Aerosol generating article with cavity

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol- generating substrate having a base portion lying on a plane; and a top portion arranged at a distance from the plane; wherein an inner surface extends from the base portion to the top portion so as to form a cavity; and light entering the cavity through the plane or emitted from a light source arranged inside the cavity is received on the inner surface, and the present invention further relates to an aerosol-generating device adapted to the article, a system including the article and the device, a method of using the system and the manufacturing method of the article.

Description

[0001] AEROSOL GENERATING ARTICLE WITH CAVITY

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention relates to aerosol generating articles for aerosol generating devices, aerosol generating systems, and methods for manufacturing such aerosol generating articles. The articles may comprise tobacco or other suitable aerosol substrate materials to be heated, rather than burned, to generate an aerosol for inhalation.

[0004] TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

[0005] The popularity and use of reduced-risk or modified-risk devices (also known as vaporizers) has grown rapidly in the past few years as an aid to assist habitual smokers wishing to quit smoking traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, and rolling tobacco. Various devices and systems are available that heat or warm aerosolisable substances as opposed to burning tobacco in conventional tobacco products.

[0006] A commonly available reduced-risk or modified-risk device is the heated substrate aerosol generating device or heat-not-burn device. Devices of this type generate an aerosol or vapor by heating an aerosol substrate that typically comprises moist leaf tobacco or other suitable aerosolisable material. One technique for aerosol generation involves the use of light. The light heating, which is a non-contact heating method, heats an aerosol-generating substrate for producing aerosol. In this arrangement, a light source emits light which diverges from the light source and projects onto the aerosol generating substrate. US 2020 / 046023 Al relates to a method for providing an aerosolgenerating device for use with a shape-transformable aerosol-forming substrate and a flat aerosol-generating article for use in such a device; WO 2020 / 213137 Al relates to heat-not-burn tobacco; AU 2010338 615 Al relates to a heater for heating an aerosolforming substrate; KR 20210137833 A relates to aerosol-generating devices and aerosol-generating systems capable of heating an aerosol-generating article by focusing light on the aerosol-generating article.

[0007] One of the challenges of this type of aerosol generating device is to make the diverging light from the light source to heat the aerosol generating substrate efficiently. Hence, it is desirable to provide an aerosol generating system, including an aerosol generating device and an aerosol generating article, that is adapted to provide an efficient light heating to the aerosol-generating substrate of the aerosol generating article.

[0008] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to address and overcome the above issues and provide an aerosol generating system that can effectively heat the aerosol generating material.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Some, or all of the above objectives are achieved by the invention as defined by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined by the features of the dependent claims.

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosolgenerating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate having a base portion lying on a plane; and a top portion arranged at a distance from the plane; wherein an inner surface extends from the base portion to the top portion so as to form a cavity; and light entering the cavity through the plane or emitted from a light source arranged inside the cavity is received on the inner surface.

[0012] The aerosol-generating article, comprising the cavity according to the first aspect of the present invention, allows to receive light from a light source, such as non-coherent light sources, more efficiently compared with conventional aerosol generating article, for example in the form of a sheet, a disk or a plate. In particular, it may allow to that the light is received without losing a part of it. It saves energy as the device does not need to be equipped with heating elements that have a dense collimated beam or provide a high energy density. It also simplifies the configuration of the aerosol generating device, because it eliminates the need for extra heat or light dispersion units, such as optical lenses.

[0013] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, according to the first aspect, the base portion defines an opening to the cavity, and the opening is the only opening of the cavity. In a third aspect of the present disclosure, according to the first or second aspects, the base portion has a closed shape with straight and / or curved segments, or preferably an elliptic shape, most preferably a circular shape.

[0014] In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, according to any one of the above aspects, the substrate is circular symmetric relative to a central axis perpendicular to the plane.

[0015] In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, according to any one of the above aspects, the cavity is parabolic, or preferably spherical, in particular hemispherical.

[0016] The arrangements of the third to fifth aspects makes it easier to irradiate the inner surface of the cavity of the article with a single light source, such as an LED, in a controlled manner, as without external optical elements, the article in other forms such as a sheet, a disk or a plate may not be able to receive the light efficiently in some parts, such as the conners, in comparison to the central area thereof.

[0017] In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, according to any one of the preceding aspects, the aerosol-generating substrate has an outer surface opposite to the inner surface, the inner surface and the outer surface being arranged at a distance which varies by at most 50%, preferably at most 30%, more preferably at most 20%, even more preferably at most 10%, and most preferably the distance is substantially constant, such that the aerosol-generating substrate has a thickness with little variation, preferably a substantially a constant thickness.

[0018] This arrangement enables the article to achieve a good balance between containing more aerosol generating substrate and being able to generate aerosol efficiently.

[0019] In a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, according to any one of the above aspects, the top portion forms an apex, a straight or curved line, or a planar or curved surface.

[0020] In an eighth aspect of the present disclosure, according to the above aspects, the aerosol-generating article comprises a plant material and a binder.

[0021] In a nineth aspect of the present disclosure, according to the above aspects, the aerosolgenerating article comprises a reconstituted tobacco.

[0022] In a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, according to any one of the above aspects, the article has a translucent or transparent support portion arranged in the cavity at least partially supporting the substrate. The arrangement of the translucent or transparent portion ensures that the aerosol will not be generated from the cavity but mostly from the outer surface of the article. This is advantageous because releasing vapor from the inner surface of the article may result in contamination of the light source surface. Thus, the present arrangement prevents the light source from being contaminated by the aerosol generating substrate during the process of heating.

[0023] In an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, according to the preceding aspect, the support portion is impermeable to fluid.

[0024] In a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, according to the tenth and eleventh aspects, the support portion is a layer, and the thickness of the layer is preferably substantially uniform across the layer.

[0025] In a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, according to the tenth to the twelfth aspects, the support portion is a laminate.

[0026] According to a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosolgenerating device to be used with the aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding aspects, the device comprising a heating chamber for accommodating the aerosol-generating article; and at least one non-coherent light source arranged such that at least a portion of the light emitted from the light source is received on the inner surface of the aerosolgenerating article when the aerosol-generating article is accommodated in the heating chamber, wherein at least a part of the aerosol-generating article can be heated by light radiation received on the inner surface of the aerosol-generating article from the noncoherent light source to such a degree that an aerosol is formed.

[0027] The suggested device is compact and simple in configuration. In addition, using noncoherent light sources instead of conventional heating elements is beneficial because they are often cost-effective and safer when the user accidentally comes in contact with the light therefrom.

[0028] In a fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure, according to any one of the above aspects, the light source is arranged outside the cavity, preferably on the plane on which the base portion of the aerosol-generating article lies, or inside the cavity, when the aerosol-generating article is received in the heating chamber.

[0029] In a sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure, according to the thirteenth to fifteenth aspects, the average distance between at least a part of the outer surface of the light source and the inner surface of the aerosol-generating substrate is at most 3 cm, preferably at most 2 cm, more preferably at most 1 cm, and most preferably substantially o, when the aerosol-generating article is accommodated in the heating chamber.

[0030] In a seventeenth aspect of the present disclosure, according to the fourteenth to sixteenth aspects, the light source is one or more LEDs, in particular one or more LEDs emitting blue and / or green light, most preferably emitting blue light.

[0031] A benefit of using LEDs instead of other light sources, such as laser, is that they are usually cheaper to manufacture, smaller in size and safer to use.

[0032] According to an eighteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an aerosol-generating system comprising the aerosol-generating article of one of the first to thirteenth aspects accommodated in the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device of one of the fourteenth to seventeenth aspects.

[0033] According to a nineteenth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of generating aerosol from an aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device comprising the steps of: accommodating the aerosol-generating article according to any one of the first to the thirteenth aspects in the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device of any one of the fourteenth to seventeenth aspects; emitting light from the non-coherent light source of the aerosol-generating device; heating at least a part of the aerosol-generating article by light radiation received on the inner surface of the aerosol-generating article from the non-coherent light source to such a degree that an aerosol is formed.

[0034] According to a twentieth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing the aerosol-generating article of any one of the first to the thirteenth aspects, comprising the steps of: providing a paste comprising plant material, such as reconstituted tobacco, and a binder; optionally extruding the paste; drying the paste; and placing the dried paste on a support having protrusions and / or recesses so as to form the cavity of the article, preferably by passing the dried paste through a forming apparatus having a support.

[0035] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Fig. i shows a schematic illustration of an aerosol generating device with an aerosol generating article according to one of the embodiments of the invention;

[0037] Figs. 2A to 2F respectively show schematic illustrations of aerosol generating articles according to the embodiments of the invention;

[0038] Fig. 3 shows a cross sectional view of an aerosol generating article with a support portion according to one of the embodiments of the invention; and

[0039] Figs. 4A and 4B show a cross-sectional side view and a side view of an aerosol generating article and a cross-sectional side view of a part of a heating element of an aerosol generating device according to one of the embodiments of the invention.

[0040] DETALED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0042] As used herein, the term “aerosol generating device” “vaporizer system”, “inhaler” or “electronic cigarette” may include an electronic cigarette configured to deliver an aerosol to a user, including an aerosol for smoking. The illustrated embodiments of the aerosol generating system in this invention are schematic, and it is also possible to combine some of the parts into single units, such as aerosol inlet and outlet, operator or computer modules, which are apparent to a person skilled in the art. An aerosol for smoking may refer to an aerosol with particle sizes of 0.5 - 7 microns. The particle size maybe less than 10 or 7 microns. The electronic cigarette maybe portable and can be used in various orientations and positions by the user. In the context of this invention, all relative terms such as up, down, upper, lower, above, beneath, and the like are positions relative to a reference position of the device, which is the position in which the device is held upright by the user. The relative terms are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to any specific orientation or position of the device, but rather to describe the relative arrangement of the components and features of the device.

[0043] [AEROSOL GENERATING SYSTEM]

[0044] Referring to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the aerosol generating system i comprises an aerosol generating device 20 and an aerosol-generating article 10.

[0045] As seen in the figure, the aerosol generating device 20 is provided with an elongate main body 210 with a mouthpiece and a power supply portion. The replaceable aerosolgenerating article 10 can be positioned in a volume within the aerosol generating device 20, specifically, in a heating chamber 214 of the aerosol generating device 20.

[0046] The mouthpiece 213 is arranged next to it and is connected with the heating chamber 214. The mouthpiece 213 is provided at a longitudinal end of the elongated aerosol generating device 20. The mouthpiece 213 serves as an aerosol outlet. As mentioned above, the heating chamber 214 is configured to contain the aerosol generating article 10. In addition, the heating chamber 214 is configured to keep the heat within the heating chamber 214, so as to prevent the heat from escaping the chamber 214, to heat the aerosol generating article 10 more efficiently, and to form a part of the airflow of the aerosol. Specifically, the aerosol generating device 20 has an air channel extending between an air inlet 211, preferably located in a transverse side of the aerosol generating device 20, and the air outlet 212 of the mouthpiece 213. The heating chamber 214 is arranged between the air inlet 211 and the aerosol outlet 212. The heating chamber 214 may have an annular shape, formed below a central airflow bore 215 that extends from the heating chamber 214 to the mouthpiece 213.

[0047] The aerosol generating device 20 further comprises a heating element 217, an electronic control circuitry 218 configured to control an operation of the aerosol generating device 20 (e.g., the operation of the heating element 217), and a power source 216, preferably a lithium battery.

[0048] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating article 10 can be placed through the mouthpiece 213 of the aerosol generating device 20. In other embodiments, a drawer- like design may be arranged in the aerosol generating device io so that the aerosol generating article io can be placed inside the chamber 214 during replacement.

[0049] According to the preferred embodiments, the heating element 217 is a light source which is accommodated within the heating chamber 214.

[0050] Specifically, the light source 217 is a non-coherent light source. The non-coherent light sources 217 (also commonly known as lamps or incoherent light sources) according to the preferred embodiments include incandescent bulbs, filament light bulbs, fluorescent lamps and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The light emitted from the noncoherent light source 217 diffuses, unlike in the case of a laser. This results in a divergence of the emitted light from the light source 217. In the more preferred embodiments of this invention, the non-coherent light source 217 is a high-power LED light source. High power LEDs are known at near infra-red (850nm) and ultraviolet (4O5nm) spectra. In the more preferred embodiments of this invention, the LED light source emits green light (500 - 570 nm wavelength) and most preferably blue light (380 to 500 nm wavelength). High power LEDs can generate heat to a degree such that an aerosol can be formed from the aerosol generating article 10 after being radiated by the light. According to this embodiment, one LED is set as the non-coherent light source 217. In other preferred embodiments, multiple LEDs are set as the non-coherent light source 217, preferably together under a hemispherical optical element (such as the one shown in the figures).

[0051] In addition, the LEDs 217 of this invention may not require any further optical elements or may comprise only one transparent optical element, for example, a lens or cover made of an optically transparent material such as glass or molded epoxy, that forms a projected portion protecting the LED chip from the substrates, or the aerosols generated from the substrates of the aerosol generating article 10. The shape of the lens or cover of the light source 217 preferably is parabolic, or more preferably spherical, in particular hemispherical, and preferably corresponds to a shape of a cavity of the article 10 which is described below. The hemispherical shape has an axial direction which is coinciding with an axial direction of the aerosol generating article 10. In other words, the light source 217 form a complete sphere or hemisphere, which forms a projected portion within the heating chamber as shown in Fig. 4a. With this arrangement, the non-coherent light source 217 radiates in all directions towards the heating chamber 214 In other words, the non-coherent light source 217 radiates towards substantially the entire heating chamber 214. However, unlike lasers, the problem for a non-coherent light source is that the light therefrom diffuses and radiates in all directions. In order to focus and heat the conventional aerosol generating articles, LEDs typically require the addition of optical components for beam shaping to deal with their wide emission angles.

[0052] In order to solve this problem, this invention further purpose a new aerosol generating article configuration.

[0053] [AEROSOL GENERATING ARTICLE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF]

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the aerosol generating article io to be placed next to the non-coherent light source comprises a tobacco substrate, preferably reconstituted tobacco. The tobacco substrate is arranged to surround at least a part of, and preferably the entire projected portion of, the non-coherent light source when fully placed in the heating chamber 214. This arrangement allows it to receive enough radiation from the non-coherent light source, that is, to receive as much light as possible and to get the maximum possible exposure to the light source 217. As such, at least a part of the aerosol-generating article can be heated by the received light radiation from the non-coherent light source to a degree that aerosol can be formed.

[0055] The tobacco substrate may comprise tobacco strands or shreds or gathered tobacco sheets and binder. The substrate generally contains tobacco predominantly made up from tobacco leaf (or lamina) and / or stem and / or reconstituted tobacco. The substrate generally comprises an aerosol former. The aerosol former is generally of at least 5%, e.g. between 5 and 20% of the tobacco substrate. In order to make heat transfer more efficient, in addition to plant material and binder, thermal and / or light-conducting materials may be added into the substrate.

[0056] Figs. 2A to 2C illustrate a side cross-section view of the aerosol generating article 10, according to one of the embodiments of this invention.

[0057] The replaceable aerosol-generating article 10 comprises a top portion 12 and a base portion 11. The base portion 11 is configured such that at least a part of the base portion 11 lies on a plane A. The top portion 12 is arranged at a distance H from the plane A. The aerosol-generating article further comprises an inner surface 13 extending from the base portion 11 to the top portion 12 and a cavity 15 at least partially defined by the inner surface 13. The cavity 15 comprises an opening 14 defined by the base portion 11. IO

[0058] In one embodiment, the aerosol-generating article 10 is configured such that, in use, the light source is at least partially received inside the cavity 15.

[0059] Fig 2B shows one embodiment of the arrangement of the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention and the light source 217 of the aerosol-generating device 20. In this embodiment, the light source 217 is received in the cavity 15, and at least a part of the light emitted from the light source 217 diffuses in the cavity 15 (as shown in arrows L) and is received on the inner surface 13.

[0060] In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating article 10 is configured such that, in use, the light source is arranged outside of the cavity 15.

[0061] Fig 2C shows another embodiment of the arrangement of the aerosol-generating substrate of the present invention and the light source 217 of the aerosol-generating device 20. In this embodiment, the light source 217 is arranged outside of the cavity 15. In use, at least a part of the light emitted from the light source 217 enters through the plane A the inside of the cavity 15 (as shown in arrows L) and is received on the inner surface 13.

[0062] The base portion 11 is configured such that at least a part of the light emitted from the light source 217 enters through the plane A and is received by the inner surface 13 of the aerosol generating substrate 10 when the aerosol generating article 10 is used with the aerosol generating device 10. Preferably, the base portion 11 is configured to receive substantially the whole portion of the light emitted by the light source. As mentioned above, the base portion 11 lies on a plane. Although the figures show a flat base portion 11, the base portion 11 may also lie on any level surface or a curved plane.

[0063] The top portion 12 may be arranged at least 0.5 cm, more preferably 1 cm, even more preferably at least 1.5 cm, and most preferably at least 3 cm, away from the plane A of the base portion 11. The base portion 11 has an opening 14. The opening 14 is located at the center of the flat base portion 11. From the opening 14, an inner surface 13 extends from the base portion 12 to the top portion 12, which forms the cavity (i.e., a concave portion) 15. The opening 14 allows access to the cavity 15, which is formed by the inner surface 13. Preferably, the opening 14 is the only access of the cavity 15. Specifically, the base portion 11 has a closed shape with straight and / or curved segments, or preferably an elliptic shape, most preferably a circular shape. In other words, the inner surface 13 is preferably parallel to an outer surface of the top portion 12, and the outer surface of the substrate is opposite to the inner surface 13. The base portion 11, the top portion 12 and the cavity 15 are preferably aligned along the same axis such that the substrate is circular symmetric relative to a central axis perpendicular to the plane.

[0064] In preferred embodiments, the distance between the inner surface and the outer surface is subject to change, the variation pertains to the distance between two specific points across the inner surface and the outer surface or across the substrate. Specifically, the distance between the two specific points along the inner surface and the outer surface varies by at most 50%, preferably at most 30%, more preferably at most 20%, even more preferably at most 10% compared with the average distance across the substrate, and most preferably the distance is substantially constant, such that the aerosol-generating substrate has a thickness with little variation, preferably a substantially a constant thickness. Specifically, the average distance across the substrate or between the inner surface 13 and the outer surface is at least 0.01 cm, preferably at least 0.1 cm, more preferably at least 0.3 cm, and most preferably at least

[0065] 1 cm. According to possible embodiments, the average distance across the substrate or between the inner surface 13 and the outer surface is at most 2.5 cm, preferably at most

[0066] 2 cm, and most preferably at most 1.5 cm.

[0067] According to possible embodiments, the light source can be arranged so that the distance between the light source external surface and the substrate inner surface (and in particular the cavity inner surface) is comprised between 0 - 3 cm, preferably between 0 - 2 cm, more preferably between 0 - 1 cm. It has to be noted that the o cm arrangement is used herein to indicate that at least a portion of the light source is in contact with at least a portion of the inner surface of the substrate.

[0068] The cavity 15 has a shape that preferably corresponds to the shape of the light source 217 (or to the optical element of the light source 217). Accordingly, the cavity has a parabolic, or preferably spherical, in particular hemispherical shape. Preferably, the cavity 15 has a volume that is equal to or greater than half of the volume of a hemisphere having the same radius as the aerosol generating article 10. More preferably, the volume of the cavity is equal to or slightly greater than the projected portion of the light source. The inner surface 13 (and the cavity 15) is arranged in a way such that it can couple with the projected portion of the light source 217. The inner surface 13 can thus effectively seal the projected portion of the light source 217 within the cavity 15 when the article 10 is fully received within the device 20. In other words, the inner surface 13 can substantially receive all the light that is radiated from the light source 217. In some other embodiments as shown in Figs. 2D to 2F, the article 10 may have other shapes such as a cube, a half dome, a conical or a pyramid. As mentioned above, the cavity may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the article io. In some of the more preferred embodiments, the cavity may have an irregular shape with undulating outer and inner surfaces 12 and 13. The multiple crests and troughs of the outer surface 12 provide more surface area for generating aerosol, and they also improve the general mechanical stability of the aerosol generating article 10.

[0069] The outer surface of the top portion 12 is preferably parallel to, namely has the same shape as, the cavity 15. In other embodiments of this invention, the replaceable aerosolgenerating article 10 may be shaped as a cylinder, a cube, a disk etc. Accordingly, the cavity, namely the inner surface 13 may have at least one plain surface with a shape of, for example, a cylinder, a cube, a disk etc. In other embodiments, the cavity 15 may have at least a straight or curved line, or a planar or curved surface.

[0070] From a different perspective, according to the present preferred embodiment, the replaceable aerosol-generating article 10 has a substrate body, and the cavity 15. The substrate body is preferably formed as a unitary component. The cavity 15 has a point as an apex. The apex is preferably located at a center of the substrate body, namely a point on a central axis of the substrate body.

[0071] In some preferred embodiments, as shown in Fig. 3, which illustrates a cross sectional view of the aerosol-generating article 10, a translucent or transparent support portion 16 (in dots shadow), which has a least a surface that is engaged with, in particular attached to, the inner surface 13. The support portion 16 may be impermeable to fluid and is a laminate. The support portion 16 is preferably a layer, and the thickness of the layer is preferably substantially uniform across the layer. More preferably, the support portion 16 maybe gastight and / or a laminate. The transparent support portion 16 protects the light source 217. The thin layer shields the light source 217 from damage as the aerosol will not be generated from the inner surface 13 or the cavity 15. The transparent support portion 16 also preserves the article 10 receiving the light from the light source 217. The application of the support portion 16 is a practical measure to extend the lifespan of the light source 217 and the device 20.

[0072] In order to manufacture such an aerosol-generating article 10, a plant material, such as tobacco strands or shreds, may be prepared with a binder so as to form a paste. Preferably, the paste is then extruded. In the next process step, the tobacco is refined and dried to form a reconstituted tobacco sheet. In order to have a shape as shown in Figs. 2A to 2F, the reconstituted tobacco sheet is placed on a support of a mold having protrusions and / or recesses so as to form the cavity of the article. In preferred embodiments, the dried paste passes through a forming apparatus having the support to form the shape. Once the shape is formed, the tobacco sheet is pruned and cut out as a single unit as shown in the figures.

[0073] [USE OF THE AEROSOL GENRATING SYSTEM]

[0074] The aerosol-generating article io is arranged to be replaceable within the aerosol generating device 20. In use, the user place the aerosol-generating article 10 within the heating chamber 214 in a way so that the aerosol-generating article 10 is placed close to or in contact with the non-coherent light source 217.

[0075] The user can then trigger the operation of the heating element 217, i.e., switch on the non-coherent light source, so as to heat the aerosol-generating article 10.

[0076] The light source 217 can be switched on and radiates in all directions towards the inner surface 13. The light maybe transmitted through the transparent optical element of the light source 217 and propagate towards (the inner surface 13) of the article 10. The article 10, specifically the inner surface 13, absorbs the light from the light source 217 and gets heated. The top portion 12 is also heated by heat transmitted from the inner surface 13. Aerosol is then generated due to the heat. Because of the parabolic shape of the inner surface 217 and the light source 217, the aerosol generating article 10 is efficiently heated.

[0077] As shown in Figs. 4A and 4B, when the aerosol-generating article 10 is contained in the aerosol generating device 20, fully received in the heating chamber 214 and covers the light source 217, at least a part of the base portion 11 leans against a bottom surface (not shown) of the chamber 214 that is adjacent to the light source 217. Due to the support of the base portion 11, the inner surface 13 is distanced from a top end or top surface of the non-coherent light source 217. Alternatively, the inner surface 13 is substantially in touch with the top end or top surface of the non-coherent light source 217, so that the substrate can receive the radiation from the non-coherent light source 217 more efficiently. Although it is shown in the Fig. 4A that the airflow is generally going through a space above the top portion 12 of the article 10, the airflow may also go through a gap between the inner surface 13 and the light source 217. In either case, the inner surface 13 can absorb radiation emitted by the non-coherent light source 217 so that the substrate of the aerosol-generating article is heated. Regarding the airflow channel of the generated aerosol, the part of the chamber 214 that is close to the airflow bore 215 is preferably located in the proximity of and is distanced from the top portion 12 of the aerosol-generating article 10 so that the substrate body of the aerosol-generating article 10 and the central airflow bore 215 of the aerosol generating device 20 are fluidically interconnected, allowing for the generated aerosol to flow from the heated substrate to the mouthpiece 213.

[0078] As best seen in Fig. 4A, the main airflow channel between the substrate and the aerosol generating device 20 extends at least from the top portion 12 of the aerosol generating article 10 to the chamber 214, the central airflow bore 215 and the mouthpiece 213, in this order. The air inlet introduces the external air into the heating chamber 214 so that the air flow can go through the entire top portion 12 of the aerosol-generating article 10. As shown in the figure, the aerosol-generating article 10 preferably shares a central axis with the central airflow bore 215.

[0079] It has to be also noted that, according to an embodiment, at least a part of the air entering the heating chamber firstly flow over the back surface of the light source. By doing so, the light source is cooled down by the air and at the same time heat is transferred to the air. Therefore air is heated up and subsequently flows over the aerosol-generating substrate and it is delivered to the user that experiences a more pleasant inhalation due to the warm or heated aerosol.

[0080] Accordingly, the generated aerosol is carried in the airflow in the space above the article 10 and out of the heating chamber 214 and towards the mouthpiece 213 so that it can be inhaled by the user.

[0081] REFERENCES

[0082] I aerosol generating system

[0083] 10 aerosol-generating article

[0084] II base portion (of the aerosol-generating article)

[0085] 12 top portion (of the aerosol-generating article)

[0086] 13 inner surface (of the aerosol-generating article) 14 opening (of the aerosol-generating article)

[0087] 15 cavity (of the aerosol-generating article)

[0088] 16 support portion (of the aerosol-generating article)

[0089] 20 aerosol generating device 21 main body (of the aerosol generating device)

[0090] 211 air inlet (of the aerosol generating device)

[0091] 212 air outlet (of the aerosol generating device)

[0092] 213 mouthpiece (of the aerosol generating device)

[0093] 214 chamber (of the aerosol generating device) 215 central airflow bore (of the aerosol generating device)

[0094] 216 power source (of the aerosol generating device)

[0095] 217 heating element / non-coherent light source (of the aerosol generating device)

[0096] 218 electronic control circuitry (of the aerosol generating device)

Claims

Claims1. An aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-generating substrate having a base portion lying on a plane; and a top portion arranged at a distance from the plane; wherein an inner surface extends from the base portion to the top portion so as to form a cavity; and light entering the cavity through the plane or emitted from a light source arranged inside the cavity is received on the inner surface, and wherein the substrate is circular symmetric relative to a central axis perpendicular to the plane, and / or the cavity is parabolic.

2. The aerosol-generating article according to the preceding claim, wherein the base portion defines an opening to the cavity, and the opening is the only opening of the cavity.

3. The aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base portion has a closed shape with straight and / or curved segments, or preferably an elliptic shape, most preferably a circular shape.

4. The aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein spherical, preferably hemispherical.

5. The aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol-generating substrate has an outer surface opposite to the inner surface, the inner surface and the outer surface being arranged at a distance which varies by at most 50%, preferably at most 30%, more preferably at most 20%, even more preferably at most 10%, and most preferably the distance is substantially constant, such that the aerosol-generating substrate has a thickness with little variation, preferably a substantially a constant thickness.

6. The aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the top portion forms an apex, a straight or curved line, or a planar or curved surface.

7. The aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol-generating article comprises a plant material and a binder; preferably the aerosol-generating article comprises a reconstituted tobacco.

8. The aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, having a translucent or transparent support portion arranged in the cavity at least partially supporting the substrate; preferably, the support portion is impermeable to fluid, the support portion is a layer, the thickness of the layer is substantially uniform across the layer, and / or the support portion is a laminate.

9. An aerosol-generating device to be used with the aerosol-generating article according to any one of the preceding claims, the device comprising a heating chamber for accommodating the aerosol-generating article; and at least one non-coherent light source arranged such that at least a portion of the light emitted from the light source is received on the inner surface of the aerosol-generating article and the light source is a sphere or hemisphere arranged inside the cavity, when the aerosol-generating article is accommodated in the heating chamber, wherein at least a part of the aerosol-generating article can be heated by light radiation received on the inner surface of the aerosol-generating article from the non-coherent light source to such a degree that an aerosol is formed.

10. The aerosol-generating device of claims 9, wherein the average distance between at least a part of outer surface of the light source and the inner surface of the aerosol-generating substrate is at most 3cm, preferably at most 2cm, more preferably at most 1 cm, and most preferably substantially o, when the aerosol-generating article is accommodated in the heating chamber.

11. The aerosol-generating device of any one of claims 9 or 10 , wherein the light source is one or more LEDs, in particular one or more LEDs emitting blue and / or green light, most preferred emitting blue light.

12. An aerosol-generating system comprising the aerosol-generating article of one of claims 1 to 8 accommodated in the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device of one of claims 9 or n.13- A method of generating aerosol from an aerosol-generating article in an aerosol-generating device comprising the steps of: accommodating the aerosol-generating article according to any one of claims 1 to 8 in the heating chamber of the aerosol-generating device of any one of claims 9 or 11; emitting light from the non-coherent light source of the aerosol-generating device; heating at least a part of the aerosol-generating article by light radiation received on the inner surface of the aerosol-generating article from the non-coherent light source to such a degree that an aerosol is formed.

14. A method of manufacturing the aerosol-generating article of any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the steps of: providing a paste comprising plant material, such as reconstituted tobacco, and a binder; optionally extruding the paste; drying the paste; and placing the dried paste on a support having protrusions and / or recesses so as to form the cavity of the article, preferably by passing the dried paste through a forming apparatus having the support.

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