Flavor rod for use in non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation article

Abstract

A flavoured rod (100) is used in a non-combustion heating-type flavour inhaler (200). The flavoured rod (100) comprises: a filling rod (28) of a reduced diameter, obtained by bundling and rolling flavoured sheets (1) in the width direction X of said rod which intersects the length direction Y thereof; and rolling paper (30) wrapped around the filling rod (28). The flavoured sheets (1) include: a sheet (2) formed of fibres (6); an adhesive added to one side (A) of the sheet (2); and particles (4) supplied to the other side (B) of the sheet (2). The flavoured sheets are formed of a non-woven fabric obtained through an airlaid process in which the sheet (2) is formed, the adhesive is added, and the particles (4) are supplied.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flavor rod for use in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation article. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a sheet of homogeneous tobacco material produced by forming a slurry containing a blended tobacco powder mixture and casting the slurry on a support surface. Patent Document 2 discloses a reconstituted tobacco sheet produced by extracting water-soluble products of tobacco, then separating the water-soluble products from tobacco fibers, then refining the tobacco fibers, passing them through a paper machine to form a base sheet, and then introducing concentrated water-soluble products of tobacco into the base sheet. Patent Document 3 discloses a reconstituted tobacco sheet produced by rolling a mixture containing shredded tobacco.

[0003] Patent Document 4 discloses a tobacco rod in which a tobacco sheet containing homogenized tobacco particles and susceptor particles is compressed, folded, and packed. Patent Document 5 discloses a tobacco rod in which a pulverized tobacco material is mixed with an aerosol-generating substance and water to form a slurry, a tabular tobacco sheet is formed from the slurry, and a plurality of finely cut tobacco strands are packed in the same direction or randomly. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6929300 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6946306 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2021 / 181327 [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2015 / 177252 [Patent Document 5] Special Publication No. 2021-519604 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The tobacco sheets described in Patent Documents 1 to 5 are formed through steps such as casting a slurry, making fibers into paper, or rolling and crimping materials, resulting in high sheet density, thin sheet thickness, and low air permeability. Flavor rods manufactured by filling such tobacco sheets, in other words, flavor sheets containing flavors other than tobacco, require an increased filling amount of the flavor sheet, and as a result, flavor segments cut from the flavor rod, and ultimately flavor inhalation articles (hereinafter simply referred to as articles) containing these flavor segments, have increased air resistance.

[0006] As a result of the increased airflow resistance of the article, the amount of airflow through the flavor segment when inhaling the article, and therefore the amount of air inhaled by the user, tends to decrease. As a result, the flavor components contained in the flavor sheet cannot be efficiently volatilized, and an aerosol of the flavor components cannot be efficiently generated. Furthermore, if the airflow resistance of the flavor rod is high, the amount of airflow through the flavor segment decreases, and the flavor components that are heated and volatilized are adsorbed and filtered by the flavor rod itself.

[0007] As a result, fewer flavor components are delivered to the downstream side of the flavor rod in the direction of the airflow, and ultimately, fewer flavor components are available for the user to inhale. In particular, non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation articles generally have a lower heating temperature than combustion heating type flavor inhalation articles, so that fewer flavor components are volatilized and fewer flavor components are available for the user to inhale, making it difficult to provide a flavor that satisfies the user.

[0008] On the other hand, when a flavor rod is formed by folding or stacking thin flavor sheets, as in the tobacco rods described in Patent Documents 4 and 5, gaps are likely to form between the flavor sheets. When the article is inhaled, the amount of airflow through these gaps inevitably increases. Since the volatilization and aerosolization of the flavor components contained in the flavor sheets mainly occur in the gaps with a large amount of airflow, efficient volatilization and efficient aerosolization of the flavor components are hindered.

[0009] Furthermore, when a flavor rod is formed by folding or stacking thin flavor sheets, variations in the degree of filling of the flavor sheets occur, and variations in the size and shape of the voids are likely to occur. The variations in the size and shape of the voids cause variations in the amount of flavor components volatilized from the flavor sheets and the amount of aerosol generated. Therefore, variations in the formation of voids and the degree of filling of the flavor sheets make it difficult to provide a consistent flavor to users.

[0010] In particular, in the case of the tobacco rod described in Patent Document 4, variations in the degree of filling of the flavor sheet occur, which can result in variations in the contact state between the tobacco particles and the susceptor particles. This causes variations in the heating distribution of the tobacco particles, resulting in significant fluctuations in the amount of volatilization of flavor components and, in turn, the amount of aerosol generated, making it even more difficult to provide a consistent flavor to the user.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and aims to provide a flavor rod for use in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation article that can efficiently and quantitatively supply flavor components to the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] A flavor rod for use in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation article, the flavor rod comprising a filling rod in which a flavor sheet is converged in a width direction intersecting with a longitudinal direction thereof to reduce its diameter, and a wrapping paper wrapped around the filling rod, the flavor sheet comprising a sheet formed from fibers, an adhesive applied to one side of the sheet, and particles supplied to the other side of the sheet. , nonIt is formed from a woven fabric. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The flavor inhalation article using the flavor rod described above can efficiently and quantitatively supply flavor components to the user. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a flavor sheet. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a flavor sheet manufacturing device. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for producing a flavor sheet. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of one embodiment of a flavor rod. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram of another embodiment of a flavor rod. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the volume filling rate of a filling rod. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a flavor inhalation article. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] 1. Flavoring sheet The flavor sheet includes a sheet formed from fibers, an adhesive added to one side of the sheet, and particles provided on the other side of the sheet. The flavor sheet is formed from a nonwoven fabric, in which the sheet is formed, the adhesive is added, and the particles are provided by an airlaid process described below. The flavor sheet is used in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation article, and there are various ways in which the flavor sheet can be formed and arranged on the article.

[0016] For example, a flavor sheet can be folded or randomly gathered and wrapped in a wrapping paper to form a flavor rod, which can then be cut to form flavor segments, which can then be combined with other segments to form a rod-shaped article.

[0017] (1) Particles The particles contained in the sheet are formed to a size that allows them to be easily embedded inside the sheet. Specifically, the particle size of the particles is preferably in the range of 14 Mesh to 500 Mesh on a standard sieve (ASTM E11). More preferably, the particle size is 14 Mesh to 70 Mesh, in which case the particles are embedded in a dispersed state in the gaps between the fibers that make up the sheet. Furthermore, by setting the particle size to 70 Mesh to 500 Mesh, the particles adhere to the surfaces of the fibers that make up the sheet, and as a result, are embedded in the sheet. When particles with a particle size of 70 Mesh to 500 Mesh are supplied to the sheet, they may be dispersed in a liquid to form a paste or suspension, which is then applied to the surface of the sheet.

[0018] The particles are flavor component-releasing agents, and the component-releasing agent is a material containing a substance and a carrier that supports the substance so as to be releasable, or a material that itself releases the substance. In the former, the substance can be a flavoring such as menthol or a tobacco extract as a flavor component, and the carrier can be an inclusion compound such as cyclodextrin or a porous material such as calcium carbonate or alumina.

[0019] Examples of the latter include particles such as mint leaf pulverization obtained by pulverizing mint leaves and tobacco pulverization obtained by pulverizing tobacco plants. Mint leaf particles release menthol and the like, and tobacco particles release flavor. All particles may be composed of the component-releasing agent, or only a portion of all particles may be composed of the component-releasing agent. In the latter case, the lower limit of the total amount of the component-releasing agent in all particles is preferably 80% by weight or more, more preferably 90% by weight or more, and even more preferably 95% by weight or more. The upper limit is preferably 99% by weight or less, more preferably 98% by weight or less.

[0020] More specifically, the amount of flavor components contained in the sheet is adjusted according to the quality target of the product. When a predetermined amount of particles is contained on a sheet of a predetermined area, it may be difficult to adjust the conditions in the manufacturing device of the product simply by increasing or decreasing the amount of particles. Therefore, from the viewpoint of stable production of the product, it is preferable to mix particles that do not release components (bulk-increasing particles) and component-releasing particles, adjust the ratio between them, and prepare so that the total amount of particles to be supplied does not change.

[0021] (2) Fiber The fibers are not particularly limited as long as they can form the matrix of the sheet. Examples include synthetic or semi-synthetic fibers made from cellulose acetate, PP, PE, PET, polylactic acid, etc. Also included are natural fibers such as plant fibers made from cellulose, etc., but from the perspective of reducing environmental impact, plant-derived natural fibers are preferred.

[0022] Although the length of the fibers is not particularly limited, relatively short fibers are preferred to form the matrix of the sheet, and the fiber length is preferably 5 mm or less. Although the fineness of the fibers is not particularly limited, the single fineness of synthetic or semi-synthetic fibers is preferably 1 to 30 (denier / filament), more preferably 1 to 10 (denier / filament).

[0023] In the case of natural fibers, roughness can be used as an index of thickness and length. From the viewpoint of more easily achieving an airflow resistance suitable for suction, the roughness is preferably 0.15 to 0.25 mg / m, more preferably 0.16 to 0.24 mg / m, and even more preferably 0.18 to 0.22 mg / m. The roughness is measured in accordance with JIS P8120:1998.

[0024] When synthetic or semi-synthetic fibers are used, the cross-sectional shape of the fibers is not limited, but an R-shape or a Y-shape is preferred, with a Y-shape being more preferred from a cost perspective. Furthermore, plasticizers and binders can be used to bond the contact points between fibers during sheet molding and improve sheet strength. When natural fibers such as cellulose are used, water-soluble binders such as starch, modified starch, modified cellulose, PVA, or PVAc can be used alone or in combination, or latex can also be used.

[0025] When acetate fiber is used as the fiber, the binder for natural fibers described above can be used, and a plasticizer (triacetin) capable of dissolving cellulose acetate can also be used. Among these, plant-derived natural fibers are preferred because they have a smaller environmental impact than synthetic or semi-synthetic fibers, and wood pulp fibers are particularly preferred because of their excellent heat resistance. In this case, the weight of wood pulp fiber contained per unit area of ​​the sheet is preferably 25 to 50 g / m2 from the viewpoints of manufacturability when processing the sheet into a flavor sheet and hardness after processing into a flavor sheet.

[0026] (3) Adhesive The adhesive may be a known adhesive, such as a starch-based adhesive, a modified starch-based adhesive, a modified cellulose-based adhesive such as CMC, HPC, or PPMC, or a polysaccharide adhesive such as alginate, carrageenan, or guar gum, or a polymer adhesive such as polyvinyl alcohol. Among these, from the viewpoints of relatively little effect on the flavor of the product, relatively excellent water resistance, and excellent heat resistance, the adhesive is preferably selected from polyvinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer, or a mixture thereof. The adhesive weight (solids weight) per unit area of ​​the sheet is preferably 4 to 40 g / m2. An excessively large amount of adhesive is economically disadvantageous and may affect the flavor. Furthermore, an excessively small amount of adhesive may result in a small number of bonded points between the fibers, which may lead to problems such as fiber separation and an inability to maintain the sheet's tensile strength.

[0027] (4) Particle distribution ratio Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a flavor sheet. In the figure, 1 is the flavor sheet, 2 is the base sheet, 4 is particles, 6 is fibers, A is one side of the flavor sheet 1, a is the region from the center of the thickness direction Z of the sheet 2 to one side A, B is the other side B of the flavor sheet 1, and b is the region from the center of the thickness direction Z of the sheet 2 to the other side B. The particles 4 are distributed in the flavor sheet 1 with a predetermined distribution rate. The distribution rate CA of the particles 4 in the region a of the flavor sheet 1 and the distribution rate CB of the particles 4 in the region b of the flavor sheet 1 are defined as follows: CA = weight of particles in area a / total weight of particles CB = weight of particles in region b / total weight of particles

[0028] The particles 4 in the sheet 2 are distributed so that CA>CB is satisfied. That is, the particles 4 are distributed in greater numbers on the side of region a, which includes one surface A of the sheet 2. CA:CB is preferably 60-100:0-40, and more preferably 70-90:10-30. The total weight of the particles 4 per unit area of ​​the flavor sheet 1 is preferably 7-80 g / m2, and more preferably 10-40 g / m2. If the weight of the particles 4 is less than the lower limit, the function of the particles 4 cannot be fully exerted, and if it exceeds the upper limit, it is economically disadvantageous.

[0029] It is preferable that the distribution ratio of particles 4 near the surface layer of the flavor sheet 1 is low. This is because if a large number of particles 4 are present near the surface layer of the flavor sheet 1, there is a risk of damaging the manufacturing equipment described below during manufacturing. From this perspective, the distribution ratios CAs and CBs of particles 4 near the surface layer are defined as follows. CAs = Weight of particles present in a 5% area from one surface (surface A) in the thickness direction / Total particle weight CBs = Weight of particles present in a 5% area in the thickness direction from the other surface (surface B) / Total particle weight

[0030] The distribution ratio CAs is preferably 0 to 10, more preferably 0 to 5, and even more preferably 0 to 3. The distribution ratio CBs is preferably 0 to 5, more preferably 0 to 3, and even more preferably 0 to 1. From the viewpoint of protecting the production equipment, it is more preferable that both CAs and CBs are 0. When both CAs and CBs are not 0, it is preferable that the particles 4 are embedded in the flavor sheet 1.

[0031] These distribution rates can be determined by image analysis of a cross section of the flavor sheet 1, or by dividing the flavor sheet 1 along a plane parallel to the main surface at a portion 5% from the center or surface in the thickness direction Z and measuring the weight of the particles 4 and the sheet 2. The former method is preferred from the viewpoint of simplicity. Since the distribution rate of the particles 4 in the flavor sheet 1 is uniform in the planar direction, in this method, image analysis of one cross section of the flavor sheet 1 can be used to determine the distribution rate of the particles 4 in the entire sheet.

[0032] (5) Shape of flavor sheet, etc. The shape of the flavor sheet 1 is adjusted appropriately depending on the application. For example, if a flavor rod for a cylindrical product having a diameter of 24 mm and a height of 27 mm is to be produced, the flavor sheet 1 has a length of 27 mm, a width of 50 to 150 mm, and a thickness of 0.5 to 3.0 mm. The flavor sheet 1 is produced by the airlaid process described below, which results in a thicker and more breathable flavor sheet than conventional flavor sheets. The thickness of the flavor sheet 1 can be measured by optically measuring the cross section of the sheet, such as by image analysis. It can also be measured using the thickness measurement method for paper and paperboard specified in JIS P8118:2014.

[0033] The apparent density of the flavor sheet 1 is not limited, but in one embodiment it is 30 to 200 g / m3. The apparent density here can be calculated by dividing the basis weight of the sheet including all of the sheet components, namely, the fibers 6, adhesive, and particles 4, by the volume of the sheet. The air permeability of the flavor sheet 1 is 1000 l / m 2 / s to 50,000 l / m 2 / s, which is higher than conventional air permeability. The air permeability of the flavor sheet 1 is measured using a measurement method in accordance with ISO9073-15.

[0034] 2. Manufacturing method of flavor sheets FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus for the flavor sheet 1, and FIG. 3 shows a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing method for the flavor sheet 1. In FIG. 2, 8 is a mesh, 10 and 12 are sheet conveyors, 2 is a particle-free sheet, 1 is a flavor sheet, 14 is a fiber feeder, 16 is an adhesive feeder, 18 is an aspirator, 20 is a dryer, 22 is a particle feeder, 24 is an adhesive feeder, and 26 is a dryer. Although FIG. 2 shows multiple sheets 2, the sheet 2 on the mesh 8 may be continuous with the flavor sheet 1. The flavor sheet 1 is manufactured using this manufacturing apparatus by an airlaid process including the following steps.

[0035] (1) Sheet forming process S1 When the production of the flavor sheet 1 is started, in this process, fibers 6 are supplied from a fiber supplying machine 14 to a mesh 8 to form a sheet 2. The fibers 6 are preferably natural fibers derived from plants, and the fibers 6 are preferably supplied to the mesh 8 by dropping from the fiber supplying machine 14. The mesh 8 is not limited as long as it is one used in the production of dry nonwoven fabrics, and examples thereof include wire mesh. More specifically, this process includes a fiber supplying process P1 in which fibers 6 are supplied from the fiber supplying machine 14 to one side (specifically, the upper side) of the mesh 8 using a gas medium, and a fiber holding process P2 in which the other side (specifically, the lower side) of the mesh 8 is sucked by an aspirator 18 to hold the fibers on the mesh 8. Air can be used as the gas medium.

[0036] (2) Adhesive addition step S2 In this step, adhesive is applied from adhesive supply machine 16 to one side A (specifically, the upper side) of sheet 2. In the particle supply step S5 described below, the airlaid process of this manufacturing process may also apply adhesive to the other side B (specifically, the lower side) of sheet 2. Specific adhesives are as described above, and the amount is adjusted appropriately. The amount of adhesive added in this step is adjusted, taking into account the amount of adhesive supplied to side B in particle supply step S5, so that the amount ultimately contained per unit area of ​​sheet 2 is approximately 4 to 40 g / m2 in terms of adhesive solid weight.

[0037] For example, approximately 2 to 20 g / m2 of adhesive can be added to surface A, and then approximately 2 to 20 g / m2 of adhesive can be added to surface B in particle supply step S5. The adhesive supply device 16 is a spray, and the adhesive is preferably sprayed. The sheet 2 to which the adhesive has been added is transferred to a sheet conveyor 10, where it is preferably dried. Drying may be performed using a dryer 20 or by air drying. A belt conveyor, for example, can be used as the sheet conveyor 12. In this step, the adhesive is applied to surface A, and the fibers 6 are fixed together.

[0038] (3) Drying process S3 In this manufacturing method, the drying step S3 can be provided at any position. FIG. 2 shows two cases in which this step is performed in the dryer 20 between the adhesive adding step S2 and the sheet inverting step S4 described below, as described above, and in which this step is performed in the dryer 26 after the particle supplying step S5 described below. In this manufacturing method, at least the latter drying step S3 is performed. This step is preferably performed when a water-soluble adhesive is used in the adhesive adding step S2. Drying may be performed by air drying. Furthermore, when latex is used as the adhesive in the adhesive adding step S2, air drying may be performed without using the dryers 20 and 26, or the drying step S3 may not be provided.

[0039] (4) Sheet inversion process S4 In this step, the sheet 2 obtained in the adhesive adding step S2 is inverted. Specifically, the sheet 2 is transferred from the sheet conveying machine 10 to the sheet conveying machine 12, and is inverted so that the other side B faces upward.

[0040] (5) Particle supply process S5 In this step, particles 4 are supplied to side B of the inverted sheet 2 to form the flavor sheet 1. Specifically, this step includes a simultaneous adhesive addition process P3 in which adhesive is added from the adhesive supply machine 24 simultaneously with the particles 4, or a post-adhesive addition process P4 in which adhesive is added from the adhesive supply machine 24 after the particles 4 have been supplied. This allows adhesive to be added to side B of the sheet, and the particles 4 are fixedly held to the sheet 2, completing the production of the flavor sheet 1.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the simultaneous adhesive addition process P3 is performed. The adhesive supplying machine 24 is preferably a spray machine, similar to the adhesive supplying machine 16. As described above, the amount of adhesive added in this process is adjusted so that the final weight of the adhesive solids is approximately 4 to 40 g / m2. The amount of particles is appropriately adjusted to achieve the desired amount. In the flavor sheet 1 produced in this manner, a large number of particles 4 are present on side A of the sheet 2.

[0042] 3. Flavoring rod FIG. 4 shows a conceptual diagram of one embodiment of a flavor rod 100. The flavor rod 100 to be used in an article is prepared from a flavor sheet 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a filled rod 28 is formed by converging a cut flavor sheet 1 in a width direction X that intersects with its longitudinal direction Y (in other words, the conveyance direction of the flavor sheet 1 in FIG. 2, or the axial direction of the filled rod 28) to reduce its diameter. The flavor rod 100 can be formed by wrapping a wrapping paper 30 around the filled rod 28.

[0043] (1) S-shaped sheet cross section As shown in Figure 4, the filling rod 28 is formed by stacking multiple flavor sheets 1 and folding them in the width direction X to reduce the diameter. The folded shape of each flavor sheet 1 in the filling rod 28 is such that the cross section of the sheet has an S-shape. The filling rod 28 includes a susceptor 32 that inductively heats each flavor sheet 1. The susceptor 32 is a heating material that converts electrical energy into heat, and generates an induced current when an article is attached to the device and placed in an electromagnetic field.

[0044] The susceptor 32 generates heat due to electrical resistance generated by the flow of induced current, heating each flavor sheet 1 constituting the flavor rod 100 and volatilizing the flavor components together with the aerosol. The susceptor 32 is, for example, in the form of a sheet, and is overlapped with each flavor sheet 1 and folded together with each flavor sheet 1 into an S shape.

[0045] (2) ω-shaped sheet cross section 5 is a conceptual diagram showing another embodiment of the flavor rod 100. As shown in FIG. 5, the folded shape of each flavor sheet 1 in the filling rod 28 may be such that the cross section of the sheet has an ω-shape. In this case, the susceptor 32 is overlapped with each flavor sheet 1 and folded together with each flavor sheet 1 into the ω-shape.

[0046] 4 and 5, the susceptor 32 is preferably disposed between the flavor sheets 1, and more preferably positioned in the center of the filling rod 28. This increases the contact area between the susceptor 32 and each flavor sheet 1, allowing each flavor sheet 1 to be heated evenly and promoting the evaporation of flavor components. The susceptor 32 may be plate-shaped, and in this case, the susceptor 32 is disposed at least inside the filling rod 28. In addition, in an embodiment in which the article is heated by a heating method other than induction heating, the susceptor 32 is not disposed on the filling rod 28.

[0047] (3) Volume filling rate of the filling rod 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the volume filling rate of the filling rod 28. Note that FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which the filling rod 28 does not include a susceptor 32. t is the thickness of each flavor sheet 1 in the thickness direction Z when stacked before being formed into the filling rod 28, w is the sheet width in the width direction X of the flavor sheet 1 before being formed into the filling rod 28, and r is the radius of the filling rod 28. The total sheet cross-sectional area Ss, which is the sum of the sheet cross-sectional areas in the width direction X of the flavor sheets 1, the rod cross-sectional area Sr, which is the sheet cross-sectional area in the radial direction of the filling rod 28, and the volume filling rate R of the filling rod 28, calculated as a percentage, are defined as follows: Ss=t×w Sr=r×r×π R = (Ss / Sr) × 100

[0048] By adjusting the total sheet cross-sectional area Ss and the rod cross-sectional area Sr, the volume filling rate R of the filling rod 28 is set to 100% or more. That is, to make the volume filling rate R 100% or more, in other words, to make the filling rod 28 have a void rate of 0%, the thickness t1 of one flavor sheet 1 is appropriately adjusted within the range of 0.5 to 3.0 mm as described above, the number of flavor sheets 1 to be filled into the filling rod 28 is adjusted, and further, the degree of diameter reduction of each flavor sheet 1 is adjusted.

[0049] This results in a filling rod 28 that is free of voids, thereby suppressing variations in the amount of air permeation through the filling rod 28 due to voids during inhalation. This therefore suppresses variations in the amount of flavor components and aerosols volatilized from the flavor sheet 1. Note that when the filling rod 28 includes a susceptor 32, the cross-sectional area of ​​the susceptor 32 is taken into consideration when calculating the volume filling rate R.

[0050] (4) Air flow resistance of the filling rod The airflow resistance per 10 mm of length in the axial direction of the filling rod 28 is set to 5 mmH2O to 50 mmH2O. The airflow resistance of the filling rod 28 is measured in accordance with the ISO standard method (ISO6565) that specifies the method for measuring filter airflow resistance, for example, using an "Airflow Resistance Meter A11 (manufactured by Burghart)." This results in a filling rod 28 that is free of voids and has greater air permeability than conventional filling rods. The flavor rod 100 formed from such a filling rod 28 is cut into flavor segments, which are combined with other segments such as filter segments to form a non-combustion and heating type flavor inhalation article.

[0051] 4. Flavor suction article (1) Non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation product FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a flavor inhalation article. In the figure, reference numeral 200 denotes a non-combustion-heating type flavor inhalation article. The article 200 includes a flavor segment 34 and a mouthpiece segment 36. The mouthpiece segment 36 includes a cooling segment 38, a center hole segment 40, a first filter segment F1, and a second filter segment F2. The first filter segment F1 and the second filter segment F2 are collectively referred to as the "filter section." When the article 200 is inhaled, the flavor segment 34 is heated, and inhalation occurs from the end of the first filter segment F1. Although the susceptor 32 is not shown in FIG. 7, if a susceptor 32 is provided, the flavor segment 34 will be induction-heated by the susceptor 32.

[0052] The flavor segment 34 is formed by cutting the flavor rod 100 and includes a sheet filling portion 42 formed by the filling rod 28, and the aforementioned cylindrical cigarette paper 30 that covers the sheet filling portion 42. The sheet filling portion 42 contains an aerosol-generating base material and may further contain a volatile flavor component and water. There are various types of tobacco from which the tobacco extract or tobacco powder contained in the particles of the sheet filling portion 42 is obtained, and flue-cured tobacco, Burley, Orient, native tobacco, and other Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rustica varieties can be appropriately blended to obtain the desired flavor.

[0053] The aerosol-generating base material is a material capable of generating an aerosol upon heating, and is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include glycerin, propylene glycol (PG), triethyl citrate (TEC), triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0054] The type of volatile fragrance component is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoint of imparting a good flavor, examples thereof include acetanisole, acetophenone, acetylpyrazine, 2-acetylthiazole, alfalfa extract, amyl alcohol, amyl butyrate, trans-anethole, star anise oil, apple juice, Peru balsam oil, beeswax absolute, benzaldehyde, benzoin resinoid, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, benzyl propionate, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanol, butyl butyrate, butyric acid, caramel, cardamom oil, carob absolute, β-carotene, carrot juice, L-carvone, β-caryophyllene, cassia bark oil, cedarwood oil, celery seed oil, chamomile oil, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, cinnamyl alcohol, cinnamyl cinnamate, citronella oil, DL-cinnamate, citronella oleracea oil ... Toronellol, clary sage extract, cocoa, coffee, cognac oil, coriander oil, cumin aldehyde, davana oil, delta-decalactone, gamma-decalactone, decanoic acid, dill herb oil, 3,4-dimethyl-1,2-cyclopentanedione, 4,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-one, 3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoic acid, 2,3-dimethylpyrazine, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,6-dimethylpyrazine, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl isovalerate, ethyl lactate, ethyl laurate, ethyl levulinate, ethyl maltol, ethyl octanoate, ethyl oleate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl phenylacetate, ethyl propionate, ethyl stearate, ethyl valerate, ethyl vanillin, ethyl vanillin glucoside, 2-ethyl-3,(5 or 6)-Dimethylpyrazine, 5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone, 2-ethyl-3-methylpyrazine, eucalyptol, fenugreek absolute, gene absolute, gentian root infusion, geraniol, geranyl acetate, grape juice, guaiacol, guava extract, gamma-heptalactone, gamma-hexalactone, hexanoic acid, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, hexyl acetate, hexyl alcohol, phenylhexyl acetate, honey, 4-hydroxy-3-pentenoic acid, la Ingredients: methicone, 4-hydroxy-4-(3-hydroxy-1-butenyl)-3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, 4-(para-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, sodium 4-hydroxyundecanoate, immortelle absolute, beta-ionone, isoamyl acetate, isoamyl butyrate, isoamyl phenylacetate, isobutyl acetate, isobutyl phenylacetate, jasmine absolute, cola nut tincture, labdanum oil, lemon terpeneless oil, licorice extract, linalool, linalyl acetate, robertia jasmine Orris root oil, maltol, maple syrup, menthol, menthone, L-menthyl acetate, para-methoxybenzaldehyde, methyl 2-pyrrolyl ketone, methyl anthranilate, methyl phenylacetate, methyl salicylate, 4'-methylacetophenone, methylcyclopentenolone, 3-methylvaleric acid, mimosa absolute, honey, myristic acid, nerol, nerolidol, gamma-nonalactone, nutmeg oil, delta-octalactone, octanal, octanoic acid, orange flower oil, orange oil, orris root oil, palmitic acid, omega-pentadecamethyl Calactone, peppermint oil, petitgrain Paraguay oil, phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl phenylacetate, phenylacetic acid, piperonal, plum extract, propenylguaethol, propyl acetate, 3-propylidenephthalide, prune juice, pyruvic acid, raisin extract, rose oil, rum, sage oil, sandalwood oil, spearmint oil, styrax absolute, marigold oil, tea distillate, alpha-terpineol, terpinyl acetate, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline, 1,5,5,Examples of the aromatic hydrocarbons include 9-tetramethyl-13-oxacyclo(8.3.0.0(4.9))tridecane, 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine, thyme oil, tomato extract, 2-tridecanone, triethyl citrate, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)2-buten-4-one, 2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1,4-dione, 4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-cyclohexadienyl)2-buten-4-one, 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, γ-undecalactone, γ-valerolactone, vanilla extract, vanillin, veratraldehyde, violet leaf absolute, and extracts of tobacco plants (tobacco leaves, tobacco stems, tobacco flowers, tobacco roots, and tobacco seeds), with menthol being particularly preferred. These volatile fragrance ingredients may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0055] The content of the aerosol-generating base material in the filled sheet portion 42 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of generating sufficient aerosol and imparting a good flavor, it is usually 5 to 50% by weight, preferably 10 to 20% by weight. When the filled sheet portion 42 contains a volatile flavor component, the content thereof is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of imparting a good flavor, it is usually 100 ppm or more, preferably 10,000 ppm or more, more preferably 25,000 ppm or more, and usually 100,000 ppm or less, preferably 50,000 ppm or less, more preferably 33,000 ppm or less, based on the weight of the filled sheet portion 42.

[0056] When the sheet-filled portion 42 is heated, the flavor components, aerosol-generating base material, and water contained in the sheet-filled portion 42 vaporize and are inhaled, transferring these to the mouthpiece segment 36. The cooling segment 38 is composed of a tubular member 44. The tubular member 44 is, for example, a paper tube made by processing cardboard into a cylindrical shape. The tubular member 44 and the mouthpiece lining paper 54 (described later) are provided with perforations 46 that penetrate both.

[0057] The presence of the perforations 46 allows outside air to be introduced into the cooling segment 38 during inhalation. As a result, the vaporized components of the aerosol generated by heating the flavor segment 34 come into contact with the outside air, and as their temperature drops, they are liquefied, generating an aerosol. The diameter (distance across) of the perforations 46 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.5 to 1.5 mm. The number of perforations 46 is not particularly limited, and may be one, two, or more. A plurality of perforations 46 may be provided on the circumference of the cooling segment 38.

[0058] The center hole segment 40 is composed of a filling layer 48 having a hollow portion and an inner plug wrapper 50 that covers the filling layer 48. The center hole segment 40 functions to increase the strength of the mouthpiece segment 36. The filling layer 48 is a rod with an inner diameter of φ5.0 to φ1.0 mm, which is densely packed with cellulose acetate fibers, and hardened by adding a plasticizer containing triacetin in an amount of 6 to 20% by weight based on the weight of the cellulose acetate.

[0059] Because the packed layer 48 has a high fiber packing density, when inhaled, air and aerosol flow only through the hollow portion and hardly at all within the packed layer 48. When it is desired to reduce the loss of aerosol components due to filtration in the filter section, shortening the length of the filter section and replacing it with a center hole segment 40 is effective in increasing the delivery amount of aerosol components. Because the packed layer 48 inside the center hole segment 40 is a fiber packed layer, it feels pleasant to the touch from the outside when in use.

[0060] The center hole segment 40 and the filter section are connected by an outer plug wrapper 52. The outer plug wrapper 52 is, for example, a cylindrical piece of paper. The sheet filling section 42, the cooling segment 38, and the connected center hole segment 40 and filter section are connected by a mouthpiece lining paper 54. These connections can be made, for example, by applying glue such as vinyl acetate glue to the inner surface of the mouthpiece lining paper 54, and then inserting and winding the three segments.

[0061] The length of the article 200 in the axial direction, i.e., the horizontal direction in Fig. 7, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 40 to 90 mm, more preferably 50 to 75 mm, and even more preferably 50 to 60 mm. The circumferential length of the article 200 is preferably 16 to 25 mm, more preferably 20 to 24 mm, and even more preferably 21 to 23 mm.

[0062] For example, the length of the flavor segment 34 may be 20 mm, the length of the cooling segment 38 may be 20 mm, the length of the center hole segment 40 may be 6 mm, and the lengths of the first filter segment F1 and the second filter segment F2 may each be 7.0 mm. The lengths of these individual segments may be changed as appropriate depending on manufacturing suitability, required quality, etc. Furthermore, only the filter section may be disposed downstream of the cooling segment 38 without using the center hole segment 40.

[0063] (2) Flavor suction system The non-combustion heating type article 200 is preferably used in combination with a device that heats the article 200. This combination is also referred to as a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation system. A known device can be used as the device, and it is preferable to use, for example, a heater that uses electric resistance. Furthermore, when the flavor segment 34 includes a susceptor 32, an induced current flows in the susceptor 32 when the article 200 is attached to the device, and the article 200 is heated by the electric resistance generated by the induced current.

[0064] As described above, the flavor rod 100 of this embodiment includes the filling rod 28 formed by converging the flavor sheet 1 in the width direction X to reduce its diameter, and the cigarette paper 30 wrapped around the filling rod 28. The flavor sheet 1 includes a sheet 2 formed from fibers 6, an adhesive applied to one side A of the sheet 2, and particles 4 supplied to the other side B of the sheet 2, and is formed from a nonwoven fabric in which the formation of the sheet 2, the addition of the adhesive, and the supply of the particles 4 are carried out by an airlaid process. A flavor inhalation article 200 using the flavor rod 100 formed from this flavor sheet 1 can efficiently and quantitatively supply flavor components to a user.

[0065] Specifically, since the flavor sheet 1 is formed from a dry nonwoven fabric, the density of the sheet 2 is lower, the thickness of the sheet 2 is greater, and the breathability of the sheet 2 is higher than conventional ones. The airflow resistance of the article 200 using the flavor rod 100 formed from such a flavor sheet 1 is significantly reduced. Therefore, when the article 200 is inhaled, the flavor components contained in the flavor sheet 1 can be efficiently volatilized, and an aerosol of the flavor components can be efficiently generated.

[0066] Furthermore, by reducing the airflow resistance of the article 200, it is possible to reduce the amount of flavor components that are adsorbed and filtered by the flavor rod 100 itself. Therefore, even in the non-combustion heating type article 200 that can contain only a small amount of flavor components, it is possible to provide a flavor that is satisfying to the user.

[0067] Furthermore, by forming the flavor sheet 1 from a nonwoven fabric in which the sheet 2 is formed, the adhesive is added, and the particles 4 are supplied by an airlaid process, it is possible to eliminate voids in the filling rod 28 formed by filling the flavor sheet 1. This promotes efficient volatilization of the flavor components and efficient aerosolization of the flavor components, allowing the flavor to be efficiently supplied to the user.

[0068] Furthermore, the absence of voids in the filling rod 28, the low density of the sheet 2, and the large thickness of the sheet 2 reduce variations in the filling state of the flavor sheet 1 in the filling rod 28 and in the flavor rod 100. This reduces variations in the amount of flavor components volatilized from the flavor sheet 1 in the flavor rod 100 and the amount of aerosol generated, making it possible to provide a consistent flavor to the user.

[0069] Furthermore, the adhesive is also added to the other side B of the sheet 2 by the airlaid process. Specifically, the adhesive is added to side B of the sheet in a simultaneous adhesive addition process P3 or a post-adhesive addition process P4 in the particle supply step S5. This increases the tensile strength of the sheet 2 and allows the particles 4 to be held more securely by the sheet 2.

[0070] The flavor sheet 1 has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm. By using a thicker sheet 2 than conventional ones, it is possible to reliably form a flavor sheet 1 having a low density and high air permeability of the sheet 2. Specifically, the flavor sheet 1 has a density of 1000 l / m 2 / s to 50,000 l / m 2 / s, which allows the flavor components contained in the flavor sheet 1 to be efficiently volatilized, and also allows the aerosol of the flavor components to be efficiently generated.

[0071] Furthermore, when the total sheet cross-sectional area Ss, the rod cross-sectional area Sr, and the volume filling rate R are defined as above, the volume filling rate R of the filling rod 28 is 100% or more. This ensures that the filling rod 28 is free of voids, thereby preventing voids from causing variations in the airflow in the filling rod 28 when the article 200 is inhaled. This therefore makes it possible to suppress variations in the amount of flavor components volatilized from the flavor sheet 1 and the amount of aerosol generated.

[0072] Specifically, the airflow resistance per 10 mm length in the axial direction Y of the filling rod 28 is 5 mmH2O to 50 mmH2O. The airflow resistance of the flavor rod 100 having such a filling rod 28 is significantly reduced. This allows the flavor components contained in the flavor sheet 1 to be efficiently volatilized when the article 200 is inhaled, and also allows an aerosol of the flavor components to be efficiently generated.

[0073] The filling rod 28 is formed by stacking multiple flavor sheets 1 and folding them widthwise to reduce the diameter, and the folded shape of each flavor sheet 1 is an S-shape or an ω-shape in cross section. By folding each flavor sheet 1 into such a curved shape, the volume filling rate R of the filling rod 28 can be easily increased to 100% or more, and voids in the filling rod 28 can be more reliably eliminated.

[0074] The filling rod 28 also includes a susceptor 32 that induction heats the flavor sheet 1. As described above, by reducing the variation in the filling state of the flavor sheet 1 in the flavor rod 100, when the susceptor 32 is disposed on the flavor rod 100, the variation in the contact state between the flavor sheet 1 and the susceptor 32 is also reduced. This makes it possible to suppress the variation in the amount of volatilization of flavor components, and ultimately the amount of aerosol generated, that accompanies variations in the heating distribution of the susceptor 32. This therefore makes it possible to further stabilize the flavor supplied to the user.

[0075] Furthermore, the particles 4 supplied to the sheet 2 preferably have a particle size of 14 Mesh to 70 Mesh. Furthermore, when the particles 4 supplied to the sheet 2 are supplied to the fibers 6 in a paste form, the particles 4 are preferably powder having a particle size of 70 Mesh to 500 Mesh. This allows the particles 4 to be reliably embedded and held in the sheet 2.

[0076] Furthermore, the particles 4 supplied to the sheet 2 preferably contain tobacco powder or tobacco extract. This allows the non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation article 200, which can contain a small amount of flavor components, to provide the user with a more satisfying flavor. Furthermore, the fibers 6 used in the flavor sheet 1 are preferably natural fibers derived from plants. This allows the environmental impact of the flavor sheet 1 to be reduced.

[0077] The adhesive added to the sheet 2 is preferably a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer suspended in water, which can more effectively increase the tensile strength of the sheet 2 and more reliably hold the particles 4 on the sheet 2.

[0078] This concludes the description of the embodiment, but the above embodiment is not limiting and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the above-described flavor sheet 1 manufacturing device shows only one embodiment, and the device configuration is not limited to the described content as long as the flavor sheet 1 can be manufactured by the above-described airlaid process. Furthermore, the flavor sheet 1 of the embodiment can be used in various forms, not limited to the above-described flavor rod 100 and the above-described flavor inhalation article 200 using the same.

[0079] For example, the flavor sheet 1 can be laid flat to form a sheet-like flavor segment 34, and the flavor segment 34 can be laminated with other segments or a sheet-like susceptor 32 to produce a laminated flavor inhalation article 200. The flavor rod 100 of the embodiment can be used not only for the flavor inhalation article 200 having the above-described configuration, but also for flavor inhalation articles 200 of various types. The claims of this application as filed are set forth below. [Appendix 1] A flavor rod for use in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation article, The flavor rod is a filling rod in which the flavor sheet is converged in a width direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction to reduce its diameter; a wrapping paper wrapped around the filling rod; Equipped with The flavor sheet comprises a sheet formed from fibers, an adhesive added to one side of the sheet, and particles supplied to the other side of the sheet, and is formed from a nonwoven fabric in which the formation of the sheet, the addition of the adhesive, and the supply of the particles are carried out by an airlaid process. [Appendix 2] The flavor rod according to claim 1, wherein the flavor sheet is formed by adding the adhesive to the other side of the sheet by the airlaid process. [Appendix 3] 3. The flavor rod according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flavor sheet has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm. [Appendix 4] The flavor sheet has a capacity of 1000 l / m 2 / s to 50,000 l / m 2 A flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having an air permeability of 1 / s. [Appendix 5] A flavor rod described in any one of Appendices 1 to 4, wherein when the total sheet cross-sectional area is the sum of the sheet cross-sectional areas of the flavor sheet in the width direction, the rod cross-sectional area is the sheet cross-sectional area in the radial direction of the filling rod, and the volume filling rate of the filling rod is calculated as a percentage by dividing the total sheet cross-sectional area by the rod cross-sectional area, the volume filling rate is 100% or more. [Appendix 6] The airflow resistance per 10 mm length in the axial direction of the filling rod is 5 mmH 2 O to 50mmH 2 A flavor rod according to any one of appendices 1 to 5, wherein O. [Appendix 7] The filling rod is formed by stacking a plurality of the flavor sheets and folding them in the width direction to reduce their diameter, 7. The flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the folded shape of each flavor sheet is such that the cross section of the sheet is S-shaped. [Appendix 8] The filling rod is formed by stacking a plurality of the flavor sheets and folding them in the width direction to reduce their diameter, 7. The flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the folded shape of each flavor sheet is such that the cross section of the sheet is ω-shaped. [Appendix 9] 9. The flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the filling rod includes a susceptor that inductively heats the flavor sheet. [Appendix 10] 10. A flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the particles have a particle size of 14 Mesh to 70 Mesh. [Appendix 11] 10. A flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the particles have a particle size of 70 Mesh to 500 Mesh. [Appendix 12] 12. The flavor rod of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the particles comprise ground tobacco. [Appendix 13] 13. The flavor rod of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the particles comprise tobacco extract. [Appendix 14] 14. The flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the fibers are natural fibers derived from plants. [Appendix 15] 15. The flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the adhesive is a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer suspended in water. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1 flavor sheet 2 seats 4 particles 6. Fiber 28 Filling Rod 30 Rolling Paper 32 Susceptor 100 Flavor Rods 200 Flavor suction articles One side of sheet A B The other side of the sheet Ss total sheet cross-sectional area Sr rod cross section R volume filling rate X Width direction Y Longitudinal direction, axial direction

Claims

1. A flavor rod for use in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhalation article, The flavor rod is a filling rod in which the flavor sheet is converged in a width direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction to reduce its diameter; a wrapping paper wrapped around the filling rod; Equipped with The flavor sheet is a flavor rod formed from a nonwoven fabric, the flavor sheet including a sheet formed from fibers, an adhesive added to one side of the sheet, and particles supplied to the other side of the sheet.

2. The flavor rod according to claim 1 , wherein the flavor sheet has the adhesive applied to the other surface of the sheet.

3. The flavor rod according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flavor sheet has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm.

4. The flavor sheet has a capacity of 1000 l / m ２ / s to 50,000 l / m ２ The flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having an air permeability of 1 / 2 s.

5. A flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the total sheet cross-sectional area is the sum of the sheet cross-sectional areas of the flavor sheet in the width direction, the rod cross-sectional area is the sheet cross-sectional area in the radial direction of the filling rod, and the volume filling rate of the filling rod is calculated as a percentage by dividing the total sheet cross-sectional area by the rod cross-sectional area, the volume filling rate is 100% or more.

6. The airflow resistance per 10 mm length in the axial direction of the filling rod is 5 mmH ２ O to 50mmH ２ The flavor rod according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the saturation temperature is 0.

7. The filling rod is formed by stacking a plurality of the flavor sheets and folding them in the width direction to reduce their diameter, The flavor rod according to claim 1 , wherein the folded shape of each flavor sheet is such that the cross section of the sheet has an S-shape.

8. The filling rod is formed by stacking a plurality of the flavor sheets and folding them in the width direction to reduce their diameter, The flavor rod according to claim 1 , wherein the folded shape of each flavor sheet is such that the cross section of the sheet is ω-shaped.

9. The flavor rod of claim 1 , wherein the filler rod includes a susceptor for inductively heating the flavor sheet.

10. 10. The flavor rod according to claim 1, wherein the particles have a particle size of 14 Mesh to 70 Mesh.

11. 10. The flavor rod according to claim 1, wherein the particles have a particle size of 70 Mesh to 500 Mesh.

12. 12. The flavor rod of claim 1, wherein the particles comprise ground tobacco.

13. 13. The flavor rod of claim 1, wherein the particles comprise tobacco extract.

14. The flavor rod according to claim 1 , wherein the fibers are natural fibers of plant origin.

15. 15. The flavor rod of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and vinyl acetate acrylic copolymer suspended in water.

Images