Aerosol Generation System

Abstract

An aerosol generating system (1) is described that includes an aerosol generating device (6) and an aerosol product (2). The aerosol product (2) includes an aerosol-generating material (16) having a first outer surface (16a) and a second outer surface (16b) substantially opposite the first outer surface (16a). The aerosol-generating material (16) is substantially rectangular, and the first and second outer surfaces (16a, 16b) are the surfaces of the rectangular parallelepiped having the largest surface area. The aerosol product (2) also includes a first conductive layer (18a) adjacent to and completely covering the first outer surface (16a). The device (6) includes a first electrode (8) adjacent to the first conductive layer (18a).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to an aerosol product article, and in particular to an aerosol product article adapted to be contained within an aerosol generation device to generate an aerosol for inhalation by a user. The present disclosure also relates to an aerosol generation system including the aerosol product article and the aerosol generation device.

[0002] The present disclosure is particularly applicable to portable (handheld) aerosol generating devices. [Background technology]

[0003] In recent years, devices that heat, rather than burn, aerosol-forming materials to produce an aerosol for inhalation have become popular with consumers. Commonly available risk-reducing or risk-modifying devices are material-heated aerosol-generating devices, or so-called heat-and-burn devices. This type of device generates an aerosol or vapor by heating the aerosol-generating material to a temperature typically in the range of 150°C to 300°C. This temperature range is significantly lower than that of a conventional cigarette. Heating the aerosol-generating material to a temperature within this range, without burning or combusting the aerosol-generating material, generates a vapor that typically cools and condenses to form an aerosol for inhalation by the device user.

[0004] Such devices may provide heat to the aerosol-generating material using one of several different techniques. One technique may be designed to heat an electrically conductive aerosol-generating material, such as a tobacco material doped with a conductive material, such as a carbon-based material, by applying an electric current to the aerosol-generating material. Thus, the aerosol-generating material is heated directly by the electric current flowing through it (Joule heating), instead of indirectly by an external heater or, in the case of an induction heating system, by one or more susceptors located outside the aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating material may be part of an aerosol-product article that a user inserts into the device during use. Heating the aerosol-generating material typically requires that at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material be exposed to a surface of the aerosol-product article so that an electrical connection with the device can be made. This may be unacceptable to users, for example, due to the possibility that the user's fingers may come into contact with the exposed aerosol-generating material, or due to the possibility that some of the aerosol-generating material may leak from the article. Therefore, embodiments of the present disclosure seek to solve this problem by providing an alternative method of heating an aerosol-generating material by constructing the aerosol-generating system as a capacitor and applying an electric field across the aerosol-generating material surrounded by a wrapper, at least a portion of which is electrically conductive. The present disclosure provides embodiments in which the aerosol-generating material is electrically conductive so that an electric field causes a current to flow through the aerosol-generating material, and embodiments in which the aerosol-generating material is non-conductive, i.e., the aerosol-generating material is not doped with an electrically conductive material and functions as a dielectric. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol generating system, comprising: an aerosol-generating material having a first outer surface and a second outer surface substantially opposite the first outer surface, the aerosol-generating material being substantially rectangular, the first outer surface and the second outer surface being surfaces of the rectangular parallelepiped having a maximum surface area; a first conductive layer adjacent to and completely covering the first outer surface; a first electrode adjacent to the first conductive layer.

[0006] The system may further include a second conductive layer adjacent to and completely covering the second outer surface, and a second electrode adjacent to the second conductive layer. It is typically advantageous for the first and second conductive layers to completely cover the respective outer surfaces of the aerosol-generating material. When the aerosol-generating material is conductive, such a configuration means that the vectors of the current flowing through the aerosol-generating material are aligned. This helps provide more uniform heating and, in particular, can prevent the formation of "hot spots" or "cold spots" (i.e., areas of the aerosol-generating material where the material is overheated or underheated) within the aerosol-generating material. Such hot and cold spots can affect the taste of the generated aerosol. When the aerosol-generating material is nonconductive and can thereby function as a dielectric for the aerosol-generating system, generally structured as a capacitor (see below), the efficiency of aerosol generation can be improved by ensuring that the respective outer surfaces of the aerosol-generating material are completely covered by the first and second conductive layers, thereby maximizing the available capacitance.

[0007] The surface area of ​​the first conductive layer may be larger than the surface area of ​​the first outer surface, and / or the surface area of ​​the second conductive layer may be larger than the surface area of ​​the second outer surface. Making the first and / or second conductive layers slightly larger than the adjacent outer surfaces of the aerosol-generating material further increases available capacitance, resulting in more uniform heating of the aerosol-generating material while also accommodating manufacturing tolerances.

[0008] The aerosol-generating material and the first conductive layer may be part of an aerosol product (or consumable product). The aerosol product may also include a second conductive layer. In such an aerosol product, there is good adhesion and contact between the aerosol-generating material and the first conductive layer and / or between the aerosol-generating material and the second conductive layer. This may improve the efficiency of aerosol generation.

[0009] The first electrode may be part of an aerosol generating device adapted to contain the aerosol product article during use. The aerosol generating device may also include a second electrode. When the aerosol product article is contained within the aerosol generating device, for example, within the aerosol generation space or heating chamber of the device, the first electrode is disposed adjacent to the first conductive layer, and the second electrode is disposed adjacent to the second conductive layer. The first electrode may be in electrical contact with the first conductive layer, and the second electrode may be in electrical contact with the second conductive layer. The first electrode and the first conductive layer may form a first electrode assembly disposed adjacent to a first outer surface of the aerosol generating material. The second electrode and the second conductive layer may form a second electrode assembly disposed adjacent to a second outer surface of the aerosol generating material.

[0010] The first and second electrodes (or first and second electrode assemblies) may be substantially planar and may define a pair of conductive parallel capacitor plates that may be separated by a dielectric, which, if non-conductive, comprises the aerosol-generating material. Thus, the aerosol-generating system may be constructed generally as a capacitor.

[0011] The first electrode may be connected to a first terminal (e.g., a positive terminal), and the second electrode may be connected to a second terminal (e.g., a negative terminal). When a voltage is applied between the first and second terminals to charge the capacitor, for example, when the aerosol generating device further includes a circuit electrically connected to a power source (e.g., a battery) between the first and second terminals, a net positive charge collects on the positive electrode (e.g., the first electrode or electrode assembly) and a net negative charge collects on the negative electrode (e.g., the second electrode or electrode assembly). An electric field is generated between the first or second electrode or electrode assembly. The capacitor may be charged until its voltage value is substantially equal to the voltage between the first and second electrodes. When the capacitor is fully charged, current ceases to flow through the circuit. The capacitor may be discharged, for example, through a resistor. As described in more detail below, charging and discharging the capacitor heats the aerosol-generating material, generating an aerosol for inhalation by the user.

[0012] If the aerosol-generating material is an electrically conductive material, the aerosol-generating device may further include a circuit electrically connected to a power source (e.g., a battery) between the first and second terminals, which circuit can be used to generate an electric field between the first or second electrode or electrode assembly, causing a current to flow through the aerosol-generating material, heating the aerosol-generating material by Joule heating and generating an aerosol for inhalation by the user.

[0013] The circuit may further include a switching device (e.g., one or more switches). The switching device may be closed to charge the capacitor or allow current to flow through the aerosol-forming material and may be opened to discharge the capacitor or stop current flow through the aerosol-forming material. The one or more switches may be semiconductor switching devices. The one or more switches may be opened and closed (or switched on / off) by a controller.

[0014] The first electrode may have a surface area substantially equal to the surface area of ​​the first outer surface of the aerosol-generating material or the surface area of ​​the first conductive layer completely covering the first outer surface. The second electrode may have a surface area substantially equal to the surface area of ​​the second outer surface of the aerosol-generating material or the surface area of ​​the second conductive layer completely covering the second outer surface. It will be understood that the capacitance of a parallel-plate capacitor is proportional to the smallest area of ​​the first and second electrodes and inversely proportional to the distance or spacing between them. The first and second outer surfaces are rectangular parallelepiped surfaces with the largest surface areas to maximize capacitance. Maximizing capacitance may improve the efficiency of aerosol generation. In other configurations, for example, the first electrode may have a surface area greater or less than the surface area of ​​the first outer surface of the aerosol-generating material or the first conductive layer, and / or the second electrode may have a surface area greater or less than the surface area of ​​the second outer surface of the aerosol-generating material or the second conductive layer. The first electrode and / or the second electrode may be designed simply to provide an electrical connection between the circuit and the respective conductive layers of the aerosol-producing article when the article is housed in the aerosol-generating space or heating chamber of the device. It should be emphasized that the first electrode does not need to completely cover the first outer surface of the aerosol-generating material, and the second electrode does not need to completely cover the second outer surface of the aerosol-generating material. Therefore, narrower or smaller positive and / or negative electrodes may be used. This may mean that the positive and / or negative electrodes are not exposed at the proximal end of the aerosol-generating device. This may also prevent the transfer of electrostatic charge from the user to the positive and / or negative electrodes.

[0015] The first and second electrodes may be formed from any suitable conductive material, such as, for example, aluminum.

[0016] The aerosol-forming material may include plant-derived material, and in particular tobacco material.

[0017] The aerosol-forming material may be a non-conductive material or a conductive material, and may further comprise, for example, a carbon-based material such as charcoal, or a metal such as aluminum. In particular, the aerosol-forming material may comprise, as a substrate, a non-conductive material such as a plant-derived material or tobacco material, which is then doped with a conductive material such as a carbon-based material or metal particles to make it conductive.

[0018] When heated, the aerosol-forming material may release one or more volatile compounds, which may include nicotine or flavor compounds such as tobacco flavorings or other flavorings.

[0019] The aerosol-generating material may be part of the aerosol precursor compartment of the aerosol product article. The aerosol product article may further include a cooling compartment (or filter compartment) at the proximal end. The first and second electrodes preferably do not extend over or overlap the cooling compartment when the article is housed within the device. In other words, at least a portion of the cooling compartment is preferably positioned outside the space defined between the first and second electrodes when the article is housed within the device. The cooling compartment may comprise, for example, cellulose acetate fibers. The cooling compartment may constitute a mouthpiece filter. In some designs, one or more vapor collection areas, cooling zones, and other structures may also be included. The vapor cooling zone may advantageously allow the vapor to cool and condense, for example, through a filter segment, to form an aerosol with suitable properties for inhalation by a user. Generally speaking, a vapor is a substance that is in the gas phase below its critical temperature, meaning that it may be condensed into a liquid by increasing the pressure without decreasing the temperature, while an aerosol is fine solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in air or another gas. However, it should be noted that the terms "aerosol" and "vapor" may be used interchangeably herein.

[0020] The aerosol product item may further include a non-conductive wrapper, such as a paper wrapper, that extends substantially around the periphery of the cooling compartment.

[0021] The first and / or second conductive layers may comprise a substrate (e.g., a paper substrate) doped with conductive particles, such as carbon-based or metal particles, or impregnated with a conductive electrolyte, such as a sodium chloride-based electrolyte. Alternatively, the first and / or second conductive layers may be formed on a non-conductive substrate (e.g., a paper substrate). The aerosol-generating material may be substantially surrounded by a substrate, such as a paper substrate or paper wrapper, which is rendered conductive by, for example, doping or impregnating with conductive particles or electrolyte, or by forming a conductive layer, in those portions of the substrate or wrapper that extend around the outer surface of the aerosol-generating material and are adjacent to the first and second outer surfaces. The conductive layers are separated by non-conductive portions of the substrate or wrapper, such as portions of the substrate or wrapper that are adjacent to the other outer surface of the aerosol-generating material. This ensures that the first and second conductive layers are electrically isolated from each other. Generally, it is preferred that at least the aerosol-forming material be completely surrounded by the substrate or wrapper so that no portion of the aerosol-forming material is exposed.

[0022] When a conductive layer is formed on the surface of a non-conductive substrate, such as a paper substrate or paper wrapper, the conductive layer may be electrically connected to the opposite surface of the substrate or wrapper by one or more conductive connections, e.g., one or more vias, extending through the substrate or wrapper. These conductive connections (or vias) allow electrical current to pass through the non-conductive substrate or wrapper. The conductive connections may also function as air inlet holes, for example, to allow air to be drawn into the aerosol-forming material. Such conductive connections may be similar to those used to connect conductive layers of a printed circuit board (PCB). In a PCB, for example, a via may comprise a pair of pads on different conductive layers of the substrate that are electrically connected by a hole that penetrates the substrate. The hole may be made conductive by electroplating or may be lined with a tube of conductive material. Each conductive connection in the present disclosure may have a similar structure, for example, with a conductive tube connecting to a pair of pads or conductive layers on opposite surfaces of the substrate or wrapper.

[0023] The conductive layer may be formed on the substrate surface by, for example, partial dip coating or by printing, for example, by printing a conductive ink onto the substrate surface.

[0024] If the aerosol-generating material is non-conductive, it acts as a dielectric between the first or second electrode or electrode assembly. Charging and discharging a capacitor dissipates heat within the first or second electrode or electrode assembly, which heats the adjacent aerosol-generating material. When a capacitor is charged—that is, when a voltage is applied across the first and second terminals and an electric field is generated between the first or second electrode or electrode assembly—no current flows through the aerosol-generating material. Instead, the aerosol-generating material is polarized so that positive charges in the aerosol-generating material are slightly displaced in the direction of the electric field and negative charges are slightly displaced in the opposite direction. When the capacitor is discharged, the polarization is released and the charges can return to their original positions. The moving positive and negative charges interact with the internal resistance of the aerosol-generating material, resulting in direct heating of the aerosol-generating material.

[0025] If the aerosol-generating material is electrically conductive, when a voltage is applied between the first and second terminals, an electric field is generated between the first and second electrodes or electrode assemblies, causing a current to flow through the aerosol-generating material. Due to the internal resistance of the aerosol-generating material, the current flowing through the aerosol-generating material provides direct heating of the aerosol-generating material by Joule heating.

[0026] In both configurations, direct heating is provided without the need to expose any portion of the aerosol-generating material. Thus, the aerosol-generating material may be surrounded by a wrapper, such as a paper wrapper, which may form the first and second conductive layers. There is no risk of a user's fingers coming into contact with the exposed aerosol-generating material, or of any portion of the aerosol-generating material leaking out of the aerosol-product article. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerosol generation system having an aerosol generation device and an aerosol product. [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic perspective view of the aerosol product of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a schematic side view of the aerosol production article of FIG. 1 showing the aerosol precursor compartment and the cooling compartment. [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic top view of the aerosol production article of FIG. 1 showing the aerosol precursor compartment and the cooling compartment. [Figure 5] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the aerosol generation system of FIG. 1, in which a first aerosol product item is contained within the aerosol generation device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the aerosol generation system of FIG. 1, in which a second aerosol product item is contained within the aerosol generation device. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a wrapper. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a wrapper. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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

[0029] Referring initially to FIG. 1 , an example of an aerosol generation system 1 is shown schematically, including an aerosol product item 2 (or consumable item) adapted to be contained within an aerosol generation space or heating chamber 4 of an aerosol generation device 6.

[0030] The aerosol generating device 6 includes a positive electrode 8 and a negative electrode 10 adjacent to the aerosol generation space 4. The positive electrode 8 and the negative electrode 10 may be formed from any suitable conductive material, such as, for example, aluminum.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the aerosol production product 2 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped structure and includes a first outer surface 2a and a second outer surface 2b opposite the first outer surface 2a. The first outer surface 2a and the second outer surface 2b are surfaces of the rectangular parallelepiped that have the largest surface area so as to maximize capacitance (see below). Maximizing capacitance can improve the efficiency of aerosol generation. The aerosol production product 2 has: - a third outer surface 2c, a fourth outer surface 2d opposite the third outer surface 2c, a fifth outer surface 2e at the distal end of the aerosol-producing article 2, and a sixth outer surface 2f at the proximal end of the aerosol production article 2, opposite the fifth outer surface 2e.

[0032] The aerosol product 2 includes an aerosol precursor section 12 and a cooling section 14 at the proximal end. The aerosol precursor section 12 includes: a first outer surface 16a, a second outer surface 16b opposite the first outer surface 16a, - a third outer surface 16c, a fourth outer surface 16d opposite the third outer surface 16c; a fifth outer surface 16e, and a rectangular parallelepiped of aerosol-generating material 16 having a sixth outer surface 16f opposite the fifth outer surface 16c in contact with the cooling section 14;

[0033] When heated, the aerosol-forming material 16 may release one or more volatile compounds. The volatile compounds may include nicotine or flavor compounds, such as tobacco flavoring or other flavorings. At least the aerosol precursor section 12 is surrounded by a wrapper 18, such as a paper wrapper. In the aerosol product article 2 as shown, the wrapper 18 extends around the outer surfaces 16a, 16b, ..., 16e of the aerosol-forming material 16, such that the material is completely surrounded by the wrapper and the adjacent cooling section 14 of the aerosol product article 2. The wrapper 18 may also extend around the cooling section 14.

[0034] The wrapper 18 defines a first conductive layer 18a adjacent to and completely covering the first outer surface 16a of the aerosol-generating material 16, and a second conductive layer 18b adjacent to and completely covering the second outer surface 16b of the aerosol-generating material.

[0035] The wrapper 18 also defines non-conductive layers 18c, ..., 18e adjacent the third, fourth, and fifth outer surfaces 16c, ..., 16e of the aerosol-generating material 16. Portions of the wrapper 18 that may extend around the cooling section 14 are also non-conductive. Thus, the first and second conductive layers 18a, 18b are not in electrical contact with each other, i.e., they are electrically insulated. It is not necessary for the first and second conductive layers 18a, 18b to cover at least a portion of the cooling section 14.

[0036] 5 to 8 , when the aerosol product 2 is accommodated in the aerosol generation space 4 of the aerosol generation device 6, the positive electrode 8 is disposed adjacent to the first conductive layer 18a, and the negative electrode 10 is disposed adjacent to the second conductive layer 18b. When the aerosol product 2 is accommodated in the aerosol generation device 6, at least a portion of the cooling compartment 14 is disposed outside the aerosol generation space 4 so that the positive electrode 8 and the negative electrode 10 do not extend above or overlap the cooling compartment 14. When the aerosol product 2 is accommodated in the aerosol generation device 6, the positive electrode 8 is in electrical contact with the first conductive layer 18a, and the negative electrode 10 is in electrical contact with the second conductive layer 18b.

[0037] The electrodes 8, 10 are substantially planar and define a pair of conductive parallel capacitor plates. In practice, the positive electrode 8 and the first conductive layer 18a may function as a single common positive electrode, and the negative electrode 10 and the second conductive layer 18b may function as a single common negative electrode.

[0038] 5 and 6, the aerosol-generating material is formed from a non-conductive material (e.g., a plant-derived material, particularly a tobacco material). The aerosol-generating system 1 is generally constructed as a capacitor, with the aerosol-generating material 16 being the dielectric between the positive and negative electrode assemblies.

[0039] The positive electrode 8 has a surface area substantially equal to the surface area of ​​the first outer surface 16 a of the aerosol-generating material 16. The negative electrode 10 has a surface area substantially equal to the surface area of ​​the second outer surface 16 b of the aerosol-generating material. Alternatively, the positive electrode 8 may have a smaller surface area than the surface area of ​​the first outer surface 16 a of the aerosol-generating material 16, and / or the negative electrode 10 may have a smaller surface area than the surface area of ​​the second outer surface 16 b of the aerosol-generating material 16. This may mean that the positive and / or negative electrodes 8, 10 are not exposed at the proximal end of the aerosol-generating device 6. This may also prevent electrostatic charge transfer from the user to the positive and / or negative electrodes 8, 10.

[0040] The positive electrode 8 is connected to a positive terminal 20, and the negative electrode 10 is connected to a negative terminal 22. The aerosol generating device 6 includes a circuit 24 electrically connected between the positive terminal 20 and the negative terminal 22 using a power source (not shown) and a switching device (not shown) that is closed to charge the capacitor and opened to discharge the capacitor. When a voltage is applied between the positive terminal 20 and the negative terminal 22 to charge the capacitor, a net positive charge collects on the positive electrode 8 and a net negative charge collects on the negative electrode 10. An electric field is generated between the positive and negative electrode assemblies. The capacitor can be charged until its voltage value is substantially equal to the voltage across the positive and negative electrodes 8 and 10. When the capacitor is fully charged, current ceases to flow through the circuit 24. The capacitor can be discharged, for example, through a resistor that forms part of the circuit 24. Charging and discharging the capacitor heats the aerosol-generating material 16, generating an aerosol for inhalation by the user.

[0041] Charging and discharging the capacitor dissipates heat in the positive and negative electrodes 8, 10 and the first and second conductive layers 18a, 18b of the paper wrapper 18, which heats the adjacent aerosol-forming material 16. When the capacitor is charged, i.e., when an electric field is generated between the positive and negative electrodes 8, 10, the aerosol-forming material 16 becomes polarized, resulting in positive charges in the aerosol-forming material being slightly displaced in the direction of the electric field and negative charges being slightly displaced in the direction opposite the electric field. When the capacitor is discharged, the polarization is released and the charges can return to their original positions. The moving positive and negative charges interact with the internal resistance of the aerosol-forming material 16, resulting in direct heating of the aerosol-forming material. In Figure 6, the polarization of the individual dielectric layers during capacitor charging is indicated by positive and negative signs ("+" and "-").

[0042] In the configurations shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the aerosol-forming material 16 is formed from a conductive material (e.g., a plant-derived material, particularly tobacco material, as a substrate doped with a conductive material, such as a carbon-based material, to make it conductive). Generating an electric field between the positive and negative electrode assemblies causes a current to flow through the aerosol-forming material 16. Due to the internal resistance of the aerosol-forming material 16, the current flowing through the aerosol-forming material provides direct heating of the aerosol-forming material by Joule heating. In FIG. 8, the current flow is indicated by vertical arrows.

[0043] In both of these configurations, direct heating is provided without the need to expose any portion of the aerosol-generating material 16. There is no possibility that a user's fingers will come into contact with the exposed aerosol-generating material 16, nor is there any possibility that any portion of the aerosol-generating material will leak out of the aerosol-production article 2.

[0044] As described above, the wrapper 18 surrounding the aerosol-forming material 16 includes a conductive portion and a non-conductive portion. The conductive portion of the wrapper 18 is defined by first and second conductive layers 18a, 18b, and the non-conductive portion is defined by third, fourth, and fifth non-conductive layers 18c, ..., 18e. The wrapper 18 may include, for example, a combination of conductive and non-conductive materials. For example, the first and second conductive layers 18a, 18b may be formed from a conductive material (e.g., aluminum), while the other layers may be formed from a non-conductive material (e.g., a paper substrate).

[0045] Alternatively, the first and / or second conductive layers 18a, 18b may include a conductive portion adjacent the aerosol-generating material 16 and a non-conductive portion adjacent the cooling compartment 14. This non-conductive portion may provide thermal insulation and prevent the cooling compartment 14 from becoming too hot for a user to touch. Even immediately after aerosol generation, a user may be able to easily remove the aerosol product 2 by simply pinching the covered cooling compartment 14.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 9 , the wrapper 18 may include a non-conductive substrate 26 (e.g., a paper substrate) that is selectively doped with conductive particles 28 to render certain portions of the substrate conductive. For example, the portion of the substrate 26 adjacent to the first outer surface 16 a of the aerosol-generating material 16 may be doped to define a first conductive layer 18 a. Although not shown, the portion of the substrate 26 adjacent to the second outer surface 16 b of the aerosol-generating material 16 may also be doped to define a second conductive layer 18 b. The remaining portions of the substrate are undoped and define non-conductive layers 18 c, . . . , 18 e. The wrapper 18 may be doped with any suitable conductive particles, such as, for example, carbon-based particles or metal particles. The wrapper may also be selectively impregnated with a suitable conductive electrolyte, such as a sodium chloride-based electrolyte.

[0047] In another configuration shown in FIG. 10 , the first conductive layer 18a may be formed on the inner surface of a non-conductive substrate 26 (e.g., a paper substrate). The first conductive layer 18a may be electrically connected to the outer surface of the substrate 26 by one or more conductive connections (or vias) 30 that penetrate the substrate. Each conductive connection 30 includes a tube 32 defining an opening or hole 34, which may be an air inlet hole that allows air to be drawn into the aerosol-generating material 16. The inner end of the tube 32 is in electrical contact with the first conductive layer 18a. The outer end of the tube 32 is in electrical contact with one or more conductive layers 36 on the outer surface of the substrate 26 to define a conductive contact pad that provides electrical contact with, for example, the first electrode 10. One or more conductive layers, including the first conductive layer 18a, may be formed on the substrate surface by, for example, partial dip coating or by printing, for example, by printing a conductive ink on the substrate surface. Although not shown, the second conductive layer 18b may be formed in the same manner, and the article may include one or more conductive connections (or vias) 30 through the substrate. The conductive connections 30 may be in electrical contact with one or more conductive layers on the outer surface of the substrate, defining, for example, conductive contact pads that provide electrical contact with the second electrode 10.

[0048] While exemplary embodiments have been described in the preceding paragraphs, it should be understood that various modifications may be made to these embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claims should not be limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments.

[0049] Any combination of the above-described features in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the present disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

[0050] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout this specification and claims, the words "comprises," "including," and the like are to be construed in an inclusive, i.e., "including but not limited to," sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense.

Claims

1. An aerosol-generating material (16) having a first outer surface (16a) and a second outer surface (16b) substantially opposite to the first outer surface (16a), wherein the aerosol-generating material (16) is substantially a rectangular parallelepiped, and the first outer surface (16a) and the second outer surface (16b) are the surfaces of the rectangular parallelepiped having the maximum surface area, A first conductive layer (18a) adjacent to the first outer surface (16a) and completely covering the first outer surface (16a), an aerosol generation system (1) comprising a first electrode (8) adjacent to the first conductive layer (18a).

2. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the surface area of ​​the first conductive layer (18a) is greater than the surface area of ​​the first outer surface (16a).

3. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aerosol generating material (16) and the first conductive layer (18a) are part of the aerosol product (2).

4. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 3, wherein the aerosol generating material (16) is part of the aerosol precursor section (12) of the aerosol product (2), the aerosol product (2) further comprises a cooling section (14) at its proximal end, and the first electrode (8) and the first conductive layer (18a) do not overlap with the cooling section (14).

5. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 4, further comprising a non-conductive wrapper (18) substantially extending around the cooling compartment (14).

6. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 3, wherein the aerosol product (2) further comprises a second conductive layer (18b) adjacent to the second outer surface (16b).

7. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 3, wherein the first electrode (8) is part of an aerosol generating device (6) adapted to contain the aerosol product (2) when in use.

8. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 7, wherein the aerosol product (2) further comprises a second conductive layer (18b) adjacent to the second outer surface (16b), and the aerosol product (2) further comprises a second electrode (10) adjacent to the second conductive layer (18b).

9. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating material (16) includes tobacco material.

10. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating material (16) is conductive.

11. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol generating material (16) is non-conductive.

12. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer (18a) comprises a non-conductive substrate (26) doped with conductive particles (28) or impregnated with a conductive electrolyte.

13. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 12, wherein the first conductive layer (18a) is formed on the surface of the non-conductive substrate (26).

14. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 13, wherein the first conductive layer (18a) is electrically in contact with the opposite surface of the non-conductive substrate (26) by one or more conductive connection portions (30) extending through the non-conductive substrate (26).

15. The aerosol generating system (1) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the first conductive layer (18a) is a partially immersion coating layer or a printed layer.

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