Flavor inhalation article

Abstract

This flavor inhalation article comprises: a base material part that generates an aerosol by heating; and an upstream part that is positioned on an upstream side of the base material part. The upstream part has a center part and a peripheral part that surrounds at least a part of the center part. The center part includes a material that contracts when heat is applied, and a gap is generated between the center part and the peripheral part when the center part is contracted.

Description

Flavor suction article

[0001] The present disclosure relates to flavor inhalation articles.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a heated aerosol-generating article comprising a rod of an aerosol-generating substrate and a wrapper at least partially surrounding the rod of the aerosol-generating substrate, the wrapper comprising a heating control element on at least one surface of the wrapper, the heating control element comprising one or more circumferential bands of heat-shrinkable material, and when the heat-shrinkable material is heated to a temperature higher than its shrinkage temperature, the inner diameter of each of the one or more circumferential bands of heat-shrinkable material is reduced by at least 20 percent compared to the inner diameter of each circumferential band before heating, thereby causing the portion of the aerosol-generating substrate below the heating control element to deform so as to reduce the resistance to draw (RTD) of the aerosol-generating article.

[0003] Special Table 2021-520791

[0004] In a peripheral heating flavor inhalation article in which the portion that generates aerosol is heated from the radially outer side, heat is conducted from the radially outer side to the radially inner side. Since aerosol is generated in accordance with the conduction of heat, aerosol is initially generated mainly from the radially outer side, and the temperature gradually rises in the center, causing aerosol to be generated mainly from the center. From the viewpoint of aerosol delivery efficiency, it is desirable for the main air flow path to change according to the amount of aerosol generated. An object of the present invention is to improve aerosol delivery efficiency compared to when the amount of air passing through the radially inner portion is constant.

[0005] To this end, the present disclosure provides a flavor inhalation article comprising a substrate portion that generates an aerosol when heated and an upstream portion located upstream of the substrate portion, the upstream portion having a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the central portion, the central portion including a material that shrinks when heated, such that a gap is formed between the central portion and the peripheral portion when the central portion shrinks. Here, the amount of shrinkage on the downstream side of the central portion may be greater than the amount of shrinkage on the upstream side of the central portion. Furthermore, the ratio of the portion of the substrate portion that has the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central portion in the early stage of a smoking session to the portion of the substrate portion that has the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central portion in the later stage of a smoking session may be 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less. Furthermore, a sheet member may be provided between the central portion and the peripheral portion, and the gap may be formed between the central portion and the sheet member. Furthermore, the sheet member may not be breathable. Furthermore, during an early stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance inside the sheet member may be greater than the airflow resistance outside the sheet member, and during a later stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance inside the sheet member may be less than the airflow resistance outside the sheet member. The peripheral portion may comprise crimped paper. The central portion may comprise cellulose acetate. The substrate may include a first aerosol source radially outward, a second aerosol source radially inward, and a sheet located between the first aerosol source and the second aerosol source. The airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the substrate during an early stage of a smoking session may be greater than the airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the substrate during a later stage of a smoking session. The substrate may further include a downstream portion located downstream of the substrate, the downstream portion having an air vent for allowing air to flow from the outside to the inside. The downstream portion may also have a filter portion through which the aerosol generated from the base portion passes, and a cylindrical member formed in a cylindrical shape between the base portion and the filter portion, and the air vent may be located in the cylindrical member.The ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the air vent during an early stage of a smoking session of the substrate may be different from the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the air vent during a later stage of a smoking session of the substrate. The amount of air inflow from the air vent during a later stage of a smoking session of the substrate may be less than the amount of air inflow from the air vent during an early stage of a smoking session of the substrate. The upstream portion may have an air vent on a side surface thereof for allowing air to flow from the outside to the inside.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, the efficiency of aerosol delivery can be improved compared to when the amount of air passing through the radially inner portion is constant.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a longitudinal section of a flavor inhalation article according to the present embodiment; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an inhalation device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section of a tip portion according to the present embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a longitudinal section of a flavor inhalation article according to the present embodiment in a later stage of a smoking session; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an air flow path at the tip portion in an earlier stage of a smoking session; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an air flow path at the tip portion in a later stage of a smoking session; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a longitudinal section of a flavor inhalation article according to a first modified example; FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a cross section of a base portion according to the first modified example; FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a longitudinal section of a flavor inhalation article according to a second modified example.

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a longitudinal cross section of a flavor inhalation article 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an inhalation device 100 according to the present embodiment. The flavor inhalation article 1 according to the present embodiment includes a substrate unit 10 that generates an aerosol when heated, a filter unit 30 that reduces nicotine and tar, and a tip unit 70 disposed at the upstream end of the flavor inhalation article 1. The flavor inhalation article 1 may also include a cooling unit 20. The mouthpiece segment 50 may be held in the user's mouth during inhalation, and in the example of FIG. 1, includes the cooling unit 20 and the filter unit 30. The substrate unit 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape. Hereinafter, the direction of the center line CL of the substrate unit 10 may be referred to as the "center line direction." The flavor inhalation article 1 further includes tipping paper 40 that integrates the tip unit 70, substrate unit 10, cooling unit 20, and filter unit 30 by winding them in this order in the center line direction. Hereinafter, one end side in the centerline direction (left side in FIG. 1 ) may be referred to as the first side, and the other end side in the centerline direction (right side in FIG. 1 ) may be referred to as the second side. The first side is the end side inserted into the inhalation device 100 and is the upstream side in the aerosol flow during inhalation. The second side is the end side opposite the first side, the end side that the user holds in their mouth for inhalation and is the downstream side in the aerosol flow during inhalation. A cross section along the centerline direction is referred to as a "longitudinal cross section," and a cross section cut along a plane perpendicular to the centerline direction is defined as a "transverse cross section." A direction intersecting the centerline direction (e.g., the perpendicular direction) is referred to as the "radial direction." In the radial direction, the side toward the centerline CL may be simply referred to as the "inner side," and the side away from the centerline CL may be simply referred to as the "outer side." The mouthpiece segment 50 is an example of a downstream portion.

[0010] [Usage of Flavor Inhalation Article 1] The flavor inhalation article 1 according to this embodiment is used in a non-combustion heating type inhalation device 100. As shown in Fig. 2, the inhalation device 100 includes a power supply unit 111 that stores power and supplies power to each component of the inhalation device 100, a sensor unit 112 that detects various information related to the inhalation device 100, and a notification unit 113 that notifies the user of the information. The inhalation device 100 also includes a memory unit 114 that stores various information for the operation of the inhalation device 100, a communication unit 115 that transmits and receives information between the inhalation device 100 and other devices, and a control unit 116 that controls the overall operation of the inhalation device 100. The inhalation device 100 also includes a heating unit 121 that heats the flavor inhalation article 1, a holding unit 140 that holds the flavor inhalation article 1, an opening 142 that connects the internal space 141 to the outside, and a heat insulating unit 144 that prevents heat transfer from the heating unit 121 to other components of the inhalation device 100. In the inhalation device 100, the flavor inhalation article 1 is held in the holding portion 140, and the user inhales.

[0011] The heating unit 121 heats the substrate 10 of the flavor inhalation article 1. The heating unit 121 is made of any material, such as metal or polyimide. For example, the heating unit 121 is configured in a film shape and is arranged to cover the outer periphery of the holding unit 140. When the heating unit 121 generates heat, the aerosol source 11 included in the flavor inhalation article 1 is heated from the outer periphery of the flavor inhalation article 1. The heating unit 121 generates heat when power is supplied from the power supply unit 111. As an example, power may be supplied when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been made. When the temperature of the flavor inhalation article 1 heated by the heating unit 121 reaches a predetermined temperature, the user can inhale. Thereafter, when the sensor unit 112 detects that a predetermined user input has been made, power supply may be stopped. As another example, power may be supplied and aerosol may be generated during a period in which the sensor unit 112 detects that the user has inhaled. 2, the heating section 121 is configured to be at the same position and have the same length as the base section 10 of the flavor inhalation article 1 in the center line direction when the flavor inhalation article 1 is held by the holding section 140, but is not limited to this. For example, the heating section 121 may be configured to have a length that reaches the tip section 70, and the position and length at which the heating section 121 is disposed may be selected as appropriate as long as the base section 10 is configured to be heated.

[0012] The heat insulating section 144 is disposed so as to cover at least the outer periphery of the heating section 121. For example, the heat insulating section 144 is made of a vacuum heat insulating material, an aerogel heat insulating material, or the like. Note that the vacuum heat insulating material is a heat insulating material in which, for example, glass wool, silica (silicon powder), or the like is wrapped in a resin film to create a high vacuum state, thereby reducing the heat conduction by gas to as close to zero as possible.

[0013] [Flavor inhalation article 1] The flavor inhalation article 1 is a non-combustion heating, peripheral heating type flavor inhalation article. In the peripheral heating type flavor inhalation article 1, the aerosol source 11 of the substrate 10 is positioned closer to the heating unit as it approaches the radially outer side, and heat is conducted from the radially outer side to the radially inner side. The cross section of the flavor inhalation article 1 is substantially circular, and its circumference can be varied as appropriate depending on the size of the product, but is typically 16 mm to 27 mm, and preferably 21 mm to 23 mm. If the cross section is not circular, the circumference is assumed to be a circle having the same area as the cross section, and the circumference of that circle is used. The size of the flavor inhalation article 1 in the center line direction can be varied as appropriate depending on the size of the product, but is typically 40 mm to 100 mm, and preferably 50 mm to 70 mm.

[0014] [Substrate 10] The substrate 10 includes an aerosol source 11 that generates vapor that generates an aerosol when heated, and a cigarette paper 12 that covers the outer periphery of the aerosol source 11. The substrate 10 is formed into a cylindrical shape by wrapping the aerosol source 11 around the cigarette paper 12. The aerosol source 11 may be derived from tobacco, such as a processed product obtained by molding tobacco shreds or tobacco raw materials into granules, sheets, or powder. The aerosol source 11 may also include a non-tobacco-derived material made from plants other than tobacco (e.g., mint and herbs). As an example, the aerosol source 11 may contain a flavoring. The type of flavoring is not particularly limited, and an example is menthol, from the perspective of imparting a favorable flavor. These flavorings may be used alone or in combination. When the inhalation device 100 is a medical inhaler, the aerosol source 11 may contain a medication to be inhaled by the patient. At least a portion of the substrate portion 10 is accommodated in the internal space 141 of the holding portion 140 when the flavor inhalation article 1 is held by the holding portion 140 .

[0015] The substrate 10 formed by wrapping the aerosol source 11 in the wrapping paper 12 preferably has a cylindrical shape that satisfies the aspect ratio defined by the mathematical formula 1 of 1 or more.

[0016] (Equation 1) Aspect ratio = h / w

[0017] In Formula 1, w is the width of the cross section of the substrate 10, h is the size of the substrate 10 in the center line direction, and it is preferable that h≧w. The shape of the cross section is not limited and may be polygonal, rounded polygonal, circular, elliptical, etc., and the width w is the diameter when the cross section is circular, the major axis when the cross section is elliptical, or the diameter of the circumscribed circle or the major axis of the circumscribed ellipse when the cross section is polygonal or rounded polygonal. The width of the cross section of the aerosol source 11 constituting the substrate 10 is preferably 4 mm or more and 9 mm or less.

[0018] The size h of the substrate 10 in the centerline direction can be changed appropriately according to the size of the product, but is typically 8 mm or more, and preferably 10 mm or more. The size h of the substrate 10 in the centerline direction is typically 70 mm or less, and preferably 30 mm or less. The ratio of the size h of the substrate 10 to the size of the flavor inhalation article 1 in the centerline direction is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the balance between the delivery amount and the aerosol temperature, it is typically 10% or more, preferably 20% or more, more preferably 25% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more. The ratio of the size h of the substrate 10 to the size of the flavor inhalation article 1 is typically 80% or less, preferably 70% or less, more preferably 60% or less, even more preferably 50% or less, particularly preferably 45% or less, and most preferably 40% or less.

[0019] The content of the aerosol source 11 in the substrate 10 is not particularly limited, but may be 200 mg to 800 mg, and preferably 250 mg to 600 mg. This range is particularly suitable for a substrate 10 having a circumference of 22 mm and a size of 20 mm in the centerline direction.

[0020] Here, the aerosol source 11 containing tobacco shreds will be described. The material of the tobacco shreds contained in the aerosol source 11 is not particularly limited, and known materials such as lamina or ribs can be used. Alternatively, the aerosol source 11 may be made by crushing dried tobacco leaves to an average particle size of 20 μm to 200 μm to produce tobacco shreds, which are then homogenized and processed into a sheet (hereinafter simply referred to as a homogenized sheet). Furthermore, the aerosol source 11 may be a strand type, in which a homogenized sheet having a size approximately the same as the size of the substrate 10 in the center line direction is shredded approximately parallel to the center line direction of the substrate 10 and filled with the homogenized sheet. Furthermore, the width of the tobacco shreds is preferably 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm when filled with the aerosol source 11.

[0021] Various types of tobacco can be used for the tobacco shreds and homogenized sheet production. Examples include flue-cured tobacco, burley, oriental tobacco, native tobacco, other Nicotiana tabacum varieties, Nicotiana rustica varieties, and mixtures thereof. Mixtures can be used by appropriately blending varieties to achieve the desired flavor. Details of tobacco varieties are disclosed in the "Encyclopedia of Tobacco," published by the Tobacco Research Center on March 31, 2009. There are several conventional methods for producing homogenized sheets, i.e., grinding tobacco leaves and processing them into homogenized sheets. The first method is to produce a paper-making sheet using a papermaking process. The second method involves mixing a suitable solvent, such as water, with ground tobacco leaves to homogenize them, then casting a thin layer of the homogenized material onto a metal plate or metal belt and drying it to produce a cast sheet. The third method involves mixing a suitable solvent, such as water, with ground tobacco leaves to homogenize them, and extruding the mixture into a sheet to produce a rolled sheet. Details of the types of homogenizing sheets are disclosed in "Encyclopedia of Tobacco, Tobacco Research Center, March 31, 2009."

[0022] The moisture content of the aerosol source 11 can be 10% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, and is preferably 11% by mass or more and 13% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the aerosol source 11. Such a moisture content suppresses the occurrence of stains during rolling and improves the suitability for rolling up during the production of the base material 10.

[0023] The aerosol source 11 is not particularly limited and may contain extracts and / or their constituent components from various natural products depending on the intended use. Examples of extracts and / or their constituent components include glycerin, propylene glycol, triacetin, 1,3-butanediol, and mixtures thereof. The content of the extracts and / or their constituent components in the aerosol source 11 is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoints of generating sufficient aerosol and imparting a favorable flavor, it is typically 5% by mass or more, and preferably 10% by mass or more, relative to the total amount of the aerosol source 11. Furthermore, the content of the extracts and / or their constituent components in the aerosol source 11 is typically 50% by mass or less, and preferably 15% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less.

[0024] The packing density of the aerosol source 11 is not particularly limited, but is usually 250 mg / cm from the viewpoint of ensuring the performance of the flavor inhalation article 1 and imparting a good flavor. ３ or more, preferably 300 mg / cm ３ The packing density of the aerosol source 11 is usually 400 mg / cm ３ or less, preferably 350 mg / cm ３ The following is the result.

[0025] The aerosol source 11 may also be made of a tobacco sheet. The number of tobacco sheets may be one, or two or more.

[0026] In the case where the aerosol source 11 is composed of a single tobacco sheet, for example, the tobacco sheet may be filled with a tobacco sheet having one side approximately the same size as the centerline of the filling material, folded multiple times horizontally in the centerline of the filling material (so-called gathered sheet).In addition, the tobacco sheet may be filled with a tobacco sheet having one side approximately the same size as the centerline of the filling material, wound in a direction perpendicular to the centerline of the filling material.

[0027] In a case where the aerosol source 11 is composed of two or more tobacco sheets, for example, a plurality of tobacco sheets, each having a side approximately the same size as the centerline of the filling material, are wound in a direction perpendicular to the centerline of the filling material so as to be concentrically arranged. "Concentrically arranged" means that the centers of all the tobacco sheets are located at approximately the same position. The two or more tobacco sheets may all have the same composition or physical properties, or some or all of the tobacco sheets may have different compositions or physical properties. Furthermore, the thicknesses of the tobacco sheets may be the same or different. While there are no limitations on the thickness of each tobacco sheet, a thickness of 150 μm to 1000 μm is preferred, and a thickness of 200 μm to 600 μm is more preferred, considering the balance between heat transfer efficiency and strength.

[0028] The aerosol source 11 can be manufactured by preparing a laminate of multiple tobacco sheets with different widths, stacking them so that the width decreases from the first side to the second side, and then passing the laminate through a winding tube to roll and form it. According to this manufacturing method, the multiple tobacco sheets extend in the centerline direction and are arranged concentrically around the centerline CL. In this manufacturing method, the laminate is preferably prepared so that non-contact portions are formed between adjacent tobacco sheets after rolling and forming. The presence of non-contact portions (gaps) between the multiple tobacco sheets, where the tobacco sheets do not contact, can ensure flavor flow paths and improve the delivery efficiency of flavor components. Meanwhile, heat from the heating unit 121 can be transferred to the outer tobacco sheets via the contact portions between the multiple tobacco sheets, ensuring high heat transfer efficiency. In order to provide a non-contact portion between multiple tobacco sheets where the tobacco sheets do not come into contact, for example, a laminate can be prepared by using an embossed tobacco sheet, laminating adjacent tobacco sheets without bonding the entire surfaces of the sheets together, laminating adjacent tobacco sheets with only a portion of the sheets bonded together, or laminating adjacent tobacco sheets with only a light bonding of the entire surfaces or a portion of the sheets together so that they can be peeled off after rolling and molding. When preparing a substrate 10 including cigarette paper 12, the cigarette paper 12 may be placed on the end surface of the first side of the laminate.

[0029] Tobacco sheets can be appropriately manufactured by known methods such as papermaking, slurrying, and rolling. The homogenized sheet described above can also be used. In the case of papermaking, tobacco sheets can be manufactured by a method including the following steps: 1) Dried tobacco leaves are roughly crushed, extracted with water, and separated into an aqueous extract and a residue. 2) The aqueous extract is concentrated by drying under reduced pressure. 3) Pulp is added to the residue, and the residue is fiberized in a refiner, followed by papermaking. 4) A concentrated aqueous extract is added to the papermade sheet and dried to obtain a tobacco sheet. In this case, a step of removing some components such as nitrosamines may be added (see JP 2004-510422 A). In the case of the slurry method, tobacco sheets can be manufactured by a method including the following steps: 1) Water, pulp, and a binder are mixed with crushed tobacco leaves. 2) The mixture is thinly spread (cast) and dried. In this case, a step of removing some components such as nitrosamines may be added to a slurry containing a mixture of water, pulp, a binder, and crushed tobacco leaves by ultraviolet light or X-ray irradiation.

[0030] Alternatively, as described in International Publication No. 2014 / 104078, a nonwoven tobacco sheet can be produced by a method including the following steps: 1) mixing powdered tobacco leaves with a binder; 2) sandwiching the mixture between nonwoven fabrics; and 3) forming the laminate into a specific shape by thermal welding to obtain a nonwoven tobacco sheet. The types of tobacco leaves used as raw material in each of the above methods can be the same as those described for the aerosol source 11 containing tobacco shreds. The composition of the tobacco sheet is not particularly limited, but, for example, the content of the tobacco raw material (tobacco leaves) is preferably 50% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less relative to the total mass of the tobacco sheet. The tobacco sheet may also contain a binder, and examples of such binders include guar gum, xanthan gum, carboxymethylcellulose, and sodium salt of carboxymethylcellulose. The amount of binder is preferably 1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less relative to the total mass of the tobacco sheet. The tobacco sheet may further contain other additives, such as fillers such as pulp.

[0031] The configuration of the cigarette paper 12 used in the substrate 10 is not particularly limited and can be any common embodiment, such as one containing pulp as the main component. Pulp may be made from wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, or may be made by mixing non-wood pulp commonly used in cigarette papers 12 for tobacco products, such as flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, or esparto. Pulp types that can be used include chemical pulp produced by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral, or alkaline sulfite cooking, soda cooking, etc., ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, and thermomechanical pulp.

[0032] The cigarette paper 12 is produced using pulp in a papermaking process using a Fourdrinier paper machine, a cylinder paper machine, a combined cylinder / short-cylinder paper machine, or the like, by adjusting and uniforming the texture. If necessary, a wet strength agent may be added to impart water resistance to the cigarette paper 12, or a sizing agent may be added to adjust the printing quality of the cigarette paper 12. Furthermore, internal papermaking aids such as aluminum sulfate, various anionic, cationic, nonionic, or amphoteric retention aids, drainage aids, and paper strength agents, as well as papermaking additives such as dyes, pH adjusters, antifoaming agents, pitch control agents, and slime control agents may be added.

[0033] The basis weight of the base paper of the cigarette paper 12 is, for example, usually 20 gsm or more, and preferably 25 gsm or more. On the other hand, the basis weight is usually 65 gsm or less, preferably 50 gsm or less, and more preferably 45 gsm or less. The thickness of the cigarette paper 12 is not particularly limited, and from the viewpoints of rigidity, breathability, and ease of adjustment during papermaking, it is usually 10 μm or more, preferably 20 μm or more, and more preferably 30 μm or more. Furthermore, the thickness of the cigarette paper 12 is usually 100 μm or less, preferably 75 μm or less, and more preferably 50 μm or less.

[0034] The shape of the wrapping paper 12 can be square or rectangular. When the aerosol source 11 is wrapped in the wrapping paper 12 into a cylindrical shape, for example, an end of the wrapping paper 12 and an end of the wrapping paper 12 on the opposite side are overlapped by about 2 mm in the circumferential direction and glued together to form a cylindrical paper tube shape in which the aerosol source 11 is filled. The size of the rectangular wrapping paper 12 can be determined depending on the size of the base material 10.

[0035] In addition to the above-mentioned pulp, the cigarette paper 12 may contain a filler. The content of the filler can be 10% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, and preferably 15% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, relative to the total mass of the cigarette paper 12. In the cigarette paper 12, within the preferred basis weight range (25 gsm or more and 45 gsm or less), the content of the filler is preferably 15% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less. Furthermore, when the basis weight is 25 gsm or more and 35 gsm or less, the content of the filler is preferably 15% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, and when the basis weight is 35 gsm or more and 45 gsm or less, the content of the filler is preferably 25% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less. As the filler, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, kaolin, etc. can be used, but calcium carbonate is preferably used from the viewpoint of enhancing flavor and whiteness, etc.

[0036] Various auxiliary agents other than the base paper and fillers may be added to the cigarette paper 12. For example, a water resistance improver may be added to improve water resistance. Water resistance improvers include wet strength agents (WS agents) and sizing agents. Examples of wet strength agents include urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, polyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE), etc. Examples of sizing agents include rosin soap, alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA), and highly saponified polyvinyl alcohol with a saponification degree of 90% or more. A paper strength agent may also be added as an auxiliary agent, such as polyacrylamide, cationic starch, oxidized starch, CMC, polyamide epichlorohydrin resin, and polyvinyl alcohol. It is known that the use of a very small amount of oxidized starch in particular improves air permeability (see JP 2017-218699 A).

[0037] A coating agent may be added to at least one of the two surfaces, the front and back surfaces, of the wrapping paper 12. There are no particular limitations on the coating agent, but a coating agent that can form a film on the surface of the paper and reduce liquid permeability is preferred. Examples of the coating agent include alginic acid and its salts (e.g., sodium salts), polysaccharides such as pectin, cellulose derivatives such as ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and nitrocellulose, starch and its derivatives (e.g., ether derivatives such as carboxymethyl starch, hydroxyalkyl starch, and cationic starch, and ester derivatives such as starch acetate, starch phosphate, and starch octenyl succinate).

[0038] [Tipping Paper 40] The tipping paper 40 is wound around the outer peripheral surfaces of the tip portion 70, the substrate portion 10, the cooling portion 20, and the filter portion 30. The shape of the tipping paper 40 is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, square or rectangular. The basis weight of the tipping paper 40 is not particularly limited, but is usually 32 gsm or more and 60 gsm or less, preferably 33 gsm or more and 55 gsm or less, and more preferably 34 gsm or more and 53 gsm or less. The air permeability of the tipping paper 40 is not particularly limited, but is usually 0 Coresta units or more and 30,000 Coresta units or less, and preferably more than 0 Coresta units and 10,000 Coresta units or less. Here, "air permeability" is a value measured in accordance with ISO2965:2009, and is the value of the air permeability measured in accordance with ISO2965:2009, and is the air permeability of an area of ​​1 cm per minute when the differential pressure between both sides of the paper is 1 kPa. ２ Flow rate of gas passing through (cm ３ 1 C.U. is expressed as cm under 1 kPa. ３ / (min cm ２ )

[0039] The composition of the tipping paper 40 is not particularly limited and can be of a general type, such as a type containing pulp as the main component. Pulp may be made from wood pulp such as softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, or may be made by blending non-wood pulp commonly used in cigarette paper for tobacco products, such as flax pulp, hemp pulp, sisal pulp, or esparto. These pulps may be used alone or in any combination of two or more types in any ratio. Pulp types that can be used include chemical pulp produced by kraft cooking, acidic, neutral, or alkaline sulfite cooking, soda cooking, etc., ground pulp, chemi-ground pulp, thermomechanical pulp, etc. The tipping paper 40 may be produced by the above-mentioned production method or may be a commercially available product.

[0040] In addition to the materials described above, the tipping paper 40 may contain fillers, such as metal carbonates such as calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, metal oxides such as titanium oxide, titanium dioxide and aluminum oxide, metal sulfates such as barium sulfate and calcium sulfate, metal sulfides such as zinc sulfide, quartz, kaolin, talc, diatomaceous earth, gypsum, etc. In particular, it is preferable that the tipping paper 40 contains calcium carbonate from the viewpoints of improving whiteness and opacity and increasing the heating rate. Furthermore, these fillers may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0041] In addition to the materials and fillers described above, the tipping paper 40 may contain various auxiliary agents. For example, the tipping paper 40 may contain a water resistance improver to improve water resistance. Water resistance improvers include wet strength agents (WS agents) and sizing agents. Examples of wet strength agents include urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, polyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE), etc. Examples of sizing agents include rosin soap, alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA), and highly saponified polyvinyl alcohol with a saponification degree of 90% or more.

[0042] A coating agent may be added to at least one of the two surfaces, the front and back surfaces, of the tipping paper 40. The coating agent is not particularly limited, but a coating agent that can form a film on the surface and reduce liquid permeability is preferred. A portion of the outer surface of the tipping paper 40 may be coated with a lip release material. The lip release material refers to a material configured to help the user easily separate the tipping paper 40 from the lips without substantial adhesion when the filter portion 30 of the flavor inhalation article 1 is held between the mouth and the lips. The lip release material may include, for example, ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, nitrocellulose, etc. For example, the outer surface of the tipping paper 40 may be coated with the lip release material by applying an ethyl cellulose-based or methyl cellulose-based ink to the outer surface of the tipping paper 40.

[0043] [Cooling Section 20] The cooling section 20 is positioned adjacent to the substrate section 10 and the filter section 30, and is formed by wrapping the sheet 21 around it so that the cross section of the cooling section 20 is hollow (hollow). The cooling section 20 cools the vapor generated by heating the substrate section 10 to generate an aerosol. The cooling section 20 is an example of a cylindrical member. The cross section of the cooling section 20 is substantially circular, and its circumference can be adjusted to suit the size of the product, but is preferably approximately the same as the circumference of the filter 31 described below. If the cross section is not circular, the circumference is assumed to be a circle having the same area as the cross section, and the circumference of that circle is used. The size of the cooling section 20 in the centerline direction can be adjusted to suit the size of the product, but is typically 5 mm or more, preferably 10 mm or more, and more preferably 15 mm or more. The size of the cooling section 20 in the centerline direction is typically 35 mm or less, preferably 30 mm or less, and more preferably 25 mm or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the size of the cooling section 20 in the center line direction is a size that satisfies any combination of the above-mentioned lower limit and upper limit. By setting the size of the cooling section 20 in the center line direction to be equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit, a sufficient cooling effect can be ensured to obtain a good flavor, and by setting it to be equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit, loss of the generated steam and aerosol due to adhesion to the sheet 21 can be suppressed.

[0044] For example, the cooling unit 20 is a paper tube formed by winding a sheet 21 made of paper. Specifically, the cooling unit 20 is a so-called spiral paper tube, which is a paper tube formed by bonding multiple sheets 21 including at least paper together and spirally winding them. The spiral paper tube manufacturing method makes it possible to easily form a paper tube with a circular cross section. By adopting a spiral paper tube for the cooling unit 20, the area of ​​the cooling unit 20 can be reduced while improving the strength of the cooling unit 20. Furthermore, by combining and bonding a sheet member including a fragrance component, a flavor component, tobacco powder, etc. with paper, a new flavor or taste can be imparted to the aerosol. Alternatively, the cooling unit 20 may be a so-called straight paper tube, which is a paper tube formed by winding paper multiple times into a cylindrical shape. The straight paper tube manufacturing method allows for a smaller amount of glue to be used to bond the paper compared to the spiral paper tube manufacturing method. The cooling unit 20 may also be a paper tube formed by stacking multiple sheets 21 including at least paper. By stacking a plurality of sheets 21, the strength of the cooling section 20 can be maintained even when the basis weight of each of the sheets 21 is small.

[0045] The thickness of the sheet 21 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, 50 μm to 500 μm, or 100 μm to 250 μm. The material of the sheet 21 is also not particularly limited and may be, for example, a material primarily composed of pulp, or a material primarily composed of any of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid, cellulose acetate, and aluminum foil, or any combination thereof. The cooling section 20 is formed by wrapping the sheet 21, but this is an example of a cylindrical member formed into a cylindrical shape, and is not limited to this configuration as long as the cross section is hollow. The cooling section 20 may be formed, for example, from a tube made of synthetic resin or the like that already has a hollow cross section.

[0046] The cooling unit 20 is provided with a plurality of through-holes 60 (also referred to as "ventilation filters (Vf)" in the present technical field) arranged circumferentially and concentrically. The through-holes 60 are holes that penetrate the sheet 21. Examples of the hole shapes include polygonal, rounded polygonal, circular, and elliptical. The through-holes 60 are present in an area where air can flow in from the outside of the flavor inhalation article 1, in other words, in an area that protrudes from the opening 142 when the flavor inhalation article 1 is held in the holding unit 140 of the inhalation device 100.

[0047] The presence of the through-holes 60 allows the concentration of the inhaled flavor components and aerosol to be adjusted. Furthermore, the presence of multiple through-holes 60 allows air to flow into the cooling section 20 from the outside during inhalation, lowering the temperature of the steam and air flowing in from the substrate section 10. Furthermore, by positioning the through-holes 60 in the cooling section 20 within a region 4 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the filter section 30 toward the cooling section 20, not only can the cooling capacity be improved, but the retention of the substance (product) generated by heating within the cooling section 20 can be suppressed, thereby improving the delivery amount of the product. Furthermore, when the substrate section 10 is heated, the steam generated using the aerosol as a condensation nucleus comes into contact with air from the outside, lowering its temperature and liquefying, thereby facilitating the generation of the aerosol.

[0048] When a plurality of concentric through holes 60 in the cooling section 20 are treated as one through hole group, the number of through hole groups may be one or may be two or more. When two or more through hole groups are present, from the viewpoint of improving the delivery amount of components generated by heating, it is preferable that no through hole group be provided in a region less than 4 mm from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the filter section 30 toward the cooling section 20. Furthermore, when the flavor inhalation article 1 is configured such that the tip section 70, the substrate section 10, the cooling section 20, and the filter section 30 are wrapped with tipping paper 40, it is preferable that the tipping paper 40 has an air hole provided directly above the through hole 60 provided in the cooling section 20. When producing such a flavor inhalation article 1, tipping paper 40 having an air hole overlapping the through hole 60 may be prepared and wound, but from the viewpoint of ease of production, it is preferable to produce a flavor inhalation article 1 without a through hole 60, and then drill holes that pass through both the cooling section 20 and the tipping paper 40 at the same time.

[0049] From the viewpoint of improving the delivery of the product by heating, the region where the through-holes 60 are present is not particularly limited as long as it is a region of 4 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the filter section 30 toward the cooling section 20, but from the viewpoint of further improving the delivery of the product, it is preferably a region of 4.5 mm or more, more preferably a region of 5 mm or more, and even more preferably a region of 5.5 mm or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of ensuring the cooling function, the region where the through-holes 60 are present is preferably a region of 15 mm or less, more preferably a region of 10 mm or less, and even more preferably a region of 7 mm or less from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the filter section 30.

[0050] Furthermore, when the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the substrate 10 is used as a reference, if the size of the cooling section 20 in the centerline direction is 20 mm or more, the region where the through-holes 60 exist is preferably a region of 5 mm or more, more preferably a region of 10 mm or more, and even more preferably a region of 13 mm or more from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the substrate 10 in the direction toward the cooling section 20, from the viewpoint of ensuring the cooling function. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the delivery of the product by heating, the region where the through-holes 60 exist is preferably a region of 16 mm or less, more preferably a region of 15.5 mm or less, even more preferably a region of 15 mm or less, and particularly preferably a region of 14.5 mm or less from the boundary between the cooling section 20 and the substrate 10.

[0051] The through holes 60 are arranged so that the air inflow rate through the through holes 60 is 10% to 90% by volume when an automatic smoking machine is used to inhale at 17.5 ml / sec. This "air inflow rate" refers to the volumetric rate of air inflowing through the through holes 60, assuming that the volumetric rate of air inhaled from the mouth end is 100% by volume. The air inflow rate is preferably 50% to 80% by volume, and more preferably 55% to 75% by volume. These air inflow rates can be achieved, for example, by selecting the number of through holes 60 per through hole group from 5 to 50, selecting the diameter of the through holes 60 from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, or by combining these selections. The air inflow rate can be measured using a roll quality measuring device (SODIMAX D74 / SODIM manufactured by S.A.S.) in accordance with ISO 9512.

[0052] [Filter unit 30] The filter unit 30 is formed in a columnar shape whose size in the centerline direction is greater than the width of the cross section. Therefore, the filter unit 30 is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is in the centerline direction. The filter unit 30 has a filter 31 through which the aerosol passes, and a wrapper paper 35 that is located between the filter 31 and the tipping paper 40 and wrapped around the outer periphery of the filter 31. The filter unit 30 is connected to the cooling unit 20 by winding the cooling unit 20 and the filter unit 30 together using the tipping paper 40. The wrapper paper 35 may not be provided.

[0053] The filter 31 is not particularly limited as long as it includes a filter material and has the general functions of a filter. Examples of general filter functions include reducing nicotine and tar, as well as reducing unpleasant sensations such as irritation. The filter 31 may be a plain filter including a single filter segment, or a multi-segment filter including multiple filter segments, such as a dual filter or triple filter. The filter 31 may also contain additives such as known flavors like menthol, adsorbents, granular activated carbon, and flavor retention agents. The filter material constituting the filter 31 may be, for example, a cylindrical filler such as acetate, charcoal, cellulose fiber, nonwoven fabric, or pulp paper. Alternatively, a paper filter filled with pulp paper in sheet form may be used.

[0054] The wrapping paper 35 may be formed in any suitable manner, including one or more rows of adhesive-containing seams. The adhesive may include a hot-melt adhesive, which may further include polyvinyl alcohol. The adhesive may also include a vinyl acetate adhesive. When the filter unit 30 is made up of two or more components, the wrapping paper 35 is preferably formed by wrapping each of these two or more components together with another wrapping paper. The wrapping paper 35 may be made of any known material, and may contain a filler such as calcium carbonate. The wrapping paper 35 may be coated or uncoated; however, it is preferable to coat it with a desired material to provide functions other than strength and structural rigidity.

[0055] The shape of the wrapping paper 35 for producing the filter unit 30 can be, for example, square or rectangular. When the filter 31 is wound in the wrapping paper 35 into a cylindrical shape, for example, an end of the wrapping paper 35 and an end of the wrapping paper 35 on the opposite side are overlapped by about 2 mm in the circumferential direction and glued together to form a cylindrical paper tube shape in which the filter 31 is filled. The size of the wrapping paper 35 can be determined depending on the size of the filter unit 30.

[0056] [Tip Portion 70] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section of the tip portion 70 according to this embodiment. The cross section shown in FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along line III-III in FIG. 1. The tip portion 70 has a central portion 71 disposed inside and shrinking due to heat, and a peripheral portion 72 surrounding the outer periphery of the central portion 71. The tip portion 70 also has a sheet member 73 between the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72. The tip portion 70 may also have an outer wrapping paper 74 between the peripheral portion 72 and the tipping paper 40. The peripheral portion 72 is configured to surround at least a portion of the outer periphery of the central portion 71. The tip portion 70 is connected to the substrate portion 10 by wrapping the tipping paper 40 around the outer periphery of the peripheral portion 72 and winding the substrate portion 10 and the tip portion 70 together. The tipping paper 40 may be wound so that the substrate portion 10 and the tip portion 70 are wound together, and the length of the tipping paper 40 in the centerline direction does not matter. The tip portion 70 is an example of an upstream portion.

[0057] The tip portion 70 has a substantially circular cross section, and its circumference can be varied to suit the size of the product, but can be between 22 mm and 25 mm. If the cross section is not circular, the circumference is assumed to be a circle with the same area as the cross section, and the circumference of that circle is used. The size of the tip portion 70 in the centerline direction can be varied to suit the size of the product, but can be 1 mm or more, preferably 3 mm or more, and more preferably 5 mm or more. The size of the tip portion 70 in the centerline direction can be 10 mm or less, preferably 8 mm or less. The tip portion 70 can be manufactured to a predetermined length and then cut to any desired length. If the tip portion 70 is less than 1 mm long, it may not maintain its shape during cutting, and deformation, such as crushing, may occur. Manufacturing the tip portion 70 is relatively easy if the length of the tip portion 70 in the longitudinal direction is 1 mm or more.

[0058] In the tip portion 70, the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 are portions through which air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article 1 passes. The central portion 71 is composed of a material that shrinks when heated. The material that shrinks when heated is, for example, a material that begins to shrink at temperatures between 130°C and 220°C. The central portion 71 shrinks when heated by the heating unit 121 of the inhalation device 100. The central portion 71 is molded, for example, from acetate, and air passes through the central portion 71 in the centerline direction when the user inhales. The central portion 71 molded from acetate can be manufactured by a known method. For example, when synthetic fibers such as cellulose acetate are used as the material, it can be manufactured by spinning a polymer solution containing a polymer and a solvent and crimping the resulting fiber. For example, the method described in International Publication No. 2013 / 067511 can be used as this method. The central portion 71 may be configured to contain cellulose acetate. The cellulose acetate may or may not contain a plasticizer.

[0059] The peripheral portion 72 is formed by filling it with a sheet member 72a, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, and a void 72b is formed. The material of the sheet member 72a is not particularly limited, but paper or nonwoven fabric, such as pulp paper, whose main component is pulp, is preferred, and paper is more preferred. Furthermore, the sheet member 72a is preferably made of a material that is less likely to shrink upon heating than the material constituting the central portion 71, and is preferably made of a material that does not shrink upon heating. The sheet member 72a may be crimped, and is filled to ensure an air passage path extending in the center line direction. The central portion 71 preferably has a higher airflow resistance than the peripheral portion 72. This allows the peripheral portion 72 to be the main flow path for air passing through the tip portion 70. The airflow resistance of the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 before heating the substrate portion 10 or during the early stages of a smoking session is 50 mmH. ２ It may be O or less.

[0060] The form of the sheet member 73 is not particularly limited and may include one or more rows of seams containing adhesive. The adhesive is preferably one whose bonding strength does not decrease when heated, but may include a hot-melt adhesive, which may include polyvinyl alcohol. The adhesive may also include a vinyl acetate adhesive. The material of the sheet member 73 is not particularly limited and may be a known material, which may also include a filler such as calcium carbonate. It is preferable that the sheet member 73 is not breathable. The low breathability of the sheet member 73 allows the air flow path passing through the tip portion 70 to be separated into the inside and outside of the sheet member 73. The air permeability of the sheet member 73 may be 100 CU or less.

[0061] The shape of the sheet member 73 can be, for example, square or rectangular. When the central portion 71 is wrapped with the sheet member 73 in a cylindrical shape, for example, an end of the sheet member 73 and an end of the sheet member 73 on the opposite side are overlapped by about 2 mm in the circumferential direction and glued together to form a cylindrical shape with the central portion 71 filled therein. The size of the rectangular sheet member 73 can be determined depending on the size of the tip portion 70. The sheet member 73 is wrapped around the outer periphery of the central portion 71, and the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 are bonded together, for example, with an adhesive. The adhesive may include a hot-melt adhesive. Here, it is preferable that the bond between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 be peeled off in accordance with the shrinkage of the central portion 71 when the central portion 71 shrinks due to heat.

[0062] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a longitudinal section of the flavor inhalation article 1 according to this embodiment in the latter part of a smoking session. Note that Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section in the early part of a smoking session. A smoking session may refer to a period from the start to the end of a process for generating an aerosol. A smoking session may also refer to a period from the start to the end of a process for heating the flavor inhalation article 1. The early part of a smoking session may be 50% of the entire period of the smoking session from the start of the smoking session, or 30% of the entire period of the smoking session from the start of the smoking session, or a period when heating begins to start. The late part of a smoking session may be 50% of the entire period of the smoking session until the end of the smoking session, or 30% of the entire period of the smoking session until the end of the smoking session, or a period when heating ends.

[0063] Before heating by the heating unit 121 begins, the flavor inhalation article 1 is in a state in which the outer peripheral surface of the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 are in contact with each other, as shown in FIG. 1 . When the substrate portion 10 is heated by the heating unit 121 of the inhalation device 100, heat is transmitted to the tip portion 70 located next to the substrate portion 10, causing the temperature of the tip portion 70 to rise. In the early stage of a smoking session, the temperature of the tip portion 70 is low, so the central portion 71 hardly contracts, and as the temperature of the tip portion 70 rises towards the later stage of the smoking session, the central portion 71 contracts. At this time, the bond between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 peels off in accordance with the contraction of the central portion 71, and a gap is created between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73. In the later stage of a smoking session, the central portion 71 contracts, causing a gap to be created between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73, as shown in FIG. 4 .

[0064] Here, because the temperature of the tip portion 70 increases more rapidly closer to the heating unit 121 of the inhalation device 100, the amount of shrinkage of the central portion 71 increases more downstream, closer to the base member 10, than upstream. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 , the outer periphery of the central portion 71 shrinks obliquely relative to the center line direction during the latter part of a smoking session. It is also preferable that the first-side end of the central portion 71 does not shrink even during the latter part of a smoking session. This prevents the first-side end of the central portion 71 from peeling off from the sheet member 73 and remaining bonded thereto, thereby preventing the central portion 71 from falling off. Furthermore, deformation of the tip portion 70 can be prevented.

[0065] 5 is a diagram showing the flow path of air in the tip portion 70 in the early stage of a smoking session. In the early stage of a smoking session, the temperature of the tip portion 70 is low, and the central portion 71 hardly contracts, resulting in little deformation of the central portion 71. Before heating and in the early stage of a smoking session, the central portion 71 has a higher airflow resistance than the peripheral portion 72, and therefore, as shown by arrows 75, the air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article mainly passes through the peripheral portion 72 and flows into the base portion 10.

[0066] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the air flow path at the tip end portion 70 in the latter part of a smoking session. From the early part of a smoking session to the later part of a smoking session, the central portion 71 shrinks and deforms as the temperature rises, and the gap formed between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 becomes larger. Because the gap formed between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 serves as an air flow path, the main flow path of air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article shifts from the outside to the inside of the sheet member 73. Preferably, the airflow resistance inside the sheet member 73 in the later part of a smoking session is smaller than the airflow resistance outside the sheet member 73 due to the formation of the gap. This allows the main flow path of air passing through the tip end portion 70 to shift from the outside to the inside of the sheet member 73, and as shown by arrow 76, the main flow path of air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article 1 becomes radially inward. Note that arrows 75 and 76 in FIGS. 5 and 6 indicate the main air flow path and do not indicate that air does not flow in other areas.

[0067] In the peripheral heating flavor inhalation article 1, the aerosol source 11 of the substrate 10 is disposed at a position closer to the heating unit as it approaches the outer radial direction, and heat is conducted from the outer radial direction toward the inner radial direction. Aerosol is generated in accordance with the conduction of heat, and therefore aerosol is generated primarily from the outer radial direction initially, and then the temperature in the center gradually rises, resulting in aerosol generation primarily from the center. As described above, from the early stage of a smoking session to the later stage of a smoking session, the main flow path of air flowing in from the first side of the flavor inhalation article 1 shifts from the outer radial direction toward the inner radial direction, allowing air to flow into the substrate 10 in accordance with the radial position at which aerosol is generated in the substrate 10 and the amount of aerosol generated. This allows more air to flow into areas where a greater amount of aerosol is generated, improving the aerosol delivery efficiency.

[0068] The ratio (hereinafter also referred to as shrinkage ratio) of the portion having the smallest size in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (center line direction) of the central portion 71 in the latter part of a smoking session to the portion having the smallest size in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (center line direction) of the central portion 71 in the early part of the smoking session is preferably 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less. If the degree of shrinkage is small, it is difficult to obtain the effect of reducing the airflow resistance caused by shrinkage, while if the degree of shrinkage is large, the rigidity of the tip portion 70 decreases, which may cause deformation of the flavor inhalation article 1. By setting the shrinkage ratio in the range of 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less, it is possible to obtain the effect of reducing the airflow resistance while maintaining rigidity sufficient to prevent deformation of the flavor inhalation article 1.

[0069] As described above, in the latter part of a smoking session, a gap is formed between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73, forming an air flow path. This reduces the overall airflow resistance of the tip portion 70 compared to the early part of the smoking session, making it easier for air to flow into the tip portion 70. Therefore, the amount of air flowing in from the tip portion 70 gradually increases from the early part of the smoking session to the later part of the smoking session. Because the user's inhalation force on the flavor inhalation article 1 is constant, as the amount of air flowing in from the tip portion 70 increases, the amount of air flowing into the flavor inhalation article 1 through the through-holes 60 of the cooling section 20 decreases. As such, the ratio of the amount of air flowing in from the tip portion 70 to the amount of air flowing in from the through-holes 60 differs between the early part of the smoking session and the later part of the smoking session. From the early part of the smoking session to the later part of the smoking session, the amount of air flowing in from the tip portion 70 increases, while the amount of air flowing in from the through-holes 60 decreases. Due to the decrease in the amount of air flowing in from the through-holes 60, the aerosol dilution rate is lower in the later part of the smoking session than in the early part of the smoking session. The amount of aerosol generated from the substrate 10 gradually decreases from the early stage of a smoking session to the later stage of the smoking session, and therefore, a lower dilution rate can suppress fluctuations in the amount of aerosol delivered.

[0070] The central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 do not necessarily have to be bonded together entirely. For example, the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 may be bonded at their first end and not bonded at their second end. With this configuration, shrinkage of the central portion 71 creates a gap between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73, thereby preventing the central portion 71 from falling off. The material of the central portion 71 is not limited to acetate, and any heat-shrinkable material may be selected as appropriate. In FIG. 1 , the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 are shown to have the same length in the centerline direction, but this is not limiting. The peripheral portion 72 may be configured to surround at least a portion of the central portion 71; for example, the central portion 71 may be longer. Different flavorings may be added to the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72, respectively. This allows for different smoking experiences during the early and later stages of a smoking session. The amounts of flavoring added to the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 may also be different. This allows the intensity of the smoking taste to be changed between the early stage and the later stage of the smoking session.

[0071] <First Modification> FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a longitudinal section of a flavor inhalation article 2 according to a first modification. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a cross section of a substrate 10 according to the first modification. The cross section shown in FIG. 8 is a cross section of portion VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. The flavor inhalation article 2 according to the first modification has the same basic configuration as the flavor inhalation article 1. The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modification, like the flavor inhalation article 1 shown in FIG. 1, comprises a substrate 10, a cooling section 20, a filter section 30, and a tip section 70. The flavor inhalation article 2 according to the first modification differs from the flavor inhalation article 1 in that the aerosol source of the substrate 10 is separated by a sheet 15 into a first aerosol source 16 on the radially outer side and a second aerosol source 17 on the radially inner side. In the first modification, because not only the tip section 70 but also the aerosol source of the substrate 10 are separated into a radially outer side and a radially inner side, the air flow path can be more controlled than in the flavor inhalation article 1.

[0072] The flavor inhalation article 2 according to the first modification has a sheet 15 that separates the aerosol source of the substrate 10 into a first aerosol source 16 on the radially outer side and a second aerosol source 17 on the radially inner side. The sheet 15 separates the flow path of air passing through the substrate 10 into a radially outer side and a radially inner side, and preferably has low air permeability. The air permeability of the sheet 15 is preferably 100 C.U. or less. The first aerosol source 16 and the second aerosol source 17 are configured similarly to the aerosol source 11 of the flavor inhalation article 1. In the flavor inhalation article 2 according to the first modification, air that has passed through the peripheral portion 72 of the tip portion 70 flows into the first aerosol source 16 of the substrate 10, and air that has passed through the central portion 71 of the tip portion 70 flows into the second aerosol source 17 of the substrate 10. Note that the radial positions of the sheet member 73 of the tip portion 70 and the sheet 15 of the substrate 10 do not necessarily have to coincide. In this way, even in the base material portion 10, the air flow path is separated into a radially outer side and a radially inner side by the sheet 15, which prevents the air flow path in the base material portion 10 from becoming turbulent and achieves optimal delivery efficiency.

[0073] Furthermore, in the flavor inhalation article 2, similar to the flavor inhalation article 1, the central portion 71 of the tip portion 70 contracts from the early stage of a smoking session to the late stage of a smoking session, creating a gap between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73. As a result, the main flow path of air flowing in from the tip portion 70 shifts from the radially outer side to the radially inner side, but the airflow resistance of the entire tip portion 70 may change significantly between the early stage of a smoking session and the late stage of a smoking session. Even in such a case, it is preferable that the airflow resistance of the entire flavor inhalation article 2 is constant between the early stage of a smoking session and the late stage of a smoking session. For example, consider a case where the airflow resistances of the central portion 71, peripheral portion 72, first aerosol source 16, and second aerosol source 17 are defined as a first airflow resistance, a second airflow resistance, a third airflow resistance, and a fourth airflow resistance, respectively. However, before heating or the early stage of a smoking session, the first airflow resistance is greater than the second airflow resistance, and the third airflow resistance is greater than the fourth airflow resistance. In this case, since air flows mainly radially outward during the early stage of a smoking session, the combined airflow resistance of the tip portion 70 and the substrate portion 10 is the sum of the second airflow resistance and the third airflow resistance. On the other hand, since air flows mainly through the center during the later stage of a smoking session, the combined airflow resistance of the tip portion 70 and the substrate portion 10 is the sum of the first airflow resistance and the fourth airflow resistance. In this case, in the flavor inhalation article 2, it is preferable that the first airflow resistance, the second airflow resistance, the third airflow resistance, and the fourth airflow resistance are set so that the sum of the second airflow resistance and the third airflow resistance and the sum of the first airflow resistance and the fourth airflow resistance are substantially equal. Here, "substantially equal" means that the airflow resistance during the later stage of a smoking session is included within an error range of ±10% of the airflow resistance during the early stage of the smoking session. In this way, by separating the aerosol source of the base material 10 into the first aerosol source 16 on the radially outer side and the second aerosol source 17 on the radially inner side and differentiating the airflow resistances, it is possible to maintain a constant airflow resistance throughout one session from the start to the end of inhalation by the user. In this case, the airflow resistance of the entire flavor inhalation article 2 is constant between the early and late stages of the smoking session, making it less likely that the user will feel uncomfortable throughout one session.

[0074] <Second Modification> Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a longitudinal section of a flavor inhalation article 3 according to a second modification. The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modification has the same basic configuration as the flavor inhalation article 1. The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modification includes a substrate section 10, a cooling section 20, a filter section 30, and a tip section 70, similar to the flavor inhalation article 1 shown in Fig. 1. The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modification differs from the flavor inhalation article 1 in that a plurality of through holes 61 are provided concentrically in the circumferential direction on the side surface of the tip section 70. The through holes 61 are ventilation holes that allow air to flow from the outside of the tip section 70 to the inside. In the second modification, air flows in from the upstream end side (first side) of the tip section 70, and also flows into the inside of the tip section 70 through the through holes 61.

[0075] The flavor inhalation article 3 according to the second modified example has a through hole 61 that is a hole that penetrates the tipping paper 40. When a plurality of concentric through holes 61 are treated as one through hole group, the number of through hole groups may be one or may be two or more. Furthermore, when the flavor inhalation article 3 has an outer wrapping paper 74 between the peripheral portion 72 and the tipping paper 40, the through hole 61 is provided so as to penetrate the tipping paper 40 and the outer wrapping paper 74. In such an embodiment, the tipping paper 40 preferably has an air hole provided directly above the through hole 61 provided in the tipping portion 70. When producing such a flavor inhalation article 3, a tipping paper 40 having an air hole that overlaps the through hole 61 may be prepared and wrapped around the tipping paper 40. However, from the viewpoint of ease of production, it is preferable to produce a flavor inhalation article 1 that does not have a through hole 61, and then drill holes that penetrate the tipping portion 70 and the tipping paper 40 simultaneously.

[0076] In the second modified example, air also flows into the tip portion 70 through the through holes 61, making it easy to adjust the balance of the airflow resistance between the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72. In a case where the through holes 61 are not provided, for example, when the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 are formed to have the same length in the centerline direction, it is necessary to adjust the balance of the airflow resistance between the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72 by adjusting the materials constituting the central portion 71 and the peripheral portion 72. In contrast, when the through holes 61 are provided, the airflow resistance of the peripheral portion 72 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the number, diameter, and position of the through holes 61 in the centerline direction. By providing the through holes 61 in the tip portion 70 in this way, it is possible to easily set a state in which the airflow resistance of the central portion 71 is higher than the airflow resistance of the peripheral portion 72.

[0077] When the through-holes 61 are provided in the tip portion 70, it is considered that even after a gap occurs between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 in the latter part of a smoking session, air will flow in through the through-holes 61, so that the airflow resistance of the peripheral portion 72 will not become greater than the airflow resistance inside the sheet member 73. For this reason, it is preferable to configure the through-holes 61 to be closed in the latter part of a smoking session, for example, by applying glue around the through-holes 61, and the glue melting due to a rise in temperature in the latter part of the smoking session to close the through-holes 61. This makes it possible to prevent the balance of airflow resistance between the inside and outside of the sheet member 73 from being disrupted due to air flowing in through the through-holes 61 when a gap occurs between the central portion 71 and the sheet member 73 in the latter part of a smoking session.

[0078] <Summary> The present disclosure includes the following configurations. (1) A flavor inhalation article comprising: a substrate that generates an aerosol when heated; and an upstream portion located upstream of the substrate, wherein the upstream portion has a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the central portion, wherein the central portion comprises a material that shrinks when heated, and wherein a gap is formed between the central portion and the peripheral portion when the central portion shrinks. (2) The flavor inhalation article described in (1), wherein the amount of shrinkage on the downstream side of the central portion is greater than the amount of shrinkage on the upstream side of the central portion. (3) The flavor inhalation article described in (1) or (2), wherein the ratio of the portion of the substrate that has the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central portion in the early stage of a smoking session to the portion of the substrate that has the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central portion in the early stage of a smoking session is 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less. (4) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (3), which has a sheet member between the central portion and the peripheral portion, and the gap is formed between the central portion and the sheet member. (5) The flavor inhalation article according to (4), in which the sheet member is not breathable. (6) The flavor inhalation article according to (4) or (5), in which, in an early stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance inside the sheet member is greater than the airflow resistance outside the sheet member, and in a later stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance inside the sheet member is smaller than the airflow resistance outside the sheet member. (7) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (6), in which the peripheral portion contains crimped paper. (8) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (7), in which the central portion contains cellulose acetate. (9) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the base member includes a first aerosol source radially outward, a second aerosol source radially inward, and a sheet positioned between the first aerosol source and the second aerosol source. (10) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein the airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the base member in an early stage of a smoking session is greater than the airflow resistance of the upstream portion of the base member in a later stage of a smoking session.(11) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (10), comprising a downstream section located downstream of the substrate section, the downstream section having an air vent through which air flows from the outside to the inside. (12) The flavor inhalation article according to (11), wherein the downstream section has: a filter section through which the aerosol generated from the substrate section passes; and a tubular member formed in a cylindrical shape between the substrate section and the filter section, the air vent being located in the tubular member. (13) The flavor inhalation article according to (11) or (12), wherein the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream section to the amount of air inflow from the air vent in an early stage of a smoking session of the substrate is different from the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream section to the amount of air inflow from the air vent in a later stage of a smoking session of the substrate. (14) The flavor inhalation article according to (13), wherein the amount of air inflow from the air vent in a later stage of a smoking session of the substrate is smaller than the amount of air inflow from the air vent in an early stage of a smoking session of the substrate. (15) The flavor inhalation article according to any one of (1) to (14), wherein the upstream portion has a vent hole on a side surface thereof through which air flows from the outside to the inside.

[0079] 1, 2, 3... flavor inhalation article, 10... substrate portion, 11... aerosol source, 20... cooling portion, 30... filter portion, 31... filter, 35... wrapping paper, 40... tip paper, 50... mouthpiece segment, 60, 61... through-hole, 70... tip portion, 71... center portion, 72... peripheral portion, 73... sheet member

Claims

1. A flavor inhalation article comprising: a base portion that generates an aerosol when heated; and an upstream portion located upstream of the base portion, wherein the upstream portion has a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding at least a portion of the central portion, wherein the central portion comprises a material that shrinks when heated, and when the central portion shrinks, a gap is generated between the central portion and the peripheral portion.

2. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 1, wherein the amount of shrinkage on the downstream side of the center is greater than the amount of shrinkage on the upstream side of the center.

3. A flavor inhalation article as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the ratio of the portion of the base material having the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the center in the early stage of a smoking session to the portion of the base material having the smallest size in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the center in the later stage of a smoking session is 0.4 or more and 0.7 or less.

4. The flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a sheet member between the central portion and the peripheral portion, and the gap being formed between the central portion and the sheet member.

5. The flavor inhalation article according to claim 4, wherein the sheet member is not breathable.

6. A flavor inhalation article as described in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein in the early stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance on the inside of the sheet member is greater than the airflow resistance on the outside of the sheet member, and in the later stage of a smoking session of the substrate, the airflow resistance on the inside of the sheet member is less than the airflow resistance on the outside of the sheet member.

7. A flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the peripheral portion comprises crimped paper.

8. A flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the central portion contains cellulose acetate.

9. A flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the base material portion includes a first aerosol source on the radially outer side, a second aerosol source on the radially inner side, and a sheet positioned between the first aerosol source and the second aerosol source.

10. A flavor inhalation article described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the air resistance of the upstream portion of the base material during the early stage of a smoking session is greater than the air resistance of the upstream portion of the base material during the later stage of a smoking session.

11. A flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a downstream portion located downstream of the base portion, the downstream portion having an air hole for allowing air to flow from the outside to the inside.

12. A flavor inhalation article as described in claim 11, wherein the downstream portion has a filter portion through which the aerosol generated from the base portion passes, and a cylindrical member formed in a cylindrical shape between the base portion and the filter portion, and the air hole is located in the cylindrical member.

13. A flavor inhalation article as described in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the ventilation hole during the early stage of a smoking session of the base material is different from the ratio of the amount of air inflow from the upstream portion to the amount of air inflow from the ventilation hole during the later stage of a smoking session of the base material.

14. A flavor inhalation article as described in claim 13, wherein the amount of air flowing in through the ventilation hole in the latter part of a smoking session of the base material is less than the amount of air flowing in through the ventilation hole in the earlier part of a smoking session of the base material.

15. A flavor inhalation article according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the upstream portion has a vent hole on its side for allowing air to flow from the outside to the inside.

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