Substrate having multiple aerosol-forming materials for aerosol delivery devices

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an aerosol-generating member comprising a substrate impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials, including a first aerosol-forming material and a second aerosol-forming material, wherein the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material have different boiling points, different vapor pressures, or both. The disclosed aerosol-generating member can be utilized in an aerosol delivery device, such as a non-combustion heated (HNB) or electrically heated aerosol delivery device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aerosol generating member, an aerosol delivery device, and an aerosol delivery system, such as a smoking article, for providing an inhalable substance in the form of an aerosol for human consumption, by heating an aerosol-forming material using an electrically generated heat or a combustible ignition source, preferably without significant combustion.

Background Art

[0002] Many smoking articles have been proposed over the years as improved or alternative smoking products based on the combustion of tobacco for use. Some alternatives include devices that burn a solid fuel or a liquid fuel to transfer heat to the tobacco or devices in which a chemical reaction is used to provide such a heat source. In additional alternatives, electrical energy is used to heat tobacco and / or other aerosol-generating base materials, as described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 to Worm et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0003] The gist of improved or alternative smoking articles has typically been to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without delivering a significant amount of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. For this purpose, numerous smoking products, flavor generators, and medicinal inhalers have been proposed that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material or to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking without significantly burning the tobacco. See, for example, the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices, and heat sources described in the background art of U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 to Griffith, Jr. et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 to Sears et al., each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0004] Articles that produce the taste and sensation of smoking by electrically heating tobacco, tobacco-derived materials, or other plant-derived materials have suffered from inconsistent performance characteristics. For example, some articles have suffered from inconsistent release of flavorings or other inhalable materials and inadequate loading of aerosol-forming materials onto the base material. Therefore, it is desirable to provide smoking articles that have favorable performance characteristics without burning the base material and that can provide the sensation of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe.

[0005] Aerosol delivery devices that utilize electrically generated heat, similar to aerosol delivery devices that transfer heat to a cigarette by burning a solid fuel such as carbon, have an aerosol-forming substrate as part of the aerosol-generating member. Typically, only one aerosol-forming agent is used in the aerosol-forming substrate. Therefore, the tendency of aerosol formation when the substrate is heated depends on the boiling point or vapor pressure of the aerosol-forming agent. In both types of devices, it is advantageous to provide a substrate containing multiple aerosol-forming agents to enable controlled release of aerosols over time as the substrate is heated. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0255702 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0096781 [Overview of the project] [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This disclosure relates to an aerosol generating member and an aerosol delivery device that heat a substrate impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials using an electric heating source or a flammable ignition source, for the purpose of providing an inhalable substance in the form of an aerosol for human consumption.

[0008] Accordingly, in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides an aerosol generating member comprising a substrate impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials, including a first aerosol-forming material and a second aerosol-forming material, wherein the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material each have different boiling points, different vapor pressures, or both.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material are independently selected from the group consisting of water, polyhydric alcohols, polysorbates, sorbitan esters, fatty acids, fatty acid esters, waxes, triacetins, and sugar alcohols. In some embodiments, at least one of the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is a polyhydric alcohol. In some embodiments, the two or more aerosol-forming materials are present in a weight ratio of about 3:1 to about 1:3 for the first aerosol-forming material to the second aerosol-forming material.

[0010] In some embodiments, both the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material are polyhydric alcohols. In some embodiments, the polyhydric alcohol is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the polyhydric alcohols are glycerol and propylene glycol. In some embodiments, glycerol and propylene glycol are present in a weight ratio of about 3:1 to about 1:3. In some embodiments, glycerol and propylene glycol are present in a weight ratio of about 1:1.

[0011] In some embodiments, the substrate is further impregnated with at least one additional aerosol-forming agent. In some embodiments, the at least one additional aerosol-forming agent is selected from the group consisting of water, polysorbate, sorbitan ester, fatty acid, fatty acid ester, wax, triacetin, sugar alcohol, cannabinoid, terpene, and combinations thereof.

[0012] In some embodiments, the base material is further impregnated with flavoring agents, active ingredients, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the active ingredients include tobacco components, non-tobacco botanicals, nicotine components, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the active ingredients include nicotine components.

[0013] In some embodiments, the substrate is in the form of particulate matter, shredded material, film, paper process sheet, cast sheet, beads, granular rod, or extruded product.

[0014] In some embodiments, the substrate is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0015] In some embodiments, the substrate includes tobacco-derived fibers, wood-derived fibers, or a combination thereof.

[0016] In some embodiments, the substrate further comprises one or more binders. In some embodiments, the one or more binders are selected from alginates, cellulose derivatives, starch, gum, dextran, carrageenan, calcium carbonate, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the substrate comprises one or more of calcium carbonate, alginates, one or more cellulose derivatives, starch, wood pulp, or tobacco-derived fibers. In some embodiments, two or more aerosol-forming materials are present in a weight ratio of about 3:1 to about 1:3. In some embodiments, the two or more aerosol-forming materials are glycerol and propylene glycol.

[0017] In some embodiments, the substrate contains about 0 to about 60% by weight of calcium carbonate, about 0 to about 10% by weight of alginate, about 0 to about 5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, about 0 to about 30% by weight of starch, about 0 to about 5% by weight of wood pulp, and about 0 to about 80% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers, and the substrate is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials in a loading amount of about 15 to about 55% by weight based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate.

[0018] In some embodiments, the substrate contains about 0 to about 5% by weight of calcium carbonate, about 1% to about 5% by weight of wood pulp, and about 70 to about 80% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers, and the substrate is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials at a loading amount of about 15 to about 25% by weight based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate.

[0019] In some embodiments, the substrate contains about 45 to about 60% by weight of calcium carbonate, about 0 to about 10% by weight of alginate, about 0 to about 5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, about 0 to about 15% by weight of starch, about 0 to about 5% by weight of wood pulp, and about 0 to about 40% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers, and the substrate is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials in a loading amount of about 15 to about 25% by weight based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate.

[0020] In some embodiments, the substrate contains about 40 to about 60% by weight of calcium carbonate, about 0 to about 10% by weight of alginate, about 0 to about 5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, about 0 to about 15% by weight of starch, about 0 to about 5% by weight of wood pulp, and about 0 to about 40% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers, and the substrate is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials in a loading amount of about 15 to about 25% by weight based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate.

[0021] In some embodiments, the base material comprises from about 5 to about 15% by weight of calcium carbonate, from about 1 to about 5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, from about 20 to about 40% by weight of starch, and from about 20 to about 40% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers, and the base material is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials at a loading of from about 15 to about 25% by weight based on the total weight of the impregnated base material.

[0022] In another aspect, there is provided an aerosol delivery device comprising an aerosol-generating member as described herein; a heat source configured to heat an aerosol-forming material impregnated in a base material portion to form an aerosol; and an aerosol pathway extending from the aerosol-generating member to the mouth end of the aerosol delivery device.

[0023] In some embodiments, the heat source comprises either an electric heating element or a combustible ignition source. In some embodiments, the heat source is a combustible ignition source comprising a carbon-based material. In some embodiments, the heat source is an electric heating element. In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device further comprises a power source electrically connected to the heating element. In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device further comprises a controller configured to control the power transmitted by the power source to the heating element.

[0024] The present disclosure includes, but is not limited to, the following embodiments.

[0025] Embodiment 1: An aerosol-generating member comprising a base material impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials including a first aerosol-forming material and a second aerosol-forming material, wherein the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material each have different boiling points, different vapor pressures, or both.

[0026] Embodiment 2: The aerosol generating member according to Embodiment 1, wherein the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material are independently selected from the group consisting of water, polyhydric alcohols, polysorbates, sorbitan esters, fatty acids, fatty acid esters, waxes, triacetins, and sugar alcohols.

[0027] Embodiment 3: The aerosol generating member according to Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein two or more aerosol-forming materials are present in a weight ratio of approximately 3:1 to approximately 1:3 for the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material.

[0028] Embodiment 4: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is a polyhydric alcohol.

[0029] Embodiment 5: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein both the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material are polyhydric alcohols.

[0030] Embodiment 6: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the polyhydric alcohol is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

[0031] Embodiment 7: The aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the polyhydric alcohol is glycerol and propylene glycol.

[0032] Embodiment 8: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 7, wherein glycerol and propylene glycol are present in a weight ratio of approximately 3:1 to approximately 1:3.

[0033] Embodiment 9: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 8, wherein glycerol and propylene glycol are present in a weight ratio of approximately 1:1.

[0034] Embodiment 10: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the substrate is further impregnated with at least one additional aerosol-forming agent.

[0035] Embodiment 11: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 10, wherein at least one additional aerosol forming agent is selected from the group consisting of water, polysorbate, sorbitan ester, fatty acid, fatty acid ester, wax, triacetin, sugar alcohol, cannabinoid, terpene, and combinations thereof.

[0036] Embodiment 12: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the base material is further impregnated with a flavoring agent, an active ingredient, or a combination thereof.

[0037] Embodiment 13: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 12, wherein the active ingredient comprises a non-tobacco botanical, a tobacco component, a nicotine component, or a combination thereof.

[0038] Embodiment 14: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the active ingredient contains a nicotine component.

[0039] Embodiment 15: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the base material is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials at a loading amount of approximately 15 to approximately 55% by weight, based on the total weight of the impregnated base material.

[0040] Embodiment 16: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the base material is in particulate form, shredded form, film form, paper process sheet form, cast sheet form, bead form, granular rod form, or extruded form.

[0041] Embodiment 17: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 16, wherein the base material is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0042] Embodiment 18: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 17, wherein the base material includes tobacco-derived fibers, wood-derived fibers, or a combination thereof.

[0043] Embodiment 19: The aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 18, wherein the substrate further comprises one or more binders.

[0044] Embodiment 20: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 19, wherein one or more binders are selected from alginates, cellulose derivatives, starch, gum, dextran, carrageenan, calcium carbonate, or a combination thereof.

[0045] Embodiment 21: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 20, wherein the base material comprises one or more of the following: calcium carbonate, alginate, one or more cellulose derivatives, starch, wood pulp, or tobacco-derived fibers.

[0046] Embodiment 22: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 21, wherein two or more aerosol-forming materials are present in a weight ratio of approximately 3:1 to approximately 1:3 between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material.

[0047] Embodiment 23: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 22, wherein two or more aerosol-forming materials are glycerol and propylene glycol.

[0048] Embodiment 24: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 23, wherein the base material comprises about 0 to about 5% by weight of calcium carbonate, about 1% to about 5% by weight of wood pulp, and about 70 to about 80% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers, and the base material is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials at a loading amount of about 15 to about 25% by weight based on the total weight of the impregnated base material.

[0049] Embodiment 25: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 24, wherein the base material comprises about 45 to about 60% by weight of calcium carbonate, about 0 to about 10% by weight of alginate, about 0 to about 5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, about 0 to about 15% by weight of starch, about 0 to about 5% by weight of wood pulp, and about 0 to about 40% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers, and the base material is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials in a loading amount of about 15 to about 25% by weight based on the total weight of the impregnated base material.

[0050] Embodiment 26: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 25, wherein the base material contains about 40 to about 60% by weight of calcium carbonate, about 0 to about 10% by weight of alginate, about 0 to about 5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, about 0 to about 15% by weight of starch, about 0 to about 5% by weight of wood pulp, and about 0 to about 40% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers, and the base material is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials in a loading amount of about 15 to about 25% by weight based on the total weight of the impregnated base material.

[0051] Embodiment 27: An aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 26, wherein the base material contains about 5 to about 15% by weight of calcium carbonate, about 1 to about 5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, about 20 to about 40% by weight of starch, and about 20 to about 40% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers, and the base material is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials in a loading amount of about 15 to about 25% by weight based on the total weight of the impregnated base material.

[0052] Embodiment 28: An aerosol delivery device comprising an aerosol generating member according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 27, a heat source configured to heat an impregnated substrate to form an aerosol, and an aerosol path extending from the aerosol generating member to the mouse end of the aerosol delivery device.

[0053] Embodiment 29: The aerosol delivery device according to Embodiment 28, wherein the heat source includes either an electric heating element or a flammable ignition source.

[0054] Embodiment 30: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of Embodiments 28 and 29, wherein the heat source is a flammable ignition source containing a carbon-based material.

[0055] Embodiment 31: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of Embodiments 28 to 30, wherein the heat source is an electric heating element.

[0056] Embodiment 32: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of Embodiments 28 to 31, further comprising a power supply electrically connected to the heating element.

[0057] Embodiment 33: An aerosol delivery device according to any one of Embodiments 28 to 32, further comprising a controller configured to control the power transmitted by the power supply to the heating element.

[0058] The above and other features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The present invention includes any combination of two, three, four or more of the above embodiments, and any combination of any two, three, four or more features or elements described herein, whether or not such features or elements are explicitly combined in the description of a particular embodiment herein. This disclosure is intended to be read holistically, and unless otherwise indicated as is clear from the context, any separable features or elements of the disclosed invention should be interpreted as being combinable as intended in any of its various aspects and embodiments.

[0059] As described above using the general terminology mentioned above, the aspects of this disclosure will be referred to below with reference to the attached drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to a specific scale. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and should not be interpreted as limiting the disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0060] [Figure 1]A perspective view of an aerosol delivery device, including a control unit and an aerosol generating member, is shown, where the generating member and the control unit are connected to each other according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the aerosol delivery device, in which the aerosol generating member and the control unit are separated according to the exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of an aerosol generating member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 4] A schematic cross-sectional view of the base material portion of the aerosol generating member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 5] A perspective view of an aerosol generating member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 6] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the aerosol generating member with the outer wrap removed, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] This bar graph shows the thermal energy required to vaporize glycerol, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). [Figure 8] This is a graph showing superimposed glycerol ion current curves for paper processing and reconstitution samples with various glycerol-propylene glycol loading amounts. [Figure 9] This is a graph showing superimposed ionic current curves of glycerol for bead-shaped tobacco samples with various glycerol-propylene glycol loading amounts. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0061] This disclosure is described in its entirety below with reference to its exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments are described so as to ensure that this disclosure is thorough and complete and to fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In fact, this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein, but rather these embodiments are provided so as to satisfy the applicable legal requirements of this disclosure. In this specification and claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" refer to multiple subjects unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. References to "percent dry weight" or "on a dry weight basis" refer to weights based on dry components (i.e., all components except water).

[0062] As described below, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an aerosol generating member comprising a substrate of two or more aerosol-forming materials, including a first aerosol-forming material and a second aerosol-forming material, wherein the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material each have different boiling points, different vapor pressures, or both. Further exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an aerosol delivery device, comprising an aerosol generating member disclosed herein, a heat source configured to heat an aerosol-forming material impregnated in the substrate portion to form an aerosol, and an aerosol delivery device with an aerosol path extending from the aerosol generating member to a mouse end.

[0063] Aerosol generating member and aerosol delivery device Some embodiments of the aerosol generating member according to this disclosure use electrical energy to heat a material to form an inhalable substance (e.g., an electrically heated tobacco product). Other embodiments of the aerosol generating member according to this disclosure use an ignitable heat source to heat a material to form an inhalable substance (e.g., a carbon-heated tobacco product) (preferably without burning the material to any significant degree). Preferably, the material is heated without burning the material to any significant degree. Components of such systems have the form of articles compact enough to be considered handheld devices. That is, the use of preferred aerosol delivery device components does not result in the generation of smoke in the sense that the aerosol is mainly produced from by-products of the combustion or thermal decomposition of tobacco; rather, the use of these preferred systems results in the generation of vapor resulting from the volatilization or vaporization of certain components incorporated therein. In some exemplary embodiments, the aerosol delivery device components may be characterized as e-cigarettes, which most preferably incorporate tobacco and / or tobacco-derived components and thus deliver tobacco-derived components in aerosol form.

[0064] A particular aerosol-generating component of a preferred aerosol delivery device may provide many of the sensations of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe (e.g., the form of inhalation and exhalation, the type of taste or flavor, the sensory stimulation effect, the physical feel, the form of use, and the visual stimulation, such as that produced by the visible aerosol), without burning any of its components to any substantial degree. For example, a user of an aerosol delivery device according to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may hold and use the component in the same way a smoker uses a conventional type of smoking article, inhaling one end of the component to inhale the aerosol generated by the component, and puffing or inhaling at selected time intervals.

[0065] While this system is generally described herein in relation to embodiments relating to aerosol delivery devices and / or aerosol generating components, such as so-called “electronic cigarettes” or “tobacco heating products,” it should be understood that the mechanisms, components, features, and methods may be embodied in many different forms and associated with various parts. For example, the descriptions provided herein may be used in conjunction with embodiments of related packaging for conventional smoking articles (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.), non-combustion heated cigarettes, and any of the products disclosed herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the descriptions of mechanisms, components, features, and methods disclosed herein are described only as examples relating to embodiments of aerosol delivery devices and may be embodied and used in various other products and methods.

[0066] The aerosol delivery devices and / or aerosol generating members of this disclosure may also be characterized as vapor products or drug delivery articles. Such articles or devices may be adapted to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavors and / or pharmaceutically active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, the inhaled substance may be substantially in the form of vapor (i.e., a substance in the gas phase at a temperature below its critical point). Alternatively, the inhaled substance may be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or droplets in a gas). For simplicity, as used herein, the term “aerosol” means including vapors, gases and aerosols in a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether visible or not and in a form that can be considered as smoke. The physical form of the inhaled substance is not necessarily limited by the nature of the device of the present invention, but rather may depend on the nature of the medium and the inhaled substance itself in terms of whether it exists in a vapor state or an aerosol state. In some embodiments, the terms “vapor” and “aerosol” may be interchangeable. Therefore, for the sake of simplicity, the terms “vapor” and “aerosol” used to describe aspects of this disclosure are understood to be interchangeable unless otherwise specified.

[0067] In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device of the present disclosure may comprise several combinations of aerosol generating components, including a power source (e.g., a power source), at least one control component (e.g., means for starting, controlling, regulating and stopping power for heat generation, such as by controlling the flow of current from the power source to other components of an article, e.g., a microprocessor, individually or as part of a microcontroller), a heat source (e.g., an electrical resistance heater or other component and / or an induction coil or other related component and / or one or more radiant heat sources), and a substrate portion capable of generating an aerosol when sufficiently heated. It should be noted that one or more of the above components can be physically combined. For example, in a particular embodiment, a conductive heater trace may be printed on the surface of a substrate material described herein (e.g., a nanocellulose substrate film) using conductive ink, so that the heater trace can be powered by the power source and used as a resistance heater. Examples of conductive inks include graphene ink and inks containing various metals, such as silver, gold, palladium, platinum and alloys or other combinations thereof (e.g., silver-palladium or silver-platinum ink), which can be printed on surfaces using processes such as gravure printing, flexographic printing, offset printing, screen printing, inkjet printing, or other suitable printing methods.

[0068] In various embodiments, many of these components may be housed within an outer body or shell, which in some embodiments may be referred to as a housing. The overall design of the outer body or shell may vary, and the shape or configuration of the outer body may vary, which can define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device. Although other configurations are possible, in some embodiments, an elongated body similar in shape to a cigarette or cigar may be formed from a single, integrated housing, or the elongated housing may be formed from two or more separable bodies. For example, the aerosol delivery device may be substantially tubular in shape and therefore may comprise an elongated shell or body similar in shape to a conventional cigarette or cigar. In one example, all components of the aerosol delivery device are contained within a single housing or body. In other embodiments, the aerosol delivery device may comprise two or more joined and separable housings. For example, an aerosol delivery device may have a control body comprising a housing at one end containing one or more reusable components (e.g., an accumulator such as a rechargeable battery and / or a rechargeable supercapacitor and various electronic devices for controlling the operation of the articles) and an outer body or shell at the other end that is detachably connectable and contains a disposable component (e.g., a disposable flavor-containing aerosol generating component).

[0069] In other embodiments, the aerosol generating member of the present disclosure may include a flammable heat source configured to generally heat a base material. At least a portion of the base material and / or heat source may be covered with an outer wrap or packaging, casing, member, module, element, etc. The overall design of the housing is variable, and the shape or configuration of the housing that defines the overall size and shape of the aerosol generating member is also variable. Other configurations are possible, but in some embodiments, it may be desirable that the overall design, size and / or shape of these embodiments resemble that of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In various embodiments, the heat source may be capable of generating heat to aerosolize the base material, for example, a base material related to an aerosol-forming material, an extruded structure and / or base material, tobacco and / or tobacco-related materials, such as materials naturally found in tobacco, such as solid or liquid forms (e.g., beads, sheets, fragments, wraps) isolated directly from tobacco or synthetically prepared.

[0070] More specific shapes, configurations, and arrangements of the various substrate materials, aerosol generating members, and members within aerosol delivery devices of this disclosure will become apparent in light of the further disclosures provided below. Additionally, the selection of various aerosol delivery device members can be understood in consideration of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices. Furthermore, the arrangement of members within aerosol delivery devices can be understood in consideration of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices.

[0071] In this regard, Figure 1 shows an aerosol delivery device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The aerosol delivery device 100 may comprise a control body 102 and an aerosol generating member 104. In various embodiments, the aerosol generating member 104 and the control body 102 may be aligned permanently or detachably in a functional relationship. In this regard, Figure 1 shows the aerosol delivery device 100 in a connected configuration, while Figure 2 shows the aerosol delivery device 100 in a separated configuration. Various mechanisms may connect the aerosol generating member 104 to the control body 102 to provide screw engagement, press engagement, interference fit, slide fit, magnetic engagement, and the like.

[0072] In various embodiments, the aerosol delivery device 100 according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may have a variety of overall shapes, including, but are not limited to, overall shapes that can be defined as substantially rod-shaped, substantially tubular, or substantially cylindrical. In the embodiments of Figures 1-2, the device 100 has a substantially circular cross-section, but other cross-sectional shapes (e.g., elliptical, square, triangular, etc.) are also encompassed by the present disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, one or both of the control body 102 or the aerosol generating member 104 (and / or any sub-members) may have a substantially rectangular shape, for example, a substantially rectangular cuboid shape (e.g., similar to a USB flash drive). In other embodiments, one or both of the control body 102 or the aerosol generating member 104 (and / or any sub-members) may have other handheld shapes. For example, in some embodiments, the control body 102 may have a small box shape, various podmod shapes, or fob shape. Therefore, such language used to describe the physical shape of an article can also be applied to its individual components, which comprise the control body 102 and the aerosol generating member 104.

[0073] The arrangement of components within the aerosol delivery device of this disclosure may vary across various embodiments. In some embodiments, the substrate portion may be positioned close to a heat source to maximize aerosol delivery to the user. However, other configurations are not excluded. Generally, the heat source may be positioned close enough to the substrate portion so that heat from the heat source can volatilize the substrate portion (and, in some embodiments, one or more flavorings, pharmaceuticals, etc., which may similarly be provided for delivery to the user) and form an aerosol for delivery to the user. When the heat source heats the substrate portion, the aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the terms used herein are interchangeable, including form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, inhaled substances are released in the form of vapors, aerosols, or mixtures thereof, and such terms are also used interchangeably herein unless otherwise specified.

[0074] As described above, various embodiments of the aerosol delivery device 100 can incorporate a battery and / or other power source to provide sufficient current to the aerosol delivery device to provide various functionalities, such as powering a heat source, a control system, or an indicator. The power source can take various embodiments, as will be described in more detail below. Preferably, the power source may be capable of powering the aerosol delivery device through use for a desired duration by delivering sufficient power to rapidly activate a heat source to be provided for aerosol formation. In some embodiments, the power source is sized to fit conveniently within the aerosol delivery device so that the aerosol delivery device can be easily handled. Examples of useful power sources include preferably rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (e.g., rechargeable lithium manganese dioxide batteries). In particular, lithium polymer batteries that can be used as such batteries can enhance safety. Other types of batteries, such as N50-AAA CADNICA nickel-cadmium batteries, can also be used. Additionally, a preferred power source is lightweight enough not to impair the desired smoking experience. Some examples of possible power sources are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,484,155 by Peckerar et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0112191 filed on 21 October 2015, and their disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0075] In certain embodiments, one or both of the control unit 102 and the aerosol generating member 104 may be referred to as disposable or reusable. For example, the control unit 102 may have a replaceable or rechargeable battery, a solid-state battery, a thin-film solid-state battery, a rechargeable supercapacitor, etc., and can therefore be combined with any type of charging technology, including connection to a wall charger, connection to a car charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter socket), connection to a computer via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or connector (e.g., USB 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, USB Type-C), connection to a photovoltaic cell (sometimes referred to as a solar cell) or a solar panel for a solar cell, a wireless charger, such as an inductive wireless charger (e.g., wireless charger compliant with the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi wireless charging standard), or a radio frequency (RF) based charger. An example of an inductive wireless charging system is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017 / 0112196 by Sur et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the aerosol generating member 104 may include a single-use device. A single-use device for use with a control body is disclosed in Chang et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,910,639, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0076] In further embodiments, the power source may also include a capacitor. Since the capacitor can discharge faster than the battery and can be charged between puffs, the battery can discharge to the capacitor at a lower rate than when directly supplying power to the heat source. For example, a supercapacitor, such as an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC), can be used separately from or in combination with the battery. When used alone, the supercapacitor may be recharged before each use of the article. Therefore, the device may also include a charger member that can be attached to the smoking article between uses to replenish the supercapacitor.

[0077] Further components may be utilized in the aerosol delivery devices of this disclosure. For example, the aerosol delivery device may include a flow sensor that is highly sensitive to either pressure changes or airflow changes when a consumer inhales an item (e.g., a puff-activated switch). Other possible current-actuated / deactuated mechanisms may include a temperature-actuated on / off switch or a lip pressure-actuated switch. An example of a mechanism capable of providing such a puff-actuated function is the Model 163PC01D36 silicon sensor manufactured by the MicroSwitch division of Honeywell, Inc. in Freeport, Illinois. Typical flow sensors, current regulating members, and various microcontrollers, sensors, and switches for aerosol delivery devices, including other current control members, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 by Gerth et al., all of which are U.S. Patents No. 4,922,901, 4,947,874, and 4,947,875 by Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 by Fleischhauer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,040,314 by Nguyen et al., and U.S. Patent No. 8,205,622 by Pan, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In addition, the control scheme described in U.S. Patent No. 9,423,152 by Ampolini et al. is referenced and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0078] In another example, the aerosol delivery device may comprise a first conductive surface configured to contact a first body part of the user holding the device, and a second conductive surface electrically isolated from the first conductive surface and configured to contact a second body part of the user. Thus, when the aerosol delivery device detects a change in conductivity between the first and second conductive surfaces, a vaporizer is activated to vaporize the substance, causing the vapor to be inhaled by the user holding the unit. The first and second body parts may be the lips or the hands. The two conductive surfaces may also be used to charge a battery contained within the personal vaporizer unit. The two conductive surfaces may also form or be part of a connector that can be used to output data stored in memory. U.S. Patent No. 9,861,773 by Terry et al. is referenced and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0079] Furthermore, U.S. Patent No. 5,154,192 by Sprinkel et al. discloses an indicator for smoking articles; U.S. Patent No. 5,261,424 by Sprinkel, Jr. discloses a piezoelectric sensor that can be associated with the mouth end of a device to detect the user's lip movements during inhalation and cause heating of a heating device; U.S. Patent No. 5,372,148 by McCafferty et al. discloses a puff sensor for controlling the energy flow to a heating load array in response to a pressure drop through a mouthpiece; U.S. Patent No. 5,967,148 by Harris et al. discloses an outlet in a smoking device including an identifier for detecting non-uniformity of the infrared transmittance of an inserted component and a controller that performs a detection routine when the component is inserted into the outlet; U.S. Patent No. 6,040,560 by Fleischhauer et al. describes a defined, viable power cycle with multiple differential phases; and U.S. Patent No. 5,934,289 by Watkins et al. discloses a photonic The United States Patent Publication No. 5,954,979 by Counts et al. discloses a means for changing the pull resistance through a smoking device; the United States Patent Publication No. 6,803,545 by Blake et al. discloses a specific battery configuration for use in a smoking device; the United States Patent Publication No. 7,293,565 by Griffen et al. discloses various charging systems for use with a smoking device; the United States Patent Publication No. 8,402,976 by Fernando et al. discloses a computer interface means for a smoking device to facilitate charging and enable computer control of the device; the United States Patent Publication No. 8,689,804 by Fernando et al. discloses an identification system for a smoking device; and the PCT International Publication No. WO2010 / 003480 by Flick discloses a fluid flow sensing system that indicates puffs in an aerosol generating system. All of the foregoing disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0080] Further examples of electronic aerosol delivery articles that may be used in this device and components related to the disclosed materials or components include U.S. Patent No. 4,735,217 by Gerth et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,249,586 by Morgan et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,666,977 by Higgins et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,053,176 by Adams et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,164,287 by White, U.S. Patent No. 6,196,218 by Voges, U.S. Patent No. 6,810,883 by Felter et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,854,461 by Nichols, U.S. Patent No. 7,832,410 by Hon, U.S. Patent No. 7,513,253 by Kobayashi, U.S. Patent No. 7,896,006 by Hamano, U.S. Patent No. 6,772,756 by Shayan, and Hon's U.S. Patent Nos. 8,156,944 and 8,375,957, U.S. Patent No. 8,794,231 by Thorens et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,851,083 by Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent Nos. 8,915,254 and 8,925,555 by Monsees et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,220,302 by DePiano et al., and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006 / 0196 of Hon. U.S. Patent Publications 518 and 2009 / 0188490, U.S. Patent Publication 2010 / 0024834 by Oglesby et al., U.S. Patent Publication 2010 / 0307518 by Wang, PCT International Publication WO2010 / 091593 by Hon, and PCT International Publication WO2013 / 089551 by Foo, each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Furthermore, U.S. Patent Publication 2017 / 0099877 by Worm et al., filed on 13 October 2015, discloses capsules that may be included in aerosol delivery devices and fob-shaped configurations for aerosol delivery devices, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Various materials disclosed in the aforementioned documents may be incorporated into the device in various embodiments, and all of the aforementioned disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0081] Referring to Figure 2, in the depicted embodiment, the aerosol generating member 104 comprises a heating end 106 configured to be inserted into a control body 102 and a mouth end 108 for the user to inhale and produce an aerosol. At least a portion of the heating end 106 may include a base portion 110. In various embodiments, as will be described in more detail below, the base portion 110 may include various materials impregnated with an aerosol-forming material. In various embodiments, the aerosol generating member 104 or a portion thereof may be wrapped in an outer overlap material 112. In various embodiments, the mouth end 108 of the aerosol generating member 104 may include a filter 114 made of, for example, cellulose acetate or polypropylene material. The filter 114 may additionally or alternatively include strands of tobacco-containing material, for example, as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,025,814 by Raker et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In various embodiments, the filter 114 may increase the structural integrity of the mouth end of the aerosol source element and / or provide filtration capacity and / or resistance to entrapment, if desired. In some embodiments, the filter may comprise separate segments. For example, some embodiments may include a segment that provides filtration, a segment that provides entrapment resistance, a hollow segment that provides space for cooling the aerosol, a segment that provides increased structural integrity, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the above.

[0082] In some embodiments, the material of the outer overlap 112 may include a material that resists heat transfer, which may include paper or other fibrous materials, such as cellulose. The outer overlap material may also include at least one filler material embedded or dispersed within the fibrous material. In various embodiments, the filler material may be in the form of water-insoluble particles. Additionally, the filler material may incorporate inorganic components. In various embodiments, the outer overlap may be formed from multiple layers, for example, a bulk layer underneath and a layer on top, such as the typical wrapping paper in a cigarette. Such materials may include, for example, lightweight "rag fibers," such as flax, taima, sisal, rice straw, and / or African sedge. The outer overlap may also include materials typically used in the filter element of conventional cigarettes, such as cellulose acetate. Furthermore, the excess length of the outer overlap at the mouth end 108 of the aerosol generating member can function, as described below, to simply separate the substrate portion 110 from the consumer's mouth, to provide space for the placement of filter material, to affect suction to an article, or to affect the flow characteristics of vapor or aerosol emitted from the device during suction. Further descriptions of the configuration of the outer overlap material that may be used with this disclosure can be found in Worm et al., U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0083] In various embodiments, other components may be present between the base portion 110 and the mouth end 108 of the aerosol generating member 104. For example, in some embodiments, one or any combination of the following may be placed between the base portion 110 and the mouth end 108 of the aerosol generating member 104: an air gap, a hollow tube structure, a phase change material for cooling air, a flavor release medium, ion exchange fibers capable of selective chemiadsorption, aerogel particles as a filter medium, and other suitable materials. Some examples of possible phase change materials, but not limited to these, include salts, e.g., AgNO3, AlCl3, TaCl3, InCl3, SnCl2, AlI3, and TiI4; metals and metal alloys, e.g., selenium, tin, indium, zinc tin, zinc indium, or indium bismuth; and organic compounds, e.g., D-mannitol, succinic acid, p-nitrobenzoic acid, hydroquinone, and adipic acid. Other examples are described in U.S. Patent No. 8,430,106 by Potter et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0084] As will be described in more detail below, the aerosol generating members currently disclosed are configured to be used with a conductive and / or inductive heat source to heat a substrate material to form an aerosol. In various embodiments, the conductive heat source may comprise a heating assembly including a resistive heating element. The resistive heating element may be configured to generate heat when an electric current is induced through it. Conductive materials useful as resistive heating elements may have low mass, low density and moderate resistance, and be thermally stable at the temperatures experienced during use. Useful heating elements provide efficient use of energy by heating and cooling rapidly. Rapid heating of the element may be beneficial in providing almost immediate volatilization of the aerosol-forming material adjacent to it. Rapid cooling prevents substantial volatilization (and thus waste) of the aerosol-forming material during periods when aerosol formation is undesirable. Such heating elements may also allow for relatively precise control of the temperature range experienced by the aerosol-forming material, particularly when time-based current control is employed. Useful conductive materials are preferably chemically nonreactive with the heated material (e.g., aerosol-forming material and other inhalant material) so as not to adversely affect the flavor or content of the generated aerosol or vapor. Some exemplary and non-limiting materials that can be used as conductive materials include carbon, graphite, carbon / graphite composites, metals, ceramics, e.g., metallic and nonmetallic carbides, nitrides, oxides, silicides, intermetallic compounds, cermets, metal alloys, and metal foils. In particular, refractory materials may be useful. Various different materials can be mixed to achieve desired properties of resistance, mass, and thermal conductivity. In certain embodiments, metals that can be used include, for example, nickel, chromium, nickel-chromium alloys (e.g., nichrome), and steel.Materials that may be useful for providing resistant heating include U.S. Patent No. 5,060,671 by Counts et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,093,894 by Deevi et al., Patent No. 5,224,498 by Deevi et al., and Sprinkel These disclosures are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,228,460 by Jr. et al., No. 5,322,075 by Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,353,813 by Deevi et al., No. 5,468,936 by Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,498,850 by Das, U.S. Patent No. 5,659,656 by Das, U.S. Patent No. 5,498,855 by Deevi et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,530,225 by Hajaligol, U.S. Patent No. 5,665,262 by Hajaligol, U.S. Patent No. 5,573,692 by Das et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,591,368 by Fleischhauer et al., and their disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0085] In various embodiments, the heating element may be provided in various forms, such as foil, foam, mesh, hollow ball, half-ball, disc, helix, fiber, wire, film, yarn, strip, ribbon, or cylinder. Such heating elements often include a metallic material and are configured to generate heat as a result of electrical resistance associated with passing an electric current through them. Such resistive heating elements may be positioned in close proximity to and / or in direct contact with the substrate portion. For example, in one embodiment, the heating element may comprise a cylinder or other heating device positioned within the control body 102, the cylinder being composed of one or more conductive materials, but not limited to, copper, aluminum, platinum, gold, silver, iron, steel, brass, bronze, carbon (e.g., graphite), or any combination thereof. In various embodiments, the heating element may also be coated with any of these or other conductive materials. The heating element may be positioned in close proximity to the engaging end of the control body 102 and may be configured to substantially surround a portion of the heating end 106 of the aerosol generating member 104, which includes the substrate portion 110. In this manner, when the aerosol source element is inserted into the control body 102, the heating element may be positioned in close proximity to the base material portion 110 of the aerosol generating member 104. In other examples, when the aerosol generating member is inserted into the control body, at least a portion of the heating element may penetrate at least a portion of the aerosol generating member (e.g., one or more prongs and / or spikes penetrating the aerosol generating member). Note that in some embodiments, the heating element may include a cylinder, but in other embodiments, the heating element may take various forms and in some embodiments may be in direct contact with and / or penetrate the base material portion.

[0086] As described above, in addition to being configured for use with a conductive heat source, the disclosure may also be configured for use with an inductive heat source that heats a substrate portion to form an aerosol. In various embodiments, the inductive heat source may comprise a resonant transformer which may comprise a resonant transmitter and a resonant receiver (e.g., a susceptor). In some embodiments, the resonant transmitter and resonant receiver may be located in the control body 102. In other embodiments, the resonant receiver or a part thereof may be located in the aerosol source element 104. For example, in some embodiments, the control body 102 may comprise a resonant transmitter and resonant receiver which may comprise, for example, a foil material, a coil, a cylinder or other structure configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field, and the resonant receiver may comprise one or more prongs extending into or surrounded by the substrate portion. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating member is in close contact with the resonant receiver.

[0087] In other embodiments, the resonant oscillator may include a helical coil configured to surround a cavity into which an aerosol generating member, particularly a base material portion of the aerosol generating member, is received. In some embodiments, the helical coil may be positioned between the outer wall of the device and the receiving cavity. In one embodiment, the coil winding may have a circular cross-sectional shape, but in other embodiments, the coil winding may have a variety of other cross-sectional shapes, including, but not limited to, elliptical, rectangular, L-shaped, T-shaped, triangular, and combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a pin may extend into a portion of the receiving cavity, and this pin can comprise the resonant oscillator by, for example, including a coil structure around or inside the pin. In various embodiments, an aerosol source element may be received within the receiving cavity, and one or more members of the aerosol source element may function as a resonant receiver. In some embodiments, the aerosol generating member comprises a resonant receiver. Other possible resonant transformer components, including resonant oscillators and resonant receivers, are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 15 / 799,365, filed on 31 October 2017 and titled “Induction Heated Aerosol Delivery Device,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0088] Base material As described above, in various embodiments, the base material portion 110 may include various base material materials impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials. In some embodiments, the base material includes tobacco-derived fibers, wood, or wood-derived fibers, or a combination thereof.

[0089] In various implementation forms, tobacco-derived fibers may include ground tobacco material. The tobacco material that may be useful in this disclosure may vary and may include, for example, yellow tobacco, Burley tobacco, Oriental tobacco or Maryland tobacco, dark tobacco, dark-fired tobacco and Rustica tobacco, as well as other rare or special tobaccos, or blends thereof. The tobacco material may also include so-called “blended” forms and processed forms, such as processed tobacco stems (e.g., cut-rolled or cut-puffed stems), volume-expanded tobacco (e.g., puffed tobacco, e.g., dry ice-expanded tobacco (DIET), preferably in cut-filler form), and reconstituted tobacco (e.g., reconstituted tobacco produced using a papermaking or cast-sheet process). Various representative tobacco types, tobacco processing types, and tobacco blend types are incorporated herein by reference: Lawson et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,836,224, Perfetti et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,924,888, Brown et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,056,537, Brinkley et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942, Gentry U.S. Patent No. 5,220,930, Blakley et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,360,023, S These are described in U.S. Patent No. 6,701,936 by Hafer et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,011,096 by Li et al., and U.S. Patent No. 7,017,585 by Li et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,025,066 by Lawson et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004-0255965 by Perfett, WO02 / 37990 by Bereman et al., and Bombick et al., Fund.Appl.Toxicol., Vol. 39, pp. 11-17 (1997). Further examples of potentially useful tobacco compositions are U.S. Patent No. 7,726,320 by Robinson et al., whose entire contents are incorporated herein by reference. In some implementations, the ground tobacco material may include a blend of flavorful and aromatic tobaccos.In other implementations, the tobacco material may include reconstituted tobacco materials, for example, those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,807,809 by Pryor et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,889,143 by Pryor et al., and U.S. Patent No. 5,025,814 by Raker, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, the reconstituted tobacco material may include reconstituted tobacco paper for cigarette form, as described in Chemical and Biological Studies on New Cigarette Prototypes that Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco, RJ Reynolds, Tobacco Company Monograph (1988), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0090] In certain embodiments, the substrate includes a reconstituted tobacco material using, for example, various casting and papermaking techniques known in the art. The reconstituted tobacco material may include wood pulp, tobacco fibers, botanicals, or other cellulose components. In some embodiments, the addition of nanocellulose material to the reconstituted tobacco material may help enhance both the absorbency and mechanical strength of the resulting material. Reconstituted tobacco materials and methods for providing such materials are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety by U.S. Patent No. 4,674,519 by Keritsis et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,807,809 by Pryor et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,889,143 by Pryor et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,941,484 by Clapp et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,972,854 by Kiernan et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,987,906 by Young et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,025 by Raker, It is described in U.S. Patent No. 814, U.S. Patent No. 5,099,864 by Young et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,143,097 by Sohn et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 by Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,322,076 by Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,339,838 by Young et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,377,698 by Litzinger et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,501,237 by Young, and U.S. Patent No. 6,216,707 by Kumar.

[0091] In some embodiments, the substrate contains, by weight, about 0-80% tobacco-derived fibers, about 0-40% tobacco-derived fibers, or about 20-40% tobacco-derived fibers. In some embodiments, the substrate contains, for example, about 0%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, or about 80% tobacco-derived fibers.

[0092] In some implementations, the base material includes plant-derived non-tobacco materials, such as but not limited to taima, flax, sisal, rice straw, African sedge, and / or cellulose pulp materials. In various other implementations, the base material may include reconstituted tobacco itself or a combination with other fibrous materials. Several exemplary embodiments and methods for providing reconstituted tobacco sheets, including casting and papermaking techniques, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,674,519 by Keritsis et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,941,484 by Clapp et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,987,906 by Young et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,972,854 by Kiernan et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,099,864 by Young et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,143,097 by Sohn et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 by Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,322,076 by Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,339,838 by Young et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,377,698 by Litzinger et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,501,237 by Young, and U.S. Patent No. 6,216,707 by Kumar, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In some cases, processed tobacco, such as certain types of reconstituted tobacco, may be used as longitudinally extending strands. For example, see the type of configuration described in Raker's U.S. Patent No. 5,025,814, which is incorporated herein by reference in whole. Furthermore, certain types of reconstituted tobacco sheets may be formed, rolled, or assembled into desired configurations. In further other configurations, the base material may include various types of inorganic fibers (e.g., fiberglass, metal wire / screen, etc.) and / or (organic) synthetic polymers). In various configurations, these “fibrous” materials may be unstructured (e.g., randomly dispersed, like cellulose fibers in a tobacco cast sheet) or structured (e.g., wire mesh).

[0093] In some embodiments, the substrate contains, by weight, about 0 to about 5% wood fibers or wood-derived fibers, for example, 0%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, and about 5% wood fibers or wood-derived fibers.

[0094] In some embodiments, the base material portion 110 may further include a fire-resistant material, conductive fibers or particles for heat conduction / induction, or any combination thereof. An example of a fire-resistant material is ammonium phosphate. In some embodiments, other flame / burn retardant materials and additives may be included in the base material portion 110 and may include organophosphorus compounds, borax, alumina trihydrate, graphite, potassium, silica, tripolyphosphate, dipentaerythritol, pentaerythritol, and polyols. Other fire-resistant materials, such as nitrogen-containing phosphonates, monoammonium phosphate, polyammonium phosphate, ammonium bromide, ammonium borate, ammonium ethanol borate, ammonium sulfamate, halogenated organic compounds, thiourea, and antimony oxide may also be used. In each embodiment of the flame-retardant, fire-resistant, and / or burn-retardant materials used in the base material (alone or in combination with each other and / or other materials), the desired property is resistance to undesirable gas generation or melting behavior, independent of such behavior. Various embodiments and methods for incorporating tobacco into smoking articles, and in particular smoking articles designed not to intentionally burn substantially the entire tobacco within them, are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,947,874 by Brooks et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,647,932 by Cantrell et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,079,371 by Robinson et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,290,549 by Banerjee et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2007 / 0215167 by Crooks et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0095] As described above, the base material portion 110 may also include conductive fibers or particles for heating by conduction or induction. In some embodiments, the conductive fibers or particles may be arranged in substantially series and parallel patterns. In some embodiments, the conductive fibers or particles may be arranged substantially randomly. In some embodiments, the conductive fibers or particles may consist of aluminum material, stainless steel material, copper material, carbon material, and graphite material, etc. In some embodiments, one or more conductive fibers or particles having different Curie temperatures may be included in the base material to facilitate induction heating at various temperatures.

[0096] In some embodiments, the substrate further comprises one or more binders. In some embodiments, the one or more binders are selected from alginates, cellulose derivatives, starches, gums, dextran, carrageenan, calcium carbonate, or combinations thereof. Other examples of binder materials are described, for example, in Jakob et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,101,839 and Raker et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,924,887, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0097] In some embodiments, one or more binders are alginates, such as ammonium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, potassium alginate, and sodium alginate. Alginates, particularly high-viscosity alginates, may be used in combination with controlled levels of free calcium ions.

[0098] In some embodiments, the substrate contains, by weight, about 0 to about 10% alginate, for example, about 0%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, and about 10% alginate.

[0099] In some embodiments, one or more binders are or include one or more cellulose derivatives (e.g., a single cellulose derivative or multiple cellulose derivatives, e.g., a combination of two or three cellulose derivatives). In some embodiments, the base material contains, by weight, about 0 to about 5% of one or more cellulose derivatives, e.g., about 0%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, and about 5% of one or more cellulose derivatives. In embodiments in which the base material contains more than one cellulose derivative, it should be understood that the weight basis specified for about 0% to about 5% of one or more cellulose derivatives reflects the total weight of the combination of cellulose derivatives.

[0100] In some embodiments, the cellulose derivative includes nanocellulose material. As used herein, “nanocellulose material” refers to cellulose material having at least one average particle size in the range of about 1 nm to about 100 nm. Larger cellulose material sizes may be used, but this is likely to result in a decrease in the amount of aerosol-forming material loaded. As a non-limiting example, suitable nanocellulose material may be any variety of cellulose-containing material, e.g., fibrous material prepared from wood (e.g., eucalyptus trees), grass (e.g., bamboo), cotton, tobacco, algae, and other plant-based materials, where the fibers are further purified to produce nanofibrillated cellulose fibers. In various embodiments, the nanocellulose material may optionally contain one or more tobacco-derived nanocellulose fibers and / or non-tobacco-derived nanocellulose fibers in combination with one or more additional cellulose materials, e.g., tobacco-derived cellulosic pulp and / or wood pulp-derived cellulose fibers. In some embodiments, the binder material may include nanocellulose derived from tobacco or other biomass.

[0101] In some embodiments, one or more cellulose derivatives are chemically modified cellulose derivatives. Suitable chemically modified cellulose derivatives include hydroxypropyl cellulose, e.g., Klucel H from Aqualon; hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, e.g., Methocel K4MS from Dow Chemical; hydroxyethyl cellulose, e.g., Natrosol 250 MRCS from Aqualon; microcrystalline cellulose, e.g., Avicel from FMC; methylcellulose, e.g., Methocel A4M from Dow Chemical; and sodium carboxymethylcellulose, e.g., CMC 7HF and CMC 7H4F from Hercules.

[0102] In some embodiments, one or more binders are starch. In some embodiments, the base material contains, by weight, about 0-30% starch, about 0-15% starch, or about 20-40% starch. In some embodiments, the base material contains, for example, about 0%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, or about 40% starch. Suitable starches include corn starch, rice starch, and modified food starch. In some other embodiments, the binder is rice starch. In some embodiments, one or more binders are dextran. In some other embodiments, the binder may include cyclodextrin.

[0103] In some embodiments, one or more binders are gums. Preferred gums include xanthan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, locust bean gum, and tragacanth gum.

[0104] In some embodiments, one or more binders are carrageenan.

[0105] In some embodiments, one or more binders are calcium carbonate. In some embodiments, the substrate contains, by weight, about 0-60% calcium carbonate, about 45-60% calcium carbonate, about 40-60% calcium carbonate, or about 5-15% calcium carbonate. In some embodiments, the substrate contains, for example, about 0%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, or about 60% calcium carbonate.

[0106] In some embodiments, the base material comprises, by weight, about 0 to about 60% calcium carbonate, about 0 to about 10% alginate, about 0 to about 5% one or more cellulose derivatives, about 0 to about 30% starch, about 0 to about 5% wood pulp, and about 0 to about 80% tobacco-derived fibers.

[0107] In some embodiments, the base material comprises, by weight, about 0-5% calcium carbonate, about 1-5% wood pulp, and about 70-80% tobacco-derived fibers.

[0108] In some embodiments, the base material comprises, by weight, about 45 to about 60% calcium carbonate, about 0 to about 10% alginate, about 0 to about 5% one or more cellulose derivatives, about 0 to about 15% starch, about 0 to about 5% wood pulp, and about 0 to about 40% tobacco-derived fibers.

[0109] In some embodiments, the base material comprises, by weight, about 40 to about 60% calcium carbonate, about 0 to about 10% alginate, about 0 to about 5% one or more cellulose derivatives, about 0 to about 15% starch, about 0 to about 5% wood pulp, and about 0 to about 40% tobacco-derived fibers.

[0110] In some embodiments, the base material comprises, by weight, about 5-15% calcium carbonate, about 1-5% one or more cellulose derivatives, about 20-40% starch, and about 20-40% tobacco-derived fiber.

[0111] In some embodiments, the substrate is in particulate form, shredded form, film form, paper process sheet form, cast sheet form, bead form, granular rod form, or extruded form. In various embodiments, the form of the substrate portion 110 may include gel, shredded pieces, film, suspension, extruded product, shavings, capsules, and / or particles (e.g., pellets, beads, elongated pieces, or any desired particle shape of various sizes), and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the substrate is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0112] In some embodiments, the substrate is prepared using paper processing techniques, and the resulting sheet may be further divided into cut rags or elongated pieces for insertion into the substrate-containing segment of an aerosol delivery device. The preparation method generally involves a hot water extraction (60-90°C) of tobacco leaves, stems, fragments, or dust for a set period of time. This is followed by separation (centrifugation and / or filter separation) into a weak extract containing soluble matter and a solid portion containing unrefined fibers. The weak extract is then concentrated to >20% solid (weight / volume) by means of vacuum evaporation or other means. Optionally, one or more of the two or more aerosol-forming agents described herein may be added and thoroughly mixed to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Water and pre-pulped wood fibers may be added to the tobacco solid, and the material may be re-purified to fibrillate the tobacco fibers. The purified tobacco pulp may then be passed through a wire screen to produce a nonwoven web or paper. The web may be dried to a moisture content of 45–55%. Next, a concentrated extract containing any aerosol-forming material may be returned to the web and added, and dried to a moisture content of 8–10%. Optionally, an inert filter aid may be added to the pulp before web formation on the wire mesh screen.

[0113] In a second embodiment, cast sheet technology may be used to produce a flat sheet. The cast sheet generally comprises, respectively, a binder material, an inert filler, optionally one or more of two or more aerosol-forming agents, wood-derived fibers, and optionally botanicals, active ingredients, and / or tobacco or tobacco-derived materials. For example, in some embodiments, the fiber material, one or more of the two or more aerosol-forming agents disclosed herein, and the binder may be blended together to form a slurry, which may be cast onto a surface (e.g., a moving belt). The cast slurry may then undergo one or more drying and / or repair steps so that the result is a cast sheet of relatively constant thickness. Other examples of casting and papermaking techniques are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,674,519 by Keritsis et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,941,484 by Clapp et al., U.S. Patent No. 44,987,906 by Young et al., U.S. Patent No. 4,972,854 by Kiernan et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,099,864 by Young et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,143,097 by Sohn et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,159,942 by Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,322,076 by Brinkley et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,339,838 by Young et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,377,698 by Litzinger et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,501,237 by Young et al., and U.S. Patent No. 6,216,706 by Kumar et al., whose entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, the flat sheet may be further divided into cut rags or elongated pieces for insertion into the substrate-containing segment of the aerosol delivery device. The cast sheet may also be assembled into a rod or wound into a roll for insertion into the substrate-containing segment of the aerosol delivery device.

[0114] In a third embodiment, the substrate may be prepared by granular extrusion followed by spheronization or marumerization to produce round or oval beads or hair-like rods. The granular extruded formulation is similar to that of the cast sheet formulation, except that an alternative or additional binder (e.g., a cellulose derivative) is used.

[0115] In a fourth embodiment, the substrate may be prepared by extrusion, followed by cutting or sizing, to provide substrate pieces of multiple sizes and / or shapes. The extruded formulation is similar to that of the granular extruded formulation, but uses a different combination of binders (e.g., a combination of cellulose derivatives).

[0116] In any of the prior embodiments, the entire amount of the aerosol-forming material may be added before casting, extrusion, etc., to form the aerosol-generating member disclosed herein. Alternatively or additionally, some or all of the aerosol-forming material may be impregnated into the substrate after formation (for example, one or more aerosol-forming materials may be sprayed or placed in or on the substrate material to form the aerosol-generating member disclosed herein).

[0117] Figure 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an aerosol generating member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, Figure 3 shows an aerosol generating member 104 having a substrate portion 110 including a series of overlapping layers 130 of a sheet-like substrate 120. With respect to the above, in the illustrated embodiment, the substrate sheet 120 includes films or layers disclosed herein. In various embodiments, the term “overlapping layers” may also include layers that are bundled, wrinkled, folded, and / or otherwise assembled, where individual layers may not be clearly distinguishable.

[0118] For example, Figure 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate portion of an aerosol generating member according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, Figure 4 shows a substrate portion 110 including a series of overlapping layers 130 of a substrate sheet 120. In the illustrated embodiment, at least a portion of the overlapping layers 130 is substantially surrounded around its outer surface by a first cover layer 132. In various embodiments, the composition of the first cover layer 132 may vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the first cover layer 132 includes a combination of a fibrous material, an aerosol-forming material, and a binder material. This specification refers to a discussion of possible aerosol-forming materials and binder materials.

[0119] In various embodiments, the first cover layer 132 may be formed by a casting process described in U.S. Patent No. 5,697,385 of Seymour et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in whole.

[0120] In the illustrated embodiment, at least a portion of the overlapping layer 130 and the first cover layer 132 are substantially surrounded around the outer surface by a second cover layer 134. The composition of the second cover layer 134 can vary, but in the illustrated embodiment, the second cover layer 134 includes a metallic foil material, such as an aluminum foil material. In other embodiments, the second cover layer may include other materials, such as, but not limited to, copper materials, tin materials, gold materials, alloy materials, ceramic materials, or other thermally conductive amorphous carbon-based materials, and / or any combination thereof. The illustrated embodiment further includes a third cover layer 136 that substantially surrounds the overlapping layer 130, the first cover layer 132, and the second cover layer 134 along the outer surface. In the illustrated embodiment, the third cover layer 136 includes a paper material, such as conventional cigarette paper. In various embodiments, the paper material may contain rag fibers such as non-wood plant fibers, and may also contain flax, taim, sisal, rice straw, and / or African feathergrass fibers.

[0121] Aerosol-forming materials The aerosol generating members disclosed herein include a substrate impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials, including a first aerosol-forming material and a second aerosol-forming material, each having different boiling points, different vapor pressures, or both. As used herein, "boiling point" means the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid is equal to the ambient pressure around the liquid, and the liquid changes into vapor. As used herein, when referring to the boiling point, the ambient pressure around the liquid is standard atmospheric pressure (i.e., 760 mmHg).

[0122] While we do not wish to be constrained by theory, the presence of two or more distinct aerosol-forming materials, each with different volatility (e.g., boiling point), is thought to allow for broader control over aerosol formation when used in aerosol-generating devices. By controlling the volume and density of the aerosol and optimizing the timing of aerosol formation from the aerosol-generating device in response to thermal application by utilizing two or more aerosol-forming materials, the consumer experience can be enhanced compared to the use of a single aerosol-forming material.

[0123] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming materials each have different boiling points, ranging from about 100°C to about 1000°C, for example, about 100°C, about 150°C, about 200°C, about 250°C, about 300°C, or about 350°C to about 400°C, about 500°C, about 600°C, about 700°C, about 800°C, about 900°C, or about 1000°C. In some embodiments, the first aerosol-forming material has a boiling point of about 100°C, about 125°C, about 150°C, or about 175°C to about 200°C, about 225°C, or about 250°C, and the second aerosol-forming material has a boiling point of about 250°C, about 275°C, about 300°C, about 325°C, or about 350°C. In some embodiments, the difference in boiling points between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is at least 50°C or at least 100°C. In some embodiments, the difference in boiling points between the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is in the range of about 50°C to about 300°C, for example, about 50°C, about 100°C, about 150°C, about 200°C, about 250°C, or about 300°C.

[0124] The first and second aerosol-forming materials may be present in various ratios, with one component being dominant depending on the intended application. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming materials are present in a weight ratio of approximately 3:1 to approximately 1:3 for the first aerosol-forming material to the second aerosol-forming material. In some embodiments, the weight ratio of the first aerosol-forming material to the second aerosol-forming material is approximately 3:1, approximately 2:1, approximately 1:1, approximately 1:2, or approximately 1:3. In some embodiments, the weight ratio of the first aerosol-forming material to the second aerosol-forming material is approximately 1:1.

[0125] In some embodiments, the substrate is further impregnated with at least one additional aerosol-forming material. The additional aerosol-forming material may have the same boiling point range as the first or second aerosol-forming material, or it may have a different boiling point range. For example, in one non-limiting embodiment, the first and second aerosol-forming materials may have boiling points below 350°C, and the boiling point of the additional aerosol-forming material may be above about 350°C. In another non-limiting embodiment, the first and second aerosol-forming materials may have boiling points above about 175°C, and the boiling point of the additional aerosol-forming material may be below about 175°C. In yet another non-limiting embodiment, the first and second aerosol-forming materials may have boiling points between about 175°C and about 300°C, and the boiling point of the additional aerosol-forming material may be below about 175°C or above about 300°C.

[0126] In some embodiments, each of the first and second aerosol-forming materials, and any additional aerosol-forming materials that may be present, is independently selected from the group consisting of water, polyhydric alcohols, polysorbates, sorbitan esters, fatty acids, fatty acid esters, triacetins, waxes, cannabinoids, terpenes, and sugar alcohols.

[0127] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more polyhydric alcohols. Examples of polyhydric alcohols include glycerol, propylene glycol, and other glycols, such as 1,3-propanediol, diethylene glycol, and triethylene glycol.

[0128] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more polysorbates. Examples of polysorbates include polysorbate 60 (polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate, Tween 60) and polysorbate 80 (polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate, Tween 80). The type of polysorbate used or the combination of polysorbates used depends on the intended desired effect, and different polysorbates result in different attributes due to their molecular size. For example, polysorbate molecules increase in size from polysorbate 20 to polysorbate 80. Using smaller polysorbate molecules results in less vapor volume but allows for deeper lung penetration. This may be desirable when the user is in a public place and does not want to create a large column of "smoke" (i.e., vapor). Conversely, if a dense vapor capable of carrying the aromatic components of tobacco is desired, larger polysorbate molecules may be used. A further advantage of using compounds from the polysorbate group is that polysorbates reduce the heat of vaporization of the mixture in which they are present.

[0129] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more sorbitan esters. Examples of sorbitan esters include sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monostearate (Span 60), sorbitan monooleate (Span 20), and sorbitan tristearate (Span 65).

[0130] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more fatty acids. The fatty acids may include short-chain, long-chain, saturated, unsaturated, linear, or branched carboxylic acids. Generally, fatty acids are C4-C 28 This includes aliphatic carboxylic acids. Non-limiting examples of short-chain or long-chain fatty acids include butyric acid, propionic acid, valeric acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, myristic acid, and palmitic acid. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material includes palmitic acid.

[0131] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more fatty acid esters. Examples of fatty acid esters include alkyl esters, monoglycerides, diglycerides, and triglycerides. Examples of monoglycerides include monolaurin and glycerol monostearate. Examples of triglycerides include triolein, tripalmitin, tristearate, glycerol tritilate, and glycerol trihexanoate.

[0132] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more waxes. Examples of waxes include carnauba wax, beeswax, and candelilla wax, which are known to stabilize aerosol particles, enhance palatability, or reduce throat irritation.

[0133] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more cannabinoids. In some embodiments, the cannabinoids comprise cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or a combination thereof.

[0134] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more terpenes. As used herein, the term "terpene" means hydrocarbon compounds produced biosynthetically by plants from isopentenyl pyrophosphates. Non-limiting examples of terpenes include limonene, pinene, farnesene, and sembren.

[0135] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material comprises one or more sugar alcohols. Examples of sugar alcohols include sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol, maltitol, isomalt, and xylitol. Sugar alcohols also act as flavor enhancers for certain flavor compounds, such as menthol and other volatiles, and can generally improve the mouthfeel, tactile feel, throat irritation, and other sensory properties of the resulting aerosol.

[0136] In some embodiments, at least one of the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material is a polyhydric alcohol. In some embodiments, both the first aerosol-forming material and the second aerosol-forming material are polyhydric alcohols. In some embodiments, the polyhydric alcohols are glycerol and propylene glycol. Glycerol and propylene glycol may be present in various ratios, and one component may be dominant depending on the intended use, as disclosed above in this specification. For example, in some embodiments, glycerol and propylene glycol are present in a weight ratio of about 3:1 to about 1:3. In some embodiments, glycerol and propylene glycol are present in a weight ratio of about 3:1, about 2:1, about 1:1, about 1:2, or about 1:3. In some embodiments, glycerol and propylene glycol are present in a weight ratio of about 1:1.

[0137] In some embodiments, the substrate is further impregnated with at least one additional aerosol-forming agent. In some embodiments, the further at least one additional aerosol-forming agent is selected from the group described herein, consisting of water, polysorbate, sorbitan ester, fatty acid, fatty acid ester, wax, triacetin, sugar alcohol, cannabinoid, terpene, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the first aerosol-forming material is glycerol, the second aerosol-forming material is propylene glycol, and the further at least one additional aerosol-forming agent is water. In some embodiments, the first aerosol-forming material is glycerol, the second aerosol-forming material is 1,3-propanediol, and the further at least one additional aerosol-forming material is water. In some embodiments, the first aerosol-forming material is glycerol, the second aerosol-forming material is propylene glycol, and the further at least one additional aerosol-forming material is polysorbate. In some embodiments, the first aerosol-forming material is glycerol, the second aerosol-forming material is a sugar alcohol, and at least one additional aerosol-forming agent is water.

[0138] In some embodiments, the substrate is loaded (e.g., incorporated or impregnated) with the aerosol-forming material described herein. The amount of aerosol-forming material incorporated (loaded) into the substrate is such that the aerosol-generating member yields acceptable functional properties and desirable performance characteristics. For example, it is very preferable that a sufficient amount of aerosol-forming material is used to generate a visible mainstream aerosol that in many respects resembles the appearance of cigarette smoke. The amount of forming material in the aerosol-generating member (e.g., the impregnated substrate) may depend on factors such as the desired number of puffs per aerosol-generating member.

[0139] In some embodiments, the substrate is impregnated with at least about 15% by weight, at least about 20% by weight, at least about 25% by weight, at least about 30% by weight, at least about 35% by weight, at least about 40% by weight, at least about 45% by weight, at least about 50% by weight, at least about 55% by weight, or at least about 60% by weight of aerosol-forming material, based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate. Examples of the range of total aerosol-forming material include about 15% by weight to about 60% by weight, for example, about 15% by weight to about 55% by weight, or about 15% by weight to about 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate. Methods for loading an aerosol-forming material onto a substrate portion are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,974,334 by Dooly et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0313283 by Collett et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0279673 by Sebastian et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0140] In various embodiments, loading an aerosol-forming material onto a substrate is achieved by impregnating the substrate with the aerosol-forming material during the preparation of the substrate material, after its formation, or both. For example, in some embodiments, a first aerosol-forming material (e.g., propylene glycol) is added to the substrate forming slurry, for example, during sheet preparation, and a second forming material (e.g., glycol) is added to the sheet as a top dressing (e.g., by spraying) to form an impregnated substrate (i.e., an aerosol-generating member). In other embodiments, both the first and second aerosol-forming materials are added to the substrate forming slurry. In some embodiments, further aerosol-forming materials may be impregnated into the substrate forming slurry or into the substrate as a top dressing. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, multiple permutations of methods for loading an aerosol-forming material onto a substrate are possible depending on the specific substrate material, form, etc. Accordingly, such modifications are considered herein.

[0141] In some embodiments, the substrate may be further impregnated with active ingredients, flavorings, or combinations thereof. Each of these ingredients is further described below in this specification.

[0142] Active ingredients In certain embodiments, the substrate may be further impregnated with one or more active ingredients. The active ingredients may be components of the aerosol-forming material and may be impregnated separately. Impregnation may be carried out during the preparation of the substrate material, after the substrate is formed, or both. As used herein, “active ingredient” means one or more substances belonging to one of the following categories: APIs (active pharmaceutical substances), food additives, natural drugs, and naturally occurring substances that may affect humans. Examples of active ingredients include any ingredient known to affect one or more biological functions in the body, e.g., ingredients that produce pharmacological activity or other direct effects in the diagnosis, cure, alleviation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or ingredients that affect the structure or any function of the human body (e.g., ingredients that produce a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, resulting in energy-granting effects, antipyretic or analgesic effects, or other beneficial effects on the body). In some embodiments, the active ingredients may be of a type commonly referred to as dietary supplements, nutritional supplements, “plant compounds,” or “functional foods.” These types of additives are sometimes defined in the art as encompassing substances typically available from naturally occurring sources (e.g., botanical materials) that produce one or more beneficial biological effects (e.g., health promotion, disease prevention, or other medicinal properties), but are not classified or regulated as drugs. Non-limiting examples of active ingredients include those belonging to the categories of synthetic organic compounds, proteins and peptides, polysaccharides and other sugars, lipids, inorganic compounds, and nucleic acid sequences that have therapeutic, preventive, or diagnostic efficacy. Non-limiting examples of active ingredients include those belonging to the categories of botanical components, stimulants (e.g., caffeine and guarana), amino acids (e.g., taurine, theanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan) and / or pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, and medicinal components (e.g., vitamins, e.g., B6, B12, and C), and cannabinoids, e.g., tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)), antioxidants, and nicotine components. The specific selection of active ingredients will vary depending on the desired flavor, texture, and characteristics of the particular product.

[0143] The specific percentage of active ingredients present varies depending on the desired properties of the particular product. Typically, the active ingredients or combinations thereof are present at a total concentration of at least about 0.001% by weight of the composition, for example, ranging from about 0.001% to about 20%. In some embodiments, the active ingredients or combinations of active ingredients are present at a concentration of about 0.1% (weight / weight) to about 10% by weight, for example, about 0.5% (weight / weight) to about 10% by weight, 1% to about 10% by weight, or about 1% to about 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition. In some embodiments, the active ingredient or combination of active ingredients is present in amounts of about 0.001% by weight, about 0.01% by weight, about 0.1% by weight, or about 1% to a maximum of about 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, for example, about 0.001%, about 0.002%, about 0.003%, about 0.004%, about 0.005%, about 0.006%, about 0.007%, about 0.008%, about 0.009%, about 0.01%, about 0.02%, about 0.03%, about 0.04%, about 0.05%, about 0% It exists in concentrations of 0.06%, about 0.07%, about 0.08%, about 0.09%, about 0.1%, about 0.2%, about 0.3%, about 0.4%, about 0.5%, about 0.6%, about 0.7%, about 0.8%, or about 0.9% to about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11% by weight, about 12% by weight, about 13% by weight, about 14% by weight, about 15% by weight, about 16% by weight, about 17% by weight, about 18% by weight, about 19% by weight, or about 20% by weight. Further preferred ranges of specific active ingredients are provided below herein.

[0144] In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises one or more non-tobacco botanicals. As used herein, the terms “botanical ingredient” or “botanical” refer to any plant material or fungal material, including plant materials in their natural forms and plant materials derived from natural plant materials, e.g., extracts or isolates from plant materials or processed plant materials (e.g., plant materials subjected to heat treatment, fermentation, or other processing processes that can alter the chemical properties of the material). In light of the purposes of this disclosure, “botanical material” includes, but is not limited to, “herbal material.” “Herbal material” refers to seed-producing plants (e.g., tea or chisan) that do not develop persistent woody tissue and whose medicinal or sensory properties are often valued. References to plant materials as “non-tobacco” are intended to exclude tobacco material (i.e., not including Nicotiana species). Botanical materials useful in this disclosure may include, but are not limited to, any of the compounds and sources described herein, as well as mixtures thereof. Certain botanical ingredients of this type are sometimes called dietary supplements, nutritional supplements, "plant compounds," or "functional foods."

[0145] Non-exclusive examples of botanical ingredients, many of which are related to antioxidant properties, include acai berry, alfalfa, allspice, annatto seed, apricot oil, basil, bee balm, wild bergamot, black pepper, blueberry, borage seed oil, Ajuga decumbens, cacao, calamus root, catuaba, cayenne pepper, Chaga mushroom, chervil, cinnamon, dark chocolate, potato peel, grape seed, ginseng, and ginkgo biloba. Biloba, St. John's wort, saw palmetto, green tea, black tea, black cohosh, cayenne, chamomile, clove, cocoa powder, cranberry, dandelion, grapefruit, honeybush, echinacea, garlic, evening primrose, feverfew, ginger, hydrangea, hawthorn, hibiscus flower, gynostemma pentaphyllum, riverweed, lavender, licorice, marjoram, milk thistle, mint, oolong tea, beetroot, orange, oregano, papaya, pennyroyal, peppermint, red or green clover, rooibos, rosehip, rosemary, sage, clary sage, savory, spearmint, spirulina, slippery elm bark, sorghum bran (hi-tannin), sumac bran This list includes, but is not limited to, comfrey leaves and roots, goji berries, gotu kola, thyme, turmeric, bearberry, valerian, wild yam root, wintergreen, yacon root, yellow dock, yerba mate, yerba santa, bacopa monnieri, withania somnifera, lion's mane mushroom, and silybum marianum. Further non-limiting examples of botanical materials include taima, eucalyptus, fennel, rooibos, citrus fruits, cloves, chamomile, cannabis, maca, and chisan.

[0146] If present, botanicals are typically present in concentrations of about 0.01% (weight / weight) to about 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, for example, about 0.01% (weight / weight), about 0.05%, about 0.1%, or about 0.5% to about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, or about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13% by weight, about 14% by weight, or about 15% by weight.

[0147] In some embodiments, the active ingredient includes a nicotine component. “Nicotine component” means any preferred form of nicotine (e.g., free base or salt) for providing systemic absorption of at least a portion of the nicotine present. Typically, the nicotine component is selected from the group consisting of nicotine free bases and nicotine salts. In some embodiments, nicotine takes the form of a free base. Nicotine may be tobacco-derived (e.g., tobacco extract) or non-tobacco-derived (e.g., synthetically or otherwise obtained). In various embodiments, the impregnated substrate may contain a nicotine component. In various embodiments, the impregnated substrate may not contain a nicotine component. In some embodiments, the impregnated substrate may contain a non-tobacco-derived nicotine component.

[0148] Typically, the nicotine component (calculated as free base), if present, is at a concentration of at least about 0.001% by weight of the impregnated substrate, for example, in the range of about 0.001% to about 10% by weight. In some embodiments, the nicotine component, when calculated as free base, is present at a concentration of about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate, for example, about 0.1% by weight, about 0.2% by weight, about 0.3% by weight, about 0.4% by weight, about 0.5% by weight, about 0.6% by weight, about 0.7% by weight, about 0.8% by weight, or about 0.9% by weight to about 1% by weight, about 2% by weight, about 3% by weight, about 4% by weight, about 5% by weight, about 6% by weight, about 7% by weight, about 8% by weight, about 9% by weight, or about 10% by weight. In some embodiments, the nicotine component, when calculated as a free base, is present at concentrations of about 0.1% by weight to about 3% by weight, for example, about 0.1% to about 2.5% by weight, about 0.1% to about 2.0% by weight, about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight, and about 0.1% to about 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate. These ranges can also be applied to other active ingredients described herein.

[0149] In some embodiments, the oral compositions of the present disclosure may be characterized by being completely or substantially nicotine-free. "Substantially nicotine-free" means that no nicotine is intentionally added, except for trace amounts that may be naturally present in, for example, botanical materials. For example, certain embodiments may be characterized by having less than 0.001% by weight of nicotine, or less than 0.0001% by weight, or even 0% by weight of nicotine, as calculated as free base.

[0150] In some embodiments, the active ingredient comprises tobacco components (e.g., tobacco extract). In various embodiments, the tobacco material may be treated to extract soluble components of the tobacco material. As used herein, “tobacco extract” refers to isolated components of the tobacco material extracted from solid tobacco pulp by a solvent that comes into contact with the tobacco material in the extraction process. Various extraction techniques for tobacco materials may be used to provide tobacco extracts and solid tobacco materials. See, for example, the extraction process described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011 / 0247640 by Beeson et al., incorporated herein by reference.Other exemplary techniques for extracting tobacco components are all incorporated herein by reference: Fiore No. 4,144,895, Osborne, Jr. et al. No. 4,150,677, Reid No. 4,267,847, Wildman et al. No. 4,289,147, Brummer et al. No. 4,351,346, Brummer et al. No. 4,359,059, Muller et al. No. 4,506,682, and Keritsis No. 4,589,428. , Soga et al. No. 4,605,016, Poulose et al. No. 4,716,911, Niven, Jr. et al. No. 4,727,889, Bernasek et al. No. 4,887,618, Clapp et al. No. 4,941,484, Fagg et al. No. 4,967,771, Roberts et al. No. 4,986,286, Fagg et al. No. 5,005,593, Grubbs et al. No. 5,018,540, White et al. No. 5,060,669, Fagg's No. 5 ,065,775; White et al. No. 5,074,319, White et al. No. 5,099,862, White et al. No. 5,121,757, Fagg No. 5,131,414; Munoz et al. No. 5,131,415, Fagg No. 5,148,819; Kramer No. 5,197,494, Smith et al. No. 5,230,354, Fagg No. 5,234,008, Smith No. 5,243,999, Raymond et al. No. 5,3 This is described in publications 01,694, 5,318,050 by Gonzalez-Parra et al., 5,343,879 by Teague, 5,360,022 by Newton, 5,435,325 by Clapp et al., 5,445,169 by Brinkley et al., 6,131,584 by Lauterbach, 6,298,859 by Kierulff et al., 6,772,767 by Mua et al., and 7,337,782 by Thompson.

[0151] The typical range of tobacco components may vary depending on the properties and type of tobacco material and the intended use of the aerosol-generating component. In some embodiments, the products of this disclosure may be characterized by being completely or substantially free of tobacco components (other than nicotine purified as the active ingredient). For example, certain embodiments may be characterized by having less than 1% by weight, less than 0.5% by weight, less than 0.1% by weight, less than 0.01% by weight of tobacco components, or even 0% by weight of tobacco components.

[0152] Flavoring As previously stated, the impregnated substrate may also contain flavoring agents. The active ingredient may be a component of the aerosol-forming material or may be impregnated separately. Impregnation may be carried out during the preparation of the substrate material, after the substrate is formed, or both. As used herein, the reference to "flavoring agent" refers to a compound or component that can be aerosolized and delivered to the user and provides a sensory experience in terms of taste and / or aroma. Flavoring agents may be natural or synthetic, and the flavor characteristics they impart may be described, without limitation, as refreshing, sweet, herbal, confectionery, floral, fruity, or spicy. Some examples of flavorings, but not limited to, include vanillin, ethyl vanillin, cream, tea, coffee, fruit (e.g., apple, cherry, strawberry, peach, and citrus flavors including lime, orange, and lemon), maple, menthol, eucalyptus, mint, peppermint, spearmint, Ardisia crenata, cascarilla, nutmeg, clove, lavender, cardamom, ginger, honey, anise, sage, rosemary, hibiscus, rosehip, yerba mate, guayusa, honeybush, rooibos, yerba santa, Bacopa monnieri, Ginkgo biloba, Withania somnifera, cinnamon, sandalwood, jasmine, cascarilla, cocoa, licorice, trigeminal sensates, terpenes, and any combination thereof. As used herein, “trigeminal nerve sensory agent” refers to a flavoring agent that acts on the trigeminal nerve to produce sensations such as heating, cooling, or tingling. Non-limiting examples of trigeminal nerve sensory flavoring agents include capsaicin, citric acid, menthol, amaranth, erythritol, and cuberol. Further non-limiting examples include flavoring agents and flavoring packages of types and characteristics conventionally used in cigarette, cigar, and pipe tobacco flavorings. See also Leffingwell et al., “Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products,” RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company (1972), incorporated herein by reference. Flavoring agents may also include components such as terpenes, terpenoids, aldehydes, ketones, and esters.Syrups such as high-fructose corn syrup may also be used. Several examples of plant-derived compositions that may be appropriate are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,107,453 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0152265 by Dube et al., both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The selection of such further components is variable based on factors such as the sensory characteristics desired in the smoking article, their affinity to the base material, their solubility, and other physicochemical properties. This disclosure is intended to encompass any such further components that are readily apparent to those skilled in the art of tobacco and tobacco-related or tobacco-derived products. See, for example, Gutcho, "Tobacco Flavoring Substances and Methods, Noyes Data Corp. (1972)" and Leffingwell et al., "Tobacco Flavoring for Smoking Products (1972)," whose disclosures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. It should be noted that references to flavorings should not be limited to any single flavoring described above, but may actually represent a combination of one or more flavorings. Additional flavorings, aromas, additives, and other possible enhancing ingredients are described in Phillips et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 15 / 707,461, which is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0153] The amount of flavoring agents present may vary, and if present, is generally less than about 30% by weight or less than about 20% by weight of the impregnated substrate. For example, the flavoring agents may be present in amounts of about 0.1% by weight, about 0.5% by weight, about 1% by weight, or about 5% to about 10% by weight, about 20% by weight, or about 30% by weight of the impregnated substrate.

[0154] Aerosol delivery devices As described herein, in another embodiment, an aerosol delivery device is provided, comprising: an aerosol generating member as described herein; a heat source configured to heat an aerosol-forming material impregnated into a substrate portion to form an aerosol; and an aerosol path extending from the aerosol generating member to the mouse end of the aerosol delivery device.

[0155] In some embodiments, the aerosol generating member and control unit may be provided together as a complete smoking article or drug delivery article, although these members may be provided separately. For example, the Disclosure also includes disposable units for use with reusable smoking articles or reusable drug delivery articles. In certain embodiments, such a disposable unit (which may be an aerosol generating member shown in the accompanying drawings) may comprise a substantially tubular body having a heated end configured to engage with a reusable smoking article or drug delivery article, opposing mouth ends configured to allow the passage of an inhalable substance to a consumer, and walls having outer and inner surfaces defining an internal space. Various embodiments of the aerosol generating member (or cartridge) are described in U.S. Patent No. 9,078,473 by Worm et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in whole.

[0156] While some figures in this specification show the control body and aerosol generating member in relation to each other, it should be understood that the control body and aerosol generating member may exist as individual devices. Therefore, any discussions provided in other embodiments herein regarding combined members should be understood to apply to the control body and aerosol generating member as individual members and as separate members.

[0157] In another embodiment, the disclosure relates to a kit providing various components described herein. For example, a kit may include a control body having one or more aerosol generating components. A kit may further include a control body having one or more charging components. A kit may further include a control body having one or more batteries. A kit may further include a control body having one or more aerosol generating components and one or more charging components and / or one or more batteries. In a further embodiment, a kit may include a plurality of aerosol generating components. A kit may further include a plurality of aerosol generating components and one or more batteries and / or one or more charging components. In the above embodiments, the aerosol generating components or control bodies may be provided with heating elements incorporated therein. A kit of the present invention may further include a case (or other packaging, transport, or storage component) for housing one or more further kit components. The case may be a reusable rigid or flexible container. Furthermore, the case may simply be a box or other packaging structure.

[0158] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of an aerosol generating member according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the aerosol generating member of Figure 5 with the outer wrap removed. In particular, Figure 5 shows the aerosol generating member 200 including the outer wrap 202, and Figure 6 shows the aerosol generating member 200 with the outer wrap 202 removed to reveal the other member of the aerosol generating member 200. In the illustrated embodiment, the illustrated aerosol generating member 200 comprises a heat source 204, a base material portion 210, an intermediate member 208, and a filter 212. In the illustrated embodiment, both the intermediate member 208 and the filter 212 include a mouthpiece 214.

[0159] The aerosol delivery devices and / or aerosol generating members described herein can take various embodiments, as will be described in detail below, but the use of the aerosol delivery devices and / or aerosol generating members by consumers is similar within the scope of the invention. The foregoing description of the aerosol delivery devices and / or aerosol generating members is applicable to the various embodiments described with minor modifications, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art in light of further disclosures provided herein. However, the description of use is not intended to limit the use of the articles of this disclosure, but is provided to conform to all the necessary requirements of the disclosure herein.

[0160] In various embodiments, the heat source 204 may be configured to generate heat upon ignition. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 204 has a cylindrical shape overall and includes a combustible fuel element incorporating a combustible carbon material. In other embodiments, the heat source 204 may have a different shape, for example, a prism shape with a triangular, cubic, or hexagonal cross-section. Carbonaceous materials generally have a high carbon content. Preferred carbonaceous materials may consist mainly of carbon and / or typically have a carbon content of more than about 60%, generally more than about 70%, often more than about 80%, and frequently more than 90% on a dry weight basis.

[0161] In some examples, the heat source 204 may incorporate elements other than combustible carbonaceous materials (e.g., tobacco components, e.g., powdered tobacco or tobacco extract; flavorings; salts, e.g., sodium chloride, potassium chloride and sodium carbonate; heat-stable graphite fibers; iron oxide powder; glass filaments; powdered calcium carbonate; alumina granules; ammonia sources, e.g., ammonia salts; binders, e.g., guar gum, ammonium alginate and sodium alginate; and / or phase change materials for lowering the temperature of the heat source). The specific dimensions of the applicable heat source can vary, but in some embodiments, the heat source 204 may have a length in a broad range of about 7 mm to about 20 mm, and in some embodiments, it may be about 17 mm, and the overall diameter is in a broad range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, and in some embodiments, it may be about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm). In other embodiments, the heat source can be configured in various ways, but in the illustrated embodiment, the heat source 204 is extruded or compounded using ground or powdered carbonaceous material, at a dry weight of approximately 0.5 g / cm³. 3 Larger, often around 0.7 g / cm³ 3 Often about 1 g / cm³ 3It has a higher density. See, for example, the types of fuel source components, formulations and designs described in U.S. Patent No. 5,551,451 by Riggs et al. and U.S. Patent No. 7,836,897 by Borschke et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In various embodiments, the heat source can have various forms, including, for example, substantially solid cylindrical or hollow cylindrical (e.g., tubular) shapes. The heat source 204 in the illustrated embodiment is substantially cylindrical but includes an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material having a plurality of grooves 216 extending longitudinally from a first end of the extruded monolithic carbonaceous material to an opposing second end of the extruded monolithic carbonaceous material. In some embodiments, the aerosol delivery device, in particular the heat source, may include a heat transfer member. In various embodiments, the heat transfer components may be in close proximity to the heat source, and in some embodiments, the heat transfer member may be located in or within the heat source. Some examples of heat transfer components are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 923,735, filed on March 16, 2018, and titled "Smoking Article with Heat Transfer Component," which is incorporated entirely herein by reference.

[0162] In the illustrated embodiment, the grooves 216 of the heat source 204 are substantially equal in width and depth and are substantially evenly distributed around the circumference of the heat source (204); however, other embodiments may include two grooves, and yet another embodiment may include a single groove. Yet another embodiment may include no grooves at all. Additional embodiments may include grooves that may be of uneven width and / or depth and may be unevenly spaced around the circumference of the heat source. In yet another embodiment, the heat source may include grooves and / or slits extending longitudinally from a first end to an opposing second end of an extruded monolithic carbonaceous material. In some embodiments, the heat source may include a foamed carbon monolith formed during a foaming process of the type disclosed in Lobovsky's U.S. Patent No. 7,615,184, which is incorporated herein by reference in whole. Thus, some embodiments can offer advantages in terms of reducing the time required to ignite the heat source. In some other embodiments, the heat source may be co-extruded with an insulating layer (not shown), thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost. Other embodiments of the fuel element include carbon fiber of the type described in Brooks et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,922,901, which is incorporated herein in whole by reference, or other heat source embodiments disclosed in Takeuchi et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009 / 0044818.

[0163] Generally, a heat source is positioned close enough to an aerosol generating component (e.g., a base material) having one or more aerosolizable elements, and the aerosol formed / volatilized by applying heat from the heat source to the aerosolizable elements (and any flavorings, drugs, etc., similarly provided for delivery to the user) becomes deliverable to the user via a mouthpiece. That is, when the heat source heats the base material, an aerosol is formed, released, or generated in a physical form suitable for inhalation by the consumer. It should be noted that the terms used above are interchangeable to include form or generate, forming or generating, forms or generates, and formed or generated. Specifically, the inhalable substance is released in the form of a vapor, an aerosol, or a mixture thereof. Furthermore, the selection of various aerosol delivery device elements is recognized in consideration of commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, such as representative products listed in the background art section of this disclosure.

[0164] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the outer wrap 202 may be provided to engage or otherwise join at least a portion of the heat source 204, the base material portion 210, and at least a portion of the mouthpiece 214. In various embodiments, the outer wrap 202 is configured to be held in the wrapped position in any manner via an adhesive or fastener, etc., to allow the outer wrap 202 to remain in the packaging position. Otherwise, in some other embodiments, the outer wrap 202 may be configured to be removable as desired. For example, once the outer wrap 202 is held in the wrapped position, it can be removed from the heat source 204, the base material portion 210, and / or the mouthpiece 214.

[0165] In some embodiments, in addition to the outer wrap 202, the aerosol delivery device may also include a liner configured to circumvent at least a portion of the base material portion 210 and the heat source 204. In other embodiments, the liner may circumvent only a portion of the length of the base material portion 210, while in some embodiments, the liner may circumvent substantially the entire length of the base material portion 210. In some embodiments, the outer wrap material 202 may include a liner. Thus, in some embodiments, the outer wrap material 202 and the liner may be distinct materials provided together (e.g., bonded, fused, or otherwise joined together as a laminate). In other embodiments, the outer wrap 202 and the liner may be made of the same material. In any case, the liner may be configured to thermally regulate the conduction of heat generated by the ignited heat source 204 radially outward through the liner. Thus, in some embodiments, the liner may consist of a metallic foil material, an alloy material, a ceramic material, or other thermally conductive amorphous carbon-based material, and / or an aluminum material. In some embodiments, a laminate may be included. In some embodiments, depending on the material of the outer wrap 202 and / or liner, a thin insulating layer can be provided on the radially outward side of the liner. Thus, in some embodiments, the liner can advantageously provide a method for engaging two or more distinct components of the aerosol generating member 200 (e.g., a heat source 204, a base material portion 210, and / or a portion of the mouthpiece 214), while providing a method for facilitating axial heat transfer along the axial direction but limiting radially outward heat conduction.

[0166] Referring to Figure 5, the outer wrap 202 (and, if necessary, the liner and base material portion 210) may include one or more openings that allow air to be taken in when inhaling at the mouthpiece 214. In various embodiments, the size and number of these openings may vary based on specific design requirements. In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of openings 220 are located close to the end of the base material portion 210 closest to the heat source 204, and a plurality of separate cooling openings 221 are formed in the outer wrap 202 (in some embodiments, the liner) in the area close to the filter 212 of the mouthpiece 214. In other embodiments, which differ from the illustrated embodiment, the openings 220 include a plurality of openings substantially evenly spaced around the outer surface of the aerosol generating member 200, and the openings 221 also include a plurality of openings substantially evenly spaced around the outer surface of the aerosol generating member 200. In various embodiments, multiple openings may be formed via the outer wrap 202 (and in some embodiments, the liner), but in the illustrated embodiment, multiple openings 220 and multiple separate cooling openings 221 are formed via laser perforation.

[0167] Referring to Figure 6, the aerosol generating member 200 of the illustrated embodiment includes an intermediate member 208 and at least one filter 212. Note that in various embodiments, the intermediate member 208 or the filter 212 can be considered individually or together as the mouthpiece 214 of the aerosol generating member 200. In various embodiments, neither the intermediate member nor the filter is required, but in the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate member 208 includes a substantially rigid member that is substantially inflexible along its longitudinal axis. In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate member 208 includes a hollow tube structure and is included to add structural integrity to the aerosol generating member 200 and to cool the generated aerosol. In some embodiments, the intermediate member 208 can be used as a container for collecting the aerosol. In various embodiments, such components may be made of any of a variety of materials and may include one or more adhesives. Exemplary materials include, but are not limited to, paper, paper layers, cardboard, plastics, cardboard, and / or composite materials. In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate member 208 includes a hollow cylindrical element made of paper or plastic material (e.g., ethyl acetate (EVA), or other polymer materials such as polyethylene, polyester, silicone, etc., or ceramics such as silicon carbide, alumina, etc., or other acetate fibers), and the filter includes a pack rod or cylindrical disc made of a gas-permeable material (e.g., cellulose acetate or fibers, such as paper, rayon, or polyester fibers).

[0168] As described above, in some embodiments, the mouthpiece 214 may include a filter 212 configured to allow an aerosol to pass through in response to inhalation applied to the mouthpiece 214. In various embodiments, the filter 212 is provided as a circular disc positioned radially and / or longitudinally adjacent to the second end of the intermediate member 208. Thus, when inhalation occurs at the mouthpiece 214, the filter 212 receives the aerosol flowing through the intermediate member 208 of the aerosol generating member 200. In some embodiments, the filter 212 may include separate segments. For example, some embodiments provide a segment that provides filtering, a segment that provides stretch resistance, a hollow segment that provides a space for the aerosol to be cooled, a segment that provides increased structural integrity, other filter segments, and any one or any combination of the above. In some embodiments, the filter 212 may additionally or alternatively include strands of tobacco-containing material, e.g., those described in U.S. Patent No. 5,025,814 of Raker et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in whole.

[0169] In various embodiments, the size and shape of the intermediate member 208 and / or filter 212 may vary. For example, the length of the intermediate member 208 may be within a broad range of about 10 mm to about 30 mm, the diameter of the intermediate member 208 may be within a broad range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm, the length of the filter 212 may be within a broad range of about 10 mm to about 20 mm, and the diameter of the filter 212 may be within a broad range of about 3 mm to about 8 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate member 208 has a length of about 20 mm and a diameter of about 4.8 mm (and in some embodiments, about 7 mm), and the filter 212 has a length of about 15 mm and a diameter of about 4.8 mm (or in some embodiments, about 7 mm).

[0170] In various embodiments, ignition of the heat source 204 results in the aerosolization of the aerosol-forming material associated with the base portion 210. Preferably, no thermal decomposition (e.g., charring, scorching, or combustion) occurs to any significant degree in the elements of the base portion 210, and the aerosolized components are carried by the airflow drawn into the user's mouth through the aerosol generating member 200, which includes a filter 212. In various embodiments, the mouthpiece 214 (e.g., the intermediate member 208 and / or the filter 212) is configured to allow the generated aerosol to pass through in response to the inhalation applied to the mouthpiece 214 by the user. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece 214 can be fixedly engaged with the base portion 210. For example, adhesives, bonds, welds, etc., may be suitable for fixedly engaging the mouthpiece 214 with the base portion 210. In one example, the mouthpiece 214 is ultrasonically welded and sealed at the end of the base portion 210.

[0171] Those skilled in the art in the field relating to this disclosure can benefit from the teachings shown in the above description and corresponding drawings, assuming many modifications and other embodiments of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. While specific terms are used herein, they are used in a general and descriptive sense only and are not intended to be limiting. [Examples]

[0172] Aspects of the present invention are more adequately illustrated by the following examples. These examples are provided to illustrate specific aspects of the present disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0173] Example 1: Papermaking process preparation of non-combustion heating (HNB) aerosol-forming agent substrate Aerosol-forming agent substrate 1A (reference substrate) Tobacco (leaf pieces and stems, 400 lb) was mixed with 10 times its weight in water and extracted in a counter extractor at 70°C for 1 hour. The contents of the extractor were then separated by centrifugation into a dilute tobacco extract (3-4 wt / vol%) and insoluble tobacco solids. The dilute extract was transferred to a vacuum vaporizer and concentrated to 23% solids (wt / vol). Glycerol (75 lb) was added and the mixture was thoroughly mixed to obtain the final liquid composition. Pre-purified wood pulp (25 lb) was mixed with the tobacco solids, and enough water was added to make the mixture 1% solids (wt / vol). The total batch weight was 500 lb. The wood pulp-tobacco solids mixture was purified using a disc refiner to obtain fibrillated tobacco pulp. The fibrillated tobacco pulp was transported to a headbox and discharged on a wire mesh paper machine to obtain a wet web or base sheet. The base sheet was dried to a moisture content of 40-55%. The final liquid composition was returned to the wet web (spray method), and the wet web was dried to a moisture content of 8-10% (weight / weight). The resulting sheet was then cut into leaflet pieces.

[0174] Aerosol-forming agent substrates 1Bi and 1Bii (substrates of the present invention) Aerosol-forming substrate 1Bi was prepared in the same manner as substrate 1A, except that the wood pulp was removed and the glycerol was replaced with a 75 / 25 weight-based mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. For aerosol-forming substrate 1Bii, calcium carbonate (present as a filler and drainage aid) was mixed with half of the fibrillated tobacco pulp before forming the wet web. The total batch weight was 300 lb (150 lb for each substrate).

[0175] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 1C (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming substrate 1C was prepared in the same manner as substrate 1A, except that glycerol was replaced with a 50 / 50 mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol by weight. The total batch weight was 300 lb.

[0176] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 1D (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming agent base 1D was prepared in the same manner as base 1A, except that glycerol was replaced with a 25 / 75 mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol by weight. The total batch weight was 300 lb. See Table 1.

[0177] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 1E (reference substrate) Aerosol-forming substrate 1E was prepared in the same manner as substrate 1B, except that glycerol was replaced with propylene glycol. The total batch weight was 300 lb. See Table 1.

[0178] [Table 1]

[0179] Example 2: Preparation of a cast sheet of HNB aerosol-forming agent substrate Aerosol-forming agent substrate 2A (reference substrate) Sodium alginate (50 lb) was slowly added to water (1650 lb) and hydrated under vacuum for 30 minutes in a high-shear mixing tank. In a separate mixing tank, calcium carbonate (250 lb) was slowly added to glycerol (100 lb) and tobacco extract powder (100 lb), and then gently mixed for 30 minutes to form a slurry. The hydrated alginate was then mixed with zero-freeness pre-purified wood pulp, then transferred to the calcium carbonate slurry, and then mixed for a further 30 minutes at a moderate mixing rate under vacuum to obtain the final slurry. The final slurry was then cast onto a 22-inch wide stainless steel conveyor belt using a casting knife set in a 1-3 mm gap opening. The cast material or film was then dried into a flat sheet by conveying the film through a 200-foot convection tunnel dryer containing multiple heating zones (80-100°C). The total batch weight was 500 lb. The flat sheets were wound onto bobbins and vacuum-sealed in polyethylene bags to prevent moisture absorption and blocking during transport. The bobbins were then unwound, and the sheets were cut into strips (25-20 cuts / square inch).

[0180] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 2B (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming substrate 2B was prepared in the same manner as substrate 2A, except that glycerol was replaced with a 75 / 25 mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol by weight, and zero-freeness pre-purified wood pulp was added to the hydrated alginate and mixed for 30 minutes before being added to the calcium carbonate slurry. The total batch weight was 500 lb. (See Table 2).

[0181] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 2C (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming substrate 2C was prepared in the same manner as substrate 2A, except that glycerol was replaced with a 50 / 50 mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol by weight. The total batch weight was 300 lb.

[0182] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 2D (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming substrate 2D was prepared in the same manner as substrate 2A, except that glycerol was replaced with a 25 / 75 mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol by weight. The total batch weight was 300 lb.

[0183] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 2E (reference substrate) Aerosol-forming substrate 2E was prepared in the same manner as substrate 2A, except that glycerol was replaced with propylene glycol. The total batch weight was 300 lb.

[0184] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 2F (reference substrate) Aerosol-forming substrate 2F was prepared in the same manner as substrate 2A, except that sodium alginate was replaced with ammonium alginate as a binder.

[0185] [Table 2]

[0186] Example 3: Preparation of bead and granular rod HNB aerosol-forming substrate Aerosol-forming agent substrate 3A (reference substrate) The measured amounts of calcium carbonate (35 lb) and pre-gelatinized rice starch (5 lb) were added to an FM 130 D Littleford model precision plow mixer. The contents were mixed at 100 rpm for 10 minutes, then glycerol (20 lb) was added and mixed for another 10 minutes at 100 rpm. The mixer was stopped, and a slurry of pre-prepared carboxymethylcellulose (CMC, prepared by hydrating carboxymethylcellulose (5 lb) with water (17 lb) in a container using a pitchfork propeller for 30 minutes) was added and mixed at 100 rpm for 20 minutes. The contents of the plow mixer were distributed and transferred to an MG-55-1 Fuji Paudel model multigrain extruder. This mass was extruded through a 2-3 mm dome-shaped screen die to obtain a multi-grain (bristle) rod. The rod was then transferred to a QJ-230T-2 Fuji Paudal model laboratory marmelizer. The rods were reshaped into rounded or spherical beads using a marmelizer rotating bowl. The beads were then transferred to a fluidized bed coagulator (Flo-Coater, Vector) and finally dried to 10% moisture content with heated air at 60-70°C. A portion of the extruded rods was also transferred and dried using a fluidized bed coagulation device. The total batch weight was 50 lb.

[0187] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 3B (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming substrate 3B was prepared in the same manner as substrate 3A, except that glycerol was replaced with a 75 / 25 mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol by weight. The total batch weight was 50 lb. See Table 3.

[0188] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 3C (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming substrate 3C was prepared in the same manner as substrate 3A, except that glycerol was replaced with a 50 / 50 mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol by weight. The total batch weight was 50 lb.

[0189] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 3D (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming substrate 3D was prepared in the same manner as substrate 3A, except that the glycerol / propylene glycol ratio was a 25 / 75 mixture by weight. The total batch weight was 50 lb.

[0190] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 3E (reference substrate) Aerosol-forming substrate 3E was prepared in the same manner as substrate 3A, except that glycerol was replaced with propylene glycol. The total batch weight was 50 lb. See Table 3.

[0191] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 3F (reference substrate) Aerosol-forming agent base material 3F was prepared in the same manner as base material 3A, except that rice starch was replaced with more finely ground tobacco. The total batch weight was 50 lb.

[0192] [Table 3]

[0193] Example 4: Preparation of extruded HNB aerosol-forming agent substrate Aerosol-forming agent substrate 4A (reference substrate) Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC; 2.5 lb) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC; 2.5 lb) were mixed with glycerol (25 lb) in a Hobart mixer for 20 minutes. Then, in an FM 130 D Littleford model precision plow mixer, the mixture was added to calcium carbonate (10 lb), pre-gelatinized rice starch (30 lb), and tobacco powder (30 lb) and mixed at 100 rpm for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the contents of the plow mixer were transferred in-line to a K-Tron hopper using a ZSK-25 Coperion twin-screw model extruder. The hopper contents were then fed into an extruder containing 11 barrel sections (27-100°C) operating at a screw speed of 75 rpm. Water (35 lb) was supplied to the second barrel of the extruder to facilitate kneading, mixing, and plasticization of the dough. Extrusions of various shapes were produced using molded dies (flat sheets, solid rods, rods with a central hole or internal opening, and rods with a grooved outer edge). Except for the flat sheet extrusions, the resulting extrusions were removed from the dies, cut, and immediately dried to 10-12% moisture content using an infrared tunnel dryer (Model Proj 0115 Glenroe Integrated Energy Delivery Systems). The total batch weight was 100 lb.

[0194] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 4B (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming substrate 4B was prepared in the same manner as substrate 4A, except that glycerol was replaced with a 50 / 50 mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol by weight. The total batch weight was 50 lb.

[0195] Aerosol-forming agent substrate 4C (Substrate of the present invention) Aerosol-forming agent base 4C was prepared in the same manner as base 4B, except that the glycerol / propylene glycol ratio was 25 / 75 by weight, the amounts of rice starch, HPMC, and HPC were reduced, and liquid mint flavoring was added to the glycerol / propylene glycol mixture to impart flavor to the formulation. The total batch weight was 50 lb.

[0196] [Table 4]

[0197] Example 5: DSC of aerosol-forming material Several embodiments of liquid aerosol-forming materials and mixtures containing glycerol or propylene glycol (reference) and mixtures thereof in different ratios (the present invention) were prepared. The thermal properties of these embodiments were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC measures the amount of energy absorbed (enthalpy) or heat required (heat of vaporization) and energy released (exothermic amount) when an aerosol-forming agent changes phase (liquid to vapor) during heating. The results of these experiments (Table 5 and Figure 7) showed that when propylene glycol (PG) was mixed with glycerol (VG) at a level >50%, less heat or energy was required to change the aerosol-forming material from liquid to aerosol (endothermic). The latter indicates that by combining aerosol-forming agents with various boiling points or vapor pressures, aerosol formation can be induced over a wide temperature range compared to each individual component.

[0198] [Table 5]

[0199] Example 6: DSC of aerosol generating member The thermal profiles of embodiments of aerosol-generating members within a substrate matrix were measured by DSC. A similar trend in the decrease in endothermic enthalpy due to increasing the PG content in the liquid mixture was observed across all the examples evaluated (Table 6). In general, the ratio of PG to glycerol (>50%) reduces the enthalpy or heat of vaporization in any matrix (paper recon, cast sheet, or bead product). The data in Table 6 also revealed that aerosol formation was influenced by the matrix type, e.g., the lower enthalpy for bead products.

[0200] [Table 6]

[0201] Example 7: Thermogravimetric Mass Spectrometry (TGA / MS) Ion Curve of Aerosol Generating Member in Substrate Matrix The ion curve profiles of embodiments of aerosol-generating members within a substrate matrix were measured by TGA / MS. The substrate sample was heated from ambient temperature to 250°C (1 minute) and then held at 250°C for 4 minutes. Figure 8 (overlay of ion current curve of glycerol (M / Z 43); paper reconstituted substrate) and Figure 9 (ion current curve of glycerol (M / Z 43)); bead substrate) show that the mixed glycerol-PG sample exhibited a broader time-dependent distribution of aerosolized glycerol ion curves compared to counterparts of glycerol or PG alone. These observations demonstrate the advantages of using a mixture of two or more aerosol-forming materials and one aerosol-forming material for a period of time for aerosol formation.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating member comprising a substrate in the form of a paper process sheet or a cast sheet, wherein the substrate is impregnated with three or more aerosol-forming materials, and the three or more aerosol-forming materials include glycerol, propylene glycol, and polysorbate, contained in a weight ratio of 1:2 to 1:

3.

2. The aerosol generating member according to claim 1, wherein the base material is further impregnated with a flavoring agent, an active ingredient, or a combination thereof.

3. The aerosol generating member according to claim 2, wherein the active ingredient comprises a tobacco component, a non-tobacco botanical component, a nicotine component, or a combination thereof.

4. The aerosol generating member according to claim 2, wherein the active ingredient contains a nicotine component.

5. The aerosol generating member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the base material is impregnated with two or more aerosol-forming materials at a loading amount of 15 to 55% by weight, based on the total weight of the impregnated base material.

6. The aerosol generating member according to claim 1, wherein the base material is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.

7. The aerosol generating member according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the base material includes tobacco-derived fibers, wood-derived fibers, or a combination thereof.

8. The aerosol generating member according to claim 7, wherein the base material further comprises one or more binders.

9. The aerosol generating member according to claim 8, wherein one or more binders are selected from alginate, cellulose derivatives, starch, gum, dextran, carrageenan, calcium carbonate, or a combination thereof.

10. The aerosol generating member according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the base material comprises one or more of the following: calcium carbonate, alginate, one or more cellulose derivatives, starch, wood pulp, or tobacco-derived fibers.

11. The base material is 0-5% by weight of calcium carbonate, 1% to 5% by weight of wood pulp, 70-80% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers Includes, The substrate is impregnated with three or more aerosol-forming materials at a loading amount of 15 to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate. The aerosol generating member according to claim 1.

12. The base material is 45-60% by weight of calcium carbonate, 0-10% by weight of alginate, 0-5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, 0-15% by weight of starch, 0-5% by weight of wood pulp, 0-40% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers Includes, The substrate is impregnated with three or more aerosol-forming materials at a loading amount of 15 to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate. The aerosol generating member according to claim 1.

13. The base material is 40-60% by weight of calcium carbonate, 0-10% by weight of alginate, 0-5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, 0-15% by weight of starch, 0-5% by weight of wood pulp, 0-40% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers Includes, The substrate is impregnated with three or more aerosol-forming materials at a loading amount of 15 to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate. The aerosol generating member according to claim 1.

14. The base material is 5-15% by weight of calcium carbonate, 1 to 5% by weight of one or more cellulose derivatives, 20-40% by weight of starch, 20-40% by weight of tobacco-derived fibers Includes, The substrate is impregnated with three or more aerosol-forming materials at a loading amount of 15 to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the impregnated substrate. The aerosol generating member according to claim 1.

15. Aerosol generating member according to any one of claims 1 to 14, A heat source configured to heat an impregnated substrate in order to form an aerosol, and Aerosol pathway extending from the aerosol generating component to the mouse end of the aerosol delivery device. Aerosol delivery systems, including...

16. The aerosol delivery system according to claim 15, wherein the heat source includes either an electric heating element or a flammable ignition source.

17. The aerosol delivery system according to claim 15, wherein the heat source is a flammable ignition source containing a carbon-based material.

18. The aerosol delivery system according to claim 15, wherein the heat source is an electric heating element.

19. The aerosol delivery system according to claim 18, further comprising a power supply electrically connected to a heating element.

20. The aerosol delivery system according to claim 18, further comprising a controller configured to control the power transmitted to the heating element by a power source.

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