Article for use in a non-combustion aerosol supply system

Abstract

An article is disclosed for use in an aerosol delivery system. The article includes sections of aerosol-generating material coaxially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the article. Each section transverse to the longitudinal axis has a different cross-sectional area. Also disclosed is a system including a non-combustion based aerosol delivery device and an article, the article including sections of aerosol-generating material coaxially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the article. Each section transverse to the longitudinal axis has a different cross-sectional area. The device includes a cavity for receiving the article and a heater such that the heater is adjacent to at least one of the sections when the article is received in the cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an article for use in a non-combustion aerosol supply system, a system including the article, and a non-combustion aerosol supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Certain tobacco industry products generate an aerosol that is inhaled by a user during use. For example, a tobacco heating device heats an aerosol-generating substrate such as tobacco and forms an aerosol by heating the substrate without burning it. Such tobacco industry products commonly include a mouthpiece through which the aerosol passes to reach the user's mouth.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] In some embodiments described herein, an article for use in an aerosol supply system is provided, the article including a section of an aerosol-generating material coaxially aligned along the longitudinal axis of the article, and the cross-sectional area of each section transverse to the longitudinal axis being different.

[0004] In some embodiments, the article may include a distal end for insertion into an aerosol-generating device, and the section may include a first and a second section. The first section may be at the distal end and may have a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the second section that is remote from the distal end.

[0005] The first and / or second section may have a uniform cross-sectional area in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis.

[0006] The first section may extend along the longitudinal axis for a distance longer than the distance along which the second section extends along the longitudinal axis.

[0007] The first and second sections of the aerosol generating material may be formed from different types of aerosol generating material, respectively. The first and second sections may be formed from the same aerosol generating material.

[0008] The second section of the aerosol generating material may include a cavity or hole, and the first section of the aerosol generating material may be received within and extend from said cavity or hole.

[0009] The article of the present invention may include a packaging material that encloses said first and / or second section of the aerosol generating material.

[0010] The packaging material that encloses the first section may be different from the packaging material that encloses the second section.

[0011] The packaging material may include iron and / or a thermally conductive material.

[0012] The packaging material may be configured to be heated conductively or inductively to heat the aerosol generating material.

[0013] At least a portion of the packaging material may be air-permeable.

[0014] The packaging material may be a mesh, perforated or have holes.

[0015] Each of the first and second sections of the aerosol generating material may have a circular cross-section.

[0016] The article of the present invention may include a mouthpiece end remote from said aerosol generating material, the mouthpiece end being configured to be sandwiched between a user's lips when the aerosol generating material is inserted into a non-combustion aerosol supply device.

[0017] A cooling segment may be located between the aerosol generating material and the mouthpiece end.

[0018] The filtration segment may be located between the cooling segment and the suction port end.

[0019] In some other embodiments described herein, a system is provided that includes a non-combustion aerosol supply device and an article, the article including a section of an aerosol generating material coaxially aligned along the longitudinal axis of the article, the cross-sectional area of each section transverse to the longitudinal axis being different, the device including a cavity for receiving the article and a heater surrounding the cavity, the heater being adjacent to at least one of the sections when the article is received in the cavity.

[0020] The section of the aerosol generating material may include a first and a second section, the cavity for receiving the article including a first portion for receiving the first section and a second portion for receiving the second section, the second portion being larger than the first portion.

[0021] The article of the present invention may include a wrapper, and the heater may be configured to heat the aerosol generating material by heating the wrapper.

[0022] The heating element may include iron and / or a thermally conductive material that transfers heat from the heater to the aerosol generating material.

[0023] The wrapper may be a susceptor, and the heater may include a variable magnetic field generator that inductively heats the wrapper.

[0024] The section of the aerosol generating material may be cylindrical.

[0025] The heater may include a tubular body, and the cavity for receiving the article is formed in the tubular body.

[0026] The heater may include a first portion that is located along a first section of the aerosol generating material when the article is received in the aerosol generating device.

[0027] The second section may have a distal end face, and the first part of the heater may be adjacent to the distal end face.

[0028] The heater may include a second part that is located along the second section of the aerosol generating material when the article is received in the device.

[0029] The first and second parts may be configured to heat the first and second sections to different temperatures, respectively.

[0030] The first and second parts may be configured to continuously heat the first and second sections.

[0031] The first and second parts may be configured such that heating of one section lags behind heating of the other section.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0032] Embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0033] As used herein, the term "supply system" is intended to encompass a system that supplies at least one substance to a user and includes the following: Combustion aerosol supply systems such as cigarettes, cigars, cigars and pipes or tobacco for hand-rolled or self-made cigarettes (regardless of whether it is based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, recycled tobacco, tobacco substitutes or other smoking materials), etc. Non-combustion aerosol supply systems that release compounds from aerosol-generating materials without burning the aerosol-generating materials, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and hybrid systems that generate aerosols using combinations of aerosol-generating materials, and Oral products including but not limited to lozenges, gums, patches, articles containing powder that can be inhaled through patches, and oral tobacco containing snus or moist snus, etc., and aerosol-free supply systems that supply at least one of the above substances, with or without nicotine, to users orally, nasally, transdermally, or by another method.

[0034] In the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol supply system is a system that does not burn or ignite the constituent aerosol-generating materials of the aerosol supply system (or its components) in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to the user.

[0035] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustion aerosol supply system, such as an electric non-combustion aerosol supply system.

[0036] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or an electronic nicotine delivery system (END), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a requirement.

[0037] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. An example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

[0038] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system is a hybrid system that uses a combination of aerosol generating materials to generate an aerosol, and one or more of these materials can be heated. Each of the aerosol generating materials can 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 non-tobacco products.

[0039] Typically, the non-combustion aerosol supply system includes a non-combustion aerosol supply device and a consumable for use with the non-combustion aerosol supply device.

[0040] The present disclosure relates to consumables that include an aerosol generating material and are configured for use with a non-combustion aerosol supply device. These consumables may sometimes be referred to as articles throughout the present disclosure.

[0041] As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are relative terms defined with respect to the direction of the main stream aerosol drawn through an article or device during use. When referring to the "distal end", it means upstream of the device, and when referring to the "proximal end", it means downstream of the device.

[0042] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system, such as the non-combustion aerosol supply device, may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, a power supply or a heat generating power source. In some embodiments, the heat generating power source includes a carbon substrate, which is excited to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol generating material or a heat conducting material proximate to the heat generating power source.

[0043] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system includes a region for accommodating the consumable, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation region, a housing, a mouthpiece, and a filter and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0044] In some embodiments, the consumables for use in a non-combustion aerosol supply system may include an aerosol generating material and / or an aerosol forming substrate, an aerosol generating material storage region, an aerosol generating material transfer component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating region, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0045] The consumables include the substance to be delivered. The substance to be delivered is the aerosol generating material. Optionally, the generating material may include one or more active ingredients, one or more flavorings, one or more aerosol forming materials and / or one or more other functional materials.

[0046] In some embodiments, the substance to be supplied includes an active substance. The active substance used in the present invention is a physiologically active material intended to achieve or enhance a physiological reaction. The active substance may be selected, for example, from nutraceuticals, nootropics, and psychostimulants. The active substance may be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. The active substance may include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives or mixtures thereof. The active substance may include one or more of the components, derivatives or extracts of tobacco, cannabis or other plants. In some embodiments, the active substance includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active substance includes caffeine, melatonin or vitamin B12.

[0047] As described herein, the active substance may include or be derived from plants or their components, derivatives or extracts. The term "plant" as used herein includes, but is not limited to, any material derived from plants such as extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, husks, pods, etc. Alternatively, the material may include active compounds that are naturally present in plants or obtained synthetically. The material may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, powders, dusts, crushed particles, granules, pellets, pieces, strips, sheets, etc. Examples of plants include tobacco, eucalyptus, camphor tree, mugwort, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo, nettle, hibiscus, laurel, licorice, matcha, mate tea, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, green tea or black tea, thyme, star anise, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, lemon peel, mint, bilberry, nasturtium flower, vanilla, koji, artichoke, turmeric, sandalwood, cilantro, bergamot, neroli, hinoki cypress, blackcurrant, cotyledon, pimento, mace, damiana, baby's breath, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, viola, vervain, tarragon, geranium, mulberry, ginseng, theanine, theacrine, maca, ashwagandha, damiana, guarana, chlorophyll, baobab or any combination thereof. The mint may be selected from the following mint species: peppermint, Moroccan mint, Egyptian mint, peppermint, odoratum mint, candy mint, curly mint, Kentucky kernel mint, horsemint, pineapple mint, pennyroyal mint, English spearmint and marshmallow mint.

[0048] In some embodiments, the active substance may include or be derived from one or more of plants or their components, derivatives or extracts, and the plant is tobacco.

[0049] In some embodiments, the active substance may comprise or be derived from one or more of plants or their components, derivatives or extracts, and the plants are selected from eucalyptus, camphor tree, cocoa and giant knotweed.

[0050] In some embodiments, it may comprise or be derived from one or more of plants or their components, derivatives or extracts, and the plants are selected from rooibos and fennel.

[0051] In some embodiments, the substance comprises a flavoring.

[0052] As used herein, the terms "flavoring agent" and "flavor enhancer" are permitted by local regulations and are used to create tastes, odors or other somatic sensory stimuli desired by adult consumers.They include naturally occurring flavor materials, plants, plant extracts, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, phoebe leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, kojic acid, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, radish, grape, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, damson, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, chat, naswar, kinma, shisha, pine, honey extract, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, neroli, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, wasabi, pimento, ginger, coriander, coffee, mugwort, peppermint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, toshimiki, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hashish, hibiscus, laurel, mate tea, orange peel, rose, tea such as green tea or black tea, thyme, byakushin, nasturtium flower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, chrysanthemum, curcuma, silantro, gingergrass, blackcurrant, plantain, pimento, mace, damiana, mint, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chive, wild ginger, vervain, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphor), seasonings, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, etc.), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, plants, or odor absorbers and deodorizers.They may be imitations, synthetic or natural components, or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as a liquid like an oil, a solid like a powder, or a gas.

[0053] In some embodiments, the flavorant includes menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavorant includes flavor components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or redberry. In some embodiments, the flavorant includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavorant includes flavor components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavorant includes flavor components extracted from cannabis.

[0054] In some embodiments, the flavorant may include a sensory stimulant, which is chemically induced and recognized by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or instead of olfactory or gustatory nerves, and they may include agents that provide heating, cooling, tingling, or numbing sensations. Suitable heat agents include, but are not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and suitable cooling agents include, but are not limited to, eucalyptol and WS-3.

[0055] The aerosol generating material or substrate is a material that can generate an aerosol when excited, for example, by heating, irradiation, or some other method. The aerosol generating material may be in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, which may or may not contain an active substance and / or a flavorant. The aerosol generating material is incorporated into an article for use in an aerosol generating system.

[0056] As used herein, the term "tobacco material" means any material that includes tobacco or its derivatives or substitutes. The tobacco material may be in any suitable form. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. The tobacco material may include one or more of powdered tobacco, tobacco fibers, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stalks, reconstituted tobacco, and / or tobacco extracts.

[0057] A consumable is an article that contains or consists of an aerosol generating material intended to be partially or entirely consumed by a user during use. The consumable may include one or more other components such as an aerosol generating material storage area, aerosol generating material transfer components, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter and / or an aerosol modifier. The consumable may also include a wrapper that can be heated by electrical conduction, or the wrapper may be a susceptor that enables induction heating of the aerosol generating material.

[0058] A susceptor is a material that can be heated by the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor may be a conductive material, or may cause induction heating of the heating material by the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field. The heating material may be a conductive material, or may cause magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material by the penetration of a fluctuating magnetic field. The susceptor may be due to both conductivity and magnetic force, whereby the heating material can be heated by both heating mechanisms. An apparatus configured to generate a fluctuating magnetic field is referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

[0059] An aerosol modifier is typically located downstream of the aerosol generating area and is a substance configured to modify the generated aerosol, for example, by changing the taste, flavor, acidity or another characteristic of the aerosol. The aerosol modifier may be provided within an aerosol modifier release member operable to selectively release the aerosol modifier.

[0060] The aerosol modifier may be, for example, an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may include, for example, one or more of a flavoring agent, a coloring agent, water and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, a liquid or a gel. The aerosol modifier may be a powder, a thread or a granule. The aerosol modifier may not include a filter material.

[0061] An aerosol generating device is a device configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol generating material. The aerosol generating device includes a heater configured to expose the aerosol generating material to thermal energy and release one or more volatile substances from the aerosol generating material to form an aerosol.

[0062] The filamentous tow material described in this specification may include cellulose acetate fiber tow. The filamentous tow material may be formed using other materials used to form fibers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(1,4-butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), starch-based materials, paper, aliphatic polyester materials, and polysaccharide polymers or combinations thereof. The filamentous tow material may or may not be plasticized with a plasticizer suitable for the filter material such as triacetin when the filter material is cellulose acetate tow. The tow can use any suitable specifications such as other cross-sections such as "Y" or "X" shapes, a denier value of the fiber with a single filament fineness of 2.5 to 15, for example 8.0 to 11.0, and a total fineness value of 5,000 to 50,000, for example 10,000 to 40,000.

[0063] When equivalent features, articles or members are shown in the drawings in this specification, the same reference numerals are used.

[0064] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a non-combustible aerosol generating article 1 for use in an aerosol delivery system 200 including an aerosol delivery device 100 (see FIGS. 2-4).

[0065] Article 1 has an upstream or distal end "D" and a downstream or proximal end "P". The proximal end P includes a mouthpiece 2, and the distal end D includes an aerosol generating substrate or material 3 connected to the mouthpiece 2. In this example, the aerosol generating substrate includes a source of an aerosol generating substrate 3 in the form of two rod-shaped sections coaxially aligned along the longitudinal axis X-X of Article 1. The sections of the aerosol generating material 3 include a first section 4 at the distal end and a second section 5 downstream of the first section 4. The cross-sectional area measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first section 4 is smaller than the corresponding cross-sectional area of the second section 5.

[0066] Each section 4, 5 of the aerosol generating material 3 is cylindrical, and in this case, the diameter of the first section 4 is smaller than the diameter of the second section 5. The sections 4, 5 may also be of other shapes, and each section 4, 5 may have a different shape from the other section 4, 5. The two sections 4, 5 may also be of different lengths, and although the first section 4 is longer than the second section as shown, the sections 4, 5 may be of the same length.

[0067] The first and second sections 4, 5 may be adjacent to each other and in contact. However, the second section 5 may be provided with a recess or hole (not shown) that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis X-X and extends partially or completely through it. In this case, the first section 4 may extend completely or partially into the recess or hole of the second section 5 to connect the first and second sections 4, 5. After the first section 4 is fully inserted into the second section 5, the first section 4 may be fitted or press-fitted into the second section 5 so that the sections 4, 5 are held together unless pulled apart.

[0068] Each section 4, 5 may be formed from the same or different aerosol generating materials 3.

[0069] One or both of the aerosol generating materials 3 in sections 4 and 5 may include a plurality of strands or strips made of the aerosol generating material 3. For example, the aerosol generating material 3 may include a plurality of strands or strips made of an aerosolizable material and / or a plurality of strands or strips made of an amorphous solid.

[0070] The plurality of strands or strips of the aerosol generating material 3 may be aligned within the aerosol generating section such that their longitudinal dimensions are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis X-X' of the article 1. Alternatively, the strands or strips may be roughly arranged such that their longitudinal dimensions cross the longitudinal axis of the article 1.

[0071] In this example, the second section 5 of the rod 3 of the aerosol generating material has a circumference of about 22.7 mm. In another embodiment, the rod 3 of the aerosol generating material may have any suitable circumference, for example, a circumference of about 20 mm to about 26 mm. The first section 4 has a circumference smaller than that of the second section 5.

[0072] One or both of sections 4 and 5 may be wrapped by a wrapper 6. In this example, the wrapper 6 is a moisture-impermeable wrapper.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 1, the article 1 also includes a mouthpiece 2 that includes a cooling section 7, also referred to as a cooling member 7, that is located immediately downstream of and adjacent to the second section 5 of the aerosol generating material 3. In this example, the cooling section 7 is in contact with the second section 5 of the aerosol generating material 3, and the second section 5 has the same overall diameter as the cooling section 7. Also, the mouthpiece 2 includes, in this example, a material body 8 downstream of the cooling section 7 and a hollow tubular member 9 downstream of the material body 8 at the suction end 2 of the article 1.

[0074] Cooling section 7 includes a hollow flow path 7a having an inner diameter of from about 1 mm to about 4 mm, for example from about 2 mm to about 4 mm. In this example, the hollow flow path 7a has an inner diameter of about 3 mm. The hollow flow path 7a extends along the entire length of the cooling section 7. In this example, the cooling section 7 includes a single hollow flow path 7a. In another embodiment, the cooling section 7 may include a plurality of flow paths, for example, 2, 3 or 4 flow paths. In this example, the single hollow flow path 7a is substantially cylindrical, but in another embodiment, other flow path shapes / cross-sections may be used. The hollow flow path 7a can provide a space where the aerosol drawn into the cooling section 7 expands and cools. In all embodiments, the cooling section 7 is configured to limit the cross-sectional area of one or more of the hollow flow paths 7a to restrict the movement of tobacco into the cooling section 7 during use.

[0075] The cooling section 7 may have a wall thickness in the radial direction. When the cooling section 7 has a predetermined outer shape, the wall thickness of the cooling section 7 defines the inner diameter of the flow path 7a surrounded by the wall of the cooling section 7. The cooling section 7 may have a wall thickness of at least about 1.5 mm and at most about 2 mm. In this example, the cooling section 7 has a wall thickness of about 2 mm.

[0076] The cooling section 7 is formed from a filamentous tow. Other configurations are also possible, such as a tube formed using a plurality of layers of paper wound in parallel or a helically wound layer of paper having joints joined to form the cooling section 7, a cardboard tube, a molded or extruded plastic tube formed by cardboard molding, or the like. The cooling section 7 is manufactured to have sufficient rigidity to withstand the axial compressive forces and bending moments that will occur during manufacture and during use of the article 1.

[0077] The wall material of the cooling section 7 may be relatively non-porous such that at least 90% of the aerosol emitted by the aerosol generating material 3 passes longitudinally through one or more hollow channels 7a rather than through the wall material of the cooling section 7. For example, at least 92% or at least 95% of the aerosol emitted by the aerosol generating material 3 can pass through one or more hollow channels 7a.

[0078] In some examples, the mouthpiece 2 includes a cavity 11 having an internal volume of more than 110 mm 3 . It has been found that a good aerosol can be formed by providing a cavity 11 with at least this volume. In some examples, the mouthpiece 2 is formed, for example, within the cooling section 7 and has an internal volume of more than 110 mm 3 or more than 130 mm 3 and further includes a cavity 11 for improving the aerosol. The internal cavity 11 is from about 130 mm 3 to about 230 mm 3 , for example about 134 mm 3 or 227 mm 3 in volume.

[0079] The cooling section 7 can be configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40 °C between the heated and volatilized components entering the first upstream end of the cooling section 7 and the heated and volatilized components exiting the second downstream end of the cooling section 7. The cooling section 7 is preferably configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60 °C, preferably at least 80 °C and more preferably at least 100 °C between the heated and volatilized components entering the first upstream end of the cooling section 7 and the heated and volatilized components exiting the second downstream end of the cooling section 7. This temperature difference across the length of the cooling section 7 protects the temperature-sensitive material body 8 from the high temperature of the aerosol generating material 3 when heated.

[0080] During use, the aerosol generating section may exhibit a pressure drop of about 15 to about 40 mmH2O. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating section exhibits a pressure drop of about 15 to about 30 mmH2O for the aerosol generating section.

[0081] In this embodiment, the moisture-impermeable wrapper 6 surrounding one or both sections of the aerosol generating material 3 includes an aluminum foil. In other embodiments, the wrapper 6 includes a paper wrapper optionally including a barrier coating that substantially makes the wrapper material moisture-impermeable. The aluminum foil has been found to be particularly effective in enhancing aerosol formation within the aerosol generating material 3. In this example, the aluminum foil has a metal layer with a thickness of about 6 μm. In this example, the aluminum foil has a backing paper. However, in another configuration, the aluminum foil may have other thicknesses, for example, a thickness of 4 μm to 16 μm. Also, the aluminum foil may have a backing material formed from other materials that are not necessary for the backing paper but that help provide, for example, a suitable tensile strength to the foil, or may not have a backing material. Metal layers or foils other than aluminum can also be used. The total thickness of the wrapper 6 is preferably 20 μm to 60 μm or 30 μm to 50 μm, which is a thickness that can provide a wrapper 6 with suitable structural integrity and heat transfer characteristics. The tension that can be applied to the wrapper until the wrapper 6 breaks is more than 3,000 gram weights, for example, 3,000 to 10,000 gram weights or 3,000 to 4,500 gram weights. If the wrapper 6 includes paper or a paper backing, i.e., a cellulose-based material, the wrapper may have a basis weight of more than about 30 gsm. For example, the wrapper 6 may have a basis weight in the range of about 40 gsm to about 70 gsm, which improves the rigidity of the rod of the aerosol generating material 3.

[0082] In this example, the moisture-impermeable wrapper 6 may also be substantially impermeable to air. In another embodiment, the wrapper 6 may have an air permeability of less than 100 Gurley units, for example less than 60 Gurley units. It has been found that a wrapper with low air permeability, for example less than 100 Gurley units, more preferably less than 60 Gurley units, will result in improved aerosol formation in the aerosol-generating material 3. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, this is presumably due to less loss of aerosol compounds through the wrapper 6. The air permeability of the wrapper 6 can be measured according to ISO 2965:2009 regarding the measurement of air permeability of materials used as cigarette paper, filter plug wrapper, and filter joining paper.

[0083] The material body 8 generally defines a substantially cylindrical outer shape and is wrapped by the first plug wrapper 12. The first plug wrapper 12 may have a basis weight of less than 50 gsm or about 20 gsm to 40 gsm. The first plug wrapper 12 may have a thickness of 30 μm to 60 μm or 35 μm to 45 μm. The first plug wrapper 12 may be a non-porous plug wrapper having an air permeability of, for example, less than 100 Gurley units, for example less than 50 Gurley units. However, in other embodiments, the first plug wrapper 12 may be a porous plug wrapper having an air permeability of, for example, more than 200 Gurley units.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 1, the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 includes an upstream end 2a adjacent to the second section 5 of the rod 3 of the aerosol generating material. The mouthpiece 2 has a hollow tubular member 9 formed from a filamentous tow at its proximal end. There has been the advantageous discovery that the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 is significantly reduced at the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece that contacts the consumer's lips during use of the article 1. In addition, it has been found that the use of the tubular member 9 also significantly reduces the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 even upstream of the tubular member 9. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, this is presumably due to the tubular member 9 that flows the aerosol near the center of the mouthpiece 2 and thus reduces the transfer of heat from the aerosol to the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2.

[0085] The "wall thickness" of the hollow tubular member 9 corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the tube 9 in the radial direction. This is measured, for example, using calipers. It is advantageous for the wall thickness to be greater than 0.9 mm or 1.0 mm or more. The wall thickness may be substantially constant around the entire circumference of the wall of the hollow tubular member 9. However, if the wall thickness is not substantially constant, the wall thickness is greater than 0.9 mm or 1.0 mm or more at any location around the tubular member 9. In this example, the wall thickness of the hollow tubular member 9 is about 1.3 mm.

[0086] The wrapper 13 is wound around the entire length of the mouthpiece 2. The mouthpiece 2 and the sections 4, 5 of the aerosol generating material 3 are also wrapped in the wrapper 6.

[0087] The ventilation level of the aerosol of article 1 drawn through article 1 is about 10%. In another embodiment, the ventilation level of the aerosol of article 1 drawn through article 1 is 1% - 20%, for example 1% - 12%. Ventilation at these levels helps increase the uniformity of the aerosol inhaled by the user at the suction port end 2b and aids in the aerosol cooling process. The ventilation is provided directly within the mouthpiece 2 of article 1. In this example, the ventilation is provided within the cooling section 7, which has been found to be particularly beneficial in assisting the aerosol generation process. The ventilation is provided by the perforations 14 as a single row of laser perforations located 13 mm from the suction port end 2b downstream of the mouthpiece 2 in this example. In another embodiment, two or more rows of ventilation perforations 14 may be provided. These perforations 14 pass through the wrapper 6, the plug wrapper 13, and the cooling section 7. In another embodiment, the ventilation can be provided at other locations within the mouthpiece 2, such as within the material body 8 or the first tubular member 9. Article 1 may be configured such that the perforations 14 are provided no more than about 28 mm from the upstream end of article 1, preferably 20 mm - 28 mm from the upstream end of article 1. In this example, the opening is provided about 25 mm from the upstream end of article 1.

[0088] The aerosol generating material 3 in each of the sections 4, 5 may include tobacco material. The aerosol generating material 3 may be a sheet or a scored sheet made of an aerosolizable material including plant-based materials such as tobacco material.

[0089] The plant-based material may be in particulate or granular form. In some embodiments, the plant-based material is in powder form. Separately or in addition, the plant-based material may include tobacco strips, strands, or fibers. For example, the tobacco material may include tobacco microparticles, particles, fibers, strips, and / or strands. In some embodiments, the tobacco material consists of tobacco material microparticles or granules.

[0090] The density of the tobacco material affects the rate at which heat is transferred to the tobacco material. At a low density, such as 900 mg / cc, heat is transferred slowly into the material, and thus, the aerosol can be released more sustainably.

[0091] The tobacco material may include a recycled tobacco material having a density of less than about 900 mg / cc, such as a paper-recycled tobacco material. For example, the aerosol-generating material includes a recycled tobacco material having a density of less than about 800 mg / cc. Separately or in addition thereto, the aerosol-generating material may include a recycled tobacco material having a density of at least 350 mg / cc.

[0092] The tobacco material may include tobacco obtained from any part of the tobacco plant. In some embodiments, the tobacco material includes tobacco leaves.

[0093] The sheet or scored sheet may include 5% to about 90% by weight of tobacco leaves.

[0094] The aerosol-generating material 3 may include an aerosol-forming material. The aerosol-forming material includes one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. The aerosol-forming material includes one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, meso-erythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, a diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenyl acetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate. The aerosol-forming material may be glycerol or propylene glycol.

[0095] A sheet or scored sheet of aerosolizable material may contain an aerosol-forming material in one or both of sections 4 and 5. The aerosol-forming material is provided in an amount of about 50% or less on a dry weight basis based on the weight of the sheet or scored sheet. The aerosol-forming material is provided in an amount of about 5% to about 40%, about 10% to about 30% or about 10% to about 20% on a dry weight basis based on the weight of the sheet or scored sheet.

[0096] The aerosol-generating material 3 may contain a filler in one or both of sections 4 and 5. In some embodiments, the sheet or scored sheet contains a filler material. The filler material is generally a non-tobacco component, i.e., a component that does not contain components derived from tobacco. The filler material may include one or more of suitable inorganic adsorbents such as calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate and molecular sieves. The filler material may be a non-tobacco fiber such as wood fiber or pulp or wheat fiber. It may be a material containing cellulose or a material containing a derivative of cellulose. The filler component may be a non-tobacco cast material or a non-tobacco extruded material.

[0097] The aerosol-generating material 3 herein may contain an aerosol modifier such as any of the flavorants described herein in one or both of sections 4 and 5. In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating material 3 contains menthol. When the aerosol-generating material 3 is incorporated into an article for use in an aerosol supply system, the article may be referred to as a mentholated article. The aerosol-forming material 3 may contain 0.5 mg to 20 mg of menthol, 0.7 mg to 20 mg of menthol, 1 mg to 18 mg or 8 mg to 16 mg of menthol.

[0098] In some embodiments, the composition may include an aerosol-forming "amorphous solid", which is also sometimes referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous) separately from this. In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may include a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that retains a fluid such as a liquid inside it.

[0099] In some examples, the amorphous solid is - 1 to 60 wt% of a gelling agent, and - 0.1 to 50 wt% of an aerosol-forming material, and - 0.1 to 80 wt% of a flavoring agent, and these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

[0100] In some other embodiments, the amorphous solid is - 1 to 50 wt% of a gelling agent, and - 0.1 to 50 wt% of an aerosol-forming material, and - 30 to 60 wt% of a flavoring material, and these weights are calculated on a dry weight basis.

[0101] The amorphous solid material may be provided in one or both of sections 4, 5 in the form of a sheet or a scored sheet. The amorphous solid material may be in the same form as a sheet or a scored sheet of aerosolizable material.

[0102] The aerosol-generating material 3 in one or both of sections 4, 5 may include a paper-recycled tobacco material. The composition may separately or additionally include tobacco in any form described herein. The aerosol-generating material 3 may include a sheet or a scored sheet including a tobacco material including 10 to 90 wt% of tobacco leaves, the aerosol-forming material is provided in an amount of about 20 wt% of the sheet or the scored sheet, and the remainder of the tobacco material includes paper-recycled tobacco.

[0103] When the aerosol-generating material 3 includes an amorphous solid material, the amorphous solid material may be a dry gel including menthol.

[0104] Figure 2 shows a simplified view of the components of an embodiment of the non-combustion aerosol supply device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, the elements of the non-combustion aerosol supply device 100 are not drawn to scale in Figure 2. Elements not relevant to the understanding of this embodiment have been omitted to simplify Figure 2.

[0105] As shown in Figure 2, the non-combustion aerosol supply device 100 includes a housing 101 that includes a region 102 for accommodating the article 1.

[0106] The region 102 is arranged to accommodate the article 1. When the article 1 is accommodated in the region 102, at least a part of the aerosol generating material 3 is thermally close to the heater 103. When the article 1 is completely accommodated in the region 102, at least a part of the aerosol generating material 3 may be in direct or indirect contact with the heater 103. The aerosol generating base material 3 releases a series of volatile components at different temperatures. Selective release of undesirable components is controlled by controlling the maximum operating temperature of the electrically heated aerosol generation system 200 and by preventing the release of the selected volatile components.

[0107] As shown in Figure 3, there is an electrical energy supply unit 104, for example a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, inside the housing 101. A controller 105 is connected to the heater 103 and is connected to the electrical energy supply unit 104 and a user interface 106, such as a button or a display. The controller 105 controls the power supplied to the heater 103 to regulate the temperature of the heater. Usually, the aerosol forming base material is heated to a temperature of 250 to 450 °C.

[0108] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a non-combustion aerosol supply system 200 that includes a non-combustion aerosol supply device 100 of the type shown in Figure 2 and an article 1 engaged with the aerosol generating device 100 for consumption of the aerosol generating article 1 by a user.

[0109] The housing 101 of the non-combustion aerosol supply device 100 defines a cavity-shaped region 102 and is open at its proximal end (or suction end) for receiving the aerosol-generating article 1 for consumption.

[0110] The heater 103 may conductively heat the wrapper 6 surrounding the aerosol-generating material 3, especially when the wrapper 6 is made of a thermally conductive material such as aluminum, and then the wrapper heats the section of the aerosol-generating substrate 3. Alternatively, the heater 103 may transfer heat directly to the aerosol-generating substrate 3.

[0111] Referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the heater 103 extends mainly along the first section 4 of the aerosol-generating material 3. In this configuration, heat mainly moves or is transmitted from the heater 103 into the first section 4. At least a part of the heat migrates into the second section 5 due to the heater 103 being close to the most distal surface 14 of the second section 5. The first and second sections 4, 5 may be heated at different rates. In other embodiments, the heater 103 may extend along both sections 4, 5. The heater 103 itself may be formed from components that are heated to different temperatures. Each component of the heater may be independently controlled by a controller to heat the respective sections 4, 5 to different temperatures at different times.

[0112] For example, one component of the heater 103 may be arranged along the first section 4 to heat the first section 4 to a first temperature, and another component of the heater may be arranged along the second section 5 to heat the second section to another temperature that is higher or lower than the first temperature. Alternatively, the first and second sections 4, 5 may be heated continuously, or the heating of one section 4, 5 may be started before heating the other section 4, 5, causing a delay in the heating of the sections 4, 5. If the aerosol-forming material 3 in the first section 4 is different from the aerosol-forming material in the second section 5, it may be more desirable to heat one section 4, 5 after or at a different temperature from the other section.

[0113] In another embodiment, the heater 103 is a variable magnetic field generator that surrounds the region 102 into which the article 1 of FIG. 2 is inserted. This embodiment of the device 100 is for use with an article 1 incorporating a horn 6 formed of a magnetically conductive material, the horn being inductively heated in response to the activation of the variable magnetic field and thus functioning as a susceptor for heating the aerosol generating material 3 wrapped in the horn 6. The device 100 may be controlled in the same manner as described in connection with FIG. 3. Of course, the variable magnetic field generator may also have components that generate magnetic fields of different intensities so that the sections 4, 5 of the aerosol generating material 3 are heated at different speeds or to different temperatures as described above.

[0114] In any embodiment, the wrapper 6 surrounding the aerosol generating material 3 or at least a portion of the wrapper 6 may be permeable. For example, the wrapper may be perforated, formed of a mesh, or have holes so that air and aerosol can pass through the wrapper. In other embodiments, it may be formed from a sheet of impermeable material. The wrapper 6 may be formed from a single member or a plurality of members. For example, it is also possible to form it from a plurality of individual sections spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction.

[0115] The various embodiments described herein are provided merely as an aid to understanding and teaching the claimed features. These embodiments are merely representative specific examples and are neither comprehensive nor exclusive. Of course, the advantages, embodiments, specific examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects of the present disclosure should not be considered to limit the present disclosure to what is defined in the claims or to equivalents of the claims, but rather other embodiments may be utilized and modified without departing from the scope and / or spirit of the present disclosure. The various embodiments may suitably comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the disclosed components, elements, features, parts, steps, means, and other combinations. The present disclosure also includes other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. An article for use in an aerosol supply system, the article comprising a distal end for insertion into an aerosol generating device and first and second sections of an aerosol generating material coaxially aligned along the longitudinal axis of the article, the first section being at the distal end and having a uniform cross-sectional area in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis, the cross-sectional area of the first section being smaller than the cross-sectional area of the second section which is remote from the distal end.

2. The article according to claim 1, wherein the second section has a uniform cross-sectional area in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis.

3. The article according to claim 1, wherein the first section extends along the longitudinal axis for a longer distance than the distance along which the second section extends along the longitudinal axis.

4. The article according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sections of the aerosol generating material are formed from the same aerosol generating material.

5. The article according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sections of the aerosol generating material are formed from different types of aerosol generating material.

6. The article according to claim 1, wherein the second section of the aerosol generating material includes a cavity or hole, and the first section of the aerosol generating material is received within and extends from the cavity or hole.

7. The article according to claim 1, further comprising a packaging material enclosing the first and / or second section of the aerosol generating material.

8. The article according to claim 7, wherein the packaging material enclosing the first section is different from the packaging material enclosing the second section.

9. The article according to claim 7, wherein the packaging material includes iron and / or a thermally conductive material.

10. The article according to claim 7, wherein the packaging material is configured to be heated conductively or inductively to heat the aerosol generating material.

11. The article according to claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the packaging material is air-permeable.

12. The article according to claim 11, wherein the packaging material is a mesh, perforated or has holes.

13. The article according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second sections of the aerosol generating material has a circular cross-section.

14. An article according to claim 1, comprising a suction mouth end remote from the aerosol generating material, the suction mouth end being configured to be sandwiched between the lips of a user when the aerosol generating material is inserted into a non-combustible aerosol supply device.

15. An article according to claim 14, characterized in that a cooling segment is located between the aerosol generating material and the suction mouth end.

16. An article according to claim 15, characterized in that a filtration segment is located between the cooling segment and the suction mouth end.

17. A system comprising a non-combustible aerosol supply device and an article, the article comprising a distal end for insertion into the non-combustible aerosol supply device and first and second sections of an aerosol generating material coaxially aligned along the longitudinal axis of the article, the first section being at the distal end and having a uniform cross-sectional area in a direction extending along the longitudinal axis, the cross-sectional area of the first section being smaller than the cross-sectional area of the second section remote from the distal end, the device comprising a cavity for receiving the article and a heater surrounding the cavity, the heater being adjacent to at least one of the sections when the article is received in the cavity.

18. A system according to claim 17, characterized in that the article comprises a wrapper and the heater is configured to heat the aerosol generating material by heating the wrapper.

19. A system according to claim 17, characterized in that the heating element comprises iron and / or a thermally conductive material that conducts heat from the heater to the aerosol generating material.

20. A system according to claim 19, characterized in that the wrapper is a susceptor and the heater comprises a variable magnetic field generator that inductively heats the heating element.

21. A system according to claim 17, characterized in that the section of the aerosol generating material is cylindrical.

22. A system according to claim 21, characterized in that the heater comprises a tubular body and the cavity for receiving the article is formed in the tubular body.

23. A system according to claim 17, characterized in that the heater comprises a first portion located along the first section of the aerosol generating material when the article is received in the aerosol generating device.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein the second section has a distal end face, and the first part of the heater is adjacent to the distal end face. **Claim 25** The system according to claim 23, wherein the heater includes a second part that is positioned along a second section of the aerosol-generating material when the article is received in the device. **Claim 26** The system according to claim 25, wherein the first and second parts are configured to heat the first and second sections to different temperatures. **Claim 27** The system according to claim 25, wherein the first and second parts are configured to continuously heat the first and second sections. **Claim 28** The system according to claim 25, wherein the first and second parts are configured such that heating of one section is delayed with respect to heating of the other section.

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