Aerosol supply systems and articles for use therein

Abstract

The present invention provides an aerosol supply system configured to heat articles, and articles for the aerosol supply system. [Solution] The present invention relates to an aerosol supply system configured to heat an article, wherein the article comprises a first region comprising a first aerosol-generating material and a second region comprising a second aerosol-generating material. The present invention also relates to an article for an aerosol supply system, wherein the article comprises a first aerosol-generating material and a second aerosol-generating material. The present invention also relates to the use of a system and an article.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol supply system configured to heat an article, the article comprising a first region comprising a first aerosol-generating material and a second region comprising a second aerosol-generating material. The present invention also relates to an article for an aerosol supply system, the article comprising a first aerosol-generating material and a second aerosol-generating material. The present invention also relates to the use of the system and the article. [Background technology]

[0002] Cigarettes and cigars produce tobacco smoke by burning tobacco during use. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these items by creating products that release compounds without combustion. Examples of such products are so-called "non-combustion heating" products, also known as tobacco heating products or tobacco heating devices, which release compounds by heating rather than burning an aerosol-generating material.

[0003] Aerosol-generating materials can be combinations such as tobacco or other non-tobacco products, or blended mixtures that may or may not contain nicotine.

[0004] Some known tobacco heating devices include two or more heaters, each configured to heat a different portion of the aerosol-generating material during use. In this case, it is possible to heat different portions of the aerosol-generating material at different times, thereby extending the lifespan of aerosol formation. [Overview of the project]

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an aerosol supply system is provided, comprising an aerosol supply device and an article, wherein the article comprises a first region comprising a first aerosol generating material and a second region comprising a second aerosol generating material, the second aerosol generating material having a higher density than the first aerosol generating material, and the device comprises a heating system configured to heat the first region to a first peak temperature and the second region to a second peak temperature, wherein the second region reaches the second peak temperature after the first region has reached the first peak temperature.

[0006] In some embodiments, the density of the second aerosol-generating material is at least about 25% higher than the density of the first aerosol-generating material.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material is approximately 0.1 g / cm³ 3 ~Approx. 1g / cm 3 It has a density of .

[0008] In some embodiments, the second aerosol-generating material is approximately 0.4 g / cm³ 3 ~Approx. 2g / cm 3 It has a density of .

[0009] In some embodiments, heating of the second region to a second peak temperature is performed after heating of the first region to a first peak temperature.

[0010] In some embodiments, the second region is heated for a longer period of time than the first region.

[0011] In some embodiments, the heating timing of the first region and the heating timing of the second region do not overlap.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first peak temperature is approximately 150°C to approximately 350°C.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first region is heated to the first peak temperature over a period of about 10 seconds to about 300 seconds.

[0014] In some embodiments, the second peak temperature is from about 150 °C to about 350 °C.

[0015] In some embodiments, the second region is heated to the second peak temperature over a period of about 10 seconds to about 300 seconds.

[0016] In some embodiments, the second peak temperature is about 10 to about 100 °C higher than the first peak temperature.

[0017] In some embodiments, heating of the article results in a relatively constant release of the volatile compound into the inhalable medium.

[0018] In some embodiments, the second region is heated to the second peak temperature after the first region has been heated to the first peak temperature.

[0019] In some embodiments, the second region is heated to the second peak temperature after heating of the first region has ceased.

[0020] In some embodiments, the second aerosol - forming material comprises extruded tobacco.

[0021] In some embodiments, the second aerosol - forming material comprises beads.

[0022] In some embodiments, the first aerosol - forming material comprises one or more tobacco materials selected from the group consisting of lamina tobacco material and reconstituted tobacco material.

[0023] In some embodiments, at least one of the first and second aerosol - generating materials comprises a combination of cut filler and reconstituted tobacco material. In some embodiments, the cut filler and the reconstituted tobacco material are present in the aerosol - generating material in a weight ratio of 1:4 to 4:1.

[0024] In some embodiments, the first aerosol - generating material and the second aerosol - generating material have the same level of volatile compounds. In some embodiments, the volatile compound is nicotine.

[0025] In some embodiments, the release of volatile compounds from the first aerosol - generating material and the release of volatile compounds from the second aerosol - generating material are at the same rate when each material reaches a given temperature.

[0026] In some embodiments, the second region is configured to be downstream of the first region.

[0027] In some embodiments, the first aerosol - generating material and the second aerosol - generating material are in separate regions.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first aerosol - generating material and the second aerosol - generating material are present in the article in a weight ratio of 1:10 to 10:1.

[0029] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article for an aerosol supply system, the article comprising a first aerosol - generating material and a second aerosol - generating material, the second aerosol - generating material being in the form of discrete particles or agglomerates of particles, and the second aerosol - generating material having a higher density than the second aerosol - generating material.

[0030] In some embodiments, the second aerosol - generating material comprises beads or pellets of the aerosol - generating material.

[0031] In some embodiments, the second aerosol-generating material is a compressed, extruded, or molded mass of the aerosol-generating material.

[0032] In some embodiments, the articles are intended for use in an aerosol supply system according to a first embodiment.

[0033] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material have the same nicotine content.

[0034] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material release nicotine at the same rate when heated to a given temperature.

[0035] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material is in the form of discrete particles or aggregates of particles. In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material comprises beads or pellets of the aerosol-generating material, or is a compressed, extruded, or molded mass of the aerosol-generating material.

[0036] In some embodiments, the article comprises a first region comprising a first aerosol-generating material and a second region comprising a second aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the second region is configured to be downstream of the first region.

[0037] A third aspect of the present invention provides the use of the aerosol supply system according to the first aspect for providing consistent delivery of volatile components in an aerosol generated by the system over a period of use resulting in multiple puffs.

[0038] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a use of an article according to the second aspect is provided for providing consistent delivery of volatile components in an aerosol generated by heating the article over a period of use resulting in multiple puffs.

[0039] A fifth aspect of the present invention provides a method for generating an aerosol using a system according to the first aspect or an article according to the second aspect, the method comprising heating a first region to a first peak temperature and heating a second region to a second peak temperature, wherein the second region reaches the second peak temperature after the first region has reached the first peak temperature.

[0040] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described simply as examples with reference to the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0041] [Figure 1] This graph shows the percentage of nicotine released per puff by different aerosol-generating material samples when heated. [Figure 2] This graph shows the percentage of glycerol released per puff by different aerosol-generating material samples during heating. [Figure 3] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a rod having a first configuration of two regions of aerosol-generating material having different densities. [Figure 4] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a rod having alternative configurations of two regions of aerosol-generating material with different densities. [Figure 5a] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a rod having yet another configuration of two regions of aerosol-generating material having different densities. [Figure 5b] This is an alternative cross-sectional view of the rod shown in Figure 5a. [Figure 6] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an article for use in an aerosol supply system, comprising two regions of aerosol-generating material and a mouth end section. [Figure 7] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an article for use in an aerosol supply system, comprising two regions of aerosol-generating material and an end-of-mouth assembly having a spacer section and an end-of-mouth section as a cooling section. [Figure 8]This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an article for use in an aerosol supply system, comprising two regions of aerosol-generating material and an end-of-mouth assembly having a spacer section and a tubular end-of-mouth section as a cooling section. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0042] The present invention relates to an aerosol supply system configured to heat an article, wherein the article comprises a first region comprising a first aerosol-generating material and a second region comprising a second aerosol-generating material, the second aerosol-generating material having a higher density than the first aerosol-generating material.

[0043] While it is known that first and second tobacco materials can be heated separately using first and second heaters, it has not been suggested that the second material has a higher density than the first material. This higher density would mean that the second aerosol-generating material would take longer to heat. This would allow for control over the timing of the release of volatile substances from the first and second aerosol-generating materials to provide a desired delivery profile. For example, in some embodiments, the delivery of at least one volatile substance can be relatively consistent from puff to puff over the lifespan of the article. The volatile components may be, for example, nicotine and / or one or more flavor components.

[0044] In the system of the present invention, the aerosol supply device comprises a heating system configured to heat a first region to a first peak temperature and a second region to a second peak temperature. As a result of the higher density of the second aerosol-generating material, the second region and / or the second aerosol-generating material within it reaches the second peak temperature after the first region and / or the first aerosol-generating material within it has reached the first peak temperature. In some embodiments, this facilitates a more consistent release of volatile components such as nicotine throughout the entire session of use of the system.

[0045] According to this disclosure, an aerosol supply system is a system in which the aerosol-generating material (or its components) constituting the aerosol supply system is not burned or incinerated in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to the user. Specifically, the aerosol supply system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. The aerosol-generating material heating system comprises an aerosol supply device having a heating system configured to heat the aerosol-generating material.

[0046] In some embodiments, the system is an aerosol supply system equipped with an energy source.

[0047] In some embodiments, the aerosol supply system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of one or more aerosol-generating materials, each of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system comprises a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0048] Typically, an aerosol supply system may comprise an aerosol supply device and consumables or articles for use with the aerosol supply device.

[0049] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to articles (also referred to herein as consumables) comprising an aerosol-generating material and configured for use with an aerosol-supplying device.

[0050] In some embodiments, the article disclosed herein comprises a first region comprising a first aerosol-generating material and a second region comprising a second aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the article may comprise further regions such as a third, fourth, or fifth region and / or further aerosol-generating materials.

[0051] The first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material in the article have different densities. Otherwise, the aerosol-generating materials in the article may be the same or different.

[0052] It has been found that by providing a region containing a second aerosol-generating material having a higher density than the first aerosol-generating material, the different densities cause the second aerosol-generating material to heat more slowly than the first aerosol-generating material when subjected to the same heating, resulting in a slower release of volatile compounds (e.g., nicotine) from the second aerosol-generating material than from the first aerosol-generating material. Therefore, by combining aerosol-generating materials with different densities with the optional heating of these materials separately for different times and / or at different temperatures, it becomes possible to achieve more controlled release of volatile compounds over the lifespan of the article, for example, resulting in more consistent and sustained release of volatile compounds. Alternatively, it may be desirable to have a more rapid or greater release of volatile substances at the beginning of consumption of the article to provide the user with a greater initial impact from use. The ability to control aerosol generation and volatile compound release can be particularly advantageous because it allows for relatively small article sizes while still achieving specific desired releases of volatile compounds over the lifespan.

[0053] In some embodiments, the second aerosol-forming material has a density that is at least about 25% higher than the density of the first aerosol-forming material, and optionally at least about 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, or 75% higher than the density of the first aerosol-forming material. The second aerosol-forming material has a density that is about 200% or less higher than the density of the first aerosol-forming material, and optionally a density that is about 150%, 125%, 100%, or 75% or less higher than the density of the first aerosol-forming material. In some embodiments, the second aerosol-forming material has a density that is about 25% to about 75% higher than the density of the first aerosol-forming material.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-forming material has a density of at least about 0.1 g / cm 3 and optionally at least about 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, or 0.9 g / cm 3 . The first aerosol-forming material has a density of about 1 g / cm 3 or less, and optionally a density of about 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, or 0.2 g / cm 3 or less. In some embodiments, the density of the first aerosol-forming material is about 0.1 to 0.9 g / cm 3 .

[0055] In some embodiments, the second aerosol-forming material has a density of at least about 0.4 g / cm 3 and optionally at least about 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, or 2 g / cm 3 . The second aerosol-forming material has a density of about 2 g / cm 3 or less, and optionally a density of about 1.9, 1.8, 1.7, 1.6, 1.5, 1.4, 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, 1, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, or 0.5 g / cm 3 or less. In some embodiments, the density of the first aerosol-forming material is about 0.4 to 1.99 g / cm3 That is the case.

[0056] Aerosol generating materials Aerosol-generating materials are materials that can generate aerosols when heated, irradiated, or given energy in any other way. Aerosol-generating materials can be in the form of solids, liquids, or gels, which may or may not contain active substances and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, aerosol-generating materials may include “amorphous solids,” which may alternatively be called “monolithic solids” (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, amorphous solids may be dry gels. Amorphous solids are solid materials that can hold some fluid, such as a liquid, within the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, aerosol-generating materials may include, for example, amorphous solids ranging from about 50 wt%, 60 wt%, or 70 wt% to about 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 100 wt% amorphous solids.

[0057] The aerosol-generating material may comprise one or more active substances and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0058] The aerosol-forming agent material may contain one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent material may contain one or more of the following: glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyline, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0059] One or more other functional materials may include one or more of the following: pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.

[0060] The active substances used herein may be physiologically active materials, which are materials intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. Active substances may be selected from, for example, dietary supplements, nootropics, and psychotropic drugs. Active substances may be naturally occurring or obtained by synthesis. Active substances may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or their components, derivatives, or combinations. Active substances may include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or other plant substances.

[0061] In some embodiments, the active substance includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance includes caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0062] As described herein, the active substance may include or be derived from one or more plant substances, their components, derivatives, or extracts. As used herein, the term “plant substance” includes, but is not limited to, any material derived from a plant, including extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, exoskeletons, or shells. Alternatively, the material may include those obtained by synthesizing naturally occurring active compounds in plant substances. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, fine powder, crushed particles, granules, pellets, flakes, strips, or sheets. Examples of plant-based substances include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo, hazelnut, hibiscus, bay leaf, licorice, matcha, mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea (such as green or black tea), thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, and rabbi. The herbs are mint, lemon peel, mint, juniper, elderflower, vanilla, wintergreen, perilla, curcuma, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, orange blossom, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, calvi, verbena, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab, or any combination thereof. The mint may be selected from the following mint varieties: peppermint, mint cv, Egyptian mint, European mint, eau de cologne mint, candy mint, curly mint, Kentucky colonel mint, horse mint, pineapple mint, pennyroyal mint, green mint, and apple mint.

[0063] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances or their components, derivatives, or extracts, the plant substance being tobacco.

[0064] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances or their components, derivatives, or extracts, the plant substances being selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

[0065] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances or their components, derivatives, or extracts, the plant substances being selected from rooibos and fennel.

[0066] In some embodiments, the substance delivered by the aerosol-generating material includes flavorings.

[0067] As used herein, the terms “flavoring” and “flavoring agent” refer to materials that may be used to create a desired taste, aroma, or other somatosensory effect in products intended for adult consumers, where permitted by local regulations.These are naturally occurring flavorings, plant substances, plant substance extracts, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, anise, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berries, red berries, cranberries, peaches, apples, oranges, mangoes, clementines, lemons, rye). Tropical fruits, papaya, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, kurt, eggplant, betel nut, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, illa Ilex crenata, sage, fennel, wasabi, bell pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, peppermint oil from any of the Mentha species, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazelnut, hibiscus, bay leaf, mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, curcuma, cilantro, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, pimento, mace, damien, ma It may contain other additives such as joram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, calvi, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), as well as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, plant-based substances, or breath fresheners.They may be imitations, synthetics, or natural raw materials, or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as liquids like oils, solids like powders, or gases.

[0068] In some embodiments, the flavor includes menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavor includes cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry flavor components. In some embodiments, the flavor includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavor includes flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavor includes flavor components extracted from cannabis.

[0069] In some embodiments, the flavor may include a sensory stimulant, which is intended to achieve somatosensations that are normally chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or instead of the aroma or taste nerves, and these may include agents that produce heating, cooling, tingling, or numbing effects. A preferred thermal agent may be, but is not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and a preferred cooling agent may be, but is not limited to, eucalyptol or WS-3.

[0070] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material contain the same components. Therefore, when heated, they release very similar aerosols having potentially the same content of active substances and / or flavors, etc. Their different densities make it possible to generate aerosols from the two materials at different rates and / or different times during heating.

[0071] In other embodiments, the first and second aerosol-generating materials contain different components. Therefore, upon heating, they release different aerosols having different compositions, potentially containing different active substances and / or flavors. Their different densities allow for the generation of different aerosols from the two materials at different rates and / or times during heating, potentially providing aerosols that vary over their lifespan.

[0072] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material each contain tobacco. The tobacco will contain volatile components including nicotine, aroma, and flavor. The tobacco may be any type of tobacco and any part of the tobacco plant, including tobacco leaves, pulp, stems, stalks, veins, trimmings, and pieces, or mixtures of two or more of these. Preferred tobacco materials include, optionally, Virginia or yellow tobacco, Burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco, or blends of tobacco materials, which are listed herein. The tobacco may be expanded, such as dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET), or processed by any other means. In some embodiments, the tobacco material may be a reconstituted tobacco material. The tobacco may be pre-treated or untreated, and may be, for example, solid stems (SS), shredded dried stems (SDS), steam-treated stems (STS), or any combination thereof. The tobacco material may be fermented, hardened, unhardened, roasted, or otherwise pre-treated.

[0073] The first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material may contain different tobaccos. Alternatively, the tobaccos may be the same, but they may be provided in different forms such that the second aerosol-generating material has a higher density than the first aerosol-generating material.

[0074] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material has at least one further different property from that of the second aerosol-generating material. The different property may be one or more of the forms, sizes, water content, quantities (by weight), one or more materials, or proportions of the materials used to make the first and second aerosol-generating materials (including recipes for aerosol-generating materials when each is made from two or more materials). In some embodiments, the first and second aerosol-generating materials have no different properties other than different densities from those of the first and second aerosol-generating materials.

[0075] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material comprises one or more tobaccos in the form of cut fragments. This tobacco material may be pulp or reconstituted tobacco material. In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material is a blend comprising both pulp tobacco and reconstituted tobacco. For example, the ratio of pulp tobacco to reconstituted tobacco may be about 1:4 to about 4:1.

[0076] The second aerosol-generating material has a higher density than the first aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, this higher-density second aerosol-generating material may contain particles or be in the form of beads or one or more sheets. Each bead or sheet may be formed from aggregated smaller particles.

[0077] As used herein, the term “beads” means including beads, pellets, or other individual small units that are molded, compressed, or otherwise made into a desired shape. Beads may have a smooth and regular shape (e.g., spherical, cylindrical, oval, etc.) and / or an irregular shape.

[0078] In some embodiments, the beads have a diameter of at least about 0.5 mm, optionally at least about 1, 1.5, 2.2.5, or 3 mm (e.g., measured by sieving). The beads may have a diameter of about 5 mm or less, optionally at least about 4.5, 4, 3.5, 3, 2.5, 2, or 1.5 mm (e.g., measured by sieving). In some embodiments, the diameter of each bead may range from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm, or from about 1 mm to about 2 mm. The bead size may refer to the average size of the beads, such as number or volume average size.

[0079] agglomeration In some embodiments, the desired density of the aerosol-generating material is achieved or controlled by the formulation of the material and / or the method(s) in which the material is processed. Processes involving aggregation, particularly aggregation by the application of some compressive force, tend to increase the density of the material.

[0080] Therefore, in some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material includes aggregated material particles.

[0081] In the case of sheet materials, the sheet may be formed from particles of the material that are bonded together and optionally compressed to form a sheet having desired dimensions and density.

[0082] In some embodiments, the beads or pellets can be formed using a so-called marmarizing process.

[0083] In some embodiments, agglomeration is achieved by pelletization. Pelletization is an agglomeration process that converts fine particles of a material, optionally with excipients, into free-flowing units called pellets. Depending on the selected equipment and type of process, pellet formation and growth can occur in several ways. These pellets may be formed by agitation, or agglomeration may be formed when particles are rolled and tumbled in the presence of a suitable amount of liquid. Spherical formation may involve the use of equipment such as pans, discs, drums, or mixers to produce pellets. Compression pelletization is a form of pressure agglomeration, where particles are brought together by mechanical force with optionally compounding aids. The compressive force means that the formed pellets have an increased density compared to the starting material.

[0084] In some embodiments, aggregation is achieved by extrusion. In some embodiments, pellets formed by pelletization may be extruded to form a higher-density extruded product.

[0085] The extruded particles may have a size selected to produce a higher-density aerosol-generating material, which will affect heat transfer and the release of volatile components within the material.

[0086] Extrusion molding involves feeding a composition (also called a precursor composition) through a die to produce an extruded product. This process applies pressure to the composition in combination with shear force.

[0087] Extrusion can be performed using one of the main types of extruders: screw, sieve and basket, roll, ram, and pin barrel extruders. Single-screw or twin-screw extruders may be used. Forming tobacco beads by extrusion has the advantage that this process combines compression, mixing, conditioning, homogenization, and molding of the composition.

[0088] In some embodiments, during extrusion molding, a free-flowing composition containing particles such as tobacco particles is subjected to high pressure and high temperature and passed through an orifice such as a molding nozzle or die to form an extruded product. In some embodiments, the extruded product has a rod-like form and can be cut into segments of a desired length.

[0089] In some embodiments, the composition is exposed to temperatures of approximately 40°C to 150°C, or approximately 80°C to 130°C, or approximately 60°C to 95°C in the extruder. In some embodiments, including those using double extrusion molding, the precursor composition is exposed to temperatures of approximately 70°C to 95°C in the extruder. In some embodiments, including those using single extrusion molding, the precursor composition is exposed to temperatures of approximately 60°C to 80°C in the extruder.

[0090] The composition may be subjected to pressures ranging from approximately 2 bar to approximately 100 bar, or approximately 5 bar to approximately 60 bar (immediately before the die or nozzle), depending on the design of the die or nozzle used. Higher pressures tend to result in higher density of the extruded material. Therefore, the extrusion process can be adjusted to provide an extruded aerosol-producing material with a desired density.

[0091] In some embodiments in which tobacco particles are extruded, the density of the extruded material is relatively high and the surfaces of the tobacco particles within the extruded material are relatively open, so the tobacco beads formed from the extruded material exhibit good heat transfer and mass transfer, which has a positive effect on the release of tobacco components such as flavor and nicotine.

[0092] In some embodiments, the extrusion process may be a generally dry process, and the composition comprises dry or substantially dry aerosol-forming particles. The composition may optionally include other granular materials, such as a base, diluent, solid aerosol-forming agent, solid flavor modifier, etc.

[0093] In some embodiments, a liquid may be added to the composition before or during the extrusion process. For example, water may be added as a processing aid to help dissolve or solubilize the components of the composition, or to help bind or coagulate them. Alternatively or additionally, a wetting agent may be added to the composition.

[0094] In some embodiments, the liquid may be an aerosol-forming material such as glycerol or others discussed herein. When the liquid is added to the composition in this way, the liquid is not only applied to the surface, but the extruder is impregnated with the liquid as a result of vigorous mixing due to the pressure and high shear force of the extruder. If the liquid is an aerosol-forming material, this can increase the availability of the aerosol-forming material in the resulting beads and enhance the evaporation of volatile components.

[0095] In some embodiments, the amount of aerosol-forming agent material incorporated into the extruded beads can be up to about 30% by weight, or even up to about 40% by weight. Typically, such a large amount of aerosol-forming agent material can make the composition difficult to handle. However, this problem is less pronounced when the aerosol-forming agent material is impregnated into the particles by extrusion. If the beads are intended to generate aerosols in addition to releasing volatile components, it may be desirable to include an amount of aerosol-forming agent material such as at least about 10% by weight or at least about 20% by weight. If the primary function of the beads is to release volatile components carried by the beads into an existing aerosol or airflow, a smaller amount of aerosol-forming agent material, such as up to about 5% by weight, may suffice.

[0096] In some embodiments, the aggregates do not contain binders or binding additives. For example, extruded beads may not require a binder to maintain the structural integrity of the extruded beads. In other embodiments, the aggregates include binders or binding additives. Binding additives may be selected to assist in the formation of aggregate structures by helping particles adhere to each other and to other components in the composition. Suitable binding additives include, for example, thermoreversible gelling agents such as gelatin, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, alginates, wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose.

[0097] In some embodiments, processing by extrusion is sufficient to provide the desired higher density of the second aerosol-generating material. However, in other embodiments, the extruded material may be further processed to increase the density of the aerosol-generating material.

[0098] For example, in some embodiments, the extruded aerosol-generating material undergoes spheroidization. In spheroidization, the extruded cylindrical particles are divided into uniform lengths and gradually deformed into a spherical shape by plastic deformation. If the extruded material is initially divided into uniform lengths, the spheroidization step will produce spheres with uniform diameters.

[0099] According to one specific example of the embodiments discussed herein, a sample of the second aerosol-generating material was prepared as follows:

[0100] Table 1 shows three sample formulations, one with a binder and one without, with quantities expressed as percentages based on wet weight (WWB).

[0101] [Table 1] Care was taken not to overheat the tobacco, and the tobacco was ground to produce a fine powder. The ground tobacco particles were sieved to select those with a desired particle size, for example, less than 250 μm, less than 100 μm, or less than 60 μm.

[0102] Next, all the dry (non-liquid) components of the formulation were combined and mixed or blended in a mixer. In this particular example, the mixture was mixed at a rate of 75 RPM for 1 minute. This was to ensure that the dry components were homogeneously distributed within the mixture.

[0103] Next, half of the glycerol and half of the water were added to the dry mixture and mixed. Specifically, the mixture was mixed for a further minute at 75 RPM. Then, the remaining glycerol and water were added and mixed again for a minute at 75 RPM. Mixing was then continued until the mixture had a crumbly consistency that could be compressed into a mass, in order to ensure that a homogeneous mixture was achieved. In this particular example, the additional mixing continued for 3 minutes.

[0104] Next, the mixture was extruded using a Caleva Multilab. The extruder was operated at approximately 1500 rpm to produce extruded material of spaghetti-like length.

[0105] The extruded material was divided into sections of varying lengths as it emerged from the extruder. These sections were then spheroidized. Spheroidization was carried out until spherical beads were formed. In this case, the extruded material was first spheroidized in a Caleva Multilab operating at 2,500 RPM for 1 minute, and then the beads were checked for defects. Spheroidization was then continued for another 1-2 minutes. During this spheroidization step, the extruded tobacco was divided into individual sections, forming high-density spherical beads.

[0106] In the final step, the spherical beads were dried in a 65°C oven for 30 minutes. After each drying period, the beads were weighed, and drying was terminated when the desired moisture weight reduction was achieved. Generally, such drying takes about one hour.

[0107] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material is in the form of discrete particles or aggregates of particles. These particles may share various properties, such as particle size, with the second aerosol-generating material, but will have a lower density than the second aerosol-generating material. As described above, there are various methods for adjusting the density of the aerosol-generating material, such as compounding and / or processing the material into particles, beads, or pellets.

[0108] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material comprises a combination of 60% reconstituted tobacco and 40% pulp tobacco, with a density of approximately 0.1 to 0.9 g / cm³. 3 It falls within this range. The second aerosol-generating material contains approximately 30-90% tobacco and has a concentration of approximately 0.4-1.99 g / cm³. 3 It has a density in the range of [value]. The amount of aerosol-forming material contained in the second aerosol-generating material may be about 8 to about 15%. The second aerosol-generating material may contain substantially spherical beads having a particle size of about 0.5 to about 3 mm. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material in an article comprises about 50% by weight of the first aerosol-generating material and about 50% by weight of the second aerosol-generating material. Thus, for example, an article comprising 260 mg of aerosol-generating material may contain 130 mg of the first aerosol-generating material and 130 mg of the second aerosol-generating material.

[0109] In some embodiments, when the aerosol-generating material includes tobacco, the tobacco is present in an amount of about 10% to about 90% by weight of the aerosol-generating material.

[0110] In some embodiments, tobacco may be present in an amount of at least about 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, or at least about 35% based on the weight of the aerosol-generating material.

[0111] In some embodiments, tobacco may be present in amounts of approximately 90%, 89%, 88%, 87%, 86%, 85%, 84%, 83%, 82%, 81%, 80%, 75%, 70%, 65%, 60%, 55%, 50%, 45% or less, or approximately 40% or less, based on the weight of the aerosol-generating material.

[0112] The tobacco described herein may contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the nicotine content is 0.5 to 2% by weight of the tobacco, for example, 0.5 to 1.75% by weight, 0.8 to 1.2% by weight, or about 0.8 to about 1.75% by weight. In some embodiments, the nicotine content may be 0.8 to 1% by weight of the tobacco.

[0113] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material have the same nicotine content.

[0114] In some embodiments, the first and second aerosol-generating materials contain one or more volatile components. In some embodiments, the first and second aerosol-generating materials have the same volatile component content.

[0115] Release of volatile components Aerosol-generating materials generate aerosols when heated, irradiated, or given energy. The aerosol will contain different components released from different components of the aerosol-generating material. For example, an aerosol-forming agent material will form an aerosol when heated. Furthermore, the aerosol will also contain volatile components such as active substances and flavors released during heating. If the aerosol-generating material contains tobacco material, heating will release volatile tobacco components, including nicotine and flavors and aromas, which will be contained in the aerosol formed from the aerosol-forming agent material.

[0116] The release of volatile components is generally temperature-dependent, meaning it occurs when the aerosol-generating material and its components reach a certain threshold temperature. Heat is generally diffused or transferred through the material so that different parts or regions of the aerosol-generating material can reach different temperatures at a given time. The diffusion or transfer of heat through the aerosol-generating material depends on various factors, including the density of the material.

[0117] One object of the present invention is to provide two regions of first and second aerosol-generating materials of different densities to enable timing adjustment of the release of volatile substances from first and second aerosol-generating materials, which should be controlled to provide a desired delivery profile. Specifically, the object is to combine a first aerosol-generating material that will release volatile components during the initial stages of use of the delivery system, with a second aerosol-generating material that will release volatile components during the later stages of use. The appropriate harmony of these stages will enable the delivery system to deliver at least one volatile substance relatively consistently per puff over the course of use.

[0118] The inventors have demonstrated that when the aerosol-generating material is heated to a target temperature during its use, the density of the aerosol-generating material affects the release of volatile components, including nicotine and glycerol. This is shown in the graphs in Figures 1 and 2.

[0119] Samples 1 and 2 are lower-density aerosol-generating materials containing blends of pulp tobacco and reconstituted tobacco. Samples 3 and 4 contain both lower-density blends of pulp tobacco and reconstituted tobacco, as well as higher-density aerosol-generating materials in the form of beads formed from blends containing pulp tobacco and reconstituted tobacco. Methods that may be used to form higher-density beads are described in the following examples.

[0120] Samples 1 and 2 show a rapid increase in the release of these volatile components per puff from the start of heating, peaking at the third puff. At the third puff, both samples 1 and 2 released over 30% of the total nicotine delivered over nine puffs, significantly more than any of the other puffs. Glycerol delivery also peaks at this point for these samples. After the third puff, the release of volatile components rapidly decreases, with release levels per puff being extremely low after the fourth puff. Therefore, including this low-density aerosol-generating material has the benefit of providing a good release profile over the first few puffs, but results in insufficient aerosols in later stages of use.

[0121] In contrast, the release of volatile components from samples 3 and 4 is slower from the start of heating, but still more consistent throughout the heating period. The rate of release increases rapidly, peaking on the third or fourth puff, but the peak levels or release rates of nicotine and glycerol are lower than those seen only in the lower-density aerosol-producing materials of samples 1 and 2. Moreover, the release of volatile components is maintained at a reasonable level for a longer period after the peak (i.e., over a greater number of puffs) rather than dropping to very low levels almost immediately.

[0122] Therefore, combining two or more aerosol-generating materials with different densities improves the level of volatile components in subsequent puffs, particularly during the 5th to 9th puffs in a usage session.

[0123] Although not shown in the graph, this effect is further improved if the lower-density aerosol-generating material is heated to its peak temperature first, and then the higher-density aerosol-generating material is heated separately to its peak temperature. By staggering the heating of different aerosol-generating materials, the aerosol supply system can consistently deliver high levels of volatile components throughout the entire lifespan of the system, achieving significantly improved delivery consistency compared to usage sessions that provide more than nine puffs. This improved delivery is achieved without the need to use larger quantities of aerosol-generating material.

[0124] consumables Consumables are articles comprising or consisting of aerosol-generating material, some or all of which are intended to be consumed during use by the user. Consumables may comprise one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, packaging material, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier. Consumables may also comprise an aerosol generator, such as a heater, which generates heat during use to cause the aerosol-generating material to produce an aerosol. The heater may comprise, for example, a flammable material, a material that can be heated by electrical conductivity, or a susceptor.

[0125] In some embodiments, the consumable or article has a rod shape, such as a cylinder. In some cases, the first, second, and any other regions comprising the aerosol-generating material may be cylindrical and arranged coaxially along the rod.

[0126] Such an arrangement is shown in Figure 3, a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the aerosol-generating rod. The rod includes a first region 1 comprising a first aerosol-generating material 3 and a second region 2 comprising a second aerosol-generating material. In this embodiment, the regions abut against a cylindrical plug of the aerosol-generating material.

[0127] An alternative configuration is shown in Figure 4, which is also a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the rod. Here, the first and second regions 1 and 2 of the aerosol-generating materials 3 and 4 are arranged so that they overlap.

[0128] Further arrangements of regions 1 and 2 of the aerosol-generating materials 3 and 4 are shown in Figures 3a and 3b. Each region has a semi-cylindrical shape, and the flat surfaces of the two regions face each other.

[0129] The rods shown in Figures 1 to 3 may be included in articles or consumables for use in an aerosol supply system. In one embodiment, such a rod is an article optionally surrounded by packaging material, such as wrapping paper, which can help protect the aerosol-generating material and / or keep different areas of the aerosol-generating material together within the rod.

[0130] Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an article 11 for use in an aerosol supply system, comprising two regions 1 and 2 of aerosol-generating material 3 and 4 and an additional mouth end section 5. The mouth end section 5 may be a plug of filter material, such as tow or sheet material, and optionally includes cellulose acetate, paper, or other known materials.

[0131] Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an article 11 for use in an aerosol supply system, comprising two regions 1 and 2 of aerosol-generating materials 3 and 4, and a mouth end assembly. The mouth end assembly comprises a series of adjacent sections, namely a spacer section 6, a cooling section 7, and a mouth end section 5. The sections of the article may be in any order, not just the order shown. The spacer section is tubular and has walls 7 and a central lumen 8. The walls 7 of the tubular spacer may contain materials such as cellulose acetate, polylactide, or paper. The cooling section 6 may be any section having a shape and / or material that assists in cooling the vapor or aerosol produced by heating the aerosol-generating materials 3 and 4. The mouth end section 5 may again be a plug of filter material such as tow or sheet material, and optionally contain cellulose acetate, paper, or other known materials.

[0132] Figure 8 shows an article 11 that is similar to the article in Figure 7, but has a wall 9 and a tubular end section with a central lumen 10.

[0133] The illustrated embodiment shows two regions in the form of a single rod. However, the regions may be provided separately, such as in separate plugs or cartridges that are inserted into the device and heated by heaters to their respective peak temperatures.

[0134] The illustrated embodiment also shows first and second regions that are in contact with each other. In other embodiments, a gap or further section may exist between these regions. This may be to prevent heating of one region from leading to unintended heating of the other region. Therefore, some form of insulation may be provided between the regions of the aerosol-generating material.

[0135] In some embodiments, the first and second regions may each have the same dimensions. In other embodiments, the first and second regions may have different dimensions. In some embodiments, the cylindrical region may have a cross-sectional diameter of at least about 5 mm, about 5.5 mm, about 6 mm, about 6.5 mm, about 7 mm, or at least about 7 mm to about 9 mm or less, about 8.5 mm, or about 8 mm or less.

[0136] In some embodiments, the article comprises two sections, each at least about 15 mm, about 16 mm, about 17 mm, or about 18 mm, and having a length of about 27 mm, about 26 mm, about 25 mm, or about 24 mm or less. In some embodiments, the first and second regions each have a length of about 17 to about 24 mm.

[0137] In some cases, the rod may comprise two sections, each having a length of approximately 15–20 mm, preferably about 18 mm. In other cases, the rod may comprise two sections, each having a length of approximately 22–27 mm, preferably about 24 mm.

[0138] In other cases, the sections of the aerosol-generating material may take the form of prismatic sections arranged to form a rod, such as a cylinder, together. For example, if there are two sections, they may be semi-cylindrical and arranged with their respective planes facing and in contact with each other.

[0139] The consumables or articles are intended for use in an aerosol supply assembly comprising an aerosol supply device and the articles.

[0140] In some embodiments, the aerosol supply device may include an energy source and a controller. The energy source may be, for example, a power source or a heat source. In some embodiments, the heat source includes a carbon substrate that can be activated to distribute energy in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or a heat transfer material adjacent to the heat source.

[0141] In some embodiments, the aerosol supply system may include an area for receiving articles, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0142] In some embodiments, the assembly is configured to provide different thermal profiles to each region of the article comprising different aerosol-generating materials. This makes it possible to tune the flavor profile of the inhaled aerosol. In some cases, the assembly may be configured to supply an aerosol in which the aerosol composition changes over the lifespan of use. In other cases, the assembly may be configured to supply an aerosol in which the aerosol composition is substantially uniform over the lifespan of use.

[0143] In some embodiments, the assembly may be configured such that at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material is exposed to a temperature of at least 180°C or 200°C for at least 50% of the heating period. In some examples, the aerosol-generating material may be subjected to a thermal profile such as that described in International Publication No. 2018 / 019855, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0144] In some embodiments, an assembly is provided configured to heat at least two regions of the aerosol-generating material separately. By controlling the temperatures of the first and second regions over time so that the temperature profiles of the sections differ, it is possible to control the puff profile of the aerosol in use. The heat supplied to the two regions of the aerosol-generating material may be supplied at different times or rates, and by thus staggering the heating, both rapid aerosol generation and extended lifespan may be possible.

[0145] The assembly device includes a heating system configured to heat a first region comprising a first aerosol-generating material to a first peak temperature and a second region comprising a second aerosol-generating material to a second peak temperature, wherein the second region reaches the second peak temperature after the first region has reached the first peak temperature.

[0146] In some embodiments, heating of the second region to a second peak temperature is performed after heating of the first region to a first peak temperature.

[0147] In some embodiments, the heating system may be configured such that a first region of an article comprising a first aerosol-generating material is immediately heated to a first peak temperature at the start of use, and this region of the article is maintained at the first peak temperature for a first period of time.

[0148] In some embodiments, the heating system may be configured such that, at the start of use, a second region of the article comprising the second aerosol-generating material is immediately heated to a second peak temperature, and this region of the article is maintained at the second peak temperature for a second period.

[0149] In other embodiments, heating of the second region begins after heating of the first region. For example, heating of the second region may begin only after heating of the first region is completed. In some embodiments, there is no overlap between heating of the first and second regions.

[0150] In some embodiments, the first peak temperature is at least about 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, or about 250°C. In some embodiments, the first peak temperature is about 350, 340, 330, 320, 310, 300, 290, 280, 270, 260, or less than about 250°C.

[0151] In some embodiments, the second peak temperature is at least about 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, or about 250°C. In some embodiments, the second peak temperature is about 350, 340, 330, 320, 310, 300, 290, 280, 270, 260, or less than about 250°C.

[0152] In some embodiments, the second peak temperature is higher than the first peak temperature. In some embodiments, the second peak temperature is about 10 to about 100°C higher than the first peak temperature, or about 10 to 50°C, about 10 to 40°C, about 10 to 30°C, or about 10 to 20°C higher than the first peak temperature.

[0153] The peak temperature of a region can be defined as the highest temperature at which that region is heated. In some embodiments, the temperature of a region is measured as the temperature of the aerosol-generating material within the region. This can be measured using a thermocouple as the temperature within the heated zone of the region. In alternative embodiments, the temperature of a region can be considered as the temperature of the heater used to heat the region.

[0154] In some embodiments, the first region is heated to a first peak temperature and maintained at the first peak temperature for a period of about 10 seconds to about 300 seconds. In some embodiments, the first region is heated for a period of at least about 10 seconds, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, or 290 seconds. In some embodiments, the first region is heated for a period of approximately 300 seconds, 290, 280, 270, 260, 250, 240, 230, 220, 210, 200, 190, 180, 170, 160, 150, 140, 130, 120, 110, 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, or 30 seconds or less. In some embodiments, the first region is maintained at a first peak temperature for a period of approximately 30 to approximately 120 seconds.

[0155] In some embodiments, the second region is heated to a second peak temperature and maintained at the second peak temperature for a period of about 10 seconds to about 300 seconds. In some embodiments, the second region is heated for a period of at least about 10 seconds, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, or 290 seconds. In some embodiments, the second region is heated for a period of approximately 300 seconds, 290, 280, 270, 260, 250, 240, 230, 220, 210, 200, 190, 180, 170, 160, 150, 140, 130, 120, 110, 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, or 30 seconds or less. In some embodiments, the second region is maintained at a second peak temperature for a period of approximately 45 to approximately 240 seconds.

[0156] In some embodiments, the second region reaches a second peak temperature approximately 10 to 240 seconds after the first region reaches a first peak temperature. In some embodiments, the second region is heated to a second peak temperature approximately 30 to 120 seconds after the first region reaches a first peak temperature. In some embodiments, the second region is heated to a second peak temperature at least approximately 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, or 120 seconds after the first region reaches a first peak temperature. In some embodiments, the second region is heated to the second peak temperature within approximately 120, 115, 110, 105, 100, 95, 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, or 30 seconds after the first region has reached the first peak temperature.

[0157] In some embodiments, heating of two or more areas of the article is harmonized to result in a relatively constant release of volatile compounds into the inhalable medium over the service life of the aerosol supply system. In some embodiments, the service life may be up to about 300 seconds or up to about 250 seconds. In some embodiments, the release period of volatile substances may be up to about 300 seconds or up to about 250 seconds.

[0158] The release of volatile substances from an aerosol-generating material can be rapid during the initial stages of heating, and it is known that a significant proportion of the volatile substances are released once the material reaches its peak temperature. This results in a rapid increase in the release of volatile substances, followed by a rapid decrease in release as the volatile components are virtually depleted from the aerosol-generating material. In the articles and systems of the present invention, two regions of aerosol-generating material are provided, which are continuously heated to allow the second aerosol-generating material to release volatile substances as the release of volatile substances from the first aerosol-generating material decreases.

[0159] In addition to temporally harmonizing the heating, the articles and systems provide further measures to control the release of volatile substances by using a second aerosol-generating material having a higher density than the first aerosol-generating material. The higher density affects the heating of the second aerosol-generating material. Heat is transferred more slowly through the denser material, resulting in a slower and more stable heating profile, and a slower and more stable release of volatile components.

[0160] In some known assemblies, two or more heaters are used, and these heaters are arranged to heat different parts of the aerosol-generating material, with some parts of the aerosol-generating material not being heated initially, thereby preserving the volatile substances in those parts for consumption later in the product's service life. However, heat bleeding between different heated zones in such assemblies directly causes depletion of volatile substances in zones that have not yet begun heating. This increases the delivery of such volatile substances early in the service life and decreases the level of such volatile substances available for later consumption. Thus, the delivery of such volatile components generally decreases with each puff. However, the effects of such heat bleeding can be mitigated by including a second aerosol-generating material with a higher density than the first aerosol-generating material. Higher density materials heat more slowly, and heat passes through the higher density material and does not diffuse as much.

[0161] In some embodiments, the heating system comprises one or more separate heaters configured to heat a first area of ​​the article, and one or more heaters configured to heat a second area of ​​the article. These heaters are controlled by a controller of the heating system.

[0162] The heaters are configured to heat the region to its respective peak temperature. They may also be configured to maintain the region at the peak temperature. Alternatively or additionally, the heaters may also be configured to maintain the region at a lower temperature before and / or after reaching the peak temperature.

[0163] In some embodiments, the first and / or second aerosol-generating material includes tobacco. For example, the first and / or second aerosol-generating material may contain about 80 to about 350 mg of tobacco. In some specific embodiments, the aerosol-generating material in an article or consumable has a weight of 260 mg and includes a combination of 130 mg of a first aerosol-generating material, which includes, for example, a blend of pulp tobacco and reconstituted tobacco, and 130 mg of a second aerosol-generating material, which includes, for example, higher-density tobacco beads.

[0164] In some embodiments, each region comprising the aerosol-generating material contains an equal amount of tobacco. In alternative embodiments, regions may contain different amounts of tobacco. If the total amount of tobacco is about 80 to about 350 mg, one region of the aerosol-generating material comprises about 20 to about 330 mg, or about 50 to about 300 mg, or about 40 to about 125 mg of tobacco, and the other region of the aerosol-generating material comprises about 20 to about 330 mg, or about 30 to about 300 mg, or about 40 to about 125 mg of tobacco.

[0165] In some specific embodiments, the aerosol-generating material has a rod shape and is formed from two cylindrical sections arranged coaxially along the rod of the aerosol-generating material. In some examples, each cylindrical section comprises tobacco of about 20 to about 330 mg, or about 50 to about 300 mg, or about 40 to about 125 mg, and has a length of about 15 to about 20 mm, or about 18 mm. In some other examples, each cylindrical section comprises tobacco of about 100 to about 250 mg, or about 115 to about 235 mg, and has a length of about 22 to about 27 mm, or about 24 mm.

[0166] In some embodiments, the aerosol product may comprise an aerosol-generating material, and further a cooling element and / or a filter. The cooling element, if present, may act or function to cool the gaseous or aerosol components. In some cases, the cooling element may act to cool the gaseous components so that they condense to form an aerosol. The cooling element may also act to keep very hot parts of the apparatus away from the user. The filter, if present, may include any suitable filter known in the art, such as a cellulose acetate plug.

[0167] The aerosol product may be enclosed in packaging material such as paper. The aerosol product may further be provided with ventilation apertures. These may be located within the side walls of the article. In some cases, the ventilation apertures may be located within filters and / or cooling elements. These apertures may allow cold air to be drawn into the article during use, which can mix with the heated volatile components and thereby cool the aerosol.

[0168] Aeration enhances the generation of visible heated volatile components from the article when the article is heated during use. The heated volatile components are made visible by a cooling process that causes supersaturation of the heated volatile components. The heated volatile components then undergo droplet formation, also known as nucleation, and finally, the size of the aerosol particles of the heated volatile components increases due to further condensation of the heated volatile components and solidification of newly formed droplets from the heated volatile components.

[0169] In some cases, the ratio of cold air to the total of heated volatile components and cold air is known as the permeability and is at least 15%. A permeability of 15% makes it possible to visualize the heated volatile components in the manner described above. The visibility of the heated volatile components allows the user to identify that volatile components have been generated, adding to the sensory experience of the smoking experience.

[0170] In another example, the permeability is 50% to 85% to provide further cooling of the heated volatile components. In some cases, the permeability may be at least 60% or 65%.

[0171] As used herein, an aerosol modifier is typically a substance located downstream of an aerosol-generating area and is configured to modify the generated aerosol by altering, for example, the taste, flavor, acidity, or other properties of the aerosol. The aerosol modifier may be provided within an aerosol modifier release component that is operable to selectively release the aerosol modifier.

[0172] The aerosol modifier may be, for example, an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may contain, for example, one or more of the following: flavorings, colorants, water, and carbon adsorbents. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a powder, thread, or granules. The aerosol modifier does not necessarily contain a filter material.

[0173] An aerosol generator is a device configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to supply thermal energy to the aerosol-generating material so as to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol.

[0174] The various embodiments described herein are presented solely to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as representative examples of embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations to the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or to equivalents of the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modified without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may, may consist of, or essentially consist of, appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. an aerosol supply system comprising an aerosol supply device and an article, The article comprises a first region comprising a first aerosol-generating material and a second region comprising a second aerosol-generating material, The second aerosol-generating material has a higher density than the first aerosol-generating material. The device comprises a heating system configured to heat the first region to a first peak temperature and the second region to a second peak temperature, wherein the second region reaches the second peak temperature after the first region reaches the first peak temperature. Aerosol supply system.

2. The aerosol supply system according to claim 1, wherein the density of the second aerosol generating material is at least about 25% higher than the density of the first aerosol generating material.

3. The first aerosol generating material is present in a concentration of approximately 0.1 g / cm³. ３ ~Approx. 1g / cm ３ An aerosol supply system according to claim 1 or 2, having a density of the following:

4. The second aerosol generating material is approximately 0.4 g / cm³ ３ ~Approx. 2g / cm ３ An aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having a density of the specified value.

5. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heating of the second region to the second peak temperature is performed after the heating of the first region to the first peak temperature.

6. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second region is heated for a longer period of time than the first region.

7. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the timing of heating in the first region and the timing of heating in the second region do not overlap.

8. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first peak temperature is approximately 150°C to approximately 350°C.

9. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first region is heated to the first peak temperature for a period of about 10 seconds to about 300 seconds.

10. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the second peak temperature is approximately 150°C to approximately 350°C.

11. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the second region is heated to the second peak temperature for a period of about 10 seconds to about 300 seconds.

12. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the second peak temperature is about 10 to about 100°C higher than the first peak temperature.

13. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the heating of the article results in a relatively constant release of volatile compounds into an inhalable medium.

14. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the second region is heated to the second peak temperature after the first region has been heated to the first peak temperature.

15. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the second region is heated to the second peak temperature after the heating of the first region has stopped.

16. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the second aerosol generating material includes extruded tobacco.

17. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the second aerosol generating material includes beads.

18. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the first aerosol generating material comprises one or more tobacco materials selected from the group consisting of leaf pulp and reconstituted tobacco materials.

19. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein at least one of the first and second aerosol generating materials includes a combination of leaf pulp and reconstituted tobacco material.

20. The aerosol supply system according to claim 19, wherein the leaf pulp and the reconstituted tobacco material are present in the aerosol generating material in a weight ratio of 1:4 to 4:

1.

21. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material have the same level of volatile compounds.

22. The aerosol supply system according to claim 21, wherein the volatile compound is nicotine.

23. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the release of volatile compounds from the first aerosol-generating material and the release of volatile compounds from the second aerosol-generating material are at the same rate when each of the materials reaches a given temperature.

24. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the second region is configured to be downstream of the first region.

25. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material are located in separate regions.

26. The aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material are present in the article in a weight ratio of 1:10 to 10:

1.

27. An article for an aerosol supply system, wherein the article comprises a first aerosol generating material and a second aerosol generating material, The second aerosol-generating material is in the form of discrete particles or aggregates of particles, The second aerosol-generating material has a higher density than the second aerosol-generating material. Goods.

28. The article according to claim 27, wherein the second aerosol generating material comprises beads or pellets of the aerosol generating material.

29. The article according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the second aerosol-generating material is a compressed, extruded, or molded mass of aerosol-generating material.

30. An article according to any one of claims 27 to 29, for use in the aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 26.

31. The article according to any one of claims 27 to 30, wherein the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material have the same nicotine content.

32. The article according to any one of claims 27 to 31, wherein the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material release nicotine at the same rate when heated to a given temperature.

33. The article according to any one of claims 27 to 32, wherein the first aerosol-generating material is in the form of discrete particles or aggregates of particles.

34. The article according to claim 33, wherein the first aerosol generating material comprises beads or pellets of the aerosol generating material, or is a compressed, extruded, or molded mass of the aerosol generating material.

35. The article according to any one of claims 27 to 34, wherein the article comprises a first region comprising the first aerosol-generating material and a second region comprising the second aerosol-generating material.

36. The article according to claim 35, wherein the second region is configured to be downstream of the first region.

37. Use of the aerosol supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 26 to provide consistent delivery of volatile components in the aerosol generated by the system over a period of use resulting in multiple puffs.

38. Use of the article according to any one of claims 27 to 36 to provide consistent delivery of volatile components in an aerosol generated by heating the article over a period of use resulting in multiple puffs.

39. A method for generating an aerosol using a system according to any one of claims 1 to 26 or an article according to any one of claims 27 to 36, the method comprising the steps of heating a first region to a first peak temperature and heating a second region to a second peak temperature, wherein the second region reaches the second peak temperature after the first region has reached the first peak temperature.

Images