Encapsulated fragrances in aerosol-generating materials

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating material for use in an aerosol delivery system, the aerosol-generating material having an encapsulated flavoring embedded in an encapsulating material.

Description

Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol - generating material for use in an aerosol supply system, and also to methods, consumables and the use of encapsulated fragrances.Background

[0002] The inventors have found that current methods of adding fragrances to aerosol - generating materials for heated tobacco products generally provide insufficient delivery of the fragrance to the user. For example, the delivery of the fragrance can be too fast to provide the desired effect. A common method of manufacturing such flavored aerosol - generating materials involves injecting the material into the aerosol - generating material via simple adsorption by immersing the material in a liquid fragrance. This suffers from the problem that the fragrance is not well - incorporated by the aerosol - generating material and the fragrance is weakened. Also, the fragrance can be released too quickly, for example, the fragrance is not well - retained and can be released within about 20 puffs. Other problems to be overcome include cross - contamination from the process and stability issues. Therefore, there is a need to manufacture an aerosol - generating material that can adequately retain menthol for the user and release menthol in a timely manner.Summary

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aerosol - generating material for use in an aerosol supply system, the aerosol - generating material having a fragrance encapsulated in an encapsulating material.

[0004] In some embodiments, the aerosol - generating material is extruded, aggregated or granulated to embed the encapsulated fragrance.

[0005] In some embodiments, the encapsulated fragrance is menthol.

[0006] In some embodiments, the encapsulated fragrance is selected from dried vanilla, apple, amaretto, tiramisu, forest fruits and mango.

[0007] In some embodiments, the fragrance is encapsulated in the encapsulation material by spray drying.

[0008] In some embodiments, the encapsulating material includes a stabilizer.

[0009] In some embodiments, the encapsulating material includes a gum material, and optionally, the gum material is acacia gum.

[0010] In some embodiments, the encapsulation material comprises one or more matrix-forming materials selected from the group consisting of sugar alcohols; carbohydrates; polymers such as gelatin, agar, PEG2000-6000 and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (10k); and long-chain fatty acids. In some embodiments, the matrix-forming material comprises sorbitol.

[0011] In some embodiments, the encapsulation material is cyclodextrin. In some embodiments, the cyclodextrin is β-cyclodextrin or γ-cyclodextrin.

[0012] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material includes a nicotine source, and optionally, the nicotine source is tobacco.

[0013] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material includes a binder, which is optionally selected from the group consisting of CMC; natural gums (locust bean gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, guar gum, gellan gum, karaya gum), starch (both natural and processed), alginates, cellulose materials (natural and modified, including HPC, HMPC, and HEC), and polysaccharides including chitosan.

[0014] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material includes a pH adjuster, and optionally, the pH adjuster is Na2CO3.

[0015] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material includes an aerosol-forming agent, which is optionally selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, vegetable glycerin (VG), triacetin, and xylitol.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing an aerosol-generating material according to the first aspect, comprising the steps of: encapsulating a fragrance in an encapsulation material; and extruding, agglomerating, or granulating the encapsulated fragrance to form an aerosol-generating material.

[0017] In some embodiments, the encapsulated flavoring is extruded together with the nicotine source, optionally, the tobacco.

[0018] In some embodiments, the fragrance is spray-dried together with the encapsulation material.

[0019] In some embodiments, the encapsulating material comprises 35-55% by weight of a stabilizer and / or 35-55% by weight of a gum material and / or 5-35% by weight of a matrix-forming material.

[0020] In some embodiments, the encapsulated fragrance contains 30-65% by weight of the fragrance.

[0021] According to a third aspect of the present invention, consumables for use in an aerosol supply system comprising an aerosol generating material according to the first aspect are provided.

[0022] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides the use of encapsulated fragrances embedded in an aerosol-generating material for controlling the release of fragrances over 25 puffs or more, which are generated by heating the aerosol-generating material in an aerosol supply system.

[0023] Herein, embodiments of the present invention will be described merely as examples with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0024] [Figure 1] This figure shows the TGA profile of unencapsulated menthol (indicated as "pure menthol") compared to the TGA profile of spray-dried menthol. This profile was held at 30°C for 1 minute, followed by a gradient step of 10°C / min until the temperature reached 500°C. [Figure 2] This graph shows the aerosol menthol delivery (μg / puff) for sprayed dried tobacco. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of a non-combustion aerosol supply device for generating aerosols from aerosol-generating materials described herein. [Figure 4] This figure shows the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) profile of menthol encapsulated in a β-cyclodextrin-containing encapsulation material (referred to as "BCD-menthol complex"), compared to the TGA profile of β-cyclodextrin alone (referred to as "BCD"), and the TGA profile of unencapsulated menthol (referred to as "menthol"). Detailed explanation

[0025] The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating material for use in an aerosol supply system, wherein the aerosol-generating material has encapsulated fragrances embedded in an encapsulation material. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is extruded, aggregated, or granulated to embed the encapsulated fragrances. Other techniques or processes may be used to incorporate the encapsulated fragrances into the structure of the aerosol-generating material.

[0026] The aerosol - generating materials described herein enjoy the advantage that the aerosol - generating material retains and protects the fragrance better than other flavored aerosol - generating materials. This provides a better fragrance profile, a more consistent and slower release, and a specific release profile. This provides the user with a strong, persistent and lasting fragrance. The inventors have found that a combination of encapsulated fragrance and structurally embedding the encapsulated fragrance into the aerosol - generating material, for example, by extrusion, agglomeration or granulation optionally with spheronisation, provides a particularly well - protected fragrance that provides the above - mentioned release profiles and fragrance advantages.

[0027] Another advantage is that the aerosol - generating material is stable over a range of temperatures and humidities, has an extended shelf life, and is thus easy to store and transport. The loss of fragrance over time is reduced. The migration of the encapsulated fragrance within the aerosol - generating material is also reduced.

[0028] The water content of the aerosol - generating materials described herein can vary, for example, according to the temperature, pressure and humidity conditions under which the composition is maintained. The water content can be determined by Karl - Fischer analysis or by gas chromatography - thermal conductivity detector (GC - TCD) as known to those skilled in the art.

[0029] Encapsulation The fragrance is encapsulated to result in an encapsulated fragrance. This has the advantage that the fragrance is more stable and easier to handle, for example, the loss of fragrance during processing is reduced and the encapsulated fragrance provides better physical properties and reduced fragrance contamination. This is particularly advantageous because there is a second processing step (extrusion, agglomeration or granulation) involved in the manufacture of the aerosol - generating material. The encapsulated fragrance is protected from the second process itself while being "doubly protected" from external influences.

[0030] In some embodiments, the encapsulated fragrance comprises at least one fragrance and an encapsulation material.

[0031] The encapsulated fragrance may contain about 10 to about 80% by weight of the fragrance based on the total weight of the encapsulated fragrance. In some embodiments, the encapsulated fragrance may contain about 20 to about 70% by weight, about 25 to about 65% by weight, about 30 to about 60% by weight, or about 25 to about 55% by weight of the fragrance. In some embodiments, the encapsulated fragrance may contain about 30 to about 65% by weight of the fragrance. The amount of fragrance may be selected to provide the user with an appropriate fragrance release profile over time, ensuring that a sufficient amount of fragrance is supplied without being too strong or too weak.

[0032] As used herein, the terms “flavoring” and “flavoring” refer to materials that may be used in products intended for adult consumers to produce a desired taste, aroma, or other somatic sensation, where permitted by local regulations.These are naturally occurring fragrance materials, plant substances, plant substance extracts, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, mint, aniseed, cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berries, red berries, cranberries, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruits, papa). Iyah, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberry, mulberry, citrus fruits, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, tea arabic, naswar, betel nut, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang Iran, sage, fennel, wasabi, bell pepper, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, peppermint oil from any species of Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazelnut, hibiscus, laurel, mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, red perilla, turmeric, coriander leaves, myrtle, blackcurrant, valerian, allspice. It may contain other additives such as yew, mace, damian, marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, caraway, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter taste receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and / or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), as well as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, plant substances, or breath fresheners.These may be imitations, synthetics, natural ingredients, or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, such as liquids like oils, solids like powders, or gases.

[0033] In some embodiments, the fragrance is volatile or easily mobile when incorporated into the aerosol-generating material.

[0034] In some embodiments, the fragrance comprises menthol, spearmint, and / or peppermint. In some embodiments, the fragrance may contain menthol, may essentially consist of menthol, or may consist of menthol.

[0035] In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavoring components of cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and / or red berry. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavoring components extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavoring components extracted from cannabis.

[0036] In some embodiments, the fragrance may include, in addition to or instead of, scent or taste nerves, sensates intended to achieve somatosensations that are normally chemically induced and perceived by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), and these may include agents that provide heating, cooling, tingling, or numbing effects. Suitable thermal agents may include, but are not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and suitable cooling agents may include, but are not limited to, eucalyptol or WS-3.

[0037] Encapsulation materials In some embodiments, the fragrance is encapsulated in a composition referred to herein as "encapsulation material."

[0038] In some embodiments, the encapsulating material forms a matrix or coating surrounding the fragrance. The fragrance may be distributed throughout or in part of the encapsulating material. Alternatively, the encapsulating material may form a coating or shell surrounding the fragrance. In some embodiments, the encapsulating material is a molecular framework, such as a metal-organic framework, having cavities in which the fragrance molecules are held.

[0039] The encapsulation material immobilizes and protects the fragrance.

[0040] The encapsulation material may include at least one matrix-forming material selected from the group consisting of sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and mannitol; carbohydrates (including monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides) such as starch, sucrose, trehalose, lactose, raffinose, maltose, dextran 10, dextran 70, dextran 90, maltodextrin, and cyclodextrin; polymers such as gelatin, agar, PEG2000-6000, and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (10k); long-chain fatty acids, or combinations thereof.

[0041] These matrix-forming materials can act as fillers or bulking agents, and can also form a matrix or coating. The encapsulating material may contain about 5–85% by weight, about 10–700% by weight, about 15–60% by weight, or about 20–50% by weight of the matrix-forming material. In some embodiments, the encapsulating material contains 5–50% by weight of the matrix-forming material. In some embodiments, the encapsulating material may contain about 18% by weight of the matrix-forming material. The amount of matrix-forming material in the encapsulating material may vary and be selected depending on the properties of the fragrance being encapsulated and the other components of the encapsulating material and aerosol-generating material.

[0042] In some embodiments, the matrix-forming material has hydrophilic properties. This offers the advantage that the matrix-forming material can be easily dispersed in an aqueous environment, protecting the mostly hydrophobic components that are encapsulated. Sorbitol or other sugar alcohols may be particularly suitable in embodiments where the slurry is prepared before spray drying. In embodiments where the matrix-forming material is sorbitol, the encapsulating material may contain 5 to 50% by weight of the matrix-forming material.

[0043] The encapsulation material may include gum materials such as guar gum, acacia gum, and mixtures thereof, e.g., cellulose gelling agents and non-cellulose gelling agents. The encapsulation material may contain about 20–70% by weight, about 30–60% by weight, about 35–55% by weight, about 30–50% by weight, or about 35–45% by weight of gum material. In some embodiments, the encapsulation material contains 35–55% by weight of gum material. In some embodiments, the encapsulation material may contain about 40% by weight of gum material. The encapsulation material may consist of or essentially consist of gum material. The gum material may advantageously improve the protection of the fragrance. Although we do not wish to be constrained by reason, the gum material is considered to have emulsifying properties. In embodiments where the fragrance has hydrophobic properties, the gum material may help separate the fragrance from the aqueous environment to which the fragrance may be exposed. As described herein, such an aqueous environment may be humidity or during manufacturing.

[0044] The encapsulating material may contain stabilizers that stabilize and protect the encapsulating material. The stabilizers advantageously help maintain a uniform dispersion of the components of the encapsulating material within the system. While it is not desirable to be constrained by reason, it is believed that the stabilizers provide a surface energy barrier, without which the dispersed encapsulated system would be more unstable. The encapsulating material may contain about 20–70% by weight, about 30–60% by weight, about 35–55% by weight, about 30–50% by weight, or about 35–45% by weight of the stabilizer. In some embodiments, the encapsulating material contains 35–55% by weight of the stabilizer. In some embodiments, the encapsulating material may contain about 40% by weight of the stabilizer. The stabilizers advantageously stabilize the encapsulating material and further stabilize the aerosol-generating material after extrusion, granulation, and / or spheroidization. The encapsulation material may contain at least one stabilizer selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, natural gums (including locust bean gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, guar gum, gellan gum, and karaya gum), starch (both natural and processed), alginates, cellulose materials (natural and modified, including HPC, HMPC, and HEC), chitosan, emulsifiers (lecithin, sorbitan esters, sucrose esters, glycerides, and glucosides), or combinations thereof.

[0045] In some embodiments, the fragrance is encapsulated by molecular encapsulation. The encapsulation material may include molecular capsule materials suitable for such encapsulation. The molecular capsule material may include at least one selected from the group of macrocyclic oligomers, such as cyclodextrins, cucurbituryls, fullerenes, dendrimers, cryptands, calixarenes, pillararenes, resorcinarenes, sphalandos, and crown ethers, or combinations thereof.

[0046] In some embodiments, the encapsulation material comprises at least one cyclodextrin. The cyclodextrin may comprise at least one of β-cyclodextrin or γ-cyclodextrin. The cavity size of the cyclodextrin affects the release (e.g., β and γ). The cyclodextrin protects the fragrance through a mechanism in which the fragrance molecule fits into the cyclodextrin cavity. The complexation of the fragrance with the cyclodextrin is aided by interactions between the fragrance and the cyclodextrin, such as hygroscopic or electrostatic interactions. Using cyclodextrin as an encapsulation material has the advantage that both temperature and humidity affect the release of the encapsulated fragrance. This means that the fragrance can be easily released when an aerosol generating device is used to deliver the fragrance to the user.

[0047] Encapsulation method In some embodiments, fragrances are encapsulated via spray drying. In the spray drying process, the encapsulation material is sprayed and rapidly dried using a high-temperature gas. The use of spray drying offers several advantages to the present invention: the dried particle size can be controlled and consistent; spray drying can be performed at relatively high inlet temperatures even if the fragrance is heat-sensitive; a short residence time in the spray drying apparatus is required; and the loss of fragrance / volatile substances is minimized. This allows the process to be adapted to reduce the loss of volatile compounds and preserve the desired fragrance in the aerosol-generating material.

[0048] The spray drying process also enjoys the advantage of providing a physical barrier, which is useful when there are environmental pH changes that could be harmful to the fragrance. For example, it is known in the art that nicotine delivery from tobacco is improved under higher pH conditions. Therefore, encapsulated fragrances, when contained in an aerosol-generating material, may be exposed to high pH conditions, and this method protects the fragrance from these changes.

[0049] Encapsulated fragrances can also be prepared by granulation. This may be particularly suitable for fragrances in solid form. Granulation involves the aggregation of fine particles or powders into larger granules or particles. The particles can be gathered together and bound to each other by compression or using a binder. Granulation can be a wet or dry process.

[0050] In some embodiments, molecular encapsulation may be employed. Molecular encapsulation is a method by which a “guest” molecule is confined within a cavity of a “host molecule.” These host molecules may consist of, for example, molecular capsules, molecular vessels, cage compounds, crown ethers, cyclic compounds, cyclodextrins, or other supramolecular structures. The advantage of molecular encapsulation is that it provides controlled and programmable release of the encapsulated fragrance. Controlled release can be achieved through several parameters, including, for example, temperature, pH, and solvent polarity.

[0051] In some embodiments, fragrances are encapsulated via spray cooling. Spray cooling is a process that solidifies an atomized liquid spray into particles that may be in the form of microspheres. Methods for carrying out spray cooling include pressure nozzles, vibrating nozzles, and spinning disc atomizers. This method offers the advantage that the fragrance can be homogeneously dispersed throughout the encapsulation material.

[0052] Other possible encapsulation processes include granulation, extrusion, spheroidization, emulsification, aggregation, band casting, coacervation (molecular), gelation, and fluidized bed coating.

[0053] Aerosol generating materials Subsequently, the encapsulated fragrance can be incorporated into the aerosol-generating material via any suitable process that embeds or structurally incorporates the encapsulated fragrance into the aerosol-generating material. For example, techniques such as extrusion, agglomeration, or granulation, or a combination thereof, may be used. Including the encapsulated fragrance embedded within the structure of the aerosol-generating material has the advantage of providing improved control over fragrance release. Thus, the aerosol-generating material includes the encapsulated fragrance, which includes the encapsulated material described above, optionally including stabilizers, fillers, and / or gum materials, or a combination thereof. The aerosol-generating material also acts as a fragrance carrier during use of the aerosol-generating device.

[0054] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may contain about 5% by weight, about 10% by weight, about 20% by weight, about 30% by weight, about 40% by weight, about 50% by weight, 60% by weight or 70% by weight, about 80% by weight, about 90% by weight, or 95% by weight of encapsulated fragrance. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may contain up to about 5% by weight, about 10% by weight, about 20% by weight, about 30% by weight, about 40% by weight, about 50% by weight, 60% by weight or 70% by weight, about 80% by weight, about 90% by weight, or 95% by weight of encapsulated fragrance. The amount of encapsulated fragrance in the aerosol-generating material may be selected to provide the end user with the desired effect and to be compatible with the manufacturing process used to prepare the aerosol-generating material.

[0055] In some embodiments, fragrance may be released over extended use of the aerosol-generating material by heating to produce an aerosol. For example, fragrance may be released in the first 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, or 100 puffs of the aerosol produced by heating the aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, fragrance may be released up to the first 5, 10, 15, or 20 puffs. In some embodiments, fragrance may still be released after the first 60 puffs. In some embodiments, fragrance may still be released after the first 100 puffs.

[0056] The extrusion, agglomeration, or granulation processes described herein provide aerosol-generating materials with enhanced fragrance stability, which offer improved storage properties by reducing fragrance loss.

[0057] The present invention enjoys the advantage of being particularly stable and protected because the fragrance is first encapsulated, then extruded, aggregated, granulated, and optionally spheroidized. Combining both of these steps provides particular protection of the fragrance within the aerosol-generating material. This results in an improved, slower, and more consistent release profile and improved fragrance stability.

[0058] Advantageously, the fragrance release dynamics during use of the aerosol-generating material are also improved, resulting in more consistent fragrance delivery. The aerosol-generating material can be heated during use, and the fragrance release over time is more consistent, providing the user with a desirable fragrance profile over time. This is an improvement over other fragranced aerosol-generating materials where the fragrance is often released rapidly and / or at the beginning of the profile. This results in a less desirable user experience, as fragrance delivery to the user rapidly decreases as puffing continues.

[0059] A further advantage is that the encapsulated fragrance can be uniformly distributed throughout the aerosol-generating material. This provides the user with a more consistent fragrance release profile.

[0060] Aerosol-generating materials are materials that can generate aerosols when heated, irradiated, or energized by any other means. Aerosol-generating materials may be in the form of solids, liquids, or gels, which may or may not contain active substances and / or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be called a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material capable of holding a fluid, such as a liquid. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include, for example, about 50% by weight, 60% by weight, or 70% by weight of amorphous solid to about 90% by weight, 95% by weight, or 100% by weight of amorphous solid.

[0061] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material is free-flowing and / or non-sticky, which facilitates handling of the aerosol-generating material. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of a free-flowing powder. This enjoys several advantages, including having a consistent particle size and making the material easy to incorporate into downstream processes and consumables. In addition, free-flowing powders are easy to manufacture and handle, have well-known flow properties, and can be used in machinery. Free-flowing powders are also easily mixed with other components.

[0062] By employing extrusion, agglomeration, or granulation, particles of a uniform size with a desired diameter can be achieved. Since particle diameter affects the release of flavorings, particle size control and consistency are advantages of this preparation. While not wishing to be constrained by any particular theory, smaller granular particles have a larger surface area-to-volume ratio and therefore may exhibit enhanced release of tobacco components compared to larger diameter particles. In some embodiments, sieving can be employed to achieve the desired particle size and distribution.

[0063] As used herein, the aerosol-generating material may be present on or within a support to form a substrate. The support may be, for example, paper, cardboard, cardboard, reconstituted material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or metal alloy, or may include these. In some embodiments, the support includes a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded within the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is located on one or either side of the material.

[0064] Aerosol-generating materials can be formed by extrusion. Extrusion can be carried out using one of the main classes of extruders: screw, sieve and basket, roll, ram and pin barrel extruders. This has the advantage that this process combines the mixing, adjustment, homogenization and molding of the encapsulated flavor composition and other components of the aerosol-generating material. A further advantage is that the extruded aerosol-generating material provides a uniform distribution of flavor through the aerosol-generating material. The extrusion process helps to further structurally integrate the flavor into the tobacco base material and modify the release profile from the material.

[0065] Encapsulated fragrances can also be incorporated into aerosol-generating materials via granulation. The granulation process may include agglomeration, crushing, grinding, milling, shredding, or formation into pellets. Suitable machinery for creating such particles includes, for example, shredders, cutters, or mills such as hammer mills, roller mills, or other types of commercially available milling machines.

[0066] Encapsulated fragrances can also be incorporated into aerosol-generating materials via spheroidization (marmerization). The advantage of spheroidization is that the resulting particles have a consistent diameter. This facilitates the handling, packaging, and processing of the aerosol-generating material. In addition, it allows for more precise control of the amount of fragrance in the consumable. Advantageously, the particles are spherical. This can be advantageous for packaging in consumables and providing a favorable airflow through the consumable and aerosol-generating device.

[0067] In some embodiments, encapsulated fragrances may also be incorporated into the aerosol-generating material via a combination of extrusion or granulation and spheroidization. These methods are particularly useful for fragrances that are incompatible with certain encapsulation materials that are more suitable for spray drying. For example, certain fragrances may be miscible with certain components of the encapsulation material used in embodiments where the encapsulation material is spray-dried. In addition, these methods operate at lower temperatures, which is particularly advantageous for embodiments where the fragrance or components of the encapsulation material are thermally unstable.

[0068] In exemplary embodiments, the encapsulated fragrance can be mixed with other components of the final aerosol-generating material to obtain a homogenized powder, which can then be extruded and subsequently granulated or spheroidized.

[0069] In some embodiments, it may be desirable for the particles to have an average particle size of about 3 mm or less, 1 mm or less, or about 0.5 mm or less, or an average particle size of about 0.3 mm or less, when measured by sieving.

[0070] In some embodiments, the average particle size is within the range of about 0.1 to about 3 mm, about 0.1 to about 1 mm, about 0.1 to about 0.5 mm, about 0.1 to about 0.4 mm, or about 0.2 to about 0.3 mm. In some embodiments, at least about 90% of the particles have a particle size within the range of about 0.1 to about 3 mm, or about 0.1 to about 1 mm, or about 0.1 to about 0.5 mm. In some embodiments, at least about 90% of the particles have a particle size within the range of about 0.1 to about 3 mm, or about 0.1 to about 1 mm, or about 0.1 to about 0.5 mm. In some embodiments, none of the particles have a particle size greater than 5 mm, greater than 4 mm, greater than 2 mm, greater than 1.5 mm, or greater than about 1 mm. In some embodiments, the average particle size is less than 1 mm.

[0071] Other components of aerosol-generating materials The aerosol-generating material may contain a nicotine source, and in some embodiments, the nicotine source is tobacco material, extract, or tobacco-derived material. The tobacco extract or material may be derived from any type of tobacco and any part of the tobacco plant, including tobacco flakes, stems, stalks, veins, scraps, and fragments, or mixtures of two or more thereof. Suitable tobacco extracts or materials include: Virginia or iron-tube dried tobacco, barley tobacco, Oriental tobacco, or, optionally, blends of tobacco material including those listed herein. The tobacco may be expanded, such as dry-ice expanded tobacco (DIET), or processed by any other means. In some embodiments, the tobacco material may be recycled tobacco material. The tobacco may be pre-treated or untreated, and may be, for example, solid stems (SS); shredded dried stems (SDS); steam-treated stems (STS); or any combination thereof. The tobacco material may be fermented, hardened, unhardened, toasted, or otherwise pre-treated. The tobacco material may be supplied in the form of shredded rag tobacco. Shredded rag tobacco may have a cut width of, for example, at least 15 cuts per inch (approximately 5.9 cuts per cm, corresponding to a cut width of approximately 1.7 mm). Shredded rag tobacco may be formed from a mixture of tobacco materials, such as one or more of recycled tobacco, loose leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and bandcast tobacco. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may contain about 50–90% by weight, about 60–80% by weight, or about 65–75% by weight of a nicotine source.

[0072] The aerosol-generating material may further include one or more active substances and / or fragrances, one or more aerosol-forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

[0073] Aerosol-generating materials may also contain adhesive binders. In some embodiments, the binder additive is at least one of the following thermoreversible gelling agents: polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), gelatin, gum, acacia gum, starch, polysaccharides, pectin, alginate, wood pulp, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose, or combinations thereof. Including a binder may have the advantage of making the wrapper easier to handle and process. In some embodiments, the binder consists of or is essentially made of carboxymethylcellulose. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may contain about 0.5–4% by weight, about 1–3% by weight, or about 1–2% by weight of the binder.

[0074] The aerosol-generating material may also contain a pH adjuster. In some embodiments, the pH adjuster is Na2CO3. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may contain about 1–15% by weight, about 3–12% by weight, about 5–10% by weight, or about 7–9% by weight of the pH adjuster. The pH adjuster may be particularly advantageous for the present invention because the encapsulated flavoring is protected from pH changes by further encapsulation as extrusion or granulation using optional spheroidization. Basic pH values ​​for providing improved aerosolization of tobacco components are known in the art.

[0075] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material contains filler components. The filler components are generally non-tobacco components, i.e., components that do not contain tobacco-derived components. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material contains less than 60% by weight on a wet weight basis, for example, 1% to 60% by weight, or 5% to 50% by weight, or 5% to 30% by weight, or 10% to 20% by weight of filler.

[0076] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may have an increased surface area due to the inclusion of an inert filler material. The appropriate inert filler may be porous or non-porous.

[0077] The filler, if present, may include one or more inorganic filler materials such as calcium carbonate, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, and magnesium carbonate, as well as a suitable inorganic adsorbent such as a molecular sieve. The filler may also include one or more organic filler materials such as wood pulp, hemp fiber, cellulose, and cellulose derivatives.

[0078] Aerosol-generating materials may also include aerosol-forming agent materials.

[0079] Aerosol-forming agent materials may comprise one or more components capable of forming aerosols. Advantageously, aerosol-forming agents may help drive fragrances and nicotine from the aerosol-generating material into aerosols. In some embodiments, aerosol-forming agent materials may comprise one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzylphenyl acetate, tributyline, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, propylene carbonate, vegetable glycerin (VG), and xylitol.

[0080] In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent comprises one or more polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, and glycerin; esters of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol mono-, di-, or triacetate; and / or aliphatic esters of mono-, di-, or polycarboxylic acids such as dimethyl dodecanediate and dimethyl tetradecanediate. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent material comprises one or more compounds selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, vegetable glycerin (VG), triacetin, sorbitol, and xylitol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming agent material comprises glycerol, is essentially made from glycerol, or consists of glycerol. Glycerol provides a visible aerosol when used with an aerosol-generating device. Consumers generally prefer aerosol-generating devices that provide a visible aerosol because it allows them to visualize the product and what they are consuming. This makes glycerol a desirable choice for the aerosol-forming agent material. Propylene glycol has the advantage of being a superior fragrance carrier compared to glycerol.

[0081] The combination of aerosol-forming agents may be used in equal or different proportions. The aerosol-forming agent materials may act as plasticizers.

[0082] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material includes at least about 1% by weight, at least about 5% by weight, at least about 10% by weight, or at least about 20% by weight of an aerosol-forming agent material (calculated on a wet weight basis).

[0083] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material further comprises a preservative. Suitable preservatives are readily known to those skilled in the art and would include, for example, safe preservatives for use in products that generate inhalable aerosols. Examples of preservatives that may be used include propylene glycol, carvacrol, thymol, L-menthol, 1,8-cineole, phenoxyethanol, phytoCide, sorbic acid and its salts, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, ethylhexylglycerin, parabens, and vitamins such as vitamin E or vitamin C.

[0084] consumables In some embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol generating material is included as a consumable for use in an aerosol supply system.

[0085] Consumables are articles containing or consisting of aerosol-generating materials, some or all of which are intended to be consumed during use by the user. Consumables may include one or more other components such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material transfer component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier. Consumables may also include aerosol-generating devices such as heaters that release heat during use to generate aerosols in the aerosol-generating material. Heaters may include, for example, flammable materials, electrically conductive materials, or susceptors.

[0086] In some cases, the consumables have a rod shape and may further include a wrapper surrounding the wrapper. As used herein, the term “rod” generally refers to an elongated body which may be any suitable shape for use in an aerosol generation assembly. In some cases, the rod is substantially cylindrical.

[0087] Delivery system As used herein, the term “delivery system” is intended to encompass a system for delivering at least one substance to a user, and includes non-combustion aerosol delivery systems that release compounds from aerosol-generating materials without burning the materials, such as hybrid systems that generate aerosols using a combination of e-cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and aerosol-generating materials.

[0088] According to this disclosure, a “non-combustible” aerosol supply system is one in which the aerosol-generating materials constituting the aerosol supply system (or its components) are not burned or incinerated in order to facilitate the delivery of at least one substance to the user.

[0089] In some embodiments, the delivery system is a non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as a powered non-combustible aerosol supply system.

[0090] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system is an e-cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), but it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol-generating material is not a necessary condition.

[0091] In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol supply system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. An example of such a system is a cigarette heating system.

[0092] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system is a hybrid system that generates aerosols using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, one or more of which may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in the form of a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the hybrid system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

[0093] Typically, a non-combustible aerosol supply system may include a non-combustible aerosol supply device and consumables for use with the non-combustible aerosol supply device.

[0094] In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to consumables comprising aerosol-generating materials and configured for use with non-combustible aerosol supply devices. These consumables may be referred to as articles throughout the disclosure.

[0095] In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol supply system, such as the non-combustible aerosol supply device, may include a power source and a controller. The power source may be, for example, a power source or a heat source. In some embodiments, the heat source includes a carbon substrate that can be energized to distribute power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or heat transfer material adjacent to the heat source.

[0096] In some embodiments, a non-combustible aerosol supply system may include an area for receiving consumables, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0097] In some embodiments, consumables for use with a non-combustible aerosol supply device may include aerosol generating material, an aerosol generating material storage area, an aerosol generating material transfer component, an aerosol generating device, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a wrapper, a filter, a mouthpiece, and / or an aerosol modifier.

[0098] Figure 3 shows an example of a non-combustible aerosol supply device 100 for generating aerosols from aerosol-generating materials, such as the aerosol-generating material of consumables 110, as described herein. Generally, device 100 can be used to heat a replaceable article 110 containing aerosol-generating material, for example, an article described elsewhere herein, to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium to be inhaled by a user of device 100. Device 100 and the replaceable article 110 together form a system.

[0099] Device 100 comprises a housing 102 (in the form of an outer cover) that surrounds and accommodates various components of device 100. Device 100 has an opening 104 at one end into which an article 110 can be inserted for heating by a heating assembly. During use, the article 110 can be fully or partially inserted into the heating assembly, where it can be heated by one or more components of the heater assembly.

[0100] The device 100 in this example includes a first end member 106 with a lid 108 that is movable relative to the first end member 106 to close the opening 104 when no article 110 is installed. In Figure 3, the lid 108 is shown in an open configuration, but the lid 108 can be moved to a closed configuration. For example, the user can slide the lid 108 in the direction of arrow "B".

[0101] Device 100 may also include a user-operable control element 112, such as a button or switch, which activates Device 100 when pressed. For example, a user can turn on Device 100 by operating the switch 112.

[0102] Device 100 may also be equipped with electrical components such as a socket / port 114 that can accept a cable for charging the device 100's battery. For example, the socket 114 could be a charging port such as a USB charging port.

[0103] Example 1 In the first embodiment, the aerosol-generating material was prepared according to the steps described.

[0104] The encapsulated flavoring was menthol, and the encapsulation material contained 40% gum arabic, 42% menthol, and 18% sorbitol (all calculated by weight). Spray drying was used as the encapsulation method. The average particle size was approximately 5 to 125 μm.

[0105] Next, using encapsulated flavoring, an aerosol-generating material was prepared containing 75% tobacco; 1% CMC as a binder; 10% encapsulated flavoring; 4.3% Na2CO3 as a pH adjuster; and 9.7% water. Tobacco leaves were ground to a particle size of 350 μm, mixed with dry Na2CO3 and CMC, and then added to a double-cone mixer and mixed for 20 minutes. Advantageously, less aggregation was observed in spray-dried menthol compared to ground menthol. This mixture was added to an extruder. Water was then added and mixed to form "tobacco dough" in the extruder. The dough was forced through a die head to form strands and cut into granules using a rotating blade. Extruded particles with a diameter of 0.71–2 mm were then selected using a sieve. The extruded particles had a median particle size of approximately 950–1250 μm and a weight of approximately 0.75–1 g / cm³. 3 It had a density of [value].

[0106] Example 2 In the second embodiment, a thermogravimetric (TGA) experiment was performed. It is known in the art that a positive result in a TGA experiment is an indicator that the material is likely to function in a similarly positive way in a THP device.

[0107] Figure 1 shows that the delivery delay of spray-dried menthol is substantially longer than that of unencapsulated menthol. Menthol encapsulation can affect temperature dynamics and can be used to alter flavor delivery in THP devices. Neither sample was extruded, but the first encapsulation step is illustrated.

[0108] Figure 4 shows the improved stability and delayed release of menthol encapsulated in an encapsulation material containing β-cyclodextrin. It is clear that menthol encapsulated using β-cyclodextrin was more stable at higher temperatures. The release of encapsulated menthol was delayed until the temperature reached approximately 150°C to 300°C, while unencapsulated menthol was released at approximately 100°C.

[0109] Example 3 In a third example, cigarettes with various percentages of spray-dried menthol were tested with a THP device, and the results are shown in Figure 2. In this example, the encapsulation material contained approximately 40% by weight of menthol, which was spray-dried. The aerosol-generating material was prepared by extrusion and was in the form of granules. The aerosol-generating material contained 0, 5, or 10% spray-dried menthol, as shown in the legend of the graph. Menthol delivery was consistent with continuous puffing of the device at approximately 100 μg / puff. There is no data for 0% menthol as no menthol was released, and this was used as a control sample.

[0110] The various embodiments described herein are presented solely to aid in understanding and teaching the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as representative examples of the embodiments and are not exhaustive and / or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, functions, features, structures, and / or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations to the scope of the invention as defined by the claims, nor as limitations to equivalents of the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Various embodiments of the invention may appropriately include, consist of, or essentially consist of, appropriate combinations of disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc., other than those specifically described herein. In addition, this disclosure may include other inventions that are not currently claimed but may be claimed in the future.

Claims

1. An aerosol generating material for use in an aerosol supply system, wherein a fragrance encapsulated in an encapsulating material is embedded in the aerosol generating material, and the material is extruded to embed the encapsulated fragrance.

2. The aerosol generating material according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulated fragrance is menthol.

3. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulated flavor is selected from dried vanilla, apple, amaretto, tiramisu, forest fruit, and mango.

4. The aerosol generating material according to claim 1, wherein the fragrance is encapsulated in the encapsulation material by spray drying.

5. The aerosol generating material according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulating material contains a stabilizer.

6. The aerosol generating material according to claim 5, wherein the encapsulating material includes a gum material.

7. The aerosol generating material according to claim 6, wherein the gum material is acacia gum.

8. The aerosol generating material according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulating material comprises one or more matrix-forming materials selected from the group consisting of sugar alcohols; carbohydrates; polymers such as gelatin, agar, PEG 2000-6000 and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) (10k); and long-chain fatty acids.

9. The aerosol generating material according to claim 8, wherein the matrix forming material contains sorbitol.

10. The aerosol generating material according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulating material is cyclodextrin.

11. The aerosol generating material according to claim 10, wherein the cyclodextrin is β-cyclodextrin or γ-cyclodextrin.

12. The aerosol generating material according to claim 1, comprising a nicotine source.

13. The aerosol generating material according to claim 12, wherein the nicotine source is tobacco.

14. The aerosol generating material according to claim 1, comprising a binder.

15. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 14, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of CMC; natural gums (locust bean gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, guar gum, gellan gum, karaya gum), starch (both natural and processed), alginate, cellulose materials (natural and modified including HPC, MHPC, HEC), and polysaccharides including chitosan.

16. The aerosol generating material according to claim 1, comprising a pH adjusting agent.

17. The pH adjusting agent is Na ２ CO ３ The aerosol generating material according to claim 16.

18. The aerosol generating material according to claim 1, comprising an aerosol forming agent.

19. The aerosol-generating material according to claim 18, wherein the aerosol-forming agent is selected from erythritol, propylene glycol, glycerol, vegetable glycerin (VG), triacetin, and xylitol.

20. A method for producing an aerosol-generating material according to claim 1, comprising encapsulating a fragrance in an encapsulation material and extruding the encapsulated fragrance to form the aerosol-generating material.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the encapsulated fragrance is extruded together with the nicotine source.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the nicotine source is tobacco.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the fragrance is spray-dried together with the encapsulating material.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the encapsulating material comprises 35 to 55% by weight of a stabilizer and / or 35 to 55% by weight of a gum material and / or 5 to 35% by weight of a matrix-forming material.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the encapsulated fragrance comprises 30 to 65% by weight of the fragrance.

26. A consumable for use in an aerosol supply system containing the aerosol generating material described in claim 1.

27. The use of encapsulated fragrances embedded in an aerosol-generating material for controlling the release of fragrances over 25 puffs or more, which are generated by heating the aerosol-generating material in an aerosol supply system, The aerosol-generating material is extruded to embed the encapsulated fragrance, for use.

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