Method for manufacturing tobacco granules and aerosol generating article comprising tobacco granules manufactured thereby

Abstract

The method for producing tobacco granules includes the steps of grinding tobacco raw material to produce tobacco grounds, producing a mixture containing the tobacco grounds and a solvent, using the mixture to produce tobacco granules, and freeze-drying the tobacco granules.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing tobacco granules and an aerosol generating article containing the tobacco granules manufactured thereby, and more particularly, to a method for manufacturing tobacco granules capable of preventing the disappearance of flavor substances containing nicotine in the method for manufacturing tobacco granules.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, the demand for alternative methods to overcome the disadvantages of conventional cigarettes has been increasing. For example, there is an increasing demand for a method of generating an aerosol by heating an aerosol generating substance instead of a method of generating an aerosol by burning a cigarette. Accordingly, research on heat-not-burn aerosol generating devices has been actively conducted.

[0003] The tobacco substance used in a heat-not-burn aerosol generating device is generally manufactured by drying a mixture of a tobacco raw material, an aerosol generating substance (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, etc.), water, and the like.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The method for manufacturing a tobacco substance used in a conventional heat-not-burn aerosol generating device has a problem in that nicotine and flavor substances are unintentionally lost during the drying process. Accordingly, the problem to be solved by the present embodiment is to provide a manufacturing method capable of preventing the loss of nicotine and flavor substances occurring during the drying of the manufacturing process of the tobacco substance.

[0005] The problems to be solved through one embodiment are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present embodiment belongs from the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing tobacco granules includes a step of pulverizing a tobacco raw material to produce a tobacco pulverized product, a step of producing a mixture containing the tobacco pulverized product and a solvent, a step of producing tobacco granules using the mixture, and a step of freeze-drying the tobacco granules.

[0007] An aerosol generating article according to another embodiment includes tobacco granules manufactured by the manufacturing method according to one embodiment.

[0008] The means for solving the problems is not limited to what has been described above, and includes any matter that can be analogized by a person of ordinary skill in the art throughout this specification.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] The method for manufacturing tobacco granules according to the present embodiment can selectively remove only moisture without loss of nicotine and flavor substances in the tobacco granules, and the tobacco granules produced thereby can smoothly release nicotine and flavor components.

[0010] In addition, an aerosol generating article containing the tobacco granules according to the present embodiment can improve taste intensity, taste uniformity, and tobacco flavor, and can reduce throat irritation and off-flavors.

[0011] The effects of the present embodiment are not limited to what has been described above, and include any effects that can be analogized from the configurations described below.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] A method for manufacturing tobacco granules according to one embodiment includes: pulverizing a tobacco raw material to produce a tobacco pulverized product; producing a mixture containing the tobacco pulverized product and a solvent; producing tobacco granules using the mixture; and freeze-drying the tobacco granules.

[0014] The tobacco pulverized product may have a diameter of 10 μm to 100 μm.

[0015] The step of producing the tobacco pulverized product may be carried out at a temperature of -15°C to -120°C.

[0016] The solvent may also contain one or more selected from water and alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

[0017] The solvent may contain water and alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in a volume ratio of 10:0 to 5:5.

[0018] The step of producing the tobacco granules may also include the step of wet-extruding the mixture.

[0019] The step of producing the tobacco granules may also include the step of injecting the mixture into the interior of a fluidized bed reactor.

[0020] The diameter of the tobacco granules may also be 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

[0021] The freeze-drying may be carried out at a temperature of -15°C to -120°C.

[0022] The step of freeze-drying may be carried out under vacuum.

[0023] After the freeze-drying step, the water content of the tobacco granules is also 3 wt% to 10 wt% compared to the tobacco granules.

[0024] After the freeze-drying step, the porosity of the tobacco granules is also 10% to 70%.

[0025] An aerosol-generating article according to another embodiment includes tobacco granules manufactured by a manufacturing method according to one embodiment.

[0026] The terms used in this embodiment have selected the currently used general terms as much as possible while considering the functions in the present disclosure. However, they may also vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, or the emergence of new technologies. In addition, in certain cases, there are terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant. In that case, the meaning thereof will be described in detail in the description part of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present disclosure must be defined based not on the simple name of the term but on the meaning the term has and the overall content of the present disclosure.

[0027] Throughout the specification, when a certain part states that a certain component "includes", unless there is a special contrary description, it does not exclude other components, but also means that it further includes other components. In addition, terms such as "~ part" and "~ module" described in the specification mean units that process at least one function or operation, and they can be implemented by hardware or software, or can be implemented by a combination of hardware and software.

[0028] As used in this specification, when an expression such as "at least any one" is before the arranged components, it modifies the entire components, not each of the arranged components. For example, the expression "at least any one of a, b, and c" is interpreted to include a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a, b, and c.

[0029] Also, terms including ordinal numbers such as "first" or "second" used in this specification are used in the description of various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0030] Throughout the specification, an "aerosol generating device" is also a device that uses an aerosol generating substance to generate an aerosol for direct inhalation into a user's lungs through the user's mouth.

[0031] Throughout the specification, an "aerosol generating article" means an article used for smoking. For example, the aerosol generating article can be a combustible cigarette used in a manner of being ignited and burned, or a heated cigarette used in a manner of being heated by an aerosol generating device. As another example, the aerosol generating article can also be an article used in a manner of heating a liquid contained in a cartridge.

[0032] Throughout the specification, a "tobacco substance" means all forms of substances containing components derived from tobacco leaves.

[0033] In the following, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains can easily implement them. However, the present disclosure can be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0034] In the following, with reference to the drawings, this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing tobacco granules according to an embodiment.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 1, a method for manufacturing tobacco granules according to an embodiment includes a step of manufacturing tobacco ground material (S110), a step of manufacturing a mixture (S120), a step of manufacturing tobacco granules (S130), and a step of freeze-drying the tobacco granules (S140).

[0037] In the step of manufacturing tobacco ground material (S110), tobacco raw material can be ground to produce tobacco ground material. The tobacco raw material includes tobacco substances and can mean all forms of substances containing components derived from tobacco leaves. For example, the step of manufacturing tobacco ground material (S110) can also be to grind tobacco leaves.

[0038] The tobacco raw material is also one or more selected from the group consisting of fire-cured tobacco, sun-cured tobacco, yellow tobacco, burley tobacco, and oriental tobacco. However, the variety of tobacco contained in the tobacco raw material is not limited thereto. The tobacco raw material can include multiple varieties of tobacco or a single variety of tobacco. For example, the tobacco raw material can also include the yellow tobacco and burley tobacco.

[0039] The tobacco ground material is manufactured using a grinder, and the rotation speed of the grinder can be adjusted to adjust the diameter of the tobacco ground material. For example, the grinder has a structure including a high-speed rotating body with a hammer grinding method and a serrated ring surrounding it. Small particles of about 100 μm or less in the tobacco ground material are discharged to a blow discharger by centrifugal force, and larger particles can be further ground to a smaller particle size while circulating inside the grinder. For example, the tobacco ground material can be manufactured to have a diameter of about 35 μm by feeding tobacco raw material into a grinder with a rotation speed of about 8,000 rpm.

[0040] The tobacco pulverized product can have a diameter of about 10 μm to about 100 μm. When the diameter of the tobacco pulverized product is less than about 10 μm, the viscosity of the mixture containing the tobacco pulverized product and the solvent becomes excessively high. When the diameter of the tobacco pulverized product exceeds about 100 μm, it is also difficult to uniformly mix the mixture, thereby causing the size of the tobacco granules to be produced subsequently to become non-uniform. Further, the diameter of the tobacco pulverized product is about 10 μm to about 70 μm, or about 10 μm to about 50 μm.

[0041] The step of manufacturing the tobacco pulverized product (S110) can be carried out at a temperature of about -15°C to about -120°C. When the step of manufacturing the tobacco pulverized product (S110) is carried out at a temperature of about -15°C to about -120°C, the phenomenon that the tobacco raw materials aggregate with each other during the pulverization process can be prevented. For example, the step of manufacturing the tobacco pulverized product (S110) can use an ultra-low temperature pulverizer. The tobacco raw materials and liquefied nitrogen are put into the ultra-low temperature pulverizer, and the tobacco raw materials can be pulverized in a state where the tobacco raw materials are frozen at a temperature of about -15°C to about -120°C. When the step of manufacturing the tobacco pulverized product (S110) is carried out at a temperature of about -15°C to about -120°C, the tobacco pulverized product can be easily adjusted to have a desired size and can be prevented from being rancid by contacting with the relatively high-temperature external air.

[0042] The step of manufacturing the mixture (S120) can manufacture a mixture containing a tobacco mixture and a solvent. The step of manufacturing the mixture (S120) can mix the tobacco pulverized product and the solvent at a mass ratio of about 8:2 to about 2:8. For example, the step of manufacturing the mixture (S120) can mix the tobacco pulverized product and the solvent at a mass ratio of about 6:4 to about 4:6.

[0043] The solvent may also contain one or more selected from water and alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. The solvent may also contain water and an alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in a volume ratio of about 9:1 to about 5:5. When the solvent contains alcohol in water and an alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in a volume ratio of less than about 9:1, there will be insufficient pores formed in the tobacco granules during the subsequent drying process. Also, when the solvent contains alcohol in water and an alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in a volume ratio exceeding about 5:5, the hardness of the manufactured tobacco granules will decrease and the form of the mixture will collapse. For example, the solvent may also contain water and an alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in a volume ratio of about 8:2 to about 6:4. For example, the solvent may also contain water and ethyl alcohol in a volume ratio of about 6:4, but is not limited thereto.

[0044] The solvent may also contain a flavoring substance. The flavoring substance is also a substance that emits a specific fragrance. For example, the flavoring substance may also contain plant-based fragrances such as cinnamon, sage, herbs, chamomile, winter hay, licorice, lavender, bergamot, lemon, orange, jasmine, ginger, vanilla, spearmint, peppermint, acacia, coffee, celery, sandalwood, and cocoa. As another example, the flavoring substance may contain animal-based fragrances such as musk, ambergris, civet, and castoreum.

[0045] As another example, the flavoring substance may also be alcohol compounds such as menthol, geraniol, linalool, anethole, and eugenol. Also, the flavoring substance may also be aldehyde compounds such as vanillin, benzaldehyde, and anisaldehyde. Also, the flavoring substance may also be ester compounds such as isoamyl acetate, linalyl acetate, isoamyl propionate, and linalyl butyrate.

[0046] The step of manufacturing tobacco granules (S130) can utilize the mixture to manufacture tobacco granules. The step of manufacturing the tobacco granules (S130) also includes the step of wet-extruding the mixture to form spherical tobacco granules. For example, in the step of manufacturing the tobacco granules (S130), the mixture can be fed into a wet extruder and extruded. During extrusion, the mixture can be extruded under a pressure of about 2 kN or more.

[0047] Tobacco granules can be manufactured by providing a screen with a mesh size of about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm at the discharge port of the extruder. For example, a screen with a mesh size of about 0.5 mm to about 0.8 mm can be provided at the discharge port.

[0048] Also, the step of manufacturing tobacco granules (S130) can utilize a fluidized bed reactor. Specifically, in the step of manufacturing the tobacco granules (S130), the mixture can be injected into the interior of the fluidized bed reactor. The mixture particles injected into the interior of the fluidized bed reactor can aggregate with each other and grow into tobacco granules. For example, in the step of manufacturing the tobacco granules (S130), the mixture can be injected into a fluidized bed reactor that provides a temperature of about 10°C to about 100°C and a wind pressure condition of about 1.5 bar or less to manufacture tobacco granules.

[0049] As another example, the step of manufacturing tobacco granules (S130) can also include a first step of manufacturing a core using the mixture and a second step of forming a shell surrounding at least a part of the core to manufacture tobacco granules. The manufactured tobacco granules also include a core and a shell surrounding at least a part of the core.

[0050] Specifically, the first step is also a step of injecting a first mixture into a fluidized bed reactor that provides a temperature of about 10°C to about 100°C and a wind pressure condition of about 1.5 bar or less to grow the core. The core can have a size of about 30 to about 50 mesh. That is, the core can have a diameter of about 0.297 mm to about 0.595 mm.

[0051] Here, the first mixture may mean the same mixture as the aforementioned mixture containing the tobacco ground product and the solvent. For example, the solvent of the first mixture may also contain water, alcohol, and flavor substances.

[0052] The second step is also a step of positioning the core in a fluidized bed reactor that provides a temperature of about 50°C to about 90°C and a wind pressure condition of about 1.5 bar or less, injecting the second mixture, and coating the surface of the core with the second mixture.

[0053] Here, the second mixture may be the same as or different from the first mixture. For example, the solvent of the second mixture may also contain flavor substances, but may contain flavor substances different from those of the first mixture. That is, the core and the shell of the tobacco granules may also contain different flavor substances from each other.

[0054] As another example, the core of the tobacco granules may contain flavor substances, and its shell may not contain flavor substances. In that case, since the shell does not contain relatively volatile flavor substances and can block the core containing flavor substances from the outside, the amount of flavor substances that disappear during storage of the tobacco granules can be reduced.

[0055] The diameter of the tobacco granules is also about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm. If the diameter of the tobacco granules is less than about 0.5 mm, the tobacco granules may leak out of the aerosol generating article. If the diameter of the tobacco granules exceeds about 1.5 mm, the release of nicotine and flavor of the tobacco granules will not be smooth, and it will also be difficult to arrange the tobacco granules inside the aerosol generating article. Also, the diameter of the tobacco granules is also about 0.5 mm to about 0.8 mm.

[0056] The tobacco granules can have a hardness of about 90% or more. Specifically, the tobacco granules can have a hardness of about 95% to about 99.9%. "The hardness of the tobacco granules" is a physical property related to elasticity and degree of restoration, and means the degree of resistance to the pressure applied in the vertical direction to the tobacco granules. "The hardness of the tobacco granules" is measured using a hardness measuring instrument and calculated through the following formula.

[0057] Hardness (%) = [(D - a) / D] * 100

[0058] Here, "D" means the diameter of the tobacco granules, and "a" means the distance by which the tobacco granules are pushed by a 300 g weight.

[0059] When the tobacco granules have a hardness of less than about 90%, in the manufacturing process of the aerosol generating article containing the tobacco granules, the tobacco granules cannot maintain their shape and will collapse.

[0060] The step of freeze-drying the tobacco granules (S140) can expose the tobacco granules to an extremely low temperature and remove the moisture present in the tobacco granules. In the case of the method for manufacturing tobacco granules including a high-temperature drying process according to the comparative example, nicotine and flavor substances can be easily released at high temperatures and thus can be lost. In contrast, the method for manufacturing tobacco granules according to the present embodiment does not include a high-temperature drying process. Thereby, the solvent can be selectively removed, and the loss of nicotine and flavor substances can be prevented. For example, in the step of freeze-drying the tobacco granules (S140), the tobacco granules and liquid nitrogen can be put into the chamber of the dryer together to dry the tobacco granules.

[0061] Freeze-drying can be performed at a temperature of about -15°C to about -120°C. By adjusting the temperature of the freeze-drying, the rate of the freeze-drying is adjusted, and the rate of the freeze-drying affects the fine structure formed inside the tobacco granules. For example, by adjusting the temperature of the freeze-drying, the tobacco granules can be adjusted to have a desired porosity. Also, the freeze-drying can be performed at a temperature of about -30°C to about -70°C.

[0062] The porosity of the freeze-dried tobacco granules is also about 10% to about 70%. Here, the porosity may mean the ratio of the empty part to the total volume of the tobacco granules. In the case of a method for manufacturing tobacco granules including a high-temperature drying process according to a comparative example, generally, since hot air is injected into the tobacco granules, it is difficult to form pores inside and on the surface of the tobacco granules. On the contrary, in the case of a method for manufacturing tobacco granules including a freeze-drying process according to the present embodiment, a large number of pores can be formed inside and on the surface of the tobacco granules due to the evaporation of the solvent. Thereby, the tobacco granules can smoothly release nicotine and flavor substances through a large number of pores. When the porosity of the tobacco granules is less than about 10%, the release of nicotine and flavor substances through the pores becomes less smooth. When the porosity of the tobacco granules exceeds 70%, the hardness of the tobacco granules becomes insufficient. For example, the porosity of the freeze-dried tobacco granules is also about 30% to about 50%.

[0063] Freeze-drying can be performed in a vacuum. Since the freeze-drying is carried out at a very low temperature, the solvent is either frozen inside the tobacco granules and not dried, or dried very slowly. When the freeze-drying is performed in a vacuum, the solvent is not frozen by the low pressure, and the drying rate of the solvent can be improved.

[0064] The moisture content of the freeze-dried tobacco granules is also about 3% by weight to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the tobacco granules. The moisture contained in the tobacco granules contributes to forming fine pores on the surface of the tobacco granules by absorbing the heat applied during heating of the tobacco granules (for example, during smoking). When the moisture content of the tobacco granules is less than about 3% by weight, the amount of flavor substances released from the tobacco granules becomes insufficient. When the moisture content exceeds about 10% by weight, when the tobacco granules are disposed in an aerosol-generating article, contamination may occur on the surface of the aerosol-generating article. For example, the moisture content is also about 3% by weight to about 7% by weight based on the weight of the tobacco granules.

[0065] The tobacco granules may have a surface roughness (Ra) of about 5.0 to about 10.0. Here, "surface roughness" means the degree of roughness of the surface of an object. For example, the surface roughness can be expressed by the center line average roughness (Ra) according to the KS B 0161 standard.

[0066] The tobacco granules have an irregular shape and may have a relatively high surface roughness. As will be described later, the tobacco granules according to one embodiment can be arranged in a form embedded between the cellulose acetate fibers of the aerosol generating article filter. Here, the surface roughness of the tobacco granules may be related to the total amount of tobacco granules that can be embedded between the cellulose acetate fibers.

[0067] When the surface roughness of the tobacco granules is less than about 5.0, due to the low surface friction, it is difficult to fix the position of the tobacco granules between the cellulose acetate fibers, and the amount of the tobacco granules contained in the aerosol generating article can be limited. When the surface roughness of the tobacco granules exceeds about 10.0, there may occur a problem that the cellulose acetate fibers are damaged due to the excessively high surface friction. However, the shape and surface roughness of the tobacco granules may also vary depending on the embodiment and are not limited to the above description.

[0068] As another example, the method for manufacturing tobacco granules according to one embodiment may further include a step of spheroidizing the tobacco granules. Through the step of spheroidizing the tobacco granules, tobacco granules having a uniform shape can be manufactured. The step of spheroidizing the tobacco granules can be performed after the step (S130) of manufacturing the tobacco granules and before the step (S140) of lyophilizing the tobacco granules. The step of spheroidizing the tobacco granules can utilize spheroidizing equipment using centrifugal force.

[0069] The aerosol generating article according to another embodiment includes tobacco granules manufactured according to one embodiment. The aerosol generating article can be heated without being burned to generate an aerosol. For example, the aerosol generating article can be inserted into an aerosol generating device including a heater to generate an aerosol.

[0070] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 below, an example of an aerosol-generating article according to one embodiment will be described.

[0071] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating an example of an aerosol-generating article 200 according to another embodiment.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 2, the aerosol-generating article 200 also includes an aerosol-generating rod 210, a tobacco rod 220, a cooling rod 230, and a filter rod 240. Specifically, the aerosol-generating rod 210, the tobacco rod 220, the cooling rod 230, and the filter rod 240 also contain an aerosol-generating substance, tobacco particles, a cooling substance, and a filter substance, respectively.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 2, the aerosol-generating rod 210, the tobacco rod 220, the cooling rod 230, and the filter rod 240 can be aligned in order along the longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article 200. Here, the longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article 200 is also the direction in which the length of the aerosol-generating article 200 extends. For example, the longitudinal direction of the aerosol-generating article 200 is also the direction from the aerosol-generating rod 210 toward the filter rod 240. Thereby, the aerosol generated from at least one of the aerosol-generating rod 210 and the tobacco rod 220 can pass through the aerosol-generating rod 210, the tobacco rod 220, the cooling rod 230, and the filter rod 240 in order to form an air flow, whereby a smoker can inhale the aerosol from the filter rod 240.

[0074] The aerosol generation rod 210 also contains an aerosol generating substance. It may also contain other additive substances such as flavoring agents, wetting agents and / or organic acids, and may also contain a flavoring liquid such as menthol or a humectant. Here, the aerosol generating substance contains, for example, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol and oleyl alcohol.

[0075] The aerosol generation rod 210 may also contain an aerosol generation substrate impregnated with an aerosol generating substance. Examples of the aerosol generation substrate include those containing a crimped sheet, and the aerosol generating substance is also contained in the aerosol generation rod 210 in a state of being impregnated into the crimped sheet. Also, other additive substances such as flavoring agents, wetting agents and / or organic acids, and flavoring liquids are also contained in the aerosol generation rod 210 in a state of being absorbed by the crimped sheet.

[0076] The crimped sheet is also a sheet made of a polymer material. For example, the polymer material may contain at least one of paper, cellulose acetate, lyocell, and polylactic acid (PLA). For example, the crimped sheet is also a paper sheet that does not produce an odor due to heat even when heated to a high temperature. However, it is not limited thereto.

[0077] The aerosol generation rod 210 extends from the end of the aerosol generation article 200 to a point about 7 mm to about 20 mm, and the tobacco rod 220 can extend from the end of the aerosol generation rod 210 to a point about 7 mm to about 20 mm. However, it is not necessarily limited to such a numerical range, and the extended lengths of the aerosol generation rod 210 and the tobacco rod 220 can be appropriately adjusted within a range that can be easily changed by an ordinary technician.

[0078] The tobacco rod 220 also contains a plurality of tobacco granules and filter substances. The plurality of tobacco granules can be embedded in the filter substances. The filter substances can include, for example, a fiber bundle formed by aggregating cellulose acetate fiber strands. The plurality of tobacco granules can be arranged in a form uniformly dispersed among the plurality of cellulose fibers.

[0079] As another example, the filter substance can also include a paper sheet. The paper sheet can be wound and arranged inside the tobacco rod 220. The central axis of the wound paper sheet is also parallel to the longitudinal direction of the aerosol generating article 200. A plurality of tobacco granules can be uniformly dispersed inside the wound paper sheet.

[0080] The cooling rod 230 can cool the air flow passing through the aerosol generating rod 210 and the tobacco rod 220. The cooling rod 230 can also be manufactured by a polymer substance or a biodegradable polymer substance and can have a cooling function. For example, the cooling rod 230 can be made of polylactic acid (PLA) fibers, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the cooling rod 230 can also be made of a cellulose acetate filter with a plurality of holes. However, the cooling rod 230 is not limited to the above examples, and substances that perform the function of cooling the aerosol can be applicable thereto without limitation. For example, the cooling rod 230 can also be a tube filter or a paper tube containing a hollow.

[0081] The filter rod 240 also contains filter substances. For example, the filter rod 240 can also be a cellulose acetate filter. There is no limitation on the shape of the filter rod 240. For example, the filter rod 240 can be a cylindrical rod or a tube-shaped rod containing a hollow inside. Also, the filter rod 240 can be a recessed rod. If the filter rod 240 is composed of a plurality of segments, at least one of the plurality of segments can also be made in a different shape.

[0082] The filter rod 240 is also manufactured so as to generate a fragrance. As an example, a flavoring liquid may be sprayed onto the filter rod 240, or separate fibers coated with the flavoring liquid may be inserted into the interior of the filter rod 240.

[0083] Also, the filter rod 240 may contain at least one capsule. Here, the capsule can generate a fragrance or an aerosol. For example, the capsule has a structure in which a liquid containing a fragrance is wrapped with a film. The capsule may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0084] The aerosol generating article 200 also includes a bellows 250 that covers at least a part of the aerosol generating rod 210 to the filter rod 240. Also, the aerosol generating article 200 includes a bellows 250 that covers all of the aerosol generating rod 210 to the filter rod 240. The bellows 250 is located on the outermost periphery of the aerosol generating article 200, and the bellows 250 may be a single bellows or a combination of a plurality of bellows.

[0085] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing another example of the aerosol generating article 200 according to another embodiment.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 3, the aerosol generating article 200 according to one embodiment also includes a front plug 260, a tobacco rod 220, and a filter rod 240. Here, the foregoing description of FIG. 2 is equally applicable to the tobacco rod 220 and the filter rod 240.

[0087] The front plug 260 can be located on the side of the tobacco rod 220 opposite to the filter rod 240. The front plug 260 can prevent the tobacco rod 220 from being detached, and can prevent the liquefied aerosol from flowing out of the tobacco rod 220 into the aerosol generating device during smoking.

[0088] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device is also a device that electrically heats an aerosol generating article 200 accommodated in an internal space to generate an aerosol.

[0089] The aerosol generating device also includes a heater. In one embodiment, the heater is also an electric resistance heater. For example, the heater also includes a conductive track, and when an electric current flows through the conductive track, the heater can be heated.

[0090] The heater also includes a tubular heating element, a plate-shaped heating element, a needle-shaped heating element, or a rod-shaped heating element, and depending on the form of the heating element, the inside or outside of the aerosol generating article 200 can be heated.

[0091] In other embodiments, the aerosol generating device is also a device that uses a cartridge holding an aerosol generating substance to generate an aerosol.

[0092] The aerosol generating device also includes a cartridge holding an aerosol generating substance and a main body supporting the cartridge. The cartridge can be detachably coupled to the main body, but is not limited thereto. The cartridge can be integrally formed with the main body, or assembled and fixed so as not to be detached by the user. The cartridge can be mounted on the main body with the aerosol generating substance accommodated therein. However, it is not limited thereto, and the aerosol generating substance can also be injected into the cartridge while the cartridge is coupled to the main body.

[0093] The cartridge can hold an aerosol generating substance having any one of various states such as a liquid state, a solid state, a gaseous state, and a gel state. The aerosol generating substance also includes a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition is also a liquid containing a tobacco-containing substance containing a volatile tobacco flavor component, or a liquid containing a non-tobacco substance.

[0094] The cartridge can perform the function of converting the phase of the aerosol product substance inside the cartridge into the gas phase by being activated by an electrical signal, a wireless signal, etc. transmitted from the main body, and generating an aerosol. The aerosol can mean a gas in a state where vaporized particles generated from the aerosol product substance and air are mixed.

[0095] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device can heat the liquid composition to generate an aerosol, and the generated aerosol can pass through the aerosol generating article 200 and be transmitted to the user. That is, the aerosol generated from the liquid composition can move along the air flow path of the aerosol generating device, and the air flow path can be configured such that the aerosol passes through the aerosol generating article 200 and is transmitted to the user. Also, the aerosol generating device does not include a heater for heating the aerosol generating article 200. In that case, the high-temperature aerosol generated by heating the liquid composition can heat the aerosol generating article 200 while passing through the aerosol generating article 200. However, without being limited thereto, the aerosol generating device can also include a heater for heating the liquid composition and a heater for heating the aerosol generating article 200, respectively.

[0096] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device is also a device that generates an aerosol by heating the aerosol generating article 200 accommodated in the aerosol generating device by means of induction heating.

[0097] The aerosol generating device also includes a susceptor and a coil. In one embodiment, the coil can apply a magnetic field to the susceptor. When power is supplied from the aerosol generating device to the coil, a magnetic field can be formed inside the coil. In one embodiment, the susceptor is also a magnetic body that generates heat by an external magnetic field. When the susceptor is located inside the coil and generates heat by the application of a magnetic field, the aerosol generating article 200 can be heated. Additionally or alternatively, the susceptor can be located within the aerosol generating article 200.

[0098] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device further includes a cradle.

[0099] The aerosol generating device can form a system together with a separate cradle. For example, the cradle can charge the battery of the aerosol generating device. Or the heater can be heated with the cradle and the aerosol generating device coupled together.

[0100] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device 400 according to yet another embodiment.

[0101] The aerosol generating device 400 also includes a control unit 410, a sensing unit 420, an output unit 430, a battery 440, a heater 450, a user input unit 460, a memory 470, and a communication unit 480. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 400 is not limited to what is shown in FIG. 4. That is, those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field related to this embodiment will be able to understand that depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 400, some of the components shown in FIG. 4 may be omitted, or new components may be further added.

[0102] The sensing unit 420 can sense the state of the aerosol generating device 400 or the state around the aerosol generating device 400, and transmit the sensed information to the control unit 410. Based on the sensed information, the control unit 410 can control the aerosol generating device 400 so that various functions such as operation control of the heater 450, restriction of smoking, determination of whether an aerosol generating article (e.g., cigarette, cartridge, etc.) is inserted, and notification display are performed.

[0103] The sensing unit 420 includes at least one of a temperature sensor 422, an insertion sensing sensor 424, and a puff sensor 426, but is not limited thereto.

[0104] The temperature sensor 422 can sense the temperature at which the heater 450 (or the aerosol generating substance) is heated. The aerosol generating device 400 may include a separate temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heater 450, or the heater 450 itself can perform the role of a temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 422 is also arranged around the battery 440 so as to monitor the temperature of the battery 440.

[0105] The insertion sensing sensor 424 can sense the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol generating article 200. For example, the insertion sensing sensor 424 also includes at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor, and can sense a signal change due to the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol generating article.

[0106] The puff sensor 426 can sense the user's puff based on various physical changes in the air flow path or air flow channel. For example, the puff sensor 426 can sense the user's puff based on any one of a temperature change, a flow change, a voltage change, and a pressure change.

[0107] In addition to the temperature sensor 422, the insertion detection sensor 424, and the puff sensor 426, the sensing unit 420 may further include at least one of a temperature / humidity sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., GPS (global positioning system)), a proximity sensor, and an RGB (red-green-blue) sensor (illuminance sensor). Since the functions of each sensor can be intuitively inferred by an ordinary technician from their names, specific descriptions can be omitted.

[0108] The output unit 430 can output information related to the state of the aerosol generating device 400 and provide it to the user. The output unit 430 may include at least one of a display unit 432, a haptic unit 434, and an acoustic output unit 436, but is not limited thereto. When the display unit 432 and the touch pad form a layer structure and are configured as a touch screen, the display unit 432 can be used not only as an output device but also as an input device.

[0109] The display unit 432 can visually provide information related to the aerosol generating device 400 to the user. For example, the information related to the aerosol generating device 400 means various information such as the charging / discharging state of the battery 440 of the aerosol generating device 400, the preheating state of the heater 450, the insertion / removal state of the aerosol generating article, or the state in which the use of the aerosol generating device 400 is restricted (e.g., detection of an abnormal article), and the display unit 432 can output the information to the outside. The display unit 432 is, for example, also a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light emitting display panel (OLED), etc. Further, the display unit 432 is also in the form of an LED light emitting element.

[0110] The haptic unit 434 can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical or electrical stimulus and tactually provide information related to the aerosol generating device 400 to the user. For example, the haptic unit 434 may include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0111] The acoustic output unit 436 can aurally provide information related to the aerosol generating device 400 to the user. For example, the acoustic output unit 436 can convert an electrical signal into an acoustic signal and output it externally.

[0112] The battery 440 can supply the power used for the operation of the aerosol generating device 400. The battery 440 can supply power so that the heater 450 can be heated. Also, the battery 440 can supply the power necessary for the operation of other components (e.g., the sensing unit 420, the output unit 430, the user input unit 460, the memory 470, and the communication unit 480) provided in the aerosol generating device 400. The battery 440 is a rechargeable battery and also a single-use battery. For example, the battery 440 may be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

[0113] The heater 450 is supplied with power from the battery 440 and can heat the aerosol generating substance. Although not shown in FIG. 4, the aerosol generating device 400 may further include a power conversion circuit (e.g., a DC (direct current) / DC converter) that converts the power of the battery 440 and supplies it to the heater 450. Also, when the aerosol generating device 400 generates aerosol by an induction heating method, the aerosol generating device 400 may further include a DC / AC (alternating current) converter that converts the DC power source of the battery 440 into an AC power source.

[0114] The control unit 410, the sensing unit 420, the output unit 430, the user input unit 460, the memory 470, and the communication unit 480 can be powered by the battery 440 and perform their functions. Although not shown in FIG. 4, it may further include a power conversion circuit that converts the power of the battery 440 and supplies it to each component, for example, an LDO (low dropout) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit.

[0115] In one embodiment, the heater 450 can be formed of any suitable electrically resistive material. For example, suitable electrically resistive materials include, but are not limited to, metals or metal alloys such as titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, etc. Further, the heater 130 can also be implemented by a metal wire, a metal plate with conductive tracks arranged thereon, a ceramic heating element, etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0116] In other embodiments, the heater 450 is also an induction heating type heater. For example, the heater 450 includes a susceptor that generates heat through a magnetic field applied by a coil and heats the aerosol product substance.

[0117] The user input unit 460 can receive information input by the user or output information to the user. For example, the user input unit 460 can be a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (capacitive touch method, pressure-sensitive resistive film method, infrared sensing method, surface acoustic wave conduction method, integral tension measurement method, piezoelectric effect method, etc.), a jog wheel, a jog switch, etc., but is not limited thereto. Also, although not shown in FIG. 4, the aerosol generating device 400 further includes a connection interface such as a USB (universal serial bus) interface, and can be connected to other external devices via a connection interface such as a USB interface to transmit and receive information or charge the battery 440.

[0118] Memory 470 is hardware that stores various data processed within the aerosol generating device 400, and can store the data processed by the control unit 410 and the data to be processed. Memory 470 also includes at least one type of recording medium such as a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., SD (secure digital) memory or XD (extreme digital) memory, etc.), RAM (random access memory), SRAM (static random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), PROM (programmable read-only memory), magnetic memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk. Memory 470 can store data related to the operating time of the aerosol generating device 400, the maximum puff count, the current puff count, at least one temperature profile, and the smoking pattern of the user.

[0119] The communication unit 480 also includes at least one component for communication with other electronic devices. For example, the communication unit 480 also includes a short-range wireless communication unit 482 and a wireless communication unit 484.

[0120] The short-range communication unit 482 includes, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication unit, a BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) communication unit, a near field communication unit, a WLAN (wireless local area network) (Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity)) communication unit, a Zigbee (registered trademark) communication unit, an infrared (IrDA: infrared data association) communication unit, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication unit, a UWB (ultra-wideband) communication unit, an Ant+ communication unit, etc.

[0121] The wireless communication unit 484 includes, but is not limited to, a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g., a LAN (local area network) communication unit or a WAN (wide area network)) communication unit, etc. The wireless communication unit 484 can also use subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI)) to identify and authenticate the aerosol generating device 400 within the communication network.

[0122] The control unit 410 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 400. In one embodiment, the control unit 410 also includes at least one processor. The processor can also be implemented by an array of a large number of logic gates, or by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable by the microprocessor. Also, those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which this embodiment belongs will be able to understand that it can also be implemented by other forms of hardware.

[0123] The control unit 410 can control the temperature of the heater 450 by controlling the supply of power from the battery 440 to the heater 450. For example, the control unit 410 can control the power supply by controlling the switching of the switching element between the battery 440 and the heater 450. In another example, under the control command of the control unit 410, the direct heating circuit can also control the power supply to the heater 450.

[0124] The control unit 410 can analyze the results sensed by the sensing unit 420 and then control the processes to be performed. For example, based on the results sensed by the sensing unit 420, the control unit 410 can control the power supplied to the heater 450 so that the operation of the heater 450 starts or ends. For another example, based on the results sensed by the sensing unit 420, the control unit 410 can control the amount of power supplied to the heater 450 and the time for which the power is supplied so that the heater 450 can be heated to a predetermined temperature or maintain an appropriate temperature.

[0125] The control unit 410 can control the output unit 430 based on the results sensed by the sensing unit 420. For example, if the number of puffs counted via the puff sensor 426 reaches a preset number, the control unit 410 can notify the user, via at least one of the display unit 432, the haptic unit 434, and the acoustic output unit 436, that the aerosol generator 400 is about to end.

[0126] One embodiment may also be embodied in the form of a recording medium including computer-executable instructions such as program modules executed by a computer. A computer-readable medium is also any available medium that can be accessed by a computer, including both volatile and non-volatile media, and removable and non-removable media. Further, a computer-readable medium includes both computer storage media and communication media. The computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media embodied by any method or technology for storing information such as computer-executable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. The communication media typically includes modulated data signals such as computer-executable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data, or other transmission mechanisms, and includes any information delivery media.

[0127] Example 1: Production of Tobacco Granules Using Freeze-Drying

[0128] Tobacco leaves of the yellow variety (Brazilian, nicotine content 4%) and the burley variety (American, nicotine content 4%) were put into liquid nitrogen and rapidly frozen. Each of the rapidly frozen tobacco leaves was put into an ultra-low temperature grinder and ground. Liquid nitrogen was also put into the interior of the ultra-low temperature grinder. The rotation speed of the grinder was set at 8,000 rpm to produce tobacco ground matter. The particle size of the powder of the tobacco ground matter was 35 μm or less.

[0129] The tobacco ground matter of the yellow variety and the tobacco ground matter of the burley variety were mixed at a weight ratio of 5:5, and a solvent was mixed in the same weight as the tobacco ground matter to produce a mixture. The solvent contains water and ethyl alcohol in a volume ratio of 6:4.

[0130] The mixture was introduced into a wet extruder, and tobacco granules were produced through a screen with a mesh size of 0.5 mm. The produced tobacco granules were introduced into a freeze dryer for drying. The chamber temperature of the freeze dryer was from -40°C to -60°C, and drying was carried out under vacuum conditions. The diameter of the dried tobacco granules was about 0.8 mm to about 1.0 mm.

[0131] Comparative Example 1: Production of tobacco granules using high-temperature drying

[0132] Tobacco leaf yellow variety (Brazilian nicotine content 4%) and burley variety (US nicotine content 4%) were introduced into a grinder and ground. The rotation speed of the grinder was set at 8,000 rpm to produce tobacco ground material. The particle size of the powder of the tobacco ground material was 35 μm or less.

[0133] The yellow variety tobacco ground material and the burley variety tobacco ground material were mixed at a weight ratio of 5:5, and a solvent was mixed in the same weight as the tobacco ground material to produce a mixture. The solvent contained water and ethyl alcohol at a volume ratio of 6:4.

[0134] The mixture was introduced into a wet extruder, and tobacco granules were produced through a screen with a mesh size of 0.5 mm. The produced tobacco granules were introduced into a high-temperature dryer for drying. The chamber temperature of the high-temperature dryer was about 80°C. The diameter of the dried tobacco granules was about 0.8 mm to about 1.0 mm.

[0135] Experimental Example: Sensory property evaluation of aerosol-generating articles

[0136] Aerosol-generating articles containing the tobacco granules of Example 1 described above and aerosol-generating articles containing the tobacco granules of Comparative Example 1 were each produced, and sensory property evaluations regarding taste intensity, taste uniformity, throat irritation, off-flavor, and tobacco flavor were carried out on the aerosol-generating articles.

[0137] The aerosol generating article was manufactured to have the same configuration as the aerosol generating article of FIG. 2. The tobacco rod of the aerosol generating article was adjusted to contain 5 to 6 mg of tobacco granules per 1 mm of the length of the tobacco rod.

[0138] The sensory characteristic evaluation was carried out by heating the aerosol generating article after 4 weeks from the manufacture using the same aerosol generating device under the same conditions (heating temperature, heating time, etc.). The sensory characteristic evaluation was performed by a total of 20 assessors based on a total score of 7 points.

[0139]

Table 1

[0140] Table 1 shows the average scores of the sensory characteristic evaluations by a total of 20 assessors. When referring to Table 1, in terms of characteristics that provide a positive smoking experience for users such as taste intensity, taste uniformity, and tobacco flavor, the aerosol generating article containing the tobacco granules of Example 1 recorded higher scores than the aerosol generating article containing the tobacco granules of Comparative Example 1.

[0141] On the contrary, in the case of throat irritation and off-flavor that provide a negative smoking experience for users, it can be confirmed that the aerosol generating article containing the tobacco granules of Example 1 recorded lower scores than the aerosol generating article containing the tobacco granules of Comparative Example 1.

[0142] Through the results of the sensory characteristic evaluation, it can be confirmed that when the tobacco granules according to the example are applied to the aerosol generating article, the taste intensity, taste uniformity, and tobacco flavor can be improved, and the throat irritation and off-flavor can be reduced.

[0143] The description related to the foregoing embodiments is merely exemplary, and those having ordinary knowledge in the relevant technical field will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the invention is defined by the scope of the claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent to the content described in the claims are construed to be included in the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

Step of pulverizing tobacco raw materials at a temperature of -15°C to -120°C to produce a tobacco pulverized product; Step of producing a mixture containing the tobacco pulverized product and a solvent; Step of producing tobacco granules using the mixture; Step of freeze-drying the tobacco granules at a temperature of -15°C to -120°C, which is a method for producing tobacco granules.

2. The method for producing tobacco granules according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco pulverized product has a diameter of 10 μm to 100 μm.

3. The method for producing tobacco granules according to claim 1, wherein the solvent contains one or more selected from water and alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

4. The method for producing tobacco granules according to claim 1, wherein the solvent contains water and alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in a volume ratio of 10:0 to 5:

5.

5. The method for producing tobacco granules according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing the tobacco granules includes a step of subjecting the mixture to wet extrusion.

6. The method for producing tobacco granules according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing the tobacco granules includes a step of injecting the mixture into a fluidized bed reactor.

7. The method for producing tobacco granules according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the tobacco granules is 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

8. The method for producing tobacco granules according to claim 1, wherein the freeze-drying step is performed under vacuum.

9. The method for producing tobacco granules according to claim 1, wherein the moisture content of the tobacco granules after the freeze-drying step is 3% to 10% by weight based on the tobacco granules.

10. The method for producing tobacco granules according to claim 1, wherein the porosity of the tobacco granules after the freeze-drying step is 10% to 70%.

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