Components for articles used in aerosol delivery systems

Abstract

To provide a component for an article for use in an aerosol provision system, an article for use in an aerosol provision system, and a method of manufacturing a component for an article for use in an aerosol provision system.SOLUTION: A component (4) for an article (1) for use in an aerosol provision system comprises a body (5) of material, the body having a longitudinal axis and comprising one or more sheets extending through the body, the one or more sheets comprising aerosol modifying additives and having a total width from about 100mm to about 350mm.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to components for articles used in aerosol delivery systems, articles for use in aerosol delivery systems, and methods for manufacturing components for articles for use in aerosol delivery systems.

[0002] Known aerosol delivery systems, such as cigarettes, typically comprise a filter that is provided with at least one portion that modifies certain properties of the aerosol, for example by performing a filtering function to remove constituents of the aerosol that is drawn therein.

[0003] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a first aspect, there is provided a component for an article for use in an aerosol delivery system, the component comprising a body of material, the body having a longitudinal axis and comprising one or more sheets extending therethrough, the one or more sheets comprising an aerosol-modifying additive and having an overall width of from about 100 mm to about 350 mm.

[0004] The one or more sheets can be corrugated and / or collected to form the body of material. The one or more sheets can comprise a cellulosic material. The one or more sheets can be sheets of paper, sheets of tobacco material, sheets of non-tobacco plant material, or combinations thereof.

[0005] The sheet or sheets can have a basis weight of from about 20 to about 80 gsm, from about 30 to about 50 gsm, from about 36 to about 45 gsm, or from about 55 to about 75 gsm.

[0006] The sheet or sheets can have an uncorrugated thickness of about 50 μm to about 500 μm, about 50 μm to about 350 μm, about 60 μm to about 300 μm, or about 60 μm to about 160 μm.

[0007] The body of material may have a weight of about 5 mg to about 15 mg per mm of length of said body, about 8 mg to about 12 mg per mm of length of said body, or about 10 mg per mm of length of said body.

[0008] The material itself is approximately 0.05 to 0.5 gms / cm 3 , about 0.05~about 0.35gms / cm 3 , about 0.1~about 0.3gms / cm 3 , about 0.16~about 0.25gms / cm 3 , or about 0.2 to about 0.25 gms / cm 3 The average bulk density may be

[0009] The component may include a wrapper surrounding the body of material, the wrapper having a basis weight of from about 30 to about 75 gsm or from about 40 to about 65 gsm.

[0010] The aerosol-modifying additive can include at least one additive selected from glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl sulfate, triethyl citrate (TEC), triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, propylene carbonate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), tetra(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (TEGDA), or alkyl ketene dimer (AKD).

[0011] The aerosol-modifying additive may comprise from about 7% to about 20%, or from about 9% to about 18%, of the weight of said one of the additional sheets measured on a dry weight basis.

[0012] The aerosol-modifying additive may be applied to the one or more sheets of material as a liquid having a viscosity of 5 to 100 centipoise at 25°C.

[0013] The sheet or sheets may have an overall width of from about 120 mm to about 300 mm.

[0014] At least one of the additional sheets extending through the body may comprise a corrugated sheet material formed with a wave pattern including a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves, the average spacing between adjacent ridges being greater than about 0.3 mm, and / or the average depth or amplitude of said ridges and grooves being between about 0.1 mm and about 0.8 mm.

[0015] The corrugations may be imparted using a roller surface at a temperature greater than 30°C, greater than 40°C, or greater than 50°C.

[0016] The one or more sheets may have a breathability of about 1,000 to about 50,000 Coresta units or about 5,000 to about 50,000 Coresta units. The one or more sheets may have a breathability of about 1,000 to about 10,000 Coresta units (in some examples, about 2,000 to about 8,000 Coresta units). In other examples, the one or more sheets may have a breathability of about 5,000 to about 12,000 Coresta units.

[0017] The component may have a circumference ranging from about 16 mm to about 25 mm. The component may have a circumference ranging from about 20 mm to about 23 mm.

[0018] The component may comprise a filter. The component may comprise a flavour delivery member embedded in and surrounded on all sides by the body of material. Alternatively or additionally, the component may comprise an aerosol modifying additive or aerosol modifier delivery member embedded in and surrounded on all sides by the body of material. In either case, the delivery member may comprise a capsule.

[0019] The closing pressure drop across the component can be from about 1.5 mmWG to about 8.6 mmWG per mm of component length, or from about 3 mmWG to about 6 mmWG per mm of component length.

[0020] The tensile strength of the sheet(s) in the longitudinal (machine) direction of the sheet(s) as measured according to ISO 1924-2:2008 can be greater than about 10 N / 30 mm, or can be from about 20 to about 100 N / 30 mm, or from about 25 to about 80 N / mm. The elongation of the sheet(s) in the longitudinal (machine) direction of the sheet(s) as measured according to ISO 1924-2:2008 can be less than 5% (e.g., from about 0.5% to about 4%, or from about 0.9% to about 2.5%). The same tensile strength and elongation ranges can apply in the transverse (cross) direction across the width of the sheet(s).

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a second aspect there is provided an article for use in an aerosol delivery system, the article comprising a component as described in the first aspect above and a rod of aerosol-generating material.

[0022] The hardness of the component at the longitudinal center point of the component can range from about 60% to about 95%, or from about 70% to about 95%.

[0023] The article can be for use in or as a combustible or non-combustible aerosol delivery system, as described herein. The article can be for use in a tobacco heating system.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a third aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing a component for an article used in an aerosol delivery system, the method comprising the steps of: feeding one or more sheets of material along a path of travel, the sheets having an overall width of about 100 mm to about 350 mm; applying an aerosol-modifying additive to the one or more sheets as they are fed along the path of travel; forming the one or more sheets into a rod; enclosing the rod in a wrapper; and cutting the rod to form the component.

[0025] The sheet or sheets may have an overall width of from about 120 mm to about 300 mm.

[0026] The aerosol-modifying additive may be applied as a liquid having a viscosity of 5 to 100 centipoise at 25°C.

[0027] The method may include corrugating one or more sheets using a roller surface at a temperature greater than 30°C, greater than 40°C, or greater than 50°C.

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an article for use in an aerosol delivery system including an aerosol-forming material and a component downstream of the aerosol-forming material. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the components of FIG. 1 taken along line XX'. [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an article for use in an aerosol delivery system including an aerosol-forming material and a component downstream of the aerosol-forming material, the component including a flavor delivery member. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing components for articles used in aerosol delivery systems. Detailed Description

[0030] As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to include a system that delivers a substance to a user; Combustible aerosol delivery systems, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and pipe tobacco or tobacco for home-rolled or home-made cigarettes (whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes, or other smoking materials); a non-combustible aerosol delivery system that releases a compound from an aerosolizable material without combustion of the aerosolizable material (such as an e-cigarette, a tobacco heating product, and a hybrid system that generates an aerosol by combining the aerosolizable material); an article including an aerosolizable material and configured to be used as part of one of these non-flammable aerosol delivery systems; aerosol-free delivery systems, such as lozenges, gums, patches, articles containing inhalable powders, and smokeless tobacco products (e.g., snus and snuff), that deliver materials (which may or may not contain nicotine) to a user without the formation of an aerosol; Includes.

[0031] According to the present disclosure, a "combustible" aerosol delivery system is one in which the aerosolizable material (or components thereof) that constitutes the aerosol delivery system is combusted to facilitate delivery to a user.

[0032] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustible" aerosol delivery system is one in which the aerosolizable material (or components thereof) of which the aerosol delivery system is made is not combusted to facilitate delivery to a user. In embodiments described herein, the delivery system can be a combustible aerosol delivery system or a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

[0033] The non-combustible aerosol delivery systems described herein can be vaping devices or electronic cigarettes, also known as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs), although the presence of nicotine in the aerosolizable material is not a requirement.

[0034] The non-combustion aerosol delivery systems described herein can also be tobacco heating systems, also known as non-combustion heating systems.

[0035] The non-combustible aerosol delivery systems described herein can be hybrid systems that generate aerosols through a combination of aerosolizable materials, one of which can be heated or more than one of which can be heated. Each of the aerosolizable materials can be, for example, in solid, liquid, or gel form, and may or may not contain nicotine. In one embodiment, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosolizable material as well as a solid aerosolizable material. The solid aerosolizable material can include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0036] Typically, a non-combustible aerosol delivery system may comprise a non-combustible aerosol delivery device and an article for use with the non-combustible aerosol delivery system, although it is contemplated that an article that itself comprises a means for powering an aerosol generating component may itself constitute a non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

[0037] The non-combustible aerosol delivery device may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be an electrical power source or a heat-generating power source. The heat-generating power source includes a carbon substrate that can be energized to provide power in the form of heat to an aerosolizable material or a heat transfer material in proximity to the heat-generating power source. The heat-generating power source may also be provided in an article to form a non-combustible aerosol delivery system.

[0038] In one embodiment, an article for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery device may include an aerosolizable material, an aerosol-generating component, an aerosol-generating area, a mouthpiece, and / or an area for receiving the aerosolizable material.

[0039] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating component is a heater capable of interacting with the aerosolizable material to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosolizable material to form an aerosol. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating component is capable of generating an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without the application of heat. For example, the aerosol-generating component may be capable of generating an aerosol from the aerosolizable material without the application of heat, e.g., by one or more of vibrational, mechanical, pressurized, or electrostatic means.

[0040] In one embodiment, the aerosolizable material may include an active material, an aerosol-forming material, and optionally one or more functional materials. The active material may include nicotine (optionally contained in tobacco or a tobacco derivative) or one or more other non-olfactory physiologically active materials. A non-olfactory physiologically active material is a material that is included in the aerosolizable material to achieve a physiological response other than the sense of smell.

[0041] The aerosol-forming material may include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl sulfate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0042] The one or more functional ingredients may include one or more of a fragrance, a carrier, a pH adjuster, a stabilizer, and / or an antioxidant.

[0043] In one embodiment, an article for use with a non-burning aerosol delivery device may include an aerosolizable material or an area for receiving an aerosolizable material. In one embodiment, an article for use with a non-burning aerosol delivery device may include a mouthpiece. The area for receiving an aerosolizable material may be a storage area for storing the aerosolizable material. For example, the storage area may be a reservoir. In one embodiment, the area for receiving an aerosolizable material may be separate from the aerosol-generation area or may be coupled to the aerosol-generation area.

[0044] An aerosolizable material (sometimes referred to herein as an aerosol-generating material) is a material capable of generating an aerosol when energized, for example, by heating, irradiation, or any other method. The aerosolizable material may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may comprise an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material capable of retaining some fluid, such as a liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosolizable material may comprise, for example, about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solid.

[0045] The aerosolizable material may be present on a substrate, which may be or include, for example, paper, cardboard, paperboard, cardboard, recycled aerosolizable material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or alloy.

[0046] Aerosol modifiers are substances that can modify an aerosol during use. Modifiers can modify the aerosol to have a physiological or sensory effect on the human body. Exemplary aerosol modifiers are flavors and sensates. Sensates produce an organoleptic sensation that can be perceived by the senses, such as a cool or sour taste.

[0047] Articles (e.g., rod-shaped) are often named according to the length of the product ("regular" (usually in the 68-75 mm range (e.g., about 68 mm to about 72 mm)), "short" or "mini" (68 mm or less), "king size" (usually in the 75-91 mm range (e.g., about 79 mm to about 88 mm)), "long" or "super king" (usually in the 91-105 mm range (e.g., about 94 mm to about 101 mm)), and "ultra long" (usually in the 110 mm to about 121 mm range)).

[0048] These are also named according to the circumference of the product: "Regular" (approximately 23-25mm), "Wide" (over 25mm), "Slim" (approximately 22-23mm), "Demi-Slim" (approximately 19-22mm), "Super Slim" (approximately 16-19mm), and "Micro Slim" (less than approx. 16mm).

[0049] Thus, a king-size super slim item would, for example, be about 83 mm in length and about 17 mm in circumference.

[0050] Each mold may be produced with a mouthpiece of a different length. The mouthpiece length will be about 10 mm to 50 mm (e.g., 15 mm to 35 mm). The tipping paper connects the mouthpiece to the aerosol-forming material and will typically have a length greater than the mouthpiece (e.g., 3 to 15 mm or 3 to 12 mm longer) so as to cover the mouthpiece and overlap the aerosol-forming material (e.g., in the form of a rod of substrate material) to connect the mouthpiece to the rod.

[0051] The articles and respective aerosol-forming materials and components described herein can be configured in any of the above types, but are not limited to these.

[0052] As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are relative terms defined relative to the direction of mainstream aerosol drawn through the article or device in use.

[0053] The filamentary tow materials described herein may include cellulose acetate fiber tow. The filamentary tow can also be formed using other materials used to form fibers, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(1-4 butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate co-terephthalate) (PBAT), starch-based materials, cotton, aliphatic polyester materials, and polysaccharide polymers, or combinations thereof. The filamentary tow can be plasticized with a plasticizer suitable for the tow (e.g., triacetin when the material is cellulose acetate tow), or can be unplasticized. The tow may have any suitable specifications, such as fibers having other cross sections such as a "Y" or "X" shape, a filament fineness value per filament of 1.5 to 12 denier (e.g., 7 to 10 denier), and a total fineness value of 5,000 to 50,000 (e.g., 10,000 to 40,000).

[0054] As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material containing tobacco or its derivatives or substitutes. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Tobacco materials include one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, tobacco lamina, reconstituted tobacco, and / or tobacco extract.

[0055] As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavorant" refer to materials that can be used, where local regulations permit, to produce a desired flavor or aroma in products intended for adult consumers. One or more flavors can be used as the aerosol modifying agents described herein.

[0056] These include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, peppermint, aniseed, cinnamon, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, Scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang), orchid, sage, fennel, bell pepper, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or any mint oil of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. These may be imitation, synthetic, or natural ingredients, or mixtures thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, oil, liquid, or powder.

[0057] In the drawings described herein, the same reference numerals are used to denote like features, items or components.

[0058] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an article 1 for use in an aerosol delivery system. In this example, article 1 comprises a cigarette. However, in alternative embodiments, the same article 1 can be used in a non-combustion aerosol delivery system. Article 1 can be used in a tobacco heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. In this case, article 1 preferably additionally comprises a cooling element disposed downstream or upstream of component 4. The cooling element can be or include a tubular element. A paper tube is advantageous as the cooling element is relatively easy to manufacture using existing technology and provides a lightweight component with a large internal hollow cavity that aids in cooling. The cooling element can also include one or more openings in the wall of the paper tube or other form of cooling element to aid in the passage of the cooled aerosol through the cooling element.

[0059] Article 1 comprises a cylindrical rod of aerosol-forming material 2 (in this example, tobacco material) and a downstream portion 3 connected to rod 2 downstream of aerosol-forming material 2. Aerosol-forming material 2 provides an aerosol when combusted (e.g., when the rod of aerosol-forming material 2 is combustible). In other embodiments, Article 1 may be used within a non-combustible aerosol-delivery device to provide a non-combustible aerosol-delivery system. Alternatively, Article 1 may include its own heat source to provide an aerosol-delivery system without the need for a separate aerosol-delivery device. One example of a non-combustible aerosol-delivery system is the tobacco heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system, mentioned above.

[0060] The downstream portion 3 comprises a component 4 including a body of material 5 wrapped in a wrapping material 6 (in this example, plug wrap). The material comprising the body 5 may be provided substantially uniformly throughout the volume of the body 5, for example in terms of its density.

[0061] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of component 4 of Figure 1 taken through line X-X'. Component 4 is shown separated from the rest of article 1 and comprises a body of material 5 and a wrapper 6. As shown, body of material 5 is formed from a corrugated and gathered sheet of material 7. Sheet 7 is gathered laterally to define body 5 having a generally cylindrical outer shape.

[0062] In this example, the body 5 is formed by a single gathered sheet of material 7. However, in alternative examples, the body 5 may be formed by multiple sheets of material 7 gathered together to form the body 5. The multiple sheets of material may each have the same or different properties (e.g., their respective dimensions, air permeability, thickness, basis weight, and composition).

[0063] The one or more sheets of material 7 include the aerosol-modifying additive and have an overall width of about 100 mm to about 350 mm. In some embodiments, the one or more sheets of material 7 have an overall width of about 120 mm to about 300 mm. This relatively large width allows for the formation of a rod with sufficient rigidity while still providing a large surface area for application of the aerosol-modifying additive.

[0064] The sheet 7 has an air permeability of about 1,000 to about 50,000 Coresta units (in some examples, about 5,000 to about 50,000 Coresta units). This level of air permeability is advantageous because it has been found to result in more uniform distribution of the components 4 within the material comprising the body 5, reducing the likelihood of channels forming longitudinally through the body 5. Thus, for a given weight of sheet material 7, higher air permeability increases the longitudinal pull-out resistance of the body 5. This means that material can be saved by using a sheet material 7 with a lower average density for the body 5 to achieve the desired pull-out resistance. Furthermore, a sheet material 7 with higher air permeability has a more open structure, which, in the case of a degradable material, can shorten the decomposition time of the components 4. If an additive is applied to the sheet material 7 in liquid form, higher air permeability can also increase the absorbency of the sheet material 7, allowing more additive to be applied to a given weight of material.

[0065] The breathability of the sheet of material 7 can be measured according to the international standard ISO 2965:2009, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0066] Biodegradability can be measured according to procedures set forth in ISO 14855. Components as described herein (including component 4 in Figures 1 and 2 and component 4' in Figure 3) can achieve greater than 50% biodegradation in 30 days when exposed to freshwater or saltwater.

[0067] Sheet 7 may have a breathability of about 1,000 to about 10,000 Coresta units (in some examples, about 2,000 to about 8,000 Coresta units). In other examples, sheet 7 may have a breathability of about 5,000 to about 12,000 Coresta units.

[0068] The sheet of material 7 (or multiple sheets of material, if desired) has a density of about 0.05 to about 0.5 gms / cm2 throughout the body 5. 3In some examples, the sheet of material 7 (or, if desired, multiple sheets of material) may have an average bulk density of about 0.05 to about 0.35 gms / cm throughout the body 5. 3 , about 0.1~about 0.3gms / cm 3 , about 0.16~about 0.25gms / cm 3 , or about 0.2 to about 0.25 gms / cm 3 In some examples, the one or more sheets of material comprising the body of material may have an average bulk density of about 0.1 to about 0.25 gms / cm. 3 or about 0.16 to about 0.2 gms / cm 3 Bulk density can be calculated by taking the total weight of the body 5, including any additives within the body, excluding the capsule as described herein, and dividing the result by the volume defined by the exterior surface of the body 5, excluding the weight of any wrapper around the body 5.

[0069] The one or more sheets 7 constituting the main body 5 can be formed of a cellulosic material. For example, the one or more sheets can be sheets of paper, sheets of tobacco material, sheets of non-tobacco plant material, or combinations thereof. The one or more sheets 7 constituting the main body 5 can have a basis weight of about 20 to about 80 gsm, about 30 to about 50 gsm, about 36 to about 45 gsm, or about 55 to about 75 gsm. Alternatively or additionally, the one or more sheets can have an uncorrugated thickness of about 50 μm to about 500 μm, about 50 μm to about 350 μm, about 60 μm to about 300 μm, or about 60 μm to about 160 μm.

[0070] The body of material 5 may have a weight of about 5 mg to about 15 mg per mm of body length, about 8 mg to about 12 mg per mm of body length, or about 10 mg per mm of body length.

[0071] The packaging material 6 preferably has a basis weight of about 30 to about 75 gsm or about 40 to about 65 gsm. Such a basis weight is larger than that typically used, and can help improve the circularity of the cross section of the material body 5.

[0072] If an aerosol-modifying additive is applied to one or more of the material sheets 7, the additive may be at least one selected from glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl sulfate, triethyl citrate (TEC), triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, propylene carbonate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), tetra(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (TEGDA), or alkyl ketene dimer (AKD).

[0073] The aerosol-modifying additive may comprise from about 7% to about 20%, or from about 9% to about 18%, of the weight of said one of the additional sheets, measured on a dry weight basis. The aerosol-modifying additive may be applied to the one or more sheets of material as a liquid having a viscosity of 5 to 100 centipoise at 25°C.

[0074] Preferably, the sheet or sheets of material 7 have a combined overall width of about 100 mm to about 350 mm, or about 120 mm to about 300 mm. These relatively large widths allow for the formation of rods with sufficient rigidity while providing a large surface area for application of aerosol-modifying additives, if desired.

[0075] One or more sheets 7 may be corrugated to enhance the overall stiffness of the body 5. At least one of the additional sheets 7 extending through the body 5 may comprise a corrugated sheet material formed with a wave pattern including a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves. The average spacing between adjacent ridges may be greater than about 0.3 mm. Alternatively or additionally, the average depth or amplitude of the ridges and grooves may be between about 0.1 mm and about 0.8 mm.

[0076] The corrugations may be imparted using a roller surface at a temperature greater than 30°C, greater than 40°C, or greater than 50°C.

[0077] In this example, Article 1 has a circumference of about 24.5 mm (i.e., the Article is a regular shape). In other examples, the Article can be provided in any of the shapes described herein (e.g., a circumference of 15 mm to 25 mm (e.g., 20 mm to 23 mm)). In this example, Component 4 has a length of 27 mm. In alternative embodiments, Component 4 may have any length ranging from about 7 mm to about 35 mm (e.g., about 8 mm to about 20 mm).

[0078] The circumference of component 4 is substantially the same as the circumference of the rod of aerosol-forming material 2, so there is a smooth transition between these components. In this example, the circumference of component 4 is approximately 24.3 mm.

[0079] In this example, tipping paper 8 is wrapped around the entire length of component 4 and a portion of the rod of aerosol-forming material 2, with adhesive provided on its inner surface to connect component 4 and rod 2. In this example, tipping paper 8 extends 5 mm onto the rod of aerosol-forming material 2, but alternatively, tipping paper 8 can extend 3 mm to 15 mm or 4 mm to 6 mm onto rod 2 to securely connect component 4 and rod 2.

[0080] In this example, the rod of aerosol-forming material 2 is enclosed in a wrapper 10. Wrapper 10 can be, for example, a paper foil wrapper or a paper-lined foil wrapper for an article for use with a non-flammable aerosol delivery device.

[0081] In this example, article 1 has a ventilation level such that approximately 40% of the aerosol is drawn through article 1. In an alternative embodiment, article 1 may have a ventilation level such that 0% to 90% (e.g., 20% to 75%) of the aerosol is drawn through article 1. This ventilation is provided directly to component 4 of article 1. In this example, article 1 is provided with first and second parallel rows of perforations 12 through tipping material 8 and wrapper 6 to provide ventilation to body 5. In this example, perforations 12 are formed as laser perforations approximately 18 mm and 19 mm, respectively, from downstream opening end 2b of downstream portion 3. In an alternative embodiment, this ventilation can be provided elsewhere in downstream portion 3. As previously mentioned, this ventilation can be provided to a cooling element of article 1, in this case an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol delivery system, such as a tobacco heating system.

[0082] The hardness of the component 4 at the center point in the longitudinal direction of the component 4 is preferably in the range of about 60% to about 95% or about 70% to about 95%.

[0083] The hardness of component 4 may be measured according to the following procedure.

[0084] Any suitable device may be used to carry out the measurements, such as a Borgwaldt Hardness Tester H10.

[0085] Hardness is defined as the ratio between the height of the body h0 and the height of the body h1 under a specified load, expressed as a percentage of h0. Hardness can be expressed as: Hardness=(h1 / h0)×100 In the case of individual bodies or bodies contained in multi-part rods, the hardness measurement is performed at the longitudinal centre point of the body.

[0086] A load bar is used to apply the specified load to the body. The length of the load bar is significantly greater than the specimen to be measured. Prior to hardness measurement, the body to be measured is conditioned for a minimum of 48 hours in accordance with ISO 3402 and maintained at environmental conditions according to ISO 3402 during the measurement.

[0087] To perform the hardness measurement, the body is placed in the Hardness Tester H10, a preload of 2g is applied to the body, and the initial height h0 of the body under the 2g preload is recorded after 1 second. Then the preload is removed, a load bar with a load of 150g is lowered onto the sample at a speed of 0.6mm / s, and the height h1 of the body under the 150g load is measured after 5 seconds.

[0088] Hardness is determined as the average hardness of at least 20 bodies or other components measured according to this procedure.

[0089] The closed pressure drop across component 4 can be from about 1.5 mmWG to about 8.6 mmWG per mm of component 4 length, or from about 3 mmWG to about 6 mmWG per mm of component 4 length. The closed pressure drop is the pressure drop measured across the length of component 4 with any ventilation openings closed. One skilled in the art will recognize that ISO standard ISO 6565:2015 may be used to measure the closed pressure drop.

[0090] The tensile strength of the sheet(s) in the longitudinal (machine) direction of the sheet(s) as measured according to ISO 1924-2:2008 is preferably greater than about 10 N / 30 mm, and can be from about 20 to about 100 N / 30 mm, or from about 25 to about 80 N / 30 mm. The elongation of the sheet(s) in the longitudinal (machine) direction of the sheet(s) as measured according to ISO 1924-2:2008 is preferably less than 5% (e.g., from about 0.5% to about 4%, or from about 0.9% to about 2.5%). The same tensile strength and elongation ranges can also apply in the transverse (cross) direction across the width of the sheet(s).

[0091] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of an article 1' for use in an aerosol delivery system including an aerosol-forming material 2 and a component 4' downstream of the aerosol-forming material 2. The article 1' is the same as the article 1 described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, except that the component 4' in the downstream portion 3' of Figure 3 further comprises a flavor delivery member 9.

[0092] The flavor delivery member 9 delivers a flavor or flavoring agent, as described herein, to the aerosol passing through the component 4'. In this example, the flavor delivery member 9 is embedded in and surrounded on all sides by one or more sheets of material 7 of the body 5'. As an alternative to a flavor delivery member, an additive other than a flavorant can be provided in an otherwise identical component to those described herein. The additive can be, for example, one of the aerosol-modifying additives or aerosol-modifying agents described herein.

[0093] The flavor delivery member 9 may comprise a capsule. In some embodiments, the flavor delivery member 9 comprises a first and a second capsule.

[0094] In some embodiments, the or each capsule 9 comprises an outer shell and an inner core.

[0095] The shell of each capsule 9 may be solid at room temperature. The shell may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of alginate, although it is recognized that in alternative embodiments, the shell is formed of a different material. For example, the shell may alternatively comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of gelatin, carrageenan, or pectin. The shell may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of one or more of alginate, gelatin, carrageenan, or pectin.

[0096] The shell of each additive capsule may be impermeable or substantially impermeable to the flavoring or flavoring agent or other agent of the core. Thus, the shell initially prevents the core agent from escaping the capsule. When a user desires to modify the aerosol, the agent is released by rupturing the shell of one or more capsules.

[0097] In some embodiments, the or each capsule has a diameter in the range of 1 to 5 mm, preferably in the range of 2 to 4 mm. In some embodiments, the diameter of the or each capsule is about 3 mm to 3.5 mm. The or each capsule may be roughly spherical. In other examples, other shapes and sizes of capsules may be used.

[0098] The total weight of each capsule may range from about 5 mg to about 50 mg, preferably from about 10 to 30 mg, hi some embodiments, the weight of each capsule is about 14 mg.

[0099] In some embodiments, the or each capsule is centered on the longitudinal axis of component 4'.

[0100] As noted above, each capsule may have a core-shell structure, i.e., an encapsulating or barrier material forms a shell around a core containing a fragrance or other aerosol modifier. The shell structure prevents migration of the aerosol modifier during storage of the article, while allowing for controlled release of the aerosol modifier (also referred to as an aerosol modifier) ​​during use.

[0101] In some cases, the barrier material (also referred to herein as the encapsulating material) is frangible. The or each capsule is crushed, broken, or destroyed by a user to release the encapsulated aerosol modifier. While one or more of the capsules are typically destroyed just prior to the initiation of heating, a user may choose the timing of release of the aerosol modifier from that capsule. The user may then elect to destroy the other capsules later (e.g., after heating has begun). The user may elect to destroy the other one of the capsules once a portion of the aerosol has been released from the aerosol-generating material, thereby allowing the remaining aerosol-generating material to be modified by the aerosol modifier from the other capsule. Alternatively, the user may elect to destroy multiple capsules simultaneously.

[0102] The term "breakable capsule" refers to a capsule whose shell is breakable by pressure to release the core. More specifically, the shell can be burst by pressure applied by a user's finger when they wish to release the core of the capsule.

[0103] In some cases, the barrier material is heat resistant, i.e., the barrier does not rupture, melt, or otherwise fail at temperatures reached at the capsule site during operation of an aerosol delivery device in which Article 1 is used. Illustratively, a capsule disposed in the article may be exposed to temperatures ranging from, for example, 30°C to 100°C, and the barrier material may continue to retain the liquid core up to at least about 50°C to 120°C.

[0104] In other cases, the or each capsule releases the core composition upon heating, for example by melting of the barrier material or capsule expansion leading to rupture of the barrier material.

[0105] The total weight of each capsule may range from about 1 mg to about 100 mg, preferably from about 5 mg to about 60 mg, from about 8 mg to about 50 mg, from about 10 mg to about 20 mg, or from about 12 mg to about 18 mg.

[0106] The total weight of the core formulation may be in the range of about 2 mg to about 90 mg, preferably about 3 mg to about 70 mg, about 5 mg to about 25 mg, about 8 mg to about 20 mg, or about 10 mg to about 15 mg.

[0107] In some embodiments, the or each capsule comprises a core and shell as described above. Each capsule may exhibit a crush strength of about 4.5 N to about 40 N, more preferably about 5 N to about 30 N or about 28 N (e.g., about 9.8 N to about 24.5 N). The capsule burst strength of each capsule can be measured using a force gauge that measures the force at which the capsule bursts when pressed between two flat metal plates when the capsule is removed from the body of material 6. A suitable measuring device is a Sauter FK 50 force gauge with a flat-headed mounting portion that can be used to crush the capsule against a flat, hard surface having a surface similar to that of the mounting portion.

[0108] The or each capsule may be substantially spherical and may have a diameter of at least about 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.8 mm, or 3.0 mm. The or each capsule may have a diameter of less than about 10.0 mm, 8.0 mm, 7.0 mm, 6.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.5 mm, or 3.2 mm. By way of example, the capsule diameter may range from about 0.4 mm to about 10.0 mm, from about 0.8 mm to about 6.0 mm, from about 2.5 mm to about 5.5 mm, or from about 2.8 mm to about 3.2 mm. In some cases, each capsule may have a diameter of about 3.0 mm. These sizes are particularly suitable for incorporating the capsules into articles such as those described herein.

[0109] While only a single body of material 5, 5' has been described with reference to the figures, in alternative embodiments, the components 4, 4' of Figures 1, 2, and 3 may include additional portions, such as additional bodies of material or other portions, such as tubular sections. The additional portions may be upstream, downstream, or both upstream and downstream of the components 4, 4' and may be formed of any material suitable for use in the articles described herein. For example, additional portions formed from filamentary tows as defined herein may be provided upstream, downstream, or both upstream and downstream of the body of material 5, 5'. The additional portion(s) may be provided as a body of material or in another form, such as a tubular form.

[0110] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing components for articles used in aerosol delivery systems.

[0111] In step S101, one or more sheets of material having an overall width of about 100 mm to about 350 mm are fed along a path of travel. The path of travel may be a path between rollers that introduce the one or more sheets of material into a rod former. In step S102, an aerosol-modifying additive is applied to the one or more sheets as they are fed along the path of travel. The aerosol-modifying additive may be applied as a liquid having a viscosity of 5 to 100 centipoise at 25°C, for example. In step S103, the one or more sheets are formed into a rod. The one or more sheets may be first corrugated and then gathered together to form the rod. In step S104, the rod is wrapped in a wrapper, and in step S105, the rod is cut to form components.

[0112] The method may also include corrugating one or more sheets of material using a roller surface at a temperature greater than 30°C, greater than 40°C, or greater than 50°C.

[0113] To address various problems and advance the art, this disclosure as a whole provides, by way of example, various embodiments that may enable the claimed invention(s) and provide for superior delivery of smoke-modifying additives. The advantages and features of this disclosure are merely a representative sample of embodiments and are not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive. They are presented solely for the purpose of facilitating understanding and teaching of the claimed features. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of this disclosure should not be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents of the claims, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modified without departing from the scope and / or spirit of the disclosure. Various embodiments may suitably include, consist of, or essentially consist of various combinations of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. Additionally, this disclosure encompasses other inventions not currently claimed but that may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. 1. A component for an article used in an aerosol delivery system, the component comprising a body of material having a longitudinal axis and one or more sheets extending therethrough, the one or more sheets comprising an aerosol-modifying additive and having an overall width of from about 100 mm to about 350 mm.

2. The component of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sheets are corrugated and / or gathered to form the body of material.

3. 3. The component of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more sheets comprise a cellulosic material.

4. 4. The component of claim 3, wherein the one or more sheets are sheets of paper, sheets of tobacco material, sheets of non-tobacco plant material, or combinations thereof.

5. 5. The component of claim 1, wherein the one or more sheets have a basis weight of from about 20 to about 80 gsm, from about 30 to about 50 gsm, from about 36 to about 45 gsm, or from about 55 to about 75 gsm.

6. 6. The component of claim 1, wherein the one or more sheets have an uncorrugated thickness of about 50 μm to about 500 μm, about 50 μm to about 350 μm, about 60 μm to about 300 μm, or about 60 μm to about 160 μm.

7. 7. The component of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the body of material has a weight of about 5 mg to about 15 mg per mm of body length, about 8 mg to about 12 mg per mm of body length, or about 10 mg per mm of body length.

8. The body of material has a viscosity of about 0.05 to about 0.5 gms / cm ３ , about 0.05 to about 0.35 gms / cm ３ , about 0.1 to about 0.3 gms / cm ３ , about 0.16 to about 0.25gms / cm ３ , or about 0.2 to about 0.25 gms / cm ３ 8. The component of claim 1, having an average bulk density of

9. A component according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a wrapper surrounding the body of material.

10. The component of claim 9, wherein the wrapping material has a basis weight of about 30 to about 75 gsm or about 40 to about 65 gsm.

11. 11. The component of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the aerosol-modifying additive comprises at least one additive selected from glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl sulfate, triethyl citrate (TEC), triacetin, diacetin mixtures, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, propylene carbonate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), tetra(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (TEGDA), or alkyl ketene dimer (AKD).

12. 13. The component of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the aerosol-modifying additive comprises from about 7% to about 20% or from about 9% to about 18% of the weight of the one of the additional sheets measured on a dry weight basis.

13. 13. The component of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the aerosol-modifying additive is applied to the one or more sheets of material as a liquid having a viscosity of 5 to 100 centipoise at 25°C.

14. Component according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the one or more sheets have an overall width of from about 120 mm to about 300 mm.

15. 15. The component of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein at least one of the one of the further sheets extending through the body comprises corrugated sheet material formed with a wave pattern including a series of substantially parallel ridges and grooves, wherein the average spacing between adjacent ridges is greater than about 0.3 mm, and / or the average depth or amplitude of the ridges and grooves is from about 0.1 mm to about 0.8 mm.

16. 16. The component of claim 2 or 15, wherein the corrugations are imparted using a roller surface at a temperature greater than 30°C, greater than 40°C, or greater than 50°C.

17. The component of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the one or more sheets have an air permeability of from about 1,000 to about 50,000 Coresta units or from about 5,000 to about 50,000 Coresta units.

18. 18. The component of any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the component has a circumference in the range of about 16 mm to about 25 mm.

19. Component according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the component comprises a filter.

20. 20. The component of any preceding claim, comprising a flavour delivery member embedded in and surrounded on all sides by the body of material.

21. 21. The component of any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the closing pressure drop across the component is from about 1.5 mmWG to about 8.6 mmWG per mm of component length, or from about 3 mmWG to about 6 mmWG per mm of component length.

22. 22. An article for use in an aerosol delivery system, comprising a component according to any one of claims 1 to 21 and a rod of aerosol-forming material.

23. 23. The article of claim 22, wherein the hardness of the component at a longitudinal center point of the component ranges from about 60% to about 95% or from about 70% to about 95%.

24. 1. A method of manufacturing a component for an article used in an aerosol delivery system, comprising: feeding one or more sheets of material along a path of travel having an overall width of about 100 mm to about 350 mm; applying an aerosol-modifying additive to the one or more sheets as they are fed along the path of travel; forming the one or more sheets into a rod; wrapping the rod in a wrapper; cutting the rod to form the components; A method comprising:

25. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more sheets have an overall width of from about 120 mm to about 300 mm.

26. 26. The method of claim 24 or 25, wherein the aerosol-modifying additive is applied as a liquid having a viscosity of 5 to 100 centipoise at 25°C.

27. 27. The method of claim 24, claim 25, or claim 26, further comprising corrugating the one or more sheets using a roller surface at a temperature greater than 30°C, greater than 40°C, or greater than 50°C.

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