Nicotine sheets and aerosol-generating articles containing the same

Abstract

To provide a nicotine sheet and an aerosol-generating article including the same.SOLUTION: A nicotine sheet 10 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include a nicotine material which includes a nicotine component and a cellulose-based material which forms a sheet. The nicotine sheet may, when heated, slowly release the nicotine component fixed therein and thus can improve persistence of a tobacco smoke taste of an aerosol-generating article 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a nicotine sheet and an aerosol-generating article including the same. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a nicotine sheet that can enhance the smoking taste persistence of an aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating article including the same, and methods for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for alternatives that overcome the shortcomings of traditional cigarettes, such as heated cigarettes that generate aerosols by electrically heating them with a dedicated device, and as a result, research into heated cigarettes has been intensively conducted.

[0003] A recent issue with heated cigarettes is the longevity of the smoking taste. Many heated cigarettes have a good smoking taste in the initial puff, but the longer the puff, the more the smoking taste tends to deteriorate. Therefore, there is a need for a solution that can replenish the smoking taste in the middle and later puffs. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a nicotine sheet that can enhance the lasting taste of smoking, and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0005] Another technical problem to be solved by some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide an aerosol-generating article with improved flavor persistence and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0006] The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field of the present disclosure from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the nicotine sheet according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include a nicotine substance containing a nicotine component and a cellulose-based material that forms the sheet.

[0008] In some embodiments, the nicotine substance may include a nicotine salt formed with an organic acid.

[0009] In some embodiments, the organic acid may include at least one acid selected from benzoic acid, pyruvic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, and citric acid.

[0010] In some embodiments, the content of the nicotine component may be 2 parts by weight or more per 100 parts by weight of the nicotine sheet.

[0011] In some embodiments, the cellulosic material may include at least one material selected from hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose (MC), ethylcellulose (EC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and agar.

[0012] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may further comprise an aerosol forming agent.

[0013] In some embodiments, the content of the aerosol-forming agent may be 5 to 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the nicotine sheet.

[0014] In order to solve the above technical problems, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an aerosol-generating article that may include a filter portion, an aerosol-forming substrate portion, and a wrapper that encases at least a portion of the filter portion and the aerosol-forming substrate portion. In this case, a nicotine sheet may be applied to the aerosol-forming substrate portion or the wrapper, and the nicotine sheet may include a cellulose-based material and a nicotine substance.

[0015] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may be wrinkled or foldable.

[0016] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may have a plurality of holes formed therein.

[0017] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may be included in the aerosol-forming substrate in shredded form.

[0018] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may be included in the aerosol-forming substrate in a rolled form.

[0019] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may be disposed inside the wrapper. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure described above, a sheet containing a nicotine component (e.g., nicotine, nicotine salt) can be provided. The provided nicotine sheet can be heated to gradually release the nicotine component fixed therein, thereby enhancing the smoking taste persistence of the aerosol-generating article.

[0021] In addition, a nicotine sheet can be manufactured by blending a nicotine substance (e.g., nicotine, nicotine salt), a cellulose-based sheet-forming agent, and an aerosol-forming agent, and the nicotine sheet manufactured in this manner has excellent nicotine retention, retention, and transfer amount. Specifically, the cellulose-based substance effectively coats and fixes the nicotine substance, ensuring excellent nicotine retention and retention, and the aerosol formed by the aerosol-forming agent promotes the transfer of the nicotine substance, ensuring excellent nicotine transfer amount.

[0022] Furthermore, by applying the nicotine sheet to the aerosol-generating article in various forms, it is possible to easily manufacture an aerosol-generating article with improved smoking taste persistence.

[0023] The effects of the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol-generating article according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are illustrative diagrams illustrating the application method of a nicotine sheet according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are illustrative diagrams illustrating the application method of a nicotine sheet according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are illustrative diagrams illustrating the application method of a nicotine sheet according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is an illustrative diagram illustrating the processing form of a nicotine sheet according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is an illustrative diagram illustrating the processing form of a nicotine sheet according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 10A-10C are illustrative diagrams showing aerosol-generating articles according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] 10A-10C are illustrative diagrams showing aerosol-generating articles according to still other embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 1A-1C are diagrams illustrating various types of aerosol generating devices to which aerosol-generating articles according to some embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied. [Figure 10] 1A-1C are diagrams illustrating various types of aerosol generating devices to which aerosol-generating articles according to some embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied. [Figure 11]1A-1C are diagrams illustrating various types of aerosol generating devices to which aerosol-generating articles according to some embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of the present disclosure, as well as methods for achieving them, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and can be embodied in various different forms. The following embodiments are merely provided to complete the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. The technical idea of ​​the present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims.

[0026] When assigning reference numerals to components in each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are assigned the same numerals as much as possible, even if they are displayed in different drawings. Furthermore, when describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known configurations or functions may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein may be used in a manner commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not idealized or overly interpreted unless expressly defined otherwise. The terms used herein are intended to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless otherwise specified in the text.

[0028] Furthermore, when describing components of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. Such terms are merely used to distinguish the component from other components, and do not limit the nature, procedure, or order of the components. When a component is described as being "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly coupled or connected to the other component, but that other components may also be "coupled," "coupled," or "connected" between the components.

[0029] As used in this disclosure, "comprises" and / or "comprising" means that a referenced component, step, operation and / or element does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations and / or elements.

[0030] Prior to describing the various embodiments of the present disclosure, some terminology used in the following embodiments will be clarified.

[0031] In the following embodiments, "aerosol-forming substrate" may refer to a substance capable of forming an aerosol. The aerosol may include a volatile compound. The aerosol-forming substrate may be solid or liquid.

[0032] For example, the solid aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a solid material based on tobacco raw materials such as flat tobacco, shredded tobacco, or reconstituted tobacco, while the liquid aerosol-forming substrate may comprise a liquid composition based on nicotine, tobacco extract, and / or various flavoring agents. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the examples recited above.

[0033] In the following embodiments, the term "aerosol-generating device" may refer to a device that generates an aerosol using an aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol that can be inhaled directly into the user's lungs through the user's mouth. For some examples of aerosol-generating devices, see Figures 9 to 11.

[0034] In the following embodiments, "aerosol-generating article" may refer to an article capable of generating an aerosol. The aerosol-generating article may include an aerosol-forming substrate. A representative example of an aerosol-generating article is a cigarette, although the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0035] In the following embodiments, "puff" refers to the user's inhalation, which may refer to drawing air through the user's mouth or nose into the user's oral cavity, nasal cavity, or lungs.

[0036] In the following embodiments, "longitudinal direction" may mean the direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article.

[0037] In the following embodiments, a "sheet" may refer to a thin element having a width and length substantially greater than its thickness. In the art, the term "sheet" may be used interchangeably with terms such as "web" and "film."

[0038] In the following embodiments, a "nicotine sheet" may refer to a sheet-shaped material containing a nicotine substance. Here, the nicotine substance is a substance containing a nicotine component, and may include, for example, nicotine, a nicotine salt, or a combination thereof.

[0039] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described below.

[0040] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a nicotine sheet can be provided that can enhance the smoking taste of an aerosol-generating article. The provided nicotine sheet can enhance the smoking taste of an aerosol-generating article by gradually releasing the nicotine component fixed therein when heated. For example, the nicotine sheet can provide a user with a sustained smoking sensation by replenishing the smoking taste during the middle and latter stages of a puff.

[0041] The nicotine sheet may contain a sheet-forming agent and a nicotine substance. Each of the constituent substances of the nicotine sheet will be described below.

[0042] The sheet-forming agent may refer to a substance that coats the nicotine substance and forms a sheet. The sheet-forming agent may include, for example, a cellulose-based substance such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose (MC), ethylcellulose (EC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), or agar. However, the sheet-forming agent is not limited thereto. The cellulose-based substance can not only form a sheet with excellent physical properties, but also coat and fix the nicotine substance well, thereby improving the nicotine retention and retention of the sheet.

[0043] In some embodiments, the sheet-forming agent may be a modified cellulose material. Here, "modified cellulose" refers to cellulose in which specific functional groups have been substituted within its molecular structure. Examples of modified cellulose include, but are not limited to, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose (MC), ethylcellulose (EC), and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). For example, HPMC may have a grade ranging from approximately 4 to 40,000 depending on the percentage of hydroxypropyl and methyl (or methoxy) groups substituted and its molecular weight. The grade determines the viscosity of the modified cellulose. More specifically, the physicochemical properties of HPMC are related to the percentage of methoxy groups, the percentage of hydroxypropyl groups, and its molecular weight. According to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), HPMC types are classified into HPMC1828, HPMC2208, HPMC2906, HPMC2910, etc., depending on the percentage of methoxy and hydroxypropyl groups. Here, the first two digits represent the percentage of methoxy groups, and the last two digits represent the percentage of hydroxypropyl groups. As a result of the inventors' continuous experiments, it was confirmed that the nicotine sheet formed from the modified cellulose material has excellent sheet physical properties and nicotine retention capacity.

[0044] In some embodiments, the sheet-forming agent may be a hydrocolloid material. Examples of hydrocolloid materials include, but are not limited to, gelatin, agar, gellan gum, pectin, guar gum, xanthan gum, glucomannan, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose (MC), ethylcellulose (EC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), starches, etc. Hydrocolloid materials inherently become viscous upon contact with a solvent (e.g., distilled water, ethanol), allowing them to adhere to the wrapper of an aerosol-generating article without the need for a separate adhesive, thereby simplifying the placement process of the nicotine sheet and eliminating safety issues associated with adhesives.

[0045] The nicotine substance, in turn, is a substance containing a nicotine component, as described above, and may include nicotine, a nicotine salt, or a combination thereof.

[0046] Nicotine salts are nicotine substances that exist in a salt state and are formed (produced) by, for example, combining nicotine with an organic acid. Nicotine salts are absorbed less into the body than nicotine, and therefore can provide a softer impact than nicotine. Examples of organic acids include, but are not limited to, benzoic acid, pyruvic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, and citric acid. Nicotine salts are also formed by combining nicotine and an organic acid in an approximately 1:1 ratio (e.g., molar ratio), but are not limited to this.

[0047] Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may further include an aerosol-forming agent. The aerosol-forming agent can promote the transfer (release) of the nicotine component contained in the nicotine sheet by forming an aerosol when the nicotine sheet is heated. For example, as the aerosol is formed and the release of the nicotine component fixed within the sheet is promoted, the amount of nicotine component transferred can increase. In addition, the aerosol-forming agent can act as a type of plasticizer to impart appropriate flexibility to the nicotine sheet, thereby improving the overall physical properties of the nicotine sheet. Examples of aerosol-forming agents include, but are not limited to, glycerin, propylene glycol, etc. In the art, the term aerosol-forming agent can be used interchangeably with terms such as humectant and humectant.

[0048] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may further include LM-pectin (low methoxyl pectin). LM-pectin is a low-ester pectin or low-methoxyl pectin that has undergone relatively little esterification, and specifically refers to pectin containing less than about 50% carboxyl groups within its molecular structure. Unlike carrageenan, LM-pectin does not gel when cooled, which can reduce the viscosity of the slurry sheet composition (e.g., about 600 cp to 800 cp). This can also improve the workability of the sheet manufacturing process.

[0049] LM-pectin may contain less than about 50%, less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less than about 20%, or less than about 10% carboxy groups within its molecular structure. The lower the carboxy group content within the molecular structure of the LM-pectin, the lower the viscosity of a slurry containing the LM-pectin.

[0050] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may further include a bulking agent. The bulking agent may be a substance that can increase the total mass (i.e., dry mass) of components other than distilled water to increase the volume of the produced nicotine sheet, and does not affect the original function of the nicotine sheet. Specifically, the bulking agent may have properties that increase the volume of the nicotine sheet without substantially increasing the viscosity of the slurry (i.e., the sheet composition), and at the same time, do not adversely affect the nicotine retention of the nicotine sheet.

[0051] Preferably, the bulking agent may be, but is not limited to, starches, modified starches, or starch hydrolysates.

[0052] Here, modified starch refers to starch acetate, oxidized starch, hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate, hydroxypropyl starch, distarch phosphate, monostarch phosphate, phosphorylated distarch phosphate, and the like.

[0053] Furthermore, the term "starch hydrolysate" refers to a substance obtained by a process including a step of hydrolyzing starch. The starch hydrolysate may include, for example, a substance obtained by direct hydrolysis of starch (i.e., dextrin) or a substance obtained by hydrolyzing starch after heat treatment (i.e., resistant dextrin). The bulking agent may be, for example, dextrin, or more specifically, cyclodextrin.

[0054] The starch hydrolysate may generally be a starch hydrolysate having a DE value in the range of about 2 to about 40, preferably a starch hydrolysate having a DE value in the range of about 2 to about 20. Examples of starch hydrolysates having a DE value in the range of about 2 to about 20 that can be used include Pine Index #100 (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), Pine Fiber (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and TK-16 (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).

[0055] Here, "DE" is an abbreviation for dextrose equivalent, and the DE value indicates the degree of starch hydrolysis, i.e., the saccharification rate of starch. In this disclosure, the DE value may be a value measured by the Willstatter-Schudel method. The properties of hydrolyzed starch (starch hydrolysate), such as the molecular weight of the starch hydrolysate and the arrangement of sugar molecules constituting the starch hydrolysate, are not constant for each starch hydrolysate molecule but exist with arbitrary distribution or variation. Depending on the distribution or variation of the starch hydrolysate properties or differences in the cut sections, starch hydrolysates can exhibit different physical properties (e.g., DE values) for each molecule. Thus, although starch hydrolysates are a collection of molecules exhibiting different physical properties, the measurement results by the Willstatter-Schudel method (i.e., DE values) are treated as a representative value indicating the degree of starch hydrolysis.

[0056] Preferably, the starch hydrolysate can be selected from the group consisting of dextrin having a DE value of about 2 to about 5, resistant dextrin having a DE value of about 10 to about 15, and mixtures thereof. For example, Pine Index #100 (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) can be used as a dextrin having a DE value of about 2 to about 5. For example, Pine Fiber (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) can be used as a resistant dextrin having a DE value of about 10 to about 15.

[0057] Meanwhile, the detailed composition of the nicotine sheet can be designed in various ways, and this can vary depending on the embodiment.

[0058] In some embodiments, the content of the nicotine substance (e.g., nicotine, nicotine salt) may be about 0.01 to 49.99 parts by weight, preferably about 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 parts by weight or more, based on 100 parts by weight of the nicotine sheet. It has been confirmed that within this range, the smoking taste persistence of the aerosol-generating article is significantly improved.

[0059] In some embodiments, the content of the aerosol-forming agent may be about 3 to 25 parts by weight, preferably about 3 to 22 parts by weight, about 5 to 20 parts by weight, about 8 to 20 parts by weight, about 10 to 20 parts by weight, about 6 to 18 parts by weight, about 6 to 15 parts by weight, or about 10 to 18 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the nicotine sheet (e.g., based on a dry nicotine sheet). It has been confirmed that within these numerical ranges, the amount of transfer of the nicotine component significantly increases, and the physical properties of the sheet are improved.

[0060] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may contain, based on a total of 100 parts by weight, about 2 to about 15 parts by weight of water, about 25 to about 90 parts by weight of modified cellulose, and about 0.1 to about 30 parts by weight of a nicotine substance.

[0061] In some embodiments, the nicotine sheet may contain, based on a total of 100 parts by weight, about 2 to about 15 parts by weight of water, about 1 to about 60 parts by weight of a hydrocolloid substance, about 1 to about 60 parts by weight of LM-pectin, and about 0.1 to about 30 parts by weight of a nicotine substance.

[0062] The nicotine sheet described above can be manufactured, for example, by applying (casting) a liquid (e.g., slurry) sheet composition containing a solvent (e.g., distilled water, ethanol (alcohol), etc.), a sheet-forming agent, and a nicotine substance onto a predetermined substrate and drying it. However, the method is not limited thereto, and the specific manufacturing method can vary.

[0063] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an aerosol-generating article with improved smoking taste persistence can be provided. Specifically, the above-described nicotine sheet can be applied in various forms to improve the smoking taste persistence of the aerosol-generating article. Such an aerosol-generating article (eg100) will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0064] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol-generating article 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 1, the aerosol-generating article 100 may include an aerosol-forming substrate portion 110, a filter portion 120, and a wrapper 130. However, Fig. 1 only shows components relevant to the embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains will understand that the aerosol-generating article may further include other general components in addition to the components shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, Fig. 1 only schematically illustrates some examples of aerosol-generating articles according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and the detailed structure of the aerosol-generating article may differ from that shown in Fig. 1. Each component of the aerosol-generating article 100 will now be described.

[0066] The aerosol-forming substrate unit 110 can perform the function of forming an aerosol. Specifically, the aerosol-forming substrate unit 110 may include an aerosol-forming substrate, and can form an aerosol through the aerosol-forming substrate. For example, the aerosol-forming substrate unit 110 can form an aerosol by being heated by an aerosol generator (e.g., 1000 in FIG. 9). The formed aerosol can be delivered to the user's mouth through the filter unit 120 by a puff.

[0067] As shown, the aerosol-forming substrate section 110 is located upstream of the filter section 120 and can abut against the upstream end of the filter section 120. The aerosol-forming substrate section 110 may further include a wrapper 130 that encases the aerosol-forming substrate.

[0068] The aerosol-forming substrate portion 110 is manufactured in the shape of a rod, and is therefore sometimes referred to as an "aerosol-forming rod 110" or a "tobacco rod 110," or sometimes referred to as a "medium portion 110."

[0069] Next, the filter unit 120 can perform a filtering function for the aerosol. To this end, the filter unit 120 may include a filter material. Examples of the filter material include cellulose acetate fiber and paper, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0070] As shown in the figure, the filter unit 120 is located downstream of the aerosol-forming substrate unit 110 and can abut against the downstream end of the aerosol-forming substrate unit 110. The filter unit 120 can also be located at the downstream end of the aerosol-generating article 100 and function as a mouthpiece that comes into contact with the user's mouth. The filter unit 120 may further include a wrapper 130 that encases a filter material (plug).

[0071] The filter unit 120 is also manufactured in a rod shape, and is therefore sometimes referred to as a "filter rod 120," and can be manufactured in various shapes, such as a cylindrical shape, a tube shape with a hollow interior (e.g., a tube-shaped cellulose acetate filter), a recessed shape, etc. Alternatively, the filter unit 120 functions as a mouthpiece, and is therefore also referred to as a "mouthpiece unit 120."

[0072] Next, the wrapper 130 may refer to a wrapper that wraps at least a portion of the aerosol-forming substrate portion 110 and / or the filter portion 120. The wrapper 130 may refer to an individual wrapper for the aerosol-forming substrate portion 110 or the filter portion 120, or may refer to a wrapper that wraps at least a portion of the aerosol-forming substrate portion 110 and the filter portion 120 together, such as a tipping wrapper, or may refer collectively to all wrappers used in the aerosol-generating article 100.

[0073] The wrapper 130 may be made of porous or non-porous wrapping paper, although the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. For example, the wrapper 130 may be made of metal foil or a laminate of wrapping paper and metal foil.

[0074] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown, the nicotine sheet 10 is disposed (applied) on the aerosol-forming substrate 110 and / or the wrapper 130. However, the specific application method and processing form of the nicotine sheet 10 may vary.

[0075] 2, the nicotine sheet 10 can be applied to the aerosol-forming substrate 110 in the form of shredded material 111. For example, the shredded material 111 of the nicotine sheet 10 can be mixed with shredded tobacco material 111 (e.g., shredded tobacco, shredded tabular tobacco) and then introduced into the aerosol-forming substrate 110.

[0076] In some other embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, a nicotine sheet 10 may be placed in the aerosol-forming substrate 110 together with a tobacco sheet 20. Here, the tobacco sheet 20 is a tobacco material manufactured in sheet form, and may be, but is not limited to, reconstituted tobacco such as tabular tobacco. In this example, the nicotine sheet 10 may be appropriately mixed with the tobacco sheet 20 (e.g., by laminating the nicotine sheet 10 on the tobacco sheet 20, wrapping them together, etc.) and placed in the aerosol-forming substrate 110.

[0077] In still other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4, the nicotine sheet 10 may be applied to the aerosol-forming substrate 110 in a rolled or folded form. For example, the nicotine sheet 10 may be applied to the aerosol-forming substrate 110 in an irregularly rolled or folded form (see 10-1), a spiral form (see 10-2), a concentric circular form (see 10-3), or a multiply folded form (see 10-4; e.g., a form folded to ensure an airflow path in the length direction). In this case, the nicotine sheet 10 may be applied to the aerosol-forming substrate 110 together with the tobacco substance, or may form an independent segment (i.e., a dedicated segment containing only the nicotine sheet 10) within the aerosol-forming substrate 110. Alternatively, the nicotine sheet 10 may be applied to a separate segment (e.g., a cooling segment) formed outside the aerosol-forming substrate 110. When the nicotine sheet 10 is applied in the illustrated form, an airflow path is secured in the longitudinal direction, ensuring smooth airflow and appropriate inhalation resistance. In addition, the contact area between the nicotine sheet 10 and the high-temperature airflow increases, thereby increasing the amount of nicotine transferred.

[0078] In still other embodiments, the nicotine sheet 10 is applied (e.g., attached) to the wrapper 130. For example, the nicotine sheet 10 may be disposed inside the wrapper 130. If the wrapper 130 includes a metal foil, the nicotine sheet 10 may be disposed inside the metal foil. Alternatively, the nicotine sheet 10 may constitute at least a part of the wrapper 130. For example, the nicotine sheet 10 itself may function (be used) as the wrapper 130, or a wrapping material manufactured in a form in which the nicotine sheet 10 and wrapping paper are integrated may be used as the wrapper 130.

[0079] Meanwhile, in the above embodiment, the nicotine sheet 10 may be one that has been processed through a predetermined process, although the specific processing form may vary.

[0080] For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the nicotine sheet 10 may be processed to be wrinkled or folded in the length direction (i.e., MD) of the aerosol-generating article 100. For example, the nicotine sheet 10 may be wrinkled or folded by at least one of a crimping process, a pleating process, a folding process, and a gathering process. Specifically, the crimping process is a process in which wrinkles are imparted to the surface of a sheet by varying the roller pressure and speed of a crimping device, and is divided into a wet process and a dry process. The wet process may refer to a process in which the base paper is wetted with water, softened, crimped, and then subjected to a re-drying process. The dry process may refer to a drying process using two dryers with different temperatures. Those skilled in the art are already familiar with the pleating, folding, and gathering processes, and therefore further explanations thereof will be omitted. According to this example, a number of channels are formed in the nicotine sheet 10 along its length through at least one of the illustrated processes, and the formed channels ensure smooth airflow and appropriate draw resistance. Furthermore, the contact area between the nicotine sheet 10 and the high-temperature airflow increases, thereby increasing the amount of nicotine transferred.

[0081] As another example, as shown in FIG. 6, the nicotine sheet 10 may be processed to have a plurality of holes 101 formed therein. For example, the plurality of holes 101 may be formed in the nicotine sheet 10 through a punching process. In this case, the diameter of the holes 101 may be about 0.05 mm to 5 mm, and preferably about 0.1 mm to 3 mm, about 0.2 mm to 2.5 mm, about 0.3 mm to 2.1 mm, or about 0.4 mm to 1.8 mm. Within these numerical ranges, smooth airflow and appropriate draw resistance can be ensured. Furthermore, the contact area between the nicotine sheet 10 and the high-temperature airflow increases, thereby increasing the amount of nicotine transferred.

[0082] The aerosol-generating article 100 according to several embodiments of the present disclosure has been described above with reference to Figures 1 to 6. As described above, the nicotine sheet 10 can be applied to the aerosol-generating article 100 in various forms, thereby easily manufacturing an aerosol-generating article 100 with improved smoking taste persistence.

[0083] Aerosol-generating articles 200 and 300 according to other embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 7 and 8. However, for the sake of clarity, descriptions of content that overlaps with the aerosol-generating article 100 described above will be omitted.

[0084] FIG. 7 is an illustrative diagram showing an aerosol-generating article 200 according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 7, the aerosol-generating article 200 may include an aerosol-forming substrate portion 210, a filter portion 220, and a wrapper 230, and the filter portion 220 may include a plurality of segments 221, 222.

[0086] The aerosol-forming substrate part 210 corresponds to the aerosol-forming substrate part 110 described above, and therefore, a description thereof will be omitted.

[0087] Next, the filter portion 220 may be composed of a first segment 221 and a second segment 222. Of course, the filter portion 220 may further include a third segment (not shown).

[0088] The first segment 221 can perform a cooling function on the aerosol generated in the aerosol-forming substrate portion 210. Therefore, the first segment 221 may also be referred to as a "cooling segment 221" or a "cooling portion 221" in some cases.

[0089] The first segment 221 may be manufactured in various forms. For example, the first segment 221 may be a cylindrical paper tube made of a paper material and having a hollow (or cavity) therein. For another example, the first segment 221 may be made of a polymeric material or a biodegradable polymeric material. For example, the first segment 221 may be made of polylactic acid (PLA) fiber, but is not limited to this. As another example, the first segment 221 may be made of a cellulose acetate filter having a plurality of holes formed therein. As yet another example, the first segment 221 may be a tube filter having a hollow. For example, the first segment 221 may be a cellulose acetate filter having a hollow. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first segment 221 may be manufactured in a form different from the examples shown above as long as it can perform a cooling function.

[0090] In some embodiments, a nicotine sheet 10 may be applied to the first segment 221. For example, the nicotine sheet 10 may be disposed inside the first segment 221 (e.g., inside a hollow or cavity) in the form illustrated in FIG. 4 . Alternatively, the nicotine sheet 10 may be attached to the inner wall of the first segment 221 (e.g., the inner wall of a hollow). In any case, smooth airflow in the longitudinal direction can be ensured, and the nicotine sheet 10 can absorb hot air from the high-temperature aerosol, thereby improving the cooling performance of the first segment 221. Of course, since the nicotine sheet 10 gradually releases nicotine components when it comes into contact with the high-temperature aerosol, the smoking taste of the aerosol-generating article 200 can also be sufficiently ensured to last.

[0091] For reference, cellulose-based materials have the property of changing phase when they come into contact with high-temperature airflow and absorbing a large amount of hot air, so when a nicotine sheet 10 made of a cellulose-based material is applied, the cooling performance of the first segment 221 can be further improved.

[0092] Second segment 222 then performs a filtering function on the aerosol that has passed through first segment 221. Therefore, second segment 222 is sometimes referred to as "filter segment 222" or "filter portion 222." Alternatively, since second segment 222 is located in the mouthpiece portion, it is also referred to as "mouthpiece segment 222" or "mouthpiece portion 222."

[0093] In some embodiments, the second segment 222 may include at least one capsule 240. The capsule 240 may function to generate a flavor or to generate an aerosol. For example, the capsule 240 may have a structure in which a liquid containing a flavoring agent is enclosed in a coating. The capsule 240 may have a spherical or cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0094] The wrapper 230 then corresponds to the wrapper 130 described above, and therefore will not be described further.

[0095] 7, the aerosol-generating article 200 may further include a plug (not shown) disposed at its end. For example, the plug may be disposed at the upstream end of the aerosol-generating article 200 to appropriately adjust the overall length of the aerosol-generating article 200. Furthermore, when the aerosol-generating article 200 is inserted into an aerosol-generating device (e.g., 1000 in FIG. 9), the plug may also function to adjust the aerosol-forming substrate 210 so that it is positioned appropriately inside the aerosol-generating device (e.g., 1000 in FIG. 9).

[0096] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of an aerosol-generating article 300 according to still other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 8, the aerosol-generating article 300 may include an aerosol-forming substrate portion 310 and a filter portion 320, and each of the aerosol-forming substrate portion 310 and the filter portion 320 may include a plurality of segments 311, 312, 321, 322.

[0098] As shown, the aerosol-forming substrate part 310 can be composed of a first segment 311 and a second segment 312. Of course, the aerosol-forming substrate part 310 may further include a third segment (not shown).

[0099] The first segment 311 may include a humectant (aerosol forming agent). For example, the first segment 311 may include crimped paper impregnated with a humectant. The humectant may include, for example, at least one of glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol.

[0100] The second segment 312 may then include a nicotine-generating substrate, such as a tobacco substance. The nicotine-generating substrate may include, for example, tobacco shreds, tobacco particles, tobacco sheets, tobacco beads, or tobacco granules. As another example, the nicotine-generating substrate may include crinkled paper impregnated with tobacco extract or nicotine liquid. When the nicotine-generating substrate is heated, nicotine is generated from the nicotine-generating substrate and can be transferred to the filter portion 320.

[0101] Next, the filter unit 320 may also include multiple segments 321 and 322. For example, the filter unit 320 may include a third segment 321 that performs a cooling function and a fourth segment 322 that performs a filtering function. The above-described description of the filter unit 220 in FIG. 7 is equally applicable to the filter unit 320, and therefore further description will be omitted.

[0102] The wrapper 330 then corresponds to the wrapper 130 described above, and therefore will not be described further.

[0103] Aerosol-generating articles (200, 300) according to other embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Hereinafter, various types of aerosol-generating devices 1000 to which the above-described aerosol-generating articles (100 to 300) can be applied will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 11.

[0104] 9 to 11 are exemplary block diagrams showing an aerosol generator 1000. Specifically, Fig. 9 illustrates a cigarette-type aerosol generator 1000, and Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a hybrid aerosol generator 1000 that uses both liquid and cigarette aerosols. Each aerosol generator 1000 will be described below.

[0105] As shown in Fig. 9, the aerosol generating device 1000 may include a heater 1300, a battery 1100, and a control unit 1200. However, this is merely a preferred embodiment for achieving the objectives of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that some components may be added or omitted as necessary. Furthermore, each component of the aerosol generating device 1000 shown in Fig. 9 represents a functionally separated element, and multiple components may be embodied in an integrated form in an actual physical environment, or a single component may be embodied in a form separated into multiple smaller functional elements. Each component of the aerosol generating device 1000 will now be described.

[0106] The heater 1300 may be configured to heat the cigarette 2000 inserted therein. The cigarette 2000 includes a solid aerosol-forming substrate, and can generate an aerosol when heated. The generated aerosol can be inhaled through the user's mouth. The operation, heating temperature, etc. of the heater 1300 can be controlled by the control unit 1200.

[0107] Next, the battery 1100 can supply power used to operate the aerosol generating device 1000. For example, the battery 1100 can supply power to enable the heater 1300 to heat the aerosol-forming substrate included in the cigarette 2000, and can also supply power necessary for the control unit 1200 to operate.

[0108] The battery 1100 can also supply the power necessary to operate electrical components installed in the aerosol generating device 1000, such as a display (not shown), a sensor (not shown), and a motor (not shown).

[0109] Next, the control unit 1200 can generally control the operation of the aerosol generating device 1000. For example, the control unit 1200 can control the operation of the heater 1300 and the battery 1100, and can also control the operation of other components included in the aerosol generating device 1000. The control unit 1200 can control the power supplied by the battery 1100, the heating temperature of the heater 1300, etc. The control unit 1200 can also check the status of each component of the aerosol generating device 1000 to determine whether the aerosol generating device 1000 is in an operable state.

[0110] The control unit 1200 may be implemented by at least one processor. The processor may be implemented by an array of multiple logic gates, or may be implemented by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program executable by the microprocessor. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art will readily understand that the control unit 1200 may be implemented by other types of hardware.

[0111] The hybrid aerosol generating device 1000 will be briefly described below with reference to FIGS.

[0112] Figure 10 illustrates an aerosol generator 1000 in which a vaporizer 1400 and a cigarette 2000 are arranged in parallel, and Figure 11 illustrates an aerosol generator 1000 in which a vaporizer 1400 and a cigarette 2000 are arranged in series. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generator 1000 is not limited to that illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, and the arrangement of the components can be changed depending on the design method.

[0113] 10 and 11, vaporizer 1400 may include a liquid storage tank for storing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a wick for absorbing the aerosol-forming substrate, and a vaporization element for vaporizing the absorbed aerosol-forming substrate to generate an aerosol. The vaporization element may be embodied in various forms, such as a heating element, a vibration element, etc. In some embodiments, vaporizer 1400 may be designed to have a structure that does not include a wick.

[0114] The aerosol generated by the vaporizer 1400 can be inhaled through the user's mouth after passing through the cigarette 2000. The vaporization element of the vaporizer 1400 can also be controlled by the control unit 1200.

[0115] An exemplary aerosol-generating device 1000 to which the aerosol-generating articles (100 to 300) according to some embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied has been described above with reference to FIGS.

[0116] The following examples and experimental examples will clarify the configuration and effects of the above-mentioned nicotine sheet 10. However, the following examples are merely partial examples of the nicotine sheet 10, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the following examples.

[0117] [Examples 1 to 11] Nicotine sheets having the weight ratios shown in Tables 1 and 2 below were prepared, and the prepared nicotine sheets were placed in an aerosol-forming substrate to prepare heat-type cigarettes.

[0118] [Table 1] (Grades A, B, and C: 2% solution viscosity 15, 5, and 50)

[0119] [Table 2] (Grades A, B, and C: 2% solution viscosity 15, 5, and 50)

[0120] [Experimental Example 1: Manufacturing Difficulty and Sensory Evaluation] Experiments were conducted to comprehensively evaluate the sensory characteristics of the nicotine sheets and cigarettes according to Examples 1 to 11, including the ease of preparation, smoking taste persistence, off-flavors, smoking taste strength, softness down the throat, and feeling of satisfaction after smoking. The sensory characteristics were evaluated by a panel of smokers with five or more years of smoking experience, and were graded into high, medium, and low categories. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 3 and 4 below.

[0121] [Table 3]

[0122] [Table 4]

[0123] Referring to Tables 3 and 4, MC-based sheet compositions were generally evaluated as being easy to prepare (see Examples 2, 6, 7, and 9). Specifically, MC-based sheet compositions have appropriate viscosity and little gelling property, making them easy to prepare, whereas HPMC-based sheet compositions have high viscosity or tend to gel at room temperature, making them difficult to prepare. In addition, it was confirmed that agar requires the troublesome task of heating water to about 80°C to 90°C in order to dissolve it in water.

[0124] Furthermore, it was shown that the nicotine sheets (or cigarettes) according to Examples 1, 3, 8, and 9 produced a stronger unpleasant odor during smoking than the other Examples. In other words, the nicotine sheets using HPMC or CMC were evaluated as producing a stronger unpleasant odor than the nicotine sheets using MC, etc.

[0125] [Examples 12 to 21] Nicotine sheets having the weight ratios shown in Tables 5 and 6 below were prepared, and the prepared nicotine sheets were placed in an aerosol-forming substrate to prepare heat-type cigarettes.

[0126] [Table 5]

[0127] [Table 6]

[0128] [Experimental Example 2: Sheet physical properties and sensory evaluation depending on the content of aerosol forming agent] Experiments were conducted to comprehensively evaluate the sheet physical properties according to the content of aerosol-forming agents (e.g., PG, GLY), as well as sensory characteristics such as aerosol generation amount, off-flavors and tastes, smoking taste intensity, and post-smoking satisfaction, for the nicotine sheets and cigarettes of Examples 12 to 20. The sensory characteristics were evaluated in the same manner as in Experimental Example 1, and the evaluation results are shown in Tables 7 and 8 below.

[0129] [Table 7]

[0130] [Table 8]

[0131] Referring to Tables 7 and 8, it was shown that the physical properties of the nicotine sheets according to Examples 14, 16 to 18 were generally excellent, and among them, it was shown that the physical properties of the nicotine sheets according to Examples 16 to 18 were even more excellent. Specifically, it was confirmed that when the content of the aerosol-forming agent was too low (e.g., Examples 12 and 13), the sheet broke apart, and when the content of the aerosol-forming agent was too high (e.g., Examples 19 and 20), the sheet became sticky or saggy.

[0132] For reference, the aerosol-forming agent content of the nicotine sheets according to Examples 16 to 18 is approximately 8 to 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the dried (manufactured) sheet. This is because the alcohol and water added during preparation are mostly evaporated or evaporated as the sheet dries (e.g., alcohol generally evaporates during drying, and water remains at approximately 6 to 10 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the sheet).

[0133] Furthermore, it was shown that the amount of aerosol generated increased as the content of the aerosol-forming agent increased. Furthermore, it was confirmed that when the proportion of GLY was higher than that of PG, the amount of aerosol generated was even greater, but the physical properties of the sheet were relatively poor. For example, Example 17 (or Example 15) was shown to generate a greater amount of aerosol than Example 18 (or Example 14) (Example 17 had the same aerosol-forming agent content as Example 18, and Example 15 had a higher proportion of GLY than Example 14), and the physical properties of the nicotine sheet of Example 15 were shown to be poorer than those of Example 14.

[0134] The configuration and effects of the nicotine sheet 10 have been described in more detail above through examples and experimental examples.

[0135] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure can be embodied in other specific forms without changing the technical concept or essential features thereof. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical concepts within the scope equivalent thereto should be understood to be included in the scope of rights of the technical concepts defined by the present disclosure.

Claims

1. a nicotine substance containing a nicotine component; a sheet-forming cellulosic material; and an aerosol-forming agent, The cellulose-based material includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose (MC), ethylcellulose (EC), and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC); the content of the aerosol-forming agent is 5 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the nicotine sheet; The nicotine sheet, wherein the nicotine substance includes a nicotine salt formed with an organic acid.

2. The nicotine sheet according to claim 1, wherein the organic acid includes at least one acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, pyruvic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, and citric acid.

3. The nicotine sheet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of the nicotine component is 2 parts by weight or more per 100 parts by weight of the nicotine sheet.

4. The nicotine sheet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cellulose-based material further comprises agar.

5. The nicotine sheet of claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic material coats the nicotine material.

6. The nicotine sheet of claim 1, further comprising LM-pectin (low methoxyl pectin).

7. The nicotine sheet according to claim 1, wherein the content of the aerosol-forming agent is in the range of 8 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by total weight of the nicotine sheet.

8. An aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-forming substrate portion includes a nicotine sheet, The nicotine sheet is a sheet-forming cellulosic material; aerosol formers, Contains a nicotine substance containing a nicotine component, The cellulose-based material includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), methylcellulose (MC), ethylcellulose (EC), and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC); the content of the aerosol-forming agent is 5 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the nicotine sheet; The aerosol-generating article, wherein the nicotine substance comprises a nicotine salt formed with an organic acid.

9. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 8 , wherein the nicotine sheet includes a wrinkled or folded portion.

10. 10. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 8, wherein the nicotine sheet has a plurality of holes formed therein.

11. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the nicotine sheet is included in the aerosol-forming substrate in a shredded form.

12. The aerosol-generating article according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the nicotine sheet is included in the aerosol-forming substrate in a rolled form.

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