Tobacco filler and non-combustion heating flavor inhaler

Abstract

This tobacco filler for use in a non-combustion heating flavor inhaler contains a tobacco material and an organic acid salt. The organic acid salt is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation index pKa in the range of 3.5-5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100-220°C, and a base selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal hydroxide and an alkaline earth metal hydroxide. The organic acid salt is contained in an amount within the range of 0.5-15 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material.

Description

Tobacco fillers and non-combustion heated flavor inhalers

[0001] The present invention relates to a tobacco filler and a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler.

[0002] In recent years, non-combustion heating type flavor inhalers (hereinafter simply referred to as heating type flavor inhalers) have been developed to replace combustion type flavor inhalers for cigarettes and the like, which provide users with tobacco flavor by heating the tobacco filler without burning it.

[0003] In a heated flavor inhaler, the tobacco filler contains, in addition to tobacco material, an aerosol source that generates vapor when heated. When the tobacco filler is heated in the heated flavor inhaler, the aerosol source becomes vapor, and tobacco flavor components migrate into this vapor, resulting in the generation of an aerosol (tobacco vapor). It has been reported that an acid, such as an organic acid, can be added to such a tobacco filler (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] International Publication No. 2014 / 190079

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a tobacco filler for a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler that provides an excellent tobacco flavor.

[0006] According to one aspect, there is provided a tobacco filler for use in a non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler, comprising a tobacco material and an organic acid salt, wherein the organic acid salt is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, and a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, and the organic acid salt is contained in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material.

[0007] According to another aspect, there is provided a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler including the tobacco packing described above and a heater for heating the tobacco packing.

[0008] According to the present invention, a tobacco filler for a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler that provides an excellent tobacco flavor can be provided.

[0009] FIG. 1A is a schematic front view showing an example of an aerosol generating device. FIG. 1B is a schematic top view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1C is a schematic bottom view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an example of a tobacco stick. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. 1B. FIG. 4 is a graph showing the pH of sheet tobacco. FIG. 5 is a graph showing the pH of tobacco vapor. FIG. 6 is a graph showing the results of the sensory evaluation. FIG. 7 is a graph showing the results of the sensory evaluation. FIG. 8 is a graph showing the results of the sensory evaluation. FIG. 9 is a graph showing the results of the sensory evaluation.

[0010] The present invention will be described in detail below. However, the following description is for the purpose of explaining the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. The embodiments described below are more specific embodiments of any of the above aspects. The following items can be incorporated into each of the above aspects alone or in combination.

[0011] <1. Tobacco Filler> The present inventors have newly discovered that by incorporating a specific organic acid salt into a tobacco filler and heating the resulting tobacco filler in a heated flavor inhaler, it is possible to reduce the negative sensations experienced during inhalation without reducing the satisfying draw of the heated flavor inhaler, and have thus completed the present invention.

[0012] That is, a tobacco filler for use in a non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler comprises a tobacco material and an organic acid salt, wherein the organic acid salt is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, and a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, and the organic acid salt is contained in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the tobacco filler comprises a tobacco material-containing shaped body, and the tobacco material and the organic acid salt are contained in the tobacco material-containing shaped body. That is, according to a first embodiment, a tobacco filler for use in a non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler comprises a tobacco material-containing shaped body containing a tobacco material and an organic acid salt, wherein the organic acid salt is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, and a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, and the organic acid salt is contained in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material.

[0014] According to another embodiment, a tobacco filler comprises a tobacco material-containing shaped body and a cellulose shaped body, the tobacco material being contained in the tobacco material-containing shaped body, and the organic acid salt being contained in the cellulose shaped body together with a cellulose substrate. That is, according to a second embodiment, a tobacco filler for use in a non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler comprises a tobacco material-containing shaped body containing a tobacco material, and a cellulose shaped body containing a cellulose substrate and an organic acid salt, the organic acid salt being a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, and a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, and the organic acid salt is contained in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material.

[0015] The tobacco packing according to the first embodiment and the tobacco packing according to the second embodiment will be described below in order.

[0016] <1-1. First embodiment> A tobacco filler according to a first embodiment includes a tobacco material-containing molded article that contains a tobacco material and the organic acid salt described above.

[0017] (Tobacco material) The "tobacco material" contained in the tobacco material-containing molded product can be tobacco shreds that are ready to be blended into tobacco products such as combustion-type flavor inhalers and heating-type flavor inhalers. "Tobacco shreds ready to be blended into tobacco products" refers to tobacco shreds that have undergone various processing steps, such as a drying process on a farm, a long-term aging process of one to several years at a raw material factory, and subsequent blending and cutting at a manufacturing factory, and are ready to be blended into tobacco products.

[0018] Tobacco shreds are cut tobacco leaves. Tobacco shreds may be shredded leaves, shredded backbones, shredded reconstituted tobacco (i.e., tobacco material obtained by processing leaf waste, shredded waste, backbone waste, fine powder, etc. generated during factory operations into a reusable form), or a mixture thereof. Tobacco shreds may be crushed, and the resulting crushed material may be used as tobacco material.

[0019] The shredded tobacco may be of any variety, such as flue-cured, burley, oriental, etc. The shredded tobacco may be of a single variety or a mixture of different varieties.

[0020] (Organic Acid Salt) The "organic acid salt" contained in the tobacco material-containing molded product is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, and a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides. In other words, the "organic acid salt" contained in the tobacco material-containing molded product is a salt consisting of an ion of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, and a metal ion selected from the group consisting of alkali metal ions and alkaline earth metal ions.

[0021] As used herein, the term "acid dissociation exponent pKa" refers to the negative common logarithm of the acid dissociation constant Ka, -logKa. The acid dissociation exponent pKa is the acid dissociation exponent in water at 25°C, and in the case of multiple dissociation stages, it refers to the acid dissociation exponent of the first stage. For the acid dissociation exponent pKa, reference can be made to the values ​​described in "Chemical Handbook, Basic Edition" (Revised 5th Edition, edited by the Chemical Society of Japan, Maruzen Co., Ltd.). The acid dissociation exponent pKa of an organic acid not described in the literature can be determined using a commercially available pH meter (F-23, manufactured by Horiba Ltd., temperature: 25°C) by the method described in the literature "FR Hartley, C. Burgess, and RM Alcock, "Solution Equilibria", John Wiley (1980)". The larger the acid dissociation exponent pKa, the more difficult the acid is to dissociate in water.

[0022] The acid dissociation exponent pKa of the organic acid constituting the organic acid salt is in the range of 3.5 to 5.0, preferably in the range of 4.0 to 5.0, and more preferably in the range of 4.5 to 5.0. The boiling point of the organic acid constituting the organic acid salt is in the range of 100 to 220°C, preferably in the range of 110 to 220°C, and more preferably in the range of 110 to 200°C.

[0023] When the acid dissociation index pKa of the organic acid constituting the organic acid salt is less than 3.5, the organic acid salt is likely to become a free state (organic acid) and volatilize even under low-temperature conditions during storage. On the other hand, when the acid dissociation index pKa of the organic acid constituting the organic acid salt is greater than 5.0, the organic acid salt is unlikely to become a free state (organic acid) and volatilize even when heated in a heated flavor inhaler. Therefore, when the acid dissociation index pKa of the organic acid constituting the organic acid salt is within the range of 3.5 to 5.0, the organic acid salt is unlikely to volatilize and is stably maintained under low-temperature conditions during storage, and is likely to volatilize when heated in a heated flavor inhaler.

[0024] If the boiling point of the organic acid constituting the organic acid salt is lower than 100°C, the organic acid salt is likely to volatilize even under low-temperature conditions during storage. On the other hand, if the boiling point of the organic acid constituting the organic acid salt is higher than 220°C, the organic acid salt is unlikely to volatilize even when heated in a heated flavor inhaler. Therefore, if the boiling point of the organic acid constituting the organic acid salt is within the range of 100 to 220°C, the organic acid salt is unlikely to volatilize and is stably maintained under low-temperature conditions during storage, and is likely to volatilize when heated in a heated flavor inhaler.

[0025] The "organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C" is preferably a monovalent organic acid. The "organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C" is preferably an organic acid having a carboxyl group.

[0026] Examples of "organic acids having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C" include lactic acid, glycolic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, 2-methylpropionic acid, butanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, valeric acid, 2-methylvaleric acid, 3-methylvaleric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, 2,3-dimethylbutanoic acid, and 3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid.

[0027] The acid dissociation index (pKa) and boiling point of the above organic acids are listed below. Lactic acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 3.86, boiling point 216.6°C Glycolic acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 3.83, boiling point 100°C (decomposition) Acetic acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.76, boiling point 118°C Propionic acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.87, boiling point 141.1°C 2-methylpropionic acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.84, boiling point 154.4°C Butanoic acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.82, boiling point 163.7°C 2-methylbutanoic acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.97, boiling point 176°C 3-methylbutanoic acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.77, boiling point 176°C Valeric acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.84, boiling point 186.1°C 2-Methylvaleric acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.78, boiling point 195°C 3-Methylvaleric acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.77, Boiling point 196°C 4-Methylvaleric acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.84, Boiling point 199°C 2,3-dimethylbutanoic acid: Acid dissociation index pKa 4.81, boiling point 190°C 3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid: acid dissociation index pKa 4.81, boiling point 187°C

[0028] Examples of "organic acids having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 4.0 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 110 to 220°C" include acetic acid, propionic acid, 2-methylpropionic acid, butanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, valeric acid, 2-methylvaleric acid, 3-methylvaleric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, 2,3-dimethylbutanoic acid, and 3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid.

[0029] The "organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220° C." is preferably acetic acid.

[0030] The "base" constituting the organic acid salt is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides. Examples of the base include potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide.

[0031] Examples of organic acid salts include potassium salts, sodium salts, and calcium salts of the organic acids exemplified above. The organic acid salt is preferably potassium acetate, sodium acetate, or calcium acetate, more preferably potassium acetate. One type of organic acid salt may be used, or multiple types may be used in combination.

[0032] The organic acid salt is contained in the tobacco material-containing molded product in an amount within the range of 0.5 to 15 parts by mass, preferably 1 to 15 parts by mass, more preferably 3 to 15 parts by mass, even more preferably 4 to 15 parts by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 15 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material. When the organic acid salt is contained in the tobacco material-containing molded product in an amount within the above range relative to the tobacco material, it can have a positive effect on the tobacco flavor experienced by a user when inhaling from a heated flavor inhaler. Specifically, when the organic acid salt is contained in the tobacco material-containing molded product in an amount within the above range relative to the tobacco material, it can reduce negative sensations during inhalation (i.e., irritation, and a tingling and itchy sensation in the mouth) without reducing the satisfying draw of the heated flavor inhaler.

[0033] In this specification, the organic acid salt is described as a constituent element parallel to the tobacco material. Therefore, the "amount of organic acid salt" described in this specification does not include the amount of organic acid salt contained in the tobacco material, even if the tobacco material contains an organic acid salt. In other words, the "amount of organic acid salt" described in this specification refers to the amount of organic acid salt added to the tobacco material when preparing the tobacco material-containing molded product. The tobacco material does not contain the specific organic acid salt used in the present invention (i.e., a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C with a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides), or if it does contain such a salt, the amount is small.

[0034] It can be said that the above amount of the organic acid salt is much smaller than the amount of the organic acid salt added when the organic acid salt is used as a taste substance. That is, in this embodiment, when preparing a tobacco material-containing molded product, the organic acid salt can be added in such a small amount that the user does not notice any taste.

[0035] (Optional Components) The tobacco material-containing molded product may further contain an aerosol source in addition to the tobacco material and the organic acid salt. The aerosol source refers to a liquid that is heated in a heated flavor inhaler to become vapor (gas). The aerosol source refers to a source (liquid) for generating a dispersion medium (gas) of the aerosol (tobacco vapor), and does not include fine particles (flavor components, etc.) in the aerosol. The aerosol source can be an aerosol source used in conventional heated flavor inhalers. Examples of the aerosol source include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The aerosol source is preferably glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerin.

[0036] In addition, when the tobacco material-containing molded article does not include an aerosol source, the aerosol source can be incorporated into the heated flavor inhaler separately from the tobacco material-containing molded article.

[0037] The tobacco material-containing molded product may further contain a binder, if necessary, in addition to the tobacco material and the organic acid salt. The binder may be a binder used when molding tobacco sheets or tobacco granules, such as guar gum. The tobacco material-containing molded product may further contain additives, such as a pH adjuster, a preservative, and an antioxidant, if necessary.

[0038] (Tobacco material-containing molded body) A "tobacco material-containing molded body" is a molded body obtained by molding a raw material containing a tobacco material and the organic acid salt described above into a specific shape. As described above, the raw material may further contain an aerosol source, a binder, or an additive. The shape of the tobacco material-containing molded body is not particularly limited. The tobacco material-containing molded body is, for example, a tobacco sheet or tobacco granules.

[0039] "Sheet tobacco" refers to a molded product obtained by molding a raw material containing a tobacco material and an organic acid salt into a sheet shape. Sheet tobacco can have a thickness of, for example, 0.05 to 0.30 mm. After molding, the sheet tobacco may be cut into a size suitable for a tobacco filler (for example, a size equivalent to that of regular shredded tobacco), and the resulting cut product is also included in the category of sheet tobacco. In this case, the sheet tobacco can be cut into a size of, for example, 1 mm x 10 mm.

[0040] Sheet tobacco can be formed by known methods such as paper-making, casting, rolling, etc. When formed by the paper-making method, the sheet tobacco is called "paper-made sheet tobacco," when formed by the cast method, the sheet tobacco is called "slurry sheet tobacco," and when formed by the rolling method, the sheet tobacco is called "rolled sheet tobacco."

[0041] "Tobacco granules" refer to a molded product obtained by molding a raw material containing tobacco material and an organic acid salt into a granular shape. The tobacco granules can have any shape, such as a spherical or short cylinder shape. If the tobacco granules are spherical, they can have an average particle size (D50) of, for example, 0.2 to 1.0 mm, and if they are short cylinder shape, they can have an equivalent sphere diameter of, for example, 0.2 to 2.0 mm. The tobacco granules can be molded by known methods, such as extrusion granulation, fluidized bed granulation, or spray drying.

[0042] The tobacco material-containing molded product may be used as a tobacco filler as is after molding, or may be molded into a tobacco material-containing molded product, to which flavorings and necessary additives are added, and the resulting product may be used as a tobacco filler.

[0043] For example, sheet tobacco may be used as a tobacco filler in a state where multiple sheets of sheet tobacco are stacked, or in a state where a single sheet tobacco is rolled up in a spiral, or in a state where a single sheet tobacco is folded in an accordion-like shape. Alternatively, sheet tobacco may be cut into fibers to obtain fibrous cut products, or may be cut into rectangles to obtain rectangular cut products to be used as a tobacco filler.

[0044] The pH of the tobacco filler is, for example, in the range of 5.0 to 8.0. If the pH of the tobacco filler is too low, the organic acid salts contained in the tobacco filler are likely to become free (organic acids) and volatilize even under low-temperature conditions during storage. On the other hand, if the pH of the tobacco filler is too high, the organic acid salts contained in the tobacco filler are unlikely to become free (organic acids) and volatilize even when heated in a heated flavor inhaler. Therefore, if the pH of the tobacco filler is in the range of 5.0 to 8.0, the organic acid salts contained in the tobacco filler are unlikely to volatilize and are stably maintained under low-temperature conditions during storage, and are likely to volatilize when heated in a heated flavor inhaler. Furthermore, if the pH of the tobacco filler is within this pH range, it is unlikely to produce the unpleasant odors that tobacco fillers with basic pHs tend to produce.

[0045] In this specification, the pH of a tobacco filler refers to a value measured by the following measurement method. 2.0 g of tobacco filler is weighed into a vial, 20 mL of distilled water is added, and the mixture is shaken at 200 rpm for 10 minutes for extraction treatment. The obtained extract is allowed to stand for 5 minutes, and then the pH of the extract is measured using a pH meter (LAQUA F-72, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.). The measured pH is taken as the pH of the tobacco filler.

[0046] 1-2. Second embodiment A tobacco filler according to a second embodiment comprises a tobacco material-containing molded product, and a cellulose molded product containing a cellulose base material and the organic acid salt described above.

[0047] The tobacco filler according to the second embodiment is a mixture of a tobacco material-containing molded body and a cellulose molded body. In the tobacco filler according to the first embodiment, the organic acid salt is contained in the tobacco material-containing molded body, but in the tobacco filler according to the second embodiment, the organic acid salt is contained in the cellulose molded body. The tobacco filler according to the second embodiment will be described below, but the following description will focus on the differences from the tobacco filler according to the first embodiment and omit a description of overlapping points.

[0048] (Tobacco material-containing molded body) In the second embodiment, the "tobacco material-containing molded body" is the same as the "tobacco material-containing molded body" described in the first embodiment, except that it does not contain the above-mentioned organic acid salt. That is, in the second embodiment, the "tobacco material-containing molded body" is a molded body obtained by molding a raw material containing tobacco material into a specific shape. The raw material does not contain the above-mentioned organic acid salt in addition to the tobacco material. As described above, the raw material may further contain an aerosol source, a binder, or an additive. The tobacco material-containing molded body is, for example, a tobacco sheet or tobacco granules.

[0049] In the second embodiment, the "tobacco material-containing molded article" can be prepared by molding a raw material containing a tobacco material without adding the organic acid salt.

[0050] (Cellulose Molded Body) The cellulose molded body is a molded body obtained by molding a raw material containing a cellulose base material and the above-mentioned organic acid salt into a specific shape. The raw material does not contain tobacco material. The raw material may further contain an aerosol source, a binder, or an additive. The shape of the cellulose molded body is not particularly limited. The cellulose molded body has, for example, a sheet shape or a granular shape.

[0051] The "cellulose substrate" contained in the cellulose molded body can be, for example, a commercially available cellulose powder. The cellulose powder has an average particle size (D50) of, for example, 30 to 100 μm. Examples of cellulose powder that can be used include cellulose powder (passing 38 μm (400 mesh)) (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., product code: 036-22225) and KC Flock W-100GK (average particle size 37 μm) (Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.).

[0052] The "organic acid salt" contained in the cellulose shaped body is the same as the organic acid salt described in the first embodiment. That is, the "organic acid salt" contained in the cellulose shaped body is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, and a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides.

[0053] The organic acid salt is contained in the cellulose molded body in an amount within the range of 0.5 to 15 parts by mass, preferably 1 to 15 parts by mass, more preferably 3 to 15 parts by mass, even more preferably 4 to 15 parts by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 15 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material contained in the tobacco material-containing molded body. When the organic acid salt is contained in the cellulose molded body in an amount within the above range relative to the tobacco material, it can have a positive effect on the tobacco flavor experienced by a user when inhaling from a heated flavor inhaler. Specifically, when the organic acid salt is contained in the cellulose molded body in an amount within the above range relative to the tobacco material, it can reduce negative sensations (i.e., irritation, and a tingling and itchy sensation in the mouth) without reducing the draw quality of the heated flavor inhaler.

[0054] As described in the first embodiment, the amount of organic acid salt refers to the amount excluding the amount of organic acid salt contained in the tobacco material, even if the tobacco material contains an organic acid salt. In other words, the amount of organic acid salt refers to the amount of organic acid salt added to the cellulose substrate when preparing the cellulose shaped body. The tobacco material does not contain any organic acid salt, or even if it does, the amount is very small.

[0055] It can be said that the amount of the organic acid salt is much less than the amount of the organic acid salt added when the organic acid salt is used as a taste substance. That is, in this embodiment, the organic acid salt can be added in such a small amount that the user does not notice the taste when preparing the cellulose molded body.

[0056] As described above, the cellulose shaped body may further contain an aerosol source, a binder, or an additive. These optional components are the same as the optional components contained in the "tobacco material-containing shaped body."

[0057] In the second embodiment, the "cellulose shaped body" can be prepared by molding a raw material containing a cellulose base material and the organic acid salt. The "cellulose shaped body" can be molded in the same manner as the molding of the "tobacco material-containing molded body."

[0058] The cellulose shaped body preferably has the same shape as the tobacco material-containing shaped body. For example, when the tobacco material-containing shaped body is a tobacco sheet, the cellulose shaped body preferably has a sheet shape. Furthermore, when the cellulose shaped body has the same shape as the tobacco material-containing shaped body, it preferably has the same size as the tobacco material-containing shaped body. This allows the tobacco filler to be composed of shaped bodies of uniform size overall.

[0059] When the cellulose shaped body is in a sheet form, it can have a thickness of, for example, 0.05 to 0.30 mm. After molding, the sheet-shaped cellulose shaped body may be cut into a size suitable for a tobacco filler (for example, a size equivalent to that of regular tobacco shreds). In this case, the sheet-shaped cellulose shaped body can be cut into a size of, for example, 1 mm x 10 mm. When the cellulose shaped body is in a spherical granular form, it can have an average particle size (D50) of, for example, 0.2 to 1.0 mm, and when it is in a short columnar granular form, it can have an equivalent sphere diameter of, for example, 0.2 to 2.0 mm.

[0060] The tobacco filler according to the second embodiment is a mixture of a tobacco material-containing shaped product and a cellulose shaped product. The mixing ratio (mass ratio) of the tobacco material-containing shaped product to the cellulose shaped product is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 9.5:0.5 to 0.5:9.5, and preferably 9:1 to 7:3.

[0061] The pH of the tobacco filler according to the second embodiment is, for example, in the range of 5.0 to 8.0, similar to that of the tobacco filler according to the first embodiment. When the pH of the tobacco filler is in the range of 5.0 to 8.0, the organic acid salts contained in the tobacco filler are resistant to volatilization and are stably maintained under low-temperature conditions during storage, and are easily volatilized when heated in a heated flavor inhaler. Furthermore, when the pH of the tobacco filler is within this pH range, it is less likely to produce the unpleasant odors that tobacco fillers with basic pHs tend to produce.

[0062] Furthermore, in the tobacco filler according to the second embodiment, the organic acid salt is contained in the "cellulose shaped body" but not in the "tobacco material-containing shaped body." In contrast, in the tobacco filler according to the first embodiment, the organic acid salt is contained in the "tobacco material-containing shaped body." Therefore, in the first embodiment, the pH of the "tobacco material-containing shaped body" increases (see FIG. 4 ). However, in the second embodiment, the organic acid salt is not contained in the "tobacco material-containing shaped body," so the pH of the "tobacco material-containing shaped body" does not increase. It is known that nicotine tends to exist in an ionized state under acidic conditions and tends to exist in a free state (non-ionized state) under alkaline conditions. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the nicotine contained in the "tobacco material-containing shaped body" tends to exist in an ionized state, and volatilization is suppressed during storage, resulting in stable retention. As a result, compared to the tobacco filler according to the first embodiment, the tobacco filler according to the second embodiment stably retains nicotine during storage, and can volatilize a greater amount of nicotine when heated in a heated flavor inhaler.

[0063] <1-3. Effects> The tobacco filler of the present invention contains a predetermined amount of a specific organic acid salt. When such a tobacco filler is used in a heated flavor inhaler, it is possible to reduce negative sensations during inhalation (i.e., irritation, and a burning or itchy feeling in the oral cavity) without reducing the draw quality. This is thought to be because, when the tobacco filler of the present invention is used in a heated flavor inhaler, the organic acid salt is stably maintained without volatilizing during storage, and the organic acid salt is dissociated upon heating, releasing the organic acid.

[0064] The tobacco filler of the present invention contains a specific organic acid salt in a predetermined amount, and also has the following characteristics.

[0065] The tobacco filler of the present invention can contain approximately the same amount of hemicellulose as the "amount of hemicellulose contained in the tobacco material used to prepare the tobacco material-containing molded product." Hemicellulose is a polysaccharide contained in the cell walls of plant cells, and is therefore also contained in the tobacco material. The "amount of hemicellulose contained in the tobacco material used to prepare the tobacco material-containing molded product" is typically about 5% by mass, regardless of the variety of tobacco material. Therefore, the hemicellulose content in the tobacco filler of the present invention is about 5% by mass based on the tobacco material. In other words, the hemicellulose content in the tobacco filler of the present invention is about 5% by mass, when the mass of the tobacco material is 100% by mass.

[0066] It has been reported in WO 2019 / 049207 that hemicellulose contained in tobacco material is decomposed by high-temperature heat treatment at temperatures of 160°C or higher. In contrast, as described above, tobacco material-containing molded products are obtained by molding a raw material containing tobacco material and a specific organic acid salt into a specific shape, and can be prepared without being subjected to a heat treatment process. For this reason, it is believed that in the tobacco filler of the present invention, the hemicellulose contained in the tobacco material as the raw material remains intact without being decomposed.

[0067] Furthermore, the tobacco filler of the present invention can contain approximately the same amount of pectin as the "amount of pectin contained in the tobacco material used to prepare the tobacco material-containing shaped product." Pectin is a polysaccharide contained in the cell walls of plant cells, and is therefore also contained in the tobacco material. It is known that pectin contained in tobacco material is more easily decomposed than hemicellulose and is decomposed by heat treatment at a heating temperature of about 80°C. In contrast, as described above, tobacco material-containing shaped products are obtained by molding a raw material containing tobacco material and a specific organic acid salt into a specific shape, and can be prepared without being subjected to a heat treatment process. For this reason, it is believed that in the tobacco filler of the present invention, the pectin contained in the tobacco material, which is the raw material, remains intact without being decomposed.

[0068] 2. Non-Combustion Heating Type Flavor Inhaler According to another aspect, there is provided a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler including the tobacco filler described above and a heater that heats the tobacco filler.

[0069] A non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler will be described below. A non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler is a flavor inhaler that provides a tobacco flavor to a user by heating a tobacco flavor source without burning it. Hereinafter, it will also be referred to simply as a "heating type flavor inhaler." The heating type flavor inhaler of the present invention has the same configuration as a normal heating type flavor inhaler, except that the tobacco flavor source is replaced with the tobacco filler described above.

[0070] An example of a heated flavor inhaler will be described below with reference to Figures 1A, 1B, 1C, 2 and 3. In this example, the heated flavor inhaler is composed of an aerosol generating device 100 and a tobacco stick 200. Figure 1A is a schematic front view of an example of the aerosol generating device. Figure 1B is a schematic top view of the aerosol generating device shown in Figure 1A. Figure 1C is a schematic bottom view of the aerosol generating device shown in Figure 1A. Figure 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an example of a tobacco stick. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device shown in Figure 1B taken along line III-III.

[0071] For ease of explanation, the drawings may include an X-Y-Z Cartesian coordinate system. In this coordinate system, the Z axis faces vertically upward, the X-Y plane is positioned so as to cut the aerosol generation device 100 horizontally, and the Y axis is positioned so as to extend from the front to the back of the aerosol generation device 100. The Z axis can also be referred to as the insertion direction of the tobacco stick contained in the chamber 150 of the atomization unit 130 described below, or the axial direction of the chamber 150. The X axis is a direction perpendicular to the Y axis and the Z axis, and the X axis and the Y axis can also be referred to as the radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the chamber 150, or the radial direction of the chamber 150.

[0072] The aerosol generating device 100 is configured to generate an aerosol containing tobacco flavor components by heating the tobacco stick 200 containing the tobacco filler described above.

[0073] As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C , the aerosol generating device 100 includes an outer housing 101 (corresponding to an example of a housing), a slide cover 102, and a switch unit 103. The outer housing 101 constitutes the outermost housing of the aerosol generating device 100 and is sized to fit in a user's hand. When using the flavor inhaler, a user can hold the aerosol generating device 100 in their hand and inhale the aerosol. The outer housing 101 may be formed by assembling multiple components. The outer housing 101 may be made of resin, for example, and in particular, may be formed of polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or a metal such as aluminum.

[0074] The outer housing 101 has an opening (not shown) for receiving a tobacco stick, and the sliding cover 102 is slidably attached to the outer housing 101 to close this opening. Specifically, the sliding cover 102 is configured to be movable along the outer surface of the outer housing 101 between a closed position (position shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B ) in which the opening of the outer housing 101 is closed, and an open position (position shown in FIG. 3 ) in which the opening is open. For example, a user can manually operate the sliding cover 102 to move the sliding cover 102 between the closed position and the open position. This allows or restricts access of tobacco sticks to the inside of the aerosol generation device 100.

[0075] The switch unit 103 is used to switch the operation of the aerosol generation device 100 on and off. For example, a user can insert a tobacco stick into the aerosol generation device 100 and operate the switch unit 103 to supply power from a power source (see reference numeral 121 in FIG. 3 ) to a heater (see reference numeral 140 in FIG. 3 ), thereby heating the tobacco stick without burning it. The switch unit 103 may be a switch provided outside the outer housing 101, or may be a switch located inside the outer housing 101. When the switch is located inside the outer housing 101, the switch is indirectly pressed by pressing the switch unit 103 on the surface of the outer housing 101. In this example, an example in which the switch of the switch unit 103 is located inside the outer housing 101 will be described.

[0076] The aerosol generating device 100 may further include a terminal (not shown). The terminal may be an interface for connecting the aerosol generating device 100 to, for example, an external power source. If the power source of the aerosol generating device 100 is a rechargeable battery, connecting the external power source to the terminal allows the external power source to pass current through the power source and charge the power source. In addition, connecting a data transmission cable to the terminal may allow data related to the operation of the aerosol generating device 100 to be transmitted to an external device.

[0077] Next, the tobacco stick used in the aerosol generating device 100 will be described. Fig. 2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an example of a tobacco stick 200. In this example, a flavor inhaler is configured by the aerosol generating device 100 and the tobacco stick 200. As shown in Fig. 2, the tobacco stick 200 has a smokable article 201, a tubular member 204, a hollow filter portion 206, and a filter portion 205.

[0078] The smokable article 201 is wrapped in a first cigarette paper 202. The tubular member 204, hollow filter portion 206, and filter portion 205 are wrapped in a second cigarette paper 203 that is different from the first cigarette paper 202. The second cigarette paper 203 also wraps a portion of the first cigarette paper 202 that wraps the smokable article 201. This connects the tubular member 204, hollow filter portion 206, and filter portion 205 to the smokable article 201. However, the second cigarette paper 203 may be omitted, and the tubular member 204, hollow filter portion 206, and filter portion 205 may be connected to the smokable article 201 using the first cigarette paper 202. A lip release agent 207 is applied to the outer surface of the second cigarette paper 203 near the end on the filter portion 205 side, to make it easier for the user to release their lips from the second cigarette paper 203. The portion of the tobacco stick 200 to which the lip release agent 207 is applied functions as the mouthpiece of the tobacco stick 200 .

[0079] The smokable article 201 includes the above-described tobacco filler as a tobacco flavor source. As described above, when used in a heated flavor inhaler, the above-described tobacco filler can reduce negative sensations during inhalation (i.e., irritation, and tingling and itching in the mouth) without reducing the satisfying draw.

[0080] The first cigarette paper 202 wrapping the smokable article 201 may be a breathable sheet member. The tubular member 204 may be a paper tube or a hollow filter. In this example, the tobacco stick 200 includes the smokable article 201, the tubular member 204, the hollow filter portion 206, and the filter portion 205, but the configuration of the tobacco stick 200 is not limited to this. For example, the hollow filter portion 206 may be omitted, and the tubular member 204 and the filter portion 205 may be disposed adjacent to each other.

[0081] Next, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 100 will be described. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device 100 taken along line III-III in FIG. 1B. As shown in FIG. 3, an inner housing 110 (corresponding to an example of a housing) is provided inside the outer housing 101 of the aerosol generating device 100. The inner housing 110 is made of, for example, a resin, particularly polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or a metal such as aluminum. From the viewpoints of heat resistance and strength, the inner housing 110 is preferably made of PEEK. A power supply unit 120 and an atomization unit 130 are provided in the internal space of the inner housing 110.

[0082] The power supply unit 120 has a power supply 121. The power supply 121 may be, for example, a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. The power supply 121 is electrically connected to the atomizing unit 130. This allows the power supply 121 to supply power to the atomizing unit 130 so as to appropriately heat the tobacco stick 200.

[0083] 3 , the atomization unit 130 has a metal chamber 150 (corresponding to an example of a cylindrical portion) extending in the insertion direction (Z-axis direction) of the tobacco stick 200, a heater 140 covering a part of the chamber 150, a heat insulating portion 132, and a substantially cylindrical insertion guide member 134 (corresponding to an example of a guide portion) that abuts against the opening of the chamber 150. The chamber 150 is configured to surround the periphery of the tobacco stick 200. The heater 140 is configured to include a heating portion that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the chamber 150 and heats the tobacco stick 200 inserted into the chamber 150.

[0084] 3, a bottom member 136 (corresponding to an example of an abutment portion) is provided at the bottom of the chamber 150. The bottom member 136 abuts against the tobacco stick 200 inserted into the chamber 150 in the insertion direction of the tobacco stick 200, and can function as a stopper that positions the tobacco stick 200. Here, the chamber 150 and the bottom member 136 form a storage portion that stores at least a portion of the tobacco stick 200. The bottom member 136 can be formed from, for example, a resin material. The bottom member 136 has an uneven surface that abuts against the tobacco stick 200, and can define a first air flow path that can supply air to the air intake port of the tobacco stick 200 (i.e., that communicates with the tobacco stick 200 stored in the storage portion). The bottom member 136 is made of, for example, resin, particularly polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers, or a metal such as aluminum. Note that the bottom member 136 is preferably made of a material with low thermal conductivity to prevent heat from being transferred to the heat insulating portion 132, etc.

[0085] The heat insulating section 132 is generally cylindrical overall and is disposed to cover the chamber 150. The heat insulating section 132 may include, for example, an aerogel sheet. The insertion guide member 134 is disposed between the sliding cover 102 in the closed position and the chamber 150. The insertion guide member 134 is made of, for example, resin, and in particular, may be formed from polycarbonate (PC), ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resin, PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), or a polymer alloy containing multiple types of polymers. The insertion guide member 134 may also be formed from metal, glass, ceramic, or the like. From the standpoint of heat resistance, the insertion guide member 134 is preferably made of PEEK. When the slide cover 102 is in the open position, the insertion guide member 134 communicates with the outside of the aerosol generating device 100, and guides the insertion of the tobacco stick 200 into the chamber 150 by inserting the tobacco stick 200 into the insertion guide member 134. By providing the insertion guide member 134, the tobacco stick 200 can be easily inserted into the chamber 150.

[0086] The aerosol generating device 100 further has a first holding part 137 and a second holding part 138 that hold both ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating part 132. The first holding part 137 is arranged to hold the ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating part 132 on the negative Z-axis side. The second holding part 138 is arranged to hold the ends of the chamber 150 and the heat insulating part 132 on the slide cover 102 side (positive Z-axis side).

[0087] 3. Preferred Embodiments Preferred embodiments are summarized below.

[0088] [A1] A tobacco filler for use in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler, comprising: a tobacco material; and an organic acid salt, wherein the organic acid salt is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, with a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, and the organic acid salt is contained in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material. [A2] The tobacco filler according to [A1], wherein the tobacco filler comprises a tobacco material-containing molded body, and the tobacco material and the organic acid salt are contained in the tobacco material-containing molded body.

[0089] [A3] A tobacco filler for use in a non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler, comprising a tobacco material-containing shaped body containing a tobacco material and an organic acid salt, wherein the organic acid salt is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, with a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, and the organic acid salt is contained in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material. [A4] The tobacco filler according to [A2] or [A3], wherein the tobacco material-containing shaped body is sheet tobacco or tobacco granules.

[0090] [A5] The tobacco filler according to [A1], comprising a tobacco material-containing shaped product and a cellulose shaped product, wherein the tobacco material is contained in the tobacco material-containing shaped product, and the organic acid salt is contained in the cellulose shaped product together with a cellulose substrate. [A6] A tobacco filler for use in a non-combustion heating-type flavor inhaler, comprising: a tobacco material-containing shaped product containing a tobacco material; and a cellulose shaped product containing a cellulose substrate and an organic acid salt, wherein the organic acid salt is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, and a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, and wherein the organic acid salt is contained in an amount in the range of 0.5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material.

[0091] [A7] The tobacco filler according to [A5] or [A6], wherein the tobacco material-containing shaped product does not contain the organic acid salt in addition to the tobacco material. [A8] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A5] to [A7], wherein the tobacco material-containing shaped product is a tobacco sheet or tobacco granules. [A9] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A5] to [A8], wherein the cellulose shaped product does not contain tobacco material.

[0092] [A10] The tobacco packing material according to any one of [A5] to [A9], wherein the cellulose shaped body has a sheet shape or a granular shape. [A11] The tobacco packing material according to any one of [A5] to [A10], wherein the cellulose base material is cellulose powder. [A12] The tobacco packing material according to any one of [A5] to [A11], wherein the mass ratio of the tobacco material-containing shaped body to the cellulose shaped body is 9.5:0.5 to 0.5:9.5, preferably 9:1 to 7:3.

[0093] [A13] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A12], wherein the tobacco filler further comprises an aerosol source. [A14] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A2] to [A13], wherein the tobacco material-containing molded product further comprises an aerosol source. [A15] The tobacco filler according to [A13] or [A14], wherein the aerosol source is glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, or a mixture thereof; preferably, glycerin, propylene glycol, or a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerin.

[0094] [A16] The tobacco filling material according to any one of [A1] to [A15], wherein the acid dissociation constant pKa of the organic acid is in the range of 4.0 to 5.0, preferably in the range of 4.5 to 5.0. [A17] The tobacco filling material according to any one of [A1] to [A16], wherein the boiling point of the organic acid is in the range of 110 to 220° C., preferably in the range of 110 to 200° C. [A18] The tobacco filling material according to any one of [A1] to [A17], wherein the organic acid is a monovalent organic acid.

[0095] [A19] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A18], wherein the organic acid is an organic acid having a carboxyl group. [A20] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A19], wherein the organic acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, glycolic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, 2-methylpropionic acid, butanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, valeric acid, 2-methylvaleric acid, 3-methylvaleric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, 2,3-dimethylbutanoic acid, and 3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid. [A21] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A20], wherein the organic acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, propionic acid, 2-methylpropionic acid, butanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, valeric acid, 2-methylvaleric acid, 3-methylvaleric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, 2,3-dimethylbutanoic acid, and 3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid.

[0096] [A22] The tobacco filling material according to any one of [A1] to [A21], wherein the organic acid is acetic acid. [A23] The tobacco filling material according to any one of [A1] to [A22], wherein the base is at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide. [A24] The tobacco filling material according to any one of [A1] to [A23], wherein the organic acid salt is a potassium salt, sodium salt, or calcium salt of an organic acid selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, glycolic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, 2-methylpropionic acid, butanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, valeric acid, 2-methylvaleric acid, 3-methylvaleric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, 2,3-dimethylbutanoic acid, and 3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid.

[0097] [A25] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A24], wherein the organic acid salt is a potassium salt, sodium salt, or calcium salt of an organic acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, propionic acid, 2-methylpropionic acid, butanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, valeric acid, 2-methylvaleric acid, 3-methylvaleric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, 2,3-dimethylbutanoic acid, and 3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid. [A26] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A25], wherein the organic acid salt is potassium acetate, sodium acetate, or calcium acetate. [A27] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A26], wherein the organic acid salt is potassium acetate.

[0098] [A28] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A27], wherein the organic acid salt is contained in an amount within the range of 1 to 15 parts by mass, preferably 3 to 15 parts by mass, more preferably 4 to 15 parts by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 15 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material. [A29] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A28], wherein the tobacco material is tobacco shreds. [A30] The tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A29], wherein the tobacco filler has a pH within the range of 5.0 to 8.0.

[0099] [B1] A non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler comprising: a tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A30]; and a heater that heats the tobacco filler. [B2] A tobacco stick comprising: a tobacco filler according to any one of [A1] to [A30]; and cigarette paper wrapped around the tobacco filler. [B3] A non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler comprising: the tobacco stick according to [B2]; and a heater that heats the tobacco filler contained in the tobacco stick.

[0100] [1] Tobacco filler according to the first embodiment A sheet tobacco containing potassium acetate was prepared as a tobacco filler. The pH of the sheet tobacco and the pH of the tobacco vapor were measured. In addition, the sheet tobacco was used as a tobacco filler in a heated flavor inhaler and subjected to a sensory evaluation.

[0101] [1-1] Preparation of Tobacco Filler Using shredded Burley tobacco as the tobacco material, sheet tobacco was prepared according to the composition shown in Table 1 below. Specifically, the components shown in Table 1 below were mixed, water was added, and the mixture was kneaded. The resulting kneaded mixture was then spread into a sheet (0.2 mm thick). The sheet was then cut into pieces measuring 1 mm x 10 mm. In this manner, the sheet tobaccos of Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1 to 4 were prepared.

[0102]

[0103] The numerical values ​​shown in Table 1 represent % by mass. When the amount of potassium acetate is expressed in parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of tobacco shreds, it is 1.9 parts by mass for the sheet tobacco of Example 1, 3.9 parts by mass for the sheet tobacco of Example 2, 8.1 parts by mass for the sheet tobacco of Example 3, and 12.5 parts by mass for the sheet tobacco of Example 4.

[0104] [1-2] Measurement and Evaluation Methods (Measurement of pH of Sheet Tobacco) The pH of the sheet tobacco of Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1 to 4 was measured. The pH of the sheet tobacco was measured according to the procedure described in the detailed description.

[0105] Specifically, 2.0 g of sheet tobacco was weighed into a vial, 20 mL of distilled water was added, and the mixture was subjected to extraction treatment by shaking at 200 rpm for 10 minutes. The obtained extract was allowed to stand for 5 minutes, and then the pH of the extract was measured using a pH meter (LAQUA F-72, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.). The measured pH was taken as the pH of the sheet tobacco.

[0106] (Measurement of pH of tobacco vapor) Each of the sheet tobaccos of Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1 to 4 was used as a tobacco filler to prepare the tobacco sticks shown in Figure 2. Each tobacco stick was smoked under the following smoking conditions using a smoking machine (LM1, manufactured by Kerber) to generate aerosol (tobacco vapor). Smoke volume: 55 mL / 2 seconds Smoke time: 2 seconds / puff Smoke frequency: 1 puff / 30 seconds Number of puffs: 10

[0107] Tobacco vapor was collected using an impinger filled with 10 mL of ultrapure water. The pH of the obtained tobacco vapor collection solution was measured using a pH meter (LAQUA F-72, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.). The measured pH was taken as the pH of the tobacco vapor.

[0108] (Sensory Evaluation) Each of the sheet tobaccos of Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1 to 4 was used as a tobacco filler to prepare tobacco sticks as shown in Fig. 2. Each tobacco stick was smoked by a panel of experts using the aerosol generating device (product name: Ploom X (Japan Tobacco Inc.)) shown in Figs. 1A to 1C and Fig. 3, and a sensory evaluation was conducted.

[0109] The sensory evaluation was performed by four expert panelists. Specifically, they evaluated three evaluation items: "overall irritation," "tingling and itching in the mouth," and "drawability." Each evaluation item was evaluated using a scale of 0 to 100. The expert panel assigned a high score if they felt the evaluation item was strong. The expert panel pre-set the evaluation criteria so that a commercially available tobacco stick (Mevius Rich for Ploom X, Japan Tobacco Inc.) would be rated on a scale of 50 points. The average of the four panelists' scores was used as the evaluation result.

[0110] [1-3] Results The measurement results of the pH of the sheet tobacco are shown in Figure 4. The measurement results of the pH of the tobacco vapor are shown in Figure 5. The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Figures 6 to 8. Figure 6 shows the evaluation results of overall irritation, Figure 7 shows the evaluation results of the tingling sensation and itching sensation in the oral cavity, and Figure 8 shows the evaluation results of the draw.

[0111] When potassium acetate was added to sheet tobacco, the pH of the sheet tobacco increased depending on the amount of potassium acetate (see Figure 4). When potassium acetate was added to sheet tobacco, the pH of the tobacco vapor decreased depending on the amount of potassium acetate (see Figure 5). When potassium acetate was added to sheet tobacco, the pH of the tobacco vapor decreased depending on the amount of potassium acetate (see Figure 5). When sheet tobacco containing potassium acetate was used as a tobacco filler in a heated flavor inhaler, negative sensations during inhalation (i.e., irritation, and a tingling and itchy sensation in the oral cavity) were reduced compared to sheet tobacco containing no potassium acetate (Comparative Example 1) (see Figures 6 and 7). Furthermore, when sheet tobacco containing potassium acetate was used as a tobacco filler in a heated flavor inhaler, the same level of smoking sensation (i.e., a sensation that leads to user satisfaction) as that of sheet tobacco containing no potassium acetate (Comparative Example 1) was obtained (see Figure 8).

[0112] These results suggest that when tobacco sheets containing potassium acetate are used as tobacco fillers in heated flavor inhalers, the potassium acetate remains stable during storage and dissociates upon heating, releasing acetic acid, thereby providing users with an excellent tobacco flavor.

[0113] [2] Tobacco filler according to the second embodiment A sheet-shaped cellulose molded product containing potassium acetate (hereinafter referred to as cellulose sheet) and a sheet tobacco containing no potassium acetate were prepared and mixed. The resulting mixture was used as a tobacco filler for a heated flavor inhaler, and a sensory evaluation was performed.

[0114] [2-1] Preparation of Tobacco Filler Cellulose sheets were prepared according to the compositions shown in Table 2 below. Specifically, the components shown in Table 2 below were mixed, water was added, and the mixture was kneaded. The resulting kneaded mixture was spread into a sheet (thickness: 0.15 mm) and then cut into pieces measuring 1 mm x 10 mm. In this way, the cellulose sheets of Examples 5 and 6 were prepared.

[0115]

[0116] The values ​​shown in Table 2 represent mass %.

[0117] On the other hand, the sheet tobacco of Comparative Example 1 (i.e., sheet tobacco not containing potassium acetate) was prepared.

[0118] The cellulose sheet of Example 5 and the sheet tobacco of Comparative Example 1 were mixed in a mass ratio of 1:9, and the resulting mixture was designated "tobacco filler of Example 5." Similarly, the cellulose sheet of Example 6 and the sheet tobacco of Comparative Example 1 were mixed in a mass ratio of 1:9, and the resulting mixture was designated "tobacco filler of Example 6."

[0119] The amount of potassium acetate, expressed in parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of tobacco shreds, was 8.5 parts by mass in the tobacco filler of Example 5 and 4.3 parts by mass in the tobacco filler of Example 6.

[0120] [2-2] Evaluation Method Tobacco sticks as shown in FIG. 2 were prepared using each of the tobacco fillers of Examples 5 and 6. As a control, tobacco sticks as shown in FIG. 2 were prepared using the sheet tobacco of Comparative Example 1 as the tobacco filler. Each tobacco stick was smoked by a specialist panel using the aerosol generator (product name: Ploom X (Japan Tobacco Inc.)) shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C and 3, and a sensory evaluation was performed. The sensory evaluation was performed according to the procedure described above, and three evaluation items were evaluated: "overall irritation," "tingling and itching sensation in the oral cavity," and "smoking sensation."

[0121] [2-3] Results The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Figure 9. When the cellulose sheet containing potassium acetate was combined with regular sheet tobacco and used as a tobacco filler in a heated flavor inhaler, it was possible to reduce the negative sensations experienced during inhalation (i.e., irritation, and the tingling and itchy sensation in the oral cavity) compared to regular sheet tobacco (Comparative Example 1). Furthermore, when the cellulose sheet containing potassium acetate was combined with regular sheet tobacco and used as a tobacco filler in a heated flavor inhaler, it was possible to obtain a smoking sensation (a sensation that leads to user satisfaction) equivalent to that of regular sheet tobacco (Comparative Example 1).

[0122] 100...aerosol generating device, 101...outer housing, 102...slide cover, 103...switch section, 110...inner housing, 120...power supply section, 121...power supply, 130...atomization section, 132...heat insulation section, 134...insertion guide member, 136...bottom member, 137...first holding section, 138...second holding section, 140...heater, 150...chamber, 200...tobacco stick, 201...smokable article, 202...first cigarette paper, 203...second cigarette paper, 204...cylindrical member, 205...filter section, 206...hollow filter section, 207...lip release agent.

Claims

1. A tobacco filler for use in a non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler, comprising: a tobacco material and an organic acid salt, the organic acid salt is a salt of an organic acid having an acid dissociation exponent pKa in the range of 3.5 to 5.0 and a boiling point in the range of 100 to 220°C, and a base selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal hydroxides; The tobacco filler contains the organic acid salt in an amount ranging from 0.5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material.

2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco filler comprises a tobacco material-containing molded body, and the tobacco material and the organic acid salt are contained in the tobacco material-containing molded body.

3. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, comprising a tobacco material-containing molded body and a cellulose molded body, wherein the tobacco material is contained in the tobacco material-containing molded body, and the organic acid salt is contained in the cellulose molded body together with a cellulose base material.

4. 10. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, further comprising an aerosol source.

5. 2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the acid dissociation constant pKa of the organic acid is in the range of 4.0 to 5.

0.

6. 2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the boiling point of the organic acid is in the range of 110 to 220°C.

7. 2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the organic acid is a monovalent organic acid.

8. 2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the organic acid is an organic acid having a carboxyl group.

9. 2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the organic acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, glycolic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, 2-methylpropionic acid, butanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, valeric acid, 2-methylvaleric acid, 3-methylvaleric acid, 4-methylvaleric acid, 2,3-dimethylbutanoic acid, and 3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid.

10. 2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the organic acid is acetic acid.

11. 2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the base is at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide.

12. 2. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the organic acid salt is contained in an amount within a range of 1 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the tobacco material.

13. The tobacco filler according to claim 1, wherein the tobacco filler has a pH in the range of 5.0 to 8.

0.

14. A tobacco filler according to any one of claims 1 to 13; a heater for heating the tobacco filler; A non-combustion heating type flavor inhaler including: