Consumables

Abstract

An aerosol-generating material comprising multiple strands and / or strips of an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and multiple strips of other non-tobacco material. Also disclosed are an article comprising such an aerosol-generating material, a consumable comprising such an article, and a non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising a non-combustible aerosol supply device and such consumable, wherein the device is arranged to heat the aerosol-generating material composition of the consumable. A method for producing such an aerosol-generating material composition is also disclosed.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to consumables for use in an aerosol supply system, a non-combustible aerosol supply system, and a method for manufacturing consumables. [Background technology]

[0002] Certain tobacco industry products generate aerosols that are inhaled by the user during use. For example, tobacco heating devices form aerosols by heating an aerosol-generating substrate, such as tobacco, rather than burning the substrate. Such tobacco industry products may include a mouthpiece, through which the aerosol passes to the user's mouth. [Overview of the project]

[0003] According to some embodiments described herein, in a first aspect, an aerosol-generating material is provided comprising a plurality of strands and / or strips of an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and a plurality of strips of another non-tobacco material.

[0004] According to some embodiments described herein, a second embodiment provides an article comprising the aerosol-generating material of the first embodiment.

[0005] According to some embodiments described herein, a third aspect provides a consumable for use in an aerosol supply system, comprising an article of the second aspect.

[0006] According to some embodiments described herein, a fourth embodiment provides a non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising a non-combustible aerosol supply device and a consumable according to the third embodiment, wherein the device is arranged to heat the aerosol-generating material composition of the consumable.

[0007] According to some embodiments described herein, a fifth aspect provides a method for producing an aerosol-generating material composition according to the first aspect, the method comprising the step of cutting a sheet of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to form a plurality of strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material.

[0008] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described as merely examples with reference to the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a side cross-sectional view of an article for use with a non-combustion aerosol supply device, wherein the article includes a mouthpiece. [Figure 2a] A further article for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device, the example of which is a side cross-sectional view of the article, which includes a capsule-containing mouthpiece. [Figure 2b] Figure 2a is a cross-sectional view of the capsule-containing mouthpiece. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart illustrating a first method for producing an aerosol-generating material. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart illustrating a second method for producing aerosol-generating materials. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of a system comprising a device and consumables. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] As used herein, the term “delivery system” is intended to encompass a system for delivering at least one substance to a user, and includes the following:

[0011] Non-combustion aerosol supply systems that release compounds from aerosol-generating materials without burning the materials, such as hybrid systems that generate aerosols using a combination of e-cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and aerosol-generating materials, and An aerosol-free delivery system that delivers at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally, or by another method without forming an aerosol, including, but not limited to, oral products such as lozenges, gums, patches, articles containing inhalable powders, and oral tobacco including snus or wet snuff, wherein the at least one substance may or may not contain nicotine.

[0012] According to the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol supply system is a system in which the constituent aerosol-generating material (or its components) of the aerosol supply system is neither combusted nor burned in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to a user.

[0013] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustion aerosol supply system, such as a powered non-combustion aerosol supply system.

[0014] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or an electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS), but note that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0015] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0016] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials that can be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be in the form of, for example, 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, non-tobacco products.

[0017] Typically, a non-combustible aerosol supply system may comprise a non-combustible aerosol supply device and consumables for use with the non-combustible aerosol supply device.

[0018] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising an aerosol-generating material and configured for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.

[0019] In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as a non-combustible aerosol supply device, may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, an electrical power source or a heat-generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat-generating power source includes a carbon substrate to which energy can be supplied in the form of heat to distribute power to an aerosol-generating material or heat-transferring material adjacent to the heat-generating power source.

[0020] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system may include a region for receiving consumables, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating region, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0021] In some embodiments, consumables for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device may include aerosol generating material, an aerosol generating material storage area, an aerosol generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, packaging material, a filter, a suction nozzle, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0022] In some embodiments, the delivered substance may be an aerosol-generating material or a material not intended to be aerosolized. Optionally, any of the materials may include one or more active ingredients, one or more flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and / or one or more other functional materials.

[0023] In some embodiments, the delivered substance includes an active substance.

[0024] The active substances used herein may be physiologically active materials intended to achieve or enhance a physiological response. The active substances may be selected from, for example, nutritional supplements, nootropics, and psychotropic drugs. The active substances may be naturally occurring or obtained synthetically. The active substances may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6, B12, or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or their components, derivatives, or combinations. The active substances may also include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco, cannabis, or other plant substances.

[0025] In some embodiments, the active substance includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance includes caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

[0026] As described herein, the active substance may include or be derived from one or more plant substances or 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 synthetically obtained active compounds that are naturally present in plant substances. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, flakes, strips, sheets, or the like. 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 (green or black), thyme, clove, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, and laurel. Vander, 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: American mint, 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.

[0027] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, the plant substance being tobacco.

[0028] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, the plant substances being selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

[0029] In some embodiments, the active substance comprises or is derived from one or more plant substances, or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, the plant substances being selected from rooibos and fennel.

[0030] In some embodiments, the delivered substance includes flavorings.

[0031] 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, extracts of plant substances, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, mint, anise, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berries, red berries, cranberries, peaches, apples, oranges, mangoes, clementines, lemons, limes, toro). 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, ylang-ylang Beans, 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, maize It may also contain other additives such as chollum, 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 matter, or breath fresheners.These may be imitation ingredients, synthetic ingredients, natural ingredients, or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as a liquid like an oil, a solid like a powder, or a gas.

[0032] In some embodiments, the flavor includes menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavor includes flavor components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry. 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.

[0033] In some embodiments, the flavor may include a sensory stimulant, which is intended to achieve somatosensory effects 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 vanillyl ethyl ether, but is not limited, and a preferred cooling agent may be eucoliptol or WS-3, but is not limited.

[0034] Aerosol-generating materials are materials that can generate aerosols when energy is applied, for example, by heating, irradiation, or any other method. Aerosol-generating materials may be in the form of solids, liquids, or gels, which may or may not contain active substances and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include an "aerosol-generating non-tobacco," which may alternatively be called a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may be a dry gel. Aerosol-generating non-tobacco is a solid material capable of holding some fluid, such as a liquid, within it.

[0035] The aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may include a binder, an aerosol-forming agent, a filler, and / or one or more flavorings and / or active substances.

[0036] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material comprises an aerosol-forming agent material, a binder, optionally a filler, and optionally one or more flavorings and / or active substances.

[0037] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material comprises a binder, an aerosol-forming agent material, a filler, and one or more flavorings and / or active substances.

[0038] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be an aerosol-generating film, the aerosol-generating film having a maximum thickness of approximately 1 mm, optionally a maximum thickness of 500 microns, and optionally a thickness of 50 to 500 microns.

[0039] In some cases, aerosol generation from non-tobacco products is 1-60% by weight of gelling agent, 0.1 to 50% by weight of an aerosol-forming agent, Flavorings and aromas of 0.1-80% by weight, Includes, These weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

[0040] In some further embodiments, aerosol-generating non-tobacco is 1-50% by weight of gelling agent, 0.1 to 50% by weight of an aerosol-forming agent, 30-60% by weight of flavor, Includes, These weights are calculated on a dry weight basis. The aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be supplied in sheet form.

[0041] In some further embodiments, aerosol-generating non-tobacco is Aerosol-forming agent material in an amount of approximately 40-80% by weight of non-tobacco, A gelling agent and an optional filler (i.e., in some examples the filler is present in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco, and in other examples the filler is not present in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco), wherein the combined amount of the gelling agent and the filler is approximately 10-60% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco (i.e., the gelling agent and the filler together account for approximately 10-60% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco), Optionally, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains up to approximately 20% by weight of active substances and / or flavorings (i.e., the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains 20% by weight or less of active substances), Includes.

[0042] Aerosol-generating non-tobacco materials can be formed from dry gels. The inventors have found that using these component ratios means that when the gel hardens, the flavor compounds are stabilized within the gel matrix, allowing for a higher flavor load than in non-gel compositions. Flavors (e.g., menthol) are stabilized at high concentrations, and the product has a good shelf life.

[0043] Preferably, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain about 1% by weight, 5% by weight, 10% by weight, 15% by weight, 20% by weight, 25% by weight, 30% by weight or 35% by weight to about 60% by weight, 55% by weight, 50% by weight, 45% by weight, 40% by weight or 35% by weight of a gelling agent. For example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain 1-60% by weight, 5-60% by weight, 20-60% by weight, 25-55% by weight, 30-50% by weight, 35-45% by weight, 1-50% by weight, 5-45% by weight, 10-40% by weight or 20-35% by weight of a gelling agent. In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes a hydrophilic colloid. In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more compounds selected from the group including alginates, pectin, starch (and derivatives), cellulose (and derivatives), gums, silica or silicone compounds, clay, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises one or more of alginates, pectin, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agarose, acacia gum, fumed silica, PDMS, sodium silicate, kaolin, and polyvinyl alcohol. In some cases, the gelling agent comprises alginates and / or pectin and may be combined with a curing agent (such as a calcium source) during the formation of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain calcium cross-linked alginates and / or calcium cross-linked pectin.

[0044] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises an alginate, which is present in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco in an amount of 5-40% by weight, e.g., 10-30% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some embodiments, the alginate is the only gelling agent present in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. In other embodiments, the gelling agent comprises an alginate and at least one further gelling agent, such as pectin.

[0045] In some cases, alginate is included in the gelling agent in an amount of approximately 5–40% by weight, or 15–40% by weight, of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. That is, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains alginate in an amount of approximately 5–40% by weight, or 15–40% by weight, of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco by dry weight. In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains alginate in an amount of approximately 20–40% by weight, or approximately 15–35% by weight, of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco.

[0046] In some cases, pectin is included in the gelling agent in an amount of approximately 3–15% by weight of the aerosol-producing non-tobacco. That is, the aerosol-producing non-tobacco contains approximately 3–15% by weight of pectin by dry weight. In some cases, the aerosol-producing non-tobacco contains approximately 5–10% by weight of pectin by dry weight.

[0047] In some examples, guar gum is included in the gelling agent in an amount of approximately 3–40% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. That is, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains guar gum in an amount of approximately 3–40% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco by dry weight. In some examples, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains guar gum in an amount of approximately 5–10% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. In some examples, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains guar gum in an amount of approximately 15–40% by weight, or approximately 20–40% by weight, or approximately 15–35% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco.

[0048] In some examples, alginate is present in an amount of at least about 50% by weight of the gelling agent. In some examples, aerosol-producing non-tobacco contains alginate and pectin, with an alginate-to-pectin ratio of 1:1 to 10:1. The alginate-to-pectin ratio is typically >1:1, meaning that alginate is present in greater amounts than pectin. In some examples, the alginate-to-pectin ratio is about 2:1 to 8:1, or about 3:1 to 6:1, or approximately 4:1.

[0049] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may include a gelling agent containing carrageenan.

[0050] The gelling agent may include one or more compounds selected from cellulosic gelling agents, non-cellulosic gelling agents, guar gum, acacia gum, and mixtures thereof.

[0051] In some embodiments, the cellulosic gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), and combinations thereof.

[0052] In some embodiments, the gelling agent comprises (or is one or more of) hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethylcellulose, guar gum, or acacia gum.

[0053] In some embodiments, the gelling agent includes (or is one or more non-cellulose gelling agents) one or more non-cellulose gelling agents, but is not limited to agar, xanthan gum, gum arabic, guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin, carrageenan, starch, alginate, and combinations thereof. In preferred embodiments, the non-cellulose gelling agent is alginate or agar.

[0054] Preferably, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain about 0.1% by weight, 0.5% by weight, 1% by weight, 3% by weight, 5% by weight, 7% by weight, or 10% to about 80% by weight, 50% by weight, 45% by weight, 40% by weight, 35% by weight, 30% by weight, or 25% by weight of aerosol-forming agent material. For example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain about 40 to 80% by weight, 40 to 75% by weight, 50 to 70% by weight, or 55 to 65% by weight of aerosol-forming agent material. The aerosol-forming agent material can act as a plasticizer. For example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain 0.5 to 40% by weight, 3 to 35% by weight, or 10 to 25% by weight of aerosol-forming agent material. In some cases, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more compounds selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, triacetin, sorbitol, and xylitol. In some cases, the aerosol-forming material comprises glycerol, is essentially made from glycerol, or consists of glycerol.

[0055] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent includes one or more polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin, esters of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol mono-, di-, or triacetate, and / or aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids such as dimethyl dodecanediate and dimethyl tetradecanediate.

[0056] The aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain flavorings. Preferably, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain up to about 80% by weight, 70% by weight, 60% by weight, 55% by weight, 50% by weight, or 45% by weight of flavorings.

[0057] In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain at least about 0.1% by weight, 1% by weight, 10% by weight, 20% by weight, 30% by weight, 35% by weight, or 40% by weight of flavor (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0058] For example, aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain 1-80% by weight, 10-80% by weight, 20-70% by weight, 30-60% by weight, 35-55% by weight, or 30-45% by weight of flavoring. In some cases, the flavoring may contain menthol, be essentially made from menthol, or consist of menthol.

[0059] In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may further contain an emulsifier that emulsifies the molten flavor during manufacturing. For example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain about 5% to 15% by weight, preferably about 10% by weight, of the emulsifier (calculated on a dry weight basis). The emulsifier may include acacia gum.

[0060] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco is a hydrogel containing less than about 20% by weight of water on a wet weight basis. In some cases, the hydrogel may contain less than 15% by weight, 12% by weight, or 10% by weight of water on a wet weight basis. In some cases, the hydrogel may contain at least about 1% by weight, 2% by weight, or at least about 5% by weight of water (WWB).

[0061] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco further comprises an active substance. For example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may further comprise nicotine. In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain 5 to 60% by weight of nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain about 1% by weight, 5% by weight, 10% by weight, 15% by weight, 20% by weight, or 25% to about 70% by weight, 60% by weight, 50% by weight, 45% by weight, 40% by weight, 35% by weight, 30% by weight, 20% by weight, 15% by weight, or 10% by weight of the active substance (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain about 1% by weight, 2% by weight, 3% by weight, or 4% by weight to about 20% by weight, 18% by weight, 15% by weight, or 12% by weight of nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain 1-20% by weight, 2-18% by weight, or 3-12% by weight of nicotine.

[0062] In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain an active substance such as tobacco extract. In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain 5 to 60% by weight of tobacco extract (calculated on a dry weight basis). In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain approximately 5% by weight, 10% by weight, 15% by weight, 20% by weight, or 25% to approximately 60% by weight, 50% by weight, 45% by weight, 40% by weight, 35% by weight, or 30% by weight of tobacco extract (calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain 10 to 50% by weight, 15 to 40% by weight, or 20 to 35% by weight of tobacco extract. The tobacco extract may contain nicotine at a concentration such that the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains 1% by weight, 1.5% by weight, 2% by weight, or 2.5% by weight to approximately 6% by weight, 5% by weight, 4.5% by weight, or 4% by weight of nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0063] It should be understood that "tobacco extract" contains tobacco extracts such as nicotine or tobacco flavor, but does not contain tobacco itself. In this regard, aerosol-generating non-tobacco does not contain tobacco, but may contain tobacco extract. "Tobacco itself" means tobacco plant material such as ground tobacco, cut tobacco, tobacco fibers, tobacco stems, tobacco leaf blades, or any form of reconstituted tobacco material.

[0064] In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may not contain nicotine other than that derived from tobacco extract.

[0065] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material contains nicotine. In some such cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain about 1% by weight, 2% by weight, 3% by weight, or 4% by weight to about 20% by weight, 18% by weight, 15% by weight, or 12% by weight of nicotine (calculated on a dry weight basis). For example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain 1-20% by weight, 2-18% by weight, or 3-12% by weight of nicotine.

[0066] In some cases, the total content of active substances and / or flavors may be at least about 0.1% by weight, 1% by weight, 5% by weight, 10% by weight, 20% by weight, 25% by weight, or 30% by weight. In some cases, the total content of active substances and / or flavors may be less than about 90% by weight, 80% by weight, 70% by weight, 60% by weight, 50% by weight, or 40% by weight (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0067] In some cases, the total content of nicotine and flavor may be at least about 0.1% by weight, 1% by weight, 5% by weight, 10% by weight, 20% by weight, 25% by weight, or 30% by weight. In some cases, the total content of active substances and / or flavor may be less than about 90% by weight, 80% by weight, 70% by weight, 60% by weight, 50% by weight, or 40% by weight (all calculated on a dry weight basis).

[0068] The aerosol-generating non-tobacco product may be made from a gel, which may further contain a solvent in an amount of 0.1 to 50% by weight. However, the inventors have established that including a solvent in which the flavor is soluble may reduce gel stability and may cause the flavor to crystallize from the gel. Therefore, in some cases, the gel does not contain a solvent in which the flavor is soluble.

[0069] Aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain fillers. In summary, aerosol-generating non-tobacco typically contains gelling agents and fillers (if present) in amounts of about 10–60% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. In an example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains 1–15% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco, e.g., 5–15% by weight or 8–12% by weight of the fillers. In an example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains more than 1% by weight, 5% by weight, or 8% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains less than 60% by weight of fillers, such as 1%–60% by weight, or 5%–50% by weight, or 5%–30% by weight, or 10%–20% by weight.

[0070] In other embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains less than 40% by weight, less than 20% by weight, preferably less than 10% by weight, or less than 5% by weight of filler. In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains less than 1% by weight of filler, and in some cases, it contains no filler.

[0071] The filler, if present, may include one or more inorganic filler materials such as calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate, and suitable inorganic adsorbents such as molecular sieves. The filler may also include one or more organic filler materials such as wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives. In certain cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco does not contain calcium carbonate such as chalk.

[0072] In certain embodiments that include a filler, the filler is fibrous. For example, the filler may be a fibrous organic filler material such as wood pulp, hemp fiber, cellulose, or a cellulose derivative. Although we do not wish to be constrained by theory, it is thought that including a fibrous filler in aerosol-generating non-tobacco may increase the tensile strength of the material.

[0073] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabiclomevalin (CBCV), cannabigerovalin (CBGV), cannabigerol monomethyl ether (CBGM), and cannabiersoin (CBE) and cannabicitran (CBT).

[0074] The aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain one or more cannabinoid compounds selected from the group consisting of cannabidiol (CBD) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0075] Aerosol-generating non-tobacco products may contain cannabidiol (CBD).

[0076] Aerosol-generating non-tobacco products may contain nicotine and cannabidiol (CBD).

[0077] Aerosol-generating non-tobacco products may contain nicotine, cannabidiol (CBD), and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

[0078] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco product does not contain tobacco fibers.

[0079] In some examples, aerosol-generating non-tobacco in sheet form may have a tensile strength of about 150 N / m to about 3000 N / m, for example, 150 N / m to 2500 N / m, or 150 N / m to 2000 N / m, or 200 N / m to 1700 N / m, or 250 N / m to 1500 N / m, or 200 N / m to 900 N / m. In some examples, such as when the aerosol-generating non-tobacco does not contain fillers, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may have a tensile strength of 150 N / m to 500 N / m, or 200 N / m to 400 N / m, or 200 N / m to 300 N / m, or about 250 N / m. Such tensile strengths may be particularly suitable for embodiments in which the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is formed as a sheet and then shredded and incorporated into an aerosol product.

[0080] In some cases, such as when the aerosol-generating non-tobacco contains a filler, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may have a tensile strength of 150 N / m to 3000 N / m, for example, 500 N / m to 1200 N / m, or 600 N / m to 900 N / m, or 700 N / m to 900 N / m, or about 800 N / m or more. In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may have a tensile strength of more than 500 N / m, more than 1000 N / m, or more than 1500 N / m. Such tensile strengths may be particularly suitable for embodiments in which the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is included in the aerosol product preferably as a rolled sheet in the form of a tube.

[0081] In certain embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco comprises a gelling agent including a cellulosic gelling agent and / or a non-cellulosic gelling agent, an active substance, and an acid.

[0082] In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may essentially consist of a gelling agent, water, aerosol-forming material, flavoring, and optionally an active substance, or may consist of these.

[0083] In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may essentially consist of a gelling agent, water, aerosol-forming material, flavoring, and optionally nicotine or a nicotine source.

[0084] The aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain one or more active substances and / or flavorings, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0085] A further aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing a consumable of the present invention. This method includes producing an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and incorporating the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material into a consumable.

[0086] This method may include the steps of (a) preparing a slurry containing components of an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material or its precursor; (b) forming a layer of slurry; (c) drying the slurry to form an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material; and (d) incorporating the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material into a consumable. The consumable contains the amount of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material described herein and is tobacco-free.

[0087] The slurry may contain a solvent, a binder, an aerosol-forming material, a filler, and one or more flavorings and / or active substances.

[0088] Therefore, the step of forming an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is (a) (i) Optionally, a binder, (ii) Aerosol-forming agent material, (iii) Optionally, filler, (iv) Optionally, one or more flavorings and / or active ingredients, and (v) solvent A step of preparing a slurry containing, (b) A step of forming a slurry layer, (c) A step to dry the slurry, It may include.

[0089] By drying the slurry, an aerosol-generating material is formed.

[0090] In one embodiment, the step of forming an aerosol-generating material is: (a) (i) Binder, (ii) Aerosol-forming agent material, (iii) Fillers, (iv) One or more flavorings and / or active ingredients, (v) solvent A step of preparing a slurry containing, (b) A step of forming a slurry layer, (c) A step to dry the slurry, Includes.

[0091] In another embodiment, any flavoring is added to the slurry after the slurry has been formed and dried. In this case, after step (c), the method includes adding one or more flavorings to the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material, for example, by spraying the flavoring (or a composition containing the flavoring) onto the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material.

[0092] Therefore, the step of forming an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is (a) (i) Binder, (ii) Aerosol-forming agent material, (iii) Fillers, (iv) Selectively, one or more active substances, and (v) solvent A step of preparing a slurry containing, (b) A step of forming a slurry layer, (c) A step of drying the slurry to form an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material, (d) For example, a step of adding one or more flavorings to an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material by spraying the flavorings (or a composition containing flavorings) onto the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material, It may include.

[0093] The aerosol-generating non-tobacco material formed as described above may then be incorporated into a consumable in any of the amounts described herein, or it may be formed into a consumable.

[0094] Step (b) of forming a slurry layer may include spraying, casting, or extruding the slurry. In some cases, the slurry layer is formed by casting the slurry.

[0095] In some cases, a hardening agent (such as a calcium source) may be added to the slurry before or during step (b). This is appropriate when gelation occurs relatively slowly, and therefore the slurry may be poured, for example, after the hardening agent has been added.

[0096] In other cases, step I, which involves drying the slurry as a gel, may include adding a curing agent to the slurry layer. The curing agent may, for example, be sprayed onto the gel or preloaded onto the surface on which the slurry is laminated.

[0097] For example, a hardening agent containing a calcium source may be added to a slurry containing alginate and / or pectin to form a calcium cross-linked alginate / pectin gel. If gelation occurs rapidly (such as when an alginate or pectin gelling agent is used), calcium should be added after casting (because the gel will be too viscous to be cast).

[0098] In some examples, the hardening agent includes or consists of calcium acetate, calcium formate, calcium carbonate, calcium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, calcium lactate, or a combination thereof. In some examples, the hardening agent includes or consists of calcium formate and / or calcium lactate. In certain examples, the hardening agent includes or consists of calcium formate.

[0099] The total amount of curing agent, such as a calcium source, may be about 0.5% to about 5% by weight (calculated on a dry weight basis). Preferably, the total amount may be about 1% by weight, 2.5% by weight, or 4% to about 4.8% by weight or 4.5% by weight. If too little curing agent is added, the flavoring will not be stabilized, and a gel may be formed in which the flavoring separates from the gel. Conversely, if too much curing agent is added, a gel may be formed that is very viscous and difficult to pour.

[0100] If present, step (d) includes adding one or more flavorings to the slurry layer. The flavorings may be sprayed onto the slurry. The flavorings may be applied as is, i.e., in their pure form, or as part of a composition. For example, one or more flavorings may be dissolved in a solvent (e.g., ethanol) before the solution is applied to a dry slurry or aerosol-generating non-tobacco material. The solvent (e.g., ethanol) may then be removed by evaporation, such as flash evaporation. If multiple flavorings are present, these flavorings may be added simultaneously (optionally as part of a composition also including a solvent such as ethanol) or sequentially (optionally as each of them including a solvent such as ethanol).

[0101] Alginates are derivatives of alginic acid and are typically high molecular weight polymers (10-600 kDa). Alginic acid is a copolymer of β-D-mannuronic acid (M) units and α-L-guluronic acid (G) units (blocks) that are linked to each other by (1,4)-glycosidic bonds to form a polysaccharide. Upon addition of calcium cations, alginates crosslink to form a gel. Alginates with a high G monomer content form a gel more readily upon addition of a calcium source. Therefore, in some cases, the gel precursor may contain alginates in which at least about 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, or 70% of the monomer units in the alginate copolymer are α-L-guluronic acid (G) units.

[0102] In some cases, the slurry may be heated before and during casting. This can slow down gelation, improve handling, and facilitate the casting process. Furthermore, heating the slurry can melt flavoring components (e.g., menthol), making it easier to handle.

[0103] In some cases, the slurry may be cast as a bandcast sheet. The sheet may be filled with a release agent, such as lecithin, which can help separate the bandcast from the amorphous solid. In other examples, the band may be covered with a film of a release agent, such as lecithin, to aid in separation.

[0104] When the solvent consists of water, the dry weight content of the slurry will coincide with the dry weight content of the amorphous solid. Therefore, the description herein relating to solid materials is expressly disclosed in combination with any embodiment of the slurry of the present invention.

[0105] 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, a mixture of diacetins, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyline, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

[0106] The aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain an acid. The acid may be an organic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be at least one of monoprotonic acids, diprotonic acids, and triprotonic acids. In some such embodiments, the acid may contain at least one carboxyl functional group. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of α-hydroxy acids, carboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids, and keto acids. In some such embodiments, the acid may be an α-keto acid.

[0107] In some such embodiments, the acid is succinic acid, lactic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, levulinic acid, acetic acid,

[0108] It may be at least one of malic acid, formic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, propanoic acid, and pyruvic acid.

[0109] Preferably, the acid is lactic acid. In other embodiments, the acid is benzoic acid. In other embodiments, the acid may be an inorganic acid. In some of these embodiments, the acid may be a mineral acid. In some such embodiments, the acid may be at least one of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, boric acid, and phosphoric acid. In some embodiments, the acid is levulinic acid.

[0110] In embodiments where the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material contains nicotine, the presence of an acid is particularly preferred. In such embodiments, the presence of an acid can stabilize the dissolved species in the slurry in which the aerosol-generating material is formed. The presence of an acid can reduce or substantially prevent the evaporation of nicotine during the drying of the slurry, thereby reducing nicotine loss during production.

[0111] Aerosol-generating non-tobacco may contain colorants. The addition of colorants may alter the visual appearance of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. The presence of colorants in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may enhance the visual appearance of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco and the aerosol-generating material. By adding colorants to the aerosol-generating non-tobacco, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco can be color-matched with other components of the aerosol-generating material or other components of the article containing the aerosol-generating non-tobacco.

[0112] Depending on the desired color of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco, various colorants may be used. The color of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may be, for example, white, green, red, purple, blue, brown, or black. Other colors are also conceivable. Natural or synthetic colorants such as natural or synthetic dyes, food-grade colorants, and pharmaceutical-grade colorants may be used. In certain embodiments, the colorant is caramel, which can impart a brown appearance to the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. In such embodiments, the color of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco may be similar to the color of other components in the aerosol-generating material (such as tobacco material) that contain the aerosol-generating non-tobacco. In some embodiments, when a colorant is added to the aerosol-generating non-tobacco, it becomes indistinguishable from other components in the aerosol-generating material.

[0113] The coloring agent may be incorporated during the formation of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco (for example, when forming a slurry containing the material that will form the aerosol-generating non-tobacco), or the coloring agent may be applied to the aerosol-generating non-tobacco after its formation (for example, by spraying the coloring agent onto the aerosol-generating non-tobacco).

[0114] One or more other functional materials may include one or more of the following: pH adjusters, colorants, preservatives, binders, fillers, stabilizers, and / or antioxidants.

[0115] Consumables are articles containing or consisting of aerosol-generating material, some or all of which are intended to be consumed during use by the user. Consumables may also 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 produce an aerosol in the aerosol-generating material. The heater may comprise, for example, a flammable material, an electrically conductive material, or a susceptor.

[0116] A susceptor is a material that can be heated by penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be a conductive material, and consequently, penetration of the conductive material by the fluctuating magnetic field causes inductive heating of the heating material. The heating material may be a magnetic material, and consequently, penetration of the magnetic material by the fluctuating magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor may be both conductive and magnetic, and consequently, the susceptor can be heated by both heating mechanisms. A device configured to generate a fluctuating magnetic field is referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

[0117] Aerosol modifiers are typically substances located downstream of the aerosol generation region and are 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.

[0118] 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, colorings, 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 need to contain a filter material.

[0119] 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 in order to release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material to form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator may be configured to supply one or more of the aerosol-generating material to vibration, pressure increase, or electrostatic energy.

[0120] Articles, such as rod-shaped articles, are often named according to their length as follows: "Regular" (typically in the range of 68-75mm, e.g., about 68mm-72mm), "Short" or "Mini" (68mm or less), "King Size" (typically in the range of 75-91mm, e.g., about 79mm-88mm), "Long" or "Super King" (typically in the range of 91-105mm, e.g., about 94mm-101mm), and "Ultra Long" (typically in the range of about 110mm-121mm).

[0121] The products are also named according to their circumference as follows: "Regular" (approximately 23-25mm), "Wide" (over 25mm), "Slim" (approximately 22-23mm), "Demi-Slim" (approximately 19-22mm), "Super Slim" (approximately 16-19mm), and "Micro Slim" (less than approximately 16mm).

[0122] Therefore, a king-size super-slim article has, for example, a length of approximately 83 mm and a circumference of approximately 17 mm.

[0123] Each type may be manufactured using mouthpieces of different lengths. The mouthpiece length is approximately 30mm to 50mm. The tip paper connects the mouthpiece to the aerosol-generating material, such that the tip paper covers the mouthpiece and overlaps the aerosol-generating material in the form of a rod of base material, connecting the mouthpiece to the rod. The tip paper is usually longer than the mouthpiece, for example, 3 to 10mm longer.

[0124] The articles, aerosol-generating materials, and mouthpieces described herein may be manufactured in any of the above forms, but are not limited thereto.

[0125] As used herein, the terms “upstream” and “downstream” are relative terms defined with respect to the direction of the mainstream aerosol drawn through the article or device in use.

[0126] The filamentous tow materials described herein may include cellulose acetate fiber tow. Filamentous tow may also be formed using other materials used to form fibers, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(1-4-butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), starch-based materials, cotton, aliphatic polyester materials, and polysaccharide polymers, or combinations thereof. If the material is cellulose acetate tow, the filamentous tow may be plasticized with a tow-suitable plasticizer such as triacetin, or the tow may not be plasticized. The tow may have any preferred specifications, such as having a cross-section that is "Y"-shaped or "X"-shaped, and having a filament denier value of 2.5 to 15 denier per filament, for example 8.0 to 11.0 denier per filament, and a total denier value of 5,000 to 50,000, for example 10,000 to 40,000.

[0127] The aerosol-generating materials described herein may include, in addition to the examples of aerosol-generating non-tobacco materials, multiple strips of other non-tobacco materials. These non-tobacco materials (referred to herein as “other non-tobacco materials”) may or may not have aerosol-generating properties. In some examples, the other non-tobacco materials include reconstituted fibrous materials or cellulose materials, such as paper. The other non-tobacco materials are provided as sheet materials, which are then shredded or cut into multiple strips, as described below. Alternatively, the other non-tobacco materials may be shredded organic non-tobacco materials. In one such alternative example, the shredded organic non-tobacco material is a plant material, such as rooibos.

[0128] The term "paper" is understood to include any sheet material formed as a result of a papermaking process. Such processes are well known to those skilled in the art and involve the following steps:

[0129] Steps include forming a dilute suspension of filler material in water or a binder, or forming fibrous pulp. The steps include screening or dry sieving the obtained solution, and The step of pressing the obtained solution to form a sheet material. Includes.

[0130] Filler materials that can be pressed into sheets to form other non-tobacco materials include wood pulp, plant materials, crushed cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and chalk. In one example, the filler material includes an organic non-tobacco material. In one example, the organic non-tobacco filler material is rooibos.

[0131] In some cases, other non-tobacco materials contain aerosol-forming materials.

[0132] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent material of the other non-tobacco material may be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. Glycerol may be present in an amount of 10 to 20% by weight of the other non-tobacco material, for example, 13 to 16% by weight of the composition, i.e., the total aerosol-forming material described herein, or about 14% or 15% by weight of the composition. Propylene glycol, if present, may be present in an amount of 0.1 to 0.3% by weight of the composition.

[0133] If present, the aerosol-forming agent material may be included in any of the other non-tobacco materials. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol-forming agent material may be added separately to the other non-tobacco materials. In any case, the total amount of the aerosol-forming agent material in the other non-tobacco materials may be as defined herein.

[0134] In some embodiments, the other non-tobacco material contains nicotine. In some embodiments, nicotine is present in an amount of 1% to 10% by weight of the other non-tobacco material, for example, 3% to 7% by weight of the other non-tobacco material. In one embodiment, nicotine is present in an amount of 5% by weight of the other non-tobacco material.

[0135] In some embodiments, the other non-tobacco material includes a binder. In some embodiments, the binder is present in an amount of 5% to 15% by weight of the other non-tobacco material, for example, 7% to 12% by weight of the other non-tobacco material. In one embodiment, the binder is present in an amount of 10% by weight of the other non-tobacco material.

[0136] In one embodiment, other non-tobacco materials are Nicotine in 5% by weight of other non-tobacco materials, A binder in an amount of 10% by weight of other non-tobacco materials, Glycerol in an amount of 20% by weight of other non-tobacco materials, Filling material and Includes.

[0137] In one embodiment, other non-tobacco materials are Nicotine in 5% by weight of other non-tobacco materials, 5% by weight of acid from other non-tobacco materials, A binder in an amount of 10% by weight of other non-tobacco materials, Glycerol in an amount of 20% by weight of other non-tobacco materials, Filling material and Includes.

[0138] In the compositions or aerosol-generating materials described herein, where amounts are given in weight percent, to avoid misunderstanding, this refers to a dry weight basis unless otherwise indicated. Therefore, any water that may be present in the aerosol-generating material or any of its components is completely disregarded for the purpose of determining the weight percent.

[0139] In the figures described herein, similar reference numerals are used to indicate equivalent features, articles, or components.

[0140] Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of article 1 for use in an aerosol delivery system.

[0141] Article 1 comprises a mouthpiece 2 and a cylindrical rod of aerosol-generating material 3 connected to the mouthpiece 2, forming an aerosol-generating section of Article 1. In embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol-generating material comprises a blend of at least two distinct components, including a plurality of strands and / or strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and a plurality of strips of another non-tobacco material. In exemplary embodiments, the plurality of strands and / or strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and the plurality of strips of the other non-tobacco material each have a length of at least about 5 mm. In some embodiments, the material properties and / or dimensions of at least two components may be otherwise suitably selected to ensure that relatively uniform mixing of the components is possible and to reduce separation or non-mixing of the components during or after the manufacture of the rod of aerosol-generating material.

[0142] Although described above in rod form, the aerosol-generating material can be supplied in other forms, such as plugs, pouches, or packets of material within an article. The article may include consumables for aerosol delivery or supply systems, such as the non-combustible aerosol delivery or supply system described herein.

[0143] In this example, the first component is an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material, and the second component is another non-tobacco material.

[0144] In some examples, other non-tobacco materials include paper. Other non-tobacco materials may, alternatively or additionally, include any of the forms described herein.

[0145] In one example, the other non-tobacco material comprises a substrate and an aerosol-forming agent material provided in an amount of up to about 10% by weight of the substrate. Such an aerosol-forming agent may be provided in addition to the aerosol-forming agent provided in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material. For example, 3% to 8% by weight, or 4% to 7% by weight, or 5% to 7% by weight of the other non-tobacco material may be used as the aerosol-forming agent. The remainder of the other non-tobacco material may include paper.

[0146] In this example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is a dry gel containing menthol. In alternative embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may have any composition described herein.

[0147] The inventors have found that an improved article can be manufactured comprising an aerosol-generating material comprising a first component comprising an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and a second component comprising another non-tobacco material, wherein the material properties (e.g., density) and specifications (e.g., thickness, length, and cut width) fall within the range shown herein.

[0148] In some cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may have a thickness of about 0.015 mm to about 1.5 mm. Preferably, the thickness may be in the range of about 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, or 0.15 mm to about 0.5 mm, 0.3 mm, or 1 mm. The inventors have found that a material having a thickness of about 0.2 mm can be used. The aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may comprise two or more layers, and the thickness described herein refers to the total thickness of those layers.

[0149] The thickness of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be measured using a caliper or a microscope such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM) known to those skilled in the art, or any other suitable technique known to those skilled in the art.

[0150] The inventors have established that if the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is too thick, heating efficiency may be impaired. This can negatively affect power consumption during use, for example, the power consumption required to release flavor from the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material. Conversely, if the aerosol-forming non-tobacco material is too thin, it may be difficult to manufacture and handle. Very thin materials may be difficult to cast and may be brittle, impairing aerosol formation during use. The inventors have established that the thickness of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material specified herein optimizes the material properties considering these competing considerations.

[0151] In some cases, individual strips or pieces of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have a minimum thickness of approximately 0.015 mm over their area. In some cases, individual strips or pieces of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have a minimum thickness of approximately 0.05 mm or approximately 0.1 mm over their area. In some cases, individual strips or pieces of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have a maximum thickness of approximately 1.0 mm over their area. In some cases, individual strips or pieces of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have a maximum thickness of approximately 0.5 mm or approximately 0.3 mm over their area.

[0152] The inventors have found that by providing an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and another non-tobacco material having area density values ​​that differ from each other by less than a predetermined percentage, separation in a mixture of these materials is reduced. In some examples, the area density of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be 50% to 150% of the area density of the other non-tobacco material. For example, the area density of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be 60% to 140%, or 70% to 110%, or 80% to 120% of the area density of the other non-tobacco material.

[0153] To avoid misunderstanding, when area density is referred to herein, it refers to the average area density calculated for a given strip, piece, or sheet of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material, which is calculated by measuring the surface area and weight of a given strip, piece, or sheet of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material.

[0154] In some cases, the thickness of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may vary by only 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, or 1% or less across its area.

[0155] In the embodiments described herein, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be incorporated into an article in sheet form. The aerosol-generating non-tobacco material in sheet form may be shredded and then incorporated into an article, and preferably mixed with an aerosolizable material (which is further described below herein).

[0156] In further embodiments, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco sheet may be further incorporated as a planar sheet, as a piled or bundled sheet, as a crimped sheet, or as a rolled sheet (i.e., in the form of a tube). In some such cases, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco of these embodiments may be included in the aerosol product as a sheet, such as a sheet surrounding a rod of aerosolizable material (e.g., tobacco). For example, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco sheet may be formed on packaging paper surrounding an aerosolizable material such as tobacco.

[0157] The sheet-type aerosol generating non-tobacco product is approximately 30 g / m². 2 ~Approx. 150g / m 2 It may have any suitable area density, such as the above. In some cases, the sheet may have approximately 55 g / m². 2 ~Approx. 135g / m 2 , or approximately 80-120g / m 2 , or approximately 70-110 g / m 2 , or approximately 100g / m 2 ~Approx. 125g / m 2or particularly about 90 to about 110 g / m 2 or preferably about 100 g / m 2 120 g / m 2 or 110 g / m 2 and may have a mass per unit area. These ranges can provide a density similar to that of cut rag tobacco, and as a result, can provide a mixture of these substances that does not readily separate. Such areal density can be particularly suitable when the aerosol-forming non-tobacco material is included in the aerosol-forming article as a shredded sheet (further described below in this specification). In some cases, the sheet may have a mass per unit area of about 30 to 70 g / m 2 40 to 60 g / m 2 or 25 to 60 g / m 2 and may be used to wrap aerosolizable materials such as tobacco.

[0158] The density of the aerosol-forming material affects the rate at which heat conducts through the material, and at lower densities, such as densities less than 700 mg / cc, heat conducts more slowly through the material, thus allowing for a more sustained release of the aerosol.

[0159] Other non-tobacco materials, such as paper materials, can include a density less than about 700 mg / cc. For example, the aerosol-forming material 3 includes paper having a density less than about 600 mg / cc. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol-forming material 3 can include a paper material having a density of at least 350 mg / cc.

[0160] Other non-tobacco materials may be provided in a form that mimics shredded rag tobacco. For example, the non-tobacco material may be paper cut into sections of similar size, shape, thickness, and / or density as typical shredded rag tobacco. The paper may have a cut width of at least 15 cuts / inch (approximately 5.9 cuts / cm, corresponding to a cut width of approximately 1.7 mm). Preferably, the paper has a cut width of at least 18 cuts / inch (approximately 7.1 cuts / cm, corresponding to a cut width of approximately 1.4 mm), and more preferably at least 20 cuts / inch (approximately 7.9 cuts / cm, corresponding to a cut width of approximately 1.27 mm). In one example, the paper has a cut width of 22 cuts / inch (approximately 8.7 cuts / cm, corresponding to a cut width of approximately 1.15 mm). Preferably, the paper has a cut width of 40 cuts / inch (approximately 15.7 cuts / cm, corresponding to a cut width of approximately 0.64 mm) or less. Cut widths of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, for example 0.6 to 1.7 mm, or 0.6 mm to 1.5 mm, were found to result in a non-tobacco material that is particularly favorable in terms of the surface area-to-volume ratio when heated, as well as in terms of the overall density and pressure drop of the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3.

[0161] Other non-tobacco materials may have any preferred thickness. Other non-tobacco materials may have a thickness of at least about 0.145 mm, for example, at least about 0.15 mm, or at least about 0.16 mm. Other non-tobacco materials may have a maximum thickness of about 0.25 mm, and for example, the thickness of other non-tobacco materials may be less than about 0.22 mm, or less than about 0.2 mm. In some embodiments, other non-tobacco materials may have an average thickness in the range of 0.175 mm to 0.195 mm. Such thicknesses may be particularly preferred when the other non-tobacco material is a paper material.

[0162] It may be desirable to provide an aerosol-generating material comprising a blend of at least two components, such as a first component comprising an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and a second component comprising other non-tobacco materials described herein. Such an aerosol-generating material can provide an aerosol with a desirable flavor profile during use, as additional flavors can be introduced into the aerosol-generating material by including them in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material components. The flavors provided in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material are retained more stably within the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material compared to flavors directly added to a base material such as paper or a reconstituted tobacco sheet, which may result in a more consistent flavor profile among articles manufactured according to the present invention.

[0163] As described above, other non-tobacco materials having densities of at least 350 mg / cc and less than about 700 mg / cc have been found to preferably result in a more sustained aerosol release when incorporated into the aerosol-generating material 3 described herein. To provide an aerosol with a consistent flavor profile, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material components of the aerosol-generating material should be uniformly distributed throughout the rod. The inventors have found that this can preferably be achieved by casting the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to the thickness described herein, thereby providing an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having an area density similar to that of the other non-tobacco materials, and by processing the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material as described below herein to ensure a uniform distribution throughout the aerosol-generating material.

[0164] The inventors have found that, preferably, shredding aerosol-generating non-tobacco material in sheet form can achieve a sufficiently uniform mixture of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material components and other non-tobacco material components. Preferably, the cut width of the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is 0.75 mm to 2 mm, for example, 1 mm to 1.5 mm. The strands of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material formed by shredding can be cut in the width direction, for example, in a cross-cut shredding process, to define the cut length of the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material in addition to the cut width. Preferably, the cut length of the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is at least 5 mm, for example, at least 10 mm, or at least 20 mm. The cut length of the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material can be less than 60 mm, less than 50 mm, or less than 40 mm. The inventors have found that, preferably, in order to achieve a uniform mixture of the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and other non-tobacco materials, it is preferable that the cut length of the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material be non-uniform. For example, the distribution of cut lengths may be a multimodal distribution, such as a bimodal distribution. In some examples, a first portion of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be cut to a first length, and a second portion of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be cut to a second length, and the cut materials are mixed together to form multiple strands or strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having a bimodal distribution of length. In some examples, the first cut length may be 35 mm or about 40 mm, in the case of 30 mm to 50 mm or 45 mm, and the second cut length may be 10 mm to 30 mm, or 15 mm to 25 mm, or about 20 mm. The number of cut lengths may be selected to match the number of peaks in the length distribution of the shredded tobacco material. Strands of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having different cut lengths may be mixed together in a ratio selected to match the length distribution of other shredded non-tobacco materials.The inventors have found that by matching the length distribution of the strands and / or strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material with the length distribution of the strands of other non-tobacco materials, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material can be mixed more uniformly with other non-tobacco materials.

[0165] The length of a piece or strip of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is called the cut length, but may also be specified by the dimensions of the material determined during its manufacture, such as the width of the sheet of material being manufactured.

[0166] In some embodiments, multiple strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material are provided, and at least one of the multiple strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material has a length greater than about 10 mm. Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the multiple strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may have a length of about 10 mm to about 60 mm, or about 20 mm to about 50 mm. Each of the multiple strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may have a length of about 10 mm to about 60 mm, or about 20 mm to about 50 mm.

[0167] Preferably, the rod of aerosol-generating material comprises a first component comprising a non-tobacco aerosol-generating material as defined herein in an amount of 10% to 90% by weight of the total aerosol-generating material 3, and a second component comprising other non-tobacco materials as defined herein in an amount constituting the remainder of the total aerosol-generating material. Preferably, the first component is provided in an amount of 50 mg to 300 mg, for example, 100 mg to 150 mg.

[0168] The inventors have found that it may be preferable for production to form rods of aerosol-generating material from a relatively small amount, within the range shown herein, of shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material containing a relatively high level of aerosol-forming agent, such that fewer strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material are required for a given aerosol-forming agent content in the aerosol-generating material. This may be beneficial for production because, compared to the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material, a relatively large amount of the other non-tobacco material comes into contact with components of the production machine, reducing the possibility of material aggregation and / or blockage formation on the machine during production. For example, the amount of aerosol-forming agent, such as glycerol, in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material can constitute 20% to 70% by weight of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material, for example, 25% to 55% by weight, 30% to 40% by weight, or 45% to 55% by weight.

[0169] The inventors have found that, preferably, the aerosol-generating material according to this disclosure can have a more uniform distribution of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material shredded throughout the aerosol-generating material. For example, the standard deviation (expressed as a mean percentage) of the weight percentage inclusion level of strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material in the aerosol-generating material among consumables made using the aerosol-generating material described herein may be less than 35% by weight or less than 30% by weight of the aerosol-generating material, based on measurements of 10 consumables, each containing about 650 mg of the aerosol-generating material. In the aerosol-generating material manufactured according to this disclosure, the standard deviation of the total glycerol content in a given batch of the material was less than 35% by mean, or less than 30% or less than 25% in all cases.

[0170] If the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material contains flavorings, the total flavorings in the article may include the flavorings provided in the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and any additional flavorings optionally applied to other non-tobacco materials or present in components of the article other than the aerosol-generating material 3. The total flavoring content of the article can be determined by disassembling the article into its component parts and performing chemical analyses known to those skilled in the art to determine the flavoring content of each component, and thus the total flavoring content. In the example where the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material contains flavorings, the total flavoring content of the article may be 5 mg to 30 mg per article, for example, 16 mg to 22 mg per article, or 5 mg to 10 mg per article, or 17 mg to 30 mg per article. The aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may contain at least 20% of the total flavoring content.

[0171] Articles containing aerosol-generating materials according to this disclosure may contain 5% by weight, 12% by weight, or 20% by weight of aerosol-generating non-tobacco, including 35% by weight of menthol as a flavoring agent.

[0172] The aerosol-generating material can be provided in the form of a rod having a first end and a second end. The portion of the rod between the first end and an intermediate longitudinal position between the first and second ends may contain 20% to 80% of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material in the rod.

[0173] The spout 2 includes a material body 6 located upstream of the hollow tubular element 4, adjacent to the hollow tubular element 4 in this example, and in contact with the hollow tubular element 4. The material body 6 and the hollow tubular element 4 each define a substantially cylindrical overall shape and share a common longitudinal axis. The material body 6 is encased in a first plug wrap 7. Preferably, the first plug wrap 7 has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably about 20 gsm to 40 gsm. Preferably, the first plug wrap 7 has a thickness of 30 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 35 μm to 45 μm. Preferably, the first plug wrap 7 is a non-porous plug wrap with an air permeability of, for example, less than 100 cholesta units, for example less than 50 cholesta units. However, in other embodiments, the first plug wrap 7 may be a porous plug wrap with an air permeability of, for example, more than 200 cholesta units.

[0174] Preferably, the length of the material body 6 is less than about 15 mm. More preferably, the length of the material body 6 is less than about 10 mm. In addition, or alternatively, the length of the material body 6 is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the material body 6 is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the material body 6 is about 5 mm to about 15 mm, more preferably about 6 mm to about 12 mm, even more preferably about 6 mm to about 12 mm, most preferably about 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm. In this example, the length of the material body 6 is 10 mm.

[0175] In this example, the body 6 of the material is formed from a filamentous tow. In this example, the tow used for the body 6 of the material has a denier (dpf) of 8.4 per filament and a total denier of 21,000. Alternatively, the tow may have a denier (dpf) of 9.5 per filament and a total denier of 12,000. In this example, the tow includes plasticized cellulose acetate tow. The plasticizer used in the tow constitutes about 7% by weight of the tow. In this example, the plasticizer is triacetin. In other examples, different materials may be used to form the body 6 of the material. For example, instead of tow, the body 6 may be formed from paper in a manner similar to that of paper filters known to be used in cigarettes, for example. Alternatively, the body 6 may be formed from a tow other than cellulose acetate, such as polylactic acid (PLA), other materials described herein for filamentous tow, or similar materials. The tow is preferably formed from cellulose acetate. The tow, whether formed from cellulose acetate or other material, preferably has a dpf of at least 5, more preferably at least 6, and even more preferably at least 7. These denier values ​​per filament provide a tow with relatively coarse and thick fibers, having a lower surface area, resulting in a lower pressure drop across the spout 2 than a tow with a lower dpf value. Preferably, to obtain a body 6 of sufficiently uniform material, the tow has a denier per filament of 12 d.pf or less, preferably 11 d.pf or less, and even more preferably 10 d.pf or less.

[0176] The total denier of the tow forming the body 6 of the material is preferably up to 30,000, more preferably up to 28,000, and even more preferably up to 25,000. These total denier values ​​provide a tow with a reduced proportion of the cross-sectional area of ​​the mouthpiece 2, resulting in a lower pressure drop across the mouthpiece 2 than tows with higher total denier values. For adequate hardness of the body 6 of the material, the tow preferably has a total denier of at least 8,000, more preferably at least 10,000. Preferably, the denier per filament is 5 to 12, while the total denier is 10,000 to 25,000. More preferably, the denier per filament is 6 to 10, while the total denier is 11,000 to 22,000. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the tow filaments is "Y" shaped, but in other embodiments, other shapes such as "X" shaped filaments having the same dpf and total denier values ​​as provided herein may be used.

[0177] As shown in Figure 1, the mouthpiece 2 of article 1 comprises an upstream end 2a adjacent to the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3 and a downstream end 2b distal to the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3. At the downstream end 2b, the mouthpiece 2 has a hollow tubular element 4 formed from a filamentous tow. This has been found to preferably significantly reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 at the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece, which comes into contact with the consumer's mouth when article 1 is being used. In addition, the use of the tubular element 4 has also been found to significantly reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2, even upstream of the tubular element 4. Although we do not wish to be constrained by theory, this is assumed to be due to the tubular element 4 guiding the aerosol closer to the center of the mouthpiece 2, and thus reducing heat transfer from the aerosol to the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2.

[0178] In this example, article 1 has a circumference of approximately 21 mm (i.e., the article is demi-slim). In other examples, the article may be provided in any of the forms described herein, for example, having a circumference of 15 mm to 25 mm. Since the article will be heated and release an aerosol, improved heating efficiency can be achieved by using an article with a lower circumference within this range, for example, less than 23 mm. It has also been found that an article circumference greater than 19 mm is particularly effective in achieving improved aerosolization by heating while maintaining a suitable product length. Articles with a circumference of 19 mm to 23 mm, more preferably 20 mm to 22 mm, have been found to provide a good balance between providing effective aerosol delivery and enabling efficient heating.

[0179] The outer circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is substantially the same as the outer circumference of the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3, so as to ensure a smooth transition between these components. In this example, the outer circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is approximately 20.8 mm. The tip paper 5 is wrapped around a portion of the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3 along the entire length of the mouthpiece 2 and has adhesive on its inner surface to connect the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3. In this example, the tip paper 5 extends 5 mm over the rod of the aerosol-generating material 3, but alternatively, it can extend 3 mm to 10 mm, or more preferably 4 mm to 6 mm, over the rod 3 to provide a secure attachment between the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3. The tip paper 5 can have a higher basis weight than the plug wrap used in Article 1, for example, 40 gsm to 80 gsm, more preferably 50 gsm to 70 gsm, and in this example, 58 gsm. It was found that these ranges of basis weight yield a chip paper that has acceptable tensile strength while also being flexible enough to wrap around article 1 and adhere to the chip paper itself along the longitudinal overlap seams of the paper. The outer circumference of the chip paper 5 is approximately 21 mm when wrapped around the mouthpiece 2.

[0180] The "wall thickness" of the hollow tubular element 4 corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the tube 4 in the radial direction. This may be measured, for example, using a caliper. The wall thickness is preferably greater than 0.9 mm, and more preferably 1.0 mm or more. Preferably, the wall thickness is substantially constant around the entire wall of the hollow tubular element 4. However, if the wall thickness is not substantially constant, the wall thickness is preferably greater than 0.9 mm, and more preferably 1.0 mm or more, at any point around the hollow tubular element 4.

[0181] Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 20 mm. More preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 15 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 10 mm. In addition, or alternatively, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is about 5 mm to about 20 mm, more preferably about 6 mm to about 10 mm, even more preferably about 6 mm to about 8 mm, most preferably about 6 mm, 7 mm, or about 8 mm. In this example, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is 6 mm.

[0182] Preferably, the density of the hollow tubular element 4 is at least about 0.25 grams / cm³ (g / cc), more preferably at least about 0.3 g / cc. Preferably, the density of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 0.75 grams / cm³ (g / cc), more preferably less than 0.6 g / cc. In some embodiments, the density of the hollow tubular element 4 is 0.25 to 0.75 g / cc, more preferably 0.3 to 0.6 g / cc, more preferably 0.4 g / cc to 0.6 g / cc or about 0.5 g / cc. These densities have been found to provide a good balance between the improved hardness given by the higher density material and the lower heat transfer properties of the lower density material. For the purposes of the present invention, “density” of the hollow tubular element 4 refers to the density of the filamentous tow forming the element into which any plasticizer is incorporated. The density may also be determined by dividing the total weight of the hollow tubular element 4 by the total volume of the hollow tubular element 4, the total volume of which can be calculated, for example, using appropriate measurements of the hollow tubular element 4 obtained using a caliper. If necessary, appropriate dimensions may be measured using a microscope.

[0183] The filamentous tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 preferably has a total denier of less than 45,000, more preferably less than 42,000. This total denier has been found to allow for the formation of tubular elements 4 that are not excessively dense. Preferably, the total denier is at least 20,000, more preferably at least 25,000. In a preferred embodiment, the filamentous tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 has a total denier of 25,000 to 45,000, more preferably 35,000 to 45,000. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the tow filaments is "Y" shaped, but in other embodiments, other shapes such as "X" shaped filaments can be used.

[0184] The filamentous tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 preferably has a denier per filament greater than 3. This denier per filament has been found to allow for the formation of tubular elements 4 that are not excessively dense. Preferably, the denier per filament is at least 4, more preferably at least 5. In a preferred embodiment, the filamentous tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 has a denier per filament of 4 to 10, more preferably 4 to 9. In one example, the filamentous tow forming the hollow tubular element 4 has 8Y40,000 tow, formed from cellulose acetate and containing 18% plasticizer, such as triacetin.

[0185] The hollow tubular element 4 preferably has an inner diameter greater than 3.0 mm. A smaller diameter may result in the aerosol passing through the mouthpiece 2 and reaching the consumer's mouth increasing beyond the desired rate, causing the aerosol to become excessively warm, for example, reaching a temperature above 40°C or 45°C. More preferably, the hollow tubular element 4 has an inner diameter greater than 3.1 mm, and even more preferably greater than 3.5 mm or 3.6 mm. In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular element 4 is about 3.9 mm.

[0186] The hollow tubular element 4 preferably contains 15% to 22% by weight of a plasticizer. In the case of cellulose acetate tow, the plasticizer is preferably triacetin, but other plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) may also be used. More preferably, the tubular element 4 contains 16% to 20% by weight of a plasticizer, for example, about 17% by weight, about 18% by weight, or about 19% by weight of a plasticizer.

[0187] In this example, the hollow tubular element 4 is the first hollow tubular element 4, and the suction port includes a second hollow tubular element 8, also called a cooling element, upstream of the first hollow tubular element 4. In this example, the second hollow tubular element 8 is upstream of the material body 6, adjacent to the material body 6, and in contact with the material body 6. The material body 6 and the second hollow tubular element 8 each define a substantially cylindrical overall shape and share a common longitudinal axis. The second hollow tubular element 8 is formed from multiple layers of paper that are butted together and wound in parallel to each other. In this example, the first and second paper layers are provided in a two-ply tube, but in other examples, three, four or more layers of paper may be used to form a three, four or more-ply tube. Other configurations can be used, such as spirally wound paper layers, cardboard tubes, tubes formed using a papier-mâché process, and molded or extruded plastic tubes. The second hollow tubular element 8 may also be formed using rigid plug wrap and / or chip paper as the second plug wrap 9 and / or chip paper 5 described herein, meaning that a separate tubular element is not required. The rigid plug wrap and / or chip paper is manufactured to have sufficient rigidity to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacturing and while Article 1 is in use. For example, the rigid plug wrap and / or chip paper may have a basis weight of 70 gsm to 120 gsm, more preferably 80 gsm to 110 gsm. Additionally or alternatively, the rigid plug wrap and / or chip paper may have a thickness of 80 μm to 200 μm, more preferably 100 μm to 160 μm, or 120 μm to 150 μm. In order to achieve an acceptable overall rigidity level for the second hollow tubular element 8, it may be desirable that both the second plug wrap 9 and chip paper 5 have values ​​within these ranges.

[0188] The second hollow tubular element 8 preferably has a wall thickness that can be measured in the same way as the wall thickness of the first hollow tubular element 4, which is at least about 100 μm to a maximum of about 1.5 mm, preferably 100 μm to 1 mm, more preferably 150 μm to 500 μm, or about 300 μm. In this example, the second hollow tubular element 8 has a wall thickness of about 290 μm.

[0189] Preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 50 mm. More preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 40 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 30 mm. In addition, or alternatively, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is preferably at least about 10 mm. Preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is at least about 15 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is about 20 mm to about 30 mm, more preferably about 22 mm to about 28 mm, even more preferably about 24 mm to about 26 mm, and most preferably about 25 mm. In this example, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is 25 mm.

[0190] The second hollow tubular element 8 is positioned around the inlet 2 and defines a void within the inlet 2 that acts as a cooling segment. The void provides a chamber through which heated volatile components generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 flow. The second hollow tubular element 8 is hollow to provide a chamber for aerosol accumulation, but is rigid enough to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacturing and while the article 1 is in use. The second hollow tubular element 8 provides a physical displacement between the aerosol-generating material 3 and the body 6 of the material. The physical displacement provided by the second hollow tubular element 8 provides a thermal gradient along the length of the second hollow tubular element 8.

[0191] Preferably, the mouthpiece 2 is 450 mm 3It comprises a cavity having an internal volume exceeding 500 mm. It has been found that providing a cavity of at least this volume enables improved aerosol formation. Such a cavity size provides sufficient space within the mouthpiece 2 to allow heated volatile components to cool, and thus allows the aerosol-generating material 3 to be exposed to a higher temperature than otherwise possible, which could result in an excessively warm aerosol. In this example, the cavity is formed by a second hollow tubular element 8, but in alternative configurations, the cavity may be formed within a different part of the mouthpiece 2. More preferably, the mouthpiece 2 is formed, for example, within a second hollow tubular element 8, and 500 mm 3 Larger than that, even more preferably 550mm 3 It features a cavity with a larger internal volume, allowing for further improvement of the aerosol. In some examples, the internal cavity is approximately 550 mm 3 ~about 750mm 3 For example, about 600mm 3 Or 700mm 3 It includes the volume of.

[0192] The second hollow tubular element 8 can be configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40 degrees Celsius between the heated volatile components entering the first upstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8 and the heated volatile components exiting the second downstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8. Preferably, the second hollow tubular element 8 is configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60 degrees Celsius, preferably at least 80 degrees Celsius, and more preferably at least 100 degrees Celsius between the heated volatile components entering the first upstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8 and the heated volatile components exiting the second downstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8. This temperature difference along the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 protects the body 6 of the temperature-sensitive material from the high temperature of the aerosol-generating material 3 when heated.

[0193] In the alternative article, the second hollow tubular element 8 can be replaced with an alternative cooling element, for example, an element formed from a body of a material that allows the aerosol to pass longitudinally through the alternative cooling element and also performs the function of cooling the aerosol.

[0194] In this example, the first hollow tubular element 4, the material body 6, and the second hollow tubular element 8 are assembled using a second plug wrap 9 that is wrapped around all three sections. Preferably, the second plug wrap 9 has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably about 20 gsm to 45 gsm. Preferably, the second plug wrap 9 has a thickness of 30 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 35 μm to 45 μm. The second plug wrap 9 is preferably a non-porous plug wrap with an air permeability of less than 100 cholesta units, for example less than 50 cholesta units. However, in an alternative embodiment, the second plug wrap 9 may be a porous plug wrap with an air permeability of more than 200 cholesta units, for example.

[0195] In this example, the aerosol-generating material 3 is wrapped in packaging material 10. The aerosol-generating material 3 comprises multiple strands or strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material. In this example, packaging material 10 is a non-permeable packaging material. The multiple strands or strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be aligned within the aerosol-generating section such that the longitudinal dimensions of the multiple strands or strips of aerosol-generating material are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis X-X' of article 1. Alternatively, the strands or strips may generally be positioned so that the longitudinal dimensions of the aligned strands or strips cross the longitudinal axis of the article. At least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 95% of the strands or strips may be arranged such that at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 95% of the longitudinal dimensions of the strands or strips are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the article. The majority of the strands or strips may be arranged such that the longitudinal dimensions of the majority of the strands or strips are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the article. In some embodiments, about 95% to about 100% of the strands or strips may be arranged such that the longitudinal dimensions of about 95% to about 100% of the strands or strips are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the article. In some embodiments, substantially all of the strands or strips are positioned within the aerosol-generating section such that substantially all of the longitudinal dimensions of the strands or strips are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating section of the article.

[0196] If the majority of the strands or strips are positioned within the aerosol-generating section such that the longitudinal axis of the majority of the strands or strips is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating section of the article, the force required to insert the aerosol generator into the aerosol-generating material can be relatively low. This results in an article that is easier to use when the aerosol generator is a projection configured to penetrate the aerosol-generating material, as described below. This is because the aerosol generator can slide between the strands rather than cut or compress the aerosol-generating material.

[0197] The packaging material 10 may be, for example, paper or a paper-backed foil packaging material. In this example, the packaging material 10 is substantially impermeable to air. In an alternative embodiment, the packaging material 10 has an air permeability of preferably less than 100 cholesta units, more preferably less than 60 cholesta units. For example, it has been found that a low-air permeability packaging material having an air permeability of less than 100 cholesta units, more preferably less than 60 cholesta units, results in improved aerosol formation in the aerosol-generating material 3. Although we do not wish to be constrained by theory, this is assumed to be due to a reduced loss of aerosol compounds through the packaging material 10. The air permeability of the packaging material 10 can be measured according to ISO 2965:2009 for determining the air permeability of materials used as cigarette paper, filter plug wraps, and filter bonding paper.

[0198] In this embodiment, the packaging material 10 includes aluminum foil. The aluminum foil has been found to be particularly effective in promoting aerosol formation within the aerosol-generating material 3. In this example, the aluminum foil has a metal layer having a thickness of about 6 μm. In this example, the aluminum foil has a paper backing. However, in alternative configurations, the aluminum foil may have other thicknesses, for example, 4 μm to 16 μm. The aluminum foil does not necessarily have a paper backing, but may have a backing made of other materials, for example, to help provide the foil with adequate tensile strength, or it may not have a backing material at all. Metal layers or foils other than aluminum can also be used. The total thickness of the packaging material is preferably 20 μm to 60 μm, more preferably 30 μm to 50 μm, which provides a packaging material with appropriate structural integrity and heat transfer properties. The tension that can be applied to the packaging material before it breaks may exceed 3,000 grams, for example, a force of 3,000 to 10,000 grams, or a force of 3,000 to 4,500 grams.

[0199] The articles have a permeability level in which approximately 75% of the aerosol is drawn through the articles. In alternative embodiments, the articles may have a permeability level in which 50% to 80%, for example 65% to 75%, of the aerosol is drawn through the articles. In some examples, the standard deviation of the permeability level in a batch of articles manufactured according to this disclosure is less than 5%, or less than 4%, or less than 3%. For the purpose of determining the standard deviation of the permeability level, a batch refers to at least 10 articles manufactured to the same specifications. For example, articles provided in a pack of articles can be used as the basis for measurement. Such a standard deviation can be achieved due to an improved blend of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and other non-tobacco material in the aerosol-generating material manufactured according to the present invention, because the improved blend can result in a more consistent filling of the aerosol-generating material in the articles.

[0200] The ventilation at these levels helps to slow down the flow of aerosol drawn in through the suction port 2, thereby allowing the aerosol to be sufficiently cooled before it reaches the downstream end 2b of the suction port 2. The ventilation is provided directly within the suction port 2 of the article 1. In this example, the ventilation is provided within a second hollow tubular element 8, which has been found to be particularly beneficial in assisting the aerosol generation process. The ventilation is provided by first and second parallel rows of perforations 12, formed in this case as laser perforations, at positions 17.925 mm and 18.625 mm, respectively, from the downstream end 2b of the suction port 2. These perforations pass through the tip paper 5, the second plug wrap 9, and the second hollow tubular element 8. In alternative embodiments, the ventilation can be provided at other locations within the suction port, for example, in the body 6 of the material or in the first tubular element 4.

[0201] Preferably, the aerosol generating material 3 is provided as a cylindrical rod of aerosol generating material. Regardless of the form of the aerosol generating material, the aerosol generating material preferably has a length of about 10 mm to 100 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the aerosol generating material is preferably in the range of about 25 mm to 50 mm, more preferably in the range of about 30 mm to 45 mm, and even more preferably about 30 mm to 40 mm.

[0202] The volume of the aerosol-generating material 3 provided is approximately 200 mm³. 3 ~Approximately 4300mm 3 Preferably about 500 mm 3 ~1500mm 3 , more comfortably approximately 1000mm 3 ~approximately 1300mm 3 It can be varied. For example, approximately 1000mm 3 ~approximately 1300mm 3 The provision of aerosol-generating materials in these volumes is preferably shown to achieve superior aerosols with excellent visibility and sensory performance compared to those achieved with volumes selected from the lower end of the range.

[0203] The mass of the aerosol-generating material 3 provided may be greater than 200 mg, for example, about 200 mg to 400 mg, preferably about 230 mg to 360 mg, and more preferably about 250 mg to 360 mg. It has been preferably found that providing an aerosol-generating material with a higher mass results in improved sensory performance compared to aerosols generated from tobacco materials with a lower mass.

[0204] Figure 2a is a side cross-sectional view of a further article 1' including a capsule-containing mouthpiece 2'. Figure 2b is a cross-sectional view of the capsule-containing mouthpiece shown in Figure 2a, passing through the line A-A' in Figure 2a. Article 1' and capsule-containing mouthpiece 2' are the same as article 1 and mouthpiece 2 shown in Figure 1, except that the aerosol modifier is provided in the form of a capsule 11 in this example within the material body 6, and an oil-resistant first plug wrap 7' surrounds the material body 6. In other examples, the aerosol modifier may be provided in other forms, such as a material injected into the material body 6, or on a thread, for example, the thread may support a flavoring or other aerosol modifier and the thread may also be disposed within the material body 6.

[0205] The capsule 11 may include a destructible capsule, such as a capsule having a solid, fragile shell surrounding a liquid payload. In this example, a single capsule 11 is used. The capsule 11 is completely embedded within the material body 6. In other examples, the capsule 11 is completely surrounded by the material forming the body 6. In other examples, multiple destructible capsules, such as two, three, or more destructible capsules, may be arranged within the material body 6. The length of the material body 6 can be increased to accommodate the required number of capsules. In examples where multiple capsules are used, the individual capsules may be identical to each other, or they may differ in size and / or capsule payload. In other examples, multiple material bodies 6 may be provided, each containing one or more capsules.

[0206] The capsule 11 has a core-shell structure. In other words, the capsule 11 includes a shell that encloses a liquid drug, for example, a flavoring or other drug which may be one of the flavorings or aerosol modifiers described herein. The capsule shell can be broken by the user to release the flavoring or other drug into the material body 6. The first plug wrap 7' may include a barrier coating to make the material of the plug wrap substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of the capsule 11. Alternatively or additionally, the second plug wrap 9 and / or tip paper 5 may include a barrier coating to make the material of the plug wrap and / or tip paper substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of the capsule 11.

[0207] In this example, capsule 11 is spherical and has a diameter of approximately 3 mm. In other examples, other shapes and sizes of capsules can be used. The total weight of capsule 11 may be in the range of approximately 10 mg to approximately 50 mg.

[0208] In this example, the capsule 11 is located at the longitudinal center within the material body 6. That is, the capsule 11 is positioned so that its center is 4 mm from each end of the material body 6. In other examples, the capsule 11 can be located at a position other than the longitudinal center within the material body 6, i.e., closer to the downstream end of the material body 6 than the upstream end, or closer to the upstream end of the material body 6 than the downstream end. Preferably, the mouthpiece 2' is configured such that the capsule 11 and the vent hole 12 are longitudinally offset from each other within the mouthpiece 2'.

[0209] A cross-section of the mouthpiece 2' is shown in Figure 2b, which is taken through the line A-A' in Figure 2a. Figure 2b shows the capsule 11, the material body 6, the first plug wrap 7' and the second plug wrap 9, and the chip paper 5. In this example, the capsule 11 is centered on the longitudinal axis (not shown) of the mouthpiece 2'. The first plug wrap 7' and the second plug wrap 9 and the chipping 5 are arranged concentrically around the material body 6.

[0210] The destructible capsule 11 has a core-shell structure; that is, the sealing material or barrier material creates a shell around a core containing the aerosol modifier. The shell structure prevents the aerosol modifier from moving during storage of article 1', but allows for the controlled release of the aerosol modifying agent, also called an aerosol modifier, during use.

[0211] In some cases, the barrier material (also referred to herein as the sealing material) is fragile. The capsule is crushed, otherwise shattered, or destroyed by the user to release the sealed aerosol modifier. Typically, the capsule is destroyed just before heating begins, but the user can choose when to release the aerosol modifier. The term “destructible capsule” refers to a capsule whose shell can be destroyed by pressure to release the core, more specifically, the shell can be ruptured under pressure applied by the user’s finger when the user wishes to release the capsule’s core.

[0212] In some cases, the barrier material is heat-resistant. That is, in some cases, the barrier will not rupture, melt, or otherwise break at the temperature reached in the capsule area during the operation of the aerosol supply device. For example, a capsule placed in the mouthpiece may be exposed to temperatures in the range of, for example, 30°C to 100°C, and the barrier material can continue to hold the liquid core up to at least about 50°C to 120°C.

[0213] In other cases, the capsule releases the core composition upon heating, for example, by melting the barrier material or by capsule swelling that leads to rupture of the barrier material.

[0214] The total weight of the capsule may be in the range of approximately 1 mg to approximately 100 mg, preferably approximately 5 mg to approximately 60 mg, approximately 8 mg to approximately 50 mg, approximately 10 mg to approximately 20 mg, or approximately 12 mg to approximately 18 mg.

[0215] The total weight of the core formulation may be in the range of approximately 2 mg to approximately 90 mg, preferably 3 mg to approximately 70 mg, approximately 5 mg to approximately 25 mg, approximately 8 mg to approximately 20 mg, or approximately 10 mg to approximately 15 mg.

[0216] The capsule according to the present invention comprises the core and shell described above. The capsule may exhibit a crushing strength of about 4.5 N to about 40 N, more preferably about 5 N to about 30 N or about 28 N (e.g., about 9.8 N to about 24.5 N). The capsule bursting strength can be measured using a force gauge to measure the force at which the capsule bursts when it is removed from the material body 6 and pressed between two flat metal plates. A suitable measuring device is the Sauter FK 50 force gauge having a flat head attachment, which can be used to crush the capsule against a flat, hard surface having a surface similar to that of the attachment.

[0217] The capsule may be substantially spherical and may have a diameter of at least about 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.8 mm, or 3.0 mm. The diameter of the capsule may be less than about 10.0 mm, 8.0 mm, 7.0 mm, 6.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.5 mm, or 3.2 mm. Exemplarily, the capsule diameter may be in the range of about 0.4 mm to about 10.0 mm, about 0.8 mm to about 6.0 mm, about 2.5 mm to about 5.5 mm, or about 2.8 mm to about 3.2 mm. In some cases, the capsule may have a diameter of about 3.0 mm. These sizes are particularly suitable for the incorporation of the capsule into the articles described herein.

[0218] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​the capsule 11 at its maximum cross-sectional area is less than 28%, more preferably less than 27%, and even more preferably less than 25% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the portion of the mouthpiece 2' in which the capsule 11 is provided. For example, in the case of a spherical capsule having a diameter of 3.0 mm, the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the capsule is 7.07 mm².2 In the case of the mouthpiece 2' having a circumference of 21 mm as described herein, the material body 6 has an outer circumference of 20.8 mm, the radius of this component is 3.31 mm, and 34.43 mm 2 This corresponds to the cross-sectional area of ​​the mouthpiece 2'. In this example, the capsule's cross-sectional area is 20.5% of the mouthpiece's cross-sectional area. As another example, if the capsule has a diameter of 3.2 mm, the maximum cross-sectional area of ​​the capsule is 8.04 mm². 2 In this case, the cross-sectional area of ​​the capsule would be 23.4% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the material body 6. A capsule 11 having a maximum cross-sectional area of ​​less than 28% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the mouthpiece 2' portion provided inside has the advantage, compared to a capsule with a larger cross-sectional area, that the pressure drop across the mouthpiece 2' is reduced and that there is enough space around the capsule for the aerosol to pass through without the material body 6 removing a considerable amount of aerosol mass as the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece 2'.

[0219] Preferably, the pressure drop or pressure difference (also called pull-in resistance) across the article, measured as open pressure drop (i.e., with the vent opening open), decreases by less than 8 mmH2O when the capsule is ruptured. More preferably, the open pressure drop decreases by less than 6 mmH2O, and more preferably less than 5 mmH2O. These values ​​are measured as the average achieved by at least 80 articles made to the same design. Such small changes in pressure drop mean that other aspects of the product design can be achieved, such as setting the correct vent level for a given product pressure drop, regardless of whether the consumer chooses to rupture the capsule.

[0220] The barrier material may contain one or more of the following: gelling agents, bulking agents, buffering agents, colorants, and plasticizers.

[0221] Preferably, the capsule gelling agent may be, for example, a polysaccharide or cellulosic gelling agent, gelatin, gum, gel, wax, or a mixture thereof. Suitable polysaccharides include alginates, dextran, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, and pectin. Suitable alginates include, for example, salts of alginate, esterified alginates, or glyceryl alginates. Salts of alginate include ammonium alginate, triethanolamine alginate, and group I or group II metal ion alginates such as sodium alginate, potassium alginate, calcium alginate, and magnesium alginate. Esterified alginates include propylene glycol alginate and glyceryl alginate. In some embodiments, the barrier material is sodium alginate and / or calcium alginate. Suitable cellulosic materials include methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose acetate, and cellulose ethers. The gelling agent may contain one or more modified starches. The gelling agent may also contain carrageenan. Suitable gums include agar, gellan gum, gum arabic, pullulan gum, mannan gum, ghati gum, tragacanth gum, karaya, locust bean, acacia gum, guar, quince seed, and xanthan gum. Suitable gels include agar, agarose, carrageenan, furoidan, and furcellan. A suitable wax is carnauba wax. In some cases, the gelling agent may contain carrageenan and / or gellan gum. These gelling agents are particularly suitable to be included as gelling agents because the pressure required to break the resulting capsules is particularly suitable.

[0222] The barrier material may contain one or more fillers, such as starch, modified starch (such as oxidized starch), and sugar alcohols such as maltitol.

[0223] The barrier material may contain a colorant to facilitate the positioning of capsules within the aerosol generating device during the manufacturing process of the aerosol generating device. The colorant is preferably selected from dyes and pigments.

[0224] The barrier material may further contain at least one buffering agent, such as a citrate or phosphate compound.

[0225] The barrier material may further contain at least one plasticizer, which may be glycerol, sorbitol, maltitol, triacetin, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or another polyhydric alcohol having plasticizing properties, and optionally one acid of the monoacid, diacid, or triacid type, particularly citric acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, etc. The amount of plasticizer is in the range of 1% to 30% by weight, preferably 2% to 15% by weight, and more preferably 3% to 10% by weight, of the total dry weight of the shell.

[0226] The barrier material may also contain one or more filler materials. Suitable filler materials include starch derivatives such as dextrin, maltodextrin, and cyclodextrin (alpha, beta, or gamma), or cellulose derivatives such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), methylcellulose (MC), and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), polyvinyl alcohol, polyols, or mixtures thereof. Dextrin is a preferred filler. The amount of filler in the shell is up to 98.5% by weight, preferably 25-95% by weight, more preferably 40-80% by weight, and even more preferably 50-60% by weight, relative to the total dry weight of the shell.

[0227] The capsule shell may further include a hydrophobic outer layer that reduces the capsule's susceptibility to moisture-induced degradation. The hydrophobic outer layer is preferably selected from the group including waxes, particularly carnauba wax, candelilla wax or beeswax, carbowax, shellac (in alcohol or aqueous solution), ethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, latex compositions, polyvinyl alcohol, or combinations thereof. More preferably, at least one moisture barrier agent is ethylcellulose or a mixture of ethylcellulose and shellac.

[0228] The capsule core contains an aerosol modifier. This aerosol modifier may be any volatile substance that modifies at least one property of the aerosol. For example, the aerosol substance may modify pH, sensory properties, water content, delivery properties, or flavor. In some cases, the aerosol modifier may be selected from acids, bases, water, or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol modifier includes one or more flavorings.

[0229] The flavorings may preferably include licorice, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint flavor, preferably menthol and / or peppermint oil from any species of the Mentha genus, such as peppermint oil and / or spearmint oil, or lavender, fennel, or anise.

[0230] In some cases, the flavoring may contain menthol.

[0231] In some cases, the capsule may contain at least about 25% w / w of flavoring (based on the total weight of the capsule), preferably at least about 30% w / w of flavoring, 35% w / w of flavoring, 40% w / w of flavoring, 45% w / w of flavoring, or 50% w / w of flavoring.

[0232] In some cases, the core may contain at least about 25% w / w of flavoring (based on the total weight of the core), preferably at least about 30% w / w, 35% w / w, 40% w / w, 45% w / w, or 50% w / w of flavoring. In some cases, the core may contain about 75% w / w or less of flavoring (based on the total weight of the core), preferably about 65% w / w or less of flavoring, 55% w / w or less of flavoring, or 50% w / w or less of flavoring. As an example, the capsule may contain an amount of flavoring in the range of 25-75% w / w (based on the total weight of the core), about 35-60% w / w, or about 40-55% w / w.

[0233] The capsule may contain at least about 2 mg, 3 mg, or 4 mg of aerosol modifier, preferably at least about 4.5 mg of aerosol modifier, 5 mg of aerosol modifier, 5.5 mg of aerosol modifier, or 6 mg of aerosol modifier.

[0234] In some cases, the consumables comprise at least about 7 mg of aerosol modifier, preferably at least about 8 mg of aerosol modifier, 10 mg of aerosol modifier, 12 mg of aerosol modifier, or 15 mg of aerosol modifier. The core may also contain a solvent for dissolving the aerosol modifier.

[0235] Any suitable solvent can be used.

[0236] When the aerosol modifier contains flavorings, the solvent may preferably contain short-chain or medium-chain fats and oils. For example, the solvent may contain glycerol triesters such as C2-C12 triglycerides, preferably C6-C10 triglycerides, or Cs-C12 triglycerides. For example, the solvent may contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCT-C8-C12) that may be derived from palm oil and / or coconut oil.

[0237] The ester may be formed with caprylic acid and / or capric acid. For example, the solvent may contain a medium-chain triglyceride, which is caprylic acid triglyceride and / or capric acid triglyceride. For example, the solvent may contain the compounds identified by CAS registry numbers 73398-61-5, 65381-09-1, and 85409-09-2. Such medium-chain triglycerides are odorless and tasteless.

[0238] The hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of the solvent may be in the range of 9 to 13, preferably 10 to 12. Methods for preparing the capsules include co-extrusion, optionally followed by centrifugation and curing and / or drying. The contents of International Publication No. 2007 / 010407 are incorporated in their entirety by reference.

[0239] In the above example, mouthpieces 2 and 2' each contain a body 6 made of a single material. In other examples, the mouthpieces in Figure 1 or Figures 2a and 2b may contain bodies made of multiple materials. Mouthpieces 2 and 2' may have cavities between the material bodies.

[0240] In some examples, the mouthpieces 2, 2' downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3 may include packaging materials containing the aerosol modifier or other sensory stimulant material described herein, such as a first plug wrap 7 or a second plug wrap 9, or a tip paper 5. The aerosol modifier may be placed on the inward or outward surface of the mouthpiece packaging material. For example, the aerosol modifier or other sensory stimulant material may be provided in an area of ​​the packaging material, such as the outward surface of the tip paper 5, which comes into contact with the consumer's lips during use. By placing the aerosol modifier or other sensory stimulant material on the outward surface of the mouthpiece packaging material, the aerosol modifier or other sensory stimulant material may be transferred to the consumer's lips during use. By transferring the aerosol modifier or other sensory stimulant material to the consumer's lips during use of the article, the sensory perception properties (e.g., taste) of the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate 3 can be modified, or an alternative sensory experience can be provided to the consumer. For example, an aerosol modifier or other sensory stimulant material may impart flavor to the aerosol produced by the aerosol generating substrate 3. The aerosol modifier or other sensory stimulant material may be at least partially soluble in water so that it is transported to the user by the consumer's saliva. The aerosol modifier or other sensory stimulant material may be volatile due to the heat generated by the aerosol supply system. This may facilitate the transport of the aerosol modifier to the aerosol produced by the aerosol generating substrate 3. Suitable sensory stimulant materials may be the flavors described herein, sucralose, or coolants such as menthol.

[0241] According to embodiments described herein, a pack comprising a plurality of articles described herein can be provided. The number of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material strips within each article may vary by less than 40%, less than 30%, or less than 20% between articles in the pack. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material strips within each article in the pack may contain flavorings, and the delivery of flavorings from each of the articles in use may vary by less than 50%, or less than 20% between articles in the pack. For example, the standard deviation of the flavoring inclusion levels by weight percentage between articles in the pack may be less than 50%, less than 30%, or less than 20% of the mean, e.g., 5% to 50%, 5% to 30%, or 10% to 25%. The flavoring levels may be determined by chemical analysis as is known to those skilled in the art, and the standard deviation may be determined for a batch of at least 10 articles, e.g., a pack of articles.

[0242] Figure 3 shows a first method for producing an aerosol-generating material, for example, an aerosol-generating material for use in an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system.

[0243] In step S101, a single-thickness aerosol-generating non-tobacco material in sheet form is supplied to the shredding device. This can be achieved, for example, by providing a bobbin of aerosol-generating non-tobacco sheet material that can be continuously supplied to the shredding device. Alternatively, individual portions of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material in sheet form, such as sheets known to those skilled in the art as flags, can be supplied to the shredding device. Surprisingly, the inventors have found that aerosol-generating non-tobacco material in sheet form has advantages when shredded to a single sheet thickness, in contrast to the conventional tobacco cutting process in which several thin layers of material are supplied to the cutting device simultaneously. When aerosol-generating non-tobacco sheet material of multiple thicknesses is supplied to the shredding device in a single pass, the sheet materials of multiple thicknesses tend to adhere to each other, potentially resulting in the formation of clumps, thus leading to an uneven distribution of material in the final aerosol-generating material. Alternatively, aerosol-generating non-tobacco sheet material of multiple thicknesses can be supplied to the shredding device in a single pass, avoiding clump formation, for example, when the "tackiness" of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco sheet is relatively low.

[0244] In step S102, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material of a single thickness is shredded to obtain strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having a specified cut width. Optionally, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may undergo a second cutting step, such as a cross-cut shredding process, to obtain a specified cut length.

[0245] In step S103, the strip of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material obtained in step S102 is mixed with another non-tobacco material. The inventors have found that, preferably, the mixing of the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material with another non-tobacco material should be carried out as soon as possible after step S102. The inventors have found that long-term storage of shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material can cause clumps of aerosol-generating non-tobacco fragments to form within the shredded material, and as a result, when the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is mixed with other non-tobacco materials and used to form the articles described herein, these clumps of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material result in an uneven distribution of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material between articles and within individual rods of the aerosol-generating material.

[0246] In some embodiments, the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is incorporated into other non-tobacco materials within 12 hours, e.g., less than 6 hours, or less than 4 hours, or less than 2 hours, or less than 1 hour, after the cutting step. Optionally, the shredded aerosol-generating non-tobacco material may be supplied to other non-tobacco materials in an online process such that the time between shredding the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and incorporating the shredded material into other non-tobacco materials to form the final aerosol-generating material is less than 30 seconds, e.g., less than 20 seconds, or less than 10 seconds.

[0247] In some embodiments, a method for producing an aerosol-generating material includes the step of cutting a sheet of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to form a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having a cut length of at least about 5 mm, or at least about 10 mm, or at least about 20 mm. In some embodiments, the method includes the step of cutting a sheet of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to form a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material, each having a cut length of about 5 mm to about 60 mm, or about 10 mm to about 55 mm, or about 20 mm to about 50 mm.

[0248] The mixing step can be carried out using a rotary drum blender that rotates at, for example, 5-30 RPM, or 10-15 RPM. The drum diameter can be 0.8m-1.2m, including 5 sets of 10-20 pins (optional) protruding from the inner wall of the drum toward the center of the drum, with the pins having a length of 5%-15%, for example about 10%, of the drum diameter, and each set of pins being spaced longitudinally along the length of the drum, while each set is spaced around the inner circumference. The drum angle of the central axis of the drum during mixing can be approximately 10-30 degrees from the horizontal (with the open side facing up). In such a drum, a batch of 5-20 kg of total solids, typically 8-10 kg, can be mixed for 30 seconds-10 minutes, for example 30 seconds-2 minutes.

[0249] Alternatively, the mixing step can be incorporated into a standard primary manufacturing process for tobacco material, for example, using an add-back line and a flavor mixing cylinder. This method may be suitable for larger volumes of material. A continuous rotary drum blender can be used, which is supplied by two weight conveyors, each feeding one component (other non-tobacco material such as cut aerosol-generating non-tobacco material such as paper or shredded gel) at a precise relative kg / hour rate to achieve the desired inclusion level of aerosol-generating non-tobacco in the aerosol-generating material. The components are mixed within the rotary drum blender as they pass through and collected at the outlet. Typical dimensions and operating conditions for a continuous rotary drum blender are RPM of 12-15 RPM, drum diameter of 0.6-0.8 m, and drum length of 2.0-3.0 m. The residence time of the material in the drum can be 30-120 seconds (typically 40-70 seconds).

[0250] Figure 4 shows a second method for producing an aerosol-generating material, for example, an aerosol-generating material for use in an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol supply system. The second method can be carried out using apparatus such as that described in relation to the first method above, and those skilled in the art will recognize that the steps of the first and second methods can be appropriately combined. The method includes the step (S201) of cutting a first portion of an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to form a first component comprising a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having a first length. The method also includes the step (S202) of cutting a second portion of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to form a second component comprising a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having a second length different from the first length. In step S203, the cut strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material are mixed with another non-tobacco material comprising strips and / or strands of other non-tobacco material. By using two or more aerosol-generating non-tobacco materials of different lengths, the size of the strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material can be more precisely matched to the material size distribution of the other non-tobacco materials, resulting in better mixing of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material with the other non-tobacco materials.

[0251] Figure 5 shows a non-combustible aerosol supply system 100 comprising article 1 and a non-combustible aerosol supply device 200. The device comprises a region 201 for receiving article 1 and an aerosol generator 202. Article 1 may be any of the exemplary articles 1 described herein.

[0252] The aerosol generator 202 is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material 3 of article 1 when article 1 is received into the area 201 for receiving consumables. The device further comprises a power supply 203, a controller 204, and a puff sensor 205. In use, the user inserts article 1 into the area 201 for receiving consumables and activates the aerosol generator 202 to generate an aerosol for inhalation. The user can then inhale the aerosol by sucking into the mouthpiece 2 of article 1, or alternatively, into the mouthpiece (not shown) of the device 200. In the illustrated example, article 1 and device 200 are configured such that when article 1 is fully inserted into device 200, mouthpiece 2 is a portion of article 1 protruding from area 201. Thus, mouthpiece 2 is available for the user to inhale through mouthpiece 2 while the user is holding device 200.

[0253] The puff sensor 205 is configured to detect when the user is inhaling through the mouthpiece 2 of the item 1 inside the device 200 and to send a signal to the controller 204 to activate the aerosol generator 202. Thus, an aerosol is generated simultaneously with the user inhaling the item 1. Alternatively, the device 200 may be provided with a user interface such as a button (not shown) that the user can press to trigger the activation of the aerosol generator 202.

[0254] The area 201 for receiving article 1 is provided with an inlet (not shown) that allows air to enter the area 201 before passing through article 1 when the user inhales with the mouthpiece 2 of article 1. Thus, when the user inhales article 1, an airflow is directed through article 1. The airflow carries the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 of article 1 for inhalation by the user.

[0255] The aerosol generator 202 comprises any suitable means for heating the aerosol-generating material 3 of the article 1 received in the region 201 of the device 200. Power for the aerosol generator 202 is supplied by a power supply 203, which in the illustrated example is a battery 203.

[0256] In one example, the aerosol generator 202 includes a magnetic field generator configured to generate a fluctuating magnetic field that penetrates a region 201 for receiving an article 1. Thus, the device 200 is configured for use with an article 1 having a susceptor (not shown). The fluctuating magnetic field heats the susceptor by magnetic hysteresis. When the article 1 is placed inside the device 200 and the aerosol generator 202 is activated, the fluctuating magnetic field penetrates the susceptor of the article 1, heating the aerosol-generating material 3 that is in thermal contact with the susceptor, and generating an aerosol for inhalation by the user.

[0257] In another example, the aerosol generator 202 comprises a susceptor that is in thermal contact with a region 201 for receiving an article 1, and a magnetic field generator for generating a fluctuating magnetic field that penetrates the susceptor. The fluctuating magnetic field heats the susceptor by magnetic hysteresis. The susceptor then heats the region 201 for receiving the consumable. Thus, when the article 1 is placed in the device 200 and the aerosol generator 202 is activated, the fluctuating magnetic field penetrates the susceptor and heats the region 201 in which the article 1 is received. The heat is transferred to the aerosol-generating material 3 of the article 1, generating an aerosol for inhalation by the user. In such an example, the wall 207 of the region 201 for receiving the article 1 may comprise a susceptor. The article 1 may be configured to be in direct contact with the wall 207 for efficient heat transfer. Alternatively or additionally, the region 201 may comprise a susceptor as a projection configured to penetrate the aerosol-generating material 3 when the article 1 is inserted into the region 201. The projection may take the form of a blade or pin terminating at a certain point; that is, the projection has a length dimension greater than its width dimension or diameter.

[0258] In another example, the aerosol generator 202 comprises an electrically conductive material, which is provided in thermal contact with a region 201 for receiving an article 1. Thus, when the article 1 is placed inside the device 200 and the aerosol generator 202 is activated, an electric current is passed through the material to heat the region 201 in which the article 1 is received. The heat is transferred to the aerosol-generating material 3 of the article 1, generating an aerosol for inhalation by the user. In such an embodiment, the material may also be the wall 207 of the region 201 for receiving the article 1, and the article 1 may be configured to be in direct contact with the wall 207 for efficient heat transfer. Alternatively or additionally, the region 201 may include electrically conductive projections configured to penetrate the aerosol-generating material 3 when the article 1 is inserted into the region 201. The projections may take the form of blades or pins terminating at a certain point; that is, the projections have a length dimension greater than their width dimension or diameter.

[0259] In any of the above examples of the aerosol generator 202, the aerosol generator 202 may be configured for strip- or partial heating of article 1. "Strip- or partial heating" means that the aerosol generator 202 is configured to heat discontinuous portions of the aerosol-generating material 3 separately, i.e., at different times.

[0260] In any of the embodiments described herein, the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and / or other non-tobacco material may be a non-tobacco plant material. The non-tobacco plant material may be rooibos, or may contain rooibos.

[0261] The various embodiments described herein are presented solely to aid in understanding and teaching 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 suitably include, consist of, or essentially consist 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-generating material comprising multiple strands and / or strips of an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material and multiple strips of another non-tobacco material.

2. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have an area density of about 55 to about 135 grams / square meter, or about 80 to about 100 grams / square meter, or about 100 to 125 grams / square meter.

3. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the other non-tobacco material comprises an aerosol-forming agent in an amount of less than 10% by weight of the tobacco material.

4. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the area density of the plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is 70% to 110% of the area density of the other non-tobacco material.

5. The aerosol generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the other non-tobacco material includes a reconstituted fiber material.

6. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the other non-tobacco material comprises paper and / or a non-tobacco organic material, and optionally the non-tobacco organic material comprises rooibos.

7. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the other non-tobacco material has an area density of 80 grams / square meter to 120 grams / square meter.

8. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have a non-uniform distribution of length.

9. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 8, wherein the distribution of lengths of the multiple strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is a multimodal distribution.

10. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the plurality of strands and / or strips of the other non-tobacco material have a multimodal distribution of length.

11. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the distribution of lengths of multiple strands and / or strips of the other non-tobacco material and the distribution of lengths of multiple strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have the same number of peaks.

12. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 10, wherein the number of peaks in the length distribution of a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is selected to match the number of peaks in the length distribution of strands and / or strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material.

13. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material has a length of more than about 5 mm or more than about 10 mm.

14. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein 50% to 90% of the plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have a length of 35 mm to 45 mm.

15. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 14, wherein 60% to 85% of the multiple strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have a length of 35 mm to 45 mm.

16. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 14 or 15, wherein at least 50% of the remaining multiple strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material have a length of 10 mm to 30 mm.

17. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material has a length of about 10 mm to about 60 mm, or about 20 mm to about 50 mm.

18. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein each of the plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material has a length of about 10 mm to about 60 mm, or about 20 mm to about 50 mm.

19. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the strip of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material has an average cut width of 0.75 mm to 2 mm.

20. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the strip of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material has an average cut width of 0.8 mm to 1.75 mm.

21. The aerosol-generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the strip of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material has an average cut width of 1 mm to 1.5 mm.

22. The aerosol-forming material according to any one of claims 1 to 21, comprising an aerosol-forming agent, optionally comprising glycerol, and / or optionally comprising the aerosol-forming material comprising the aerosol-forming non-tobacco material in an amount of 10% to 20% by weight.

23. The aerosol generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the other non-tobacco material contains water in an amount of 5% to 10% by weight, or 7.5% to 9.5% by weight.

24. The aforementioned non-tobacco aerosol generating material is A binder and Optionally, filler and, Optionally, an active substance and / or a flavoring, An aerosol generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 23, comprising an aerosol generating film containing the aerosol generating material.

25. The aerosol generating material according to claim 24, wherein the aerosol generating film has a maximum thickness of approximately 1 mm, optionally a maximum thickness of 500 microns, and optionally a thickness of 50 to 500 microns.

26. The aforementioned other non-tobacco materials Nicotine in an amount of 5% by weight of the aforementioned other non-tobacco material, A binder in an amount of 10% by weight of the other non-tobacco material, Glycerol in an amount of 20% by weight of the aforementioned other non-tobacco material, Filling material and an aerosol generating material according to any one of claims 1 to 25, comprising:

27. An article comprising the aerosol-generating material composition according to any one of claims 1 to 26.

28. The article according to claim 27, wherein the aerosol-generating material composition comprises an aerosol-forming agent in an amount of 10% to 15% by weight, or 12% to 14% by weight, optionally containing glycerol.

29. A consumable for use in an aerosol supply system, comprising the article described in claim 27 or 28.

30. The consumable according to claim 29, wherein the aerosol-generating material is provided in the form of a rod having a first end and a second end, and the portion of the rod between the first end and an intermediate longitudinal position between the first end and the second end contains 20% to 80% of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material in the rod.

31. A non-combustible aerosol supply system comprising a non-combustible aerosol supply device and a consumable according to claim 29 or 30, wherein the device is arranged to heat the aerosol generating material composition of the consumable.

32. A method for producing an aerosol-generating material composition according to any one of claims 1 to 26, comprising the step of cutting a sheet of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to form a plurality of strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material.

33. A method for producing an aerosol-generating material, comprising the step of supplying a single-thickness sheet of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to a cutting device to form a plurality of strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material.

34. The method according to claim 32 or 33, comprising the step of cutting a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material across the width of the strips, wherein optionally the strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material are cut in the width direction and the longitudinal direction in one step.

35. A method for producing an aerosol generating material, The steps include cutting a first portion of an aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to form a first component comprising a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having a first length, A step of cutting a second portion of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to form a second component comprising a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having a second length different from the first length, A method that includes this.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the first component and the second component are mixed to form a plurality of strips of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material having a non-uniform distribution of length.

37. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 36, further comprising a mixing step of mixing the strip of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material with tobacco material.

38. A method for producing an aerosol-generating material, comprising the steps of: cutting a sheet of aerosol-generating non-tobacco material to form a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material; and mixing the plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material with tobacco material, wherein the cutting step and the mixing step are performed within 12 hours of each other, or within 6 hours of each other, or within 2 hours of each other, or within 30 seconds of each other.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein a plurality of strips of the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material are transported between the cutting step and the mixing step.

40. The method according to any one of claims 32 to 39, wherein the aerosol-generating non-tobacco material is cut in a shredder to form strips, and optionally the shredder is a cross-cut shredder.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the shredder is configured to produce a plurality of strips of material having a range of lengths.

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