Induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A granular heated tobacco product capable of induction heating is disclosed, comprising a hollow tobacco stick outer tube (1), with induction heating units (2) and filter units (3) provided at both ends of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube (1), a smoke-generating granule unit (4) and a shut-off cooling unit (5) provided in the middle of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube (1), with the induction heating unit (2) and the shut-off cooling unit (5) sealing both ends of the smoke-generating granule unit (4), and the induction heating unit (2) comprising a sensor base (7) connected to each other and an induction heater (8) fitted inside the smoke-generating granule unit (4).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of heated tobacco product technology, and in particular to an induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background Art]

[0002] The main advantage of heated tobacco products is that they can effectively reduce known harmful smoke components generated by the combustion and pyrolysis of conventional cigarettes. Electrically heated tobacco products are a relatively rapidly developing category of new tobacco products, and are classified into resistive heating type, electromagnetic heating type, infrared heating type, microwave heating type and other electrically heated tobacco products based on the type of heating technology employed. Electromagnetic heating type tobacco products have become a research and development focus of tobacco manufacturers due to their advantages such as high electric energy conversion efficiency, rapid heating, and enabling non-contact energy transmission. Currently, most of the developed electromagnetic heating type tobacco products have a heating element built into the heated smoking device. When such an electromagnetic heating type tobacco product is used for puffing, the heating element of the heated smoking device needs to be inserted into the interior of the heated tobacco aerosol-generating medium, and after puffing is completed, the heating element and the heated tobacco need to be separated. Therefore, there are problems that the aerosol-generating medium adheres to the heating element requiring cleaning, and the housing temperature of the heated smoking device tends to rise excessively. [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0003] In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product and a method for manufacturing the same, achieving the objects of sufficient aerosol release, uniform aerosol generation in each puff, no falling of tobacco granules, enabling direct extraction of a tobacco stick, and a simple manufacturing process. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0004] The present invention is realized by the following technical solutions.

[0005] An induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product comprises a hollow tobacco stick outer tube, with an induction heating unit and a filter unit provided at both ends of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube, a smoke-generating granule unit and a shut-off cooling unit provided in the middle section of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube, the induction heating unit and the shut-off cooling unit sealing both ends of the smoke-generating granule unit, and the induction heating unit comprises a sensor base connected to each other and an induction heater fitted inside the smoke-generating granule unit.

[0006] In a preferred form of the heated tobacco product described above, the sensor base has multiple smoke passages, the outer circumference of the sensor base is in close contact with the inner wall of the tobacco stick outer tube, and one end of the smoke granule unit is sealed by the sensor base.

[0007] In a preferred form of the heated tobacco product described above, the induction heater is manufactured from an electromagnetic induction heating material.

[0008] In a preferred form of the heated tobacco product described above, a certain gap is provided between the blocking cooling unit and the filter unit, and a functional unit is provided in the gap.

[0009] In a preferred form of the heated tobacco product described above, the functional unit is manufactured by mixing at least one of burst beads, a sustained-release phase change material, fragrance threads, a cozumel pack, and cooling granules with a filtration material.

[0010] In a preferred form of the heated tobacco product described above, the inside of the blocking cooling unit is provided with a plurality of vents with a pore diameter smaller than the particle diameter of the smoke granules in the smoke granule unit, and the blocking cooling unit is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: ceramic, glass, high-polymerization environmentally friendly plastic, activated carbon, starch-based material, tobacco material, and herbaceous plant material.

[0011] In a preferred form of the heated tobacco product described above, the outer tube of the tobacco stick is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: pulp fibers, non-tobacco plant fibers, wood pulp fibers, bamboo pulp fibers, and tobacco material.

[0012] In a preferred form of the heated tobacco product described above, the filter unit may be manufactured solely from the filtration material, or it may be manufactured by mixing the filtration material with at least one of burst beads, sustained-release phase-change material, fragrance thread, Cosmel pack, or cooling granules.

[0013] In the above-mentioned heated tobacco product, the length of the sensor base is 2 to 6 mm, the length of the induction heater is 6 to 12 mm, the length of the smoke granule unit is 8 to 20 mm, the length of the blocking cooling unit is 5 to 18 mm, and the length of the filter unit is 4 to 12 mm.

[0014] The present invention further discloses a method for producing the above-described induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product, comprising steps 1 to 6.

[0015] Step 1, Manufacturing of the tobacco stick outer tube: The outer tube of a tobacco stick is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: pulp fibers, non-tobacco plant fibers, wood pulp fibers, bamboo pulp fibers, and tobacco materials.

[0016] Step 2, Manufacturing of the induction heating unit: A sensor substrate is manufactured using one of the following materials: ceramic, clay, glass, non-induction heating metals and alloys, heat-resistant plastic materials, pulp fibers, tobacco materials, and non-tobacco plant materials. An induction heater is then manufactured using an electromagnetic induction heating material, and the induction heater is fixed to the sensor substrate to form an induction heating unit.

[0017] Step 3, Manufacturing of smoke granule units: Pure tobacco granules or a mixture of tobacco and plant flavorings are used to form a fixed quantity of smoke-generating granule units by a fixed volume or mass.

[0018] Step 4, Manufacturing of the shut-off cooling unit: A blocking cooling unit is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: ceramics, glass, high-polymerization environmentally friendly plastics, activated carbon, starch-based materials, tobacco materials, and herbaceous plant materials.

[0019] Step 5, Manufacturing of the filter unit: A filter unit having a porous structure is manufactured by mixing at least one or at least two of the following: cellulose, smoke granule raw materials, and plant materials.

[0020] Step 6, Shaping the tobacco stick: The tobacco stick outer tube, the blocking and cooling unit, and the filter unit are cut to a predetermined length. Then, the induction heating unit, the smoke granule unit, the blocking and cooling unit, and the filter unit are placed in the tobacco stick outer tube such that both ends of the smoke granule unit are sealed by the induction heating unit and the blocking and cooling unit, respectively, and the induction heater is fitted inside the smoke granule unit, thereby obtaining the tobacco product. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] The present invention has the following advantages compared to the conventional technology. 1. The inductively heatable granular heated tobacco product according to the present invention incorporates an induction heating unit into the heated tobacco product, and when used in combination with a corresponding electromagnetic heating smoking device, most of the heat of the induction heating unit built into the heated tobacco product can be utilized for heating the aerosol-generating granular unit during inhalation. This improves thermal efficiency, effectively enhances the heating efficiency of the heated tobacco product, allows the heated tobacco product to generate sufficient and uniform aerosol, reduces heat diffusion to the outside, thereby significantly reducing the casing temperature of the electromagnetic heating smoking device and the amount of heat-induced impurity gases in the aerosol. In addition, after inhalation is completed, the heated tobacco product only needs to be directly pulled out as a whole from the electromagnetic heating smoking device, no auxiliary extraction device is required, no cleaning of the smoking device is needed, and the appearance of the tobacco stick remains unchanged. Furthermore, the induction heating unit built into the heated tobacco product can function both as a heating member for heating the aerosol-generating granular unit and as a sealing member for sealing one end of the aerosol-generating granular unit, effectively preventing tobacco granules from falling off during inhalation. In addition, the induction heating unit is located at the far end of the filter unit, further away from the filter unit, which further reduces the temperature of the filter unit and can prevent mouth burns during inhalation.

[0022] 2. The method for producing an inductively heatable granular heated tobacco product according to the present invention has a simple production process, high production efficiency and low cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the induction heating unit of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a graph showing changes in aerosol emission amount along with puffing time in the sample of the present invention and a comparative example. [Figure 4] It is a graph showing changes in aerosol temperature along with puffing time in the sample of the present invention and a comparative example. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0024] The following describes in detail embodiments of the present invention. These embodiments are implemented based on the technical solutions of the present invention and show detailed embodiments and specific operating procedures. However, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0025] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, this embodiment discloses an induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product comprising a hollow tobacco stick outer tube 1, which is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: pulp fibers, non-tobacco plant fibers, wood pulp fibers, bamboo pulp fibers, and tobacco material. An induction heating unit 2 and a filter unit 3 are provided at both ends of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube 1, and a smoke-generating granule unit 4 and a shut-off cooling unit 5 are provided in the middle of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube 1. The induction heating unit 2 and the shut-off cooling unit 5 seal both ends of the smoke-generating granule unit 4, and the inside of the shut-off cooling unit 5 is provided with a plurality of ventilation passages 6 with a pore diameter smaller than the particle size of the smoke-generating granules in the smoke-generating granule unit 4. The induction heating unit 2 comprises a sensor base 7 connected to each other and an induction heater 8 fitted inside the smoke-generating granule unit 4.

[0026] Multiple smoke passages 9 are opened in the sensor base 7, and the outer circumference of the sensor base 7 is in close contact with the inner wall of the tobacco stick outer tube 1, and one end of the smoke granule unit 4 is sealed by the sensor base 7. The induction heater 8 is made of electromagnetic induction heating material, and its shape is not limited and can be designed in different shapes according to various needs, and the induction heater 8 extends along the longitudinal axis direction of the smoke granule unit 4.

[0027] A certain gap 10 is provided between the blocking cooling unit 5 and the filter unit 3, and a functional unit can be optionally installed in the gap 10. The functional unit can be manufactured by mixing at least one of burst beads, sustained-release phase change material, fragrance thread, Cosmel pack, or cooling granules with a filtration material, and performs functions such as cooling and fragrance enhancement.

[0028] The blocking cooling unit 5 is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: ceramic, glass, high-polymerization environmentally friendly plastic, activated carbon, starch-based material, tobacco material, and herbaceous plant material.

[0029] The filter unit 3 is manufactured either by the filtration material alone, or by mixing the filtration material with at least one of the following: burst beads, sustained-release phase change material, fragrance thread, Cosmel pack, or cooling granules.

[0030] The length of the sensor base 7 is 2-6 mm, the length of the induction heater 8 is 6-12 mm, the length of the smoke granule unit 4 is 8-20 mm, the length of the shut-off cooling unit 5 is 5-18 mm, the length of the functional unit is 4-12 mm, and the length of the filter unit 3 is 4-12 mm. The outer walls of the sensor base 7, smoke granule unit 4, shut-off cooling unit 5, functional unit, and filter unit 3 are in close contact with the inner wall of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube 1.

[0031] This embodiment further provides a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product, and includes steps 1 to 6.

[0032] Step 1, Manufacturing of tobacco stick outer tube 1: A hollow tobacco stick outer tube 1 is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: pulp fibers, non-tobacco plant fibers, wood pulp fibers, bamboo pulp fibers, and tobacco materials.

[0033] Step 2, Manufacturing of induction heating unit 2: A sensor base 7 is manufactured using one of the following materials: ceramic, clay, glass, non-induction heating metals and alloys, heat-resistant plastic materials, pulp fibers, tobacco materials, and non-tobacco plant materials. An induction heater 8 is then manufactured using an electromagnetic induction heating material, and the induction heater 8 is fixed to the sensor base 7 to form an induction heating unit 2.

[0034] Materials such as ceramics, clay, glass, non-induction heating metals and alloys can be used to manufacture the sensor substrate 7 by a casting process; materials such as heat-resistant plastics can be used to manufacture the sensor substrate 7 by an injection molding process; and materials such as pulp fibers, tobacco materials, and non-tobacco plant materials can be used to manufacture the sensor substrate 7 by a screw extrusion molding process. The electromagnetic induction heating materials include ferrite, martensite, stainless steel, neodymium iron boron, and the above alloy materials. One or at least two of these materials can be selected and used to manufacture the induction heater 8 by a metal casting process or a numerically controlled machine tool. The induction heater 8 and the sensor substrate 7 can be fixedly connected by bonding with a heat-resistant adhesive or by screw connections.

[0035] Step 3, Manufacturing of smoke granule unit 4: Pure tobacco granules or a mixture of tobacco and plant flavorings are used to form a fixed quantity of smoke-generating granule units 4 by a fixed volume or mass. The mixture of tobacco and plant flavorings can be formed as spherical granules or as granular granules with a circular cross-section by a granulation process.

[0036] Step 4, Manufacturing of the shut-off cooling unit 5: The insulating cooling unit 5 is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: ceramic, glass, high-polymerization environmentally friendly plastic, activated carbon, starch-based material, tobacco material, and herbaceous plant material. Materials such as ceramic and glass can be used to manufacture the insulating cooling unit 5 by a casting process, materials such as high-polymerization environmentally friendly plastic can be used to manufacture the insulating cooling unit 5 by an injection molding process, and materials such as activated carbon, starch-based material, tobacco material, and herbaceous plant material can be used to manufacture the insulating cooling unit 5 by a screw extrusion molding process.

[0037] Step 5, Manufacturing of filter unit 3: A filter unit 3 having a porous structure is manufactured by mixing at least one or at least two of the following: cellulose, smoke granule raw materials, and plant materials.

[0038] Step 6, Shaping the tobacco stick: The tobacco stick outer tube 1, the blocking and cooling unit 5, and the filter unit 3 are cut to a predetermined length. Then, the induction heating unit 2, the smoke granule unit 4, the blocking and cooling unit 5, and the filter unit 3 are placed in the tobacco stick outer tube 1 so that both ends of the smoke granule unit 4 are sealed by the induction heating unit 2 and the blocking and cooling unit 5, respectively, and the induction heater 8 is fitted inside the smoke granule unit 4, thereby obtaining a tobacco product.

[0039] To verify the effectiveness of the induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product according to this embodiment, the applicant used a granular heated tobacco product equipped with the induction heating unit 2 according to this embodiment as a sample and a granular heated tobacco product without the induction heating unit 2 as a control example, comparing the two. Graphs showing the changes in smoke emission volume and smoke temperature with inhalation time for both products were obtained. Figure 3 shows the graph of the change in smoke emission volume with inhalation time for both products, and Figure 4 shows the graph of the change in smoke temperature with inhalation time for both products. As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, under equivalent conditions, the granular heated tobacco product equipped with the induction heating unit 2 exhibits a more sufficient smoke emission volume and lower smoke temperature compared to the granular heated tobacco product without the induction heating unit 2, demonstrating a significant advantage in both smoke emission volume and smoke temperature.

[0040] The foregoing are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall all be within the scope of protection of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Tobacco stick outer tube 2. Induction heating unit 3 filter units 4. Smoke-generating granule unit 5. Shut-off Cooling Unit 6. Ventilation channels 7 Sensor base 8 Induction Heaters 9 Smoke channel 10 gaps

Claims

1. An induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product comprising a hollow tobacco stick outer tube, wherein an induction heating unit and a filter unit are provided at both ends of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube, a smoke-generating granule unit and a shut-off cooling unit are provided in the middle section of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube, both ends of the smoke-generating granule unit are sealed by the induction heating unit and the shut-off cooling unit, and the induction heating unit comprises a sensor base connected to each other and an induction heater fitted inside the smoke-generating granule unit, characterized in that the induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product comprises a hollow tobacco stick outer tube comprising an induction heating unit and a filter unit at both ends of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube, respectively, an induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product comprising a hollow tobacco stick outer tube comprising a tobacco stick outer tube comprising a hollow tobacco stick outer tube comprising a hollow tobacco stick outer tube comprising a filter unit and a filter unit at both ends of the internal cavity of the tobacco stick outer tube, a induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product comprising a hollow tobacco stick outer tube comprising a tobacco stick outer tube comprising a sensor base and an induction heater fitted inside the smoke-generating granule unit, wherein the induction heating unit comprises a sensor base connected to each other and an induction heater fitted inside the smoke-generating granule unit.

2. The induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor base has multiple smoke passages open to it, the outer circumference of the sensor base is in close contact with the inner wall of the tobacco stick outer tube, and one end of the smoke-generating granule unit is sealed by the sensor base.

3. The induction heater is made of an electromagnetic induction heating material, as described in claim 2, for a granular heated tobacco product that can be heated by induction.

4. The induction heating granular heated tobacco product according to claim 1, characterized in that a certain gap is provided between the blocking cooling unit and the filter unit, and a functional unit is provided in the gap.

5. The induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product according to claim 4, characterized in that the functional unit is manufactured by mixing at least one of burst beads, a sustained-release phase change material, fragrance threads, a cozumel pack, and cooling granules with a filtration material.

6. The induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product according to claim 1, characterized in that the inside of the blocking cooling unit is provided with a plurality of ventilation passages having a pore diameter smaller than the particle diameter of the smoke granules in the smoke granule unit, and the blocking cooling unit is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: ceramic, glass, high-polymerization environmentally friendly plastic, activated carbon, starch-based material, tobacco material, and herbaceous plant material.

7. The induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product according to claim 1, characterized in that the tobacco stick outer tube is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: pulp fibers, non-tobacco plant fibers, wood pulp fibers, bamboo pulp fibers, and tobacco materials.

8. The induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter unit is manufactured solely from a filtration material, or by mixing the filtration material with at least one of burst beads, a sustained-release phase-change material, fragrance threads, a Cosmel pack, or cooling granules.

9. The induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the sensor base is 2 to 6 mm, the length of the induction heater is 6 to 12 mm, the length of the smoke-generating granule unit is 8 to 20 mm, the length of the shut-off cooling unit is 5 to 18 mm, and the length of the filter unit is 4 to 12 mm.

10. A method for producing an induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising steps 1 to 6, Step 1, Manufacturing of the tobacco stick outer tube: To manufacture the outer tube of a tobacco stick by mixing one or at least two of the following: pulp fibers, non-tobacco plant fibers, wood pulp fibers, bamboo pulp fibers, and tobacco materials. Step 2, Manufacturing of the induction heating unit: A sensor substrate is manufactured using one of the following materials: ceramic, clay, glass, non-induction heating metals and alloys, heat-resistant plastic materials, pulp fibers, tobacco materials, and non-tobacco plant materials. An induction heater is then manufactured using an electromagnetic induction heating material, and the induction heater is fixed to the sensor substrate to form an induction heating unit. Step 3, Manufacturing of smoke granule units: Pure tobacco granules or a mixture of tobacco and plant flavorings are used to form a fixed quantity of smoke-generating granule units by a fixed volume or mass. Step 4, Manufacturing of the shut-off cooling unit: A blocking cooling unit is manufactured by mixing one or at least two of the following: ceramics, glass, high-polymerization environmentally friendly plastics, activated carbon, starch-based materials, tobacco materials, and herbaceous plant materials. Step 5, Manufacturing of the filter unit: A filter unit having a porous structure is manufactured by mixing at least one or at least two of the following: cellulose, smoke granule raw materials, and plant materials. Step 6, Shaping the tobacco stick: A method for manufacturing an induction-heatable granular heated tobacco product, characterized by cutting the tobacco stick outer tube, the blocking cooling unit, and the filter unit to a predetermined length, and then inserting the induction heating unit, the smoke-generating granule unit, the blocking cooling unit, and the filter unit into the tobacco stick outer tube such that both ends of the smoke-generating granule unit are sealed by the induction heating unit and the blocking cooling unit, respectively, and the induction heater is fitted inside the smoke-generating granule unit, thereby obtaining a tobacco product.

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