Fragrance cartridge

Abstract

To provide an aroma cartridge capable of solving a problem of reduction in a suction amount of a suction component due to blocking of a gas flow passage in a heated aroma generation base material and between the heated aroma generation base materials.SOLUTION: The aroma cartridge includes a heated aroma generation body 21 around which a heated aroma generation base material is wound, a lid material 2111 disposed on an end portion side of the aroma cartridge of both end portions of the heated aroma generation body, and a cartridge exterior body 24 around which a mouth piece 222 adjacent to the heated aroma generation body is wound so as to be connected in a longitudinal direction, the mouth piece includes a cylindrical support member 2221 and a right cylindrical filter 2222 adjacent to the cylindrical support member in the longitudinal direction, and a right cylindrical cavity 2222 c1 is formed in the filter. The cavity is disposed in the filter from the end of the cylindrical support member side in the longitudinal direction of the filter so that the central axes of the filter and the right cylinder of the cavity are substantially the same, and the cylindrical support member is substantially hollow.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aroma cartridge that is attached to a chamber equipped with an electrically controlled heating element of a heated smoking device so as to come into contact with the heating element, and that allows the user to enjoy the aerosol smoke and aromatic components generated by heating the heating element. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, with the widespread adoption of separate smoking and non-smoking zones in workplaces, restaurants, and other public spaces, the number of smokers who inhale tobacco smoke burned by a flame, as with cigarettes, has decreased, while the number of smokers using electronic cigarettes, which are heated smoking devices that inhale smoke generated by heat transferred from an electrically controlled heating element such as a heater, has rapidly increased. This is because, with conventional flame-based smoking, smokers and non-smokers around them inhale harmful substances produced by the thermal decomposition and combustion (over 600°C) of tobacco material and paper, whereas with electronic cigarettes, smokers inhale the smoke and aroma of harmless glycerin made from tobacco material and aerosol formers at temperatures (200-350°C) that are below the thermal decomposition and combustion of tobacco material, allowing them to enjoy smoking while also reducing the impact on non-smokers around them.

[0003] These electronic cigarettes can be broadly divided into two types (Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2). One type is capsule-type electronic cigarettes and stick-type electronic cigarettes, which heat capsules or sticks containing tobacco leaves and inhale smoke. The other type is liquid-type electronic cigarettes, which heat a scented or flavored liquid and generate vapor that is inhaled.

[0004] In particular, stick-type electronic cigarettes have a large following due to their similarity to conventional cigarettes in terms of shape, smoking method, and taste, and because they inhale fewer harmful substances than conventional cigarettes. Various developments have been underway (e.g., Patent Documents 1 to 3). Specifically, electronic cigarettes are smoked by attaching a stick (electronic cigarette cartridge) to a heated smoking device. The stick (electronic cigarette cartridge) is made of an aerosol-forming body, which is made into a stick shape similar to a cigarette and contains an aerosol former, flavorings, binders, and other ingredients, that generates aerosol that turns into smoke, along with tobacco components. The aerosol former is attached to the heat source of the heated smoking device and heated. Volatiles, including the aerosol former, are released from the aerosol-forming body. At the same time, these volatiles are drawn into the mouthpiece at the other end by the smoker's inhalation. During the volatile transport process, the volatiles in the aerosol former cool and condense to form a smoke-like aerosol, while other volatiles impart an aroma to the smoker's mouth and nose, resulting in the enjoyment of smoking (Patent Document 2). This mechanism allows heated smoking, such as with stick-type electronic cigarettes, to be performed at temperatures of around 200–250°C, which is sufficient to volatilize the aerosol former, such as glycerin or propylene glycol, contained in the aerosol former—that is, at temperatures at which the thermal decomposition of tobacco leaves begins. Therefore, compared to flame-based smoking, which burns at temperatures exceeding 900°C, or at least the 600°C required for combustion, the generation of harmful substances, which are said to increase with increasing temperature, is suppressed, resulting in fewer adverse health effects.

[0005] Furthermore, unlike stick-type electronic cigarettes, liquid-type electronic cigarettes do not contain tobacco ingredients and are a new smoking device that allows users to enjoy a variety of flavors, including beverages such as coffee, cola, and Red Bull; desserts such as chocolate, vanilla, and cream; fruits such as orange, lemon, and melon; and refreshing agents such as menthol, mint, and herbs (Non-Patent Document 2). Specifically, liquid-type electronic cigarettes involve heating a liquid containing propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin mixed with flavorings, and the vaporized volatiles are inhaled. Their greatest feature is that they contain no harmful substances, do not produce tar, or nicotine, and allow users to enjoy a wide variety of flavors. In fact, a wide variety of liquids are available on the market.

[0006] Furthermore, in recent years, attempts have been made to combine the features of these two types of electronic cigarettes (Patent Document 4). As mentioned above, the aerosol formers processed into a heated stick shape of conventional stick-type electronic cigarettes contain tobacco components, which results in the emission of harmful substances such as tar and nicotine, even if in small amounts. Therefore, Patent Document 4 invents a stick-type electronic cigarette that does not contain tobacco components, a problem that has been a problem with stick-type electronic cigarettes. In other words, instead of tobacco components, this stick-type electronic cigarette uses an aerosol former that incorporates a non-tobacco material that emits only the aroma that contributes to the physical and mental relaxation, health, and beauty benefits of smoking, and is blended with an aerosol former, binder, etc.

[0007] However, stick-type electronic cigarettes that use only non-tobacco materials cannot use tobacco materials containing large amounts of fiber in their aerosol formers, and they also have problems due to the need to use a wide variety of non-tobacco materials to release various flavors.

[0008] First, in aerosol-forming bodies containing tobacco material, the fibers of the tobacco material maintain their clumped state, preventing the tobacco material from falling off and fusing. However, when using non-tobacco material that does not contain a large amount of fibers, a large amount of binder or other material that performs the function of fibers must be used in order to stably maintain the clumped state of the heated aroma-generating sheet or heated aroma-generating filler (hereinafter referred to as the "heated aroma-generating substrate"). Therefore, if the amount of binder increases, the density of the heated aroma-generating substrate increases, blocking the flow path (hereinafter referred to as the "gas flow path") for volatile components (hereinafter referred to as the "gas") released by heating from the aerosol former and the heated aroma-generating substrate of the non-tobacco material. This makes it difficult to inhale aerosol smoke and aroma components of the non-tobacco material (hereinafter referred to as the "inhalable components"), resulting in a decrease in the amount inhaled.

[0009] Furthermore, because aerosol formers contain glycerin or propylene glycol, which are liquid at room temperature, the more binder they contain, the more they bleed out of the heated aroma-generating substrate over time, causing the heated aroma-generating substrates to fuse together. This blocks the gas flow path, making it difficult to suction the inhaled components and resulting in a decrease in the amount of inhaled air. Furthermore, this fusion not only makes it difficult to insert the heating element into the heated aroma-generating substrate, but can also damage the heating element. Specifically, during transportation or storage in a warehouse or storefront, the heated aroma-generating substrate may stick together and harden, making it difficult for the heating element to penetrate, which can lead to damage to the cartridge or the heating element.

[0010] Conversely, if the amount of binder or other additives is reduced to ensure a gas flow path, non-tobacco materials may fall off or generate dust, making it difficult to maintain the shape of the cartridge firmly, and the cartridge may break when inserted into the heating element. This may also result in the cartridge being inhaled into the oral cavity.

[0011] In other words, because it is necessary to maintain the generation of aerosols that become smoke and the generation of aroma components released from non-tobacco materials, it is difficult to solve this problem by significantly changing the composition or blending ratio of the heated aroma-generating base material. Therefore, it is thought that a solution is needed that focuses on the structure of the mouthpiece, which has a significant impact on the amount of inhalation, as well as the manufacturing method and filling state of the heated aroma-generating base material. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] Patent Document 1: Special Publication No. 2010-520764 Patent Document 2: Special Publication No. 2013-519384 Patent Document 3: Special Publication No. 2016-538848 Patent Document 4: Patent No. 6371928 [Non-patent literature]

[0013] Non-patent literature 1: "Top 8 e-cigarettes! Explaining the types of e-cigarettes for beginners", Digmo homepage, https:digmo.infoseek.co.jp / articles-410 Non-patent document 2: "Recommended e-cigarette liquid rankings | 15 popular products that are delicious to smoke," Customlife homepage, https: / / customlife-media.jp / electronic-cigarette-liquid Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0014] As described above, the present invention aims to solve the problem of reduced suction power that is unique to using only non-tobacco materials and no tobacco components at all, i.e., the problem of reduced suction volume of suction components due to blockage of the gas flow path within and between heated aroma-generating substrates, and to provide an aroma cartridge that does not cause non-tobacco materials to fall off or generate dust.

[0015] Although we refer to them as "fragrance cartridges" here, they may also be called "smoking cartridges" or "electronic cigarette compatible cartridges."

[0016] The term also applies to products that use non-tobacco materials that do not contain tobacco components as the source of their flavor.

[0017] "Aroma" means "a pleasant smell" and includes the scent that wafts from the material itself (fragrance), the scent that wafts into the air when heated (aroma), and the scent that wafts into the mouth when inhaled (flavor).

[0018] "Smoking" generally means smoking cigarettes, but here it simply means "enjoying the smoke," "tasting the smoke," or "enjoying the smoke," and the source of smoke is not limited to cigarettes, but also applies to non-tobacco materials. Furthermore, "smoke" here also includes "something that looks like smoke" or "something smoke-like," such as droplets dispersed in the air, such as aerosols.

[0019] An "e-cigarette compatible cartridge" is also defined simply as "a cartridge that can be used interchangeably (compatible with) an e-cigarette cartridge that contains tobacco components," regardless of whether it contains tobacco components.

[0020] More specifically, the objective of this invention is to provide a cylindrical aroma cartridge that is attached to a heated smoking device having an electrically controlled heating element in a chamber so as to come into contact with the heating element, and that allows the user to enjoy the aerosol smoke and aromatic components generated by heating the heating element. The aroma cartridge has a mouthpiece equipped with a filter that filters at least the smoke and aromatic components, and a heated aroma generating element wrapped with a heated aroma generating substrate that comes into contact with at least the heating element, which are adjacent to each other and wrapped in a cartridge outer body. The mouthpiece has a mechanism that has the function of increasing the amount of gas absorbed and the function of capturing fallen non-tobacco materials and dust, and the heated aroma generating element is equipped with a material that does not reduce the amount of gas absorbed and has a structure that prevents falling non-tobacco materials and dust. [Means for solving the problem]

[0021] In other words, the aroma cartridge of the present invention comprises a heated aroma generating body wrapped with a heated aroma generating substrate that comes into contact with a heating body, a mouthpiece equipped with a filter that filters the aerosol smoke and aroma components generated by heating from the heating body, and a cartridge outer casing that wraps around the outer periphery to connect the heated aroma generating body and the mouthpiece, and at least one of the heated aroma generating body and the mouthpiece has at least one of a means for optimizing the inhalation of the smoke and the aroma components and a material for sustaining the gas production of the smoke and the aroma components.

[0022] The suction optimization means and gas generation / maintenance material refer to the following structures and materials, respectively. The suction optimization means refers to a structure that improves the suction volume of the mouthpiece and a structure that prevents and captures the generation of dust and falling off non-tobacco materials and other debris from the heated aroma-generating unit. More specifically, it refers to a cavity provided in a filter constituting the mouthpiece to expand the gas flow path to improve the suction volume, a shape reinforcing member provided in a support that prevents the heated aroma-generating unit from moving toward the mouthpiece and prevents a decrease in the suction volume due to deformation, an insulating material provided in the mouthpiece to prevent damage to joints due to heat diffusion, and a lid material that prevents and captures falling off non-tobacco materials and other debris and dust. The gas generation / maintenance material is a material that does not block the flow path of gas released from the heated aroma-generating unit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a heated aroma-generating substrate having an improved internal structure through a manufacturing method, a heated aroma-generating substrate constituting a heated aroma-generating body with an optimized blending amount, and a heated aroma-generating substrate having an improved packing ratio and inorganic particles present inside and / or on the surface of the heated aroma-generating substrate constituting a heated aroma-generating body.These structures and materials of the present invention are described in detail below.

[0023] First, in the aroma cartridge of the present invention, the filter is made of fiber shaped into a cylindrical shape and constitutes all or part of the mouthpiece, and the suction optimization means has a cavity provided within the filter so as not to penetrate longitudinally. This filter is made of commonly used fibers such as cellulose acetate (CA) fiber or polyester fiber such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and since the flow rate of gas inhaled by a typical smoker is insufficient in the case of aroma cartridges for heated aroma generators that use non-tobacco materials, the cavity improves the amount of gas inhaled.

[0024] There are no particular limitations on the shape or number of cavities, which may be determined appropriately according to the type of heated aroma-generating body; however, taking into consideration the effect of increasing the amount of gas inhaled by a typical smoker and the difficulty of manufacturing the cavity, it is preferable to have at least one cavity at either end or both ends of the filter in the longitudinal direction.

[0025] The positions at which the cavities are formed are arranged so that when a smoker inhales, the inhaled gas is uniformly distributed throughout the oral cavity. When there is one cavity, it is preferably formed on the central axis of the cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction of the filter. When there are two cavities, it is preferably formed with the central axis of the cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction of the filter as the center of symmetry. Furthermore, when there are three or more filters, it is preferable that they are arranged on the central axis of the cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction of the filter, and at positions rotationally symmetrical about the central axis of the cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction of the filter and the central axis of the cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction of the filter.

[0026] Furthermore, the shape of the cavity is preferably cylindrical or conical from the viewpoint of the effect of increasing the amount of gas inhaled by a typical smoker and the difficulty of manufacturing the cavity, but the shape of the cylindrical or conical bottom is not limited. However, since these cavities can be efficiently formed by general mechanical drilling, electric discharge machining, or laser machining, a cylindrical or conical shape is preferred from the viewpoint of workability.

[0027] Such a filter may constitute the entire mouthpiece by itself, or may be a part of the mouthpiece. When a part of the mouthpiece is a filter, the remaining part is preferably a cavity formed by the cartridge exterior. The arrangement of the filter and the cavity is not particularly limited, and the heated aromatic substance and the filter may be adjacent, or the heated aromatic substance and the cavity may be adjacent. The cartridge exterior is usually made of a thin film such as a polyolefin resin (PE, PP, etc.), a PET resin, a CA resin, or polylactic acid (PLA), as well as thin paper. When a cavity is formed in the cartridge exterior, the thickness must be sufficient to maintain the strength of the mouthpiece, depending on the material.

[0028] Furthermore, the mouthpiece may be provided with components other than a filter that have desirable functions to improve its functionality. Typical examples of such components include a support member for preventing the heated aroma-generating unit from moving toward the mouthpiece, and a cooling member for cooling the aerosol former in the heated aroma-generating unit after it volatilizes, promoting smoke generation and lowering the temperature of the gas. These components may be combined with the filter to form a mouthpiece. Either one or both of these components may be used. When either one is used, the support member is disposed between the heated aroma-generating unit and the filter. When both are used, the support member and the cooling member are disposed between the heated aroma-generating unit and the filter, in this order or the reverse order.

[0029] The cooling element is required to lower the temperature of the gas not only to cool and condense the vaporized aerosol former to generate smoke, but also to lower the temperature of the gas itself, allowing for a pleasant smoking experience in the oral cavity, due to the extremely short distance between the heating element of the aroma cartridge and the mouthpiece compared to cigarettes. Therefore, the cooling element is preferably one that functions as a heat exchanger, and is preferably a cylindrical porous body with high porosity and continuous pores, or a cylindrical tube with numerous through-holes. The porosity must be at least 50%, preferably 70-90%. Materials that have been used include polyolefin resins such as PE and PP, PET resin, CA resin, and polylactic acid (PLA), but more preferably, these are wrapped in metal foil such as aluminum, which has high thermal conductivity, or are made of metal itself.

[0030] In this way, the mouthpiece makes it easy for the smoker to hold the aroma cartridge in their mouth, and the essential component is a filter that filters the gas and mellows its flavor. If necessary, a support member and / or a cooling member can be provided. Since this structure is the filter that prevents the gas from being inhaled, it is possible to shorten the length of the filter and increase the amount of inhalation. Therefore, instead of providing a cavity as described above, we investigated a mouthpiece structure that shortens the filter to increase the amount of inhalation.

[0031] The length of the aroma cartridge itself and the length of the heated aroma-generating unit are determined according to the structure of the heated smoking device, so shortening the filter of the mouthpiece requires replacing a portion of the filter with a support member. Traditionally, support members have been designed to prevent the heated aroma-generating unit from moving toward the mouthpiece, but cannot prevent the passage of gas. Therefore, they have been hollow, cylindrical structures with thin sidewalls, and have been made of inexpensive materials such as polyolefin resins (e.g., polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)), plastics (e.g., CA resin), and paper. Furthermore, to avoid impeding the passage of gas, a hollow support member with thin sidewalls is preferable. However, shortening the filter and lengthening the support member presents a problem: the mouthpiece is easily deformed.

[0032] To address this issue, the present invention provides a structure for a support member in an aroma cartridge equipped with a mouthpiece consisting of at least a filter and a support member, which prevents the mouthpiece from deforming and the amount of suction from decreasing even if the length of the support member is increased and the thickness of the side surfaces is reduced.

[0033] That is, in this aroma cartridge, the mouthpiece has a support member including a through hole that prevents the heated aroma generating element from moving toward the mouthpiece, the support member and the through hole having substantially the same cylindrical central axis, and the suction optimization means includes a shape reinforcing member fixedly or movably disposed within the through hole. More specifically, the shape reinforcing member is configured with at least one plate-like member that has the axis of the support member and the through hole in its plane and that contacts the inner wall of the through hole. By disposing such a plate-like member in the cylindrical through hole of the support member, deformation of the support member can be prevented without changing the material, even if the cylindrical support member is made longer and the side wall thickness is thin. The shape of the plate-like member is preferably rectangular, i.e., a cross section cut along the axial direction of the cylinder. From the standpoint of suction volume, the thinner the thickness, and the fewer the number, the better. However, taking into consideration the prevention of deformation, it is preferable that there are 2 to 4 plate-like members, each 0.1 to 0.5 mm thick and made of polyolefin resin.

[0034] Furthermore, in order to prevent deformation of the support member, it is more preferable that the shape reinforcement member comprises a concentric cylinder having a radius smaller than the radius of the through hole and having an axis approximately identical to the central axis of the cylinder between the support member and the through hole, and a plate-like member shaped so as to contact the inner wall of the through hole in the radial direction of the concentric cylinder on the outer periphery of the concentric cylinder, and from the viewpoint of gas suction, it is even more preferable that the concentric cylinder is hollow.

[0035] In this way, in an aroma cartridge using a mouthpiece including a support member on which a shape reinforcing member is disposed adjacent to the heated aroma-generating unit to prevent the heated aroma-generating unit from moving toward the mouthpiece, and a filter adjacent to the support member, the suction of gas can be optimized without deformation of the support member. However, in order to more widely control the suction of gas, it is more preferable to use a filter having a cavity as the filter. Furthermore, a cooling member that can efficiently turn the volatilized aerosol pharmaceutical into aerosol smoke can also be disposed between the filter and the support member. In either case, in order to further optimize the suction amount, it is preferable to use a filter having a cavity as the filter.

[0036] On the other hand, as the suction volume increases due to improvements in the filter and support member, the heat of the gas is more easily transferred by convection from the heating element to the filter, which may reduce the bonding strength between the components that make up the aroma cartridge. The locations of such bonding surfaces vary depending on the configuration of the aroma cartridge, but examples include the interface between the heated aroma generating element and the filter, support member, cooling member, and cartridge exterior, the interface between the filter and the support member, cooling member, and cartridge exterior, the interface between the support member and the cooling member and cartridge exterior, and the interface between the cooling member and cartridge exterior.

[0037] If the adhesive strength of each interface weakens, gas leakage will adversely affect the amount of inhalation, so it is preferable to provide an insulating member between the heated aroma-generating unit and the mouthpiece. This insulating member does not distribute the high-temperature gas throughout the entire unit, as is the case with a support member adjacent to the heated aroma-generating unit. It is preferable that this insulating member be a porous, insulating plastic material such as a sponge with long, continuous pores, and that it function only as long as it retains the gas to some extent for cooling. Therefore, the insulating member is extremely short, does not require cooling function up to the cooling member, and is preferably used in place of a support member that prevents the heated aroma-generating unit from moving toward the mouthpiece.

[0038] Furthermore, in the case of a heated smoking device in which the heating element covers the chamber (Fig. 3), rather than a typical heated smoking device with a needle-shaped heating element at the bottom of the chamber (Fig. 2), the effect of heat on the aroma cartridge is greater, and the bonding strength at the interfaces of the various components decreases significantly as described above, so it is necessary to provide an insulating member to prevent the decrease in bonding strength, i.e., the reduction in the amount of inhalation. Thus, from the perspective of eliminating the effect of heat from the heating element and preventing the reduction in the amount of inhalation, the present invention also provides an aroma cartridge in which an insulating member is interposed between the heated aroma-generating element and the mouthpiece as an inhalation optimization means.

[0039] Furthermore, because heated aroma-generating substrates emit various aromas, the fiber content may be extremely low. In such cases, adjustments are made to the amount of binder, etc., but the non-tobacco material content cannot be significantly reduced to maintain the aroma, making it more likely that debris and dust from non-tobacco materials will be generated than usual. These debris are carried toward the mouthpiece during smoking, clogging the gaps in the filter and cooling element and drastically reducing the amount of inhalation. Furthermore, heated aroma-generating substrates with such compositions are also likely to generate debris and dust when the aroma cartridge is inserted into the needle-shaped heating element.

[0040] Therefore, the present invention also provides an aroma cartridge in which, as an inhalation optimization means, a lid material is disposed at the end of the heated aroma-generating body on the mouthpiece side and a partition material is disposed at the end opposite the mouthpiece. Either the lid material or the partition material, or both, may be provided depending on the state of the heated aroma-generating base material and the heated aroma-generating body that binds them. The lid material and / or partition material prevent clogging of the filter and / or cooling member due to fallen particles or dust, ensuring a stable inhalation amount.

[0041] The above describes a structural solution for optimizing the gas suction of an aroma cartridge. However, to achieve optimal suction, it is also necessary to improve the heated aroma-generating element that releases gas when heated. The amount of gas released by the heated aroma-generating element is closely related to the amount of suction described above, and this point will be explained below. In this invention, a material that stabilizes the amount of gas released is called a gas generation-sustaining material.

[0042] The reason why the improvement in gas release rate due to heating of the heated aroma-generating body is not sustained has already been explained, but since it is an important point in the present invention, it will be explained again. In aerosol-forming bodies containing tobacco material, the fibers of the tobacco material maintain their agglomerated state, preventing the tobacco material from falling off and fusing. However, when using non-tobacco material that does not contain a large amount of fiber, a large amount of binder or the like that performs the function of fiber must be used in order to stably maintain the agglomerated state of the heated aroma-generating body. Therefore, if the amount of binder increases, the density of the heated aroma-generating body increases, blocking the gas flow path and making it difficult to inhale the inhaled components.

[0043] Furthermore, because aerosol formers are made of glycerin, propylene glycol, or the like, which are liquid at room temperature, the more binder added, the more likely they are to bleed out of the heated aroma-generating substrate over time, causing the heated aroma-generating substrates to fuse together, blocking the flow paths between the heated aroma-generating substrates and making it difficult to inhale the inhaled components. Furthermore, such fusion not only makes it difficult to insert the heating element into the heated aroma-generating substrate, but can also damage the heating element. Conversely, reducing the amount of binder or other additives to ensure a gas flow path can result in the loss of non-tobacco material or the generation of dust, making it difficult to maintain the shape of the aroma cartridge and potentially destroying it when inserted into the heating element. These particles can also be inhaled into the oral cavity.

[0044] Therefore, in the present invention, it was first discovered that the above-mentioned problems could be solved by a method [apparatus] for manufacturing a heated aroma-generating substrate. The following description will be primarily focused on a manufacturing method comprising each step, but it is clear that there exists a manufacturing apparatus that can implement the manufacturing method as a whole by being equipped with means for executing each step. Therefore, the descriptions of the manufacturing method and the manufacturing apparatus will not be overlapped, and will be described simultaneously (overlapping) as "step [means]" and "method [apparatus]."

[0045] The reason why the above-mentioned problems can be solved by the manufacturing method [apparatus] for the heated aroma-generating substrate is that the heated aroma-generating substrate is manufactured by forming a sheet from a composition in which materials selected from non-tobacco materials, aerosol formers, binders, anti-adhesion agents, fragrances, non-tobacco material extracts, antibacterial preservatives, etc. are dispersed or dissolved in a medium such as pure water or alcohol, and then drying and cutting the sheet using a papermaking method, compression molding method such as roll pressing or pressing, or a casting method, etc., and the internal structure of the heated aroma-generating substrate changes in various ways depending on the manufacturing method [apparatus] used in the molding and drying processes [means].

[0046] The basis for this is that, for example, in blends of heterogeneous polymers, the phase separation structure of the blend is affected by the manufacturing method [apparatus] and manufacturing conditions; and in the case of emulsions or suspensions in which oil is dispersed in water, whether they are water-in-oil or oil-in-water is influenced by various factors, such as the type of oil, the oil-to-water ratio, and the type of surfactant. Furthermore, analyzing the clear differences in the structure of heated aroma-generating substrates due to differences in such manufacturing methods [apparatus] is nearly impossible due to the complex material systems involved, and it would require a great deal of effort to find an analytical method. The reason for using the manufacturing method [apparatus] as the basis for the idea that differences in the internal structure of polymer blends and emulsions occur is that the substances used are limited, there is a long history of research, and analytical methods have been established, making the structural differences that arise due to manufacturing conditions clear.

[0047] Various methods [apparatus] for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate have already been considered, including the following example: a method [apparatus] for producing a heated aroma-generating filler by cutting a heated aroma-generating sheet produced by the steps of: a step [means] of preparing a non-tobacco material by drying and grinding the non-tobacco material and then dry-mixing it; a step [means] of preparing materials selected from the group consisting of an aerosol former, a binder, an anti-adhesive agent, a flavoring, a non-tobacco material extract, an antibacterial preservative, etc.; a step [means] of preparing pure water and alcohol; a wet-mixing step [means] of mixing all of these prepared materials together; a papermaking step [means] of producing a water-impregnated sheet from the slurry produced by the wet mixing; a molding step [means] of roll-pressing the paper-made water-impregnated sheet to produce a sheet; and a step [means] of drying the sheet produced in the molding step [means].

[0048] However, the heated aroma-generating base material produced by this method [device] is difficult to maintain in a block state, so a large amount of binder is required, and there is a problem that the heated aroma-generating base material is prone to fusing due to bleeding out of the aerosol former. Therefore, the amount of gas released from the heated aroma-generating unit using this filler changes significantly over time, making it impossible for smokers to inhale a stable amount of gas.

[0049] The material for stabilizing the amount of gas released from the heated aroma generating material in the aroma cartridge of the present invention, i.e., the gas generation-sustaining material, is produced by a first dry mixing step [means] of mixing dried and ground non-tobacco material, a first wet mixing step [means] of mixing the non-tobacco material produced in the dry mixing step [means] with a material selected from an aerosol former, a binder or thickener, cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a flavoring, a non-tobacco extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, and an antimicrobial preservative, with an alcohol and pure water mixture, and a second wet mixing step [means] of mixing the non-tobacco material produced in the dry mixing step [means] with a material selected from an aerosol former, a binder or thickener, cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), a flavoring, a non-tobacco extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, and an antimicrobial preservative, with an alcohol and pure water mixture. The heated aroma-generating substrate is produced through a second wet mixing process [means] in which pure water and / or alcohol is further added to a mixed solution of alcohol and pure water containing non-tobacco materials, etc. to produce a slurry containing non-tobacco materials, etc.; a papermaking process [means] in which a water-containing sheet is produced from the slurry produced in the second wet mixing process [means]; a sheet forming process [means] in which the water-containing sheet is compressed and processed into a sheet; a drying process [means] in which the sheet produced in the sheet forming process [means] is dried to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing process [means] in which the heated aroma-generating sheet is cut or folded.

[0050] The manufacturing method [apparatus] is characterized by the second wet mixing. This second wet mixing, which adds pure water and alcohol, improves the dispersion of the aerosol former (e.g., polypropylene glycol or glycerin) and the non-tobacco material, stabilizing the clumped state of the heated aroma-generating substrate and reducing bleed-out of the aerosol former without increasing the amount of binder added. Lower monoalcohols such as ethanol and propanol are particularly effective and preferred as alcohols, and the amount added is preferably 0.1 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the non-tobacco material.

[0051] The gas-generating and sustaining material in the second aroma cartridge of the present invention is prepared by a dry mixing step [means] of mixing dried and ground non-tobacco materials; a first wet mixing step [means] of mixing the non-tobacco materials produced in the dry mixing step [means] with an alcohol and pure water mixture containing an aerosol former, a binder or thickener, cross-linked PVP, a flavoring, a non-tobacco extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, and an antimicrobial preservative; and a second wet mixing step [means] of further adding pure water and / or alcohol to the alcohol and pure water mixture containing the non-tobacco materials and the like produced by the first wet mixing step [means] to produce a slurry containing the non-tobacco materials and the like. a papermaking process (means) for producing a water-containing sheet from the slurry produced in the second wet mixing process (means); a sheet forming process (means) for compressing or casting the water-containing sheet to process it into a sheet; an aerosol former absorbing process (means) for applying or immersing an aerosol former in the water-containing sheet whose moisture content has been reduced to less than 50% by the sheet forming process (means); a drying process (means) for drying the sheet produced in the aerosol former absorbing process (means) to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing process (means) for cutting or folding the heated aroma-generating sheet.

[0052] This method [apparatus] is also characterized by the second wet blending step, and the alcohol is preferably a lower monoalcohol such as ethanol or propanol, with the amount added being preferably 0.1 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of non-tobacco material, as in the first method [apparatus]. However, the second method [apparatus] is characterized by the addition of an aerosol former absorption step [means] in which an aerosol former is applied to or immersed in a water-containing sheet whose moisture content has been reduced to less than 50% by mass. In conventional manufacturing methods [apparatus], the aerosol former and the non-tobacco material were poorly dispersed, and the aerosol former and the non-tobacco material were separated from each other in the undried, heated, aroma-generating substrate sheet with a moisture content of less than 50% by mass, making it difficult to absorb the aerosol former. However, since the dispersion state is improved by the second wet process [means], the aerosol former is absorbed into the inside of the sheet in the aerosol former absorption process [means]. Therefore, even if the amounts of aerosol former and binder added are the same as in the first manufacturing method [device], the clumped state of the heated aroma-generating substrate can be stabilized, the bleed-out of the aerosol former can be reduced, and the aerosol former can be more easily volatilized by heating.

[0053] The gas generation-sustaining material in the third aroma cartridge of the present invention comprises a wet mixing step (means) of mixing dried and pulverized non-tobacco material with pure water to produce a non-tobacco material slurry, a papermaking step (means) of producing a water-impregnated sheet from the slurry produced in the wet mixing step (means), a sheet forming step (means) of compressing or casting the water-impregnated sheet into a sheet, a drying step (means) of reducing the moisture content of the sheet produced in the sheet forming step (means) to less than 50% by mass, and aerosol particles being added to the sheet produced in the drying step (means). The heated aroma-generating substrate is manufactured through an absorption and adsorption process [means] in which a mixture of alcohol and pure water containing a material selected from the group consisting of a cellulose ester, a binder or thickener, cross-linked PVP, a flavoring, a non-tobacco extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, a concentrated solution of water discharged in the sheet forming process [means], and an antibacterial preservative is applied to or soaked in the material; a drying process [means] in which the sheet manufactured in the absorption and adsorption process [means] is dried to manufacture a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing process [means] in which the heated aroma-generating sheet is cut or folded.

[0054] While the first and second manufacturing methods (apparatuses) involved forming a wet sheet from a slurry of all non-tobacco materials, including non-tobacco materials, by papermaking, the third manufacturing method (apparatus) is characterized by producing wet seeds from a slurry of only non-tobacco materials, and then allowing the resulting dried sheet to absorb and adsorb other materials, such as aerosol formers. While the first and second manufacturing methods (apparatuses) improved the dispersion of non-tobacco materials and aerosol formers, the wet dispersion of all materials posed a problem. Therefore, we investigated a manufacturing method (apparatus) that did not involve the step of mixing and dispersing non-tobacco materials and aerosol formers. As a result, we found that, as in the third manufacturing method (apparatus), a dried non-tobacco sheet quickly absorbed and adsorbed a pure water and alcohol mixture of other materials, such as aerosol formers. This led to the present invention. The heated aroma-generating substrate produced by this method (apparatus) had a stable mass state and reduced bleed-out of the aerosol formers.

[0055] The gas generation-sustaining material in the fourth aroma cartridge of the present invention comprises a non-tobacco material preparation step [means] of drying and pulverizing a non-tobacco material; a flavor and / or non-tobacco extract mixing step [means] of mixing at least a flavor and / or a non-tobacco material extract with cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin in alcohol to retain the flavor and / or non-tobacco extract in the cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin; and an aerosol former step [means] of mixing at least an aerosol former and a binder or thickener in pure water. The heated aroma-generating substrate is manufactured through a wet mixing process (means) in which the material produced in the non-tobacco material preparation process (means), the material produced in the flavoring and / or non-tobacco extract dissolving process (means), and the material produced in the aerosol former dissolving process (means) are mixed; a sheet forming process (means) in which the material produced in the wet mixing process (means) is compressed to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing process (means) in which the heated aroma-generating sheet is cut or folded.

[0056] Previous manufacturing methods [apparatuses] were characterized by forming sheets from a slurry of non-tobacco materials or the like through a papermaking process [means], but in light of the results of the third manufacturing method [apparatus], because there are problems inherent in casting sheets from slurries of materials with various different properties, such as non-tobacco materials, a sheet of heated aroma-generating substrate is formed from a mixture of non-tobacco materials or the like that has high viscosity and contains little pure water and alcohol, using a roll press such as a three-roll press, without going through a slurry of large amounts of pure water and alcohol. In this method [apparatus], large shear and compression forces are applied to the mixture of non-tobacco materials or the like, which is thought to uniformly knead and disperse all the materials.

[0057] Here, it is important to provide a mixing step [means] in which at least the flavoring and / or non-tobacco extract and cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin are mixed with alcohol to retain the flavoring and / or non-tobacco extract in the cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin, and an aerosol former dissolving step [means] in which at least the aerosol former and a binder or thickener are mixed with pure water, thereby dissolving materials that can be dissolved in pure water and alcohol, such as the flavoring, non-tobacco extract, aerosol former, binder or thickener, in advance. In particular, when menthol and / or xylitol are used as flavorings, these are sorbed onto the cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin, remain stable in the heated aroma-generating substrate, and have the effect of suppressing bleed-out of the aerosol former. Therefore, the mixing step [means] of mixing at least the flavoring and / or non-tobacco extract with the cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin in alcohol to retain the flavoring and / or non-tobacco extract in the cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin plays an extremely important role.

[0058] By adopting this manufacturing method [device], the mass state of the heated aroma-generating substrate is stable, the bleeding out of the aerosol former can be significantly reduced, there is no fusion of the heated aroma-generating substrate, the evaporation of gas due to heating of the heated aroma-generating body is promoted, and a decrease in the amount of inhalation over time can be prevented.

[0059] Furthermore, in the sheet-forming step (means) of this manufacturing method (apparatus), it is preferable to add a step (means) of adding a material selected from non-tobacco materials, aerosol formers, binders or thickeners, cross-linked PVP, flavorings, non-tobacco extracts, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, antimicrobial preservatives, and purified water. This step (means) promotes kneading by shear and compression forces in the sheet-forming step (means), controls the moisture content, and increases the volatility of the aerosol former.

[0060] The gas generation-sustaining material in the fifth aroma cartridge of the present invention is a heated aroma-generating substrate produced by a first wet-mixing step [means] of mixing dried and crushed non-tobacco material, a first binder aqueous solution in which a first binder is dissolved in pure water, and a material selected from an aerosol former, cross-linked PVP, flavoring, non-tobacco material extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, and an antibacterial preservative; a curing step [means] of stabilizing the mixture produced in the first wet-mixing step [means]; a second wet-mixing step [means] of mixing the cured mixture produced in the curing step [means] with a second binder aqueous solution in which a second binder is dissolved in pure water; a sheet-forming step [means] of compressing the material produced in the second wet-mixing step [means] to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing step [means] of cutting or folding the heated aroma-generating sheet. In this manufacturing method [apparatus], as in the fourth manufacturing method [apparatus], it is preferable to add a step [means] of adding a material selected from non-tobacco material, aerosol former, binder or thickener, cross-linked PVP, flavoring, non-tobacco extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, antibacterial preservative, and pure water to the sheet forming step [means].

[0061] This manufacturing method (apparatus) is characterized in that it includes a step (means) of curing the mixed solution, and a step (means) of adding a binder in two separate additions, before and after the curing step (means). The binder is preferably a modified cellulose polymer in the first addition, and a non-cellulose polysaccharide polymer in the second addition.

[0062] The curing process [means] means that the dispersion state of the mixture of non-tobacco materials, etc. changes over time, and is presumed to lead to the lowest energy, most stable, uniform dispersion state, and it is believed that this state change allows the formation of a mass state of the heated aroma-generating substrate.

[0063] Furthermore, by adding the binder in two separate additions, the mixture can be sufficiently dispersed even when the amount of binder added is reduced, making it easier to adjust the viscosity. This is closely related to the curing process. The first addition of binder followed by curing creates a stable dispersion state, making it easier to add the second binder, reduce the amount added, and adjust the viscosity. Therefore, in the first addition, modified cellulose-based polymers with superior dispersing ability are preferred, while in the second addition, polysaccharide-based polymers other than cellulose-based polymers with superior viscosity-adjusting thickening properties are preferred.

[0064] As such modified cellulose polymers, it is preferable to use one or more of methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and sodium salts, potassium salts, and calcium salts of carboxymethyl cellulose and carboxyethyl cellulose, and it is preferable to use one or more of konjac mannan (glucomannan), guar gum, pectin, carrageenan, tamarin seed gum, gum arabic, soybean polysaccharides, locust bean gum, karaya gum, xanthan gum, and agar as polysaccharide polymers.

[0065] The blending amounts of the binders are preferably 5 to 20 parts by mass of the first binder and 0.1 to 5 parts by mass of the second binder per 100 parts by mass of the non-tobacco material.

[0066] There are also appropriate conditions for the curing process (means) to achieve a stable dispersion state, and it is preferably carried out at 15 to 30°C for 72 to 336 hours. The appropriate temperature conditions are thought to be due to the fact that the binder is a polymer containing hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, and the presence or absence of hydrogen bonds causes differences in the molecular state when dissolved in pure water and alcohol, which is temperature-dependent. Experiments have led to the optimal temperature range. The dispersion state changes over time, and a minimum amount of time is required for it to stabilize, but taking longer than necessary will not result in significant changes and will reduce productivity.

[0067] We have explained above the solution of optimizing the manufacturing method [apparatus] of a material that stably releases gas from a heated aroma-generating body, i.e., a heated aroma-generating substrate that serves as a gas-generation-sustaining material. However, we have now devised a material that more actively releases gas stably.

[0068] This gas generation-sustaining material is inorganic particles. The effect of inorganic particles can be divided into two types, depending on the location of their presence. One is when the inorganic particles are present inside the heated aroma filling. By adding inorganic particles to the heated aroma-generating body, the density of the heated aroma-generating substrate is reduced, eliminating the closure of the gas flow path and preventing the difficulty of gas absorption. The other is when the inorganic particles are present on the surface of the heated aroma-generating sheet or heated aroma-generating substrate. Even if the aerosol former bleeds out of the heated aroma-generating substrate over time, the inorganic particles can prevent the fusion phenomenon between the heated aroma-generating substrates, preventing the closure of the flow path between the heated aroma-generating sheet or heated aroma-generating substrate, thereby resolving the difficulty of absorbing the suction components. Furthermore, because the fusion of the heated aroma-generating sheet or heated aroma-generating substrate is eliminated, the difficulty of inserting a heating element into the heated aroma-generating substrate is also resolved. Furthermore, introducing inorganic particles into the heated aroma-generating body reduces the contact area between the heating body and the organic components of the heated aroma-generating substrate, whether inside or on the surface of the heated aroma-generating substrate, thereby also having the effect of reducing contamination of the heating body of the heated smoking device.

[0069] In order to have such inorganic particles present as a gas generation-sustaining material inside the heated aroma-generating substrate, they may be added to the heated aroma-generating substrate composition as a raw material in the manufacturing process of the heated aroma-generating substrate. The step (means) of adding the inorganic particles is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to add them before wet mixing with tobacco material, etc.

[0070] On the other hand, in order to have inorganic particles present on the surface of a heated aroma-generating substrate, the five manufacturing methods [apparatuses] described above include a step [means] of spraying inorganic particles onto a heated aroma-generating sheet after the step [means] of manufacturing a heated aroma-generating sheet, and a step [means] of spraying inorganic particles onto a heated aroma-generating substrate after the sheet processing step [means] of manufacturing a heated aroma-generating substrate.

[0071] The inorganic particles are preferably metal oxides such as magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, titanium oxide, iron oxide, and alumina, metal carbonates such as magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate, metal phosphates such as calcium phosphate, titanates such as potassium titanate and magnesium titanate, and silicon oxides such as zeolite, colloidal silica, and fumed silica, and more preferably have an average particle size of 1 to 100 μm. Furthermore, in order for the inorganic particles to function effectively, it is preferable that 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of the inorganic particles be added per 100 parts by weight of the non-tobacco material.

[0072] As described above, the aroma cartridge of the present invention comprises a heated aroma-generating element wrapped with a heated aroma-generating substrate that contacts the heating element, a mouthpiece equipped with a filter that filters the smoke and aroma components of the aerosol generated by heating from the heating element, and a cartridge exterior that wraps around the outer periphery to connect the heated aroma-generating element and the mouthpiece, and at least one of the heated aroma-generating element and the mouthpiece has at least one of a means for optimizing inhalation of smoke and aroma components and a material for sustaining gas production of smoke and aroma components. The inhalation optimization means and the gas production-sustaining material in the aroma cartridge of the present invention have been described above, but further inventions that complement these will be described below.

[0073] First, a filling rate of 60 to 90% for the heated aroma-generating substrate constituting the heated aroma-generating unit is preferred for stable gas inhalation. At a filling rate above this level, gas inhalation becomes difficult, while at a filling rate below this level, the amount of gas released becomes insufficient. In particular, a filling rate of 60 to 73% is preferred to prevent the heated aroma-generating substrate from fusing over time. At a filling rate above 73%, fusing over time of the heated aroma-generating substrate becomes noticeable. However, this does not apply to heated aroma-generating substrates manufactured using the improved manufacturing method (apparatus) described above, or heated aroma-generating substrates containing inorganic particles present inside or on the surface, where fusing over time does not become severe even at a filling rate above 73%.

[0074] The amount of aerosol former contained in the heated aroma-generating substrate is preferably 50 to 80 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of non-tobacco material. Less than this amount will result in an insufficient amount of volatilization of the aerosol former into an aerosol, while more than this amount will result in excessive bleeding of the aerosol former from the heated aroma-generating substrate, causing the heated aroma-generating substrate to fuse severely.

[0075] Furthermore, the crosslinked PVP stabilizes the mass state of the aroma-generating base material when heated and also plays a role in retaining aroma components such as menthol and xylitol. It is preferable that the amount of crosslinked PVP is 7 to 25 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of non-tobacco material; if the amount is less than this, the function of the crosslinked PVP cannot be exerted, and if the amount is more than this, the aroma components from the non-tobacco material, etc. will be insufficient.

[0076] The amount of microcrystalline cellulose is preferably 7 to 25 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the non-tobacco material. This microcrystalline cellulose is a flowable powder that is insoluble in organic solvents such as water and ethanol, and is used as an excipient for pharmaceutical tableting. This is because the flowability and high compressibility of microcrystalline cellulose, which results in a large volume change, make it effective in preventing cohesion failure and adhesion to the mold during tableting by direct compression. The same effect is also achieved in the heated aroma-generating substrate, and this function cannot be achieved if the blending amount is less than the above amount. Conversely, if the blending amount exceeds this amount, the blending ratio of other ingredients becomes relatively insufficient, adversely affecting the function of the heated aroma-generating substrate.

[0077] Finally, the amount of β-cyclodextrin is preferably 0.2 to 1.0 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the non-tobacco material. Because β-cyclodextrin plays a role in retaining aroma components such as menthol and xylitol, at least this amount is necessary, but adding too much β-cyclodextrin inhibits its function as a heated aroma-generating base material. In particular, β-cyclodextrin is known to encapsulate menthol, so its addition is preferred when menthol is used as an aroma component.

[0078] Below, constituent materials particularly suitable for the heated aroma-generating substrate of the present invention are listed.

[0079] Parts that can be used as non-tobacco materials include roots (including bulbs, tuberous roots, bulbs, etc.), stems, tubers, bark (including stem bark, bark, etc.), leaves, flowers (including petals, pistils, stamens, etc.), seeds, tree trunks and branches, etc.

[0080] In particular, examples of bulbs include onion, red spider lily, tulip, hyacinth, garlic, shallot, and lily; examples of corms include crocus, gladiolus, freesia, iris, taro, and konjac; examples of tubers include konjac, cyclamen, anemone, begonia, Chinese artichoke, potato, and apios; examples of rhizomes include canna, lotus (lotus root), and ginger; examples of tuberous roots include dahlia, sweet potato, cassava, and Jerusalem artichoke; and examples of rhizobis include the Dioscorea genus (yams such as Japanese yam, wild yam, and Chinese yam). Other examples that are preferably used include turnip, burdock, carrot, radish, kudzu, asparagus, bamboo shoots, udo, radish, and yacon.

[0081] Tuberous roots (potatoes) and the following plants contain carbohydrates and are preferably used as heated aromatic filling sheets and fillings. Examples of starches include corn starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, and tapioca starch, which also function as thickeners and stabilizers. These starches can also be crosslinked to improve acid resistance, heat resistance, and shear resistance, esterified and etherified to improve storage stability and promote gelatinization, and oxidized to improve transparency, film properties, and storage stability.

[0082] As the seeds, edible fruits (flesh parts) and seeds such as peaches, blueberries, lemons, oranges, apples, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, grapes, kumquats, melons, plums, almonds, cacao, coffee beans, peanuts, sunflowers, olives, walnuts, and other nuts can be preferably used.

[0083] As seaweed, Ulva lettuce, Green laver, Akamoku, Asakusa nori, Eisenia bicolor, Iwanori (rock seaweed), Stingray laver, Gracilaria laver, Gagome kelp, Ecklonia cava, Ganashi, Caulerpa lentillifera, Kurome, Laminaria spp., Laminaria susabino, Dulse, Chishimakuro nori, Tsuruarame, Gelidium spp., Tororo kelp, Laminaria spp., Laminaria spp., Nori (nori), Habanori, Hijiki, Hitoegusa, Hirome, Funori, Bowaonori, Laminaria japonica, Mekabu, Mozuku, and Undaria pinnatifida are preferably used.

[0084] Plants used as herbs and spices are also suitable as non-tobacco materials, and include gardenia fruit, kaffir lime leaves, myoga, mugwort, wasabi, ajowan seeds, anise, alfalfa, echinacea, shallot, estragon, everlasting flower, elder, allspice, orris root, oregano, orange peel, orange flower, orange leaf, cayenne chili pepper, German chamomile, Roman chamomile, cardamom, curry leaf, and garlic. Garlic, catnip, caraway, caraway seeds, osmanthus, cumin, cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, green pepper, cornflower, saffron, cedar, cinnamon, jasmine, juniper berries, jolokia, ginger, star anise, spearmint, sumac, sage, savory, celery, celery seeds, turmeric, thyme, tamarind, tarragon, chervil, chives, dill, dill seeds , tomato (dried tomato), tonka bean, dried coriander, nutmeg, hibiscus, habanero, jalapeno, bird's eye, basil, vanilla, coriander, parsley, paprika, hyssop, pimento d'espelette, pink pepper, fenugreek seed, fennel, brown mustard, black cardamom, black cumin, black pepper, vetiver, pennyroyal, peppermint, horseradish, white pepper, white mustard, poppy seed, porcini, ma You can use joram, mustard seeds, maniette, marigold, malva flower, mace, yarrow flower, eucalyptus, lavender, licorice, linden, red clover, red pepper, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lemon balm, lemon peel, rose, purple rosebuds, rose hips, rose petals, rosemary, red rose, laurel, long pepper, sesame seeds (raw sesame seeds, roasted sesame seeds), golden chili pepper, Sichuan pepper, Mitaka pepper, Japanese pepper, chili pepper, yuzu, etc.Other examples include mixed spices (e.g., five-spice powder, garam masala, ras el hanout, barigoule, chicken curry masala, tandoori masala, quatre épices, herbes de Provence), and mixtures of various plants used as potpourri.

[0085] Teas are also preferably used. Not only do different plants produce different teas, but even the same plant can produce different teas depending on the processing method (apparatus), so all of them are preferred as non-tobacco materials with different aromatic components. Specific examples include Japanese tea, black tea, Angelica keiskei tea, sweet tea, Gynostemma pentaphyllum tea, aloe tea, ginkgo leaf tea, oolong tea, turmeric tea, Quercus salicina tea, Eleuthero tea, plantain tea, persimmon leaf tea, chamomile tea, chamomile tea, Kawara ketsumei tea, quince tea, chrysanthemum tea, gymnema tea, guava tea, wolfberry tea, mulberry leaf tea, black bean tea, Gennoshoko tea, brown rice tea, burdock tea, comfrey tea, kelp tea, cherry blossom tea, and safflower. Examples of suitable teas include orchid tea, shiitake mushroom tea, perilla tea, jasmine tea, ginger tea, horsetail tea, red pepper tea, Swertia japonica tea, buckwheat tea, elm tea, dandelion tea, sweet tea, Houttuynia cordata tea, Eucommia ulmoides tea, sword bean tea, elderberry tea, Licorice tea, Job's tears tea, Habu tea, loquat leaf tea, Pu'er tea, safflower tea, pine needle tea, yerba mate tea, barley tea, Megusuri tea, Mugwort tea, eucalyptus tea, Monk fruit tea, rooibos tea, and bitter melon tea. Used tea leaves may also be used for teas. Using used tea leaves has the advantage of allowing for the effective reuse of expensive teas.

[0086] As rice varieties, indica species (Indian type, continental type, long grain), glaberrima species (African rice), sativa species (Asian rice), javanica species (Java type, tropical island type, large grain), japonica species (Japanese type, temperate island type, short grain), and NERICA (an interspecific hybrid between Asian rice and African rice) can be preferably used, and they can also be used as flour or bran.

[0087] As wheat and barley species, foxtail millet, oats (a cultivated variety of oats, oats), barley, oats, millet, cordon millet, wheat, finger millet, teff, pearl millet, naked barley (a variety of barley), Job's tears (a fruit, not a seed), barnyard millet, fonio, wild rice, glutinous barley (a glutinous variety of barley), sorghum (sorghum millet, sorghum, sorghum), corn, rye, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, and tartary buckwheat can be preferably used.

[0088] As the cereals (Fabaceae), adzuki beans, carob beans, kidney beans, peas, cluster beans, grass peas (Lathyrus sativus), black gram, cowpeas, winged beans, zeocarpa beans, broad beans, soybeans, bamboo beans, jack beans, tamarind, tepary beans, sword beans, Mucuna pruriens (Mucuna pruriens), bambara groundnuts, chickpeas, hyacinth beans, scarlet beans, horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum), moth beans, lima beans, groundnuts, mung beans, lupines, lentils, and lentils (Hento).

[0089] As mushrooms, matsutake, shiitake, hattake, shimeji, shiro, mushroom, and agaric can be preferably used.

[0090] Furthermore, trunks, branches, bark, leaves and roots of fragrant trees such as sugarcane (or molasses pomace), sugar beet (beet), cypress, pine, cedar, Japanese cypress, camellia and sandalwood can also be preferably used.

[0091] Ferns, mosses, etc. can also be used as non-tobacco materials.

[0092] Additionally, by-products and pomace (sake lees, grape pomace (consisting of grape skins, seeds, stalks, etc.)) produced during the production of fermented alcoholic beverages such as sake and wine can also be used.

[0093] On the other hand, herbal medicines known as crude drugs are also preferably used. Specific examples include indigo plant (Indigo), Madder root (Akanekon), Red-eyed Oak (Mallotus japonicus), Asclepias herb (Asclepias gracilis), Benzoin (Ansokukou), Ireisen (Ireisen), Inchinko (Inchinko), Fennel (Fennel), Turmeric (Turmeric), Duck plum (Ubai), Locust stalk (Uyaku), Quercus salicina (Quercus salicina), Uva-ursi, Eijitsu (Eijitsu), Corydalis rotundifolia (Corydalis serrata), Enmeisou (Enmeisou), Astragalus root (Astragalus chinensis), Scutellaria root (Scutellaria chinensis), Yellow bark (Phellodendron bark), Coptis chinensis (Coptis chinensis), Cherry bark (Ouhi), St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), Onji (Onji), Sophora flower (Kaika), Sophora sinensis (Gaihaku), Summer withered grass (Kagosou), Quercus frutescens (Oak), Polygonum multiflorum (Polygonaceae), Atractylodes zedoaria (Zejut), Cuckoo spice (Cuckoo root), Pueraria root (Pueraria sieboldii), Chamomile, Cucurbit root (Kalochon), Cucurbit kernel (Caronin), Dried ginger (Kankyo), Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), Winter jasmine (Kanto) Uka, mugwort leaf, bellflower, kikushi, kikoku, kichijitsu, chrysanthemum, tangerine peel, kyou katsu, apricot kernel, kumquat, ginseng, money grass, wolfberry ), Goji leaf (Lycium chinense), Bitter ginseng (Sophora sinensis), Walnut (Juglans japonica), Bitter alder bark (Kurempi), Black letter (Kuromoji), Barley (Kubaku), Thorns (Keigai), Cinnamon bark (Cinnamon bark), Cassia seed (Ketsumeishi), Cowpea seed (Kengoshi), Xanthan gum (Genjin), Glue candy (Koui), Safflower (Kouka), Synthetic berry bark (Gokanpi), Fragrance (Koukou), Fragrance drum (Koushi), Fragrance (Koju), Red ginseng (Kojin), Ceratoconus fructus (Kobusi), Non-glutinous rice (Kobei), Magnolia officinalis (Kobok), Strawberry bark (Kohon), Five-leaved ginger bark (Gokahi), Brussels grove (Goshitsu), Eujuyu (Goshuyu), Tiger jasmine root (Gojokon), Burdock Burdock fruit (Gomishi), Schisandra chinensis (Gomishi), Bupleurum chinense (Bulb), Asarum chinense (Saffron), Hawthorn fruit (Cranberry), Gardenia berry (Sanshishi), Cornus officinalis (Cornus chinensis), Wild bean root (Sanzukon), Jujube kernel (Sansonin), Zanthoxylum piperitum (Zanthoxylum piperitum), Sanryo (Sanryo), Chinese yam (Sanyaku), Rehmannia root (Rehmannia rhizome), Asparagus root (Sion), Ground bark (Jikoppi), Lithospermum root (Lithospermum rhizome), Perilla fruit (Shisoshi), Perilla leaf (Shisouyou), Siberian lily fruit (Sitsurishi), Persimmon stem (Shitei), Ground skin fruit (Jifushi), Peony (Paeonia lactiflora), Snake seed (Jashoushi), Shajin (Shajin),Psarum pulcherrima (Shazenshi), Psarum pulcherrima (Shazensou), Shrub of sand (Shuksha), Herb of Medicinal Plants (Juyaku), Ginger (Shokyo), Palm Fruit (Shurojitsu), Palm Leaf (Shuryou), Hemp (Citric acid), Wheat (Shobaku), Iris Root (Sanshobukon), Magnolia (Shin'i), Nasturtium pulcherrima (Joteishi), Qinpi (Shinpi), Kiko (Shinkiku), Qin Gyo (Jingyo), Pomegranate Seed (Juishi), Pepper Seed (Shokumoku), Green Bark (Sehihi), Acorus Root (Sekishokon), Pomegranate Skin (Sekiryujitsuhi), Dendrobium sieboldii (Sekkoku), Cnidium rhizome (Cnidium), Oriental Husk (Zenko), Cnidium rhizome (Senkotsu), Spinach Flower (Senpukuka), Bone wood (Sekkotsubok), Fruit (Soka), Sokakushi (Sokakushi), Mulberry parasite (Sokisei), Blue ear fruit (Sojishi), Atractylodes chinensis (Soujutsu), Side oak leaf (Sokuhakuyou), Segmented leaves (Zokudan), Mulberry bark (Sohakuhi), Soboku (Sobok), Soybean leaf (Souyou), Soybean pod (Sokyou), Rhubarb (Rhubarb), Jujube (Taiso), Large belly bark (Daifukuhi), Sedge root (Takusha), Red sage (Danshen), Bamboo root (Chikujo), Bamboo joint ginseng (Chikusetsuninjin), Bamboo leaf (Chikuyou), Anemone rhizome (Zimo), Elm tree (Chiyu), Clove (Choji), Diaphaneus chinensis (Chotoko), Citrus peel (Chinpi), Tiannansho (Starwort), Tianma (Tenma), Tianmen Dong (Celery), Winter Melon Seed (Capsicum), Angelica acutiloba (Angelica), Sesame Seed (Castor), Cosmetic Scent (Dangjin), Lamproot (Toshinsou), Peach Kernel (Tonin), Orange Peel (Tohi), Rabbit Seed (Toshishi), Chestnut Seed (Aesculus), Eucommia (Eucommia), Angelica Root (Dokkatsu), Cinnamon Root (Dokakon), Cistanche (Nikujuyou), Myrtle, Honeysuckle (Nindo), Ginseng (Carrot), Fritillaria (Fritillaria), Malt (Bakuga), Oak Seed (Hakushinin), White Bean (Hakuhenzu), Ophiopogon (Bakumontou), Broken Paper (Hakoshi), Mint (Hak Phytophthora indicum (Ka), Panax berry (Banka), Pinellia chinensis (Hanbi), Banlan root (Banlancon), Pinellia japonica (Hanshiren), Lily root (Lilium lily), White angelica (Angelica sieboldii), White snake tongue herb (Byakukajazetsuso), Hundred-leaved root (Zyakubukon), White Atractylodes rhizome (Byakuzu), Areca nut (Betel nut), Boui (Bou-i), Reed root (Boukon), Bou-fu (Bou-fu), Poria columbine (Ho-o), Dandelion root (Hou-eikon), Peony bark (Meonpi), Ephedra (Ephedra), Hemp seed (Ma-shinin), Mankeishi (Man-keishi), Pine resin (Mokutsu), Mokko (Mokka), Saussurea fragrans (Mocco), Myrrh (Motsu-yaku),Examples include horse chestnut (Mokzoku), scutellaria (Yakanthus annuus), yakuchi (Yakuchi), night-crossing wisteria (Yakoutou), monk fruit (Sanga), orchid grass (Ranso), longan (Ryuganikku), gentian (Ryutan), ginger (Ryukyou), reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), forsythia (Forsythia fruit), lotus root (Rensenso), lotus stalk (Rennikku), and reed root (Lotus root).

[0094] Finally, extracts of non-tobacco materials, so-called extracts, can also be used, and the extracts may be in the form of liquid, syrup, powder, granules, solution, etc.

[0095] Examples of aerosol formers that can be used include glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, triethylene glycol, lactic acid, diacetin (glycerin diacetate), triacetin (glycerin triacetate), triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, isopropyl myristate, methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedione, and dimethyl tetradecanedione, with glycerin and propylene glycol being particularly preferred.

[0096] As the crosslinked PVP, commercially available products such as Divagan (registered trademark) manufactured by BASF Europe GmbH and Polyclar (registered trademark) VT manufactured by ISP Ltd. can be used as they are. [Effects of the Invention]

[0097] The aroma cartridge equipped with the inhalation optimization means of the present invention does not use any tobacco components and can solve the problem specific to aroma cartridges that use non-tobacco materials, namely, the reduction in the amount of gas inhaled by the smoker due to blockage of the gas flow path inside and between heated aroma-generating substrates.On the other hand, an aroma cartridge equipped with a gas generation-sustaining material can improve the reduction in gas release rate due to blockage of the gas flow path itself, and can provide an aroma cartridge that does not involve the falling off of non-tobacco materials or the generation of dust.

[0098] In addition, the heated aroma-generating body of the present invention, which is equipped with inorganic particles as the gas generation-sustaining material, can prevent fusion between heated aroma-generating substrates, and can also solve the problem of an aroma cartridge that has been stored for a long period of time being unable to be attached to the heating element of a heated smoking device, and the problem of the heating element being damaged or contaminated. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0099] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the general structure of a cylindrical aroma cartridge that is attached so as to come into contact with the heating element of a heated smoking device that has an electrically controlled heating element in a chamber, and that allows the user to enjoy the aerosol smoke and aromatic components generated by heating the heating element, as well as the steps [means] of the manufacturing method [device]. [Figure 2] (A) A schematic diagram of a heated smoking device with a needle-shaped electrically controlled heating element installed at the bottom of the chamber. (B) A schematic diagram showing the structure of a cylindrical aroma cartridge that can be attached to the heated smoking device of (A) to allow users to enjoy the aerosol smoke and aromatic components generated by heating the heating element. (C) A schematic diagram of the aroma cartridge of (B) attached to (A). [Figure 3] (A) A schematic diagram showing a heated smoking device in which an electrically controlled heating element is provided on the outer periphery of a chamber so as to encase the aroma cartridge. (B) A schematic diagram showing the heated smoking device of (A) with the aroma cartridge of Figure 2(B) attached. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a mouthpiece equipped with the inhalation stabilization means of the present invention and the steps (means) of a manufacturing method (apparatus) for manufacturing an aroma cartridge by joining the mouthpiece with a heated aroma generating body that does not have a gas generation-sustaining material. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, which is a right cylindrical aroma cartridge in which a mouthpiece consisting of a filter alone with one cavity formed to filter gas and a heated aroma generator are adjacent to each other, and the cavity is a right cylindrical cavity that is arranged within the filter from the end of the filter on the heated aroma generator side in the longitudinal direction so that the central axes of the filter and the right cylindrical cavity are approximately aligned. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, which is a right cylindrical aroma cartridge in which a mouthpiece consisting of a filter alone that filters gas and has two cavities formed therein is adjacent to a heated aroma generating body, and the cavity is a right cylindrical shape and is arranged within the filter from both longitudinal ends of the filter so that the central axes of the filter and the cavity are approximately the same. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, which is a right cylindrical aroma cartridge adjacent to a heated aroma generator and which is composed of a single filter unit with four cavities formed to filter gas, and in which the cavities are right cylindrical and are arranged in rotationally symmetric positions around the central axis of the right cylindrical cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction of the filter, from the end of the filter facing the heated aroma generator in the longitudinal direction. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, which is a right cylindrical aroma cartridge adjacent to a heated aroma generator and which is composed of a mouthpiece consisting of a filter alone with five cavities formed to filter gas, in which a mouthpiece is formed and a heated aroma generator, in which all of the cavities are right cylindrical in shape, and four cavities are arranged in rotationally symmetric positions around the central axis of the right cylindrical cylinder in the longitudinal direction of the filter, from the end of the filter facing the heated aroma generator in the longitudinal direction, and one cavity is arranged in the filter from the end of the filter opposite the heated aroma generator in the longitudinal direction, so that the central axes of the filter and the right cylindrical cavity are approximately identical. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, which is a right cylindrical aroma cartridge in which a mouthpiece consisting of a single filter unit that filters gas and has one cavity formed therein is adjacent to a heated aroma generating body, and the cavity is right conical and is arranged within the filter from the end of the filter on the heated aroma generating body side in the longitudinal direction, so that the central axis of the right cylindrical filter and the central axis of the right cone of the cavity are approximately identical. [Figure 10]This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, which is a right cylindrical aroma cartridge adjacent to a heated aroma generator and which is composed of a single filter unit with three cavities formed to filter gas, and in which the cavities are right circularly symmetric and are arranged within the filter from the end of the filter on the heated aroma generator side in the longitudinal direction, in positions rotationally symmetric about the central axis of the right cylindrical cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction of the filter. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece consisting of a filter for filtering gas in which one cavity is formed and a hollow formed in the cartridge outer casing is a right cylindrical aroma cartridge in which the heated aroma generating body and the filter are adjacent, and the cavity is right cylindrical and is arranged within the filter from the end of the filter on the heated aroma generating body side in the longitudinal direction so that the central axes of the filter and the right cylindrical cavity are approximately aligned. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece consisting of a filter with four cavities for filtering gas and a hollow formed in the outer casing of the cartridge is a right cylindrical aroma cartridge in which the heated aroma generating body and the filter are adjacent, and the cavities are right cylindrical and are arranged in rotationally symmetric positions around the central axis of the right cylindrical cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction of the filter, from the end of the filter facing the heated aroma generating body in the longitudinal direction. [Figure 13] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece adjacent to a heated aroma generating body is composed of a cylindrical support member that prevents the heated aroma generating body adjacent to the heated aroma generating body from moving toward the mouthpiece, and a filter that filters gas and has one cavity formed adjacent to the support member, and the cavity is arranged so that the central axes of the filter and the right circular cylinder of the cavity are approximately coincident at both longitudinal ends of the filter. [Figure 14]This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece adjacent to a heated aroma generating body is configured to include a cylindrical support member that prevents the heated aroma generating body adjacent to the heated aroma generating body from moving toward the mouthpiece, a cylindrical cooling member that cools the components that volatilize when heated from the heated aroma generating body adjacent to the support member, and a filter that filters gas in which one cavity adjacent to the cooling member is formed, and the cavity is arranged so that the central axes of the filter and the right circular cylinder of the cavity are approximately coincident at both longitudinal ends of the filter. [Figure 15] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece adjacent to a heated aroma generating body is composed of a cylindrical cooling member that cools the components that volatilize when heated from the heated aroma generating body adjacent to the heated aroma generating body, and a filter that filters gas in which one cavity adjacent to the cooling member is formed, and the cavity is arranged so that the central axes of the filter and the right circular cylinder of the cavity are approximately coincident at both longitudinal ends of the filter. [Figure 16] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece adjacent to a heated aroma generating body is configured to include a support member that prevents the heated aroma generating body adjacent to the heated aroma generating body from moving toward the mouthpiece, and a filter that filters gas adjacent to the support member, and the suction optimization means is a single plate-shaped reinforcing member that has the axes of the support member and the through hole in the plane and contacts the inner wall of the through hole, and is arranged fixedly or movably within the through hole of the support member, which is formed so that the central axes of the support member and the right circular cylinder are approximately identical. [Figure 17]This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece adjacent to a heated aroma generating body is adjacent to the heated aroma generating body and is composed of a support member that prevents the heated aroma generating body adjacent to the heated aroma generating body from moving toward the mouthpiece, and a filter that filters gas adjacent to the support member, and the suction optimization means is a shaped reinforcement member in which two plate-shaped reinforcement members that contact the inner wall of the through hole intersect, the axes of the support member and the through hole being in plane, and that contact the inner wall of the through hole, and which is arranged fixedly or movably within the through hole of the support member, which is formed so that the central axes of the support member and the through hole are approximately coincident. [Figure 18] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece adjacent to a heated aroma generating body is configured to include a support member that prevents the heated aroma generating body adjacent to the heated aroma generating body from moving toward the mouthpiece, and a filter that filters gas adjacent to the support member, and the aroma cartridge is arranged in a fixed or movably manner, and the suction optimization means is composed of a tubular reinforcing member of a concentric tube within the through hole of the support member, which is formed so that the central axis of the support member and that of a right circular cylinder are approximately the same, and which has a radius smaller than the radius of the through hole having an axis approximately the same as this axis, and four plate-shaped reinforcing members shaped on the outer periphery of the concentric tube so as to contact the inner wall of the through hole in the radial direction of the concentric tube. [Figure 19] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the concentric tubular reinforcing material in Figure 18 is replaced by a solid columnar reinforcing material. [Figure 20]This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece adjacent to a heated aroma generating body is configured to include a reinforcing support member provided with a shaped reinforcement member that prevents the heated aroma generating body adjacent to the heated aroma generating body from moving toward the mouthpiece, and a filter formed with a cavity that filters gas adjacent to the reinforcing support member, wherein the cavity is arranged at the end of the filter facing the heated aroma generating body in the longitudinal direction so that the central axes of the filter and the right circular cylinder of the cavity are approximately coincident, and the suction optimization means is composed of a hollow concentric cylindrical tubular reinforcement member within the through hole of the support member, which is formed so that the central axes of the support member and the right circular cylinder are approximately coincident, and four plate-shaped reinforcement members shaped on the outer periphery of the tubular reinforcement member so as to contact the inner wall of the through hole in the radial direction of the tubular reinforcement member, and which is arranged in a fixed or movably manner. [Figure 21] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a mouthpiece is provided adjacent to the heated aroma generating unit, the mouthpiece comprising: a reinforcing support member provided with a shape reinforcing material for preventing the heated aroma generating unit adjacent to the heated aroma generating unit from moving toward the mouthpiece; a cylindrical cooling member for cooling components that are heated and volatilized from the heated aroma generating unit adjacent to the reinforcing support member; and a filter having one cavity formed therein for filtering gas adjacent to the cooling member, the cavity being located at the end of the filter on the heated aroma generating unit side in the longitudinal direction, the filter being located at the end of the filter on the heated aroma generating unit side. This is a schematic diagram showing a fixedly or movably arranged fragrance cartridge, in which the filter and the cavity are arranged so that the central axes of the right circular cylinder are approximately the same, and the suction optimization means is composed of a hollow concentric cylindrical tubular reinforcement member having a radius smaller than the radius of the through hole, which has an axis approximately the same as the axis of the support member through hole formed so that the central axes of the support member and the right circular cylinder are approximately the same, and four plate-shaped reinforcement members shaped on the outer side of the tubular reinforcement member so as to contact the inner wall of the through hole in the radial direction of the tubular reinforcement member. [Figure 22]This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece consisting of an insulating member, which is an inhalation optimization means adjacent to the heated aroma generating body, and a filter for filtering gas adjacent to the insulating member, is adjacent to the heated aroma generating body. [Figure 23] This is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge in which a mouthpiece is adjacent to a heated aroma generating body according to one embodiment of the present invention, the mouthpiece comprising an insulating member which is a suction optimization means adjacent to the heated aroma generating body, a cylindrical cooling member which cools the components which volatilize when the heated aroma generating body is heated and adjacent to the insulating member, and a filter which filters gas adjacent to the cooling member. [Figure 24] This is a partial schematic diagram of a heated aroma generating body of an aroma cartridge in which a lid material and a partition material, which are suction optimization means, are arranged at both ends of the heated aroma generating body, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of a heated aroma-generating sheet and a heated aroma-generating filling according to one embodiment of the present invention, respectively. [Figure 26] (A-1) A schematic diagram showing a heated aroma-generating body using a folded heated aroma-generating sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention. (A-2) A schematic diagram showing a heated aroma-generating body using a rolled heated aroma-generating sheet according to one embodiment of the present invention. (B) A schematic diagram showing a heated aroma-generating body using a heated aroma-generating filling according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27]According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a tobacco product, comprising: a dry mixing step [means] of mixing dried and ground non-tobacco materials; a first wet mixing step [means] of mixing the non-tobacco materials produced in the dry mixing step [means] and a material selected from the group consisting of an aerosol former, a binder or thickener, cross-linked PVP, a flavoring, a non-tobacco extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, and an antimicrobial preservative with an alcohol and pure water mixture; and a method for producing a tobacco product by further adding pure water and / or alcohol to the alcohol and pure water mixture containing the non-tobacco materials, etc., produced by the first wet mixing step [means]. This is a schematic process [means] diagram of a manufacturing method [apparatus] for manufacturing a heated aroma-generating substrate, which includes a second wet mixing process [means] for manufacturing a slurry, a papermaking process [means] for manufacturing a water-containing sheet from the slurry manufactured in the second wet mixing process [means], a sheet forming process [means] for compressing the water-containing sheet and processing it into a sheet, a drying process [means] for drying the sheet manufactured in the sheet forming process [means] to manufacture a heated aroma-generating sheet, and a sheet processing process [means] for cutting or folding the heated aroma-generating sheet. [Figure 28]According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a slurry containing non-tobacco materials, comprising: a dry mixing step (means) for mixing dried and ground non-tobacco materials; a first wet mixing step (means) for mixing the non-tobacco materials produced in the dry mixing step (means) with an aerosol former, a binder or thickener, cross-linked PVP, a flavoring, a non-tobacco extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, and an antimicrobial preservative, into an alcohol and pure water mixture; a second wet mixing step (means) for producing a slurry containing non-tobacco materials by further adding pure water and / or alcohol to the alcohol and pure water mixture containing non-tobacco materials produced in the first wet mixing step (means); and a second wet mixing step (means) for producing a slurry containing non-tobacco materials produced in the second wet mixing step (means). This is a schematic diagram of the steps (means) for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate, which includes a papermaking process (means) for producing a water-containing sheet from a paper slurry, a sheet forming process (means) for compressing or casting the water-containing sheet to form a sheet, an aerosol former absorption process (means) for applying or immersing an aerosol former in the water-containing sheet whose moisture content has been reduced to less than 50% by the sheet forming process (means), a drying process (means) for drying the sheet produced in the aerosol former absorption process (means) to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet, and a sheet processing process (means) for cutting or folding the heated aroma-generating sheet; and this is a schematic diagram of the steps (means) for a manufacturing method (apparatus) for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate. [Figure 29]According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a non-tobacco material slurry by a wet mixing process (means) of mixing dried and ground non-tobacco material with pure water, a papermaking process (means) of producing a water-containing sheet from the slurry produced in the wet mixing process (means), a sheet forming process (means) of compressing or casting the water-containing sheet into a sheet, a drying process (means) of reducing the water content of the sheet produced in the sheet forming process (means) to less than 50% by mass, and a method for producing a non-tobacco material slurry by the drying process (means). This is a schematic process diagram [means] for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate through an absorption and adsorption process [means] in which a mixture of alcohol and pure water containing a material selected from cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, a concentrated solution of water discharged in the sheet forming process [means], and an antibacterial preservative is applied to or soaked in the material; a drying process [means] in which the sheet produced in the absorption and adsorption process [means] is dried to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing process [means] in which the heated aroma-generating sheet is cut or folded. This is also a schematic process diagram [means] for a manufacturing method [apparatus] for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate. [Figure 30] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a non-tobacco material is produced by a non-tobacco material preparation step [means] of drying and pulverizing a non-tobacco material; a flavor and / or non-tobacco extract mixing step [means] of mixing at least a flavor and / or non-tobacco material extract with cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin in alcohol to retain the flavor and / or non-tobacco extract in the cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin; an aerosol former dissolving step [means] of mixing at least an aerosol former and a binder or thickener in pure water; and a non-tobacco material preparation step [means]. The present invention relates to a method for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate, the method comprising the steps of: a wet mixing step (means) of mixing the material obtained in the wet mixing step (means), the material produced in the fragrance and / or non-tobacco extract dissolving step (means), and the material produced in the aerosol former dissolving step (means); a sheet forming step (means) of compressing the material produced in the wet mixing step (means) to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing step (means) of cutting or folding the heated aroma-generating sheet. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate, the method comprising the steps of: a wet mixing step (means) of mixing the material obtained in the wet mixing step (means), the material produced in the fragrance and / or non-tobacco extract dissolving step (means), and the material produced in the aerosol former dissolving step (means); a sheet forming step (means) of compressing the material produced in the wet mixing step (means) to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing step (means) of cutting or folding the heated aroma-generating sheet. [Figure 31] This figure shows a schematic process diagram of a method for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate, which includes a first wet-mixing step (means) for mixing dried and ground non-tobacco material, a first aqueous binder solution prepared by dissolving a first binder in pure water, and a material selected from the group consisting of an aerosol former, cross-linked PVP, flavoring, non-tobacco material extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, and an antibacterial preservative; a curing step (means) for stabilizing the mixture produced in the first wet-mixing step (means); a second wet-mixing step (means) for mixing the cured mixture produced in the curing step (means) with a second aqueous binder solution prepared by dissolving a second binder in pure water; a sheet-forming step (means) for compressing the material produced in the second wet-mixing step (means) to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing step (means) for cutting or folding the heated aroma-generating sheet, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. It also shows a schematic process diagram of a manufacturing method (apparatus) for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate. [Figure 32] a process for preparing a non-tobacco material by drying and grinding the non-tobacco material and then dry-mixing it; a process for preparing a material selected from the group consisting of an aerosol former, a binder, an anti-adhesive agent, a flavoring, a non-tobacco material extract, and an antibacterial preservative; a process for preparing pure water and alcohol; a wet-mixing process for mixing all of the prepared materials together; a papermaking process for producing a water-containing sheet from the wet-mixed slurry; a molding process for compressing or casting the water-containing sheet; a drying process for drying the sheet produced in the molding process; a process for spraying inorganic particles onto the dried sheet; and a sheet processing process for cutting or folding the water-containing sheet having inorganic particles attached to its surface. This is a schematic diagram of the steps for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate, and a schematic diagram of the steps for a manufacturing method for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate. [Figure 33] This is a schematic diagram showing the steps (means) of a manufacturing method (apparatus) for manufacturing an aroma cartridge by joining a mouthpiece not equipped with the inhalation stabilization means of the present invention to a heated aroma generating body equipped with a gas generation-sustaining material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0100] The present invention will be described in more detail below using drawings and embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these and can be implemented in various modifications within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention, and is limited only by the technical ideas described in the claims.

[0101] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a cylindrical aroma cartridge that is attached to a heated smoking device having an electrically controlled heating element in a chamber so as to contact the heating element, and that enables users to enjoy the aerosol smoke and aroma components generated by heating the heating element, as well as the steps (means) of a manufacturing method (apparatus). The aroma cartridge of the present invention is basically similar in configuration and assembled in the same way, except that the heated aroma-generating element that generates the aerosol upon heating by the heating element does not contain any tobacco components. That is, the aroma cartridge of the present invention has a heated aroma-generating element wrapped around a heated aroma-generating substrate made of non-tobacco material and an aerosol former, and a mouthpiece that are attached so that the heated aroma-generating element is in contact with the electrically controlled heating element, and the heated aroma-generating element and the mouthpiece are connected in a state where the outsides of the heated aroma-generating element and the mouthpiece are wrapped around the cartridge exterior.

[0102] 2 and 3 show the state in which such a fragrance cartridge is attached to a heated smoking device and used for smoking, for two types of heating element. In order to clarify the characteristics of the fragrance cartridge of the present invention, we will briefly explain how to enjoy the fragrance cartridge by attaching it to a heated smoking device.

[0103] FIG. 2(A) shows an electrically heated smoking device (1) equipped with a needle-shaped electrically controlled heating element 113 provided at the bottom of a chamber 112 housed in a casing 111. 11 FIG. 2(B) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the aroma cartridge. 2 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a heated smoking device (1), in which a heated aroma generating element (21) wrapped in an inner material (21-p) and a mouthpiece (22) wrapped in an inner material (22-p) are 112C, the electrically heated smoking device (1) is wound and connected by the cartridge outer casing 23 in a state adjacent to the longitudinal direction. 11 Using the aromatic cartridge 2 The aroma cartridge shown in Figure 2(B) is inhaled. 2 The heated aroma generating element 21 side of the casing 111 is inserted into the chamber 112, and the heated aroma generating element 21 is thrust into the electrically controlled heating element 113. When the smoker presses a switch (not shown), the electrically controlled heating element 113 is heated in accordance with a signal from an electrical control unit (not shown), causing the heated aroma generating element 21 to emit aerosol smoke and aroma components, which are then inhaled. When the smoker inhales, as shown by arrow W, air enters through the intake port 115 and passes through the gap between the casing 111 and the chamber 112, carrying the aerosol former and aroma components volatilized from the heated aroma generating element 21 to the mouthpiece 22 and inhaling them into the smoker's mouth. The smoke is cooled in the mouthpiece 22 and inhaled as an aerosol.

[0104] FIG. 3(A) shows an electrically heated smoking device (2) equipped with an electrically controlled heating element 123 provided on the outer periphery of a chamber 122 housed in a casing 121. 12 FIG. 3(B) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrically heated smoking device (2) when a smoker uses the device. 12 Using the aromatic cartridge 2 The state of inhaling the aroma cartridge shown in Figure 3(B) is shown. 2 When the heated aroma generating element 21 side is inserted into the chamber 122 through the aroma cartridge insertion port 124, the heated aroma generating element 21 is surrounded by the electrically controlled heating element 123. When a switch (not shown) is pressed, the electrically controlled heating element 123 is heated in accordance with a signal from the electrical control unit 1231, causing the heated aroma generating element 21 to emit aerosol smoke and aroma components, which are then inhaled. When the smoker inhales, air enters through the intake hole 125, as shown by arrow W, and the aerosol former and aroma components volatilized from the heated aroma generating element 21 are carried to the mouthpiece 22 and inhaled into the smoker's oral cavity. The smoke is cooled within the mouthpiece 22 and inhaled as an aerosol.

[0105] In this type of smoking, aroma cartridges made entirely of non-tobacco materials have the advantage of not producing substances harmful to the human body, such as tar and nicotine, and of being able to enjoy a variety of flavors, including beverages such as coffee, cola, and Red Bull, desserts such as chocolate, vanilla, and cream, fruits such as orange, lemon, and melon, and refreshers such as menthol, mint, and herbs.However, they have problems due to the use of a wide variety of non-tobacco materials to release various flavors as substitutes for tobacco materials, which contain a large amount of fiber.

[0106] In aerosol-forming bodies containing tobacco material, the tobacco fiber maintains its clumped state and prevents the tobacco material from falling off and fusing, but in heated aroma-generating substrates containing non-tobacco material that do not contain a large amount of fiber, a large amount of binder or the like that performs the function of fiber must be blended in to stably maintain the clumped state. As a result, the density of the heated aroma-generating substrate increases, the gas flow path is blocked, and it becomes difficult to inhale the inhaled components, resulting in a decrease in the amount inhaled.

[0107] Furthermore, because aerosol formers are made of glycerin, propylene glycol, or other materials that are liquid at room temperature, the more binder they contain, the more they bleed out of the heated aroma-generating substrate over time, causing the heated aroma-generating substrates to fuse together. This blocks the gas flow path, making it difficult to absorb the aroma components, resulting in a reduced amount of absorption. Furthermore, this fusion not only makes it difficult to insert the heating element into the heated aroma-generating substrate, but can also damage the heating element.

[0108] Conversely, if the amount of binder or other additive is reduced to ensure a gas flow path, non-tobacco materials may fall off or generate dust, making it difficult to maintain the shape of the aroma cartridge firmly, and the aroma cartridge may break when inserted into the heating element. This may also result in the aroma cartridge being inhaled into the oral cavity.

[0109] The present invention aims to provide a means for solving these problems. That is, it provides a means for ensuring a gas flow path and preventing a decrease in inhalation volume. However, solutions that involve significantly changing the composition or blending ratio of the heated aroma-generating base material cannot be adopted due to the need to maintain the generation of aerosols that become smoke and the generation of aroma components released from non-tobacco materials. Therefore, the present invention provides means for solving these problems from two different perspectives.

[0110] One is a physical solution that focuses on the structure of the mouthpiece that makes up the aroma cartridge and has a significant impact on the amount of inhaled. The other is a chemical solution that focuses on the manufacturing method (apparatus) for the heated aroma-generating substrate and its filling state.

[0111] The former physical solution is to provide an aroma cartridge equipped with a suction optimization means in the mouthpiece that improves the suction volume, i.e., an aroma cartridge equipped with a suction optimization means that prevents a decrease in the suction volume by capturing fallen non-tobacco materials and other debris and dust in the heated aroma-generating body. More specifically, the aroma cartridge is provided with a filter that constitutes the mouthpiece, a support that prevents the heated aroma-generating body that constitutes the mouthpiece from moving toward the mouthpiece, and the following suction optimization means in the mouthpiece: a cavity that improves the suction volume by expanding the gas flow path, a shape reinforcing member that prevents a decrease in the suction volume due to deformation, and an insulating material that prevents damage to joints due to heat diffusion. Another aroma cartridge is provided with a suction optimization means in the heated aroma-generating body: a lid material and / or a partition material that prevents and captures fallen non-tobacco materials and other debris and dust.

[0112] The latter chemical solution is to provide a heated aroma-generating unit with an aroma cartridge equipped with a gas generation-maintaining material that does not reduce the amount of suction. More specifically, the aroma cartridge is provided with a heated aroma-generating unit, and is equipped with, as gas generation-maintaining materials, a heated aroma-generating substrate with an improved internal structure by a manufacturing method [device], a heated aroma-generating substrate with an optimized blend amount, inorganic particles present inside and / or on the surface of the heated aroma-generating substrate, and a heated aroma-generating substrate with an improved filling rate.

[0113] These inhalation optimization means and gas generation and maintenance material can be sufficiently effective on their own, so Figure 4 shows an aroma cartridge configuration in which a heated aroma generator without a gas generation and maintenance material is joined to a mouthpiece with an inhalation optimization means, and Figure 33 shows an aroma cartridge configuration in which a heated aroma generator with a gas generation and maintenance material is joined to a mouthpiece without an inhalation optimization means. However, because higher or wider effects can be obtained by using them in combination, an extremely wide variety of aroma cartridges can be provided, including all combinations of heated aroma generators and mouthpieces shown in Figures 4 and 33.

[0114] First, the inhalation optimization means will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 5 shows an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece 221-1, which is made up of a filter unit 221-1 having one cavity 221-1-c1 for filtering gas, and a heated aroma generating unit 21 are adjacent to each other, and are joined and wrapped by a cartridge outer casing 23. 2-1 The cavity 221-1-c1 is disposed in the filter 221-1 at the end of the filter 221-1 on the side of the aroma generating unit 21 to be heated in the longitudinal direction thereof, so that the central axes o of the right circular cylinders of the filter 221-1 and the cavity 221-1-c1 are substantially aligned. 2-1 For example, the outer diameters of the aroma cartridge, the heated aroma generating element, and the mouthpiece are the same as those of the heated smoking device (1) shown in FIGS. 11 Ya(2) 12These are determined by the above equations and can be set appropriately, but below, the outer diameter j and length k of the aroma cartridge are set to 6.9 mm and 45 mm, respectively, the length a of the heated aroma generating body is set to 12 mm, and the length m (= f) of the mouthpiece (= filter) is set to 33 mm.

[0115] The longer and wider the cavity, the greater the amount of suction. However, due to the strength of the mouthpiece, the length c1, inner diameter b1, and surface area are limited to 10-25mm, 1-4mm, and 34.54-326.54mm, respectively. 2 In one embodiment of FIG. 5, a right cylindrical cavity having a length c1 of 20 mm and an inner diameter of 3 mm is formed. Furthermore, although a right cylindrical cavity is shown as the most preferred shape of the cavity, an oblique cylindrical shape is also acceptable and is not limited thereto. Any hole that does not penetrate the filter is sufficient, but considering uniform gas suction into the oral cavity and processability, a shape that is symmetrical about the central axis of the filter is preferred, and columnar shapes such as triangular prism, square prism, and pentagonal prism, as well as pyramidal shapes such as a cone (FIG. 9), triangular pyramid, square pyramid, and pentagonal pyramid are preferred.

[0116] Furthermore, although the cavity in FIG. 5 is formed at the end of the filter on the side of the heated aroma generating unit in the longitudinal direction, it may be provided at the end opposite to this end.

[0117] FIG. 6 shows an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece 221-2, which is made up of a filter unit 221-2 for filtering gas and which has two cavities 221-2-c2 and 221-2-c3, and a heated aroma generating unit 21 are adjacent to each other, and are joined and wrapped with a cartridge exterior body 23. 2-2 The aroma cartridge is configured such that the cavities 221-2-c2 and 221-2-c3 are disposed in the filter 221-2 at both ends of the filter 221-2 in the longitudinal direction thereof, and the central axes o of the right circular cylinders of the filter 221-2 and the cavities 221-2-c2 and 221-2-c3 are substantially aligned. 2-2The longer and wider the cavity shape, the greater the amount of suction. However, due to the problem of the strength of the mouthpiece, it is preferable that the lengths c2 and c3 are 5 to 15 mm, the outer diameters b2 and b3 are 1 to 3.5 mm, and the total surface area is 34.54 to 326.54 mm. 2 The shape is as described in the description of FIG.

[0118] FIG. 7 shows a right cylindrical aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece 221-3, which is made up of a filter unit 221-3 formed with four cavities 221-3-c4 for filtering gas, and a heated aroma generating unit 21 are adjacent to each other, and are joined and wrapped around a cartridge exterior body 23. 2-3 The cavity 221-3-c4 is a right circular cylinder, and is disposed in the filter 221-3 from the end of the filter 221-3 on the side of the heated aroma generating unit 21 in the longitudinal direction of the filter 221-3, at a position rotationally symmetrical about the central axis of the right circular cylinder in the longitudinal direction of the filter 221-3. 2-3 7 is a schematic diagram showing a preferred example of a filter having four cavities. However, the present invention is not limited to this and two or more cavities may be used. The number and size of the cavities are appropriately determined depending on the balance between the suction amount and the strength of the filter, as in the description of FIG. 6. However, the total surface area is preferably 34.54 to 326.54 mm. 2 The shape is as described in the explanation of Fig. 5. Also, although the cavity in Fig. 7 is formed at the end of the filter on the heated aroma generating unit side in the longitudinal direction, it may be provided at the end opposite to this end.

[0119] FIG. 8 shows a right cylindrical aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece 221-4, which is made up of a filter unit 221-4 for filtering gas and which has five cavities 221-4-c5 and 221-4-c6, and a heated aroma generating unit 21 are adjacent to each other, and are joined and wrapped by a cartridge exterior body 23. 2-4and all of the cavities are right circular cylindrical in shape, four cavities (221-4-c5) are arranged in rotational symmetry around the central axis of the right circular cylinder in the longitudinal direction of filter (221-4) from the end of filter (221-4) on the side of aroma generating unit (21) in the longitudinal direction of filter (221-4) within the filter, and one cavity (221-4-c6) is arranged in filter (221-4) from the end of filter (221-4) on the opposite side of aroma generating unit (21) in the longitudinal direction of filter (221-4) such that the central axes of the right circular cylinders of filter (221-4) and cavity (221-4-c6) are substantially the same. 2-4 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example in which there are four cavities 221-4-c5 at the end of the filter on the side of the heated aroma generating unit and five cavities 221-4-c6 on the opposite side, but the number and size of these are not limited to these and are appropriately set depending on the balance between the suction amount and the strength of the filter as described in FIG. 2 It is preferable that the shape is as described in the description of FIG.

[0120] Fig. 9 shows a modified cavity shape, in which the aroma cartridge 2-1 shown in Fig. 5 has a right circular cone-shaped cavity 221-5-d1. In this case, too, the surface area is 34.54 to 326.54 mm 2 The dimensions of the right circular cone-shaped cavity can be appropriately designed so that the cavity is equal to or larger than the predetermined value. In addition, in Fig. 9, the cavity is formed at the end of the filter on the side of the heated aroma-generating element 21 in the longitudinal direction, but it may also be provided at the end opposite to this end.

[0121] FIG. 10 also shows a modified cavity shape, which is the same as the aroma cartridge shown in FIG. 2-3 In this case, three right circular cone-shaped cavities 221-6-d2 are used. In this case, the surface area is 34.54 to 326.54 mm 2 The number and dimensions of the right circular cone cavities can be appropriately designed so that the cavity is equal to or larger than the length of the filter. In this case, the cavity is formed at the end of the filter on the side of the heated aroma generating unit in the longitudinal direction, but the cavity may also be provided at the end opposite to this end.

[0122] FIG. 11 shows a right cylindrical aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which a mouthpiece 221-7 is configured with a filter 2211 for filtering gas, which has one cavity 221-7-c7 formed therein, and a hollow 221-7-v1 formed in a cartridge exterior body 24, and in which a heated aroma generating element 21 and the filter 2211 are adjacent to each other and joined and wrapped with the cartridge exterior body 24. 2-7 11 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which cavity 221-7-c7 has a right circular cylindrical shape and is disposed within filter 2211 from the end of filter 2211 on the heated aroma-generating unit 21 side in the longitudinal direction, so that the central axes of filter 2211 and cavity 221-7-c7 are substantially aligned. While FIG. 11 shows the heated aroma-generating unit and filter adjacent to each other, this arrangement is not limited thereto; conversely, the heated aroma-generating unit and the cavity may be adjacent to each other. In this case, the shortening of filter length f increases the amount of suction, thereby allowing the number and size of cavities formed in the filter, i.e., the surface area, to be reduced. Note that the cartridge exterior alone needs to be strong enough to function as a mouthpiece, so the thickness of the material of the cartridge exterior, such as polyolefin resins (PE, PP, etc.), PET resin, CA resin, polylactic acid (PLA), etc., and paper, may be increased as appropriate depending on the material.

[0123] FIG. 12 shows a right cylindrical aroma cartridge in which the heated aroma generating unit 21 and the filter 2212 are adjacent to each other, and the mouthpiece 221-8 is configured with a filter 2212 for filtering gas in which four cavities 221-8-c8 are formed and a hollow space 221-8-v2 formed in the exterior body of the cartridge, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 2-811, in which cavity 221-8-c8 is a right circular cylinder and is disposed within filter 2212 from the end of filter 2212 on the heated aroma-generating substance 21 side in the longitudinal direction of filter 2212, at a position rotationally symmetrical about the central axis of the right circular cylinder extending in the longitudinal direction of filter 2212. In this case, as in the description of FIG. 11, the heated aroma-generating substance and the cavity may be adjacent to each other, which shortens the length f of the filter and increases the amount of suction, thereby reducing the number and size of the cavities formed in the filter, i.e., the surface area. The strength of the cartridge exterior is also the same as in FIG. 11.

[0124] A filter with such a cavity is also extremely effective as a suction optimization means for solving the problem of reduced suction volume caused by a mouthpiece equipped with a conventional general support member and / or cooling member.

[0125] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-9 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The mouthpiece 222 includes a cylindrical support member 2221 that prevents the heated aroma-generating body 21 from moving toward the mouthpiece 222, and a filter 2222 that filters gas in which one cavity 2222-c1 adjacent to the support member 2221 is formed. The mouthpiece 222 is adjacent to the heated aroma-generating body 21, and these are joined and wrapped around the cartridge exterior 24. The cavity 2222-c1 extends from the longitudinal end of the filter 2222 on the support member 2221 side into the filter 2222, with the right cylindrical central axes of the filter 2222 and the cavity 2222-c1 aligned approximately. The number, size, and shape of the cavities are not limited to those shown in Figure 13, and the same can be applied as those described in Figures 6 to 10. However, because the support member is substantially hollow, the number and size of the cavities can be significantly reduced.

[0126] 14 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The mouthpiece 223 includes a cylindrical support member 2231 that prevents adjacent heated aroma-generating bodies 21 from moving toward the mouthpiece 223, a cylindrical cooling member 2232 that cools components volatilized by heating of the heated aroma-generating bodies 21 adjacent to the support member, and a filter 2223 that has one cavity 2223-c1 adjacent to the cooling member 2232 and filters gas. The mouthpiece 223 is adjacent to the heated aroma-generating bodies 21, and these are joined and wrapped around the cartridge exterior body 23. The cavity 2223-c1 is disposed within the filter 2223 from the end of the filter 2223 on the cooling member 2232 side in the longitudinal direction, so that the central axes of the right cylinders of the filter 2223 and the cavity 2223-c1 are substantially aligned. In this case, the number, size, and shape of the cavities are not limited to those shown in FIG. 14, and those described in the description of FIGS. 6 to 10 can also be applied.

[0127] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-11 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Adjacent to the heated aroma generating body 21 is a mouthpiece 224, which includes a cylindrical cooling member 2241 that cools components volatilized by heating of the adjacent heated aroma generating body 21, and a filter 2242 having a cavity 2242-c1 adjacent to the cooling member 2241 and filtering gas. The mouthpiece 224 and the filter 2242 are joined and wrapped around the cartridge exterior 23. The cavity 2242-c1 is disposed within the filter 2242 from the end of the filter 2242 on the cooling member 2241 side in the longitudinal direction, such that the right cylindrical central axes of the filter 2242 and the cavity 2242-c1 are substantially aligned. The number, size, and shape of the cavities are not limited to those shown in Figure 15; those shown in Figures 6 to 10 can also be applied, and can be appropriately designed depending on the structure of the cooling member.

[0128] Next, we will specifically explain the solution of the present invention to the problem of mouthpiece deformation when a filter and a support member and / or a cooling member are provided in the mouthpiece and the length of the support member is increased to increase the amount of inhalation, as also described in Figures 13 and 14. Here, the shape-reinforcing member of the mouthpiece serves as an inhalation optimization means to prevent mouthpiece deformation and thereby resolve the decrease in the amount of gas inhaled.

[0129] 16 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-12 according to one embodiment of the present invention, which prevents deformation of the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece 225-1 includes a support member 2251-1 that prevents the adjacent heated aroma-generating body 21 from moving toward the mouthpiece 225-1, and a filter 2252-1 that filters gas adjacent to the support member 2251-1. The mouthpiece 225-1 is adjacent to the heated aroma-generating body 21, and these are joined and wrapped around the cartridge exterior 23. In this case, the suction optimization means is a single plate-like reinforcing member 2252-1-s1 that contacts the inner wall of the through-hole 2251-1-h. The plate-like reinforcing member 2252-1-s1 has a central axis in a plane and is fixedly or movably disposed within the through-hole 2251-1-h, which is formed so that the central axes of the support member 2251-1 and the right circular cylinder are substantially aligned. Supporting the support member from the inside of the through-hole with the plate-like reinforcing member in this way prevents deformation of the support member and a decrease in the amount of suction. This plate-shaped reinforcing material may be fixed with adhesive by forming a groove in the through hole, or it may simply be inserted into the through hole so that it can move, but this method is not limited to this.

[0130] 17 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-13 according to one embodiment of the present invention, which prevents deformation of the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece 225-2 includes a support member 2251-2 that prevents the adjacent heated aroma-generating body 21 from moving toward the mouthpiece 225-2, and a filter 2252-2 that is adjacent to the support member 2251-2 and filters gas. The mouthpiece 225-2 is adjacent to the heated aroma-generating body 21, and these are joined and wrapped around the cartridge exterior. The suction optimization means is a plate-like reinforcing member 2251-2-s2, which is comprised of two intersecting plate-like members that contact the inner wall of the through-hole 2251-2-h included in the reinforcing support member 225-2. The plate-like reinforcing member 2251-2-s2 has its central axis in a plane and is fixedly or movably disposed within the through-hole 2251-2-h, which is formed so that the central axis of the support member 2251-2 and that of a right circular cylinder are substantially aligned. This plate-shaped reinforcing material can prevent deformation more firmly than the plate-shaped reinforcing material shown in Fig. 16, so it is possible to make the support member longer and prevent a decrease in the suction amount. As a fixed or movable arrangement method, for example, the method explained in Fig. 16 can be applied as is, but is not limited to this.

[0131] 18 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-14 according to one embodiment of the present invention, which prevents deformation of the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece 225-3 is provided with a support member 2251-3 that prevents the adjacent heated aroma-generating body 21 from moving toward the mouthpiece 225-3, and a filter 2252-3 that filters gas and is adjacent to the support member 2251-3. The mouthpiece 225-3 is adjacent to the heated aroma-generating body 21, and these are joined and wrapped around the cartridge exterior 23. The suction optimization means is a shape reinforcement member that includes a fixedly or movably arranged tubular reinforcement member 2251-3-s4 and four plate-like reinforcement members 2251-3-s3 as the reinforcing support member 2251-3. The tubular reinforcement member 2251-3-s4 is a concentric tube with a radius smaller than the radius of the through-hole 2251-3-h of the support member 2251-3, which is formed so that the central axis of the support member 2251-3 is approximately the same as that of the right circular cylinder. The four plate-like reinforcement members 2251-3-s3 are arranged radially around the tubular reinforcement member 2251-3-s4 so as to contact the inner wall of the through-hole 2251-3-h. This shaped reinforcement member, consisting of tubular reinforcement members and plate-like reinforcement members, has a greater reinforcing effect than the plate-like reinforcement member shown in FIG. 17 and can further increase the length of the support member. In this case, the fixed or movable installation method is the same as that shown in FIG. 16.

[0132] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-15 that uses a columnar reinforcement member 2251-4-s4 that is a solid (not hollow) concentric column instead of the tubular reinforcement member 2251-3-s4 that was a concentric tube in Figure 18. Whether a hollow circular tube or a solid column is used can be changed as appropriate depending on the balance between the reinforcement effect and the suction amount.

[0133] The reinforcing support members of FIGS. 16 to 19 can be used to form a mouthpiece together with the filter having the cavity formed therein as explained with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10, and further, a cooling member can also be connected to form a mouthpiece.

[0134] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-15, illustrating an example of an aroma cartridge in which a mouthpiece, which is made up of a reinforcing support member of Figures 16 to 19 and a filter with a cavity as described in Figures 5 to 10, is joined adjacent to the aromatic substance to be heated. This shows an example of an aroma cartridge in which a mouthpiece, which is made up of a reinforcing support member 2251-5 with shape reinforcements 2251-3-s3 and 2251-3-s4 that prevent the adjacent heated aroma-generating body 21 from moving toward the mouthpiece 225-5, and a filter 2252-5 with a cavity formed adjacent thereto that filters gas, is joined adjacent to the aromatic substance to be heated, and these are joined and wrapped with a cartridge exterior body 23.

[0135] The cavity 2252-5-c1 is disposed in the filter 2252-5 at the end of the filter 2252-5 on the heated aroma generating unit 21 side in the longitudinal direction thereof, so that the center axes of the right circular cylinders of the filter 2252-5 and the cavity 2252-5-c1 are substantially aligned. The suction optimization means here is a geometric reinforcement member having a tubular reinforcement member 2251-5-s4, which is a hollow concentric tube with a radius smaller than the radius of the through hole 2251-5-h, which has an axis approximately identical to the axis of the support member 2251-5 and is a right circular cylinder, and four plate-like reinforcements 2251-5-s3, which are formed on the outer periphery of the tubular reinforcement member 2251-5-s4 so as to contact the inner wall of the through hole 2251-5-h in the radial direction of the tubular reinforcement member 2251-5-s4, and are fixedly or movably arranged as the reinforcing support member 2251-5. The configuration is not limited to this, and various reinforcing support members and filters with various cavities can be combined.

[0136] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-15, illustrating an example of an aroma cartridge in which a mouthpiece is connected to a heated aroma substance, with a cooling member interposed between the reinforcing support member of Figures 16 to 19 and the filter with a cavity formed therein as described in Figures 5 to 10. Mouthpiece 226 is adjacent to heated aroma substance 21, and is equipped with reinforcing support member 2261 having shape reinforcements 2261-s3 and 2261-s4 that prevent the adjacent heated aroma-generating substance 21 from moving toward mouthpiece 226, cooling member 2262 that cools gas from heated aroma-generating substance 21, and filter 2263 that is adjacent to cooling member 2262 and has one cavity 2263-c1 formed therein for filtering gas.

[0137] The cavity 2263-c1 is disposed at the longitudinal end of the filter 2263 on the heated aroma generating unit 21 side, so that the central axes of the right circular cylinders of the filter 2263 and the cavity 2263-c1 are substantially coincident. The suction optimization means here is a shape reinforcement member that is fixedly or movably disposed as the reinforcing support member 2261, and that includes a tubular reinforcement member 2261-s4 that is a hollow concentric tube and has a radius smaller than the radius of the through hole 2261-h that has substantially the same axis as the axis of the through hole 2261-h of the support member 2261, which is formed so that the central axes of the support member 2261 and the right circular cylinder are substantially coincident. The suction optimization means is a shape reinforcement member that is fixedly or movably disposed as the reinforcing support member 2261. The shape reinforcement member includes a tubular reinforcement member 2261-s4 that is a hollow concentric tube and has a radius smaller than the radius of the through hole 2261-h that has substantially the same axis as the axis of the through hole 2261-h, and four plate-like reinforcements 2261-s3 that are formed on the outer periphery of the tubular reinforcement member 2261-s4 so as to contact the inner wall of the through hole 2261-h in the radial direction of the tubular reinforcement member 2261-s4. In this case, too, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and it is possible to combine various reinforcing support members and filters having various cavities formed therein with cooling members interposed therebetween.

[0138] As described above, as the amount of inhalation increases due to improvements in the filter and support member, the heat of the gas is more easily transferred by convection from the heating element to the filter, which reduces the bonding strength between the components that make up the aroma cartridge, causing gas to leak between the components and adversely affecting the amount of inhalation. Below, we provide an aroma cartridge that solves this problem by providing a heat insulating member between the heated aroma-generating element and the mouthpiece.

[0139] 22 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-18 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The suction optimization means here has a heat insulating member 2271. A mouthpiece 227 is adjacent to the heated aroma-generating unit 21, and includes a heat insulating member 2271 adjacent to the heated aroma-generating unit 21, and a filter 2272 adjacent to the heat insulating member 2271 for filtering gas. The mouthpiece 227 is adjacent to the heated aroma-generating unit 21, and these are joined and wrapped around the cartridge exterior body 23.

[0140] 23 is a schematic diagram showing an aroma cartridge 2-19 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Here, the suction optimization means also has a heat insulating member 2281. A mouthpiece 228 is adjacent to the heated aroma generating unit 21, and is equipped with a heat insulating member 2281 adjacent to the heated aroma generating unit 21, a cylindrical cooling member 2282 adjacent to the heat insulating member 2281 for cooling gas from the heated aroma generating unit 21, and a filter 2283 adjacent to the cooling member 2282 for filtering the gas. The mouthpiece 228 is adjacent to the heated aroma generating unit 21, and these are joined and wrapped around the cartridge exterior body 23.

[0141] These insulating members do not distribute the high-temperature gas throughout the entire unit, as is the case with support members adjacent to the heated aroma generating unit, but are preferably made of a porous plastic material, such as a sponge with long, continuous pores, and their function is to retain and cool the gas to some extent, but the cooling function of the cooling member is not necessary, and they are preferably used in place of a support member that prevents the heated aroma generating unit from moving toward the mouthpiece. Therefore, the length s of the insulating member depends on the material used, but a length of approximately 1 to 5 mm is sufficient.

[0142] Next, we will use drawings to explain the lid material and partition material that function as suction optimization means to prevent an extreme decrease in suction volume caused by clogging of the gaps in the filter and cooling member due to fallen non-tobacco material and dust.

[0143] 24 is a partial schematic diagram of a heated aroma generating unit of an aroma cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention. The suction optimization means here includes a lid member 211 disposed at one of the two ends of the heated aroma generating unit closer to the aroma cartridge, and a partition member 212 disposed at the other end of the heated aroma generating unit. Lid member 211 and partition member 212 are preferably made of extremely thinly sliced ​​filter-like materials, nonwoven fabrics, or mesh-like materials that do not reduce the amount of gas suction, and can be fixed to heated aroma generating unit 21 with an adhesive or the like.

[0144] Depending on the state of the heated aroma-generating base material and the heated aroma-generating element that bundles them, either one or both of these lid and partition materials may be provided. The lid and / or partition material prevents clogging of the filter and / or cooling element with fallen particles or dust, ensuring a stable suction volume. It also prevents the generation of fallen particles and dust that occurs when the aroma cartridge is inserted into the needle-shaped heating element.

[0145] The above describes in detail, with reference to drawings, a physical solution for structurally improving an aroma cartridge to ensure the amount of gas inhaled when smoking. The following describes, with reference to drawings, a gas generation-sustaining material provided in a heated aroma-generating unit that solves the problem of reduced gas inhalation. Conventional heated aroma-generating units have a problem in that the amount of gas emitted decreases over time, resulting in a reduced amount of gas inhaled when smoking. The aroma cartridge of the present invention includes a heated aroma-generating substrate that constitutes a heated aroma-generating unit and that has been treated with a chemical solution, as a gas generation-sustaining material that prevents a decrease in the amount of gas inhaled.

[0146] First, Figure 25 shows a schematic diagram (A) of a heated aroma-generating sheet that constitutes a heated aroma-generating body according to one embodiment of the present invention, and a schematic diagram (B) of a heated aroma-generating filling that constitutes a heated aroma-generating body according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0147] The heated aroma-generating substrate is manufactured by various manufacturing processes [means], but is ultimately wound as a sheet or filler to become the heated aroma-generating substrate. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, 11 Ya(2) 12 The length z direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the heated smoking device, and it is cut to the length z appropriate for the heated smoking device, but has an appropriate width w and thickness y as a gas generation sustaining material. Here, Figure 25 is used as an example to show the dimensions corresponding to the heated aroma-generating unit described in Figure 5. The length z direction corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the aroma cartridge, and the heated aroma-generating base material is wrapped in paper in this direction to form the heated aroma-generating unit. The heated aroma-generating sheet (A) contained in the heated aroma-generating unit preferably has a length z of 12 mm for the heated smoking device, a width w and a thickness y in the ranges of 60 to 90 mm and 0.1 to 1.0 mm, respectively. The heated aroma-generating filler (B) has a length z of 12 mm, but preferably has a width x and a thickness y of 1.0 to 2.0 mm and a thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 mm, respectively. The heated aroma-generating filler is obtained by further cutting the heated aroma-generating sheet.

[0148] The heated aroma-generating body is formed by folding one heated aroma-generating sheet of Fig. 25(A) and wrapping it in the heated aroma-generating inner material 21-p, as shown in Fig. 26(A-1), and the heated aroma-generating body is formed by wrapping one heated aroma-generating sheet of Fig. 25(A) and wrapping it in the heated aroma-generating inner material 21-p, as shown in Fig. 26(A-2). Also, the heated aroma-generating body is formed by wrapping 50 heated aroma-generating fillers in the heated aroma-generating inner material 21-p, as shown in Fig. 26(B). The outer diameters of these are also the same as those of the heated smoking device (1). 11 Ya(2) 12 The filling ratio is set appropriately depending on the heating conditions, but if it is set to 6.9 mm, which corresponds to the heated aroma-generating element described in Figure 5, the filling ratio will be within the range of 60 to 90%. In particular, when the filling ratio is 60 to 73%, severe fusion over time has not been observed in the heated aroma-generating substrate. This filling ratio is adjusted by the width w of the heated aroma-generating sheet and the number of heated aroma-generating fillers, and does not apply when a gas generation-sustaining material is present.

[0149] The following describes in detail, with reference to the drawings, a gas generation-sustaining material, i.e., a heated aroma-generating substrate treated with a chemical solution, which has the function of preventing a decrease in the amount of gas emitted from a heated aroma-generating body, which is closely related to a decrease in the amount of gas inhaled during smoking, and ensuring the amount of gas inhaled. The aroma cartridge of the present invention comprises a heated aroma-generating body and a heated aroma-generating substrate treated with this chemical solution as a gas generation-sustaining material.

[0150] There are various conventional methods or apparatuses for manufacturing a heated aroma-generating substrate, one example of which is shown in Figure 33. It is manufactured through the following steps: a step (means) of preparing a non-tobacco material by drying and grinding the non-tobacco material and then dry-blending it; a step (means) of preparing an ingredient selected from the group consisting of an aerosol former, a binder, an anti-adhesive agent, a flavoring, a non-tobacco extract, and an antibacterial preservative; a step (means) of preparing pure water and alcohol; a wet-blending step (means) of mixing these prepared ingredients together; a papermaking step (means) of producing a water-impregnated sheet from the wet-blended slurry; a molding step (means) of compressing or casting the paper-made water-impregnated sheet to produce a sheet; a step (means) of drying the sheet produced in the molding step; and a sheet processing step (means) of cutting or folding the dried heated aroma-generating sheet.

[0151] As a specific example, (Production Example 1) is shown.

[0152] (Production Example 1) The following ground materials were charged into a dry mixer as non-tobacco materials and dry mixed for 5 minutes. Dried and crushed black tea leaves 100 parts by weight 20 parts by weight of dried and crushed licorice Dried and crushed lotus leaves 10 parts by weight

[0153] The above dry mixture and the following materials were placed in a wet mixer and wet mixed for 15 minutes. Polypropylene glycol 25 parts by mass Glycerin 25 parts by mass Carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt 5 parts by mass Menthol 3 parts by weight Ethanol 3 parts by mass Pure water 200 parts by mass

[0154] In the process of forming a sheet from the slurry thus obtained, a specified amount of the slurry was poured into a frame equipped with an appropriate tray to produce a water-containing sheet. In this production example, the water content of the water-containing sheet was approximately 95% when the water content of the slurry was taken as 100%.

[0155] Subsequently, the water-containing sheet was passed three times through press rolls with a predetermined clearance to be molded, and then 7 parts by mass of pure water per 100 parts by mass of the water-containing sheet that had been passed three times was added to the water-containing sheet, and the sheet was passed through the press rolls a further five times.

[0156] The formed moisture-containing sheet obtained as described above was then dried for 300 minutes at 35°C to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet with a moisture content of 20% by mass. A drying temperature of less than 50°C is preferred to preserve the flavor. A temperature of less than 45°C is more preferred, and even less than 40°C is even more preferred. The thickness of the sheet can be adjusted as needed, but in this production example, the thickness was 0.5 mm. This sheet was cut into rectangular heated aroma-generating sheets measuring 240 mm long x 75 mm wide and heated aroma-generating fillings measuring 240 mm long x 1.5 mm wide. The length direction of the cut sheet and fillings from the heated aroma-generating sheet was parallel to the rotation axis of the roll, and their width direction was in the direction of rotation of the roll.

[0157] One heated aroma-generating sheet and 50 heated aroma-generating fillers thus prepared were wound and then cut to a length of 12 mm, producing the heated aroma-generating bodies shown in Figures 26(A-1) and 26(B). An aroma cartridge of the type shown in Figure 13 was then produced, in which the heated aroma-generating body was attached to a mouthpiece equipped with a support member and a filter. The support member was a PE tube with a cylindrical outer diameter of 6.9 mm and a through-hole with an inner diameter of 4.0 mm. The filter was made by molding acetyl cellulose fiber into a cylindrical shape and had a basis weight of 34 g / m.2 The cartridge exterior was 23 mm long and wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 38 g / m 2 The cartridge exterior was made of paper with a grammage of 32 to 45 g / m², wound around two and a half times, and glued to an inner diameter of 6.9 mm. 2 When a paper tube formed by wrapping the paper around two and a half times is used, it becomes suitable as an aroma cartridge, in which the heated aroma generating element is inserted into the heating element of a heated smoking device. Then, a support member and a filter are inserted into one end of the cartridge exterior to form a mouthpiece, and the heated aroma generating element is inserted into the other end, and then a paper tube with a basis weight of 40 g / m is inserted so as to overlap the mouthpiece. 2 However, in order to clarify the effect of the manufacturing method [apparatus] on the heated aroma-generating substrate, i.e., the difference in the function of the gas generation-sustaining material, a filter without a cavity, which is a suction optimization means, was used.

[0158] The heated aroma generating units and aroma cartridges thus prepared were evaluated as follows.

[0159] <Rating 1> The prepared aroma cartridges were packed into a paper box measuring 70 mm long, 14 mm short, and 45 mm high, with the heated aroma generating material facing the bottom. The box containing the prepared aroma cartridges was then placed in a plastic bag and left for two weeks in a 40°C environment. After that, the box was removed and left in a room temperature and humidity environment for one day, and the following evaluations were performed. The contents were removed from the heated aroma generating material and checked to see if they had solidified. Five subjects smoked the cigarettes, and a sensory evaluation of the amount of smoke and flavor was conducted. Rank A: The item falls apart when removed with tweezers. The amount of suction and flavor can be fully appreciated by four or more people. Rank B: Can be loosened by pressing with tweezers Two or more people can fully enjoy both the amount of inhalation and the flavor. Rank C: When pressed with tweezers, lumps remain No one can fully detect the amount of inhalation or flavor. Rank C items are likely to become difficult to insert into the heating element of a heated smoking device due to long-term storage, etc.

[0160] The aroma cartridge produced in (Manufacturing Example 1) was rated as Rank C, and the heated aroma-generating sheet and heated aroma filling material fused together over time, reducing the amount of gas released when smoking, i.e., the amount of gas inhaled, and the flavor also changed, so they did not function as a material for sustaining the gas generation of the heated aroma substance.

[0161] This problem was solved by improving the manufacturing method [apparatus]. This manufacturing method [apparatus] is characterized by the introduction of a second wet mixing step [means] as a manufacturing process [means], as shown in Figure 27. As is clear from the figure, it includes a dry mixing step [means] Z1 in which dried and ground non-tobacco material is mixed; a first wet mixing step [means] M2 in which the non-tobacco material produced in the dry mixing step [means] and a material selected from the group consisting of an aerosol former, a binder or thickener, cross-linked PVP, a flavoring, a non-tobacco extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, and an antimicrobial preservative are mixed with an alcohol and pure water mixture; and a step in which pure water and / or alcohol are added to the alcohol and pure water mixture containing the non-tobacco material, etc., produced in the first wet mixing step [means]. The heated aroma-generating substrate is produced through a second wet mixing process [means] M3 in which coal is further added to produce a slurry containing non-tobacco materials, etc.; a papermaking process [means] S1 in which a moisture-containing sheet is produced from the slurry produced in the second wet mixing process [means]; a sheet forming process [means] S2 in which the moisture-containing sheet is compressed and processed into a sheet; a drying process [means] S3 in which the sheet produced in the sheet forming process [means] is dried to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing process [means] H1 in which the heated aroma-generating sheet is cut or folded.

[0162] As a specific example, (Production Example 2) is shown.

[0163] (Production Example 2) Black tea leaves are dried at 70°C to a moisture content of 2% by mass, and then crushed. Similarly, legume licorice, lotus leaves, and ginseng are dried and crushed. The drying temperature is preferably 60°C to 80°C or less. Within this range, it is easy to reach the desired moisture content while avoiding the dissipation of necessary flavor components. At 65°C or higher, it is even easier to reach the desired moisture content, and at 75°C or lower, it is even more possible to prevent the dissipation of necessary flavor components.

[0164] The moisture content after pulverization is preferably 5% by mass or less. This facilitates slurrying in the subsequent step [means]. 3% by mass or less is even more preferable. Furthermore, a moisture content of 0.1% by mass or more is preferable, as it allows the material to maintain good affinity with water, etc.

[0165] The dried and crushed material passed through an 80-mesh sieve was used as the non-tobacco material, and was placed in a dry mixer in the following proportions and dry mixed for 5 minutes. Dried and crushed black tea leaves 100 parts by weight 20 parts by weight of dried and crushed licorice Dried and crushed lotus leaves 10 parts by weight 5 parts by weight of dried and crushed ginseng

[0166] The above dry mixture and the following materials were charged into a wet mixer, and a first wet mixing was carried out for 15 minutes. Polypropylene glycol 30 parts by mass Glycerin 20 parts by mass Carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt 5 parts by mass Menthol 3 parts by weight Ethanol 3 parts by mass Pure water 20 parts by mass

[0167] Next, 180 parts by mass of pure water and 10 parts by mass of ethanol are added to the wet mixer containing the slurry, and a second wet mixing is performed for 10 minutes. The reason for adding ethanol here is that it can significantly improve the dispersion state of the dried and pulverized material relative to polypropylene glycol and glycerin. The alcohol is not limited to ethanol, as long as it is a lower monoalcohol. The amount of such a lower monoalcohol added is preferably 0.1 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the dried and pulverized material. When the amount is 0.1 part by mass or more, the dispersion state is improved, and when the amount is 10 parts by mass or less, the remaining lower monoalcohol can be suppressed. When the amount is 0.5 to 5 parts by mass, this effect is more pronounced.

[0168] The reason for adding pure water first to form the mixture is that the mixture is first dispersed, and then diluted and mixed with additional water to obtain a slurry with good dispersibility. It is also preferable to add water in multiple batches. When adding water in multiple batches, it is preferable to use a combination in which the amount of water added first is small and the amount of water added later is large. In this way, the degree of improvement in dispersibility when water is added first is high, and adding more water later will result in a uniform slurry.

[0169] In the process of forming a sheet from the slurry obtained as described above, a specified amount of the slurry was poured into a frame equipped with an appropriate tray to produce a water-containing sheet. In this embodiment, the water content of the water-containing sheet was approximately 95% when the water content of the slurry was 100%.

[0170] Subsequently, the water-containing sheet is passed three times through press rolls with a predetermined clearance to form it, and then 7 parts by mass of water per 100 parts by mass of the water-containing sheet that has been passed three times is added to the water-containing sheet, and the sheet is passed through the press rolls five more times. Preferably, the amount of water is 2 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the water-containing sheet. In this way, when the water-containing sheet is formed multiple times, adding water midway has the effect of making it easier to standardize the amount of water contained in the water-containing sheet within a certain range, which has the effect of standardizing the conditions for the subsequent drying step [means] and the effect of standardizing the quality of the final product.

[0171] The formed moisture-containing sheet obtained as described above was then dried for 300 minutes at 35°C to produce a formed sheet for electronic cigarette filler with a moisture content of 20% by mass. A drying temperature of less than 50°C is preferable to preserve the flavor. A temperature of less than 45°C is more preferable, and even less than 40°C is even more preferable. The sheet had a thickness of 0.5 mm. This sheet was then cut into a heated aroma-generating sheet with a length z of 240 mm and a width x of 75 mm, and a heated aroma-generating filler with a length z of 240 mm and a width x of 1.5 mm, to be wrapped around the heated aroma-generating body.

[0172] One heated aroma-generating sheet and 50 heated aroma-generating fillers manufactured by this method [apparatus] were each wound and then cut to a length z of 12 mm to produce the heated aroma-generating bodies shown in Figures 26(A-1) and 26(B). Then, as in (Manufacturing Example 1), an aroma cartridge was manufactured in which the heated aroma-generating body was joined to a mouthpiece equipped with a support member and a filter, as shown in Figure 13. However, a filter without a cavity, which is a suction optimization means, was used to clarify the effect of the manufacturing method [apparatus] on the heated aroma-generating substrate, i.e., the difference in the function of the gas generation-sustaining material.

[0173] Then, in the same way as the aroma cartridge produced in (Production Example 1), when <Evaluation 1> was carried out, a result of Rank A was obtained. This suggests that the heated aroma-generating substrate produced by this method [apparatus] has little fusion over time within the heated aroma-generating substrate and between other substrates, and therefore there is little change in the amount of gas released due to heating, and the amount of gas inhaled during smoking is maintained. In other words, the heated aroma-generating substrate produced by this method [apparatus] functions as a gas generation-sustaining material for the heated aroma-generating substrate.

[0174] The manufacturing method [apparatus] shown in FIG. 27 has been improved as shown in FIG. 28. The manufacturing method [apparatus] shown in FIG. 28 is characterized by the addition of a step [means] S3 of adding an aerosol former when the moisture content of the sheet falls below 50% to the sheet forming step [means] S2 in the manufacturing method [apparatus] shown in FIG. 27. Specifically, the amount of propylene glycol in the first wet mixing in (Manufacturing Example 2) was reduced by 10 parts by mass, and a 50% ethanol solution of propylene glycol was used and sprayed at a temperature below 40°C to absorb the propylene glycol into the sheet, thereby compensating for the propylene glycol reduced in the first wet mixing. Here, the concentration of the alcohol solution of the aerosol former is preferably in the range of 20 to 80% in terms of the absorbency of the aerosol former and the drying speed of the alcohol. A high concentration makes it difficult to absorb, while a low concentration makes it take time for the alcohol to dry. The temperature for absorption is also preferably 20 to 50° C. in terms of the aerosol former's absorbency. If the temperature is too high, the aerosol former will evaporate rapidly, and if the temperature is too low, it will be difficult to absorb.

[0175] Because the dispersion state in the second wet mixing was good, the absorption of propylene glycol in this step [means] was rapid. The 0.5 mm thick heated aroma-generating substrate produced by this method [apparatus] was also cut to the same size as in Production Example 2 to prepare aroma cartridges, and when <Evaluation 1> was performed, the result was Rank A, demonstrating that the heated aroma-generating sheet produced by this method [apparatus] also functions as a gas generation-sustaining material for the heated aroma-generating substrate.

[0176] The common improvement of the manufacturing methods [apparatus] in Figures 27 and 28 is the improvement in the mixing and dispersion of the non-tobacco material and the aerosol former. In light of this, we have devised a manufacturing method [apparatus] that does not involve the mixing and dispersion process [means] of the non-tobacco material and the aerosol former, resulting in the manufacturing process [means] for the heated aroma-generating substrate shown in Figure 29.

[0177] That is, the gas generating sustaining material is produced by a wet mixing process [means] M1 in which dried and pulverized non-tobacco material is mixed with pure water to produce a non-tobacco material slurry; a papermaking process [means] S1 in which a water-containing sheet is produced from the slurry produced in the wet mixing process [means]; a sheet forming process [means] S2 in which the water-containing sheet is compressed or cast to form a sheet; a drying process [means] S3 in which the moisture content of the sheet produced in the sheet forming process [means] is reduced to less than 50% by mass; and an aerosol former, a bonding agent, and the like are added to the sheet produced in the drying process [means]. The heated aroma-generating substrate is manufactured through an absorption and adsorption process [means] S4 in which a mixture of alcohol and pure water containing a material selected from the group consisting of an antibacterial preservative, a thickener, cross-linked PVP, a flavoring, a non-tobacco extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, a concentrated solution of water discharged in the sheet forming process [means], and an antibacterial preservative is applied to or soaked in the mixture; a drying process [means] S5 in which the sheet manufactured in the absorption and adsorption process [means] is dried to manufacture a heated aroma-generating sheet; and a sheet processing process [means] H1 in which the heated aroma-generating sheet is cut or folded.

[0178] A specific example of this manufacturing method (apparatus) is shown in (Manufacturing Example 3).

[0179] (Production Example 3) Wood fiber 50 parts by mass 50 parts by mass of dried black tea leaves Water 5000 parts by mass The above was mixed to form a slurry.

[0180] This slurry was cast into a sheet with a thickness of 0.5 mm. The remaining water in the cast was concentrated and stored for use in the next step [Means].

[0181] The sheet was dried and the following was added per 100 parts by mass of the sheet: Polypropylene glycol 10 parts by mass Glycerin 20 parts by mass Carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt 2 parts by mass Menthol (50% ethanol solution) 3 parts by weight Concentrated cast residue water 50 parts by weight was added and dried to prepare a sheet.

[0182] The sheet produced was used to prepare a heated aroma generating unit and an aroma cartridge using the same, as in (Production Example 2), and when evaluated under <Evaluation 1>, a result of Rank A was obtained, demonstrating that the heated aroma generating sheet produced using this method [apparatus] also functions as a gas generation sustaining material for the heated aroma generating substrate.

[0183] Previous manufacturing methods (apparatus) were characterized by producing a heated aroma-generating sheet by preparing a slurry of non-tobacco materials, etc., and then papermaking the slurry. However, as shown in Figure 29, a method (apparatus) in which an aerosol former, flavoring, binder, etc. was absorbed into a water-impregnated sheet produced by papermaking a slurry of only non-tobacco materials produced good results. Therefore, we considered the process (means) of papermaking from slurries of materials with various different properties to be unreasonable, and after investigating a manufacturing method (apparatus) that did not require a papermaking process, we discovered the method (apparatus) shown in Figure 30. This method is characterized by applying large shear and compression forces, such as those applied by a three-roll mill, to a mixture of non-tobacco materials, etc.

[0184] That is, the method includes non-tobacco material preparation steps [means] Z1 and Z2 in which non-tobacco material is dried and crushed, a flavor and / or non-tobacco extract dissolving step [means] M1 in which at least a flavor and / or non-tobacco material extract and cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin are mixed in alcohol to retain the flavor and / or non-tobacco extract in the cross-linked PVP and / or β-cyclodextrin, and an aerosol former dissolving step [means] M2 in which at least an aerosol former and a binder or thickener are mixed in pure water. This method (apparatus) for producing a heated aroma-generating substrate includes a wet mixing step (means) M3 in which the material produced in the non-tobacco material preparation step (means), the material produced in the flavoring and / or non-tobacco extract dissolving step (means), and the material produced in the aerosol former dissolving step (means), a sheet forming step (means) S1 in which the material produced in the wet mixing step (means) is compressed to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet, and a sheet processing step (means) H1 in which the heated aroma-generating sheet is cut or folded.

[0185] A specific example of this manufacturing method (apparatus) is shown in (Manufacturing Example 4).

[0186] (Production Example 4) In the non-tobacco material preparation steps [Means] Z1 and Z2, which involve drying and grinding the non-tobacco material, black tea leaves are used as the non-tobacco material, which is dried in an oven at 70°C, then ground using an agitator grinder and passed through an 80-mesh sieve to prepare a non-tobacco material with a moisture content of 2% by mass.

[0187] In the step M1 of dissolving menthol, menthol, a lower alcohol, and a water-insoluble crosslinked polymer are weighed and mixed to dissolve the menthol. After dissolving menthol in the lower alcohol, it is preferable to add the water-insoluble crosslinked polymer and mix them. Mixing menthol, a lower alcohol, and a water-insoluble crosslinked polymer has the effect of suppressing the dissipation of menthol.

[0188] Here, menthol is not limited to that obtained from natural products, but synthetic products can also be used. Also, peppermint, mint, peppermint oil, and other materials containing menthol may be used.

[0189] The lower alcohol is a solvent that dissolves menthol, and ethyl alcohol is particularly preferably used.

[0190] The term "water-insoluble crosslinked polymer" refers to a polymer that is water-soluble and crosslinked, and becomes insoluble in water and swells. Of course, it is preferable that the polymer does not dissolve in lower alcohols and swells, and such a polymer is selected. Such a water-insoluble crosslinked polymer has a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion, and it is believed that the hydrophilic portion contributes to swelling, and the hydrophilic portion orients toward menthol, thereby suppressing menthol dissipation. Preferred examples of hydrophilic crosslinked polymers include crosslinked PVP and crosslinked polysaccharides that are water-insoluble and obtained by epoxy crosslinking, ester crosslinking, or ether crosslinking of water-soluble polysaccharides. In particular, when ethanol and crosslinked PVP are used together with menthol, the effect of significantly suppressing menthol dissipation was observed.

[0191] Menthol may be added in an amount that achieves the desired flavor, but the menthol content in the heated aroma-generating base material is preferably 0.1 to 10 mass units, more preferably 0.2 to 5 mass units.

[0192] In forming the heated aroma-generating base material, the amount of hydrophilic crosslinked polymer added is preferably 10 to 2000 parts by mass, more preferably 50 to 600 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of menthol.

[0193] In order to achieve the effect of suppressing menthol dissipation, the hydrophilic crosslinked polymer is preferably present in the heated aroma-generating base material in an amount of 2% by mass or more, more preferably 4% by mass or more. By having such an amount present, long-term storage is possible while suppressing menthol dissipation, and the refreshing feeling of menthol can be enjoyed even after long-term storage. Furthermore, the content of the hydrophilic crosslinked polymer in the heated aroma-generating base material is preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less. At 10% by mass or less, it is possible to maintain the flavor resulting from non-plant-derived polyphenols, etc.

[0194] The amount of lower alcohol used is preferably 50 parts by mass or more relative to 100 parts by mass of menthol. Furthermore, when the amount is 100 parts by mass or more, the hydrophilic crosslinked polymer can be sufficiently mixed while dissolving the menthol. When the amount is 2000 parts by mass or less, the amount of lower alcohol remaining in the subsequent process [means] can be reduced, making it possible to achieve an efficient production process [means].

[0195] From the above, as an example, Menthol 100 parts by mass Ethyl alcohol 200 parts by mass Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone 200 parts by mass The menthol was weighed, and the menthol was dissolved in ethyl alcohol to obtain a menthol ethyl alcohol solution. Then, the crosslinked PVP was added to the menthol ethyl alcohol solution and mixed with stirring to obtain a menthol / ethyl alcohol / crosslinked PVP mixture.

[0196] Next, in step M2 of dissolving materials such as an aerosol former, the aerosol former, flavor additives, preservatives, binders or thickeners, etc. are dissolved in pure water.

[0197] Examples of aerosol formers that can be used include glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, triethylene glycol, lactic acid, diacetin (glycerin diacetate), triacetin (glycerin triacetate), triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, isopropyl myristate, methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedionate, and dimethyl tetradecanedione. Glycerin and propylene glycol are particularly preferred. These are preferably used in an amount of 1 to 80% by mass, and more preferably 10 to 40% by mass, of the aroma-generating substrate to be heated.

[0198] Flavoring agents that add flavor are used as needed, and examples include extracts of peppermint, cocoa, coffee, black tea, etc.

[0199] If necessary, an antibacterial food preservative such as sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, benzoic acid, or sodium benzoate can be added.

[0200] Examples of binders or thickeners that can be used include gums such as guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, and locust bean gum, modified cellulose polymers such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, and ethyl cellulose, polysaccharides such as starch, organic acids such as alginic acid, and conjugate base salts of organic acids such as sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, caranagin, agar, and pectin, and combinations of these may also be used.

[0201] Among these, 20% aqueous solutions of glycerin, propylene glycol, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, glucomannan, and xylitol were prepared.

[0202] Next, in step M3, which wet-mixes the materials from each of the steps Z1 and Z2 for preparing the non-tobacco material, M1 for dissolving the flavoring agent, and M2 for dissolving the aerosol former, a conventional wet mixer was used to mix the materials with the following formulation for 15 minutes while applying shear force with a mixing blade, to prepare a composition for a heated aroma-generating substrate from a non-tobacco plant. Dried and crushed black tea leaves 100 parts by weight Menthol / ethyl alcohol / crosslinked PVP 25 parts by weight Glycerin 30 parts by mass Propylene glycol 30 parts by mass Sodium carboxymethylcellulose 4 parts by mass Methylcellulose 15 parts by mass Xylitol aqueous solution 8 parts by mass Glucomannan 1 part by mass

[0203] A three-roll mill was used in the sheet-forming step S1. The composition was placed in the three-roll mill, and while monitoring the state of the sheet, 20 parts by mass of pure water was added. A doctor blade was pressed against the rolls to obtain a sheet. This step was repeated eight times to obtain the final sheet-shaped non-tobacco plant composition. Using a three-roll mill, the material was kneaded and dispersed by the compressive force generated by being forced between the narrow rolls and the shear force generated by the difference in roll speeds, while the material was formed into a sheet of the desired thickness using a doctor blade. This allows for the production of a more uniform sheet than when a sheet is produced from a slurry papermaking step. In addition to a three-roll mill, a press roller or a press can also be suitably used.

[0204] In the sheet forming step (means) S1, non-tobacco plants, aerosol formers, flavorings, antibacterial preservatives, binders or thickeners, water, etc. may be added as needed.

[0205] The pure water used in the present invention is preferably sterilized or microorganism-free, but may be purified water obtained by reverse osmosis or ion exchange.

[0206] In this sheet forming step (means) S1, the mixture was formed into a sheet having a thickness of about 0.5 mm. The thickness of the sheet may be in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 mm, or 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

[0207] Next, this 0.5 mm thick heated aroma-generating sheet was cut into heated aroma-generating sheets and heated aroma-generating fillers, as in (Production Example 2), and then processed into heated aroma-generating bodies and assembled into aroma cartridges. When Evaluation 1 was then carried out in the same manner, a result of Rank A was obtained, demonstrating that the heated aroma-generating sheets produced by this method [apparatus] also function as gas generation-sustaining materials for heated aroma-generating substrates.

[0208] As described above, it has become clear that heated aroma-generating substrates using non-tobacco materials have a wide variety of constituent compositions and properties, and that non-uniformity in the mixing, dispersion, and dissolution states of these components leads to changes over time, such as bleed-out of the aerosol former from the heated aroma-generating substrate, which reduces the amount of gas released from the heated aroma-generating substrate and the amount of gas inhaled during smoking. Therefore, by improving this non-uniformity, it was possible to solve the problem of changes over time in the amount of gas inhaled.

[0209] Furthermore, we found that the specific problems associated with non-tobacco aroma cartridges are due to the binder or thickener used in the non-tobacco aroma-generating substrate. These binders are added to prevent the breakdown of the agglomerated state, which occurs due to the limited fiber content, and to prevent adhesion within and between the agglomerated aroma-generating substrates. However, we found that increasing the amount of binder added increases the density of the agglomerated aroma-generating substrate, maintaining the agglomerated state. However, this leads to the agglomerated aroma-generating substrate shrinking over time and causing severe bleeding of the aerosol former. Therefore, we investigated the amount, method, and type of binder added and found that the agglomerated aroma-generating substrate manufactured using the method and apparatus shown in Figure 31 can solve these problems.

[0210] That is, the method includes steps [means] Z1 and Z2 of preparing a dried and ground non-tobacco material, step [means] M1 of preparing a first binder aqueous solution by dissolving a first binder in pure water, step [means] Z4 and Z5 of preparing a material selected from an aerosol former, cross-linked PVP, flavoring, a non-tobacco material extract, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, and an antimicrobial preservative, a first wet mixing step [means] M1 of mixing the materials prepared in the steps [means] Z4 and Z5, and a curing step [means] of stabilizing the mixture produced in the first wet mixing step [means]. The heated aroma-generating substrate produced by the following steps can stably maintain its block state and does not clog the gas flow path. Furthermore, no fusion between the heated aroma-generating substrates was observed over time.

[0211] A specific example of this manufacturing method (apparatus) is shown in Manufacturing Example 5.

[0212] (Production Example 5) In the step (means) Z1 of drying and pulverizing the non-tobacco plant material, the moisture content is preferably adjusted to facilitate absorption or retention of the aerosol former, pure water, and other ingredients. The drying temperature is preferably 60 to 80°C or lower. This range facilitates achieving the desired moisture content while avoiding the dissipation of the required flavor components. A temperature of 65°C or higher further facilitates achieving the desired moisture content, while a temperature of 75°C or lower further prevents the dissipation of the required aroma components. The moisture content after drying and pulverization is preferably 5% by mass or lower, which facilitates slurry formation in the subsequent step (means). A moisture content of 3% by mass or lower is even more preferable. However, if the moisture content is less than 0.1% by mass, the affinity with water and other components decreases. Furthermore, by providing a sieving step (means) for sieving the dried and pulverized material, non-tobacco plant material of the desired particle size can be introduced into the first wet mixing step (means) M3, facilitating slurry formation.

[0213] Examples of the first binder used in step Z3, which involves dissolving a first binder in pure water, include celluloses, konjac mannan (glucomannan), guar gum, pectin, carrageenan, tamarind seed gum, gum arabic, soybean polysaccharides, locust bean gum, karaya gum, xanthan gum, agar, and cornstarch, with celluloses being preferred. Regarding viscosity, a solution viscosity of 300 mPa·s or higher ensures good mixing with non-tobacco plants. Furthermore, a solution viscosity of 5000 mPa·s or higher is suitable for binding non-tobacco plants. The solution viscosity was measured using a Brookfield viscometer, preparing a 1% aqueous solution, at 25°C, rotating the rotor at 10-30 rpm, and reaching a stable reading. The Brookfield viscometer's upper limit of measurement is 100,000 mPa·s, but viscosities exceeding this limit also fall within the aforementioned viscosity range.

[0214] Preferred celluloses as first binders generally include cellulose, cellulose derivatives, and their metal salts, but in the present invention, water-soluble celluloses are particularly preferred from the perspective of binding non-tobacco plants. Examples of such celluloses include methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and their metal salts, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium. Among these, metal salts of celluloses are more preferred, with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose being even more preferred.

[0215] Examples of aerosol formers used in step (means) Z4 of preparing an aerosol former include glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, triethylene glycol, lactic acid, diacetin (glycerin diacetate), triacetin (glycerin triacetate), triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, isopropyl myristate, methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedionate, and dimethyl tetradecanedione, with glycerin and propylene glycol being particularly preferred. These are used in an amount of 1 to 80% by mass, and preferably 10 to 40% by mass, of the composition of the heated aroma-generating base material.

[0216] In step [means] Z5 of preparing items to be used other than those mentioned above, in order to add flavor as needed, flavorings such as menthol, peppermint, cocoa, coffee, or black tea extract, cross-linked PVP or β-cyclodextrin that have the function of retaining flavorings, microcrystalline cellulose that has releasability and formability from molds, etc., and food antibacterial preservatives such as sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, benzoic acid, or sodium benzoate for storage stability can be added.

[0217] The materials prepared as described above are mixed in the first wet mixing step [means] M1. The mixer does not need to be a special one; for example, a mixer that mixes the materials in a mixing tank while applying shear force with a stirring blade may be used. It is also possible to further intensify the mixing by kneading using a roll mill, kneader, or extruder. The mixing temperature in this step [means] is preferably 40°C or lower, more preferably 30°C or lower, and even more preferably maintained at around 25°C. This is because excessive heat during mixing can cause the aroma components to dissipate. Therefore, temperature control of the mixing tank is necessary.

[0218] The first mixture produced in the first wet mixing step (M1) preferably undergoes a curing step (Y1) in which the mixture is left at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time, but this is not a required step (Y1). However, the binder must be added in separate steps, i.e., in the first and second mixing steps (Y1). When both the non-tobacco mixture not subjected to the curing step (Y1) in which the binder is added in separate steps and the cured mixture subjected to the curing step (Y1) are processed into aroma cartridges using a heated aroma-generating substrate and evaluated using a heated smoking device, such as the one shown in Figure 2, both exhibit improved initial inhalation volume and flavor. Even when storage stability is evaluated in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment, there is no fusion within the heated aroma-generating substrate or between the heated aroma-generating substrates. The amount of aerosol smoke and the amount of aroma components released from the non-tobacco material during initial smoking, i.e., the inhalation volume, remains constant over time, and no change in flavor is observed. The effects are particularly pronounced and preferred when tea is used as the non-tobacco material. However, the curing step (means) Y1 can further enhance these effects.

[0219] The temperature of the curing step [means] Y1 is preferably 15 to 30°C, more preferably 18 to 24°C. A temperature of 15°C or higher enhances the aforementioned flavor improvement effect, while a temperature of 30°C or lower suppresses the aforementioned changes in the amount of inhalation and the flavor over time, thereby maintaining the improvement in flavor over time. At 18 to 24°C, these effects are more pronounced. Furthermore, the duration of the curing step [means] Y1 is preferably 72 to 336 hours, more preferably 96 to 192 hours. A temperature of 72 hours or longer improves flavor, while a temperature of 336 hours or less suppresses the aforementioned changes in the amount of inhalation and the flavor over time, thereby maintaining the improvement in flavor over time. At 96 to 192 hours, these effects are more pronounced. Furthermore, curing is preferably performed in a sealed state after the first wet mixing to prevent flavor dissipation.

[0220] The mixture immediately after the first wet mixing and the mixture that has been cured after the first wet step [means] are introduced into the second wet mixing step [means] M2. The second wet mixing step [means] M2 is characterized by the addition of a second binder. In this way, the effect of adding the first binder and the second binder separately is not only to improve the initial absorption amount and flavor and reduce changes in absorption amount and flavor over time, but also to facilitate molding into the desired shape in the sheet molding step [means] H1. Furthermore, mixing is easier than adding the first binder in the first step [means], and the time required for the viscosity of the mixture to become uniform can be shortened, making viscosity adjustment easier.

[0221] Like the first binder, the second binder can be cellulose, konjac mannan (glucomannan), guar gum, pectin, carrageenan, tamarind gum, gum arabic, soybean polysaccharides, locust bean gum, karaya gum, xanthan gum, agar, starch, corn starch, etc., but polysaccharides other than cellulose are preferred. As with the first binder, a solution viscosity of 300 mPa·s or higher ensures good mixing with non-tobacco plants. Furthermore, a solution viscosity of 5000 mPa·s or higher is suitable for binding non-tobacco plants. This viscosity was also measured using the method and apparatus described above. The upper limit of measurement for the Brookfield viscometer is 100,000 mPa·s, but viscosities exceeding this limit also fall within the viscosity range described above.

[0222] Polysaccharides are preferably used as the second binder. It is particularly preferable to use polysaccharides that are water-soluble or swell with water or gel. The use of such polysaccharides allows the molded, heated aroma-generating substrate to maintain a blocky state, improving moldability and reducing the occurrence of sheet breakage and non-tobacco material shedding during the sheet-forming step [means] H1. Examples of such polysaccharides include glucomannan, guar gum, pectin, carrageenan, locust bean gum, and agar. When added, it is preferable to use these polysaccharides with a solution viscosity higher than that of the first binder. Using a binder in this manner further improves processability during the sheet-forming step [means] 11. Of these, glucomannan is most preferred.

[0223] In this second wet mixing step [means] M2, it may be preferable to use a manufacturing method [apparatus] in which, as necessary, flavorings such as menthol, peppermint, cocoa, coffee, or black tea extract, cross-linked PVP or β-cyclodextrin that have the function of retaining flavorings, microcrystalline cellulose that has moldability and releasability from molds, or food antibacterial preservatives such as sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, benzoic acid, or sodium benzoate for storage stability are prepared and added in the same manner as in step [means] Z5.

[0224] When mixing the materials prepared as described above in the second wet mixing step [means] M2, a conventional wet mixer can be used, as in the first wet mixing step [means] M1. For example, a mixer that mixes the materials in a mixing tank while applying shear force with a stirring blade may be used, or a roll mill, kneader, or extruder may be used to further intensify the mixing. The mixing temperature in this step [means] is preferably 40°C or lower, more preferably 30°C or lower, and even more preferably maintained at around 25°C. This is because excessive heat during mixing can cause the aroma components to dissipate. Therefore, temperature control of the mixing tank is necessary.

[0225] Next, the non-tobacco-containing, heated aroma-generating substrate composition produced in the second wet blend M2 is introduced into a sheet-forming step H1 and formed into the desired shape. To use this composition as a heated aroma-generating substrate, sheet-forming processes such as roll forming and press forming are preferred, but are not limited to these. Other methods include passing the composition through an orifice under pressure to form a rod, or drying and then pulverizing it into granules.

[0226] Here, we describe a sheet-forming process suitable for producing a heated aroma-emitting substrate. As one method [apparatus], a three-roll mill was used to form the sheet. Using a three-roll mill, the compression force generated by forcing the material between the narrow rolls and the shear force generated by the difference in speed between the rolls allow for kneading and dispersion, while the material can be formed into a sheet of the desired thickness using a doctor blade. This is particularly preferable for forming sheets, such as the composition of the present invention, which contains a wide variety of materials with different properties. A press roller or press may also be used in combination. In this way, the three-roll mill processes the material into a sheet while kneading and dispersing it, thereby complementing the first and second wet mixing steps and achieving a more favorable mixed and dispersed state. Therefore, when a three-roll mill is used in the second wet-mixing step [means] M2, there is no distinction in the equipment between the second wet-mixing step [means] M2 and the sheet-forming step [means] H1; mixing and forming are carried out within the same process.

[0227] In this way, since mixing and dispersion can be carried out in sheet formation using a three-roll mill, it is also possible to use a manufacturing method [apparatus] in which non-tobacco materials, aerosol formers, binders or thickeners, flavorings, cross-linked PVP, β-cyclodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose, antibacterial preservatives, pure water, etc. can also be added as needed.

[0228] In order to clarify the characteristics of this method [apparatus] for producing a heated aroma-generating base material, which involves adding the first and second binders separately, the method was compared with a conventional manufacturing method [apparatus] using the same materials and limiting the form of the heated aroma-generating base material to a filler. The present invention will be explained using manufacturing examples and working examples.

[0229] (Manufacturing example A) Xylitol 100 parts by mass 400 parts by mass of water The mixture was stirred and mixed to obtain a xylitol / water solution.

[0230] Next, black tea leaves were dried at 70°C, crushed, and passed through an 80-mesh sieve. The moisture content was 2% by mass. Similarly, dried sweet potato vine was crushed and passed through an 80-mesh sieve.

[0231] Dried and crushed black tea leaves 80 parts by weight 20 parts by weight of dried and crushed sweet potato vine Methylcellulose 15 parts by mass Glycerin 30 parts by mass Propylene glycol 30 parts by mass Sodium carboxymethylcellulose 4 parts by mass Xylitol / water solution 8 parts by mass were charged into a mixer and mixed for 15 minutes (first wet mixing step [means] M1) to obtain a first mixture.

[0232] The obtained first mixture was put into a second wet mixing step [means] M2. 100 parts by mass of the first mixture was put into a three-roll mill, and 0.5 parts by mass of glucomannan and 20 parts by mass of water were added. Then, the step [means] of pressing a doctor blade against the roll to collect a sheet-like material was repeated eight times. In this step [means], the second wet mixing step [means] M2 and the sheet forming step [means] H1 were performed in the same device, and the first half of the mixing can be considered the second mixing step [means] M2, and the second half of the mixing can be considered the sheet forming step [means] H1. Then, a sheet of the desired thickness was produced in the three-roll mill, which also served as a kneading and dispersion process.

[0233] The heated aroma-generating sheet manufactured through these steps [means] was formed to a thickness of 0.3 mm. This sheet was cut into a rectangle measuring 150 mm length x 240 mm width, fed into a rotary cutter, and processed into a shape of 1.5 mm width, 240 mm length, and 0.3 mm thickness to form a heated aroma-generating filling. 50 of these fillings were bundled and aligned lengthwise, and then cut into a shape with a basis weight of 34 g / m. 2 The heated aroma-generating sheet was wrapped in paper and glued to form a cylindrical heated aroma-generating processed product. The inner diameter of this processed product was 6.9 mm. This was then cut into lengths of 12.0 mm to form heated aroma-generating bodies. The mass of this heated aroma-generating body was 0.29 g, and the volume filling ratio of the filler to its volume was 0.60. The length of the rectangle into which the heated aroma-generating sheet was cut was parallel to the rotation axis of the roll, and the width was the rotation direction of the roll (the same applies below).

[0234] The aqueous solution viscosity of the sodium carboxymethylcellulose used in this manufacturing example was 650 mPa·s (Brookfield viscometer, 1% aqueous solution, 25°C), and the aqueous solution viscosity of the polysaccharide glucomannan was 44,000 mPa·s (Brookfield viscometer, 1% aqueous solution, 25°C).

[0235] (Manufacturing example B) The first mixture was prepared in the same manner as in (Production Example A) up to the first wet mixing step [means] M1. The first mixture was placed in a polyethylene bag, sealed, and cured at 20°C for 6 days (144 hours) to prepare a cured mixture. After the curing step [means] Y1, the apparent volume increased by approximately 1.5 times. When the second cured mixture after the curing step [means] Y1 was examined, it was found that there was less loose tea powder compared to before curing, suggesting that curing leads to a stable and uniformly dispersed state. The mixture prepared in the curing step [means] Y1 was introduced into the second wet mixing step [means] M2, and a heated aroma-generating body was prepared in the same manner as in (Production Example A).

[0236] (Manufacturing example C) As in (Production Example B), the curing mixture was introduced into the second wet mixing step [means] M2 and passed through the sheet forming step [means] H1 to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet. However, in this production example, the processing conditions were changed in the second wet mixing step [means] and the sheet forming step [means] H1, and the heated aroma-generating sheet was produced by forming it into a thickness of 0.1 mm. This sheet was cut into a rectangle measuring 150 mm long x 240 mm wide, fed into a rotary cutter, and processed into a heated aroma-generating filler with a shape of 1.0 mm wide, 240 mm long, and 0.1 mm thick. 225 of these fillers were bundled and aligned longitudinally, and then cut into a sheet with a basis weight of 34 g / m. 2 The product was wrapped in paper and glued to form a cylindrical heated aroma-generating product. The inner diameter of this product was 6.9 mm. This was then cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form a heated aroma-generating unit. The mass of this heated aroma-generating unit was 0.29 g, and the volume filling ratio of the filling material to its volume was 0.60.

[0237] (Manufacturing example D) As in (Production Example B), the curing mixture was introduced into the second wet mixing step [means] M2 and passed through the sheet forming step [means] H1 to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet. However, in this production example, the processing conditions were changed in the second wet mixing step [means] and the sheet forming step [means] H1, and the heated aroma-generating sheet was formed to a thickness of 0.5 mm to produce a heated aroma-generating sheet. The heated aroma-generating sheet was cut into a rectangle measuring 150 mm in length x 240 mm in width, fed into a rotary cutter, and processed into a shape of 1.0 mm in width, 240 mm in length, and 0.5 mm in thickness to produce a heated aroma-generating filler. 225 of these fillers were bundled and aligned longitudinally, and then cut into a sheet with a basis weight of 34 g / m. 2 The product was wrapped in paper and glued to form a cylindrical heated aroma-generating product. The inner diameter of this product was 6.9 mm. This was then cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form a heated aroma-generating unit. The mass of this heated aroma-generating unit was 0.29 g, and the volume filling ratio of the filling material to its volume was 0.60.

[0238] For comparison, a heated aroma-generating body was prepared by adding methyl cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose as the first binders and glucomannan as the second binder all at once.

[0239] (Comparative manufacturing example) Xylitol 100 parts by mass 400 parts by mass of water The mixture was stirred and mixed to obtain a xylitol / water solution.

[0240] Next, black tea leaves were dried at 70°C, crushed, and passed through an 80-mesh sieve. The moisture content was 2% by mass. Similarly, dried sweet potato vine was crushed and passed through an 80-mesh sieve.

[0241] Dried and crushed black tea leaves 80 parts by weight 20 parts by weight of dried and crushed sweet potato vine Methylcellulose 15 parts by mass Glycerin 30 parts by mass Propylene glycol 30 parts by mass Sodium carboxymethylcellulose 4 parts by mass Xylitol / water solution 8 parts by mass Glucomannan 0.5 parts by mass 20 parts by mass of water The ingredients were added to a mixer and mixed for 15 minutes to obtain a mixture containing all the ingredients including glucomannan.

[0242] The mixture thus prepared was mixed in a three-roll mill, and a doctor blade was pressed against the roll to produce a sheet-like material. This process [means] was repeated eight times to produce a heated aroma-emitting sheet 0.3 mm thick, which also served as a kneading and dispersion process. However, there were difficulties in forming the sheet using the three-roll mill. Furthermore, although the sheet was formed, it was not possible to measure the evaluation of A.

[0243] The heated aroma-generating sheet thus produced was cut into a rectangle measuring 150 mm long x 240 mm wide, fed into a rotary cutter, and processed into a heated aroma-generating filler with a width of 1.5 mm, a length of 240 mm, and a thickness of 0.3 mm. 50 of these fillers were bundled and aligned lengthwise, and then cut into a sheet with a basis weight of 34 g / m. 2 The product was wrapped in paper and glued to form a cylindrical heated aroma-generating product. The inner diameter of this product was 6.9 mm. This was then cut to a length of 12.0 mm to form a heated aroma-generating unit. The mass of this heated aroma-generating unit was 0.29 g, and the volume filling ratio of the filling material to its volume was 0.60.

[0244] Example A Using the heated aroma generating unit produced in (Production Example A), an aroma cartridge was produced in which the heated aroma generating unit was attached to a mouthpiece equipped with a support member and a filter, as shown in Figure 13. The support member was a PE tube with an outer diameter of 6.9 mm and a through-hole with an inner diameter of 4.0 mm. The filter was made by molding acetyl cellulose fiber into a cylindrical shape and having a basis weight of 34 g / m. 2 The cartridge exterior was 23 mm long and wrapped in paper with a basis weight of 38 g / m 2 The cartridge exterior was made of paper with a grammage of 32 to 45 g / m², wound around two and a half times, and glued to an inner diameter of 6.9 mm. 2 When a paper tube formed by wrapping the paper around two and a half times is used, it becomes suitable as an aroma cartridge, in which the heated aroma generating element is inserted into the heating element of a heated smoking device. Then, a support member and a filter are inserted into one end of the cartridge exterior to form a mouthpiece, and the heated aroma generating element is inserted into the other end, and then a paper tube with a basis weight of 40 g / m is inserted so as to overlap the mouthpiece. 2 However, in order to clarify the effect of the manufacturing method [apparatus] on the heated aroma-generating substrate, i.e., the difference in the function of the gas generation-sustaining material, a filter without a cavity, which is a suction optimization means, was used.

[0245] Example B An aroma cartridge was produced in the same manner as in (Example A), except that the heated aroma generating element produced in (Production Example B) was used.

[0246] Example C An aroma cartridge was produced in the same manner as in (Example A), except that the heated aroma-generating element produced in (Production Example C) was used.

[0247] Example D An aroma cartridge was produced in the same manner as in (Example A), except that the heated aroma generating element produced in (Production Example D) was used.

[0248] Comparative Example An aroma cartridge was produced in the same manner as in Example A, except that the aroma-generating heated material produced in Comparative Production Example was used. However, during production of the aroma cartridge, the aroma-generating heated filler was too soft, making production difficult.

[0249] The heated aroma-emitting sheets and aroma cartridges prepared as described above were evaluated as follows: In addition to the evaluations below, <Evaluation 1> was also performed.

[0250] <Rating A> A tensile strength test was conducted on the heated aroma-generating sheet. A commonly used tensile strength tester was used for the tensile strength test. The sample was a heated aroma-generating sheet cut to a width of 10.0 cm and a length of 22.0 cm, and the measurement was performed with a clamp distance of 20.0 cm and a crosshead speed of 10 cm / min. The test environment was a room temperature of 20°C and a humidity of 50%. The heated aroma-generating sheets produced by each manufacturing method [device] were evaluated by comparing their breaking strengths, and the breaking strength was found to be 3.9 N / mm 2 More than 5.0N / mm 2 It was found that having the above strength is generally preferable in terms of molding process, aroma cartridge production, initial inhalation amount, initial flavor, and changes in inhalation amount and flavor over time.

[0251] <Rating B> The heated smoking device used was the Philip Morris IQOS (registered trademark) heated electronic cigarette device shown in Figure 2(A). The heating element had a width of 4.5 mm, a length to the tip of 12 mm, and a thickness of 0.4 mm. The chamber had an inner diameter of 7 mm, and the outer diameter of the aroma cartridge was 6.9 mm to allow for a tight fit. The heating element was heated by power supplied from a battery installed in the heated electronic cigarette body, reaching approximately 350°C. The built-in control system ensured that a conventional electronic cigarette cartridge consumed one cigarette after 14 puffs. When the smoking tobacco cartridge of this example was inserted, the portion of the aroma cartridge that appeared outside the downstream side of the electronic cigarette device body was approximately 20 mm. The aroma cartridges manufactured in this example and the comparative example were inserted into the chamber of the electronic cigarette device, and a smoking test was conducted. Both the amount of inhalation and flavor were evaluated based on the sensory evaluation of the oral cavity during smoking. In particular, the flavor of the tea aroma was evaluated immediately after the aroma cartridge was prepared and after it was left as described in "Evaluation 1." The sensory test was conducted by five subjects. The evaluation criteria were as follows: Rank A: When smoking, there is a sufficient amount of inhalation, there is no resistance to the inhalation, and the aroma of tea can be enjoyed. Rank B: When smoking, the amount of inhalation is insufficient, there is resistance to inhalation, and the tea aroma is unsatisfactory.

[0252] <Evaluation C> The falling off of the filler after smoking was evaluated. The evaluation method [apparatus] was to point the heated aroma-generating element side of the aroma cartridge vertically downward after smoking and observe whether the heated aroma-generating filler fell off. The evaluation criteria were as follows: Rank A: No falling objects seen Rank B: Some of the filling has fallen off

[0253] The test results are shown in Table 1. As is clear from Table 1, the divided addition of the binder was effective in all of the molding process, aroma cartridge production, initial inhalation volume and flavor, changes in inhalation volume and flavor over time, and fusion of the heated aroma-generating filler over time, and curing can further enhance this effect. Therefore, it is clear that the heated aroma-generating base material to which the binder was dividedly added, and the heated aroma-generating base material produced by further undergoing the curing process [means], function as a gas generation sustaining material for the aroma cartridge.

[0254] [Table 1]

[0255] As described above, it has been confirmed that the manufacturing method [apparatus] affects the internal structure of the heated aroma-generating substrate, and that the aroma-generating substrate manufactured using the appropriate manufacturing method [apparatus] functions as a gas-generation-sustaining material in the aroma cartridge. In the present invention, we have also discovered something that functions as a gas-generation-sustaining material: inorganic particles.

[0256] The effect of inorganic particles will be explained in specific examples. To this end, (Production Example 1) was adopted as a conventional production method [apparatus], and the effect of various inorganic particles on the gas generation sustainability of the heated aroma-generating base material produced by this production method [apparatus] was evaluated as follows.

[0257] The heated aroma-generating body and aroma cartridge were prepared according to (Production Example 1). In this example, as shown in the spraying step H2 in Figure 32, the heated aroma-generating sheet prepared in (Production Example 1) was cut into a length of 12 mm x width of 1.5 mm (thickness of 0.5 mm). After preparing the heated aroma-generating filling, a step [means] was added in which a predetermined amount of various inorganic particles were added and sprayed or dusted so that they adhered uniformly to the surface of the heated aroma-generating filling. This step [means] aims to uniformly adhere the inorganic particles to the surface of the heated aroma-generating filling. Furthermore, in this step [means], the surface of the heated aroma-generating filling was observed under a microscope to confirm that the inorganic particles had adhered to the surface. Next, the heated aroma-generating filling with the inorganic particles attached was processed into a heated aroma-generating body and assembled into an aroma cartridge according to (Production Example 1). Furthermore, to clarify the effect of the inorganic particles, the filling rate was increased. The aroma cartridge prepared in this manner was subjected to <Evaluation 1>. Furthermore, the heated electronic cigarette device described in "Evaluation B" was used to perform the following "Evaluation 2."

[0258] <Rating 2> The following evaluation was then performed after checking the contamination on the heating element 113 when the aroma cartridges were used, as shown in FIG. 2(C). First, 14 puffs were performed on each aroma cartridge of Comparative Example 1. After 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 puffs, the contamination on the heating element was wiped off with gauze impregnated with ethanol, and the degree of contamination was recorded. Then, 50 aroma cartridges of the present example, each manufactured using a heated aroma-generating filler having various inorganic particles attached to its surface, were puffed on, and the contamination was collected in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1. The degree of contamination recorded in Comparative Example 1 was compared with the degree of contamination recorded in Comparative Example 1. The evaluation index was the number of aroma cartridges of the present example that matched the contamination observed when 50 aroma cartridges were puffed on. Therefore, the fewer the number of puffs, the better.

[0259] Example I One part by mass of calcium carbonate powder with an average particle size of 15 μm was sprinkled and dusted over 100 parts by mass of the aroma-generating filling material cut from the aroma-generating sheet prepared in (Production Example 1) as described above, so that it adhered to the entire surface of the aroma-generating filling material. Microscopic observation confirmed that calcium carbonate particles with a diameter of 10 to 50 μm were adhered to the aroma-generating filling material. A heated aroma-generating unit was then prepared using 0.29 g of the aroma-generating filling material having calcium carbonate particles on its surface. This aroma-generating unit and a mouthpiece were then assembled into an aroma cartridge. The filling rate of the filling material was measured and found to be 81%.

[0260] Example II One part by mass of magnesium carbonate powder with an average particle size of 10 μm was sprinkled and dusted over 100 parts by mass of the aroma-generating filling material cut from the aroma-generating sheet prepared in (Production Example 1) as described above, so that it adhered to the entire surface of the aroma-generating filling material. After confirming by microscopic observation that magnesium carbonate particles with diameters of 10 μm to 50 μm were adhered to the aroma-generating filling material, a heated aroma-generating unit was prepared using 0.29 g of the aroma-generating filling material having magnesium carbonate particles on its surface. This aroma-generating unit and a mouthpiece were then assembled into an aroma cartridge. The filling rate of the filling material was measured and found to be 80%.

[0261] Example III One part by mass of silicon oxide particles with an average particle size of 20 μm was dispersed and dusted onto 100 parts by mass of the aroma-generating filling material cut from the aroma-generating sheet prepared in (Production Example 1) as described above, so that the particles adhered to the entire surface of the aroma-generating filling material. After confirming by microscopic observation that silicon oxide particles with a diameter of 10 μm to 50 μm were adhered to the aroma-generating filling material, a heated aroma-generating unit was prepared using 0.29 g of the aroma-generating filling material having silicon oxide particles on its surface. An aroma cartridge was then assembled from this aroma-generating unit and a mouthpiece. The filling rate of the filling material was measured and found to be 80%.

[0262] Example IV One part by mass of alumina particles with an average particle size of 5 μm was dispersed and dusted onto 100 parts by mass of the heated aroma-generating filling material cut from the heated aroma-generating sheet prepared in (Production Example 1) as described above, so that they adhered to the entire surface of the heated aroma-generating filling material. After confirming by microscopic observation that alumina particles with diameters of 10 μm to 50 μm were adhered to the heated aroma-generating filling material, a heated aroma-generating unit was prepared using 0.29 g of heated aroma-generating filling material having alumina particles on its surface. An aroma cartridge was then assembled from this heated aroma-generating unit and a mouthpiece. The filling rate of the filling material was measured and found to be 81%.

[0263] Example V One part by mass of alumina particles with an average particle size of 2 μm was scattered and dusted onto the entire surface of 100 parts by mass of the aroma-generating filling material cut from the aroma-generating sheet prepared in (Production Example 1) as described above. Microscopic observation revealed that no alumina particles with a diameter of 10 μm to 50 μm had adhered to the aroma-generating filling material. However, a heated aroma-generating unit was prepared using 0.29 g of the aroma-generating filling material dusted with alumina particles. An aroma cartridge was then assembled from this aroma-generating unit and a mouthpiece. The filling rate of the filling material was measured and found to be 81%.

[0264] Example VI One part by mass of silicon oxide particles with an average particle size of 0.5 μm was sprinkled and dusted onto the entire surface of the heated aroma-generating filling, 100 parts by mass of which had been cut from the heated aroma-generating sheet prepared in (Production Example 1) as described above. Microscopic observation again failed to confirm that silicon oxide particles with a diameter of 10 μm to 50 μm had adhered to the heated aroma-generating filling. However, a heated aroma-generating unit was prepared using 0.29 g of the heated aroma-generating filling dusted with silicon oxide particles. An aroma cartridge was then assembled from this heated aroma-generating unit and a mouthpiece. The filling rate of the filling was measured and found to be 81%.

[0265] Example VII One part by mass of silicon oxide particles with an average particle size of 47 μm was sprinkled and dusted onto 100 parts by mass of the aroma-generating filling material cut from the aroma-generating sheet prepared in (Production Example 1) as described above, so that the particles adhered to the entire surface of the aroma-generating filling material. After confirming by microscopic observation that silicon oxide particles with a diameter of 10 μm to 50 μm had adhered to the aroma-generating filling material, a heated aroma-generating unit was prepared using 0.29 g of the aroma-generating filling material dusted with silicon oxide particles. An aroma cartridge was then assembled from this aroma-generating unit and a mouthpiece. The filling rate of the filling material was measured and found to be 65%.

[0266] (Comparative example I) A heated aroma-generating unit was produced using 0.29 g of the heated aroma-generating filler cut from the heated aroma-generating sheet produced in (Production Example 1) as described above. This heated aroma-generating unit and a mouthpiece were then assembled into an aroma cartridge. The fill rate of the filler was measured and found to be 81%.

[0267] The above evaluation results are shown in Table 2. As is clear from the table, inorganic particles of a wide range of particle sizes function as gas generation sustaining materials, regardless of their material. As is clear from the results of <Evaluation 1>, the heated aroma-generating filler does not fuse over time, and there is little change over time in the amount of gas released, i.e., the amount of gas inhaled and the flavor. The reason for this effect is unclear, but it is thought to be as follows: When inorganic particles are present on the surface of the filler, they act as spacers to reduce the contact area between the fillers, preventing the fillers from fusing together due to bleeding out of the aerosol former, even when exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time, and the inorganic particles also have the effect of suppressing bleeding out of the aerosol former.

[0268] [Table 2]

[0269] Furthermore, as is clear from <Evaluation 2>, inorganic particles were also found to be effective in preventing contamination of the heating element. In particular, a good effect was observed when the average particle diameter of the inorganic powder added was 1 to 50 μm, and the contamination prevention effect was further enhanced when it was 5 μm or greater. A good effect was observed when the amount of inorganic powder added was 0.01 to 5 parts by mass, and the contamination prevention effect was further enhanced when it was 0.1 parts by mass or greater. The reasons why inorganic particles have a preventive effect on the heating element are unclear, but are presumed to be as follows: These include the fact that inorganic materials are resistant to thermal decomposition, that the inorganic particles polish the surface and remove contaminants when the aroma cartridge is attached to or detached from the heating element, and that the inorganic particles reduce the contact area between the heating element surface and the heated aroma-generating filling.

[0270] To achieve such effects, it is preferable that the inorganic particles have an average particle diameter of 1 to 100 μm. If the average particle diameter is less than 1 μm, the effect of the inorganic particles is reduced. On the other hand, if the average particle diameter is 5 μm or more, the effect of the inorganic particles is enhanced, which is more preferable. For the same reason, it is even more preferable that the particle diameter is 10 μm or more. Furthermore, the larger the particle diameter, the lower the filling rate of the filler. However, if the particle diameter is 50 μm or less, the effect of the inorganic particles is large and it is possible to ensure the minimum necessary filling rate.

[0271] The minimum filling rate here is closely related to the amount of gas inhaled by heating. If the filling rate is less than 60%, the amount of gas released by heating is insufficient, resulting in an insufficient amount of gas inhaled by the smoker and an unsatisfactory smoking experience. Therefore, a filling rate of 65% or more is more preferable, and even more preferably 70% or more is required. Conversely, if the filling rate exceeds 90%, there will be little space between the filling materials, making smoking difficult and insertion into the heating element difficult.

[0272] The filling rate can be evaluated by calculating the area ratio of the heated aroma-generating substrate in the cross section of the heated aroma-generating object. It was determined by evaluating the filler and the voids without the filler using a digital microscope. A digital microscope (Keyence VHX-2000) was used, and the image was projected onto a display at 100x magnification. The image analysis range was determined to be the area where only the filler and the voids without the filler appeared. In this case, the observation sample diameter was 7.0 mm, and the dimensions were 3.5 mm wide and 2.6 mm high. Within this range, image analysis was performed using the accompanying software, with the "extraction mode" set to "brightness" in the "automatic measurement mode." Measurement was performed using "standard," the "extraction parameter" set to "bright," and the "threshold" was selected to separate the filler and voids. The filling rate was determined as the ratio of the filler to the entire measurement area.

[0273] The average particle size of the inorganic particles in the present invention is determined by a laser diffraction / scattering method. The average particle size was determined by a wet method using a particle size distribution analyzer. In the present invention, a Microtrac MT3300III manufactured by Microtrac Bell was used. The average particle size of the present invention was determined by accumulating the volume-based distribution in the range of 0.02 μm to 2000 μm, and finding the median diameter D at 50%. 50 Refers to...

[0274] Furthermore, the presence of inorganic particles in the present invention was confirmed not only by microscopic observation during the manufacturing process [means], but also by observation of the filler surface using an optical microscope or an electron microscope. Furthermore, it was also confirmed by microscopic or electron microscope observation of the residue after pyrolysis of the filler. This was based on the results of observation of approximately 10 images at an appropriate magnification, with one field of view being 100 μm × 100 μm. Furthermore, the fact that the inorganic particles in the residue were the added inorganic particles was confirmed using a scanning electron microscope equipped with X-ray microanalysis (XMA).

[0275] To achieve its effect, the amount of inorganic particles added must be at least 0.001 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the filling material, more preferably 0.01 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.05 parts by mass or more. Conversely, if the amount exceeds 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the filling material, the filling rate of the filling material decreases, which affects the amount of gas inhaled and the flavor. From this perspective, it is more preferable that the amount be 5 parts by mass or less, and even more preferable that the amount be 2 parts by mass or less.

[0276] The inorganic substances that can be used as the inorganic particles of the present invention are not particularly limited, and include metal chlorides such as sodium chloride and potassium chloride; metal oxides such as magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, titanium oxide, iron oxide, and alumina; metal carbonates such as magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate; metal sulfates such as magnesium sulfate and calcium sulfate; metal phosphates such as calcium phosphate; and titanates such as potassium titanate and magnesium titanate, which can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, silicon oxides such as zeolite, colloidal silica, and fumed silica, as well as natural products such as diatomaceous earth and vermiculite, can also be used. Magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, silicon oxide, and alumina are particularly preferred.

[0277] In this way, inorganic particles can be attached to the heated aroma-generating substrate in the spraying step (means) H2 in Figure 32, but they can also be attached in the spraying step (means) S4 in Figure 32. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 28-31, inorganic particles can be added to the heated aroma-generating composition to prepare a heated aroma-generating substrate containing inorganic particles. With this method (apparatus), the inorganic particles are not present only on the surface of the heated aroma-generating substrate, but the effects of the inorganic particles have been confirmed. Therefore, it is speculated that inorganic particles function as a gas generation-sustaining material not only by reducing the contact area as a spacer that prevents fusion between heated aroma-generating substrates, but also by impeding the movement of constituent materials such as aerosol formers, non-tobacco materials, and binders within the heated aroma-generating substrate. This speculation is based on the fact that when inorganic particles are used as a filler in polymeric materials, they act as crosslinking points, improving chemical properties such as heat resistance and chemical resistance, and physical properties such as tensile strength and elastic modulus.

[0278] As described above, the present invention provides a heated aroma-generating unit in which a heated aroma-generating substrate functions as a gas generation-sustaining material through improvements to the manufacturing method (apparatus) and a heated aroma-generating unit in which inorganic particles function as a gas generation-sustaining material. Therefore, as shown in Figure 33, it is also possible to provide an aroma cartridge that does not require a gas suction optimization means in the mouthpiece. Naturally, it is also possible to provide an aroma cartridge that combines a heated aroma-generating unit equipped with a gas generation-sustaining material with a mouthpiece equipped with a gas suction optimization means. [Industrial Applicability]

[0279] The present invention provides a non-toxic aroma derived from tobacco and its congeners, as well as from plants that do not contain tobacco components, thereby providing a fragrance cartridge that allows both experienced flame smokers and first-time smokers to enjoy smoking with the same sensation as a cigarette. This allows for a smoking experience that is not harmful to the health of the smoker or those around them who are not smoking. It also produces alpha waves in the brain, providing a soothing effect and contributing to the promotion of health and beauty. Furthermore, because the fragrance cartridge is equipped with a gas inhalation optimization device and a gas generation sustaining material, it has the advantage of maintaining the amount and intensity of smoke and aroma components inhaled even after long-term storage. Therefore, the technology related to the fragrance cartridge of the present invention has the potential to be widely applied to incense sticks, burning incense, powdered incense, liniments, aromatherapy, and other uses. [Explanation of symbols]

[0280] 11 Electrically heated smoking devices (1) 111 Casing 112 Chamber 113 Electrically controlled heating element 1131 Electrical control devices 114 Fragrance cartridge insertion port 115 Air intake 12 Electrically heated smoking devices (2) 121 Casing 122 Chamber 123 Electrically controlled heating element 1231 Electrical control devices 124 Fragrance cartridge insertion port 125 Air intake 2 Fragrance cartridge 2-1~2-19 Aromatic Cartridges (1)~(19) 21 Heated aroma generator 21-p Heated aroma generator interior material 211 Lid material 212 Partition material 213 Heated aroma-emitting sheet 214 Heated aroma generating filling 22 Mouthpiece 22-p Mouthpiece interior material 221 Cavity Mouthpiece 221-1 Cylindrical cavity mouthpiece (1) 221-1-c1 Cylindrical cavity (1) 221-2 Cylindrical cavity mouthpiece (2) 221-2-c2 Cylindrical cavity (2) 221-2-c3 Cylindrical cavity (3) 221-3 Cylindrical cavity mouthpiece (3) 221-3-c4 Cylindrical cavity (4) 221-4 Cylindrical cavity mouthpiece (4) 221-4-c5 Cylindrical cavity (5) 221-4-c6 Cylindrical cavity (6) 221-5 Conical cavity mouthpiece (1) 221-5-d1 Conical cavity (1) 221-6 Conical cavity mouthpiece (2) 221-6-d2 Conical cavity (2) 221-7 Mouthpieces with hollow and cylindrical cavities (1) 2211 Cavity Filter(1) 221-7-c7 Cylindrical cavity (7) 221-7-v1 Hollow(1) 221-8 Mouthpieces with hollow and cylindrical cavities (2) 2212 Cavity Filter(2) 221-8-c8 Cylindrical cavity (8) 221-8-v2 Cavity(2) 222 Mouthpiece with support member 222-1 Mouthpiece with support (1) 2221 Support member 2221-h Through hole 2222 Cavity Filter(3) 2222-c1 Cavity (1) 223 Mouthpiece with support and cooling member 2231 Support member 2231-h Through hole 2232 Cooling element 2233 Cavity Filter(4) 2233-c1 Cavity (1) 224 Mouthpiece with cooling element 2241 Cooling material 2242 Cavity Filter(5) 2242-c1 Cavity (1) 225 Mouthpiece with reinforcing support 225-1 Mouthpiece with reinforcing support (1) 2251-1 Reinforcement support member (1) 2251-1-s1 Plate-shaped reinforcement material 2251-1-h Through hole 2252-1 Filter(1) 225-2 Mouthpiece with reinforcing support (2) 2251-2 Reinforcement support member (2) 2251-2-s2 Plate-shaped reinforcement material 2251-2-h Through hole 2252-2 Filter(2) 225-3 Mouthpiece with reinforcing support (3) 2251-3 Reinforcement support member (3) 2251-3-s3 Plate-shaped reinforcement material 2251-3-s4 Tubular reinforcement 2252-3 Filter(3) 225-4 Mouthpiece with reinforcing support (4) 2251-4-s3 Plate-shaped reinforcement material 2251-4-s4 Column reinforcement 2252-4 Filter(4) 225-5 Mouthpiece with Reinforcement Support (5) 2251-5-s3 Plate-shaped reinforcement material 2251-5-s4 Tubular reinforcement 2251-5-h Through hole 2252-5 Filter(5) 2252-5-c1 Cavity 226 Mouthpiece with reinforcing support and cooling member 2261 Reinforcement support member 2261-s3 Plate reinforcement material 2261-s6 Tubular reinforcement 2262 Cooling material 2263 Cavity Filter(6) 2263-c1 Cavity (1) 227 Mouthpiece with heat insulating material 2271 Heat insulating materials 2272 filters 228 Mouthpiece with heat insulating and cooling components 2281 Heat insulating materials 2282 Cooling material 2283 Filter 23 Cartridge outer casing (1) 24 Cartridge outer casing (2) W Airflow о The central axis of the right circular cylinder of the fragrance cartridge j Outer diameter of fragrance cartridge k Length of fragrance cartridge a) Length of the heated aroma generating body m mouthpiece length f is the length of the filter b Inner diameter of the bottom of the cavity c Height of the cylindrical cavity d Height of the conical cavity v length of cavity s Length of support member r Length of cooling element x Width of heated aroma-generating filling y Thickness of the heated aroma-generating substrate z Length of the heated aroma-generating substrate

Claims

[Claim 1] a heated aroma-generating body wrapped with a heated aroma-generating substrate; a cover member disposed on one of both ends of the heated aroma generating unit on the end side of the aroma cartridge; a cartridge outer casing that wraps around the heated aroma-generating element and the adjacent mouthpiece so as to connect them in the longitudinal direction; The mouthpiece includes a cylindrical support member and a right cylindrical filter adjacent to the cylindrical support member in the longitudinal direction, The filter has a right cylindrical cavity formed therein, the cavity is disposed within the filter from an end of the filter on the cylindrical support member side in the longitudinal direction thereof, such that the filter and the cavity have substantially the same central axis as each other. The cylindrical support member is substantially hollow. A fragrance cartridge characterized by:

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