Aerosol supply device

Abstract

An aerosol-forming article (110) comprising a first surface containing a first aerosol-generating material (306) and a second surface facing the first surface such that an airflow path is defined between the first surface and the second surface. The second surface contains a second aerosol-generating material (308). The distance between the first aerosol-generating material (306) and the second aerosol-generating material (308) is a maximum of 4 mm.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an article for generating an aerosol. [Background technology]

[0002] Smoking products such as cigarettes and cigars produce tobacco smoke by burning tobacco during use. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these tobacco-burning products by creating products that release compounds without burning. An example of such a product is a heating device that releases compounds by heating the material without burning it. The material may be, for example, tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine. [Overview of the project]

[0003] In one embodiment, an aerosol-forming article is provided. The aerosol-forming article includes a first surface containing a first aerosol-generating material and a second surface facing the first surface such that an airflow path is defined between the first surface and the second surface. The second surface contains a second aerosol-generating material. The distance between the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material is a maximum of 4 mm.

[0004] The distance between the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material may be up to 2.34 mm. The distance between the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material may be up to 2.2 mm. The distance between the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material may be up to 2.1 mm. The distance between the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material may be up to 2.0 mm. The distance between the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material may be at least 1.3 mm. The distance between the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material may be at least 1.34 mm. The distance between the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material may be at least 1.4 mm. The distance between the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material may be at least 1.54 mm. The distance between the first aerosol generating material and the second aerosol generating material may be at least 1.6 mm. The distance between the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material may be at least 1.7 mm. The distance between the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material may be at least 1.84 mm.

[0005] In the airflow path, there may be no obstructions between the first surface and the second surface in the aerosol-forming material. The first surface and / or the second surface may be substantially planar. The aerosol-forming article may further include an outlet that allows air to flow out of the article through the space between the first surface and the second surface. The outlet shall be at least 1.75 mm 2 It may have an area of ​​. In the airflow path, there does not need to be any obstacle between the first surface and the second surface of the aerosol-generating material.

[0006] In another embodiment, an aerosol supply system is provided. The aerosol supply system comprises one of the aerosol-forming articles described above and an aerosol supply device configured to heat the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol.

[0007] Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] [Figure 1] It is a side view of an aerosol supply system. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of an article in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the article. [Figure 3] It is an exploded view of a base material and an aerosol-generating material. [Figure 4A] It is an exploded view of an intermediate layer of an article. [Figure 4B] It is a cross-sectional view of a third intermediate layer of an article. [Figure 4C] It is a cross-sectional view of a third intermediate layer showing a flow control feature. [Figure 5] It shows a graph of the amount of delivered aerosol plotted against gap size. [Figure 6A] It shows a graph of pressure drop versus various inlet areas. [Figure 6B] It shows a graph of aerosol delivery amount versus various inlet sizes. [Figure 7A] It shows a graph of aerosol delivery amount for articles having different properties including different outlet areas. [Figure 7B] It shows a graph of aerosol delivery amount versus outlet area. [Figure 8] It is an exploded view of structural components of various articles tested to generate the data shown in Figure 7A. [Figure 9] It shows a graph of delivered aerosol for articles having different properties. [Figure 10] It is an exploded view of structural components of various articles tested to generate the data shown in Figure 9. [Figure 11] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of an article in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the article. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0009] As used herein, the term “aerosol-generating material” refers to a material that can generate an aerosol when energy is supplied, for example, by heating, irradiation, or any other means. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, which may or may not contain active substances and / or flavorings. The aerosol-generating material may also contain any plant-based material, such as tobacco-containing material, and may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, recombined tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The aerosol-generating material may also contain other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine, depending on the product. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a solid, liquid, gel, wax, etc. The aerosol-generating material may also be, for example, a combination or blend of materials. The aerosol-generating material may also be known as “smoked material.”

[0010] The aerosol-generating material may include a binder and an aerosol-forming agent. Optionally, an activator and / or filler may also be present. Optionally, a solvent such as water may also be present, and one or more other components of the aerosol-generating material may or may not be soluble in the solvent. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free of plant-based materials. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is substantially free of tobacco.

[0011] The aerosol-generating material may include or may be an amorphous solid. The amorphous solid may be a monolithic solid. In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. The amorphous solid is a solid material capable of holding some fluid, such as a liquid, within the amorphous solid. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include, for example, about 50% by weight, 60% by weight, or 70% by weight of amorphous solid, or about 90% by weight, 95% by weight, or 100% by weight of amorphous solid.

[0012] The aerosol-generating material may include an aerosol-generating film. The aerosol-generating film may include, or may be, a sheet that can be optionally shredded to form shredded sheets. The aerosol-generating sheet or shredded sheet may not substantially contain tobacco.

[0013] According to this disclosure, a “non-combustible” aerosol supply system is a system in which the aerosol-generating materials (or their components) that make up the aerosol supply system are not burned or incinerated in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to the user.

[0014] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol supply system.

[0015] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an e-cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0016] 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 cigarette heating system.

[0017] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system is a hybrid system that generates an aerosol using a combination of one or more aerosol-generating materials, each of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0018] 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.

[0019] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosol-generating materials and configured for use with non-combustible aerosol supply devices. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.

[0020] In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol supply system, for example, the 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 source. In some embodiments, the heat 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 transfer material adjacent to the heat source.

[0021] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system may include a consumable receiving area, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0022] 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.

[0023] An aerosol generating device can accept an article containing an aerosol-generating material for heating. In this context, “article” refers to a component that contains or is contained with the aerosol-generating material at the time of use and is heated to volatilize the aerosol-generating material, and optionally, other components at the time of use. The user can insert the article into the aerosol generating device before the article is heated to generate an aerosol, after which the user inhales the aerosol. The article may be of a predetermined or specific size, for example, configured to be placed in a heating chamber of a device sized to accept the article.

[0024] Referring to Figure 1, the aerosol supply system 10 comprises an aerosol supply device 100 for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. The aerosol supply system 10 further comprises a replaceable article 110 containing the aerosol-generating material. Schematically, the aerosol-forming device 100 may be used to heat the article 110 to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium to be inhaled by a user of the device 100. In this example, the aerosol-forming article 110 is intended for use with the aerosol supply device 100. However, in other examples, the aerosol-forming article 110 may be used as an aerosol supply device (for example, in an integrated aerosol supply system that may be for single use).

[0025] The aerosol forming device 100 comprises a main body 102. The housing structure surrounds and accommodates various components of the main body 102. An article opening 104 is formed at one end of the main body 102, through which an article 110 can be inserted for heating by the aerosol generator 200.

[0026] Device 100 may also include user-operable control elements 150, such as buttons or switches that operate device 100 when pressed. For example, a user may turn on device 100 by operating the switch 150.

[0027] The aerosol generator 200 defines a longitudinal axis that aligns with the axis of the article 110.

[0028] During use, article 110 may be fully or partially inserted into the aerosol generator 200 and may be heated by one or more components of the aerosol generator 200.

[0029] Device 100 includes an apparatus for heating an aerosol-generating material. The apparatus includes an aerosol-generating assembly, a controller (control circuit), and a power source. The apparatus forms part of the main body 102. The aerosol-generating assembly is configured to heat the aerosol-generating material of an article 110 inserted through an article opening 104 so that an aerosol is generated from the aerosol-generating material. The power source supplies power to the aerosol-generating assembly, which converts the supplied electrical energy into thermal energy for heating the aerosol-generating material. The power source may be a battery, such as a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium batteries (such as lithium-ion batteries), nickel batteries (such as nickel-cadmium batteries), and alkaline batteries.

[0030] The power source may be electrically connected to the aerosol generation assembly and may supply power under the control of a controller when needed to heat the aerosol generation material. The control circuit may be configured to start and stop the aerosol generation assembly based on user input. User input may be performed by pressing a button or by opening a door on the device (e.g., a door covering a consumable receiving receptacle). The control circuit may be configured to start and stop automatically, for example, when an item is inserted.

[0031] An aerosol-generating assembly may comprise various components for heating an aerosol-generating material through an induction heating process. Induction heating is a process of heating a conductive heating element (such as a susceptor) by electromagnetic induction. An induction heating assembly may comprise an induction element, for example, one or more inductor coils, and a device for passing a fluctuating current, such as an alternating current, through the induction element. The fluctuating current within the induction element generates a fluctuating magnetic field. The fluctuating magnetic field penetrates a susceptor (heating element) appropriately positioned relative to the induction element, generating eddy currents inside the susceptor. The susceptor has electrical resistance to eddy currents, and therefore, the flow of eddy currents against this resistance heats the susceptor by Joule heating. If the susceptor contains a ferromagnetic material such as iron, nickel, or cobalt, heat can also be generated by magnetic hysteresis losses within the susceptor, i.e., by a change in the orientation of magnetic dipoles within the magnetic material as a result of alignment with the fluctuating magnetic field. Compared to heating by conduction, for example, induction heating generates heat inside the susceptor and allows for rapid heating. Furthermore, since no physical contact is required between the inductive element and the susceptor, it becomes possible to increase the degree of freedom in construction and application.

[0032] Referring to Figure 2, article 110 further comprises a first substrate 302 and a second substrate 304. The first substrate 302 and the second substrate 304 are each made from high grams per square meter (GSM) paper with aluminum foil backing, e.g., 70 gsm to 400 gsm or 100 gsm to 400 gsm, or any paper with a gsm greater than 400 gsm, e.g., 240 gsm. In some embodiments, high GSM paper with aluminum foil backing may be considered as higher GSM paper with aluminum foil backing. In some embodiments, the high GSM paper may have a thickness of 0.125 mm or 0.35 mm. In other embodiments, the high GSM paper may be thicker or thinner. In some embodiments, the first substrate 302 and the second substrate 304 may be considered as two-layer materials, such as a card or paper backed with a metal surface. In other words, the first substrate 302 and / or the second substrate 304 each include a layer of aluminum (i.e., a heating layer) and a layer of paper or cardboard material (i.e., a structural layer). In other examples, instead of the aluminum layer, a layer of another metal or metal alloy may be used to provide the heating layer of the first substrate 302 and / or the second substrate 304.

[0033] Article 110 further comprises a first aerosol-generating material 306 deposited on a first substrate 302. Article 110 further comprises a second aerosol-generating material 308 deposited on a second substrate 304. The first aerosol-generating material 306 and the second aerosol-generating material 308 are aerosol gels. The aerosol-generating materials 306 and 308 are deposited directly on the heating layers of the first substrate 302 and the second substrate 304. This means that the first substrate 302 and the second substrate 304 are arranged such that the heating layer is located inside Article 110 and the structural layer is located outside Article 110, outside the heating layer.

[0034] Article 110 is arranged such that a first aerosol generating material 306 and a second aerosol generating material 308 face each other. Article 110 further includes at least one intermediate layer (not shown in Figure 2) separating the first aerosol generating material 306 and the second aerosol generating material 308. The at least one intermediate layer is described in more detail below in relation to Figures 4A to 4C. During use, a heating layer, more specifically aluminum foil, can be induced to generate heat, for example by induction, thereby heating the aerosol gel. Heating the aerosol gel generates an aerosol that can be used by the user, for example, by inhalation. The first aerosol generating material 306 and the second aerosol generating material 308 at least partially define an airflow path between them. The aerosol generated by the first aerosol generating material 306 and the second aerosol generating material 308 can travel along the airflow path to the user. Article 110 comprises a mouthpiece end and a distal end opposite the mouthpiece end. The mouthpiece end is the end from which the user can use / inhale the aerosol. In some embodiments, the article may have a mouthpiece located at the mouthpiece end. The mouthpiece may be made of a different material from the rest of the article. The mouthpiece may have a different structure from the rest of the article.

[0035] Article 110 is arranged such that a first aerosol-generating material 306 and a second aerosol-generating material 308 are separated by a gap d. The gap size d may affect the air velocity and / or pressure in the airflow path during use, for example, when inhaled by a user. Surprisingly, the inventors have found that a certain value of gap d results in the generation and / or delivery of more aerosol. This may be due to the fact that the air velocity and / or pressure in the airflow path affects the degree of heating of the aerosol-generating material (for example, due to the cooling effect of the air) and / or the amount of aerosol delivered to the mouthpiece end and / or the user by the airflow.

[0036] Therefore, if the airflow velocity is not fast enough, the amount of aerosol carried by the airflow may be insufficient, for example, causing aerosol droplets to accumulate before reaching the mouthpiece. If the gap d is too small, the flow velocity may become too fast, and the aerosol-generating material may not be heated to a high enough temperature, thereby reducing aerosol generation.

[0037] In this embodiment, the gap d is 0.9 mm or more. Preferably, the inventors have found that a d of 0.9 mm or more can mean a remarkable increase in the mass of aerosol delivered to the user compared to, for example, a system where d is less than 0.9 mm. More surprisingly, this effect was found to be further enhanced when d is 1.34 mm or more. Even more surprisingly, it was found that when d exceeds 1.8 mm, such as substantially equal to 1.84 mm, the mass of aerosol generated and / or delivered can become even larger. The mass of delivered aerosol may stagnate or decrease as d increases beyond 1.84 mm. In some embodiments, d may be 4 mm or less, for example, 2.5 mm or less, 2.34 mm or less, 2.2 mm or less, 2.1 mm or less, 2.0 mm or less, or 1.9 mm or less. As d decreases from 4 mm to 1.84 mm, more aerosol may be delivered to the user.

[0038] In this embodiment, the article has an elongated shape. In other embodiments, the article may not have an elongated shape, for example, it may have a circular or square shape. In this embodiment, the article is substantially planar. In other embodiments, the article is not planar. In this embodiment, the first and / or second aerosol-generating material is an aerosol gel. In other embodiments, the first and / or second aerosol-generating material is not an aerosol gel, for example, an aerosol solid or aerosol liquid. In this embodiment, the aerosol is generated by induction heating. In other embodiments, the aerosol is not generated by induction heating, and heating is performed by another method, for example, by convection or conduction. In this embodiment, the substrate contains a component that can be induced by induction to generate heat. In other embodiments, the substrate does not contain a component that can be induced by induction to generate heat, for example, the substrate may contain only wood or paper. In this embodiment, the first substrate is the same as the second substrate. In other embodiments, the first substrate is different from the second substrate. In this embodiment, the aluminum foil is placed in contact with the aerosol-generating material. In other embodiments, the aluminum foil is not positioned in contact with the aerosol-generating material; for example, high-GSM paper is positioned between the aluminum foil and the aerosol-generating material. In this embodiment, the first and / or second substrates are made from high-GSM paper with aluminum foil backing. However, in other embodiments, the first and / or second substrates are not made from high-GSM paper with aluminum foil backing; for example, the first and / or second substrates may be made from copper foil or another material capable of generating heat by induction. In this embodiment, the first substrate and the first aerosol-generating material are positioned in the same manner as the second substrate and the second aerosol-generating material. However, in other embodiments, the first substrate and the first aerosol-generating material are positioned in a different manner than the second substrate and the second aerosol-generating material are positioned.

[0039] Referring to Figure 3, the first substrate 302 has an elongated shape and extends in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction extends from the mouthpiece end to the distal end. The first aerosol-generating material 306 is arranged as a series of individual first parts 402-410 sequentially arranged along the longitudinal direction. The series of individual first parts 402-410 are separated and / or spaced apart from one another. Similarly, the second substrate 304 has an elongated shape that extends along the longitudinal direction. The second aerosol-generating material 308 is arranged as a series of individual second parts 412-420 sequentially arranged along the longitudinal direction. During use, the individual parts of the aerosol-generating material are heated sequentially. For example, for each inhalation by the user, only one of the individual parts is heated to generate an aerosol. However, in other embodiments, multiple individual parts may be heated to generate an aerosol for each inhalation by the user.

[0040] In this embodiment, each individual part is formed into a square. In other embodiments, each individual part is not formed into a square; for example, each individual part is formed into a circle or a rhombus. In this embodiment, the individual parts are identical to each other. In other embodiments, the individual parts are not identical to each other. In this embodiment, the individual first part is identical to the individual second part. In other embodiments, the individual first part is not identical to the individual second part; for example, the individual second part may have a different shape from the individual first part. In this embodiment, the first and / or second aerosol-generating material is arranged within a series of individual parts. In other embodiments, the first and / or second aerosol-generating material is not arranged within a series of individual parts; for example, the first and / or second continuous aerosol-generating material may be arranged within a strip or within a continuous regular or continuous irregular shape.

[0041] Referring to Figure 4A, article 110 comprises a first intermediate layer 502. The first intermediate layer 502 has an elongated, substantially planar shape extending along its longitudinal direction. The first intermediate layer 502 is configured to bond to the first aerosol-generating material 306. The first intermediate layer 502 has a series of first holes. Each of the first holes has a shape complementary to each of the individual first portions 402-410. The first intermediate layer 502 is configured to abut the first aerosol-generating material 306 and the first substrate 302 such that each of the individual first portions 402-410 fits inside each of the holes in the first intermediate layer 502.

[0042] In this embodiment, a substantially planar surface can be formed by a first intermediate layer and a first aerosol-generating material extending through it. In this embodiment, the thickness of the first intermediate layer is approximately the same as the thickness of the first aerosol-generating material. In other embodiments, the first intermediate layer and the first aerosol-generating material do not form a substantially planar surface; for example, the first aerosol-generating material extends beyond the first intermediate layer. In this embodiment, the first intermediate layer includes a series of first pores. In other embodiments, the first intermediate layer does not include a series of first pores; for example, the first intermediate layer may include a single pore having a shape complementary to the shape of the first aerosol-generating material.

[0043] Referring to Figure 4A, article 110 further comprises a second intermediate layer 504. The second intermediate layer 504 has an elongated, substantially planar shape along its longitudinal direction. The second intermediate layer 504 is configured to bond to the second aerosol-generating material 308. The second intermediate layer 504 contains a series of second holes. Each of the series of second holes has a shape complementary to each of the individual second portions 412-420. The second intermediate layer 504 is configured to abut the second aerosol-generating material 308 such that each of the individual second portions 412-420 fits inside each of the second holes of the second intermediate layer 504. In this way, the second intermediate layer 504 and the second aerosol-generating material 308 extending through it can form a substantially planar surface. The thickness of the second intermediate layer 504 is approximately the same as the thickness of the second aerosol-generating material 308.

[0044] In this embodiment, the second intermediate layer and the second aerosol-generating material can form a substantially planar surface. In this embodiment, the thickness of the second intermediate layer is approximately the same as the thickness of the second aerosol-generating material. In other embodiments, the second intermediate layer and the second aerosol-generating material do not form a planar surface; for example, the second aerosol-generating material extends beyond the second intermediate layer. In this embodiment, the second intermediate layer includes a series of second pores. In other embodiments, the second intermediate layer does not include a series of second pores; for example, the second intermediate layer may include a single pore having a shape complementary to the shape of the second aerosol-generating material.

[0045] Referring to Figure 4A, article 110 further comprises a third intermediate layer 506. The third intermediate layer 506 has an elongated, substantially planar shape along its longitudinal direction. The third intermediate layer 506 has an inlet opening 508 at a first end in the longitudinal direction of the third intermediate layer 506. The overall pressure drop of article 110 may be important for the user experience. While this may also be important for the user experience, it has been found that it may be beneficial to eliminate obstacles in the airflow channel near the aerosol-generating material and increase the outlet area in order to increase the aerosol mass delivered to the user. However, implementing these features may result in a pressure drop that is too small. Therefore, it may be beneficial to control the overall pressure drop of article 110 by changing the inlet area.

[0046] The third intermediate layer 506 is provided with an outlet opening 510 at a second end in the longitudinal direction of the third intermediate layer 506. The first end is located on the opposite side of the longitudinal direction from the second end. The outlet opening 510 corresponds to the mouthpiece end of the article 110. The user may inhale the aerosol through the outlet opening 510. The applicant has also found, surprisingly, that the area of ​​the outlet opening 510 directly affects the mass of aerosol that can be generated and / or delivered to the user. Smaller outlet openings tend to result in less aerosol generation. Conversely, larger outlet openings tend to result in more aerosol generation. Furthermore, increasing the width of the outlet opening rather than its thickness tends to increase its area, which in turn tends to increase aerosol generation more significantly.

[0047] The third intermediate layer 506 further comprises a conduit that fluidly couples an inlet opening 508 to an outlet opening 510. The inlet opening 508 allows air to enter the conduit. The third intermediate layer 506 is configured to create separation and / or a gap d between the first aerosol-generating material 306 and the second aerosol-generating material 308. Thus, the separation by the third intermediate layer 506 creates an airflow path between the first aerosol-generating material 306 and the second aerosol-generating material 308. The conduit is positioned to at least partially overlap the first aerosol-generating material 306 and the second aerosol-generating material 308. The third intermediate layer 506 further includes an upper surface configured to couple with and / or abut against the first intermediate layer 502. The third intermediate layer 506 further comprises a bottom surface facing the upper surface. The bottom surface is configured to couple with and / or abut against the second intermediate layer 504. The direction extending from the top to the bottom is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The direction extending from the top to the bottom is the dimension in which the thickness is defined. The thickness of the third intermediate layer 506 defines the gap size d. In other words, the thickness of the third intermediate layer 506 is the same as the gap distance d. In some embodiments, the gap size d is defined by the thickness of the third intermediate layer 506 in addition to the thickness of the adhesive layer used to bond the third intermediate layer 506 to the first intermediate layer 502 and the second intermediate layer 504. The third intermediate layer 506 includes a bridge 512 that extends across the width of the third intermediate layer 506. The width is defined in a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal and thickness directions. Referring to Figure 4B, the thickness of the bridge 512 is thinner than the thickness of the third intermediate layer 506. Preferably, this means that the bridge tends not to obstruct the airflow path and / or conduit. In this embodiment, the bridge is positioned close to the bottom surface of the third intermediate layer. In other embodiments, the bridge is not positioned close to the bottom surface; for example, the bridge may be positioned near the top surface of the third intermediate layer. In some embodiments, the bridge may be positioned midway between the top and bottom surfaces of the third intermediate layer, i.e., the bridge is positioned such that the distance between the bridge and the top surface is the same as the distance between the bridge and the bottom surface.In some embodiments, the bridge may be displaced relative to one or more transverse members of the first and / or second intermediate layer. The one or more transverse members may be considered as portions of the first and / or second intermediate layer separating distinct parts of the aerosol-generating material. In some examples, the bridge may be omitted to provide an airflow path (e.g., the third intermediate layer may consist of two separate portions).

[0048] Referring to Figure 4C, article 110 further comprises a flow control feature 514 positioned in the inlet opening 508. In this embodiment, the flow control feature 514 is a rib extending across the width of the inlet opening 508. The rib is T-shaped. The bottom of the T-shape is in contact with the second intermediate layer 504. The transverse portion of the T-shape extends across the entire width of the inlet opening 508. The flow control feature 514 can guide air to a preferred region of the airflow path, thereby helping to increase the mass of aerosols carried by the airflow. Specifically, air entering the airflow path is forced to flow around the flow control feature 514, thereby allowing it to flow closer to the first aerosol-generating material 306 and / or the second aerosol-generating material 308. In this embodiment, the T-shape of the flow control feature 514 also forces incoming air into the corner region of the airflow path, improving mixing.

[0049] The flow control feature 514 may also affect the velocity and / or pressure drop of air in the airflow path during user inhalation. In the absence of such a flow control feature, when a user inhales, the velocity of the air entering the inlet may be much faster than the air stationary in the airflow path. This can also reduce the mixing between the air entering through the inlet and the air stationary in the airflow path. This means that such an article tends to form a central jet of air, which adversely affects the performance of the article. Preferably, the flow control feature tends to reduce and / or mitigate the central jet of air formed when a user inhales. Furthermore, the flow control feature tends to improve the mixing between the incoming air entering through the inlet and the air stationary in the airflow path.

[0050] Furthermore, flow control features can increase the pressure drop within the airflow path. Specifically, flow control features tend to reduce the area of ​​the inlet opening when they are positioned within the inlet opening. As mentioned above, the smaller the inlet opening, the greater the pressure drop within the airflow path tends to be. In other words, it can be considered that flow control features reduce the area of ​​the inlet opening when they are positioned within the inlet opening.

[0051] In this embodiment, the flow control feature is located at the inlet opening. In this embodiment, the flow control feature is T-shaped. In other embodiments, the flow control feature is not T-shaped, but for example, it may be cross-shaped, rod-shaped, or rectangular parallelepiped-shaped. In this embodiment, the flow control feature extends across the entire width of the inlet opening. In other embodiments, the flow control feature does not extend across the entire width of the inlet opening, but for example, it may extend to a limited portion of the inlet opening.

[0052] In the embodiments described above, the thickness of the third intermediate layer defines the gap size d. However, in other embodiments, one or more of the thicknesses of the first, second, and third intermediate layers define the gap size d. In some embodiments, the gap is defined by the space between the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the gap is defined by the space between the first substrate and the second substrate. In some embodiments, the gap is defined by one or more of the thicknesses of the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, the third intermediate layer, the first aerosol-generating material, the second aerosol-generating material, the first substrate, and the second substrate. In the embodiments described above, the article includes the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, and the third intermediate layer. However, in other embodiments, the article does not include the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, and the third intermediate layer. In some embodiments, the article includes one or more of a first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer, and a third intermediate layer. In some embodiments, the entrance and / or exit may be formed by bending or laser cutting through one or more of the intermediate layers.

[0053] Experiments have been conducted on articles of various structures that support the remarkable advantages described herein. The results of the experiments on the articles are shown in the graphs in Figures 5, 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, and 9. The articles used in the experiments were constructed from individual layers. The individual layers can be cut using a silhouette, CNC, or laser cutter. The cut profiles can then be arranged and bonded together. The assembled articles can be tested in the laboratory using a Borgwald apparatus for five or more, for example, ten, repetitions. Silhouette cutting tends to be more reliable and less variable than, for example, CNC cutting.

[0054] Figure 5 plots the amount (mass) of aerosol delivered by airflow to the mouthpiece end from which a user can inhale the aerosol, for various experimental articles having different gap sizes d (where d is the gap between the first aerosol-generating material 306 and the second aerosol-generating material 308, as described above with reference to the article 110 shown in Figure 2). Referring to Figure 5, it has surprisingly been found that when d=1.34 mm, the amount of aerosol delivered by the airflow increases. Furthermore, it can be seen that as the gap size d increases further, the mass of delivered aerosol further increases. It can be seen from Figure 5 that more aerosol is delivered when d=1.84 mm, and as d increases beyond 1.84 mm, the amount of aerosol generated plateaus.

[0055] Referring now to Figure 6A, there is shown a graph of pressure drop plotted against various inlet areas. The articles tested to generate the data shown in Figures 6A and 6B have the same structure as that of A1 in Figure 8, as described below. It can be seen from the graph of Figure 6A that the pressure drop increases as the inlet area decreases. When the area is 0.4 mm 2 articles with smaller inlet openings have been found to have a relatively large pressure drop, which may adversely affect system performance and / or user experience. For example, this may result in the user being unable to draw and / or inhale sufficient aerosol from the article. In some embodiments, the inlet opening is 0.15 mm 2 or more, for example 0.2 mm 2 or more, 0.21 mm 2 or more, 0.37 mm 2 or more, 0.4 mm 2 or more, 0.4 mm 2 or more, 0.5 mm 2 or more, 0.6 mm 2 or more, 0.7 mm 2 or more, 0.8 mm 2 or more, or 0.86 mm 2 or more. In some embodiments, the inlet opening may include two apertures.

[0056] Referring now to Figure 6B, a graph of aerosol delivery volume (mass) is shown, plotted against various inlet areas for various articles with different inlet areas. Note that the articles tested for this graph are the same as those used in the graph in Figure 6A. From the graph in Figure 6B, 0.51 mm 2 It can be seen that the inlet area can result in the maximum aerosol delivery rate. Furthermore, as can be seen from Figure 6B, the inlet area is 0.51 mm². 2 From 0.37mm 2 As it decreases, the amount of aerosol delivered also decreases. The applicant also surprisingly found that 0.5 mm 2 Below 5 mm, the amount of aerosol delivered decreased from the maximum amount. The applicant also found that, surprisingly, 2 For articles with an inlet area exceeding 5 mm, it was found that the amount of aerosol delivered decreases from the maximum amount. In some embodiments, the inlet opening is 5 mm 2 For example, 4mm 2 Below, 3mm 2 For example, 2.61mm 2 Below, 1.91mm 2 Below, 1.21mm 2 Below, 0.86mm 2 It may have the following area:

[0057] Figure 7A shows graphs of the mass of aerosol delivered per puff, plotted for various articles with different outlet areas. Table 1 below presents the parameters for the various articles plotted in Figure 7A. [Table 1]

[0058] The structures of various articles shown in Figure 7A are shown in Figure 8, where, Sub1 is the first substrate on which the aerosol gel is deposited. Sub2 is a second substrate on which an aerosol gel is deposited. 1 / 1a / 1b is the first intermediate layer, 2 / 2a / 2b is the second mesoscale layer, 3 / 3a / 3b / 3c is the third intermediate layer.

[0059] In some articles, the first and second intermediate layers are each made from two distinct planar components. In some articles, the third intermediate layer is made from three distinct planar components. In some articles, the conduit tapers toward the inlet opening. In some articles, the conduit tapers toward the outlet opening. In some articles, the conduit tapers along the longitudinal direction from the outlet opening to the inlet opening. In these articles, the layer thickness is approximately constant. In these articles, the inlet area is constant.

[0060] From Figure 7A, it can be seen that articles with larger outlet openings can deliver a greater mass of aerosol compared to articles with smaller outlet openings. Specifically, A2, A3, and A5 produce the largest amount of aerosol compared to the other articles in Figure 7A. Furthermore, from Figure 7A, it can be seen that larger outlet openings can result in increased aerosol delivery despite various changes in the structure of the article, e.g., varying degrees of conduit tapering. This may be because larger outlet openings reduce turbulence and / or mixing of the airflow exiting the airflow path through the outlet opening. Therefore, larger outlet openings may tend to reduce the likelihood of aerosols separating from the airflow before delivery to the user. In addition, corners in the airflow path can trap a certain amount of aerosol. Larger outlet openings tend to reduce the size of these corners, thereby reducing the amount of aerosol that can be trapped in the airflow path.

[0061] Area of ​​at least 2.55 mm 2 The outlet opening has an area of, for example, 2.55 mm². 2 Compared to articles with outlet openings smaller than 6.85 mm², the mass of aerosols generated and / or delivered tends to be greater. In particular, articles with an area of ​​substantially 6.85 mm² 2The outlet opening can result in the generation of a particularly large amount of aerosol and / or the amount of aerosol delivered to the user. The outlet opening may be defined by the thickness of the third intermediate layer and the adhesive used to bond the third intermediate layer to the first and / or second intermediate layers. Additionally or alternatively, the outlet opening may be defined by the thickness of the first and / or second intermediate layers. In some embodiments, the outlet opening is 0.15 mm 2 For example, 0.25mm 2 Above, 0.5mm 2 Above, 0.75mm 2 Above, 1.0 mm 2 or more, 1.25mm 2 Above, 1.5mm 2 Above, 1.75mm 2 Above, 2.0mm 2 2.25mm or more 2 Above, 2.55mm 2 Above, 2.8mm 2 or more, 3mm 2 or more, 4mm 2 Above 5mm 2 or more, or 7mm 2 or more, or 9mm 2 or more, or 10mm 2 It may have an area greater than the above. In some embodiments, the outlet opening is 10 mm 2 For example, 9mm 2 The following, or 8mm 2 The following, or 7mm 2 The following, or 6mm 2 It may have the following area:

[0062] Referring to Figure 7B, a graph of aerosol delivery rates plotted for various articles with increased outlet area is shown. All the articles in Figure 7B have the same constant inlet area. From Figure 7B, the aerosol delivery rate increases with an outlet area of ​​4.11 mm². 2 It can be seen that even when increased beyond a certain point, the result does not change significantly.

[0063] In this embodiment, in the article tested with the experimental apparatus shown in Figure 8, the outlet opening and / or inlet opening are rectangular. Therefore, the area of ​​the outlet opening and / or inlet may be equal to the width w of the opening multiplied by the thickness of the third intermediate layer. The area of ​​the inlet and / or outlet may also be based on the shape of the inlet and / or outlet. In some embodiments, the inlet opening and / or outlet opening are not rectangular, for example, the inlet and / or outlet may be circular. In some embodiments, the area of ​​the outlet opening and / or inlet opening is defined by the thickness of one or more intermediate layers. In some embodiments, the area of ​​the outlet opening and / or inlet opening is not defined by the thickness of one or more intermediate layers, for example, the inlet opening and / or outlet opening may be perforated, punctured or laser-cut in the intermediate layer. Preferably, perforation of the inlet opening may help spread the inlet airflow over the first and / or second aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, there are multiple inlet openings at the distal end. In some embodiments, the inlet opening has an area of ​​substantially 0.88 mm². 2 or 1.76mm 2This may also be the case. In some embodiments, adjusting the pressure drop to 70-90 mmWG is particularly beneficial for the user experience. In this embodiment, the inlet and / or outlet are formed in the third intermediate layer. In other embodiments, the inlet and / or outlet are not formed in the third intermediate layer, and for example, the inlet and / or outlet may be formed in any one of the first intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, the first substrate and the second substrate. In this embodiment, the intermediate layer is separated from the first substrate and / or the second substrate. In other embodiments, the intermediate layer is not separated from the first substrate and / or the second substrate, and for example, the intermediate layer may be formed integrally with the first substrate and / or the second substrate. In this embodiment, the third intermediate layer is formed integrally. In other embodiments, the third intermediate layer is not formed integrally, and for example, the third intermediate layer may be formed from a plurality of distinct components. In this embodiment, the third intermediate layer is planar. In other embodiments, the third intermediate layer is not planar. In this embodiment, the bridge is positioned so as not to overlap the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material. In other embodiments, the bridge is positioned so as to at least partially overlap the first aerosol-generating material and / or the second aerosol-generating material.

[0064] In some embodiments, there may be substantially no obstructions in the airflow path. Ensuring that there are as few obstructions as possible in the airflow path may be beneficial to the performance of the article, for example, to achieve a specific pressure drop and / or a specific aerosol delivery mass. An obstruction-free airflow path may not have any structures located within the airflow path adjacent to the aerosol-generating material. In other words, there is nothing within the airflow path that can alter the trajectory of the air flowing near the aerosol-generating material in the airflow path. It should be noted that embodiments of an obstruction-free airflow path may coincide with embodiments that have a flow control feature located at the inlet and / or a bridge included in a third intermediate layer. In other words, some embodiments may have both an obstruction-free airflow path and a flow control feature located at the inlet opening. The airflow path may be considered to be downstream of the inlet opening. Furthermore, the article including the intermediate layer in Figure 5A may also be considered obstruction-free because there are no obstructions in the aerosol-generating material. Specifically, the bridge and / or flow control features are displaced from and / or overlap with the aerosol-generating material, so that the aerosol flow is not obstructed or altered by the bridge and / or flow control features.

[0065] Figure 9 shows graphs of aerosol delivery mass plotted for various articles, obtained from experimental testing of the designed articles. The articles either include ribs in the airflow path or do not. Table 2 below presents the parameters for the various articles plotted in Figure 9. [Table 2]

[0066] The structures of various articles shown in Figure 9 are shown in Figure 10, and here, Sub1 is the first substrate on which the aerosol gel is deposited. Sub2 is a second substrate on which an aerosol gel is deposited. 1 / 1a / 1b is the first intermediate layer, 2 / 2a / 2b is the second mesoscale layer, 3 / 3a / 3b / 3c is the third intermediate layer.

[0067] In some articles, the first and second intermediate layers are each made from two separate planar components. In some articles, the third intermediate layer is made from three separate planar components. In some articles, the conduit tapers toward the inlet opening. In some articles, the conduit tapers toward the outlet opening. In some articles, the conduit tapers longitudinally from the outlet opening to the inlet opening. The ribs shown in Figure 10 and Table 2 may be considered as one or more of the transverse members described above that extend across the width of the intermediate layers and / or conduits.

[0068] As can be seen from Figure 9, articles without obstructions generally deliver a larger mass of aerosol compared to articles with obstructions. Specifically, A9, A10, and A13 show that the absence of obstructions in the airflow path allows for the delivery of more aerosol compared to articles with ribs (A8, A11, and A12). This further suggests that the inlet area can result in adjustment of the pressure drop without significantly affecting other performance factors. In these embodiments, there are substantially no obstructions in the airflow path. However, in other embodiments, obstructions are present in the airflow path.

[0069] Referring to Figure 11, when fully assembled, article 110 comprises a first substrate 302 on top of a first intermediate layer 502. The first aerosol-generating material 306 is shown by a dashed line extending from the bottom surface of the first substrate 302 through the first intermediate layer 502 to the bottom surface of the first intermediate layer 502. In some embodiments, the first aerosol-generating material 306 may extend beyond the bottom surface of the first intermediate layer 502. The first intermediate layer 502 is placed on top of a third intermediate layer 506. The third intermediate layer 506 is placed on top of a second intermediate layer 504. The second intermediate layer 504 is placed on top of a second substrate 304. The second aerosol-generating material 308 is shown by a dashed line extending from the top surface of the second substrate 304 through the second intermediate layer 504 to the top surface of the second intermediate layer 504.

[0070] The first intermediate layer 502, the first aerosol-generating material 306, the third intermediate layer 506, the second intermediate layer 504, and the second aerosol-generating material 308 together form a passage that fluidly couples the inlet opening 508 to the outlet opening 510. The first intermediate layer 502, the first aerosol-generating material 306, the second intermediate layer 504, and the second aerosol-generating material 308 may be considered to surround the conduit of the third intermediate layer 506, thereby forming a passage. The first aerosol-generating material 306 and / or the second aerosol-generating material 308 can be activated to generate aerosols in the passage and / or conduit. The passage and / or conduit may be considered an airflow path.

[0071] In this embodiment, the passage is formed by a first intermediate layer, a first aerosol-generating material, a third intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer, and a second aerosol-generating material. In other embodiments, the cavity is not formed by a first intermediate layer, a first aerosol-generating material, a third intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer, and a second aerosol-generating material; for example, the passage may be formed by one or more of the first intermediate layer, the first aerosol-generating material, the third intermediate layer, the second intermediate layer, and the second aerosol-generating material.

[0072] 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 or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered 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 used and modified without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may appropriately include, consist of, or essentially consist of, appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, processes, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. Furthermore, this disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. A first surface containing a first aerosol generating material, A second surface, which faces the first surface such that an airflow path is defined between the first surface and the second surface. Equipped with, An aerosol-forming article in which the distance between the first aerosol-generating material and the second surface is a maximum of 4 mm.

2. The aerosol-forming article according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is a maximum of 2.34 mm.

3. The aerosol-forming article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is a maximum of 2.2 mm.

4. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is a maximum of 2.1 mm.

5. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is a maximum of 2.0 mm.

6. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is at least 1.3 mm.

7. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material is at least 1.34 mm.

8. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is at least 1.4 mm.

9. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is at least 1.54 mm.

10. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is at least 1.6 mm.

11. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material is at least 1.7 mm.

12. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material is at least 1.84 mm.

13. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the distance between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is between 1.8 mm and 1.9 mm.

14. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein in the airflow path, there are no obstacles between the first surface and the second surface of the aerosol-generating material.

15. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the first surface and / or the second surface is substantially planar.

16. The apparatus further includes an outlet that allows air to flow out of the article through the space between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the outlet is at least 1.75 mm ２ and / or up to 5.5 mm ２ An aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 15, having an area of ​​the above.

17. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein in the airflow path, there are no obstacles between the first surface and the second surface of the aerosol-generating material.

18. The second surface contains the second aerosol-generating material, The distance is defined between the first aerosol-generating material and the second aerosol-generating material. An aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. an aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 18, an aerosol supply device configured to generate an aerosol by heating the aerosol generating material, An aerosol supply system equipped with the following features.

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