Antimicrobial components for aerosol generating systems

Abstract

A component for an aerosol generating system is provided, wherein at least a portion of an exterior surface of the component comprises antimicrobial particles, the antimicrobial particles comprising monovalent copper compound particles. By providing the component in this manner, the likelihood of harmful bacteria or viruses being transmitted through the component is reduced.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] Aerosol-generating devices have become a popular alternative to traditional combustible tobacco products. Heated tobacco products, also known as heat-not-burn products, are a class of aerosol-generating devices configured to heat a tobacco substrate to a temperature sufficient to generate an aerosol from the substrate, but not so high that the tobacco burns. While this specification refers specifically to heated tobacco products, it will be understood that the following discussion applies equally to aerosol-generating systems incorporating other types of heatable substrates.

[0002] Users of aerosol-generating devices may frequently encounter situations in which they grasp their devices after coming into contact with surfaces that may be contaminated with harmful germs, bacteria, and / or viruses, such as door handles when entering or exiting a space, when grabbing handrails on doors or seats in public transportation, or at vehicle entrances or exits, on trains, or on autobuses. Another situation is, for example, when a person with germs, bacteria, or viruses on their hands carries an aerosol-generating device intended for another person. In these situations, users are particularly concerned about the risk of contamination or transmission of harmful germs or viruses through systems such as aerosol-generating devices, which often come into close contact with the user's hands and mouth.

[0003] Existing attempts to reduce the risk of transmission in such systems include cleaning the device between uses by different users or replacing / uncovering system components such as the mouthpiece before using the system, however, such techniques are often inconvenient for the user, subject to human error, or lack sufficient antimicrobial effectiveness.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for an aerosol generating system that addresses these issues. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component for an aerosol generating system, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the component comprises antimicrobial particles, the antimicrobial particles comprising monovalent copper compound particles.

[0006] It has been discovered that monovalent copper compound particles can effectively reduce the activity of microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses. Because portions of the outer surfaces of components provided for aerosol generating systems contain these particles, the components themselves also retain desirable antibacterial properties. In this way, the likelihood of harmful bacteria or viruses surviving on and / or being transmitted through the components is reduced. This improves the safety of such components as well as their convenience of use.

[0007] Typically, it is the exterior surfaces of components for aerosol generating systems that are most frequently handled by users and therefore most likely to carry harmful bacteria or viruses. Therefore, including monovalent copper compound particles on at least a portion of the exterior surface of the component ensures that the antimicrobial effect is provided where it is most needed, without unnecessarily incorporating monovalent copper compound particles throughout the component. Including monovalent copper compound particles in areas of the component that are less likely to be touched by users, such as on some internal components or hidden surfaces, can be a waste of particles and a waste of resources.

[0008] Although much of this disclosure focuses on monovalent copper compound particles, other antimicrobial particles may be included on the exterior surface of the component if the antimicrobial properties provided complement the effects of the monovalent copper compound particles.

[0009] Preferably, the monovalent copper compound particles comprise monovalent copper compound nanoparticles. Thus, the antibacterial performance is improved relative to larger particle sizes. This is because the small size of the monovalent copper compound nanoparticles allows more particles to be included in the area, and the nanoparticles have a larger surface area-to-volume ratio than larger monovalent copper compound particles. Preferably, the monovalent copper compound particles have a diameter of 80 nm to 120 nm. More preferably, the monovalent copper compound particles have a diameter of 90 nm to 110 nm. Most preferably, the monovalent copper compound particles have a diameter of 100 nm.

[0010] The antimicrobial particles may be disposed throughout the part, such that the part itself comprises the monovalent copper compound particles and will therefore retain the associated antimicrobial properties even if the outer surface of the part is scratched or damaged (e.g., if the component is dropped by a user).

[0011] Portions of the exterior surface of a component may be provided with a coating having antimicrobial particles disposed throughout the coating. Adding an antimicrobial coating to the exterior surface of a device can add antimicrobial properties to portions that did not previously have them, or enhance antimicrobial properties already present in a portion (e.g., if the portion includes monovalent copper compound particles disposed throughout the portion). Furthermore, the concentration of antimicrobial particles in the coating can be easily adjusted to provide a high level of control over the antimicrobial properties of the component during or after fabrication of the component. Multiple layers of antimicrobial coatings can be applied to portions of the exterior surface of a coating to improve the antimicrobial effectiveness of the component and to increase its resistance to loss of effectiveness if the exterior surface of the portion is scratched or damaged.

[0012] Portions of the exterior surface of the component may be configured to be gripped by a user. These portions are likely to be handled and touched more frequently than other areas of the component; therefore, it is beneficial for the portions configured to be gripped by a user to contain monovalent copper compound particles. For example, if the component for an aerosol generating system is an aerosol generating device, the portion of the exterior surface of the component may comprise a grip for the device. In this example, the grip contains monovalent copper compound particles, and therefore, microbial activity on the grip is reduced. Because microbial activity on the grip (the portion of the component configured and likely to be gripped by a user) is reduced, the risk of bacteria or viruses being transmitted from the grip to the user is reduced.

[0013] A portion of the exterior surface of the component may comprise a first region and a second region, the concentration of antimicrobial particles in the first region being greater than the concentration of antimicrobial particles in the second region.

[0014] In this manner, the antimicrobial properties provided by the antimicrobial particles may be tailored in different regions of the component. Preferably, the concentration or density of the antimicrobial particles in a given region or portion is determined, at least in part, based on the region's configuration and use (e.g., how frequently the region interacts with a user and how that interaction occurs). For example, a first region of the portion may be configured to be gripped or touched more frequently than a second region of the portion (but this second region may still be touched by a user), and therefore the first region may contain a higher concentration of monovalent copper compound particles than the second region. This saves costs and resources while still ensuring the safety of the component (by including particles in both regions of the portion). In another example, the first region of the portion may be a mouthpiece of the component configured to contact a user's mouth, and therefore strong antimicrobial properties (provided by a high concentration of monovalent copper compound particles) are desired in this first region.

[0015] The component may be an aerosol-generating device. Because such devices are regularly contacted by users' hands and mouths, it is desirable to reduce the activity of harmful microorganisms on these devices. Additionally, because aerosol-generating devices are often held by several different people, these users would benefit from antimicrobial properties that reduce the likelihood of transmitting harmful viruses and bacteria between different users.

[0016] The component may be an accessory for the aerosol generation system. Accessories for the aerosol generation system include, but are not limited to, accessories used to contain, protect, and carry other components in the aerosol generation system. For example, a carry case for the aerosol generation system may be used to store and transport the aerosol generating device and spare cartridges for the device when not in use. Providing such a carry case with monovalent copper compound particles on its exterior surface helps prevent harmful bacteria or viruses from being transmitted via the carry case.

[0017] The outer surface of the component may comprise a fibrous material. Specifically, a portion of the outer surface of the component may comprise a fibrous material. While many components of an aerosol generating system comprise metals or polymers, some components (e.g., a fibrous carry case or grip for an aerosol generating device) comprise a fibrous material, and it is important that the antimicrobial properties of the monovalent copper compound particles can still be provided to these components.

[0018] The component may be a cartridge for an aerosol generating device. These cartridges often include a mouthpiece, an aerosolizable substrate, or both. Because such cartridges are typically inserted into and removed from the aerosol generating device by hand, it is desirable for them to have antimicrobial properties to reduce the possibility of transmission via the cartridge.

[0019] The exterior surface of the component may comprise a polymer. Specifically, a portion of the exterior surface of the component may comprise a polymer. Because many components for aerosol generating systems comprise polymeric and / or metallic materials, it is desirable for the antimicrobial properties of the monovalent copper compound particles to be present in these materials.

[0020] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a component according to any embodiment of the first aspect, the method comprising covering at least a portion of an outer surface of the component with a coating, the coating comprising antimicrobial particles, the antimicrobial particles comprising monovalent copper compound particles.

[0021] In this way, antimicrobial properties can be introduced into a component for an aerosol generating system before or after the component is manufactured. For example, if the component is an aerosol generating device, the outer housing of the device may be covered with this coating as part of the device manufacturing process, or alternatively, the device may be purchased and used by a user for a period of time before the coating is applied to portions of the device's exterior surface. It should be noted that multiple layers of coating may be applied to the same portion of the exterior surface of a component. Furthermore, separate coatings with different concentrations of antimicrobial particles may be provided to fine-tune the antimicrobial properties of the component.

[0022] The method may further include dispersing antimicrobial particles throughout the coating fluid to form a coating prior to covering the part. In this manner, antimicrobial particles, such as monovalent copper compound particles, can be easily dispersed uniformly throughout the coating fluid before the coating is applied to the exterior surface of the component. This allows for precise control of the antimicrobial properties provided and allows the coating mixture (with a known concentration of antimicrobial particles) to be pre-made prior to application.

[0023] According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a component for an aerosol generating system, the method comprising: providing a component part material; dispersing antimicrobial particles throughout the component part material to form an antimicrobial material, the antimicrobial particles comprising monovalent copper compound particles; and forming at least a portion of the component from the antimicrobial material.

[0024] Because the antimicrobial particles (including monovalent copper compound particles) are disposed on the component itself, the antimicrobial properties provided by the particles will be retained even if the exterior surface of a portion of the component is damaged (e.g., if the component is scratched or dropped). The remainder of the component may be produced in a conventional manner for a given type of component.

[0025] When the component being produced comprises multiple portions containing antimicrobial particles, in some embodiments of the present invention, different portions may contain different concentrations of antimicrobial particles. In these embodiments, the concentration of antimicrobial particles may be adjusted by varying the ratio of component portion material to number of antimicrobial particles prior to the forming step, preferably during the dispersing or providing step.

[0026] The component part material may comprise a fibrous material, and dispersing the antimicrobial particles comprises disposing the antimicrobial particles throughout a fiber network of the fibrous material.

[0027] The component material may include a polymer, and dispersing the antimicrobial particles includes dispersing the antimicrobial particles throughout the polymer.

[0028] Dispersing the antimicrobial particles throughout the polymer may include dispersing the antimicrobial particles throughout the polymer when the polymer is a fluid.

[0029] This promotes uniform dispersion of the antimicrobial particles throughout the polymer. In many cases where the component material comprises a polymer, the polymer is a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer that is formed into the component via a process such as injection molding or blow molding while the polymer is in a fluid (or molten) state. In these examples, the polymer does not need to be returned to a solid state after the antimicrobial particles are dispersed, thereby saving time and resources during the component manufacturing process.

[0030] In the present disclosure, a component for an aerosol generation system refers to a device, apparatus, or part of a device or apparatus that is a component of the aerosol generation system. For example, an aerosol generation system may include an aerosol generation device, a cartridge (for use with the aerosol generation device), an accessory for the aerosol generation system (e.g., a carry case for the aerosol generation device), or a combination thereof. It will be understood that aspects of the present invention may also apply to other components for an aerosol generation system not explicitly listed above.

[0031] Aspects of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1A] 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an exemplary aerosol generating device. [Figure 1B] 1 illustrates schematically another exemplary aerosol generating device. [Figure 1C] 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an exemplary cartridge for an aerosol generation system. [Figure 1D] 1A and 1B illustrate schematic diagrams of exemplary accessories for an aerosol generation system. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an exemplary portion of the components for an aerosol generating system. [Figure 3] 10 illustrates schematically another exemplary portion of a component for an aerosol generating system, the portion comprising a coating. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B schematically illustrate a further exemplary portion of a component for an aerosol generating system, the portion comprising a fibrous material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] The present invention discloses a component for an aerosol generating system, the component having antimicrobial properties provided by antimicrobial particles 20 distributed over a portion 10 of the exterior surface of the component. Figures 1A-1D show some examples of such a component, and Figures 2, 3 and 4 show examples of how the antimicrobial particles 20 may be contained within the component portion 10.

[0034] Specifically, the antimicrobial particles 20 discussed herein include monovalent copper compound particles 22. The monovalent copper compound particles 22 can reduce microbial activity and improve hygiene through several mechanisms, one such mechanism being described below. When the monovalent copper compound particles 22 come into contact with a microorganism, such as a bacteria or virus, the monovalent copper compound particles 22 convert monovalent copper ions (Cu + These copper ions react with oxygen (O2) in the ambient air to form hydroxide ions (OH - Furthermore, monovalent copper ions act together with hydroxide ions, which have an antimicrobial effect against microorganisms. Antimicrobial effect or antimicrobial properties refers to the effect of eliminating, inactivating, or stopping the reproduction / growth of microorganisms.

[0035] The advantage of using monovalent copper compound particles 22 rather than other copper particles is that monovalent copper ions are more easily oxidized than divalent copper ions and are therefore more effective at reducing microbial activity. Monovalent copper compound particles 22 have been found to reduce bacterial and viral activity in samples by over 99.9% in less than one hour.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present invention, monovalent copper compound particles 22 comprise monovalent copper compound nanoparticles. The antimicrobial efficacy provided by these nanoparticles is greater than that provided by larger sized particles of the same material. This is due, at least in part, to the nanoparticles' higher surface area-to-volume ratio and smaller size, which allows a greater number of monovalent copper compound particles 22 to be distributed throughout portion 10.

[0037] 1A generally illustrates an exemplary aerosol-generating device 2. The device 2 includes an outer housing 3 that holds the internal components (not shown) of the device 2 that are used to generate the aerosol. For example, these internal components may include an aerosol-generating substrate disposed within a heating chamber. In use, the substrate is heated by a nearby heater powered by a battery to generate the aerosol, which is then inhaled by the user.

[0038] The device 2 further comprises a mouthpiece 6 through which the user inhales the aerosol. In this embodiment, the mouthpiece 6 is part of the aerosol generation device, while in other embodiments the mouthpiece 6 may be a separate component or part of a separate component, such as a cartridge.

[0039] In the embodiment of Figure 1A, portion 10 of the aerosol-generating device 2 has antibacterial properties. These antibacterial properties are provided by antibacterial particles 20 contained in portion 10 of the outer housing 3. These particles 20 are described in more detail below. As shown in Figure 1A, portion 10 covers an area of ​​the device 2 that is frequently gripped by users, thereby reducing the likelihood of harmful bacteria or viruses being transmitted between separate users due to sharing of the device 2.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present invention, the outer housing 3 includes a grip configured to be grasped by a user, and in some other embodiments, the device 2 includes a grip (e.g., a layer of textile material wrapped around a portion of the outer housing 3) that is separate from the housing 3. In both embodiments, the grip preferably includes antimicrobial particles 20.

[0041] Figure 1B shows another embodiment of an aerosol-generating device 2. In contrast to the device 2 of Figure 1A, the entire exterior of the device 2 comprises antimicrobial particles 20. This increases the antimicrobial properties of the device 2 and reduces the risk of transmitting harmful bacteria or viruses, regardless of where and how the device 2 is handled by the user.

[0042] In Figure 1A, portion 10 is shaded to clearly distinguish portion 10 containing antimicrobial particles 20 from other portions of device 2 that do not contain antimicrobial particles 20. In Figure 1B, no shading is included because the entire exterior surface of device 2 contains antimicrobial particles 20 and there is no need to distinguish between portions of the component that contain particles 20 and portions that do not contain particles 20.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, the concentration or density of antimicrobial particles 20 may be varied across different portions 10 of the component or regions of the portion 10 of the component. This allows the antimicrobial properties provided by the particles 20 to be tailored throughout the component, thereby conserving resources and reducing the cost of the component while still reducing harmful microbial activity on the component. For example, if the component is an aerosol-generating device, like the component in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the mouthpiece and grip portions of the device may contain a higher concentration of antimicrobial particles 20 than other regions of the device. The mouthpiece and grip portions may be handled more frequently by a user, and therefore require the most effective antimicrobial effect.

[0044] 1C shows a cartridge 4 for an aerosol generating system. The cartridge 4 includes an aerosolizable substrate 5 and a mouthpiece 6 and is configured to be at least partially contained within an aerosol generating device. Because cartridges for aerosol generating systems are typically physically handled by a user, e.g., inserted into and removed from the device by hand, it is advantageous for at least a portion of the exterior surface of such a cartridge 4 to include antimicrobial particles 20 to provide an antimicrobial effect.

[0045] In the cartridge 4 of FIG. 1C , the portion of the exterior surface of the cartridge 4 surrounding the mouthpiece 6 includes antimicrobial particles 20. In this embodiment, the portion of the exterior surface of the cartridge 4 at the substrate 5 is not provided with antimicrobial particles 20. This is because, during use, this portion of the cartridge 4 is heated to a high temperature that reduces the activity of many harmful bacteria and viruses, and therefore presents a lower risk of transmitting these microorganisms. Additionally, users typically avoid touching the substrate 5 of the cartridge 4 to prevent residue from the substrate 5 from being transferred to the user. However, in some embodiments of the present invention, the portion of the cartridge 4 at the substrate 5 may include antimicrobial particles 20 to further improve the safety of the component.

[0046] 1C includes both the substrate 5 and the mouthpiece 6, in other embodiments the cartridge 4 may include different components. For example, the cartridge 4 may include an aerosol cooling region disposed between the mouthpiece 6 and the substrate 5, while in other embodiments the cartridge 4 may not include the mouthpiece 6 and may include only the substrate 5. In such components, the distribution of antimicrobial particles 20 is distributed according to the risk associated with each part of the component.

[0047] 1D illustrates an exemplary accessory 8 for an aerosol generation system. Specifically, accessory 8 is a textile carry case constructed from a textile material and used to store other elements of the aerosol generation system, such as cartridge 4 and aerosol generation device 2, when not in use. In the example of FIG. 1D, the entire exterior surface of accessory 8 includes antimicrobial particles 20 to maximize the antimicrobial properties of the carry case.

[0048] 2 shows a schematic representation of a portion 10 of the exterior surface of a component for an aerosol generating system, with antimicrobial particles 20 disposed throughout the portion 10. Preferably, the particles 20 are evenly distributed to ensure that the antimicrobial effect is provided throughout the surface area of ​​the portion 10. If the exterior surface of the component is a plastic, polymeric, or metallic material, the antimicrobial particles 20 will typically be disposed throughout the component in this manner.

[0049] Component portion 10, as shown in Figure 2, may be produced by first providing component portion material 40, i.e., the primary structural material used to form portions of the exterior surface of the component. Antimicrobial particles 20 are then dispersed throughout component portion material 40 to form antimicrobial material 42. Component portion 10 is then formed from antimicrobial material 42, thereby retaining the structural properties provided by component portion material 40 while also obtaining the antimicrobial benefits of antimicrobial particles 20.

[0050] The exact nature of the dispersing and forming steps will vary depending on the properties of the component part material 40. For example, if the component part material 40 includes a polymer (e.g., for forming the outer housing of the aerosol-generating device), it is preferable to disperse the antimicrobial particles 20 throughout the polymer when the polymer is in a liquid or molten phase.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows another portion 10 of the exterior surface of a component for an aerosol generating system. The portion 10 includes a coating 30 covering the component exterior surface, including antimicrobial particles 20 disposed throughout the coating 30. Typically, the coating 30 includes a coating fluid 32, and the antimicrobial particles 20 are dispersed throughout the coating fluid 32 before the coating 30 is applied to the portion 10. This helps provide a uniform distribution of the particles 20 throughout the coating 30 and allows for the concentration of the antimicrobial particles 20 in the coating 30 to be selected prior to application. Applying the antimicrobial coating 30 to a portion of a component can be less expensive than dispersing the antimicrobial particles 20 throughout the component part material 40 itself. Additionally, the coating 30 can be easily applied to an existing component (either to a finished component or at the end of the component manufacturing process) to provide the component with antimicrobial properties.

[0052] Coating 30 may be applied to component portion 10 before or after the components are assembled. For example, if portion 10 is a grip for an aerosol generating device, coating 30 can be applied to the grip before the grip is connected to the device or after the grip is connected to the device.

[0053] The portion 10 of the exterior surface of a component for an aerosol generating system, shown in FIG. 4, includes a fibrous material 44. This may be, for example, the portion 10 of the carry case accessory shown in FIG. 1D. The fibrous material 44 is composed of a network of tangled fibers, referred to as a fiber network 46. As shown in FIG. 4, the antimicrobial particles 20 are disposed throughout the fiber network 46. Preferably, the particles 20 are dispersed through the fibers before the network 46 is constructed and before the portion 10 of the component is formed from the fibrous material 44. This results in a uniform distribution of the antimicrobial material 42, the fibrous material 44, and therefore the antimicrobial particles 20 throughout the resulting portion 10.

[0054] The coating 30 shown in Figure 3 may also be applied to a part 10 having antimicrobial particles 20 distributed throughout the part 10, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. This can improve the antimicrobial properties of the part 10 and provide two layers of antimicrobial protection to the part 10. For example, if the outer layer (coating 30) is scratched or damaged, the part retains the benefit of the antimicrobial particles 20 due to the antimicrobial particles being dispersed throughout the part 10 underneath the second layer.

Claims

1. 1. A component for an aerosol generating system, comprising: the component is an aerosol generating device; the entire outer surface of the aerosol-generating device comprises antimicrobial particles; the antibacterial particles include monovalent copper compound particles, the mouthpiece and grip portion of the aerosol generating device contain a higher concentration of the antimicrobial particles than other areas of the aerosol generating device; Component.

2. the entire exterior surface includes a coating; the antimicrobial particles are disposed throughout the coating; 10. The component of claim 1.

3. the outer surface of the aerosol-generating device comprises a polymer; Component according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The antibacterial particles include monovalent copper compound nanoparticles. A component according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A method for producing a component according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the steps of: covering the entire exterior surface of the aerosol generating device with a coating; the coating comprises antimicrobial particles; The antibacterial particles include monovalent copper compound particles. method.

6. and further comprising dispersing the antimicrobial particles throughout a coating fluid to form the coating prior to the overlay. The method of claim 5.

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