Aerosol generating article having an aerosol generating substrate equipped with a double plug

Abstract

This invention provides a novel arrangement of an aerosol generating substrate for an aerosol generating article, which offers better control over the properties of the aerosol generating substrate and the smoke absorption profile of the aerosol generating article. [Solution] The heated aerosol generating article comprises a rod of an aerosol generating base 12, the rod of the aerosol generating base comprising a first plug 26 of homogenized tobacco material and a second plug 28 of homogenized tobacco material. The first plug and the second plug are coaxially aligned, the first plug is provided downstream of the second plug, and the first plug and the second plug differ from each other in at least one property of the homogenized tobacco material such that the first plug releases aerosol a shorter time than the second plug as the aerosol generating base is heated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating article having a rod of an aerosol-generating substrate comprising a double plug of homogenized tobacco materials that are mutually different in at least one characteristic, and a method for manufacturing such a rod of the aerosol-generating substrate.

Background Art

[0002] Aerosol-generating articles in which an aerosol-generating substrate such as a tobacco-containing substrate is heated rather than burned are well known in the art. Typically, in such heated smoking articles, the aerosol is generated by transferring heat from a heat source to an aerosol-generating substrate or material physically separated from the heat source, and this aerosol-generating substrate or material may be in contact with the heat source, or within the heat source, or around the heat source, or downstream of the heat source. During use of the aerosol-generating article, volatile compounds are released from the aerosol-generating substrate by heat transfer from the heat source and are mixed into the air drawn through the aerosol-generating article. The released compounds condense as they cool to form an aerosol.

[0003] Numerous prior art documents disclose aerosol-generating devices for consuming or smoking heated aerosol-generating articles. Such devices include, for example, an electrically heated aerosol-generating device in which an aerosol is generated by heat transfer from one or more electric heater elements of the aerosol-generating device to the aerosol-generating substrate of the heated aerosol-generating article. One advantage of such an electrically heated aerosol-generating device is that it significantly reduces sidestream smoke.

[0004] Substrates for heated aerosol generating articles have typically been produced using randomly oriented fragments, strands, or shards of tobacco material. It is also well known that substrates for heated aerosol generating articles can be manufactured from homogenized tobacco material sheets. For example, International Patent Application WO-A-2012 / 164009 discloses a rod for a heated aerosol generating article formed from an aggregate of homogenized tobacco material sheets. The rod disclosed in WO-A-2012 / 164009 has a longitudinal porosity that allows air to be drawn through the rod. In effect, folds within the aggregate of tobacco material sheets define longitudinal channels through which the rod passes.

[0005] It is desirable to provide a novel arrangement of aerosol generating substrates for aerosol generating articles that provides better control over the properties of the aerosol generating substrate and the smoke absorption profile of the aerosol generating article. It is particularly desirable to provide an aerosol generating substrate that provides more consistent and improved aerosol delivery over time. It is also desirable to provide an aerosol generating substrate that can be manufactured efficiently and rapidly.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a heated aerosol generating article is provided, comprising a rod of an aerosol generating substrate, the rod of the aerosol generating substrate comprising a first plug of homogenized tobacco material and a second plug of homogenized tobacco material. The first and second plugs are coaxially aligned, the first plug is provided downstream of the second plug, and the first and second plugs differ from each other in at least one property of the homogenized tobacco material such that the first plug releases an aerosol a shorter time than the second plug upon heating of the aerosol generating substrate.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an aerosol generating system is provided comprising an aerosol generating article as defined above in relation to the first aspect of the present invention, and an aerosol generating device adapted to receive the aerosol generating article. The aerosol generating device includes a heater element configured to heat both a first plug and a second plug of homogenized tobacco material during use, and as the aerosol generating substrate is heated by the heater element, the first plug releases aerosol faster than the second plug of homogenized tobacco material.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention provides a method for at least partially producing a rod of an aerosol generating substrate for an aerosol generating article described in a prior claim, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first plug of homogenized tobacco material; providing a second plug of homogenized tobacco material, wherein the first plug differs from the second plug in at least one property of the homogenized tobacco material such that the first plug releases an aerosol a shorter time than the second plug upon heating of the aerosol generating substrate; combining the first plug and the second plug so that they are coaxially aligned and the first plug is positioned downstream of the second plug; and packaging the combined first plug and second plug to form a rod of an aerosol generating substrate.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a rod is provided for use as an aerosol generating substrate of an aerosol generating article, the rod comprising a first plug of homogenized tobacco material and a second plug of homogenized tobacco material located downstream of the first plug of the aerosol generating material. The first and second plugs are coaxially aligned, the first plug is provided downstream of the second plug, and the first and second plugs differ from each other in at least one property of the homogenized tobacco material such that, as the rod heats up during use, the first plug releases an aerosol after a shorter time than the second plug.

[0010] Any of the following references regarding preferred features or embodiments of the rod of the aerosol generating substrate of the aerosol generating article according to the present invention should be considered applicable to all embodiments of the present invention.

[0011] As used herein, the term “heated aerosol generating article” refers to an aerosol generating article for aerosol generation that includes an aerosol generating substrate intended to be heated rather than burned in order to release volatile compounds capable of forming aerosols.

[0012] As used herein, the term “aerosol-generating substrate” refers to a substrate having the ability to release volatile compounds capable of forming aerosols upon heating. The aerosols generated from the aerosol-generating substrates of the aerosol-generating articles described herein may be visible or invisible and may include vapors (e.g., fine particles of a substance in a gaseous state, which is normally a liquid or solid at room temperature) as well as liquid droplets of gas and condensed vapor.

[0013] As used herein, the term “rod” refers to a generally cylindrical element with a substantially polygonal cross-section, and preferably circular, oval, or elliptical. As used herein, the term “plug” refers to individual elements of homogenized tobacco material that form the components of a rod. As used herein, the term “sheet” refers to a layered element having a width and length substantially greater than its thickness. As used herein, the term “web” refers to a layered material having a length substantially greater than its width. Typically, as used herein, the term “web” refers to a continuous layer of material from which a sheet is formed.

[0014] As used herein, the term “homogenized tobacco material” encompasses any tobacco material formed by the aggregation of tobacco material particles. Sheets or webs of homogenized tobacco material are formed by aggregating particulate tobacco obtained by grinding or otherwise pulverizing one or both of tobacco leaf laminas and tobacco leaf stalks. Furthermore, homogenized tobacco material may contain one or more of small amounts of tobacco dust, tobacco fines, and other particulate tobacco by-products formed during tobacco processing, handling, and shipping. Sheets of homogenized tobacco material may be produced by casting, extrusion, papermaking processes, or any other suitable process well known in the industry.

[0015] As used herein, the terms “upstream” and “downstream” describe the relative position of an element (or part of an element) of an aerosol-generating article with respect to the direction in which aerosols are transported through the article during use.

[0016] In the following, the terms “rapid-release” and “sustained-release” are used to distinguish between the first and second plugs that form the rod of the aerosol-generating substrate, respectively, and to indicate how much faster aerosol is released from each plug compared to other plugs when heated under identical conditions in the same apparatus. [Overview of the project]

[0017] As described above, the aerosol generating article of the present invention incorporates a rod comprising a first plug (hereinafter also referred to as the "fast-release plug") and a second plug (hereinafter also referred to as the "sustained-release plug"), which are adapted to differ in at least one characteristic, such that upon heating, the fast-release plug begins to release a measurable amount of aerosol in a shorter time than the sustained-release plug. The use of these two different plugs provides better control over the overall characteristics of the rod. By providing the fast-release plug downstream of the sustained-release plug and arranging these two plugs coaxially aligned, and by tailoring the plugs to have at least one mutually different characteristic, the smoking experience provided by the rod can be adjusted and controlled with greater precision to change the aerosol release profile from the rod. This effect can be advantageously achieved by heating both plugs using a single heater element, eliminating the need to adapt a device for heating the aerosol generating article.

[0018] As a result of their differing characteristics, fast-release and sustained-release plugs exhibit different aerosol release or inhalation profiles, which correspond to the amount of aerosol released from the plug during each inhalation over the duration of use. In the arrangement of the present invention, the fast-release plug releases aerosol in a shorter time after the start of rod heating than the sustained-release plug. This is typically because the fast-release plug has a lower activation temperature than the sustained-release plug, where the activation temperature corresponds to the lowest temperature at which a measurable amount of aerosol is released from the plug. Thus, the lower activation temperature of the fast-release plug shortens the time to the consumer's first inhalation, and the fast-release plug releases a higher amount of aerosol than the sustained-release plug during the initial inhalation of the inhalation profile.

[0019] On the other hand, while sustained-release plugs take longer to begin releasing aerosols after heating, they continue to release aerosols after the aerosol release from rapid-release plugs has ended. Therefore, sustained-release plugs release a higher amount of aerosols than rapid-release plugs during the later stages of the smoke inhalation profile. Thus, in combination, rapid-release and sustained-release plugs can provide highly consistent aerosol delivery over time during the consumption of aerosol-generating articles.

[0020] Providing a double plug within the rod of the aerosol generating substrate does not affect the overall structure of the rod or the aerosol generating article. Therefore, a rod of the aerosol generating substrate with a double plug of homogenized tobacco material can be advantageously integrated into existing high-speed production lines for the manufacture of heated tobacco articles without requiring significant modifications to the equipment or technology.

[0021] The aerosol generating article according to the present invention is suitable for use in an aerosol generating system comprising an electrically heated aerosol generator having an internal heater element for heating an aerosol generating substrate. For example, the aerosol generating article according to the present invention has a particular application in an aerosol generating system comprising an electrically heated aerosol generator having an internal heater blade adapted to be inserted into the rod of the aerosol generating substrate. This type of aerosol generating article is described in the prior art, for example, European Patent No. EP-A-0 822 670. Alternatively, the aerosol generating article according to the present invention may find application in an aerosol generating system comprising an external heater element that surrounds the rod of the aerosol generating substrate and heats it from the outside.

[0022] Preferably, the rod of the aerosol generating substrate is adapted so that both the fast-release and slow-release plugs can be heated by the same heater element of the aerosol generator. This is advantageous as it allows rods with dual plugs to be heated within existing aerosol generators without requiring modification of the heater element. However, in alternative embodiments, it will be understood that the aerosol generator may be adapted to provide different heater elements for each plug so that different heating profiles can be provided for each plug.

[0023] As used herein, the term "aerosol generator" refers to a device comprising a heater element that interacts with an aerosol-generating substrate of an aerosol-generating article to generate an aerosol.

[0024] Alternatively, the aerosol generating article according to the present invention may be equipped with a flammable carbon heat source for heating the aerosol generating substrate during use. This type of aerosol generating article is described in the prior art, for example, in International Patent Application No. WO-A-2009 / 022232.

[0025] In the rod of the aerosol generating substrate of the aerosol generating article according to the present invention, the fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug are arranged coaxially with respect to each other. Preferably, the fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug are arranged so that adjacent ends are in contact with each other. Alternatively, the fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug may be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction.

[0026] As briefly described above, the first plug or the quick-release plug is downstream of the second plug or the slow-release plug. In such an arrangement, the quick-release plug is provided closer to the mouth end of the aerosol-generating article so that the distance the aerosol travels to reach the consumer is shorter. This can help further reduce the time it takes for the aerosol to be released after the heating of the rod is initiated. Further, this can potentially reduce the risk of aerosol deposition from the quick-release plug in subsequent downstream plugs, which can negatively affect aerosol delivery at the start of the smoking profile. In an alternative embodiment, it may be preferable to provide the quick-release plug upstream of the slow-release plug.

[0027] As described above, the quick-release plug and the slow-release plug are adapted to be different in at least one property of the homogenized tobacco material to provide a difference in the release profile from the plug. The quick-release plug and the slow-release plug can differ in the properties of the homogenized tobacco material forming the plug. Alternatively or additionally, the quick-release plug and the slow-release plug can differ in the properties of the overall plug, which can be determined, for example, by the form or arrangement of the homogenized tobacco material within the plug.

[0028] According to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the quick-release plug and the slow-release plug are adapted such that the slow-release plug has a higher density than the quick-release plug. This means that the slow-release plug is provided with a higher amount of homogenized tobacco material per unit volume than the quick-release plug.

[0029] The sustained-release plug having a higher density is preferably provided upstream of the quick-release plug. Thus, the sustained-release plug can be provided at the upstream end of the rod of the aerosol-generating substrate. This arrangement provides the advantage that, as described above, the quick-release plug is near the mouth-side end of the aerosol-generating article. In addition, when the aerosol-generating article is intended to be used in an aerosol-generating device comprising a heater blade for insertion into the rod, positioning the higher-density plug at the upstream end of the rod advantageously allows for a closer fit with the heater blade. Furthermore, this reduces the risk that the tobacco is pulled out of the rod by the heater blade when the aerosol-generating article is removed from the device, thereby reducing the need for cleaning of the device.

[0030] The density of the sustained-release plug is preferably at least about 10 percent higher than the density of the quick-release plug, more preferably at least about 15 percent higher, and even more preferably at least about 20 percent higher.

[0031] The density of the sustained-release plug is preferably at least about 0.1 mg per cubic millimeter higher than the density of the quick-release plug, more preferably at least about 0.15 mg per cubic millimeter higher, and even more preferably at least about 0.2 mg per cubic millimeter higher.

[0032] The density of the sustained-release plug is preferably from about 0.65 mg per cubic millimeter to about 0.85 mg per cubic millimeter, and more preferably from about 0.7 mg per cubic millimeter to about 0.8 mg per cubic millimeter. The selection of the density of the sustained-release plug from within these ranges should be made such that the desired difference in density between the quick-release plug and the sustained-release plug is maintained, as defined above.

[0033] The density of the fast-release plug is preferably about 0.45 mg / m³ to about 0.65 mg / m³, and more preferably about 0.5 mg / m³ to about 0.6 mg / m³. The selection of the density of the fast-release plug from within these ranges should be such that a desirable difference in density between the fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug is maintained, as defined above.

[0034] The density of each plug can be easily adjusted by those skilled in the art to provide the necessary differences between plugs. For example, the density of the homogenized tobacco material forming the plug may differ from plug to plug. Alternatively, or additionally, the arrangement of the homogenized tobacco material within the plug may differ from plug to plug, such that the proportion of free space within the plug may differ from plug to plug.

[0035] A sustained-release plug is preferably designed to have a higher draw resistance than a fast-release plug.

[0036] According to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, fast-release and sustained-release plugs are adapted such that the homogenized tobacco material has a different aerosol-forming composition for each plug. As used herein, the term “aerosol-forming” refers to any suitable well-known compound or mixture of compounds that facilitates aerosol formation during use and is substantially resistant to thermal decomposition at the operating temperature of the aerosol-generating article. Different aerosol-forming compounds provide different rates of aerosol release, and therefore the type of aerosol-forming compound or a particular amount of aerosol-forming compound (or both) can be adjusted for each plug to provide the required fast-release and sustained-release profiles.

[0037] Both the sustained-release plug and the immediate-release plug preferably contain glycerol as an aerosol former, wherein the sustained-release plug has a higher amount of glycerol as an aerosol former than the immediate-release plug. The sustained-release plug preferably has at least about 2 weight percent more glycerol than the immediate-release plug, more preferably at least about 5 weight percent more, and more preferably at least about 8 weight percent more.

[0038] In these embodiments in which the sustained-release plug contains a higher amount of glycerol, it is preferable that at least the immediate-release plug further contains propylene glycol as an aerosol-forming body. It is particularly preferable that the immediate-release plug has at least about 2 weight percent more propylene glycol than the sustained-release plug. The sustained-release plug may contain a certain proportion of propylene glycol in addition to glycerol, or may be substantially free of propylene glycol.

[0039] Preferably, sustained-release plugs contain more than 15% by weight of glycerol in combination with 4% by weight or less of propylene glycol, while fast-release plugs contain 15% by weight or less of glycerol in combination with at least 5% by weight of propylene glycol. For each plug, the selection of the amounts of glycerol and propylene glycol from these ranges should be such that a preferred difference in the amounts of glycerol and propylene glycol between fast-release and sustained-release plugs is maintained, as defined above.

[0040] Preferably, the sustained-release plug contains about 17% to 25% glycerol in combination with about 0% to 4% propylene glycol, and the immediate-release plug contains about 5% to 15% glycerol in combination with about 5% to 15% propylene glycol. More preferably, the sustained-release plug contains about 18% to 22% glycerol in combination with about 0% to 2% propylene glycol, and the immediate-release plug contains about 8% to 12% glycerol in combination with about 8% to 12% propylene glycol. For each plug, the selection of the amounts of glycerol and propylene glycol from these ranges should be such that a preferred difference in the amounts of glycerol and propylene glycol between the immediate-release plug and the sustained-release plug is maintained, as defined above.

[0041] Propylene glycol as an aerosol-forming agent has been shown to provide faster aerosol release than glycerol; therefore, to control the release profile, the composition of the aerosol-forming agent in each plug is adapted such that sustained-release plugs have a higher amount of glycerol, while fast-release plugs have a higher amount of propylene glycol.

[0042] The total aerosol-forming content of each plug is preferably about 15% to about 25% by weight, and more preferably about 18% to about 22% by weight. The sustained-release plug and the fast-release plug have substantially the same total aerosol-forming content, and the difference between the plugs is preferably in the ratio of glycerol to propylene glycol in the aerosol-forming material.

[0043] According to a third embodiment of the present invention, the fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug are adapted such that the sustained-release plug has a higher density than the fast-release plug, as described above in relation to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the sustained-release plug and the fast-release plug have different aerosol-forming compositions, as described above in relation to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] As described above, each plug of the aerosol generating substrate rod is formed from homogenized tobacco material. The homogenized tobacco material of each plug can take various forms. Preferably, at least one of the fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug is formed from one or more sheets of homogenized tobacco material. Preferably, at least one of the fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug is formed from one or more sheets of homogenized tobacco material collected to form the plug.

[0045] One or more sheets of homogenized tobacco material may be advantageously crimped or similarly processed. As used herein, the term “crimped” means a sheet having multiple substantially parallel ridges or corrugations. In addition to or otherwise than crimping, one or more sheets of homogenized tobacco material may be embossed, debossed, perforated, or otherwise deformed to provide texture on one or both sides of the sheet.

[0046] The homogenized tobacco material sheet used in the rod of the aerosol generating article according to the present invention preferably contains particulate tobacco obtained by crushing tobacco leaf laminas or by other means. If multiple sheets are provided in one of the plugs, all sheets may have substantially the same composition as one another. Alternatively, the multiple sheets may include at least two sheets with different compositions.

[0047] The homogenized tobacco material sheet used in the present invention may have a tobacco content of at least about 40 weight percent on a dry mass basis, more preferably at least about 50 weight percent on a dry mass basis, more preferably at least about 70 weight percent on a dry mass basis, and most preferably at least about 90 weight percent on a dry mass basis.

[0048] The homogenized tobacco material sheet used in the present invention may contain one or more endogenous binders which are tobacco endogenous binders, one or more exogenous binders which are tobacco exogenous binders, or a combination thereof, in order to assist in the aggregation of particulate tobacco. Alternatively, or additionally, the homogenized tobacco material sheet used in the aerosol generating substrate may contain other additives, including but not limited to tobacco fibers and non-tobacco fibers, aerosol forming agents, wetting agents, plasticizers, flavoring agents, fillers, aqueous and non-aqueous solvents, and combinations thereof.

[0049] Suitable exogenous binders to be included in the homogenized tobacco material sheet used in the present invention are well known in the industry and include, but are not limited to, rubbers such as guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, and locust bean gum; cellulose binders such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, and ethyl cellulose; polysaccharides such as starch, organic acids (such as alginic acid), conjugated base salts of organic acids (such as sodium alginate), agar, pectin, and combinations thereof.

[0050] Suitable non-tobacco fibers to be included in the homogenized tobacco material sheet used in the aerosol generating substrate are well known in the art and include, but are not limited to, cellulose fibers, soft wood fibers, hard wood fibers, jute fibers, and combinations thereof. Before being included in the homogenized tobacco material sheet used in the aerosol generating substrate, the non-tobacco fibers may be treated by suitable processes well known in the art, including, but are not limited to, mechanical pulping, purification, chemical pulping, decolorization, sulfate pulping, and combinations thereof.

[0051] The homogenized tobacco material sheet preferably contains an aerosol-forming agent. The homogenized tobacco material sheet may contain a single aerosol-forming agent. Alternatively, the homogenized tobacco material sheet may contain a combination of two or more aerosol-forming agents.

[0052] Suitable aerosol-forming materials are well known in the industry and include, but are not limited to, polyhydric alcohols (such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin), esters of polyhydric alcohols (such as glycerol monoacetate, diacetate, or triacetate), and aliphatic esters of monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, or polycarboxylic acids (such as dimethyl dodecanediate and dimethyl tetradecanediate).

[0053] The homogenized tobacco material sheet preferably has an aerosol-forming content of more than 5 percent by dry mass.

[0054] The homogenized tobacco material sheet may have an aerosol-forming material content of approximately 5 percent to approximately 30 percent on a dry mass basis.

[0055] In one preferred embodiment, the homogenized tobacco material sheet has an aerosol-forming content of approximately 20 percent by dry mass.

[0056] As described above, in the rod of aerosol generating substrate of an aerosol generating article according to the second and third preferred embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol forming body of each plug comprises glycerol or a combination of glycerol and propylene glycol, and the ratio of glycerol to propylene glycol is adjusted for each plug to provide a desired aerosol release profile.

[0057] The homogenized tobacco sheet used in this invention preferably has a width of about 70 mm to about 250 mm, for example, about 120 mm to about 160 mm. The thickness of the homogenized tobacco material sheet is preferably about 50 micrometers to 300 micrometers, and more preferably about 150 micrometers to about 250 micrometers.

[0058] The homogenized tobacco sheet used in the aerosol generating article of the present invention may be manufactured by a method well known in the industry (for example, the method disclosed in International Patent Application No. WO-A-2012 / 164009 A2).

[0059] In one preferred embodiment, a homogenized tobacco material sheet used in an aerosol generating article is formed by a casting process from a slurry containing particulate tobacco, guar gum, cellulose fibers, and glycerin.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, both the rapid-release plug and the second release plug are formed from one or more sheets of homogenized tobacco material, and the composition or arrangement of the sheets in each plug is adapted to provide the desired differences in the aerosol release profile as described above. Alternatively, one of the plugs may be formed from one or more sheets of homogenized tobacco material, and the other plug may be in a different form. For example, the other plug may be formed from extruded tobacco material or from multiple axially oriented strands of tobacco material. Alternatively, both plugs may be formed from tobacco material that is not in sheet form (such as those described above).

[0061] The fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug are preferably substantially the same length as each other, but in some embodiments they may be of different lengths. The preferred length of each plug is about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and more preferably about 4 mm to about 6 mm. The rod of the aerosol generating substrate with double plugs may have a length of about 7 mm to about 15 mm. In one embodiment, the rod of the aerosol generating substrate may have a length of about 10 mm. In one preferred embodiment, the rod of the aerosol generating substrate has a length of about 12 mm.

[0062] The rod of the aerosol generating substrate preferably has an outer diameter that is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the aerosol generating article.

[0063] The rod of the aerosol generating substrate preferably has an outer diameter of at least 5 millimeters. The rod of the aerosol generating substrate may have an outer diameter of about 5 millimeters to about 12 millimeters, for example, about 5 millimeters to about 10 millimeters, or about 6 millimeters to about 8 millimeters. In one preferred embodiment, the rod of the aerosol generating substrate has an outer diameter of 7.2 millimeters ± 10 percent.

[0064] The rod of the aerosol generating substrate preferably has a substantially uniform cross-section along its length. It is particularly preferable that the rod of the aerosol generating substrate has a substantially circular cross-section.

[0065] The rod of the aerosol generating substrate is surrounded by a wrapper, which preferably secures the plug of homogenized tobacco material together with it. The wrapper may be made of a porous or non-porous sheet material. The wrapper may be made of any suitable material or combination of materials. The wrapper is preferably a paper wrapper. The fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug may be individually packaged as optional before being packaged together as described above.

[0066] The aerosol generating article according to the present invention preferably comprises a rod of an aerosol generating substrate consisting only of a fast-release plug and a sustained-release plug. However, in an alternative embodiment, an additional plug of homogenized tobacco material may be combined with the fast-release plug and the sustained-release plug.

[0067] The aerosol generating article according to the present invention preferably comprises one or more elements in addition to the rod of the aerosol generating substrate, the rod and one or more elements being assembled within a substrate wrapper. For example, the aerosol generating article according to the present invention may further comprise at least one of a mouthpiece, an aerosol cooling element, and a support element such as a hollow acetate tube. For example, in one preferred embodiment, the aerosol generating article comprises a rod of the aerosol generating substrate as described above, a support element located immediately downstream of the aerosol forming substrate, an aerosol cooling element located downstream of the support element, and an outer wrapper surrounding the rod, the support element, and the aerosol cooling element, in a linear, continuous arrangement.

[0068] A second aspect of the present invention provides an aerosol generating article, which is combined with an aerosol generating device having a heating element adapted to receive the aerosol generating article and configured to heat both a fast-release plug and a sustained-release plug of homogenized tobacco material during use, as described above.

[0069] The heater element is preferably a heater blade adapted to be inserted into the rod of the aerosol generating substrate so that the heater blade heats both sides of the plug from the inside. Alternatively, the heater element may be an external heater that at least partially surrounds the plug of homogenized tobacco material and heats both sides from the outside. The external heater element typically heats the plug of homogenized tobacco material through at least one wrapper surrounding the rod, and may or may not be in contact with the surface of the rod. In some devices, an induction heater element may be provided.

[0070] A heater element may provide a uniform heating profile along its length. Alternatively, the heater element may be configured to provide different heating profiles along its length, so that fast-release and slow-release plugs are heated with different heating profiles. In this method, the heating profile of each plug can be adjusted separately to take the plug structure into consideration.

[0071] The rod of the aerosol generating substrate used in the aerosol generating article according to the present invention, as described in detail above, may be manufactured using a method according to a third aspect of the present invention, as defined above. In the first step of the method according to the present invention, a rapid-release plug and a sustained-release plug of homogenized tobacco material are provided, the rapid-release plug and the sustained-release plug differ in at least one characteristic and provide different aerosol release profiles, as described above. The rapid-release plug and the sustained-release plug are assembled such that the plugs are coaxially aligned and the assembled plugs are packaged to form a rod.

[0072] Next, the packaged rod can be combined with other components of the aerosol-generating article using conventional assembly methods.

[0073] Preferably, an alternating continuous arrangement of fast-release and sustained-release plugs is provided, which is packaged to form a continuous rod. The continuous rod is then cut to form a plurality of individual rods. In some embodiments of the present invention, each individual rod comprises an arrangement of fast-release and sustained-release plugs for forming a pair of aerosol-generating articles. In such an arrangement, the plug intended to be downstream is provided between a pair of upstream plugs, and the downstream plug has a length twice that of the downstream plug of the assembled aerosol-generating article. Once the pair of aerosol-generating articles are assembled, the arrangement of plugs can be cut in the middle to form two separate aerosol-generating articles, each comprising a rod with a double plug.

[0074] The present invention will now be further explained with reference to the figures. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0075] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the aerosol-generating article according to the present invention, along its long axis. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an exploded view of a first embodiment of the rod of the aerosol generating substrate used in the aerosol generating article shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an exploded view of a second embodiment of the rod of the aerosol generating substrate used in the aerosol generating article shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view along the long axis of an aerosol generation system comprising an electrically operated aerosol generator and an aerosol generating article shown in Figure 1 or 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0076] The aerosol generating article 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a rod of an aerosol generating substrate 12, a hollow cellulose acetate tube 14, a spacer element 16, and a mouthpiece filter 18. These four elements are arranged continuously and coaxially, and are surrounded by a substrate wrapper 20 to form the aerosol generating article 10. The aerosol generating article 10 has an oral end 22 and a distal end 24 located on the opposite end of the article from the oral end 22. The aerosol generating article 10 shown in Figure 1 is particularly suitable for use in an electrically operated aerosol generator equipped with a heater for heating the rod of the aerosol generating substrate.

[0077] The rod of the aerosol generating substrate 12 has a length of approximately 12 millimeters and a diameter of approximately 7 millimeters. The rod 12 is cylindrical in shape and has a substantially circular cross-section.

[0078] Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 12 used in the aerosol generating article 10 of Figure 1. The rod 12 comprises a double plug of homogenized tobacco material, a fast-release plug 26 provided at the downstream end of the rod 12, and a sustained-release plug 28 provided at the upstream end of the rod 12. The fast-release plug 26 and the sustained-release plug 28 are substantially equal in length to each other and are provided in an adjacent end-to-end relationship in the assembled aerosol generating article 10.

[0079] Each of the fast-release plug 26 and the sustained-release plug 28 is formed from an aggregate of homogenized tobacco material sheets. The homogenized tobacco material sheets forming the sustained-release plug 28 are assembled such that the sustained-release plug 28 has a density at least 30 percent higher than that of the fast-release plug 26.

[0080] Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 112 used in the aerosol generating article 10 of Figure 1. Similar to the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 12 shown in Figure 2, the rod 112 comprises a fast-release plug 126 provided at the downstream end of the rod 112 and a sustained-release plug 128 provided at the upstream end of the rod 112. The fast-release plug 126 and the sustained-release plug 128 are substantially equal in length to each other and are provided in an adjacent end-to-end relationship in the assembled aerosol generating article 10.

[0081] Each of the fast-release plug 126 and the sustained-release plug 128 is formed from an aggregate of sheets of homogenized tobacco material, and the plugs have substantially the same density as each other. However, the sheets forming the fast-release plug 126 and the sustained-release plug 128 have different compositions from each other. In particular, the homogenized tobacco material of the fast-release plug 126 has a different composition of aerosol former compared to the homogenized tobacco material of the sustained-release plug 128. The aerosol former of the homogenized tobacco material of the fast-release plug 126 contains a combination of glycerol and propylene glycol in a 1:1 ratio. The aerosol former of the homogenized tobacco material of the sustained-release plug 128 contains glycerol without propylene glycol. In each of the plugs, the total content of the aerosol former of the homogenized tobacco material is about 20 weight percent.

[0082] Figure 4 shows a portion of an electrically operated aerosol generating system 200 that utilizes a heater blade 210 for heating the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 12 of the aerosol generating article 10 shown in Figure 1. The heater blade 210 is mounted in the aerosol generating article chamber within the housing of an electrically operated aerosol generating device 212. The aerosol generating device 212 defines a number of air holes 214 to allow air to flow into the aerosol generating article 10, as illustrated by arrows in Figure 4. The aerosol generating device 212 includes a power supply and electronic components, which are not shown in Figure 6.

[0083] The aerosol generating article 10 shown in Figure 1 is designed to engage with the aerosol generator 212 shown in Figure 4 for consumption. The user inserts the aerosol generating article 10 into the aerosol generator 212 so that the heater blade 210 is inserted into the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 12 through both the fast-release plug 26 and the slow-release plug 28. The mouthpiece filter 18 protrudes outward from the mouth end of the device 212. After the aerosol generating article 10 engages with the aerosol generator 212, the double plugs 26 and 28 on the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 12 are both heated simultaneously by the heater blade 210 to a temperature sufficient to generate aerosol from the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 12. The aerosol is drawn out through the mouth end filter 18.

[0084] When the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 12 is heated during use, the fast-release plug 28 begins to release aerosols in a shorter time than the slow-release plug 26 after the start of heating. Therefore, the activation temperature of the fast-release plug 28 is lower. As the temperature rises further, the slow-release plug 28 will also begin to release aerosols.

[0085] It will be understood that the aerosol generating article 10 incorporating the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 112 shown in Figure 3 can be consumed in a similar manner using the aerosol generating device 212 shown in Figure 4. As described in relation to the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 12, when the rod of the aerosol generating substrate 52 is heated during use, the fast-release plug 128 begins to release aerosol in a shorter time than the slow-release plug 126 after the start of heating.

[0086] Naturally, the aerosol generating article 10 shown in Figure 1 may also be suitable for use in other types of aerosol generating devices.

[0087] 1. A heated aerosol generating article comprising a rod of an aerosol generating substrate, wherein the rod of the aerosol generating substrate is The first plug of homogenized tobacco material, A heated aerosol generating article comprising a first plug and a second plug of homogenized tobacco material, wherein the first plug and the second plug are coaxially aligned, the first plug is provided downstream of the second plug, and the first plug and the second plug differ from each other in at least one property of the homogenized tobacco material such that the first plug releases an aerosol a shorter time than the second plug as the aerosol generating substrate is heated. 2. The heated aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the second plug has a higher density than the first plug. 3. The heated aerosol generating article according to 2, wherein the density of the second plug is at least 10 percent higher and more preferably 20 percent higher than the density of the first plug. 4. The heated aerosol generating article according to 2 or 3, wherein the density of the second plug is at least 0.1 mg / cubic millimeter higher and more preferably at least 0.2 mg / cubic millimeter higher than the density of the first plug. 5. The heated aerosol generating article according to 2, 3, or 4, wherein the density of the second plug is 0.65 mg / cubic millimeter to 0.85 mg / cubic millimeter, and the density of the first plug is 0.45 mg / cubic millimeter to 0.65 mg / cubic millimeter. 6. A heated aerosol generating article according to any one of 1 to 5, wherein the second plug has a higher draw resistance than the first plug. 7. A heated aerosol generating article according to any one of 1 to 6, wherein each of the first plug and the second plug contains an aerosol forming body, and the composition of the aerosol forming body of the first plug is different from the composition of the aerosol forming body of the second plug. 8. The heated aerosol generating article according to 7, wherein each of the first plug and the second plug comprises an aerosol forming body containing glycerol, and the glycerol content of the second plug is at least 2 weight percent higher and more preferably at least 5 weight percent higher than the glycerol content of the first plug on a dry mass basis. 9. The heated aerosol generating article according to 7 or 8, wherein the aerosol forming body of at least the first plug further contains propylene glycol, and the propylene glycol content of the first plug is at least 2 weight percent higher on a dry mass basis than the propylene glycol content of the second plug. 10. The heated aerosol generating article according to 8 or 9, wherein the second plug contains more than 15 weight percent of glycerol and 4 weight percent or less of propylene glycol on a dry mass basis, and the first plug contains 15 weight percent or less of glycerol and at least 5 weight percent of propylene glycol on a dry mass basis. 11. The heated aerosol generating article according to 10, wherein the second plug contains 17 to 25 weight percent of glycerol and 0 to 4 weight percent of propylene glycol on a dry mass basis, and the first plug contains 5 to 15 weight percent of glycerol and 5 to 15 weight percent of propylene glycol on a dry mass basis. 12. A heated aerosol generating article according to any one of 8 to 11, wherein each of the plugs of homogenized tobacco material contains 15 to 25 percent by weight of an aerosol-forming material on a dry mass basis. 13. A heated aerosol generating article according to any one of 1 to 12, wherein at least one of the plugs of the homogenized tobacco material is formed from one or more sheets of homogenized tobacco material. 14. Aerosol generating system, Aerosol-generating article described in any one of items 1 to 13, An aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device adapted to receive the aerosol generating article, wherein the aerosol generating device includes a heater element configured to heat both the first plug and the second plug of homogenized tobacco material during use, and the first plug releases aerosol faster than the second plug of homogenized tobacco material as the aerosol generating substrate is heated by the heater element. 15. The aerosol generating system according to 14, wherein the heater element is a heater blade configured to be inserted into the first plug and the second discharge plug during use. 16. A method for at least partially manufacturing a rod of an aerosol generating substrate for an aerosol generating article described in any one of paragraphs 1 to 15, wherein the method is: A process for providing a first plug of homogenized tobacco material, A step of providing a second plug of homogenized tobacco material, wherein the second plug differs from the first plug in at least one property of the homogenized tobacco material such that the first plug releases an aerosol after a shorter time than the second plug upon heating of the aerosol generating substrate; A step of combining the first plug and the second plug such that the first plug and the second plug are aligned coaxially and the first plug is positioned downstream of the second plug, A method comprising the steps of packaging the combined first plug and second plug to form a rod of an aerosol generating substrate. 17. A rod for use as an aerosol generating substrate in an aerosol generating article, wherein the rod is The first plug of homogenized tobacco material, A rod comprising a first plug of aerosol generating material and a second plug of homogenized tobacco material located downstream of the first plug of aerosol generating material, wherein the first plug and the second plug are coaxially aligned, the first plug is provided downstream of the second plug, and the first plug and the second plug differ from each other in at least one property of the homogenized tobacco material such that, as the rod heats up during use, the first plug releases an aerosol a shorter time than the second plug.

Claims

1. A heated aerosol generating article comprising a rod of an aerosol generating substrate, wherein the rod of the aerosol generating substrate is A first plug of homogenized tobacco material containing an aerosol-forming agent, A heated aerosol generating article comprising a first plug and a second plug of homogenized tobacco material containing an aerosol-forming body, wherein the first plug and the second plug are coaxially aligned such that adjacent ends are touching, the first plug is provided downstream of the second plug, and the first plug and the second plug differ from each other in at least one of density and composition of the aerosol-forming body, such that the first plug has a lower activation temperature than the second plug, and thereby the first plug releases an aerosol a shorter time than the second plug upon heating of the aerosol-generating substrate.

2. The heated aerosol generating article according to claim 1, wherein the second plug has a higher density than the first plug.

3. The heated aerosol generating article according to claim 2, wherein the density of the second plug is at least 10 percent higher than the density of the first plug.

4. The heated aerosol generating article according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the density of the second plug is at least 0.1 mg / cubic millimeter higher than the density of the first plug.

5. The heated aerosol generating article according to claim 2, 3, or 4, wherein the density of the second plug is 0.65 mg / cubic millimeter to 0.85 mg / cubic millimeter, and the density of the first plug is 0.45 mg / cubic millimeter to 0.65 mg / cubic millimeter.

6. The heated aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second plug has a higher draw resistance than the first plug.

7. A heated aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each of the first plug and the second plug contains an aerosol forming body, and the composition of the aerosol forming body of the first plug is different from the composition of the aerosol forming body of the second plug.

8. The heated aerosol generating article according to claim 7, wherein each of the first plug and the second plug comprises an aerosol forming body containing glycerol, and the glycerol content of the second plug is at least 2 weight percent higher on a dry mass basis than the glycerol content of the first plug.

9. The heated aerosol generating article according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the aerosol forming body of at least the first plug further contains propylene glycol, and the propylene glycol content of the first plug is at least 2 weight percent higher on a dry mass basis than the propylene glycol content of the second plug.

10. The heated aerosol generating article according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the second plug contains more than 15 weight percent of glycerol and 4 weight percent or less of propylene glycol on a dry mass basis, and the first plug contains 15 weight percent or less of glycerol and at least 5 weight percent of propylene glycol on a dry mass basis.

11. The heated aerosol generating article according to claim 10, wherein the second plug contains 17 to 25 weight percent of glycerol and 0 to 4 weight percent of propylene glycol on a dry mass basis, and the first plug contains 5 to 15 weight percent of glycerol and 5 to 15 weight percent of propylene glycol on a dry mass basis.

12. A heated aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein each of the plugs of homogenized tobacco material contains 15 to 25 percent by weight of an aerosol forming body on a dry mass basis.

13. A heated aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein at least one of the plugs of the homogenized tobacco material is formed from one or more sheets of homogenized tobacco material.

14. Aerosol generation system, an aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 13, An aerosol generating system comprising an aerosol generating device adapted to receive the aerosol generating article, wherein the aerosol generating device includes a heater element configured to heat both the first plug and the second plug of homogenized tobacco material during use, and the first plug releases aerosol faster than the second plug of homogenized tobacco material as the aerosol generating substrate is heated by the heater element.

15. The aerosol generating system according to claim 14, wherein the heater element is a heater blade configured to be inserted into the first plug and the second plug during use.

16. A method for at least partially manufacturing a rod of an aerosol generating substrate for an aerosol generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the method is A step of providing a first plug of homogenized tobacco material containing an aerosol-forming body, A step of providing a second plug of homogenized tobacco material containing an aerosol-forming body, wherein the second plug differs from the first plug in at least one of the density and composition of the aerosol-forming body, such that the first plug has a lower activation temperature than the second plug, and thereby the first plug releases the aerosol after a shorter time than the second plug upon heating of the aerosol-generating substrate; A step of combining the first plug and the second plug such that the first plug and the second plug are coaxially aligned with adjacent ends touching, and the first plug is positioned downstream of the second plug; A method comprising the steps of packaging the combined first plug and second plug to form a rod of an aerosol generating substrate.

17. A rod for use as an aerosol generating substrate in an aerosol generating article, wherein the rod is A first plug of homogenized tobacco material containing an aerosol-forming agent, A rod comprising a first plug and a second plug of homogenized tobacco material containing an aerosol-forming body, wherein the first plug and the second plug are coaxially aligned in a manner in which adjacent ends are touching, the first plug is provided downstream of the second plug, and the first plug and the second plug differ from each other in density and at least one of the composition of the aerosol-forming body, such that the first plug has a lower activation temperature than the second plug, and thereby the first plug releases the aerosol a shorter time than the second plug as the rod heats up during use.

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