Cartridge for smoking device

Abstract

To provide a cartridge for smoking tool capable of suppressing unevenness of an aerosol generation amount and flow, and simplifying a structure of a support body.SOLUTION: There is provided a cartridge for smoking tool comprising: an aerosol formation substrate (23) formed of a tobacco plant or a non-tobacco plant as a raw material; a mouth piece (40) arranged coaxially to the aerosol formation substrate; and a support body (30) which is arranged between the aerosol formation substrate and the mouth piece and supports the aerosol formation substrate. The support body is formed of a shaft-shaped member (31) formed by winding a sheet-shaped member, the shaft-shaped member is arranged so that its axial direction is along a center shaft (C1) of the cartridge for smoking tool. In the cartridge for smoking tool, an aerosol formed by heating the aerosol formation substrate, can pass through inside of the shaft-shaped member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cartridge for a smoking device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, tobacco products that heat a tobacco cartridge containing tobacco components without using a flame and inhale the vaporized tobacco components have become widely known. Also, due to the diversification of preferences, cartridge products for enjoying the aroma and taste of plants that do not contain tobacco components in the same way as tobacco without using a flame have begun to be known.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes that "a smoking article for use in an aerosol generating device includes an aerosol-forming substrate located at the most upstream end of the smoking article and a support element located immediately downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate. The support element abuts against the aerosol-forming substrate, and the aerosol-forming substrate is configured to be penetrable by a heating element of an aerosol generating device having a diameter between about 40 percent and about 70 percent of the diameter of the aerosol-forming substrate without substantially deforming the smoking article. The support element is configured to resist movement downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate during insertion of the heating element of the aerosol generating device into the aerosol-forming substrate." (See the abstract).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Since the support element (support) described in Patent Document 1 is composed of a hollow cylindrical member having a flow path formed in the central portion, there are problems such as a complicated structure and an increase in manufacturing cost. Further, in Patent Document 1, since the outer peripheral portion (thick portion) of the support element is in contact with the aerosol-forming substrate, there is also a problem that unevenness occurs in the amount of aerosol generated and the flow thereof.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a cartridge for a smoking device that suppresses unevenness in the amount of aerosol generated and the flow thereof and simplifies the structure of the support.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention is a cartridge for a smoking device including an aerosol-forming substrate made from a tobacco plant or a non-tobacco plant, a mouthpiece disposed coaxially with the aerosol-forming substrate, and a support disposed between the aerosol-forming substrate and the mouthpiece and supporting the aerosol-forming substrate, wherein the support is formed of an axial member formed by winding a sheet-like member, the axial member is disposed such that its axial direction is along the central axis of the cartridge for a smoking device, and an aerosol generated by heating the aerosol-forming substrate is formed so as to be able to pass through the inside of the axial member.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cartridge for a smoking device that suppresses unevenness in the amount of aerosol generated and the flow thereof and simplifies the structure of the support. Note that problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the description of the following embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7A

Figure 7B

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cartridge 1 for a smoking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge 1 for a smoking device according to the first embodiment includes a heating element 20, a support 30, and a mouthpiece 40. The heating element 20, the support 30, and the mouthpiece 40 are arranged side by side on a central axis C1. The heating element 20, the support 30, and the mouthpiece 40 are wound and integrated by a sheet-like outer member 10. The outer member 10 is made of, for example, paper.

[0012] Here, the cartridge 1 for a smoking device shown in FIG. 1 is formed, for example, with a diameter of 6.5 to 7.5 mm and a length of 40 to 60 mm. The heating element 20 has a length of 10 to 25 mm. Of course, the cartridge 1 for a smoking device may be formed with other dimensions.

[0013] The heating element 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape by winding an aerosol-forming substrate 23, which is a filling material, with a sheet-like packaging member 25, and the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is exposed at both ends thereof. That is, both ends of the heating element 20 are not covered by a lid member (for example, paper). The packaging member 25 is made of, for example, paper, but the material is not limited as long as it is a sheet-like member. Note that the packaging member 25 may be omitted by directly winding the aerosol-forming substrate 23 with the outer member 10, or the aerosol-forming substrate 23 may be covered with a lid member.

[0014] The aerosol-forming substrate 23 is composed of a smoking material made from a tobacco plant or a non-tobacco plant, which will be described in detail later. The aerosol-forming substrate 23 is formed, for example, by bundling strip-shaped members, and is arranged such that its axial direction (longitudinal direction) is along the central axis C1.

[0015] When the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is formed of strip-shaped members, the cross-section perpendicular to the central axis C1 is substantially rectangular, and the ratio of the long side to the short side of the cross-section is preferably in the range of 1.5:1 to 30:1, for example. Also, the length of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is preferably substantially the same as the length of the heating element 20. As an example of the dimensions of the aerosol-forming substrate 23, the long side is 1.5 mm, the short side is 0.3 mm, and the length is 12 mm.

[0016] Of course, the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is not limited to a strip-shaped member. For example, it may be a rod-shaped member, or it may be a granular or paste-shaped member. Further, the aerosol-forming substrate 23 may be configured as a combination of a strip-shaped member and a granular member, a combination of a strip-shaped member and a rod-shaped member, a combination of a rod-shaped member and a granular member, or a combination of a strip-shaped member, a rod-shaped member, and a granular member. In these cases, it is preferable if at least a part of the raw materials of each member is different, as the aroma and taste will be improved.

[0017] The mouthpiece 40 is a part that constitutes the suction port of the smoking implement cartridge 1 and is formed using, for example, paper or the like. Further, the mouthpiece 40 may include a cellulose acetate filter or the like that removes fine particles. Part of the fine particles in the water vapor or aerosol generated by the heated body 20 is filtered by the filter of this mouthpiece 40.

[0018] The support 30 is composed of a single axial member 31 formed by winding a thin sheet-like member (for example, paper, polymer sheet, rubber sheet, metal sheet, etc.) into a cylindrical shape. The axial member 31 is arranged such that its axial direction (longitudinal direction) is along the central axis C1 of the smoking implement cartridge 1. Then, by one end of the axial member 31 abutting against the aerosol-forming substrate 23 and the other end abutting against the mouthpiece 40, the axial movement of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is restricted. In other words, the detachment of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 from the heated body 20 is suppressed.

[0019] In this embodiment, the diameter of the shaft-like member 31 is smaller than that of the object to be heated 20, and is approximately about 2 / 3. An annular space S1 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the shaft-like member 31 and the exterior member 10. This space S1 constitutes a flow path through which the aerosol flows. Note that the diameter of the shaft-like member 100 is arbitrary and may be approximately equal to the diameter of the object to be heated 20. In this case, almost no space S1 is formed. Further, the shaft-like member 100 may be arranged so as to generally follow the central axis C1 of the smoking implement cartridge 1, and may be arranged in a slightly inclined state.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the support 30 (shaft-like member 31). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shaft-like member 31 is formed by winding a sheet-like member in a spiral multiple times, and the inside thereof is formed so that the aerosol can pass through. Specifically, in a cross-section orthogonal to the axial direction of the shaft-like member 31, a spiral flow path 35 is uniformly formed along the axial direction of the shaft-like member 31. The aerosol reaches the mouthpiece 40 while being cooled in the process of flowing through this flow path 35.

[0021] Further, the width W of the flow path 35 is sized such that the aerosol-forming base material 23 cannot pass through. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the aerosol-forming base material 23 from being clogged in the flow path 35. For example, when the aerosol-forming base material 23 is formed in a powder or granular form, the width W of the flow path 35 may be made smaller than the average particle diameter of the aerosol-forming base material 23. Further, when the aerosol-forming base material 23 is formed in a strip shape or a rod shape, the width W of the flow path 35 may be made smaller than the long side of the cross-section of the aerosol-forming base material 23.

[0022] Next, specific examples of the raw materials used as the aerosol-forming base material 23 will be described. The aerosol-forming base material 23 is composed of any one or a combination of a plurality of the following raw materials.

[0023] The aerosol-forming substrate 23 is made from tobacco plants or non-tobacco plants. Examples of tobacco plants include tobacco leaves, tobacco stems, expanded tobacco, homogenized tobacco, etc. Non-tobacco plants refer to plants other than tobacco plants. Preferred parts of non-tobacco plants include leaves, pulp, seeds, roots (such as bulbous roots and tuberous roots), stems, tubers, barks (such as stem barks and tree barks), flowers (such as petals, stamens, pistils, etc.), trunks, branches, etc.

[0024] Note that the "plant" referred to in this specification means a group relative to animals, and in addition to organisms such as grasses and trees that have roots and are fixed in place and alive, it also includes algae such as microalgae and seaweeds, and fungi such as mushrooms.

[0025] The aerosol-forming substrate 23 is, for example, appropriately mixed with an aerosol former that generates an aerosol, microcrystalline cellulose, an additive for adding flavor, a preservative, a binder, or a thickener, etc. to dried and pulverized non-tobacco plants, and then pulverized or classified to be in powder or granular form, or formed into a paste. Further, the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is formed into a sheet shape and then cut to have a predetermined width and length to be in strip or rod shape.

[0026] For example, when the part of the non-tobacco plant is a leaf, preferably, tea can be used. Teas not only differ in the plants that become tea, but also become different teas depending on the processing method even for the same plant. Specifically, for example, Japanese tea, black tea, ashitaba tea, sweet tea, amacha-zuru tea, aloe tea, ginkgo leaf tea, oolong tea, turmeric tea, white mustard tea, ezoukogii tea, big leaf tobacco tea, kakiodoshi tea, persimmon leaf tea, chamomile tea, camomile tea, kawarahime-mecury tea, quince tea, chrysanthemum tea, gymnema tea, guava tea, kukicha tea, yawata leaf tea, black soybean tea, gen-noshouko tea, brown rice tea, burdock tea, comfrey tea, hibiscus tea, cherry tea, saffron tea, shiitake tea, perilla tea, jasmine tea, ginger tea, mugwort tea, sekkishou tea, senburi tea, buckwheat tea, tara-no-ki tea, dandelion tea, sweet tea, dokudami tea, eucommia tea, natamame tea, niwatocho tea, nezumimochi tea, adzuki tea, habu tea, loquat leaf tea, pu-erh tea, red flower tea, pine needle tea, mate tea, barley tea, megusurinoki tea, mugwort tea, eucalyptus tea, monk fruit tea, rooibos tea, bitter melon tea, etc. can be mentioned. For these teas, the tea leaves after drinking can also be used. By using tea leaves or the like, expensive teas and the like can be reused and effectively utilized.

[0027] Furthermore, extracts of non-tobacco plants exemplified above, so-called extracts and processed products can also be used. Examples of the form of the extract include liquid, water candy-like, powder, granule, solution, etc.

[0028] Examples of the aerosol former as a raw material of the aerosol forming substrate 23 include glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbitol, triethylene glycol, lactic acid, diacetin (glycerin diacetate), triacetin (glycerin triacetate), triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, isopropyl myristate, methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate, dimethyl tetradecanedioate, etc. Among them, glycerin and propylene glycol are preferred.

[0029] Microcrystalline cellulose as a raw material for the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is obtained, for example, by partially depolymerizing α-cellulose obtained from the pulp of fibrous plants with an acid, removing the soluble portion from the cellulose, and appropriately crystallizing the insoluble portion.

[0030] The microcrystalline cellulose may remain in powder form or may be dispersed in a solvent such as water to form a suspension. In this case, for dispersion in the solvent, a high-speed stirrer, a high-pressure homogenizer, etc. can be used.

[0031] Furthermore, a flavor additive for adding flavor as a raw material for the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is preferably used as needed. Examples of the flavor additive include peppermint, cocoa, coffee, extracts of black tea, powders of catechins of tea extracts, etc. As preservatives, those used in foods are preferred, and examples include sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, etc.

[0032] The aerosol-forming substrate 23 may contain menthol and a water-insoluble crosslinked polymer (preferably polyvinyl polypyrrolidone). By combining menthol with a water-insoluble crosslinked polymer, the sublimation of menthol can be effectively suppressed, and the flavor of menthol can be maintained for a long period. Here, menthol is not limited to that obtained from natural products and may be a synthetic product. Also, those containing peppermint, mint, peppermint oil, and other menthols may be used.

[0033] The flavor additive is provided in the mouthpiece 40, for example, by impregnating the wall portion of the mouthpiece 40. The mode in which the flavor additive is provided in the mouthpiece 40 is not limited to such a mode. For example, the flavor additive may be provided in the mouthpiece 40 by embedding a capsule in which the flavor additive is enclosed in the wall portion of the mouthpiece 40. Alternatively, a capsule in which the flavor additive is enclosed may be disposed between the mouthpiece 40 and the heated body 20. When the flavor additive is enclosed in a capsule, the smoker can break the capsule by pressing it with a finger, and it becomes possible to volatilize the aromatic component of the flavor additive at a desired timing.

[0034] Furthermore, when the flavor additive is enclosed in, for example, microcapsules, the enclosed microcapsules may be provided on the heated body 20. Of course, the microcapsules (capsules 60) may be provided on the support 30 (see FIG. 7B).

[0035] Examples of the binder or thickener as the raw material of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 include gums such as guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, and locust bean gum, cellulose binders such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, and ethyl cellulose, organic acids such as starch and alginic acid, and polysaccharides such as conjugate base salts of organic acids such as sodium alginate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, carrageenan, agar, and pectin, and combinations thereof.

[0036] (Method for manufacturing the aerosol-forming substrate) The manufacturing method of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 described above will be described separately for each step. The manufacturing process of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 includes a drying and pulverizing step of drying and pulverizing a tobacco plant or a non-tobacco plant as the main raw material and performing weighing and the like, a preparation step of performing pretreatment, weighing, and the like of other raw materials, a mixing step of mixing the raw materials to form a composition, and a filler forming step of forming the composition.

[0037] In the drying and pulverizing process, the used parts of tobacco plants or non-tobacco plants as the main raw materials (such as leaves, seeds, dried fruits, stems, barks, roots, etc.) are processed into predetermined pulverized materials to form a composition. At this time, it is preferable to adjust the moisture content to a convenient amount for absorbing or supporting the aerosol former, water and other components to be added later. In drying, the temperature is preferably 60°C or higher and 80°C or lower. By setting it within this range, it is easy to reach the desired moisture content while avoiding the dissipation of the required flavor components. Furthermore, a sieving process for sieving the pulverized material can also be provided in the drying and pulverizing process, and it can be adjusted to the desired particle size and then put into the mixing process.

[0038] In the preparation process, the raw materials necessary for producing the aerosol-forming substrate 23 can be prepared. The aforementioned microcrystalline cellulose is weighed in the preparation process and put into the mixing process.

[0039] In the mixing process, an ordinary mixer can be used. For example, a form in which the raw materials in the mixing tank are mixed while applying a shearing force with stirring blades is preferably used.

[0040] In the filler forming process, the composition in which various raw materials are mixed is formed into a thin sheet shape and then cut to form the strip-shaped or rod-shaped aerosol-forming substrate 23. In this embodiment, a plurality of roll mills are prepared to form a thin sheet. When a plurality of roll mills are used, kneading, dispersion, etc. can be performed by compression due to being pushed into the narrow space between the rolls and shearing due to the roll speed difference, and a sheet with a desired thickness can be obtained by a doctor blade, which is preferable. It can also be produced using a press roller or a press machine.

[0041] In addition, in order to obtain the powdery or granular aerosol-forming substrate 23, it is preferable to appropriately pulverize or classify the above composition. The average particle diameter of the powdery or granular aerosol-forming substrate 23 is preferably, for example, 0.1 to 3.0 mm, and more preferably 0.5 mm or less. The average particle diameter is determined by, for example, the sieving method described in JIS K 0069:1992. That is, this average particle diameter refers to the diameter corresponding to 50% of the mass obtained by integrating the mass from the sieve with the larger mesh size for the test results using a plurality of sieves. Also, the particle diameter at the 50% integrated value in the particle size distribution determined by the laser diffraction / scattering method may be used as the average particle diameter.

[0042] In the filler forming step, other means such as passing the composition through an orifice under pressure for forming may be used. Also, in the filler forming step, if necessary, flavor additives such as non-tobacco plants, aerosol formers, binders or thickeners, preservatives may be further added, or water or the like may be added.

[0043] The thickness of the sheet obtained in the filler forming step is preferably in the range of 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, and more preferably in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. The obtained sheet is cut to a predetermined width by a cutter, a rotary cutter of a rotary blade type, or the like.

[0044] Here, when imparting adhesiveness to the surface of the aerosol-forming substrate 23, there is no particular limitation as long as it is a means capable of imparting adhesiveness, but at least a part of the above-described binder may be adhered. By imparting adhesiveness, when combining the strip-shaped or rod-shaped aerosol-forming substrate 23 with the powdery, granular or paste-shaped aerosol-forming substrate 23, the powdery, granular or paste-shaped aerosol-forming substrate 23 can be stably held on the surface of the strip-shaped or rod-shaped aerosol-forming substrate 23.

[0045] (Method of using a cartridge for a smoking device) A method of using the smoking implement cartridge 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the smoking implement cartridge 1 inserted into the smoking implement 70. The smoking implement cartridge 1 is used by being attached to a heat-type smoking implement 70. The smoking implement 70 has an insertion part 72 for inserting the smoking implement cartridge 1. A needle-shaped or blade-shaped heating part 75 is provided in the insertion part 72. When the heating part 75 generates heat with the smoking implement cartridge 1 inserted into the insertion part 72, an aerosol is generated from the aerosol-forming substrate 23. When a smoker holds the mouthpiece 40 and sucks in this state, the aerosol flows in the order of the support 30 (flow path 35 and space S1) and the mouthpiece 40, and flows into the smoker's mouth.

[0046] According to the smoking implement cartridge 1 according to the first embodiment configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

[0047] Since the support 30 is composed of the shaft-shaped member 100 formed by winding a thin sheet-like member in a spiral shape, the structure of the support 30 is simple and the manufacturing cost can also be reduced. Further, the shaft-shaped member 100 is configured by winding a sheet-like member in a spiral shape, and a spiral flow path 35 is formed inside, so it does not have a thick outer peripheral portion as in the above prior art (Patent Document 1). Therefore, the end portion of the shaft-shaped member 100 (one side of the sheet-like member) is dispersed and abuts on the end face of the aerosol-forming substrate 23. In other words, unlike the above prior art, the outer peripheral portion of the support element does not locally abut on the end portion of the aerosol-forming substrate. Therefore, the generation amount and flow unevenness of the aerosol generated by heating the aerosol-forming substrate 23 are suppressed. As a result, the aroma and taste of the aerosol are improved. Further, as the aerosol passes through the space S1 and the spiral flow path 35, the aerosol is effectively cooled. In particular, since the support 30 is configured by winding a sheet-like member, when the aerosol passes through the flow path 35, the contact area between the aerosol and the sheet-like member is large. Therefore, the heat of the aerosol is exchanged with the sheet-like member, and the aerosol is effectively cooled. As a result, the smoker's feeling of inhaling the aerosol is improved.

[0048] In addition, since the support 30 is interposed between the aerosol-forming substrate 23 and the mouthpiece 40 and restricts the axial movement of the aerosol-forming substrate 23, when the smoking implement cartridge 1 is inserted into the smoking implement 70, the position of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is prevented from shifting. Therefore, the heating of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 by the heating unit 75 is stabilized, and a good aerosol is generated. Furthermore, by providing the support 30, axial deformation when the smoking implement cartridge 1 is inserted into the smoking implement 70 can be prevented.

[0049] In addition, if the diameter of the support 30 is made substantially equal to the diameter of the object to be heated 20, since the outer packaging member 10 is supported by the outer peripheral surface of the support 30, radial deformation when the smoking implement cartridge 1 is grasped by a finger can also be prevented.

[0050] Next, a modified example of the smoking implement cartridge 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0051] (Modified Example 1-1) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the support 30-1 according to Modified Example 1-1. Note that FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at the same position as the line II-II in FIG. 1. The shaft-like member 31-1 shown in FIG. 5 is formed by winding a sheet-like member in a spiral shape into a square tube shape, and its cross-sectional outer shape forms a substantially rectangle. And in the cross-section shown in FIG. 5, a spiral flow path 35-1 is formed.

[0052] Even with such a configuration, the same operational effects as those of the above-described first embodiment are achieved. Note that the cross-sectional outer shape may be a square, or may be a polygon such as a pentagon or a hexagon.

[0053] (Modified Example 1-2) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the support 30-2 according to Modified Example 1-2. Note that FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at the same position as the line II-II in FIG. 1. The shaft-like member 31-2 shown in FIG. 6 is formed by winding a sheet-like member in a spiral shape into a triangular tube shape, and its cross-sectional outer shape forms a substantially equilateral triangle. And in the cross-section shown in FIG. 6, a spiral flow path 35-2 is formed.

[0054] Even with such a configuration, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment described above are achieved. Note that the cross-sectional outer shape may be an isosceles triangle, a right triangle, or the like.

[0055] (Modification Example 1-3) FIG. 7A is a view showing the state of the support 30-3 according to Modification Example 1-3 before completion, and FIG. 7B is a perspective view (after completion) of the support 30-3 according to Modification Example 1-3. In this example, as shown in FIG. 7A, a sheet-like member in a trapezoidal shape is prepared by cutting the portion indicated by the two-dot chain line in a rectangular sheet-like member. Then, when this trapezoidal member is wound in the direction of the arrow in the figure around the short side, a conical recess 37 is formed as shown in FIG. 7B.

[0056] Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, in the support 30-3 according to Modification Example 1-3, a capsule 60 is provided in the recess 37 formed at its end. This capsule 60 is for changing the aroma and taste of the aerosol, and various flavor additives described above can be used.

[0057] According to this Modification Example 1-3, since the aerosol is flavored by the capsule 60, the aroma and taste can be improved. Also, by crushing or biting the capsule 60 by hand, a deeper taste can be realized. Further, since the capsule 60 is provided inside the support 30-3, it is difficult for an impact to be transmitted to the capsule 60 even when vibration or shock is applied to the smoking implement cartridge. As a result, it is possible to prevent the capsule 60 from being broken and the flavor from escaping. Also, since the capsule 60 is provided at a position generally along the central axis C, when the capsule 60 is crushed, the flavor additive spreads uniformly inside the support 30-3 and mixes uniformly with the aerosol. Thus, a deeper taste is obtained.

[0058] (Second Embodiment) Next, the cartridge 2 for a smoking device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The cartridge 2 for a smoking device according to the second embodiment has basically the same configuration as the cartridge 1 for a smoking device according to the first embodiment, but the configuration of the support is different. Therefore, in the following description, the description will focus on this difference, and the description overlapping with the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0059] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge 2 for a smoking device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the support 130 shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, the cartridge 2 for a smoking device according to the second embodiment includes a heating body 20, a support 130, and a mouthpiece 40.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 9, the support 130 is composed of a single axial member 131 formed by winding a thin sheet-like member (for example, paper, polymer sheet, rubber sheet, metal sheet, etc.) in a spiral shape to form a cylindrical shape. Inside the axial member 131, a flow path 135 through which the aerosol flows is formed in a spiral shape. The axial member 131 is configured such that its end portion 132 is stretched in the axial direction (longitudinal direction) so as to have a reduced diameter toward the tip side. Thereby, the axial member 131 has some elasticity in the axial direction. When the axial member 131 is arranged such that its axial direction is along the central axis C1 of the cartridge 1 for a smoking device, one end of the axial member 131 abuts against the aerosol-forming base material 23 so as to slightly press it, and the other end 132 abuts against the mouthpiece 40 so as to slightly press it. In this way, the axial movement of the aerosol-forming base material 23 is restricted.

[0061] According to this configuration, in addition to achieving the same operational effects as the first embodiment, since the axial member 131 has elasticity in the axial direction, the support of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 becomes even better. Further, when inserting the smoking implement cartridge 2 into the smoking implement 70, it is conceivable that the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is pressed against the heating section 75 and pushed inside. The pushed-out aerosol-forming substrate 23 will press the axial member 131 in the axial direction. However, according to the present embodiment, since the end face of the axial member 131 facing the aerosol-forming substrate 23 is recessed and has elasticity in the axial direction, the central portion of the end face is displaced inward so as to escape in response to the pressing by the aerosol-forming substrate 23. Thereby, the insertion of the smoking implement cartridge 2 into the smoking implement 70 is smooth.

[0062] Next, a modified example of the smoking implement cartridge 2 according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0063] (Modified Example 2-1) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the support 130-1 according to Modified Example 2-1. The axial member 131-1 shown in FIG. 10 is formed by spirally winding a flexible sheet-like member (for example, a thermoplastic resin such as PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) or a thermosetting resin such as PI (polyimide)). And a flow path 135-1 through which aerosol flows is formed inside the axial member 131-1.

[0064] Even with such a configuration, since an elastic force can be imparted in the axial direction of the support 130-1, the same operational effects as those of the second embodiment described above are achieved.

[0065] (Modified Example 2-2) FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the smoking implement cartridge 2 including the support 132-2 according to Modified Example 2-2, and FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the smoking implement cartridge 2 showing a state in which the support 132-2 according to Modified Example 2-2 is displaced.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 11, the support 132-2 according to Modification 2-2 is composed of a single axial member 131-2 formed by winding a thin sheet-like member in a spiral shape to form a cylindrical shape. Inside the axial member 131-2, a flow path 135-2 through which the aerosol flows is formed in a spiral shape. When one end of the axial member 131-2 is pushed axially, as shown in FIG. 9, the central portion of one end face is recessed and the end portion on the other end side is stretched. Then, when the external force applied in the axial direction is released, the axial member 131-2 returns to its original shape. That is, the axial member 131-1 is configured to be elastically deformable in the axial direction.

[0067] This configuration itself is the same as that of the axial member 31 shown in FIG. 1, but the axial length of the axial member 131-2 is shorter than that of the axial member 31. Therefore, a space S1 is formed between the axial member 131-2 and the mouthpiece 40. Further, the outer peripheral surface of the axial member 131-2 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the exterior member 10. That is, the diameter of the support 130-2 and the diameter of the exterior member 10 are configured to be substantially equal.

[0068] According to this configuration, the same operational effects as those of the above-described second embodiment are achieved. Further, the radial deformation of the exterior member 10 is suppressed by the outer peripheral surface of the axial member 131-2.

[0069] Also, when inserting the smoking implement cartridge 2 into the smoking implement 70, even when the aerosol forming base material 23 is pressed against the heating portion 75 and pushed out inside, as shown in FIG. 12, the central portion of the axial member 131-2 is displaced so as to be recessed in the axial direction (dotted line in the figure), so that the insertion of the smoking implement cartridge 2 into the smoking implement 70 is smooth.

[0070] (Third Embodiment) Next, the smoking implement cartridge 3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The smoking implement cartridge 3 according to the third embodiment has basically the same configuration as the smoking implement cartridge 1 according to the first embodiment, but mainly differs in the number of supports. Therefore, in the following description, the description will focus on this difference, and the description overlapping with the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0071] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the support 230 used in the smoking implement cartridge 3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Note that FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken at the same position as the line II-II in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 13, in the present embodiment, the support 230 is composed of two shaft-like members 231. The shaft-like member 231 is configured in the same manner as the shaft-like member 31 according to the first embodiment. That is, the shaft-like member 231 is formed into a cylindrical shape by winding a thin sheet-like member in a spiral shape, and a spiral flow path 235 through which aerosol flows is formed inside. Then, the two shaft-like members 231 are bundled together by a sheet-like bundling member 15. The bundling member 15 is made of, for example, paper, but a rubber member, a film sheet, or the like may be used.

[0072] According to this configuration, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved. Further, since the two shaft-like members 231 are bundled and integrated by the bundling member 15, the handling of the support 230 is easy. Therefore, the operation of winding the heating element 20, the support 230, and the mouthpiece 40 with the exterior member 10 becomes simple. Also, since the support 230 is constituted by the two shaft-like members 231, the rigidity of the support 230 is increased, and deformation in the axial direction of the smoking implement cartridge 3 can be further prevented. Note that the number of the shaft-like members 231 is not limited to two, and three or more may be used.

[0073] Next, a modification of the smoking implement cartridge 3 according to the third embodiment will be described.

[0074] (Modification 3-1) FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the support 230-1 according to Modification 3-1. Note that FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken at the same position as the line II-II in FIG. 1. The support 230-1 shown in FIG. 14 has a configuration in which two shaft-like members 231 and 232 are bundled together by a bundling member 15 and integrated. However, the cross-sectional shapes (outer shapes) of the shaft-like member 231 and the shaft-like member 232 are different in the axial direction (longitudinal direction). Specifically, the shaft-like member 231 has a substantially circular cross-sectional outer shape (see FIG. 2), while the shaft-like member 232 has a substantially triangular cross-sectional outer shape (see FIG. 6). Even with this configuration, the same operational effects as those of the third embodiment are achieved. Note that the cross-sectional outer shapes of the shaft-like member 231 and the shaft-like member 232 only need to be different from each other, and are not limited to the combination of the circular shape and the triangular shape shown in FIG. 14.

[0075] (Modification 3-2) FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the support 230-2 according to Modification 3-2. Note that FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken at the same position as the line II-II in FIG. 1. The support 230-2 shown in FIG. 15 is identical to the third embodiment in that it includes two shaft-like members 231, but the configuration for bundling the two shaft-like members 231 is different. Specifically, in this example, one shaft-like member 231 (the left shaft-like member) is wrapped by a bundling portion 231a that is a part of the other shaft-like member 231 (the right shaft-like member), and the end portion 231b of this bundling portion 231a is adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the other shaft-like member 231, so that the two shaft-like members 231 are bundled together. Even with this configuration, the same operational effects as those of the third embodiment are achieved. Also, in this example, since the bundling member 15 is not required, there is an advantage that the number of parts can be reduced.

[0076] Here, in this example, a configuration in which one shaft-like member 231 is wrapped and bundled by the bundling portion 231a of the other shaft-like member has been described. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which one sheet-like member is spirally wound from both ends to form two shaft-like members. Even with this configuration, since the two shaft-like members are integrated without using the bundling member 15, handling is easy and the number of parts can be reduced.

[0077] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention. All technical matters included in the technical idea described in the claims are the subject of the present invention. The above embodiments show preferred examples, but those skilled in the art can realize various alternative examples, modification examples, variation examples, or improvement examples from the content disclosed in this specification, and these are included in the technical scope described in the appended claims.

[0078] For example, as described above, the sheet-like members constituting the shaft-like members 31, 131, and 231 can be made of any material such as paper, polymer sheet, rubber sheet, metal sheet, resin sheet, etc. However, when it is desired to enhance the cooling effect of the aerosol, it is preferable to use a metal sheet. Further, when a shape memory alloy is used as the sheet-like member, the shape is stabilized, so that the aerosol forming substrate 23 can be supported well.

[0079] Further, as the sheet-like member constituting the shaft-like members 31, 131, and 231, the members impregnated or printed with the above-described flavor additive can be used. In these cases, by simply changing the flavor additive impregnated or printed on the shaft-like members 31, 131, and 231 without changing the raw material of the aerosol forming substrate 23, it is possible to easily increase the variations in aroma and taste. Even when microcapsules encapsulating the flavor additive are supported on the shaft-like members 31, 131, and 231, the same effect can be obtained.

[0080] Further, in the case where the support 230 includes a plurality of shaft-like members 231 (see, for example, FIG. 13), the flavor additives impregnated in each shaft-like member 231 may be different. By doing so, different flavors are added to the aerosol, and the aroma and taste are improved.

[0081] Further, the sheet-like members constituting the shaft-like members 31, 131, and 231 can be of any type such as porous ones or embossed ones.

[0082] In addition, although the embodiment of the present invention has been described by taking an example in which there are two shaft-shaped members 231, the number of shaft-shaped members is not limited in the present invention. That is, the number of shaft-shaped members may be three or more.

[0083] In addition, the shaft-shaped member 31, 131, 231 does not necessarily have to be configured by winding a thin sheet-like member in a spiral shape. As long as it can support the aerosol-forming substrate 23, it may be, for example, a hollow cylinder formed by winding a sheet-like member once.

[0084] In addition to the above-mentioned examples, various raw materials can be used as the raw material of the aerosol-forming substrate 23. For example, the raw materials disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6371927, Japanese Patent No. 6371928, and Japanese Patent No. 6516907 can be applied to the present invention.

[0085] Examples of the shape of the aerosol-forming substrate 23 include rods, granules, powders, strips, rolled sheets, folded sheets, fibers, crimped sheets, crimped fibers, lumps, flakes, viscous, highly viscous clay, gel, slime, tablets, pastes, etc. These shapes can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0086] The aerosol-forming substrate 23 may be in the form of, for example, strands, a porous shape, etc. To make the substrate porous, for example, the substrate may be formed by piercing a dried sheet several times with a plurality of needles (other methods may also be used).

[0087] The powdery or granular aerosol-forming base material 23 may be in the form of, for example, granules or pellets.

[0088] The powdered or granular aerosol-forming base material 23 may be solidified into a block shape, or may be made into a paste shape by adding a small amount of water or oil. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] Cartridge for smoking device 1, 2, 3 Exterior member 10 Binding member 15 Heated body 20 Aerosol-forming substrate 23 Packaging member 25 Support 30, 130, 230 Axial member 31, 131, 231 Flow path 35, 135, 235 Mouthpiece 40 Capsule 60 Binding part 231a

Claims

1. An aerosol-forming substrate made from a tobacco plant or a non-tobacco plant, a mouthpiece disposed coaxially with the aerosol-forming substrate, and a support disposed between the aerosol-forming substrate and the mouthpiece for supporting the aerosol-forming substrate, a smoking device cartridge comprising: The support is Composed of an axial member formed by winding a sheet-like member, The axial member is arranged such that its axial direction is along the central axis of the smoking device cartridge, and the aerosol generated by heating the aerosol-forming substrate is formed to be able to pass through the inside of the axial member and is formed to be elastically deformable in its axial direction. One end of the axial member is formed by winding the sheet-like member in a spiral shape so that the diameter decreases towards the tip side, one end of the axial member abuts against the mouthpiece, and the other end abuts against the aerosol-forming substrate. A smoking device cartridge characterized by this.

2. In the smoking device cartridge according to claim 1, In a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the axial member, the axial member is formed in a spiral shape. A smoking device cartridge characterized by this.

3. In the smoking device cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, The axial member is formed such that the aerosol-forming substrate cannot pass through it. A smoking device cartridge characterized by this.

4. In the smoking device cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The support has a plurality of the axial members, The plurality of axial members are arranged such that their respective axial directions are along the central axis of the smoking device cartridge. A smoking device cartridge characterized by this.

5. In the smoking device cartridge according to claim 4, At least one of the plurality of axial members has a cross-sectional shape different from the others. A smoking device cartridge characterized by this.

6. In the smoking device cartridge according to claim 4 or 5, The plurality of axial members are bundled by a bundling member. A smoking device cartridge characterized by this.

7. In the smoking device cartridge according to claim 4 or 5, The other axial members are bundled by one of the plurality of axial members. A smoking device cartridge characterized by this.

8. In the smoking device cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A cartridge for a smoking device, characterized in that the sheet-like member is impregnated with a flavor additive. **Claim 9** In the cartridge for a smoking device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A cartridge for a smoking device, characterized in that a capsule filled with a flavor additive is provided inside the shaft-like member.

Images