerosol-generating materials may include one or more active agents and / or flavorants, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0074] The aerosol-generating material may include a binder, such as a gelling agent, and an aerosol-forming agent. Optionally, a substance to be delivered and / or a filler material may also be present. Optionally, a solvent, such as water, is also present, and one or more other components of the aerosol-generating material may or may not be soluble in the solvent. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free of plant material. In particular, in some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free of tobacco.

[0075] The aerosol-generating material may include or be in the form of an aerosol-generating film. The aerosol-generating film may include a binder, such as a gelling agent, and an aerosol-forming agent. Optionally, a substance to be delivered and / or a filler material may also be present. The aerosol-generating film may be substantially free of plant material. In particular, in some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free of tobacco.

[0076] The aerosol-generating film may have a thickness of from about 0.015 mm to about 1 mm. For example, the thickness may range from about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, or 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm.

[0077] The aerosol-generating film can be formed by combining a binder, such as a gelling agent, with one or more other ingredients, such as a solvent, such as water, an aerosol-forming agent, and one or more substances to be delivered, to form a slurry, and then heating the slurry to volatilize at least a portion of the solvent to form the aerosol-generating film.

[0078] The slurry may be heated to remove at least about 60 wt%, 70 wt%, 80 wt%, 85 wt%, or 90 wt% of the solvent.

[0079] An aerosol-generating material may include or be an "amorphous solid." In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material includes an aerosol-generating film that is an amorphous solid. The amorphous solid may be a "monolithic solid." The amorphous solid may be substantially non-fibrous. In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that may retain some fluid, such as a liquid, within the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may include, for example, about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% amorphous solid to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid.

[0080] The amorphous solid may be substantially free of plant material.The amorphous solid may be substantially free of tobacco.

[0081] A susceptor is a material that can be heated by penetration by a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be a conductive material, such that penetration of the susceptor by a varying magnetic field causes inductive heating of the susceptor by resistive heating as a result of electrical eddy currents. The susceptor may be a magnetic material, such that penetration of the susceptor by a varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the susceptor. The susceptor may be both conductive and magnetic, such that the susceptor is heatable by both heating mechanisms. A device configured to generate a varying magnetic field is called a magnetic field generator.

[0082] The susceptor may include a ferromagnetic metal such as iron, or an iron alloy such as steel or an iron-nickel alloy. Some exemplary ferromagnetic metals are 400 series stainless steel, such as grade 410 stainless steel, or grade 420 stainless steel, or grade 430 stainless steel, or similar grade stainless steel. Alternatively, the susceptor may include a suitable non-magnetic, especially paramagnetic, conductive material, such as aluminum. With paramagnetic conductive materials, induction heating occurs only by resistive heating due to eddy currents. Alternatively, the susceptor may include a non-conductive ferrimagnetic material, such as a non-conductive ferrimagnetic ceramic. In that case, heat is generated only by hysteresis losses. The susceptor may include a commercially available alloy, such as Phytherm 230 (having a composition (weight %=wt%) of 50 wt% Ni, 10 wt% Cr, and the remainder Fe) or Phytherm 260 (having a composition of 50 wt% Ni, 9 wt% Cr, and the remainder Fe).

[0083] In one embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the aerosol-forming material includes an active agent.

[0084] As used herein, an active substance may be a physiologically active material, which is a material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. An active substance may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, and psychostimulants. An active substance may be naturally derived or synthetically obtained. An active substance may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, non-cannabinoid-derived terpenes, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. An active substance may include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or another plant.

[0085] The active substance may include one or more components, derivatives or extracts of cannabis, such as one or more cannabinoids or terpenes.

[0086] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises nicotine, hi some embodiments, the active agent comprises caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12. The active material may include or be derived from one or more botanical materials or their components, derivatives, or extracts. As used herein, the term "botanical material" includes any material derived from a plant, including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husks, or shells. Alternatively, the material may include active compounds naturally occurring in plants that are synthetically obtained. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, chips, strips, or sheets, etc. Exemplary botanicals include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay, licorice, matcha, yerba mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea, such as green or black tea, thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, and lavender. , lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, shiso, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damiane, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, caraway, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. The mint may be selected from the following mint varieties: peppermint, mentha spp., Egyptian mint, peppermint, cologne mint, candy mint, curly mint, Kentucky kernel mint, horse mint, pineapple mint, benny royal mint, green peppermint, and apple mint. In some embodiments, the active agent comprises or is derived from one or more botanical substances or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the botanical substance is tobacco.

[0087] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises or is derived from one or more botanical substances or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the botanical substances are selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

[0088] In some embodiments, the active agent comprises or is derived from one or more botanical substances or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the botanical substances are selected from rooibos and fennel.

[0089] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises a flavoring or fragrance.

[0090] As used herein, the terms "flavoring agent" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials that may be used, where local regulations permit, to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatic sensation in products intended for adult consumers.They may be any naturally derived flavoring material, botanical substance, extract of botanical substance, synthetically derived material, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spice, Asian spice, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime). , tropical fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascara, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel nut, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, pimenta, ginger, coffee, hemp, peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, pimento, mace, damienne, magic The flavor enhancers may include other additives such as maltitol, stearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, olive oil, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, caraway seeds, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), as well as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners.They may be of imitation, synthetic or natural origin, or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, a liquid such as an oil, a solid such as a powder, or a gas.

[0091] In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry flavoring ingredients. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises flavoring ingredients extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring comprises flavoring ingredients extracted from cannabis.

[0092] In some embodiments, the flavoring agent may include a sensory elicitor, which is intended to achieve somatic sensations that are usually chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve) in addition to or instead of the aroma or taste nerves, and these may include agents that produce a heating, cooling, tingling, or numbing effect. A suitable heat effect agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a suitable cooling agent may be, but is not limited to, eucoliptol, WS-3.

[0093] The aerosol generating material includes an aerosol generating agent. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating agent may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating agent may include one or more of glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, 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 a particular example, the aerosol generating agent includes glycerol.

[0094] In some embodiments, the aerosol generating agent comprises one or more polyhydric alcohols, such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin, esters of polyhydric alcohols, such as glycerol mono-, di-, or triacetate, and / or aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids, such as dimethyl dodecanedioate and dimethyl tetradecanedioate.

[0095] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise from about 0.1 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 3 wt%, 5 wt%, 7 wt%, or 10% to about 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, 30 wt%, or 25 wt% of the aerosol-generating agent (all calculated on a dry weight basis). The aerosol-generating agent may act as a plasticizer. For example, the aerosol-generating material may comprise from 0.5 to 40 wt%, from 3 to 35 wt%, or from 10 to 25 wt% of the aerosol-generating agent.

[0096] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may comprise from about 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 27 wt%, or 30 wt% to about 60 wt%, 55 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, or 35 wt% of the aerosol-generating agent (DWB). For example, the aerosol-generating material may comprise from 10 to 60 wt%, 20 to 50 wt%, 25 to 40 wt%, or 30 to 35 wt% of the aerosol-generating agent.

[0097] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include up to about 80 wt% aerosol-generating agent (DWB), such as about 40-80 wt%, 40-75 wt%, 50-70 wt%, or 55-65 wt%.

[0098] The aerosol-generating material may also include a gelling agent. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes a hydrocolloid. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes one or more compounds selected from the group including alginates, pectins, starches (and derivatives), celluloses (and derivatives), gums, silica or silicone compounds, clays, polyvinyl alcohols, and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the gelling agent includes one or more of alginates, pectins, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, acacia gum, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol. In some cases, the gelling agent includes alginates and / or pectins and may be combined with a solidifying agent (such as a calcium source) during formation of the aerosol-generating material. In some cases, the aerosol-generating material may include calcium cross-linked alginates and / or calcium cross-linked pectins.

[0099] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more compounds selected from cellulosic gelling agents, non-cellulosic gelling agents, guar gum, acacia gum, and mixtures thereof.

[0100] In some embodiments, the cellulosic gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), and combinations thereof.

[0101] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more of hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum, or acacia gum.

[0102] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is) one or more non-cellulosic gelling agents, including, but not limited to, agar, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, starch, alginate, and combinations thereof. In preferred embodiments, the non-cellulosic gelling agent is alginate or agar.

[0103] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises alginate, and the alginate is present in the aerosol-generating material in an amount of 10-30 wt % of the aerosol-generating material (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some embodiments, the alginate is the only gelling agent present in the aerosol-generating material. In other embodiments, the gelling agent comprises alginate and at least one further gelling agent, such as pectin.

[0104] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises 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% of gelling agent (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-forming material may comprise from 1 to 50 wt%, 5 to 45 wt%, 10 to 40 wt%, or 20 to 35 wt% of gelling agent.

[0105] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises about 20 wt%, 22 wt%, 24 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 30 wt%, 32 wt%, or 35 wt% gelling agent (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-forming material may comprise 20-35 wt% or 25-30 wt% gelling agent.

[0106] In some cases, the aerosol-generating material may include from about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, or 20 wt% to about 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 40 wt%, 30 wt%, or 25 wt% of the gelling agent (DWB). For example, the aerosol-generating material may include from 10 to 40 wt%, 15 to 30 wt%, or 20 to 25 wt% of the gelling agent (DWB).

[0107] In examples, the aerosol-generating material comprises the gelling agent and the filler together in an amount between about 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt%, or 35 wt% to about 60 wt%, 55 wt%, 50 wt%, or 45 wt% of the aerosol-generating material. In examples, the aerosol-generating material comprises the gelling agent and the filler together in an amount between about 20-60 wt%, 25-55 wt%, 30-50 wt%, or 35-45 wt% of the aerosol-generating material.

[0108] In examples, the aerosol-generating material comprises gelling agent in an amount of about 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 25 wt%, 30 wt%, or 35 wt% to about 60 wt%, 55 wt%, 50 wt%, or 45 wt% of the aerosol-generating material (i.e., not considering the amount of filler). In examples, the aerosol-generating material comprises gelling agent in an amount of about 5-60 wt%, 20-60 wt%, 25-55 wt%, 30-50 wt%, or 35-45 wt% of the aerosol-generating material (i.e., not considering the amount of filler).

[0109] In some examples, the alginate is included in the gelling agent in an amount of about 5-40 wt%, or 15-40 wt%, of the aerosol-generating material. That is, the aerosol-generating material comprises alginate in an amount of about 5-40 wt%, or 15-40 wt%, of the aerosol-generating material by dry weight. In some examples, the aerosol-generating material comprises alginate in an amount of about 20-40 wt%, or about 15 wt% to 35 wt%, of the aerosol-generating material.

[0110] In some examples, the pectin is included in the gelling agent in an amount of about 3-15 wt% of the aerosol-forming material, i.e., the aerosol-forming material comprises pectin in an amount of about 3-15 wt% of the aerosol-forming material by dry weight, in some examples, the aerosol-forming material comprises pectin in an amount of about 5-10 wt% of the aerosol-forming material.

[0111] In some examples, the guar gum is included in the gelling agent in an amount of about 3-40 wt% of the aerosol-generating material. That is, the aerosol-generating material includes guar gum in an amount of about 3-40 wt% of the aerosol-generating material by dry weight. In some examples, the aerosol-generating material includes guar gum in an amount of about 5-10 wt% of the aerosol-generating material. In some examples, the aerosol-generating material includes guar gum in an amount of about 15-40 wt%, or about 20-40 wt%, or about 15-35 wt% of the aerosol-generating material.

[0112] In examples, the alginate is present in an amount of at least about 50 wt% of the gelling agent. In examples, the aerosol-forming material includes alginate and pectin, and the ratio of alginate to pectin is 1:1 to 10:1. The ratio of alginate to pectin is typically >1:1, i.e., the alginate is present in an amount greater than the amount of pectin. In examples, the ratio of alginate to pectin is about 2:1 to 8:1, or about 3:1 to 6:1, or approximately 4:1.

[0113] The aerosol-generating material may be formed by (a) forming a slurry including components of the aerosol-generating material or its precursors, (b) forming a layer of the slurry, (c) solidifying the slurry to form a gel, and (d) drying to form the aerosol-generating material.

[0114] (b) forming the layer of the slurry typically includes spraying, casting, or extruding the slurry. In an example, the slurry layer is formed by electrospraying the slurry. In an example, the slurry layer is formed by casting the slurry.

[0115] In some examples, (b) and / or (c) and / or (d) are performed at least partially simultaneously (e.g., during electrospraying). In some examples, (b), (c), and (d) are performed sequentially.

[0116] In some examples, the slurry is applied to a substrate and a layer may be formed on the substrate.

[0117] In an example, the slurry includes a gelling agent, an aerosol forming agent, and an active agent. The slurry may include these components in any of the proportions given herein for the composition of the aerosol-generating material. For example, the slurry may include (on a dry weight basis): a gelling agent and optionally a filler, the amount of the gelling agent and the filler together being about 10-60 wt% of the slurry; an aerosol former material in an amount of about 40-80 wt % of the slurry; Optionally, an active material in an amount of up to about 20 wt.% of the slurry; and may include.

[0118] (c) solidifying the gel can include providing a solidifying agent to the slurry. For example, the slurry can include sodium alginate, potassium alginate, or ammonium alginate as a gel precursor, and a solidifying agent including a calcium source (such as calcium chloride) can be added to the slurry to form a calcium alginate gel.

[0119] In examples, the solidifying agent includes or consists of calcium acetate, calcium formate, calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, calcium lactate, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the solidifying agent includes or consists of calcium formate and / or calcium lactate. In particular examples, the solidifying agent includes or consists of calcium formate. Typically, it has been determined that the use of calcium formate as a solidifying agent results in aerosol generating materials with greater tensile strength and greater resistance to elongation.

[0120] The total amount of solidifying agent, such as a calcium source, may be 0.5 to 5 wt % (calculated on a dry weight basis). Suitably, the total amount may be from about 1 wt %, 2.5 wt %, or 4 wt % to about 4.8 wt % or 4.5 wt %. It has been found that adding too little solidifying agent does not stabilize the aerosol-forming material components and may result in an aerosol-forming material in which these components fall off the aerosol-forming material. It has been found that adding too much solidifying agent results in an aerosol-forming material that is very sticky and therefore difficult to handle.

[0121] If the aerosol-forming material does not contain tobacco, it may be necessary to apply a larger amount of solidifying agent. Thus, in some cases, the total amount of solidifying agent may be 0.5 to 12 wt%, such as 5 to 10 wt%, calculated on a dry weight basis. Suitably, the total amount may be from about 5 wt%, 6 wt%, or 7 wt% to about 12 wt% or 10 wt%. In this case, the aerosol-forming material will generally be tobacco-free.

[0122] In an example, adding the solidifying agent to the slurry includes spraying the solidifying agent onto the slurry, such as onto a top surface of the slurry.

[0123] Alginates are derivatives of alginic acid and are typically high molecular weight polymers (10-600 kDa). Alginic acid is a copolymer of β-D-mannuronic acid (M) units and α-L-guluronic acid (G) units (blocks) linked together by (1,4)-glycosidic bonds to form a polysaccharide. Upon addition of calcium cations, alginates crosslink to form gels. Alginates with a high G monomer content have been found to form gels more readily upon addition of a calcium source. Thus, in some cases, the gel precursor may include alginates in which at least about 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, or 70% of the monomer units in the alginate copolymer are α-L-guluronic acid (G) units.

[0124] In examples, drying (d) removes from about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, 70 wt%, 80 wt%, or 90 wt% to about 80 wt%, 90 wt%, or 95 wt% (WWB) of the water in the slurry.

[0125] In an example, drying (d) reduces the thickness of the cast material by at least 80%, preferably 85% or 87%. For example, the slurry is cast at a thickness of 2 mm and the resulting dried aerosol-generating material has a thickness of 0.2 mm.

[0126] In some examples, the slurry solvent consists essentially of or consists of water, hi some examples, the slurry comprises about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, 70 wt%, 80 wt%, or 90 wt% solvent (WWB).

[0127] In instances where the solvent comprises water, the dry weight content of the slurry can match the dry weight content of the aerosol-forming material. Thus, any discussion herein of solids compositions is expressly disclosed in conjunction with the slurry aspects of the invention.

[0128] The aerosol-generating material may include a flavoring. Suitably, the aerosol-generating material may include up to about 80 wt%, 70 wt%, 60 wt%, 55 wt%, 50 wt%, or 45 wt% of the flavoring. In some cases, 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 flavoring (all calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-generating material may include 1-80 wt%, 10-80 wt%, 20-70 wt%, 30-60 wt%, 35-55 wt%, or 30-45 wt% of the flavoring. In some cases, the flavoring includes, consists essentially of, or consists of menthol.

[0129] The aerosol-forming material may include a bulking agent.

[0130] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material contains less than 60 wt% filler, such as between 1 wt% and 60 wt%, or between 5 wt% and 50 wt%, or between 5 wt% and 30 wt%, or between 10 wt% and 20 wt%.

[0131] In other embodiments, the aerosol forming material contains less than 20 wt%, preferably less than 10 wt%, or less than 5 wt% filler. In some cases, the aerosol forming material contains less than 1 wt% filler, and in some cases, no filler.

[0132] In some such cases, the aerosol-forming material comprises at least 1 wt% filler, e.g., at least 5 wt%, at least 10 wt%, at least 20 wt%, at least 30 wt%, at least 40 wt%, or at least 50 wt% filler, hi some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises between 5 and 25 wt% filler.

[0133] The filler, when present, may include one or more inorganic filler materials, such as calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, and suitable inorganic adsorbents, such as molecular sieves. The filler may include one or more organic filler materials, such as wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives, such as methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). In certain cases, the aerosol-generating material does not include calcium carbonate, such as chalk.

[0134] 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 a cellulose derivative (methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), etc.).

[0135] Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the inclusion of fibrous fillers in the aerosol-generating material may increase the tensile strength of the material, which may be particularly advantageous in instances where the aerosol-generating material is provided as a sheet, such as when the sheet circumscribes a rod of aerosolizable material.

[0136] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material does not include tobacco fibers, hi certain embodiments, the aerosol-forming material does not include fibrous materials.

[0137] The aerosol-generating materials may include one or more active agents and / or flavorants, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0138] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material further comprises an active agent. For example, in some cases, the aerosol-generating material further comprises tobacco material and / or nicotine. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises powdered tobacco and / or nicotine and / or a tobacco extract.

[0139] In some cases, the aerosol-forming material may comprise between 5 and 60 wt% tobacco material and / or nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some cases, the aerosol-forming material may comprise between 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% active agent (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some cases, the aerosol-forming material may comprise between 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% tobacco material (calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-generating material may include 10-50 wt%, 15-40 wt%, or 20-35 wt% tobacco material. In some cases, the aerosol-generating material may include from about 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, or 4 wt% to about 20 wt%, 18 wt%, 15 wt%, or 12 wt% nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-generating material may include 1-20 wt%, 2-18 wt%, or 3-12 wt% nicotine.

[0140] In some cases, the aerosol-generating material includes an active agent such as tobacco extract. In some cases, the aerosol-generating material may include 5-60 wt% tobacco extract (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some cases, the aerosol-generating material may include about 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, or 25 wt% to about 60 wt%, 50 wt%, 45 wt%, 40 wt%, 35 wt%, or 30 wt% tobacco extract (calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-generating material may include 10-50 wt%, 15-40 wt%, or 20-35 wt% tobacco extract. The tobacco extract may contain nicotine in a concentration such that the aerosol-forming material contains from 1 wt%, 1.5 wt%, 2 wt%, or 2.5 wt% to about 6 wt%, 5 wt%, 4.5 wt%, or 4 wt% nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some cases, there may be no nicotine present in the aerosol-forming material other than the nicotine originating from the tobacco extract.

[0141] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material does not include tobacco material, but does include nicotine. In some such cases, the aerosol-generating material may include from about 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, or 4 wt% to about 20 wt%, 18 wt%, 15 wt%, or 12 wt% nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-generating material may include from 1 to 20 wt%, 2 to 18 wt%, or 3 to 12 wt% nicotine.

[0142] In some cases, the total content of actives and / or flavorings 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 actives and / or flavorings 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).

[0143] In some cases, the total content of tobacco material, nicotine, and flavorings 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 actives and / or flavorings 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).

[0144] The aerosol-generating composition may include one or more active agents. In examples, the aerosol-generating material includes one or more active agents, for example, up to about 20 wt% of the aerosol-generating material. In examples, the aerosol-generating material includes the active agents in an amount of about 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, or 15 wt% to about 20 wt%, 15 wt%, 15 wt%, or 5 wt% of the aerosol-generating material.

[0145] Active substances may include physiologically and / or olfactory active substances that are included in the aerosol generating composition to achieve a physiological and / or olfactory response.

[0146] The tobacco material may be present in the aerosol forming composition in an amount of about 50-95 wt%, or about 60-90 wt%, or about 70-90 wt%, or about 75-85 wt%.

[0147] The tobacco material may be present in any form, but is typically shredded (e.g., cut into narrow strips). The shredded tobacco material may be suitably blended with the aerosol-forming material to provide an aerosol-forming composition having a uniform distribution of the tobacco material and the aerosol-forming material throughout the aerosol-forming composition.

[0148] In examples, the tobacco material comprises one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, shredded tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, reconstituted tobacco, and / or tobacco extract. Surprisingly, it has been determined that a relatively large amount of leaf tobacco can be used in the aerosol-generating composition to provide an acceptable aerosol when heated by a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Leaf tobacco typically provides superior sensory properties. In examples, the tobacco material comprises leaf tobacco in an amount of at least about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, 70 wt%, 80 wt%, 85 wt%, 90 wt%, or 95 wt% of the tobacco material. In certain examples, the tobacco material comprises shredded tobacco in an amount of at least about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, 70 wt%, 80 wt%, 85 wt%, 90 wt%, or 95 wt% of the tobacco material.

[0149] The tobacco used to make the tobacco material may be any suitable tobacco, such as a single grade or blend, cut rag or whole leaf, including Virginia and / or Burley and / or Oriental.

[0150] In some embodiments, the one or more other functional ingredients may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, a binder, a filler, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0151] In some cases, the aerosol-forming material may further include an emulsifier that emulsifies the molten flavoring during manufacture. For example, the aerosol-forming material may include about 5 wt% to about 15 wt% (calculated on a dry weight basis), preferably about 10 wt%, of an emulsifier. The emulsifier may include gum acacia.

[0152] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material 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% 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% water (WWB).

[0153] The aerosol-forming material may have any suitable water content, such as from 1 wt% to 15 wt%. Preferably, the water content of the aerosol-forming material is from about 5 wt%, 7 wt%, or 9 wt% to about 15 wt%, 13 wt%, or 11 wt% (WWB), and most preferably about 10 wt%. The water content of the aerosol-forming material may be determined, for example, by Karl Fischer titration or gas chromatography with thermal conductivity detection (GC-TCD).

[0154] In some cases, the aerosol-forming material may consist essentially of or consist of a gelling agent, water, an aerosol-forming agent, a flavoring agent, and optionally an active agent.

[0155] In some cases, the aerosol-forming materials may consist essentially of or consist of a gelling agent, water, an aerosol-forming agent, flavorants, and optionally tobacco materials and / or a nicotine source.

[0156] In examples, the aerosol-generating material consists essentially of or consists of a gelling agent, an aerosol-generating agent, an active agent, and water.In examples, the aerosol-generating material consists essentially of or consists of a gelling agent, an aerosol-generating agent, and water.

[0157] In examples, the aerosol-forming material does not include a fragrance, and in certain examples, the aerosol-forming material does not include an active agent.

[0158] In some embodiments, the aerosol forming material comprises an aerosol forming material, the aerosol forming material comprising: 1 to 60 wt % of a gelling agent; 0.1 to 50 wt % of an aerosol generating agent; 0.1 to 80 wt% of flavoring; Including, These weights are calculated on a dry weight basis. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises 1-80 wt% flavoring (on a dry weight basis).

[0159] In some embodiments, 1 to 50 wt % of a gelling agent; 0.1 to 50 wt % of an aerosol generating agent; 30-60wt% flavoring, Including, These weights are calculated on a dry weight basis of the aerosol-forming material.

[0160] In an alternative embodiment of the aerosol-forming material, the aerosol-forming material comprises an aerosol-forming material, the aerosol-forming material comprising: 1 to 60 wt % of a gelling agent; 5 to 60 wt % of an aerosol generating agent; 10-60 wt% tobacco extract; Including, These weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

[0161] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises: 1 to 60 wt % of a gelling agent; 20 to 60 wt % of an aerosol generating agent; 10-60 wt% tobacco extract; Including, These weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

[0162] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material comprises 20-35 wt% gelling agent, 10-25 wt% aerosol former material, 5-25 wt% fiber-containing filler, and 35-50 wt% flavoring and / or active.

[0163] In some cases, the aerosol-forming materials may consist essentially of or consist of a gelling agent, an aerosol-forming agent, a tobacco extract, water, and optionally a flavoring. In some cases, the aerosol-forming materials may consist essentially of or consist of glycerol, alginate and / or pectin, a tobacco extract, and water.

[0164] In some embodiments, the aerosol generating material may comprise a gelling agent (preferably including alginate) in an amount of about 5 wt% to about 40 wt%, or about 10 wt% to 30 wt%, or about 15 wt% to about 25 wt%, a tobacco extract in an amount of about 30 wt% to about 60 wt%, or about 40 wt% to 55 wt%, or about 45 wt% to about 50 wt%, and an aerosol generating agent (preferably including glycerol) in an amount of about 10 wt% to about 50 wt%, or about 20 wt% to about 40 wt%, or about 25 wt% to about 35 wt% (DWB), having the following composition (DWB).

[0165] In one embodiment, the aerosol forming material comprises about 20 wt% alginate gelling agent, about 48 wt% Virginia tobacco extract, and about 32 wt% glycerol (DWB).

[0166] The "thickness" of an aerosol-generating material refers to the shortest distance between a first surface and a second surface. In embodiments in which the aerosol-generating material is in the form of a sheet, the thickness of the aerosol-generating material is the shortest distance between a first planar surface of the sheet and a second planar surface of the sheet opposite the first planar surface of the sheet.

[0167] In some cases, the layer of aerosol-forming aerosol-generating material has a thickness of about 0.015 mm to about 1.5 mm, preferably about 0.05 mm to about 1.5 mm, or 0.05 mm to about 1.0 mm. Preferably, the thickness may be in the range of about 0.1 mm or 0.15 mm to about 1.0 mm, 0.5 mm, or 0.3 mm.

[0168] In some cases, the aerosol-generating material may have a thickness of about 0.015 mm to about 1.0 mm. Suitably, the thickness may range from about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, or 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm.

[0169] Materials having a thickness of 0.1 mm are particularly suitable. The aerosol-generating material may comprise two or more layers, and the thicknesses mentioned herein refer to the combined thicknesses of the layers.

[0170] It has been found that if the aerosol-generating material is too thick, the heating efficiency is reduced, which has a negative impact on power consumption during use. Conversely, if the aerosol-generating material is too thin, it is difficult to manufacture and handle, and very thin materials are difficult to cast and are brittle, which can impair aerosol formation during use.

[0171] The thicknesses specified herein are the average thickness of the material. In some cases, the thickness of the aerosol-generating material may vary by 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, or 1% or less.

[0172] In some examples, the aerosol-generating material in sheet form may have a tensile strength of about 200 N / m to about 900 N / m. In some examples, such as when the aerosol-generating material does not include a filler, the aerosol-generating material may have a tensile strength of 200 N / m to 400 N / m, or 200 N / m to 300 N / m, or about 250 N / m.

[0173] Such tensile strengths may be particularly suitable for embodiments in which the aerosol-generating material is formed as a sheet and then chopped into an aerosol product. In some examples, such as when the aerosol-generating material includes 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 about 800 N / m. Such tensile strengths may be particularly suitable for embodiments in which the aerosol-generating material is included in an aerosol product / assembly as a rolled sheet, preferably in the form of a tube.

[0174] In some examples, the aerosol generating material in sheet form may have a tensile strength of about 200 N / m to about 2600 N / m. In some examples, the aerosol generating material may have a tensile strength of 600 N / m to 2000 N / m, or 700 N / m to 1500 N / m, or about 1000 N / m. Such tensile strengths may be particularly suitable for embodiments in which the aerosol generating material constituting the aerosol generating material is formed and incorporated into an aerosol generating consumable as a sheet.

[0175] The aerosol-forming material, including the aerosol-forming material, has a density of 30 g / m 2 ~350g / m 2 In some cases, the sheet may have a density of 50 to 250 g / m 2 , or about 70-210g / m 2 , or about 90-190g / m 2 or preferably about 100 g / m 2 (so that it has a density similar to cut rag tobacco and mixtures of these materials do not easily separate). In some cases, the sheet may have a mass per unit area of ​​about 30-70 g / m 2 , 40~60g / m 2 , or 25-60g / m 2 and may be used to encase aerosolizable material such as tobacco.

[0176] All weight percentages (expressed as wt%) described herein are calculated on a dry weight basis unless expressly stated otherwise. All weight ratios are also calculated on a dry weight basis. Weights quoted on a dry weight basis refer to the totality of the extract, slurry or material other than water, and may include ingredients that are themselves liquids at room temperature and pressure, such as glycerol. In contrast, weight percentages quoted on a wet weight basis refer to all ingredients, including water.

[0177] As used herein, the term "sheet" refers to an element having a width and length that are substantially greater than its thickness. A major surface of a sheet is the surface that extends in both the width and length dimensions when the sheet is flat. A sheet may be, for example, a strip.

[0178] The aerosol-generating material may include a colorant. The addition of a colorant may change the visual appearance of the aerosol-generating material. The presence of a colorant in the aerosol-generating material may enhance the visual appearance of the aerosol-generating material and the aerosol-generating material. By adding a colorant to the aerosol-generating material, the aerosol-generating material may be color-matched with other components of the aerosol-generating material or other components of an article that includes the aerosol-generating material.

[0179] Depending on the desired color of the aerosol-generating material, various colorants may be used. The color of the aerosol-generating material may be, for example, white, green, red, purple, blue, brown, or black. Other colors are also envisioned. Natural or synthetic colorants may be used, such as natural or synthetic dyes, food-grade colorants, and pharmaceutical-grade colorants. In certain embodiments, the colorant is caramel, which may impart a brown appearance to the aerosol-generating material. In such embodiments, the color of the aerosol-generating material may be similar to the color of other components (such as tobacco materials). In some embodiments, the addition of the colorant to the aerosol-generating material makes it visually indistinguishable from other components in the aerosol-generating material.

[0180] The colorant may be incorporated during the formation of the aerosol-generating material (e.g., when forming a slurry with the materials that form the aerosol-generating material), or the colorant may be applied to the aerosol-generating material after its formation (e.g., by spraying the colorant onto the aerosol-generating material).

[0181] In some embodiments of any of the above embodiments, talcum powder, calcium carbonate powder, or other powder is applied to an exposed surface of at least one discrete portion of the aerosol-generating material, which may reduce the level of tackiness or adhesiveness of the aerosol-generating material.

[0182] In the following description of the accompanying drawings, when an identical element is present in more than one embodiment, the same reference number is used for that element throughout, and when similar elements are present, similar reference numbers (the same numbers plus a multiple of 100) are used.

[0183] 1, support 2 includes an aerosol-generating material 4 and a number of support elements 6 (not all of the support elements 6 are labeled for clarity). The number and layout of support elements 6 on the aerosol-generating material 4 are exemplary, and the present disclosure includes more or fewer individual portions and different layouts.

[0184] 2, 3 and 4, a method of manufacturing a plurality of supports 2 begins with providing a roll 8 of support surface 28. Support surface 28 is unwound from roll 8 and moves across the surface of rigid flat bed 10. The surface of bed 10 supports support surface 28 so that support surface 28 is flat. To avoid wrinkling of support surface 28, one or more tensioning means (not shown) keep support surface 28 under tension in the direction of travel of support surface 28 (indicated by arrow 12). Support surface 28 is a flexible sheet material.

[0185] As it progresses along the bed 10, the support surface 28 first reaches an application station 14. The application station 14 includes a means (not shown) for applying a layer of the aerosol-generating material slurry 4 to the surface 16 of the support surface 28. A suitable means for applying the layer of the aerosol-generating material slurry 4 is, without limitation, a rotary screen printing apparatus (not shown). The means for applying the aerosol-generating material slurry 4 to the support surface 28 applies the individual portions 6 of the aerosol-generating material slurry in a layer of substantially uniform thickness.

[0186] In some embodiments, application station 14 also includes a support surface 28 and a blade 18 (shown in FIG. 3 ) under which the aerosol-generating material slurry layer 4 may move. Blade 18 scrapes off the aerosol-generating material slurry 4A that rises more than a distance D1 from the surface of bed 10. A pre-measurement of the thickness of support surface 28 allows for the calculation of a thickness D2 of aerosol-generating material slurry 4. The position of blade 18 relative to bed 10 can be adjusted (by means not shown) to achieve the desired thickness D2.

[0187] The support surface 28 then moves to a second application station 20 where supports (also called support elements) 6 are applied to the free surface 16 of the aerosol-generating material slurry 4. The support elements 6 are applied to the free surface 16 in a predetermined pattern. A representative example of the aerosol-generating material slurry 4 and support elements 6 on the support surface 28 is shown in FIG.

[0188] The support surface 28 then moves to a solidification station 54 where the aerosol-forming material slurry 4 is exposed to infrared radiation to increase the rate at which the aerosol-forming material slurry solidifies into an at least partially solidified aerosol-forming material.

[0189] As support surface 28 exits solidification station 20, it passes across bed 10 to cutting station 22. Once support surface 28 reaches cutting station 22, a suitable cutting means cuts aerosol-generating material 4 into a plurality of supports 2. In the example of aerosol-generating material slurry 4 shown in FIG. 4, the cutting means cuts along cut lines 24 and 26 to form supports 2.

[0190] In some embodiments (not shown), after the aerosol-generating material slurry 4 has solidified or at least partially solidified and before the support surface 28 reaches the cutting station 22, the aerosol-generating material 4 is separated from the support surface 28 and stored.

[0191] In some embodiments, the support 2 may be stored after it has been cut into support parts 2. The support parts 2 may be stored until they are used to manufacture products, as described below.

[0192] 5, the support 102 includes an aerosol-generating material 104 and a support element 106. The support 102 is in the form of a support element 106 that extends across substantially the entire surface 116 of the aerosol-generating material 104.

[0193] The manufacture of support 102 is very similar to that described in connection with support 2 and Figures 2-4 above, with the following differences: Aerosol-generating material 104 is applied to substantially all of support surface 28 in a continuous layer, as shown in Figure 6. A further difference is that at cutting station 22, portions 102 are cut out of aerosol-generating material 104 by cutting around support elements 106. Cutting lines 126 (not all of which are labeled for clarity) are shown in Figure 7.

[0194] Similar to the support 2 described above, after the aerosol-generating material slurry 104 has solidified or at least partially solidified, the support 102 or aerosol-generating material 104 may be stored or cut into supports 102 before use.

[0195] For both support 2 and support 102, the supports each support a predetermined amount of aerosol-generating material 104 covered by support element 6, 106. As a result, they each are capable of generating a predetermined amount of aerosol when support element 106 is heated. The predetermined amount may be defined in terms of an area of ​​aerosol-generating material, a volume of aerosol-generating material, or a mass of aerosol-generating material.

[0196] 8, product 30 includes product support 32 and a number of supports 2. Supports 2 are adhered to surface 34 of product support 32 with an adhesive (not shown). Product support 32 is paper and the adhesive is an aerosol-generating material slurry.

[0197] 9, to manufacture product 30, a roll 36 of product support 32 is provided. The product support 32 is fed from the roll across a surface of a flat bed 38 in a direction indicated by arrow 40. The bed 38 prevents the product support 32 from moving downwardly, as shown in FIG.

[0198] The product support 32 moves along the bed 38 to an attachment station 42 where the support 2 is attached to the product support 32. At the same time, the support 2 is fed to the attachment station 42 from a store of supports 2 (not shown). As the support 2 approaches the attachment station 42, an adhesive application means 44 applies adhesive to the support 2 by a suitable adhesive application method.

[0199] At the attachment station 42 the support 2 is attached to the product support 32 using an adhesive.

[0200] Product support 32 and support 2 continue to move along bed 38 while the adhesive dries. Product support 32 and support 2 are then reconfigured into a state ready for storage. In the example shown in Figure 9, the reconfiguration is to fold product support 32 into a bellows shape. In other not shown examples, different storage configurations may be employed.

[0201] When it is desired to use the product 30 to manufacture a consumable product, the product 30 is fed through a separation station (not shown) where the product 30 is cut into a plurality of consumable products 50 (shown in FIG. 10 ). The consumable products may then be stored or fed to users of the consumable products 50.

[0202] 11-13, product 130 includes product support 132, second product support 146, and a plurality of supports 102. Support 102 is positioned between product support 132 and second product support 146 and is adhered to at least one of surface 134 of product support 132 and surface 148 of second product support 146 using an adhesive (not shown). Product support 136 and second product support 146 are both formed from paper. The adhesive is an aerosol-generating material slurry.

[0203] 14, to manufacture product 130, a roll 136 of product support 132 is provided. The product support 132 is fed from the roll across the surface of flat bed 38 in the direction indicated by arrow 40. Bed 38 prevents the product support 132 from moving downwardly, as shown in FIG.

[0204] The product support 132 travels along the bed 38 to the attachment station 42 where the support 102 is attached to the product support 32. At the same time, the support 102 is fed to the attachment station 42 from a store of supports 102 (not shown). As the support 102 approaches the attachment station 42, the adhesive application means 44 applies adhesive to the support 102 by a suitable adhesive application method.

[0205] At the mounting station 42, the support 102 is attached to the product support 132 using an adhesive. The support 102 is attached to the product support 132 in the pattern shown in FIG.

[0206] The product support 132 and support 102 continue to move along the bed 38 to a second attachment station 152. At the second attachment station 152, a second product support 146, provided from a roll 150 of second product support 146, is placed over the product support 132 and support 102 and attached to at least one of the product support 132 and support 102. The attachment of the second product support 146 to at least one of the product support 132 and support 102 is via an adhesive (not shown). The adhesive is applied to a surface 148 of the second product support 146 by a second adhesive application means 144. The second adhesive application means 144 applies the adhesive to the surface 148 by any suitable adhesive application method.

[0207] The second mounting station 152 includes a compression element (not shown) configured to compress at least a surface 148 of the second product support 146 against a surface 134 of the product support adjacent the edges of the product support 132 and the second product support 146. In some embodiments, the compression is adjacent the edges of both the product support 132 and the second product support 146 and in areas of the product 130 where the product 130 will be severed when the product 130 is separated into consumables.

[0208] Upon passing through the second attachment station, product support 132, support 102, and second product support 146 are reconfigured to a state ready for storage. In the example shown in Figure 14, the reconfiguration is to fold product support 132 / second product support 146 into an accordion shape. In other, not shown, examples, different storage configurations may be employed.

[0209] When it is desired to use the product 130 to manufacture a consumable product, the product 130 is fed through a separation station (not shown) where the product 130 is cut into a plurality of consumable products 150 (shown in Figures 15 and 16) along the dotted lines shown in Figure 13. The consumable products may then be stored or fed to users of the consumable products 150.

[0210] The above description is intended to be illustrative only, and those skilled in the art will recognize that changes can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosed invention. Still other modifications that fall within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art in light of a consideration of the present disclosure.

[0211] Various aspects of the methods, supports, products, and consumables disclosed in the various embodiments may be used alone, in combination, or in various configurations not specifically described in the above embodiments. Thus, the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details and arrangements of components set forth in the foregoing description or illustrated in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described in other embodiments. Although specific embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The scope of the following claims should not be limited by the embodiments described in the examples, but should be accorded the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

Claims

1. 1. A method for making a support comprising an aerosol-generating material and a support, the method comprising: providing a support surface; applying a layer of aerosol-forming material slurry to the support surface; Providing a support; applying the layer of the aerosol-forming material slurry to the support; the aerosol-forming material slurry at least partially solidifies or allows the aerosol-forming material slurry to at least partially solidify; dividing the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material and the support into a plurality of support portions; separating the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material and the support or supports from the support surface. A method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the support comprises a plurality of support elements.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each support comprises a portion of the support or at least one support element and an aerosol-generating material.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support surface is supported on a rigid surface while the aerosol-forming material slurry is applied to the support surface.

5. 5. The method of claim 3 or 4, wherein the support surface is under tension in at least one direction while the aerosol-forming material slurry is applied to the support surface.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the applying of the support to the aerosol-forming material slurry comprises applying the support to a portion or substantially the entire layer of the aerosol-forming material slurry.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the aerosol-forming material slurry is applied to the support surface in a layer of substantially uniform thickness.

8. moving the support surface with the aerosol-forming material slurry thereon relative to a blade spaced a predetermined distance from a hard surface supporting the support surface; Including, the support surface and a slurry of aerosol-forming material on the support surface pass between the blade and the hard surface; and 7. A method according to claim 4, or claim 5 or 6 when dependent on claim 4, wherein the relative movement causes the support surface and aerosol-generating material slurry to have a predetermined thickness.

9. measuring a thickness of the aerosol-forming material slurry or the at least partially solidified aerosol-forming material slurry; 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness measurement is performed after the aerosol-forming material slurry has at least partially solidified, or before or after allowing the aerosol-forming material slurry to at least partially solidify.

10. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry or at least partially solidifying the aerosol-generating material slurry comprises exposing the support and the aerosol-generating material slurry on the support to an environment capable of at least partially controlling a rate at which the aerosol-generating material slurry solidifies.

11. 11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the aerosol-forming material slurry at least partially solidifies or the step of at least partially solidifying the aerosol-forming material slurry comprises exposing the aerosol-forming material slurry to one or more of electromagnetic radiation, a radiative heat source, a heated atmosphere, a partial or absolute vacuum, and indirect heating.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is one or more of infrared, microwave, or radio frequency.

13. 13. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein the indirect heating comprises indirectly heating the aerosol-forming material slurry by heating the support.

14. 14. The method of any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the layer of aerosol-generating material slurry at least partially solidifies in less than one of 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds, 120 seconds, 180 seconds, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, or 30 minutes.

15. A method according to claim 2, or any one of claims 3 to 14 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the support element is of a predetermined configuration.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the configuration of the support elements is determined by the amount of aerosol-forming material covered by each support element.

17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the amount is measured by an area of ​​the aerosol-generating material, a volume of the aerosol-generating material, or a mass of the aerosol-generating material.

18. 18. The method of any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the step of dividing the at least partially solidified aerosol-generating material and the support into a plurality of support portions is carried out using a kiss cutting technique.

19. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support is a flexible sheet material.

20. The method of any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the support comprises at least one of a plastic film, a plastic sheet, a metal film, a metal foil, or an aluminum foil.

21. The method of any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the support comprises a susceptor.

22. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the support is a laminate material.

23. A support manufactured according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 22.

24. 1. A method of manufacturing an article for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, the article including an article support and at least one support, the method comprising: providing a product support; Providing at least one support according to claim 23 or at least one support made according to the method according to any one of claims 1 to 22. Including, The method wherein the at least one support is applied to the product support.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of providing a support comprises fabricating the support using a method according to any one of claims 1 to 22.

26. 26. The method of claim 24 or 25, wherein the applying of the at least one support to the product support comprises applying an adhesive to one or both of the product support and the at least one support.

27. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the adhesive comprises an aerosol-forming material slurry.

28. 28. The method of any one of claims 24 to 27, further comprising the steps of providing a second product support and applying the second product support to a surface of the product support to which the at least one support is applied and to a surface of the at least one support that is not in contact with the product support.

29. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the application of the at least one support to the product support and the application of the second product support to the surface of the product support to which the at least one support is applied and to the surface of the at least one support that is not in contact with the product support occur substantially simultaneously.

30. 30. The method of claim 28 or 29, wherein the application of the second product support to the surface of the product support to which the at least one support is applied and to the surface of the at least one support that is not in contact with the product support comprises application of an adhesive to one or more of the product support, the at least one support, and the second product support.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the adhesive comprises an aerosol-forming material slurry.

32. 32. The method of any one of claims 24 to 31, wherein one or both of the product support and the second product support comprise a material that undergoes a dimensional change when an aerosol-forming material slurry is applied to the material.

33. 33. The method of any one of claims 24-32, wherein one or both of the product support and the second product support comprise a material having physical properties that change when an aerosol-forming material slurry is applied to the material.

34. 34. The method of any one of claims 24 to 33, further comprising the step of introducing one or more perforations through at least a portion of the product.

35. A product produced according to the method of any one of claims 25 to 35.

36. 36. A consumable for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery system, the consumable being part of the product of claim 35, or part of a product made according to the method of any one of claims 24 to 34, the product being shaped and dimensioned in a desired configuration.

37. 37. An aerosol delivery device for use with the consumable of claim 36, comprising an aerosol generator configured to heat at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material supported on the support.

38. 37. An aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol delivery device and the consumable of claim 36.

39. 37. A method of generating an aerosol from a consumable according to claim 36, using an aerosol generating device having at least one aerosol generator arranged to heat but not burn the consumable during use, the at least one aerosol generator being a resistive heater element, or a magnetic field generator and susceptor.

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