Aerosol supply device

Abstract

The aerosol-forming article (110) comprises a first surface containing an aerosol-generating material (306), a second surface located opposite the first surface such that an air channel is defined between the first and second surfaces, an inlet (508) that allows air to flow into the article between the first and second surfaces, and a flow control mechanism (514) positioned to collide with the air from the inlet (508) and configured to reduce the velocity of the air.

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 comprises a first surface containing an aerosol-generating material; a second surface located opposite the first surface such that an air passage is defined between the first and second surfaces; an inlet that allows air to flow into the article between the first and second surfaces; and a flow control mechanism arranged to collide with the air from the inlet, configured to reduce the velocity of the air.

[0004] An aerosol-forming article may be formed from a layered structure. The layered structure may comprise a first layer defining a first surface, and a second layer defining a second surface. The layered structure may comprise at least one intermediate layer. The at least one intermediate layer may comprise a first intermediate layer. A flow control mechanism may be formed in the first intermediate layer. The layered structure may be a folded layer structure. An inlet may be formed in the first intermediate layer. The at least one intermediate layer may comprise a spacer layer between the first intermediate layer and the first layer. The at least one intermediate layer may comprise an additional spacer layer between the first intermediate layer and the second layer. The flow control mechanism may be formed by a cross member. The flow control mechanism may be upstream of the aerosol-generating material. There may be no obstacle between the first surface and the second surface in the aerosol-generating material in the air flow path. The second surface may comprise the aerosol-generating material. The first surface may be substantially flat. The second surface may be substantially flat. The flow control mechanism may be configured to split air into a plurality of sub-streams. The flow control mechanism may be configured such that the sub-streams merge downstream of the flow control mechanism.

[0005] In another aspect, an aerosol delivery system is provided. The aerosol delivery system comprises any one of the aerosol-forming articles described above, and an aerosol delivery device configured to heat an aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol.

[0006] Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] [Figure 1] It is a side view of the aerosol delivery system. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the article taken along 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 the 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 mechanism. [Figure 5] It is a graph of the amount of delivered aerosol plotted against gap size. [Figure 6A] It is a graph of pressure drop against various inlet areas. [Figure 6B] It is a graph of the amount of delivered aerosol against various inlet sizes. [Figure 7A] It is a graph of the amount of delivered aerosol for articles having different characteristics including different outlet areas. [Figure 7B] It is a graph of the amount of delivered aerosol against 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 characteristics. [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. Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] 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 method. 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.”

[0009] 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.

[0010] The aerosol-generating material may include an amorphous solid, or it 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 that can hold 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.

[0011] 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.

[0012] 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.

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

[0014] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an electronic 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 mandatory 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 cigarette heating system.

[0016] 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 that can 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.

[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 aerosol-generating materials and configured for use with non-combustible aerosol supply devices. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.

[0019] 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-generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat-generating power source includes a carbon substrate to which energy can be supplied to distribute power in the form of heat 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 an area for receiving consumables, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a suction port, 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] An aerosol generating device can accept an article containing an aerosol-generating material for heating. In this context, “article” is a component that, when used, contains or includes an aerosol-generating material that is heated to volatilize the aerosol-generating material, and optionally includes or includes other components when used. The article may be heated and an aerosol generated after the user inserts it into the aerosol generating device, and the user then 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.

[0023] 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 used in conjunction 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, the aerosol supply device may be a single-use, integrated aerosol supply system).

[0024] 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, into which an article 110 can be inserted for heating by the aerosol generator 200.

[0025] Device 100 may also include a user-operable control element 150, such as a button or switch, which operates Device 100 when pressed. For example, a user may turn on Device 100 by operating the switch 150.

[0026] The aerosol generator 200 defines a longitudinal axis that aligns with the axis of the article 110.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] The power source is electrically connected to the aerosol generation assembly and can supply power to heat the aerosol generation material under the control of the controller when needed. The control circuit may be configured to start and stop the aerosol generation assembly based on user input. User input may be a button press or the opening of a device door (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.

[0030] 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. In induction heating, compared to heating by conduction, for example, heat is generated inside the susceptor, allowing 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 configuration and application.

[0031] 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 backed with aluminum foil, for example, 70 gsm to 400 gsm or 100 gsm to 400 gsm, for example, 240 gsm paper, or any paper having a gsm greater than 400 gsm. In some embodiments, high GSM paper backed with aluminum foil may be considered as higher GSM paper backed with aluminum foil. In some embodiments, high GSM paper may have a thickness of 0.125 mm or 0.35 mm. In other embodiments, high GSM paper may have a greater or lesser thickness. In some embodiments, the first substrate 302 and the second substrate 304 may be considered as two-layer materials, for example, card or paper backing with a metal surface. In other words, each of the first substrate 302 and / or the second substrate 304 comprises 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, a layer of another metal or metal alloy may be used instead of the aluminum layer to provide the heating layer of the first substrate 302 and / or the second substrate 304.

[0032] 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. Each of the first aerosol-generating material 306 and the second aerosol-generating material 308 is an aerosol gel. 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 positioned such that the heating layer is on the inside of article 110 and the structural layer is on the outside of the heating layer, i.e., outside of article 110.

[0033] Article 110 is configured such that a first aerosol generating material 306 and a second aerosol generating material 308 are arranged facing each other. Article 110 further comprises 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, the heating layer, more specifically the aluminum foil, can generate heat induced, 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 define at least partially an air passage between them. The aerosol generated by the first aerosol generating material 306 and the second aerosol generating material 308 can travel along the air passage 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 configuration from the rest of the article.

[0034] Article 110 is arranged such that a first aerosol-generating material 306 is separated from a second aerosol-generating material 308 by a gap d. The size of the gap d may affect the airflow velocity and / or pressure in the air passage during use, for example, when inhaled by a user. Surprisingly, the inventors have found that a certain value of gap d results in more aerosol generation and / or delivery of more aerosol to the user. This may be due to the airflow velocity and / or pressure in the air passage, which affects the degree to which the aerosol-generating material is heated (for example, by the cooling effect of the air), and / or the amount of aerosol delivered to the mouthpiece end and / or the user by the airflow.

[0035] Therefore, if the airflow velocity is not sufficiently high, the amount of aerosol carried by the airflow may be insufficient, for example, causing aerosol droplets to accumulate before reaching the mouthpiece end. If the gap d is too small, the flow velocity may become too high, which may result in a lower temperature at which the aerosol-generating material is heated, thereby reducing the amount of aerosol produced.

[0036] In this embodiment, the gap d is 0.9 mm or greater. Preferably, the inventors have found that a d of 0.9 mm or greater 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 greater. Even more surprisingly, when d is greater than 1.8 mm, such as substantially equal to 1.84 mm, the mass of the generated and / or delivered aerosol may be even greater. The mass of delivered aerosol may plateau or decrease as d increases beyond 1.84 mm. In some embodiments, d may be 4 mm or less, e.g., 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.

[0037] In this embodiment, the article has an elongated shape. In other embodiments, the article is not elongated and may have a circular or square shape, for example. In this embodiment, the article is substantially flat. In other embodiments, the article is not flat. 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, e.g., 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, e.g., convection or conduction. In this embodiment, the substrate contains a component that can generate heat by induction. In other embodiments, the substrate does not contain a component that can generate heat by induction, 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 backed with aluminum foil. However, in other embodiments, the first and / or second substrates are not made from high-GSM paper backed with aluminum foil; 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 way 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 differently from how the second substrate and the second aerosol-generating material are positioned.

[0038] 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 in a series of individual first parts 402-410 that are arranged continuously along the longitudinal direction. The series of individual first parts 402-410 are separated from each other and / or spaced apart. Similarly, the second substrate 304 has an elongated shape that extends along the longitudinal direction. The second aerosol-generating material 308 is arranged in a series of individual second parts 412-420 that are arranged continuously along the longitudinal direction. During use, the individual parts of the aerosol-generating material are heated sequentially. For example, with 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 with each inhalation by the user.

[0039] 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 in a series of individual parts. In other embodiments, the first and / or second aerosol-generating material is not arranged in a series of individual parts; for example, the first and / or second continuous aerosol-generating material may be arranged in strips, or in a continuous regular or continuous irregular shape.

[0040] Referring to Figure 4A, article 110 comprises a first intermediate layer 502. The first intermediate layer 502 has an elongated, substantially flat 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 comprises 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 the respective holes of the first intermediate layer 502.

[0041] In this embodiment, a substantially flat surface can be formed by the first intermediate layer and the first aerosol-generating material extending through the first intermediate layer. In this embodiment, the thickness of the first intermediate layer is substantially 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 flat surface; for example, the first aerosol-generating material extends beyond the first intermediate layer. In this embodiment, the first intermediate layer comprises a series of first holes. In other embodiments, the first intermediate layer does not comprise a series of first holes; for example, the first intermediate layer may comprise a single hole having a shape complementary to the shape of the first aerosol-generating material.

[0042] Referring to Figure 4A, article 110 further comprises a second intermediate layer 504. The second intermediate layer 504 has a substantially flat shape extending 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 comprises 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 its respective second hole. In this way, the second intermediate layer 504 and the second aerosol-generating material 308 extending through the second intermediate layer 504 can form a substantially flat surface. The thickness of the second intermediate layer 504 is substantially the same as the thickness of the second aerosol-generating material 308.

[0043] In this embodiment, the second intermediate layer and the second aerosol-generating material can form a substantially flat surface. In this embodiment, the thickness of the second intermediate layer is substantially 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 flat surface; for example, the second aerosol-generating material extends beyond the second intermediate layer. In this embodiment, the second intermediate layer comprises a series of second holes. In other embodiments, the second intermediate layer does not comprise a series of second holes; for example, the second intermediate layer may comprise a single hole having a shape complementary to the shape of the second aerosol-generating material.

[0044] Referring to Figure 4A, article 110 further comprises a third intermediate layer 506. The third intermediate layer 506 has a substantially flat shape extending along its longitudinal direction. The third intermediate layer 506 has an inlet opening 508 at a first end of the third intermediate layer 506 along its longitudinal direction. The pressure drop across article 110 may be important for the user experience. It has been found that to increase the aerosol mass delivered to the user, which may also be important for the user experience, it may be beneficial to avoid obstacles in the airflow channel close to the aerosol-generating material and to increase the outlet area. However, implementing these features may result in a pressure drop that is too small. Therefore, it may be beneficial to vary the inlet area to control the pressure drop across article 110.

[0045] The third intermediate layer 506 further comprises an outlet opening 510 at a second end of the third intermediate layer 506 along its longitudinal direction. The first end is located on the opposite side of the second end along its longitudinal direction. The outlet opening 510 corresponds to the mouthpiece end of the article 110. The user can inhale an 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 a smaller amount of aerosol generated. Conversely, larger outlet openings tend to result in a larger amount of aerosol generated. Furthermore, increasing the area by increasing the width of the outlet opening rather than its thickness tends to result in a more significant improvement in aerosol generation.

[0046] 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 caused by the third intermediate layer 506 creates an air passage 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 comprises a top surface configured for coupling to and / or contact with the first intermediate layer 502. The third intermediate layer 506 further comprises a bottom surface opposite to the top surface. The bottom surface is configured for bonding to and / or abutment against the second intermediate layer 504. The direction extending from the top surface to the bottom surface is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The direction extending from the top surface to the bottom surface is the dimension in which the thickness is defined. The thickness of the third intermediate layer 506 defines the size d of the gap. In other words, the thickness of the third intermediate layer 506 is the same as the distance d of the gap. In some embodiments, the size d of the gap 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 direction and the thickness direction. Referring to Figure 4B, the bridge 512 has a thickness less 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 on 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 airflow channels (e.g., when the third intermediate layer consists of two distinct parts).

[0047] Referring to Figure 4C, article 110 further comprises a flow control mechanism 514 positioned in the inlet opening 508. In this embodiment, the flow control mechanism 514 is a rib extending across the width of the inlet opening 508. The rib has a T-shape. The bottom of the T-shape is in contact with the second intermediate layer 504. The transverse bar portion of the T-shape extends across the entire width of the inlet opening 508. The flow control mechanism 514 can guide air to a preferred region of the airflow channel, thereby helping to increase the mass of aerosols carried by the airflow. Specifically, air entering the airflow channel can be forced to flow around the flow control mechanism 514, thereby forcing 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 mechanism 514 also directs incoming air into the corner regions of the airflow channel, improving mixing.

[0048] The flow control mechanism 514 can also affect the velocity and / or pressure drop of air in the air passage during user inhalation. In the absence of such a flow control mechanism, when a user inhales, the velocity of the air entering the inlet can be much greater than that of the air stationary in the air passage. This can also reduce the mixing of the air coming through the inlet and the air stationary in the air passage. 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 mechanism tends to reduce and / or mitigate the central jet of air that is formed when a user inhales. Furthermore, the flow control mechanism tends to improve the mixing between the incoming air coming through the inlet and the air stationary in the air passage.

[0049] Furthermore, flow control mechanisms can increase the pressure drop within the airflow path. Specifically, flow control mechanisms tend to reduce the area of ​​the inlet opening when they are positioned at 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 argued that flow control mechanisms reduce the area of ​​the inlet opening when they are positioned at the inlet opening.

[0050] In this embodiment, the flow control mechanism is located at the inlet opening. In this embodiment, the flow control mechanism has a T-shape. In other embodiments, the flow control mechanism does not have a T-shape and, for example, has a cross shape, or a rod shape, or a rectangular parallelepiped shape. In this embodiment, the flow control mechanism extends across the entire width of the inlet opening. In other embodiments, the flow control mechanism does not extend across the entire width of the inlet opening and, for example, extends across a limited portion of the inlet opening.

[0051] In the embodiments described above, the thickness of the third intermediate layer defines the size d of the gap. However, in other embodiments, one or more of the thicknesses of the first, second, and third intermediate layers define the size d of the gap. 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 comprises first, second, and third intermediate layers. However, in other embodiments, the article does not comprise first, second, and third intermediate layers. In some embodiments, the article comprises one or more of the first, second, and third intermediate layers. In some embodiments, the entrance and / or exit may be formed by bending or laser cutting through one or more of the intermediate layers.

[0052] Experiments were conducted on articles with various configurations supporting 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 consisted of individual layers. Each layer can be cut using a Silhouette, CNC, or laser cutter. The cut profiles can then be positioned and bonded together. The assembled articles can be tested in the laboratory using Borgwald equipment for five or more repetitions, for example, ten repetitions. Silhouette cutting tends to be more reliable and less variable compared to, for example, CNC cutting.

[0053] Figure 5 shows a graph of the amount (mass) of aerosol delivered by the airflow to the mouthpiece end from which the user can inhale the aerosol, plotted for various experimental articles with different gap sizes d (where d is the separation between the first aerosol-generating material 306 and the second aerosol-generating material 308, as described above with reference to article 110 shown in Figure 2). Referring to Figure 5, it can be seen that, surprisingly, the amount of aerosol delivered by the airflow increases when d = 1.34 mm. Furthermore, it can be seen that the mass of aerosol delivered increases further as the gap size d increases further. From Figure 5, it can be seen that more aerosol is delivered when d = 1.84 mm, and as d increases beyond 1.84 mm, the amount of aerosol generated plateaus.

[0054] Referring now to Figure 6A, which shows a graph of pressure drop plotted for various inlet areas. The articles tested to produce the data shown in Figures 6A and 6B have the same structure as structure A1 in Figure 8, as will be discussed later. From the graph in Figure 6A, it can be seen that the pressure drop increases as the inlet area decreases. 0.4 mm 2For articles having an inlet opening with an area less than , it is found that the pressure drop becomes relatively large, which may adversely affect the performance of the system and / or the user experience. For example, this may prevent the user from inhaling and / or drawing sufficient aerosol from the article. In some embodiments, the inlet opening has a diameter of 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, 0.5 mm 2 or more, 0.6 mm 2 or more, 0.7 mm 2 or more, 0.8 mm 2 or more, or may have an area of 0.86 mm 2 or more. In some embodiments, the inlet opening may comprise two apertures.

[0055] Referring now to Figure 6B, which shows a graph plotting the amount (mass) of delivered aerosol against different inlet areas for various articles having inlets of different areas. Note that the articles tested for this graph are the same as those used for the graph in Figure 6A. From the graph in Figure 6B, it can be seen that an inlet area of 0.51 mm 2 can provide the maximum amount of aerosol delivery. Furthermore, as can be seen from Figure 6B, as the inlet area decreases from 0.51 mm 2 to 0.37 mm 2 , the amount of delivered aerosol also decreases. The Applicant has also surprisingly found that below 0.5 mm 2 , the amount of delivered aerosol is reduced from the maximum. The Applicant has also surprisingly found that for articles having an inlet area greater than 5 mm 2 , the resulting amount of delivered aerosol is reduced from the maximum. In some embodiments, the inlet opening has an area of 5 mm 2 or less, for example 4 mm 2 or less, 3 mm 2 or less, for example 2.61 mm 2Below, 1.91mm 2 Below, 1.21mm 2 Below, 0.86mm 2 It may have the following area:

[0056] Figure 7A shows graphs of the mass of aerosol delivered per puff, plotted for various articles with different outlet areas. Table 1, provided below, presents the parameters for the various articles plotted in Figure 7A.

[0057] [Table 1] The structures of the various articles shown in Figure 7A are shown in Figure 8. Substrate 1 - First substrate on which aerosol gel is deposited, Substrate 2 - Second substrate on which aerosol gel is deposited, 1 / 1a / 1b - First intermediate layer, 2 / 2a / 2b - the second intermediate layer, and 3 / 3a / 3b / 3c - third intermediate layer That is the case.

[0058] In some articles, the first and second intermediate layers are each made from two distinct flat components. In some articles, the third intermediate layer is made from three distinct flat 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 thickness of the layers is substantially constant. In these articles, the inlet area is constant.

[0059] Figure 7A shows 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 amounts of aerosol compared to the other articles in Figure 7A. Furthermore, Figure 7A shows that larger outlet openings can result in an increased amount of aerosol delivered, regardless of various changes in the article's structure, e.g., varying degrees of tapering of the conduit. This may be due to larger outlet openings reducing turbulence and / or mixing of the airflow exiting the air channel 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. Additionally, corners in the air channel can trap a certain amount of aerosol. Larger outlet openings may tend to reduce the size of these corners, thereby reducing the amount of aerosol that can be trapped in the air channel.

[0060] At least 2.55 mm 2 An outlet opening with an area of, for example, 2.55 mm 2 Compared to articles with outlet openings having an area of ​​less than 6.85 mm, the mass of aerosols generated and / or delivered tends to be greater. In particular, when substantially 6.85 mm 2 An outlet opening having a certain area can, in particular, lead to the generation of a larger volume of aerosol and / or the delivery of a larger volume of aerosol 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 2Above, 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 or equal to 10 mm. 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 The following, or 5mm 2 The following, or 4.11mm 2 It may have the following area:

[0061] Referring to Figure 7B, which shows a graph of the amount of aerosol delivered plotted for various articles with increasing outlet area. All of the various articles in Figure 7B have the same fixed inlet area. From Figure 7B, the amount of aerosol delivered increases with increasing outlet area of ​​4.11 mm². 2 When increased to a value greater than [a certain value], it can be seen that the fluctuation does not become significant.

[0062] In this embodiment, and in articles tested with the experimental apparatus described above and shown in Figure 8, the outlet and / or inlet openings are rectangular. Therefore, the area of ​​the outlet 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 depend on the shape of the inlet and / or outlet. In some embodiments, the inlet and / or outlet openings are not rectangular; for example, the inlet and / or outlet may be circular. In some embodiments, the area of ​​the outlet and / or inlet openings is defined by the thickness of one or more of the intermediate layers. In some embodiments, the area of ​​the outlet and / or inlet openings is not defined by the thickness of one or more of the intermediate layers; for example, the inlet and / or outlet openings may be perforated, punctured, or laser-cut into the intermediate layer. Preferably, perforation of the inlet opening can help spread the incoming 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 openings are substantially 0.88 mm 2 or 1.76mm 2It may have an area of ​​. In some embodiments, adjusting the pressure drop by 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 separate from the first and / or second substrate. In other embodiments, the intermediate layer is not separate from the first and / or second substrate, and for example, the intermediate layer may be formed integrally with the first and / or 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 flat. In other embodiments, the third intermediate layer is not flat. In this embodiment, the bridge is positioned so as not to overlap the first and second aerosol-generating materials. In other embodiments, the bridge is positioned so as to at least partially overlap the first and / or second aerosol-generating materials.

[0063] In some embodiments, the airflow path may be substantially free of obstructions. Ensuring that the airflow path is as free of obstructions as possible may be beneficial to the performance of the article, for example, to achieve a specific pressure drop for delivery and / or a specific aerosol 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, nothing in the airflow path can alter the trajectory of the air flowing through the airflow path near the aerosol-generating material. It should be noted that embodiments without obstructions in the airflow path may coincide with embodiments that have a flow control mechanism located at the inlet and / or a bridge provided in a third intermediate layer. In other words, some embodiments may have both an obstruction-free airflow path and a flow control mechanism located at the inlet opening. The airflow path may be considered to be downstream of the inlet opening. Furthermore, because there are no obstructions in the aerosol-generating material, the article with the intermediate layer in Figure 5A may also be considered obstruction-free. Specifically, because the bridge and / or flow control mechanism is displaced from and / or does not overlap with the aerosol-generating material, the aerosol flow may not be obstructed or altered by the bridge and / or flow control mechanism.

[0064] Figure 9 shows graphs of the mass of aerosol delivered, plotted for various articles, obtained from experimental testing of the designed articles. The various articles either include or do not include ribs in the airflow channel. Table 2, provided below, presents the parameters for the various articles plotted in Figure 9.

[0065] [Table 2] The structures of various items shown in Figure 9 are shown in Figure 10. Substrate 1 - First substrate on which aerosol gel is deposited, Substrate 2 - Second substrate on which aerosol gel is deposited, 1 / 1a / 1b - First intermediate layer, 2 / 2a / 2b - the second intermediate layer, and 3 / 3a / 3b / 3c - third intermediate layer That is the case.

[0066] In some articles, the first and second intermediate layers are each made from two separate flat components. In some articles, the third intermediate layer is made from three separate flat 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 can be considered as one or more of the aforementioned transverse members extending across the width of the intermediate layers and / or conduits.

[0067] 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 provide adjustment of the pressure drop without significantly affecting other performance factors. In these embodiments, the airflow path is substantially free of obstructions. However, in other embodiments, there are obstructions in the airflow path.

[0068] 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 into the first intermediate layer 502 and 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 into the second intermediate layer 504 and to the top surface of the second intermediate layer 504.

[0069] 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 can 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 can be considered to be an airflow channel.

[0070] 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, but 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.

[0071] 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 or modified without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may, may consist of, or may essentially consist of, appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, 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. Aerosol-forming article, A first surface containing an aerosol-generating material, A second surface, which is located opposite the first surface such that an air passage is defined between the first surface and the second surface, An inlet that allows air to flow into the article between the first surface and the second surface, A flow control mechanism arranged so that the air from the inlet collides with it, and configured to reduce the velocity of the air; an aerosol-forming article comprising the following features.

2. The aerosol-forming article according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol-forming article is formed from a layered structure, and the layered structure comprises a first layer defining the first surface and a second layer defining the second surface.

3. The aerosol-forming article according to claim 2, wherein the layered structure comprises at least one intermediate layer, the at least one intermediate layer comprises a first intermediate layer, and the flow control mechanism is formed in the first intermediate layer.

4. The aerosol-forming article according to claim 3, wherein the layered structure is a folded layered structure.

5. The aerosol-forming article according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the inlet is formed in the first intermediate layer.

6. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the at least one intermediate layer comprises a spacer layer between the first intermediate layer and the first layer.

7. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the at least one intermediate layer comprises an additional spacer layer between the first intermediate layer and the second layer.

8. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the flow control mechanism is formed by a transverse member.

9. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the flow control mechanism is located upstream of the aerosol-generating material.

10. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein there are no obstructions between the first surface and the second surface of the aerosol-generating material in the air channel.

11. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the second surface comprises an aerosol-generating material.

12. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the first surface is substantially flat.

13. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the second surface is substantially flat.

14. The aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the flow control mechanism is configured to divide the air into a plurality of substreams.

15. The aerosol-forming article according to claim 14, wherein the flow control mechanism is configured such that the substream merges downstream of the flow control mechanism.

16. an aerosol-forming article according to any one of claims 1 to 15, 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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