JP7532525B2 - Articles for use in aerosol delivery systems - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to articles for use in non-flammable aerosol delivery systems, non-flammable aerosol delivery systems including the articles, and methods of forming the articles.

Certain tobacco industry products generate an aerosol during use, which is inhaled by the user. For example, tobacco heating devices heat an aerosol-generating substrate, such as tobacco, to form an aerosol by non-combustion heating of the substrate. Such tobacco industry products typically include a mouthpiece through which the aerosol passes to the user's mouth.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, from a first aspect, there is provided an article for insertion into an apparatus for heating an aerosol generating material to aerosolize at least one component of the aerosol generating material, the article comprising an aerosol generating material and a downstream portion located downstream of the aerosol generating material, the downstream portion comprising at least one ventilation zone defining a first air flow path through which air drawn through the article at its downstream end passes through the aerosol generating material, and a second air flow path defining a second air flow path through which air drawn through the article at its downstream end is drawn through at least one ventilation zone in the downstream portion into the article, the second air flow path having a greater resistance to intake than the first air flow path.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, from the second aspect, there is provided an article for insertion into an apparatus for heating an aerosol-generating material to aerosolize at least one component of the aerosol-generating material, the article comprising an aerosol-generating material wrapped by a paper wrapper having a permeability level of greater than about 2000 Coresta units, and a downstream portion located downstream of the aerosol-generating material and comprising at least one ventilation zone.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, from the third aspect, there is provided an article for insertion into an apparatus for heating an aerosol generating material to aerosolize at least one component of the aerosol generating material, the article comprising an aeration level of 40% to 60% aeration.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, from a fourth aspect, there is provided a non-combustion aerosol delivery system comprising an article according to the first, second and/or third aspects above and a non-combustion aerosol delivery device for heating the aerosol-generating material of the article.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, from a fifth aspect, there is provided a method of forming an article according to the first, second and/or third aspects above, the method comprising wrapping a rod of aerosol-generating material with a permeable wrapping paper and forming a vent zone within a downstream portion connected to the rod of aerosol-generating material.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a cross-sectional side view of an article for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, the article including an aerosol-forming material and a downstream portion located downstream of the aerosol-forming material. FIG. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a further article for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, in this example the article includes a capsule housing portion having a hollow tubular element at a downstream end. FIG. 2b is a cross-sectional view of the capsule housing portion shown in FIG. 2a. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a further article for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, in this example the article includes a downstream portion having a body of material at a downstream end. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a non-combustion aerosol delivery device for generating aerosols from the aerosol-forming materials of the articles of FIGS. 1, 2a and 2b, and FIG. FIG. 5 shows the device of FIG. 4 with the outer cover removed and no item present. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the device of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the device of FIG. 4 with the outer cover omitted. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the device of FIG. 4. FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of a region of the device of FIG. 8A. 1 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing an article for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

Detailed Description
As used herein, the term "delivery system" is intended to encompass a system for delivering at least one substance to a user, including:
Combustible aerosol delivery systems, such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, and tobacco for pipes or for rolled or hand-made cigarettes, whether based on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, puffed tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, tobacco substitutes, or other smoking materials;
Included are non-combustion aerosol delivery systems that release compounds from aerosol-generating materials without burning the aerosol-generating materials, such as electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating products, and mixing systems to generate an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials; and non-aerosol delivery systems that deliver at least one substance to a user orally, nasally, transdermally, or otherwise without forming an aerosol, whether or not the at least one substance contains nicotine, including oral products such as, but not limited to, lozenges, gums, patches, articles containing inhalable powders, and oral tobacco products, including snus or moist snuff.

According to this disclosure, a "flammable" aerosol delivery system is one in which an aerosol-generating component of the aerosol delivery system (or a component thereof) is combusted or burned during use to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

In some embodiments, the delivery system is a combustible aerosol delivery system, such as a system selected from the group consisting of a cigarette, a cigarillo, and a cigar.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to components for use in combustible aerosol delivery systems, such as filters, filter rods, filter segments, tobacco rods, spills, aerosol modifier release components, such as capsules, threads or beads, or papers, such as plug wrap, tipping paper, or cigarette paper.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a "non-combustion" aerosol delivery system is one in which the aerosol-generating components of the aerosol delivery system (or components thereof) are not combusted or burned to facilitate delivery of at least one substance to a user.

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

In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an electronic cigarette, also known as a vaping device or electronic nicotine delivery system (END), although it should be noted that the presence of nicotine in the aerosol generating material is not a requirement.

In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is an aerosol-generating material heating system, also known as a non-combustion heating system. One example of such a system is a tobacco heating system.

In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system is a mixing system that generates an aerosol using a combination of aerosol-generating materials, and one or more of the aerosol-generating materials may be heated. Each of the aerosol-generating materials may be, for example, in solid, liquid, or gel form, and may or may not contain nicotine. In some embodiments, the mixing system includes a liquid or gel aerosol-generating material and a solid aerosol-generating material. The solid aerosol-generating material may include, for example, tobacco or a non-tobacco product.

Typically, a non-combustible aerosol delivery system may include a non-combustible aerosol delivery device and consumables for use with the non-combustible aerosol delivery device.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to consumables comprising an aerosol-generating material configured for use with a non-combustible aerosol delivery device. These consumables are sometimes referred to as articles throughout this disclosure.

In some embodiments, the non-combustion aerosol delivery system, such as the non-combustion aerosol delivery device, can include a power source and a controller. The power source can be, for example, a power source or a heat source. In some embodiments, the heat source includes a carbon substrate that can be excited to dissipate power in the form of heat to an aerosol-generating material or a heat transfer material in proximity to the heat source.

In some embodiments, the non-combustible aerosol delivery system can include an area for receiving consumables, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generation area, a housing, a mouthpiece, a filter, and/or an aerosol modifier.

In some embodiments, consumables for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device can include an aerosol generating material, an aerosol generating material storage area, an aerosol generating material delivery component, an aerosol generator, an aerosol generating area, a housing, a paper roll, a filter, a mouthpiece, and/or an aerosol modifier.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered includes an active agent.

As used herein, an active substance can be a bioactive material, i.e. a material intended to achieve or promote a physiological response. An active substance can be selected from, for example, functional foods, nootropics, psychotropic drugs. An active substance can be naturally occurring or synthetically obtained. An active substance can include, for example, nicotine, caffeine, taurine, theine, vitamins such as B6 or B12 or C, melatonin, cannabinoids, or components, derivatives, or combinations thereof. An active substance can include one or more components, derivatives, or extracts of tobacco extract, cannabis, or another botanical substance.

In some embodiments, the active agent includes nicotine. In some embodiments, the active agent includes caffeine, melatonin, or vitamin B12.

An aerosol-generating material is a material capable of generating an aerosol when excited, for example, by heating, irradiation, or in any other manner. The aerosol-generating material may be in the form of, for example, a solid, liquid, or gel, and may or may not contain actives and/or flavorings. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include an "amorphous solid," which may alternatively be referred to as a "monolithic solid" (i.e., non-fibrous). In some embodiments, the amorphous solid may be a dry gel. An amorphous solid is a solid material that can hold a fluid, such as a liquid, within it. In some embodiments, the aerosol-generating material may include, for example, about 50%, 60%, or 70% by weight of an amorphous solid to about 90%, 95%, or 100% by weight of an amorphous solid.

The aerosol generating materials may include one or more active substances and/or fragrances, one or more aerosol forming materials, and optionally one or more other functional materials.

The aerosol-forming material may include one or more components capable of forming an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material may include one or more of glycerin, glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, erythritol, mesoerythritol, ethyl vanillate, ethyl laurate, diethyl suberate, triethyl citrate, triacetin, diacetin mixture, benzyl benzoate, benzyl phenylacetate, tributyrin, lauryl acetate, lauric acid, myristic acid, and propylene carbonate.

The one or more other functional materials may include one or more of a pH adjuster, a colorant, a preservative, an adhesive, a filler, a stabilizer, and/or an antioxidant.

The materials described herein can be on or in a support to form a substrate. The support can be or include, for example, paper, card, cardboard, recycled material, plastic material, ceramic material, composite material, glass, metal, or metal alloy. In some embodiments, the support comprises a susceptor. In some embodiments, the susceptor is embedded in the material. In some alternative embodiments, the susceptor is on one or either side of the material.

A consumable is an article that includes or consists of an aerosol-generating material, some or all of which is intended to be consumed during use by a user. The consumable may include one or more other components, such as an aerosol-generating material storage area, an aerosol-generating material delivery component, an aerosol-generating area, a housing, a paper wrapper, a mouthpiece, a filter, and/or an aerosol modifier. The consumable may also include an aerosol generator, such as a heater that releases heat upon use to cause the aerosol-generating material to generate an aerosol. The heater may include, for example, a combustible material, a material heatable by electrical conduction, or a susceptor.

An aerosol modifier is a substance configured to modify the generated aerosol, for example by changing the taste, flavor, acidity, or another property of the aerosol, and is typically located downstream of the aerosol-generation zone. The aerosol modifier can be provided in an aerosol modifier-releasing component operable to selectively release the aerosol modifier.

The aerosol modifier may be, for example, an additive or an adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may include, for example, one or more of a flavoring, a colorant, water, and a carbon adsorbent. The aerosol modifier may be, for example, a solid, a liquid, or a gel. The aerosol modifier may be in the form of a powder, a string, or granules. The aerosol modifier may not include a filtration material.

A susceptor is a material that can be heated by penetration by a varying magnetic field, such as an alternating magnetic field. The susceptor can be a conductive material, such that penetration of the conductive material by the varying magnetic field causes inductive heating of the heating material. The heating material can be a magnetic material, such that penetration of the magnetic material by the varying magnetic field causes magnetic hysteresis heating of the heating material. The susceptor can be both conductive and magnetic, such that the susceptor can be heated by either heating mechanism. A device configured to generate a varying magnetic field is referred to herein as a magnetic field generator.

The aerosol generator is a device configured to generate an aerosol from an aerosol-generating material. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is a heater configured to expose the aerosol-generating material to thermal energy to liberate one or more volatile substances from the aerosol-generating material and form an aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol generator is configured to generate an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material without heating. For example, the aerosol generator can be configured to expose the aerosol-generating material to one or more of vibration, increased pressure, or electrostatic energy.

Induction heating is a process in which a conductive object is heated by the penetration of a varying magnetic field into the object. The process is described by Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction and Ohm's law. An induction heater may comprise an electromagnet and a device for passing a varying electric current, such as an alternating current, through the electromagnet. When the electromagnet and the object to be heated are suitably positioned relative to one another such that the resulting varying magnetic field produced by the electromagnet penetrates the object, one or more eddy currents are generated in the object. The object has a resistance to the flow of electric current. Thus, when such eddy currents are generated in the object, the object is heated by flow against the object's electrical resistance. This process is called Joule, Ohmic, or resistive heating. Objects that can be inductively heated are known as susceptors.

In one embodiment, the susceptor is in the form of a closed circuit. It has been found that when the susceptor is in the form of a closed circuit, magnetic coupling between the susceptor and the electromagnet during use is promoted, resulting in greater or improved Joule heating.

Magnetic hysteresis heating is a process whereby an object made from a magnetic material is heated by the penetration of a varying magnetic field into the object. A magnetic material can be thought of as containing many atomic-scale magnets or magnetic dipoles. When a magnetic field penetrates such a material, the magnetic dipoles become aligned with the magnetic field. Thus, when a varying magnetic field, for example an alternating magnetic field provided by an electromagnet, penetrates a magnetic material, the orientation of the magnetic dipoles changes with the variation of the applied magnetic field. This reorientation of the magnetic dipoles produces heat within the magnetic material.

When an object is both conductive and magnetic, a fluctuating magnetic field penetrating the object can produce both Joule heating and magnetic hysteresis heating in the object. Furthermore, the magnetic field can be reinforced by the use of magnetic materials, thereby enhancing Joule heating.

In each of the above processes, because heat is generated in the object itself, rather than an external heat source by thermal conduction, rapid temperature rise and more uniform heat distribution in the object can be achieved, particularly by selecting suitable object materials and geometries and suitable magnitudes and orientations of the varying magnetic field relative to the object. Furthermore, induction heating and magnetic hysteresis heating do not require providing a physical connection between the varying magnetic field source and the object, allowing greater design freedom and control over the heating profile and lower costs.

Articles such as consumables described herein, e.g., rod-shaped articles, are often designated according to the length of the product as "regular" (typically 68-75 mm, e.g., in the range of about 68 mm to about 72 mm), "short" or "mini" (68 mm or less), "king size" (typically 75-91 mm, e.g., in the range of about 79 mm to about 88 mm), "long" or "super king" (typically 91-105 mm, e.g., in the range of about 94 mm to about 101 mm), and "ultra long" (typically in the range of about 110 mm to about 121 mm).

The articles are also designated according to the circumference of the product: "regular" (about 23-25 mm), "wide" (over 25 mm), "slim" (about 22-23 mm), "demi-slim" (about 19-22 mm), "super slim" (about 16-19 mm), and "micro-slim" (less than about 16 mm).

Thus, a king size, super slim format item, for example, has a length of about 83 mm and a circumference of about 17 mm.

The article can include an aerosol-generating material and a downstream portion downstream of the aerosol-generating material, and each format can be made with a downstream portion of a different length. The length of the downstream portion is typically about 30mm to 50mm. Tipping paper connects the downstream portion to the aerosol-generating material, and the tipping paper typically has a length greater than the downstream portion, for example 3-10mm longer, such that the tipping paper covers the downstream portion, for example overlapping the aerosol-generating material in the form of a rod, and connecting the downstream portion to the rod.

The articles described herein and their aerosol-generating materials and downstream portions can be made in any of the forms described above, including but not limited to those described above.

As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are relative terms defined with respect to the direction in which mainstream aerosol is drawn through the article or device in use.

The filament tow or filter material described herein can include fiber tow of cellulose acetate. The filament tow can also be formed using other materials used to form fibers, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(1-4 butanediol succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), starch-based materials, cotton, aliphatic polyester materials, and polysaccharide polymers, or combinations thereof. The filament tow can be plasticized with a suitable plasticizer for the tow, such as triacetin if the material is cellulose acetate tow, or the tow can be unplasticized. The tows can have any suitable specifications, such as other cross sections, such as "Y" or "X", filament denier values of 2.5 to 15, e.g., 8.0 to 11.0 denier per filament, and fibers having a total denier value of 5,000 to 50,000, e.g., 10,000 to 40,000. The cross sections of the fibers can have an isoperimeter ratio L ² /A of 25 or less, preferably 20 or less, more preferably 15 or less, where L is the perimeter of the cross section and A is the area of the cross section. Such fibers have a relatively small surface area for a given value of denier per filament, thereby improving the delivery of aerosols to the consumer. Filter materials described herein also include cellulosic materials, such as paper. Such materials can have a relatively low density, such as about 0.1 to about 0.45 grams per cubic centimeter, to allow air and/or aerosols to pass through the material. Although described as a filter material, such a material may have a primary purpose such as increasing the draw resistance of the component and thus is not related to filtration.

As used herein, the term "tobacco material" refers to any material that includes tobacco or a derivative or substitute thereof. The term "tobacco material" may include one or more of tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstituted tobacco, or tobacco substitutes. Tobacco material may include one or more of ground tobacco, tobacco fiber, cut tobacco, extruded tobacco, tobacco stems, tobacco leaf, reconstituted tobacco, and/or tobacco extract.

As described herein, the active material may include or be derived from one or more botanical materials or their components, derivatives, or extracts. As used herein, the term "botanical material" includes any material derived from a plant, including, but not limited to, extracts, leaves, bark, fibers, stems, roots, seeds, flowers, fruits, pollen, pods, husks, and the like. Alternatively, the material may include active compounds naturally present in the botanical material, synthetically obtained active compounds. The material may be in the form of a liquid, gas, solid, powder, dust, crushed particles, granules, pellets, chips, strips, sheets, and the like. Exemplary botanical substances include tobacco, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp, cocoa, cannabis, fennel, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, rooibos, chamomile, flax, ginger, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay, licorice, matcha, yerba mate, orange peel, papaya, rose, sage, tea, such as green or black tea, thyme, cloves, cinnamon, coffee, aniseed, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lavender, and the like. The mint may be selected from the group consisting of Mentha arvensis, Mentha c.v., Mentha niliaca, Mentha piperita, Mentha piperita citrate c.v., Mentha piperita citrata c.v., Mentha niliaca ... , Mentha piperita c.v., Mentha spicata crispa, Mentha cardifolia, Mentha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens variegata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha spicata c.v., and Mentha suaveolens mint types can be selected.

In some embodiments, the active agent comprises or is derived from one or more botanical substances or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the botanical substance is tobacco.

In some embodiments, the active agent comprises or is derived from one or more botanical substances or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the botanical substances are selected from eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, and hemp.

In some embodiments, the active agent comprises or is derived from one or more botanical substances or components, derivatives, or extracts thereof, and the botanical substances are selected from rooibos and fennel.

In some embodiments, the substance to be delivered includes a fragrance.

As used herein, the terms "flavor" and "flavoring agent" refer to materials that can be used, where local regulations permit, to produce a desired taste, aroma, or other somatic sensation in a product intended for adult consumers. Flavoring agents include naturally occurring flavor materials, botanical substances, extracts of botanical substances, synthetically obtained materials, or combinations thereof (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, licorice, hydrangea, eugenol, magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, maple, matcha, menthol, peppermint, aniseed (aniseed), cinnamon, turmeric, Indian spices, Asian spices, herbs, wintergreen, cherry, berry, red berry, cranberry, peach, apple, orange, mango, clementine, lemon, lime, tropical fruit, papaya, etc.). A, rhubarb, grapes, durian, dragon fruit, cucumber, blueberries, mulberry, citrus fruits, drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, aloe vera, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, khat, naswar, betel quid, shisha, pine, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, orange blossom, cherry blossom, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang ylang , sage, fennel, wasabi, pimento, ginger, coriander, coffee, hemp, mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha, eucalyptus, star anise, cocoa, lemongrass, rooibos, flax, ginkgo, hazel, hibiscus, bay leaf, yerba mate, orange peel, rose, tea such as green or black tea, thyme, juniper, elderflower, basil, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, saffron, lemon peel, mint, shiso, turmeric, cilantro, myrtle, black currant, valerian, bell pepper, mace, Damian , marjoram, olive, lemon balm, lemon basil, chives, caraway, verbena, tarragon, limonene, thymol, camphene), flavor enhancers, bitter receptor site blockers, sensory receptor site activators or stimulants, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath fresheners. The flavorings may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients, or mixtures thereof. The flavorings may be in any suitable form, e.g., liquids such as oils, solids such as powders, or gases.

In some embodiments, the flavoring includes menthol, spearmint, and/or peppermint. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes cucumber, blueberry, citrus, and/or red berry flavor ingredients. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes eugenol. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavor ingredients extracted from tobacco. In some embodiments, the flavoring includes flavor ingredients extracted from cannabis.

In some embodiments, the flavorings may include sensates intended to achieve somatic sensations that are chemically induced and perceived, usually by stimulation of the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal nerve), in addition to or instead of the olfactory or gustatory nerves, and these may include agents that provide a heating, cooling, tingling, or numbing effect. Suitable heating agents may be, but are not limited to, vanillyl ethyl ether, and suitable cooling agents may be, but are not limited to, eucalyptol, WS-3.

The figures described herein use the same reference numbers to describe equivalent features, items, or components.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an article 1 for use with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device. In this example and other examples described herein, the article can be a tobacco heating consumable.

The article 1 comprises a downstream portion 2, in this example a mouthpiece 2, arranged to be received in the mouth of a user, and an aerosol-generating material 3, in this case a cylindrical rod of tobacco material, connected to the mouthpiece 2. In an alternative example, the downstream portion 2 may constitute a portion of the article 1 that is downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3 and that is not arranged to be received in the mouth of a user.

In this example, the aerosol-generating material 3 is wound into a paper wrapper 10. The paper wrapper 10 can be, for example, a paper or paper-backed foil wrapper. In this example, the paper wrapper 10 has a high permeability level, preferably greater than about 1000 Coresta units, more preferably greater than about 1500 Coresta units, or most preferably greater than about 2000 Coresta units. The paper wrapper 10 can have a maximum permeability of less than about 20000 Coresta units, preferably less than about 15000 Coresta units, and most preferably less than about 5000 Coresta units. The permeability of the paper wrapper 10 can be measured according to ISO 2965:2009 for the determination of the air permeability of materials used as cigarette paper, filter plug wrap, and filter bonding paper.

The web 10 can be made of a material with a high inherent permeability level, an inherently porous material, or any material with an inherent permeability level where the final permeability level is achieved by providing the web 10 with permeable sections or zones. If the web 10 is provided with permeable sections, the permeable sections can be discrete zones, or the permeable sections can extend substantially throughout the web 10. For example, the web 10 can be provided with discrete bands of ventilation perforations, or the web can be provided with ventilation perforations that extend substantially throughout the web 10. Any configuration of ventilation perforations can be provided in the web 10 to achieve the final permeability level. The percentage of the surface area of the web having the permeability levels described herein can be greater than 50%, greater than 75%, greater than 90%, or 100%.

When a user inhales air through the mouthpiece 2, the air enters the article 1 through the highly permeable paper wrapper 10. A first flow path is defined for air entering the article 1 through the paper wrapper 10, and air inhaled through the mouth end 2b of the article 1 passes through the aerosol-generating material rod 3. The first flow path is indicated by a solid arrow in FIG. 1.

Ventilation is provided directly into the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 through the ventilation zone 12. In this example, the ventilation zone 12 comprises first and second parallel rows of perforations, formed as laser perforations 17.925 mm and 18.625 mm away from the downstream mouth end 2b of the mouthpiece 2, respectively. The perforations pass through the tipping paper 5, the second plug wrap 9, and the second hollow tubular element 8. In alternative embodiments, ventilation can be provided elsewhere into the mouthpiece, for example into the body of material 6 or the first tubular element 4.

Alternatively, ventilation can be provided through a single row of perforations, e.g., laser perforations, into the portion of the article in which the second hollow tubular element is located. This has been found to result in improved aerosol formation, believed to be due to the fact that for a given ventilation level, the air flow through the perforations is more uniform than with multiple rows of perforations.

When the user inhales air through the mouthpiece 2, air also enters the article through the ventilation section 12. Thus, a second flow path is defined, indicated by the hollow arrow in FIG. 1, where air entering the article through the ventilation section 12 of the mouthpiece enters the article downstream of the aerosol-generating material rod 3.

The ventilation zone 12 provides a ventilation level to the article that is less than 50% of the air drawn through the article. Thus, the resistance to draw in the second air flow path is greater than the resistance to draw in the first air flow path.

The article may have a ventilation level of about 75% of the aerosol drawn through the article. In alternative embodiments, the article may have a ventilation level of about 10% to about 90% of the aerosol drawn through the article, for example about 15% to about 45% or about 20% to about 45% of the aerosol drawn through the article, alternatively 40% to 90%, for example 40% to 80% of the aerosol drawn through the article. These levels of ventilation help to slow down the flow of aerosol drawn through the mouthpiece 2, thereby allowing the aerosol to cool sufficiently before it reaches the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2. It has been found that the aerosol temperature generally increases with a decrease in ventilation level. However, the relationship between aerosol temperature and ventilation level does not appear to be linear, e.g., at lower target ventilation levels, variations in ventilation due to manufacturing tolerances have less impact. For example, with a ventilation tolerance of ±15%, if the target ventilation level is 75%, the aerosol temperature may increase by about 6° C. at the lower ventilation limit (60% ventilation). However, if the target ventilation level is 60%, the aerosol temperature will only increase by about 3.5° C. at the lower ventilation limit (45% ventilation). Thus, the target ventilation level of an article may be in the range of 40% to 70%, such as 45% to 65%. The average ventilation level of at least 20 articles may be 20% to 70%, such as 40% to 70%, such as 45% to 70% or 25% to 45% or 51% to 59%.

Because the resistance of inhalation of the second air flow path is greater than that of the first air flow path, relatively more air passes through the aerosol-generating material rod 3 into the first air flow path than enters the article from the mouthpiece through the second air flow path. As a result, the aerosol inhaled by the user through the mouth end 2b contains a higher proportion of flavored aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating material rod than the proportion of dilution air entering through the ventilation zone 12. As a result, the article produces a more flavorful aerosol, which is more satisfying to the user.

The mouthpiece 2 comprises a cavity having an internal volume greater than 450 mm ^3. It has been found that providing a cavity of at least this volume allows for improved aerosol formation. Such a cavity size provides sufficient space within the mouthpiece 2 to allow heated volatile components to cool, as would result in an aerosol that is too warm, thus allowing exposure of the aerosol-generating material 3 to higher temperatures than would otherwise be possible.

In this example, the mouthpiece 2 comprises a first hollow tubular element 4 and a second hollow tubular element 8 located upstream of the first hollow tubular element 4, the second hollow tubular element 8 also referred to as a cooling element. In this example, the cavity is formed in the second hollow tubular element 8, but in alternative configurations it can also be formed in a different part of the mouthpiece 2. More preferably, the mouthpiece 2 comprises a cavity formed, for example, in the second hollow tubular element 8, and having an internal volume larger than 500 mm ³ , even more preferably larger than 550 mm ³ , which allows further improvement of the aerosol. In some examples, the internal cavity comprises a volume of about 550 mm ³ to about 750 mm ³ , for example about 600 mm ³ or 700 mm ³ .

In this example, the second hollow tubular element 8 is located upstream of the body of material 6, adjacent to the body of material 6, and in abutting relationship with the body of material 6. The body of material 6 and the second hollow tubular element 8 each define a substantially cylindrical overall outer shape and share a common longitudinal axis. The second hollow tubular element 8 is formed from multiple layers of paper that are wound in parallel and abut at a seam to form the tubular element 8. In this example, the first and second paper layers are provided as a double tube, but in other examples, three, four, or more paper layers can be used to form triple, quadruple, or more tubes. Other constructions can also be used, such as spirally wound paper layers, cardboard tubes, tubes formed using a paper mache type process, molded or extruded plastic tubes, etc.

The second hollow tubular element 8 may also be formed using a stiff plug wrap and/or tipping paper, such as the second plug wrap 9 and/or tipping paper 5 described in more detail above, meaning that a separate tubular element is not required. The stiff plug wrap and/or tipping paper is manufactured to have sufficient stiffness to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacture and use of the article 1. For example, the stiff plug wrap and/or tipping paper may have a basis weight of 70 gsm to 120 gsm, more preferably 80 gsm to 110 gsm. Additionally or alternatively, the stiff plug wrap and/or tipping paper may have a thickness of 80 μm to 200 μm, more preferably 100 μm to 160 μm, or 120 μm to 150 μm. It may be desirable to have values within these ranges for both the second plug wrap 9 and the tipping paper 5 to achieve an acceptable overall stiffness level for the second hollow tubular element 8.

The second hollow tubular element 8 preferably has a wall thickness that can be measured in the same manner as the first hollow tubular element 4, with the wall thickness of the second hollow tubular element 8 being at least about 100 μm to a maximum of about 1.5 mm, preferably 100 μm to 1 mm, more preferably 150 μm to 500 μm, or about 300 μm. In this example, the second hollow tubular element 8 has a wall thickness of about 290 μm.

In other embodiments, the second hollow tubular element 8 has a wall thickness of at least about 325 μm to about 2 mm, preferably 500 μm to 1.5 mm, and more preferably 750 μm to 1 mm. For example, the second hollow tubular element 8 can have a wall thickness of about 1 mm.

In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the second hollow tubular element 8 is at least 325 microns, preferably at least 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, or 1000 microns. In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the second hollow tubular element 8 is at least 1250 or 1500 microns.

In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the second hollow tubular element 8 is less than 2000 microns, preferably less than 1500 microns.

Increasing the wall thickness of the second hollow tubular element 8 means that the second hollow tubular element 8 has a greater thermal mass, which has been found to reduce the temperature of the aerosol passing through the second hollow tubular element 8 and helps to reduce the surface temperature of the mouthpiece at points downstream of the second hollow tubular element 8.

This is believed to be because the greater thermal mass of the second hollow tubular element 8 allows it to absorb more heat from the aerosol compared to a second hollow tubular element 8 having a thinner wall thickness. Also, increasing the thickness of the second hollow tubular element 8 causes the aerosol to pass centrally through the mouthpiece, thus transferring less heat from the aerosol to the outer portions of the mouthpiece, such as the outer portions of the body of material.

In some embodiments, the permeability of the wall material of the second hollow tubular element 8 is at least 100 Coresta units, preferably at least 500 or 1000 Coresta units.

The relatively high permeability of the second hollow tubular element 8 has been found to increase the amount of heat transferred from the aerosol to the tubular portion, thus reducing the temperature of the aerosol. The permeability of the second hollow tubular element 8 has also been found to increase the amount of moisture transferred from the aerosol to the second hollow tubular element 8, thereby improving the feel of the aerosol in the user's mouth. The high permeability of the second hollow tubular element 8 also makes it easier to cut the vent using a laser, which means that a lower powered laser can be used.

The length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is preferably less than about 50 mm. More preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 40 mm. Even more preferably, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is less than about 30 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is preferably at least about 10 mm. The length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is preferably at least about 15 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is about 20 mm to about 30 mm, more preferably about 22 mm to about 28 mm, even more preferably about 24 mm to about 26 mm, and most preferably about 25 mm. In this example, the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 is 25 mm.

The second hollow tubular element 8 is positioned around and defines a cavity in the mouthpiece 2 acting as a cooling segment. The cavity provides a chamber through which the heated volatile components generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 flow. The second hollow tubular element 8 is hollow and provides a chamber for the aerosol accumulation that is still rigid enough to withstand axial compressive forces and bending moments that may occur during manufacture and use of the article 1. The second hollow tubular element 8 provides a physical displacement between the aerosol-generating material 3 and the body of material 6. The physical displacement provided by the second hollow tubular element 8 provides a temperature gradient over the length of the second hollow tubular element 8.

The second hollow tubular element 8 can be configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 40 degrees Celsius between the heated volatile component entering the first upstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8 and the heated volatile component exiting the second downstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8. The second hollow tubular element 8 is preferably configured to provide a temperature difference of at least 60 degrees Celsius, 80 degrees Celsius, or preferably 100 degrees Celsius between the heated volatile component entering the first upstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8 and the heated volatile component exiting the second downstream end of the second hollow tubular element 8. This temperature difference over the length of the second hollow tubular element 8 protects the temperature sensitive body of material 6 from the high temperature of the aerosol generating material 3 when heated.

In an alternative article, the second hollow tubular element 8 may be replaced by an alternative cooling element, for example an element formed from a body of material that performs the function of cooling the aerosol while allowing the aerosol to pass longitudinally.

In some examples, the aerosol-generating material described herein is a first aerosol-generating material, and the second hollow tubular element 8 can include a second aerosol-generating material. The second hollow tubular element 8 can include a wall that includes the second aerosol-generating material. For example, the second aerosol-generating material can be disposed on an inner wall of the second hollow tubular element 8.

The second aerosol generating material includes at least one aerosol forming material and may also include at least one aerosol modifier or other sensate material. The aerosol forming material and/or aerosol modifier may be any aerosol forming material or aerosol modifier described herein, or a combination thereof.

As the aerosol generated from the aerosol-generating material 3, referred to herein as the first aerosol, is drawn through the second hollow tubular element 8 of the mouthpiece, heat from the first aerosol can aerosolize the aerosol-forming material of the second aerosol-generating material to form a second aerosol. The second aerosol can include flavorings that can be additional or complementary to the flavoring of the first aerosol.

Providing a second aerosol-generating material in the second hollow tubular element 8 can result in the generation of a second aerosol that enhances or complements the scent or appearance of the first aerosol.

In some examples, the article 1 can be configured such that there is a separation distance (i.e., a minimum distance) between the heater of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 and the second hollow tubular element 8. This prevents heat from the heater from damaging the material forming the second hollow tubular element 8.

The minimum distance between the heater of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 and the second hollow tubular element 8 can be 3 mm or more. In some examples, the minimum distance between the heater of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 and the second hollow tubular element 8 can be in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm, e.g., 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm.

The separation distance between the heating element of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 and the second hollow tubular element 8 can be achieved, for example, by adjusting the length of the aerosol generating material 21.

The aerosol-forming material 3, also referred to herein as the aerosol-generating substrate 3, comprises at least one aerosol-forming material. In this example, the aerosol-forming material is glycerol. In alternative examples, the aerosol-forming material can be another material or combination thereof described herein. It has been found that the aerosol-forming material improves the sensory performance of the article by aiding in the transfer of compounds, such as flavor compounds, from the aerosol-generating material to the consumer. However, a problem with adding such an aerosol-forming material to the aerosol-generating material in an article for use in a non-combustible aerosol delivery system is that when the aerosol-forming material is aerosolized upon heating, it can increase the mass of the aerosol delivered by the article, which in turn can maintain a higher temperature as the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece. As the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece, it transfers heat into the mouthpiece, which warms the exterior surface of the mouthpiece, including the area that contacts the consumer's lips during use. Mouthpiece temperatures may be significantly higher than a consumer may be accustomed to when smoking, for example, a conventional cigarette, and undesirable effects may be caused by the use of such aerosol-forming materials.

Typically, the part of the mouthpiece that comes into contact with the consumer's lips is a paper tube that is hollow or surrounds a cylinder of filter material.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1 comprises an upstream end 2a adjacent the aerosol-generating substrate 3 and a downstream end 2b remote from the aerosol-generating substrate 3. The mouthpiece 2 has a hollow tubular element 4 formed from filament tow at the downstream end 2b. Advantageously, this has been found to significantly reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 at the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece which contacts the consumer's mouth when the article 1 is in use. In addition, the use of the tubular element 4 has also been found to significantly reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 upstream of the tubular element 4. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is hypothesized that this is due to the tubular element 4 causing the aerosol to pass closer to the center of the mouthpiece 2, thus reducing the transfer of heat from the aerosol to the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2.

In this example, the article 1 has a circumference of about 21 mm (i.e., the article is in a demi-slim format). In other examples, the article can be provided in any of the formats described herein, for example having a circumference of 15 mm to 25 mm. Improved heating efficiency can be achieved by using an article having a smaller circumference within this range, for example a circumference of less than 23 mm, when the article is heated to release the aerosol. It has been found that article circumferences greater than 19 mm are also particularly effective for achieving improved aerosol upon heating while maintaining a suitable product length. It has been found that articles having a circumference of 19 mm to 23 mm, more preferably 20 mm to 22 mm, provide a good balance that allows efficient heating while providing effective aerosol delivery.

The circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is substantially the same as the circumference of the rod of aerosol-generating material 3, so that the transition between these components is smooth. In this example, the circumference of the mouthpiece 2 is about 20.8 mm. A tipping paper 5 is wrapped over a portion of the rod of aerosol-generating material 3 over the entire length of the mouthpiece 2, the tipping paper 5 having an adhesive on its inner surface to connect the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3. In this example, the tipping paper 5 extends 5 mm over the rod of aerosol-generating material 3, but alternatively it can extend 3 mm to 10 mm, or more preferably 4 mm to 6 mm, over the rod 3 to provide a secure attachment between the mouthpiece 2 and the rod 3. The tipping paper 5 can have a basis weight greater than that of the plug wrap used in the article 1, for example, a basis weight of 40 gsm to 80 gsm, more preferably 50 gsm to 70 gsm, in this example 58 gsm. It has been found that these basis weight ranges result in a tipping paper that has acceptable tensile strength while being flexible enough to wrap the article 1 around itself and attach it along the longitudinal lap seam of the paper. After being wrapped around the mouthpiece 2, the circumference of the tipping paper 5 is approximately 21 mm.

In some examples, the tipping paper includes a citrate salt, such as sodium citrate or potassium citrate. In such examples, the tipping paper can have a citrate content of 2% by weight or less, or 1% by weight or less. It is believed that reducing the citrate content of the tipping paper helps reduce charring that may occur during use.

The "wall thickness" of the hollow tubular element 4 corresponds to the thickness of the wall of the tube 4 in the radial direction. This can be measured, for example, using calipers. Advantageously, the wall thickness is greater than 0.9 mm, more preferably equal to or greater than 1.0 mm. The wall thickness is preferably substantially constant throughout the wall of the hollow tubular element 4. However, if the wall thickness is not substantially constant, the wall thickness is preferably greater than 0.9 mm, more preferably equal to or greater than 1.0 mm, at any point around the hollow tubular element 4.

In some embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is greater than about 10 mm, or greater than about 12 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is less than about 30 mm, or less than about 25 mm. Preferably, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is between about 5 mm and about 25 mm, for example between about 6 mm and about 20 mm, or between about 6 mm and about 15 mm. In this example, the length of the hollow tubular element 4 is about 12 mm.

In some embodiments, it may be particularly advantageous to use a first hollow tubular element 4 having a length of more than about 10 mm, for example from about 10 mm to about 30 mm or from about 12 mm to about 25 mm. It has been found that the consumer's lips are likely to extend about 12 mm from the mouth end of the article 1 in some cases when inhaling aerosol from the article 1, and therefore having a first hollow tubular element 4 of at least 10 mm or at least 12 mm in length means that most of the consumer's lips will surround this element 4. Advantageously, it has been found that a tubular element of about 12 mm or more exposes the consumer's lips to a lower temperature than a shorter tubular element.

The density of the hollow tubular element 4 is preferably at least about 0.25 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc), more preferably at least about 0.3 g/cc. The density of the hollow tubular element 4 is preferably less than about 0.75 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc), more preferably less than 0.6 g/cc. In some embodiments, the density of the hollow tubular element 4 is 0.25 to 0.75 g/cc, more preferably 0.3 to 0.6 g/cc, more preferably 0.4 g/cc to 0.6 g/cc or about 0.5 g/cc. These densities have been found to provide a good balance between the improved stiffness provided by the higher density material and the lower heat transfer characteristics of the lower density material. For purposes of this invention, the "density" of the hollow tubular element 4 refers to the density of the filament tow forming the element in which any plasticizer is incorporated. The density can be determined by dividing the total weight of the hollow tubular elements 4 by the total volume of the hollow tubular elements 4, and the total volume can be calculated using suitable measurements of the hollow tubular elements 4, for example obtained using calipers. If necessary, suitable dimensions can be measured using a microscope.

The filament tows forming the hollow tubular elements 4 preferably have a total denier of less than 45,000, more preferably less than 42,000. This total denier has been found to allow for the formation of tubular elements 4 that are not too dense. The total denier is preferably at least 20,000, more preferably at least 25,000. In a preferred embodiment, the filament tows forming the hollow tubular elements 4 have a total denier of 25,000 to 45,000, more preferably 35,000 to 45,000. The cross-sectional shape of the filaments of the tow is preferably "Y" shaped, although in other embodiments other shapes such as "X" shaped filaments may be used.

The filament tows forming the hollow tubular elements 4 preferably have a denier per filament greater than 3. This denier per filament has been found to allow for the formation of tubular elements 4 that are not too dense. The denier per filament is preferably at least 4, more preferably at least 5. In a preferred embodiment, the filament tows forming the hollow tubular elements 4 have a denier per filament between 4 and 10, more preferably between 4 and 9. In one example, the filament tows forming the hollow tubular elements 4 have an 8Y40,000 tow formed from cellulose acetate and containing 18% plasticizer, e.g., triacetin.

The hollow tubular element 4 preferably has an inner diameter of greater than 3.0 mm. A smaller diameter may increase the velocity of the aerosol passing through the mouthpiece 2 to the consumer's mouth more than desired, resulting in the aerosol becoming too warm, for example reaching a temperature of greater than 40° C. or greater than 45° C. The hollow tubular element 4 more preferably has an inner diameter of greater than 3.1 mm, even more preferably greater than 3.5 mm or 3.6 mm. In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the hollow tubular element 4 is about 3.9 mm.

The hollow tubular element 4 preferably contains 15% to 22% by weight of plasticizer. For cellulose acetate tow, the plasticizer is preferably triacetin, although other plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) can be used. More preferably, the tubular element 4 contains 16% to 20% by weight of plasticizer, for example about 17%, about 18%, or about 19% plasticizer.

The pressure drop or pressure difference (also referred to as resistance to draw) across the mouthpiece, for example the portion of the article 1 downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3, is preferably less than about 40 mmH ₂ O. It has been found that such a pressure drop allows sufficient aerosol, including desirable compounds such as flavor compounds, to pass through the mouthpiece 2 to the consumer. More preferably, the pressure drop across the mouthpiece 2 is less than about 32 mmH ₂ O. In some embodiments, particularly improved aerosols are achieved by using a mouthpiece 2 having a pressure drop of less than 31 mmH ₂ O, for example about 29 mmH ₂ O, about 28 mmH ₂ O, or about 27.5 mmH ₂ O. Alternatively or additionally, the pressure drop across the mouthpiece may be at least 10 mmH ₂ O, preferably at least 15 mmH ₂ O, more preferably at least 20 mmH ₂ O. In some embodiments, the pressure drop across the mouthpiece may be between about 15 mmH ₂ O and 40 mmH ₂ O. These values allow the mouthpiece 2 to decelerate the aerosol as it passes through it, thus allowing time for the temperature of the aerosol to decrease before it reaches the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2.

In this example, the mouthpiece 2 includes a body of material 6 upstream of the hollow tubular element 4, in this example adjacent to and in abutting relationship with the hollow tubular element 4. The body of material 6 and the hollow tubular element 4 each define a substantially cylindrical overall outer shape and share a common longitudinal axis. The body of material 6 is rolled up within a first plug wrap 7. The first plug wrap 7 preferably has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably between about 20 gsm and 40 gsm. The first plug wrap 7 preferably has a thickness of between 30 μm and 60 μm, more preferably between 35 μm and 45 μm. The first plug wrap 7 is preferably a non-porous plug wrap, for example having a permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, for example less than 50 Coresta units. However, in other embodiments, the first plug wrap 7 may be a porous plug wrap, for example having a permeability of greater than 200 Coresta units.

The length of the body of material 6 is preferably less than about 15 mm. More preferably, the length of the body of material 6 is less than about 10 mm. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the body of material 6 is at least about 5 mm. Preferably, the length of the body of material 6 is at least about 6 mm. In some preferred embodiments, the length of the body of material 6 is from about 5 mm to about 15 mm, more preferably from about 6 mm to about 12 mm, even more preferably from about 6 mm to about 12 mm, and most preferably about 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm. In this example, the length of the body of material 6 is 10 mm.

In this example, the body of material 6 is formed from filament tow. In this example, the tow used in the body of material 6 has a denier per filament (d.p.f.) of 8.4 and a total denier of 21,000. Alternatively, the tow can have, for example, a denier per filament (d.p.f.) of 9.5 and a total denier of 12,000. Alternatively, the tow can have, for example, a denier per filament (d.p.f.) of 8 and a total denier of 15,000. In this example, the tow comprises a tow of plasticized cellulose acetate. The plasticizer used in the tow comprises about 7% by weight of the tow. In this example, the plasticizer is triacetin. In other examples, different materials can be used to form the body of material 6. For example, rather than tow, the body of material 6 can be formed from paper, for example, in a manner similar to paper filters known for use in cigarettes. Alternatively, the body of material 6 can be formed from tows other than cellulose acetate, such as polylactic acid (PLA), other materials described herein with respect to filament tows, or similar materials. The tows, whether formed from cellulose acetate or other materials, preferably have a d.p.f. of at least 5, more preferably at least 6, and even more preferably at least 7. These denier per filament values provide tows with relatively coarse, thick fibers with smaller surface areas, resulting in a lower pressure drop across the mouthpiece 2 than tows with smaller d.p.f. values. To achieve a sufficiently uniform body of material 6, it is preferred that the tows have a denier per filament of 12 d.p.f. or less, preferably 11 d.p.f. or less, and even more preferably 10 d.p.f. or less.

The total denier of the tows forming the body 6 is preferably at most 30,000, more preferably at most 28,000, and even more preferably at most 25,000. These total denier values provide the tows to occupy a smaller percentage of the cross-sectional area of the mouthpiece 2, resulting in a lower pressure drop in the mouthpiece 2 than tows having higher total denier values. For a body 6 of suitable stiffness, the tows preferably have a total denier of at least 8,000, more preferably at least 10,000. The denier per filament is preferably 5-12, and the total denier is preferably 10,000-25,000. More preferably, the denier per filament is 6-10, and the total denier is 11,000-22,000. The cross-sectional shape of the filaments of the tow is preferably "Y" shaped, although other shapes such as "X" shaped filaments having the same d.p.f. and total denier values provided herein may be used in other embodiments.

The cross-section of the fiber can have an isoperimetric ratio ^L2 /A of 25 or less, 20 or less, or 15 or less, where L is the perimeter of the cross-section and A is the area of the cross-section. Such fibers have a relatively small surface area for a given value of denier per filament, thereby improving aerosol delivery to the consumer.

In this example, the first hollow tubular element 4, the body of material 6, and the second hollow tubular element 8 are combined using a second plug wrap 9 wrapped around all three sections. The second plug wrap 9 preferably has a basis weight of less than 50 gsm, more preferably between about 20 gsm and 45 gsm. The second plug wrap 9 preferably has a thickness of between 30 μm and 60 μm, more preferably between 35 μm and 45 μm. The second plug wrap 9 is preferably a non-porous plug wrap having a permeability of less than 100 Coresta units, for example less than 50 Coresta units. However, in alternative embodiments, the second plug wrap 9 may also be a porous plug wrap having a permeability of, for example, greater than 200 Coresta units.

In this example, the aerosol-forming material added to the aerosol-generating substrate 3 constitutes 14% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate 3. The aerosol-forming material preferably constitutes at least 5% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate, more preferably at least 10%. The aerosol-forming material preferably constitutes less than 25% by weight of the aerosol-generating substrate, more preferably less than 20%, for example 10%-20%, 12%-18%, or 13%-16%.

The aerosol-generating material 3 is preferably provided as a cylindrical rod of aerosol-generating material. Regardless of the form of the aerosol-generating material, the aerosol-generating material 3 preferably has a length of about 10 mm to 100 mm. In some embodiments, the length of the aerosol-generating material is preferably in the range of about 25 mm to 50 mm, more preferably in the range of about 30 mm to 45 mm, and even more preferably in the range of about 30 mm to 40 mm.

The volume of the aerosol-generating material 3 provided may vary from ^about 200 mm to about 4300 ^mm , preferably from ^about 500 mm to 1500 ^mm , and more preferably from ^about 1000 mm to about 1300 ^mm . Providing aerosol-generating material in these volumes, for example ^from about 1000 mm to about 1300 ^mm , has been shown to advantageously provide superior aerosols with improved visibility and sensory performance when compared to those provided with volumes selected from the lower end of this range.

The mass of aerosol-generating material 3 provided may be greater than 200 mg, for example between about 200 mg and 400 mg, preferably between about 230 mg and 360 mg, more preferably between about 250 mg and 360 mg. Advantageously, providing a greater mass of aerosol-generating material has been found to result in improved sensory performance when compared to aerosols generated from smaller masses of tobacco material.

The aerosol-generating material or substrate is preferably formed from a tobacco material as described herein that includes a tobacco component.

In the tobacco materials described herein, the tobacco component preferably contains reconstituted tobacco. The tobacco component may also contain leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and/or band-cast tobacco.

The aerosol-generating material 3 can include a regenerated tobacco material having a density of less than about 700 milligrams per cubic centimeter (mg/cc). Such tobacco materials have been found to be particularly effective in providing an aerosol-generating material that can be rapidly heated to release an aerosol, as compared to materials with higher densities. For example, the inventors have tested the properties of various aerosol-generating materials when heated, such as band-cast regenerated tobacco materials and paper regenerated tobacco materials. It has been found that for each given aerosol-generating material, there is a specific zero heat flow temperature below which, while heat is being applied to the material, the net heat flow is endothermic, i.e., more heat leaves the material than enters it, and above which the net heat flow is exothermic, i.e., more heat leaves the material than enters it. Materials with densities less than 700 mg/cc had lower zero heat flow temperatures. Since the majority of the heat flow leaving the material is due to the formation of the aerosol, having a lower zero heat flow temperature has a beneficial effect on the time it takes to initially release the aerosol from the aerosol-generating material. For example, it has been found that aerosol-generating materials having densities less than 700 mg/cc have zero heat flow temperatures less than 164° C., compared to materials having densities greater than 700 mg/cc having zero heat flow temperatures greater than 164° C.

The density of the aerosol-generating material also affects the rate at which heat is conducted through the material; lower densities, e.g., below 700 mg/cc, will cause heat to conduct through the material more slowly, thus allowing for a more sustained aerosol release.

Preferably, the aerosol-forming material 3 comprises a reconstituted tobacco material, such as a paper reconstituted tobacco material, having a density of less than about 700 mg/cc. More preferably, the aerosol-forming material 3 comprises a reconstituted tobacco material having a density of less than about 600 mg/cc. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol-forming material 3 preferably comprises a reconstituted tobacco material having a density of at least 350 mg/cc, which is believed to allow for a sufficient amount of heat conduction in the material.

The tobacco material may be provided in the form of cut rag tobacco. The cut rag tobacco may have a cut width of at least 15 cuts per inch (about 5.9 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cut width of about 1.7 mm). The cut rag tobacco preferably has a cut width of at least 18 cuts per inch (about 7.1 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cut width of about 1.4 mm), more preferably at least 20 cuts per inch (about 7.9 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cut width of about 1.27 mm). In one example, the cut rag tobacco has a cut width of 22 cuts per inch (about 8.7 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cut width of about 1.15 mm). The cut rag tobacco preferably has a cut width of no more than 40 cuts per inch (about 15.7 cuts per cm, equivalent to a cut width of about 0.64 mm). It has been found that a step width of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, for example 0.6 mm to 1.5 mm, or 0.6 mm to 1.7 mm, results in a preferred tobacco material, particularly with respect to surface area to volume ratio when heated, and overall density and pressure drop of the substrate 3. The cut rag tobacco can be formed from a mixture of tobacco material forms, for example a mixture of one or more of reconstituted tobacco, leaf tobacco, extruded tobacco, and band cast tobacco. Preferably, the tobacco material comprises reconstituted tobacco or a mixture of reconstituted tobacco and leaf tobacco.

In the tobacco materials described herein, the tobacco material may contain a filler component. The filler component is generally a non-tobacco component, i.e., a component that does not include tobacco-derived raw materials. The filler component may be a non-tobacco fiber, such as wood fiber or pulp or wheat fiber. The filler component may also be an inorganic material, such as chalk, perlite, vermiculite, diatomaceous earth, colloidal silica, magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate, magnesium carbonate, etc. The filler component may also be a non-tobacco casting material or a non-tobacco extrusion material. The filler component may be present in an amount of 0-20% by weight of the tobacco material, or 1-10% by weight of the composition. In some embodiments, no filler component is present.

In the tobacco materials described herein, the tobacco materials contain an aerosol-forming material. In this context, an "aerosol-forming material" is an agent that promotes the generation of an aerosol. The aerosol-forming material can promote the generation of an aerosol by promoting the initial vaporization and/or condensation of a gas into an inhalable solid and/or liquid aerosol. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material can improve the delivery of flavorants from the aerosol-forming material. Generally, any suitable aerosol-forming material or agent can be included in the aerosol-generating materials of the present invention, including those described herein. Other suitable aerosol-forming materials include, but are not limited to, polyols such as sorbitol, glycerol, and glycols such as propylene glycol or triethylene glycol, non-polyols such as monohydric alcohols, high boiling point hydrocarbons, acids such as lactic acid, glycerol derivatives, esters such as diacetin, triacetin, triethylene glycol diacetate, triethyl citrate, or myristic acid including ethyl myristate and isopropyl myristate, and aliphatic carboxylic acid esters such as methyl stearate, dimethyl dodecanedioate, and dimethyl tetradecanedioate. In some embodiments, the aerosol-forming material can be glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol. The total amount of glycerol, propylene glycol, or a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol used can be in the range of 10% to 30%, for example 15% to 25%, of the tobacco material measured on a dry weight basis. Glycerol can be present in an amount of 10-20% by weight of the tobacco material, for example 13-16% by weight of the composition, or about 14% or 15% by weight of the composition. Propylene glycol, when present, can be present in an amount of 0.1-0.3% by weight of the composition.

The aerosol-forming material may be included in any component of the tobacco material, such as any tobacco component and/or filler component, if present. Alternatively or additionally, the aerosol-forming material may be added separately to the tobacco material. In either case, the total amount of aerosol-forming material within the tobacco material may be as defined herein.

The tobacco material may contain 10% to 90% by weight of tobacco leaf, with the aerosol-forming material being provided in an amount of up to about 10% by weight of the tobacco leaf. Advantageously, it has been found that this can be added in a greater weight percentage than another component of the tobacco material, such as reconstituted tobacco material, to achieve an overall level of aerosol-forming material of 10% to 20% by weight of the tobacco material.

The tobacco material described herein contains nicotine. The nicotine content may be 0.5-1.75% by weight of the tobacco material, for example 0.8-1.5% by weight of the tobacco material. Additionally or alternatively, the tobacco material contains 10%-90% by weight of tobacco leaf and has a nicotine content of greater than 1.5% by weight of the tobacco leaf. Advantageously, it has been found that the use of tobacco leaf having a nicotine content greater than 1.5% in combination with a lower nicotine matrix, such as reconstituted tobacco, provides a tobacco material having a suitable nicotine level, yet with better sensory performance than reconstituted tobacco alone. Tobacco leaf, for example cut rag tobacco, may have a nicotine content of, for example, 1.5%-5% by weight of the tobacco leaf.

The tobacco material described herein may contain an aerosol modifying agent, such as any of the flavourings described herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material contains menthol to form a mentholated article. The tobacco material may contain 3 mg to 20 mg of menthol, preferably 5 mg to 18 mg, more preferably 8 mg to 16 mg of menthol. In this example, the tobacco material comprises 16 mg of menthol. The tobacco material may contain 2% to 8% by weight of menthol, preferably 3% to 7% by weight of menthol, more preferably 4% to 5.5% by weight of menthol. In one embodiment, the tobacco material comprises 4.7% by weight of menthol. Such high levels of menthol loading may be achieved by using a high proportion of reconstituted tobacco material, for example greater than 50% by weight of the tobacco material. Alternatively or additionally, the menthol loading levels that can be achieved may be increased by using a larger amount of aerosol-forming material, such as tobacco material, for example greater than about ⁵⁰⁰ mm3, or suitably greater than about ¹⁰⁰⁰ mm3 of aerosol-forming material, such as tobacco material, is used.

In the compositions described herein, when amounts are given in weight percent, this refers to dry basis weight, unless specifically indicated to the contrary, for the avoidance of doubt. Thus, for the purposes of determining weight percent, any water that may be present in the tobacco material or any component thereof is completely disregarded. The moisture content of the tobacco material described herein may vary, and may be, for example, 5-15% by weight. The moisture content of the tobacco material described herein may vary, for example, according to the temperature, pressure, and humidity conditions under which the composition is maintained. The moisture content may be determined by Karl Fischer analysis, as known to those skilled in the art. On the other hand, for the avoidance of doubt, even when the aerosol-forming material is a component of a liquid phase, such as glycerol or propylene glycol, any component other than water is included in the weight of the tobacco material. However, when the aerosol-forming material is provided within the tobacco component of the tobacco material or within the filler component (if present) of the tobacco material instead of or in addition to being added separately to the tobacco material, the aerosol-forming material is not included in the weight of the tobacco component or filler component, but is included in the weight of the "aerosol-forming material" in the weight percent defined herein. All other materials present in the tobacco component are included in the weight of the tobacco component, even if they are of non-tobacco origin (e.g., non-tobacco fiber in the case of reconstituted tobacco).

In one embodiment, the tobacco material comprises a tobacco component as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material consists essentially of a tobacco component as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein. In one embodiment, the tobacco material consists of a tobacco component as defined herein and an aerosol-forming material as defined herein.

The paper reconstituted tobacco is present in the tobacco component of the tobacco material described herein in an amount of 10% to 100% by weight of the tobacco component. In an embodiment, the paper reconstituted tobacco is present in an amount of 10% to 80% by weight or 20% to 70% by weight of the tobacco component. In a further embodiment, the tobacco component consists essentially of paper reconstituted tobacco or consists of paper reconstituted tobacco. In a preferred embodiment, the leaf tobacco is present in the tobacco component of the tobacco material in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco component. For example, the leaf tobacco can be present in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the tobacco component, with the remainder of the tobacco component comprising paper reconstituted tobacco, band cast reconstituted tobacco, or a combination of band cast reconstituted tobacco and another form of tobacco, such as tobacco granules.

Reconstituted tobacco refers to tobacco material formed by a process in which tobacco raw materials are extracted with a solvent to give a residue extract containing soluble matter and fibrous material, and then the extract (usually after concentration, optionally after further processing) is recombined with fibrous material from the residue by depositing the extract on the fibrous material (usually after purification of the fibrous material, optionally with the addition of a portion of non-tobacco fiber). The recombination process is similar to the papermaking process.

The reconstituted tobacco paper can be any type of reconstituted tobacco paper known in the art. In certain embodiments, the reconstituted tobacco paper is made from raw materials including one or more of tobacco strips, tobacco stems, and whole tobacco. In further embodiments, the reconstituted tobacco paper is made from raw materials consisting of tobacco strips and/or whole tobacco, and tobacco stems. However, in other embodiments, shreds, fines, and husks can alternatively or additionally be used in the raw materials.

Reconstituted tobacco paper for use in the tobacco materials described herein can be prepared by methods known to those skilled in the art for preparing reconstituted tobacco paper.

2a is a side cross-sectional view of a further article 1' including a capsule housing portion 2', in this example a mouthpiece 2', arranged to be received in the mouth of a user. In an alternative example, the capsule housing portion 2' may constitute a portion of the article 1' downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3 and not arranged to be received in the mouth of a user. FIG. 2b is a cross-sectional view of the capsule housing mouthpiece shown in FIG. 2a taken along line A-A' in FIG. 2a. The article 1' and the capsule housing mouthpiece 2' are the same as the article 1 and mouthpiece 2 shown in FIG. 1, except that the aerosol modifier is provided in the body of material 6, in this example in the form of a capsule 11, and an oil-resistant first plug wrap 7' surrounds the body of material 6. In other examples, the aerosol modifier may be provided in other forms, such as a material injected into the body of material 6 or provided in a thread, for example the thread may hold a flavoring or other aerosol modifier and may be disposed in the body of material 6.

Embodiments of the present invention advantageously allow more of the flow through the mouthpiece 2 to pass through the aerosol-generating material rather than entering the article as airflow into the mouthpiece. This has been found to enhance delivery of the aerosol modifying agent to the aerosol.

The capsule 11 may constitute a breakable capsule, e.g. a capsule having a solid brittle shell surrounding a liquid payload. In this example, a single capsule 11 is used. The capsule 11 is entirely embedded within the body of material 6. In other words, the capsule 11 is completely surrounded by the material forming the body of material 6. In other examples, multiple breakable capsules, e.g. two, three or more breakable capsules, may be arranged within the body of material 6. The length of the body of material 6 may be increased to accommodate the number of capsules required. In examples where multiple capsules are used, the individual capsules may be the same as one another or may differ from one another in terms of size and/or capsule payload. In other examples, multiple bodies of material 6 may be provided, each housing one or more capsules.

The capsule 11 has a core-shell structure. In other words, the capsule 11 comprises a shell that encases a liquid agent, such as a flavorant or other agent, which may be any one of the flavorants or aerosol modifiers described herein. The capsule shell can be burst by the user to release the flavorant or other agent into the body of material 6. The first plug wrap 7' may constitute a barrier coating for making the plug wrap material substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of the capsule 11. Alternatively or additionally, the second plug wrap 9 and/or the tipping paper 5 may constitute a barrier coating for making the plug wrap and/or tipping paper material substantially impermeable to the liquid payload of the capsule 11.

In this example, capsule 11 is spherical and has a diameter of about 3 mm. In other examples, capsules of other shapes and sizes may be used. The total weight of capsule 11 may be in the range of about 10 mg to about 50 mg.

In this example, the capsule 11 is located at a longitudinally central position within the body of material 6. That is, the capsule 11 is located such that its center is 4 mm away from each end of the body of material 6. In other examples, the capsule 11 can be located at a position other than a longitudinally central position within the body of material 6, i.e. closer to the downstream end of the body of material 6 than the upstream end, or closer to the upstream end of the body of material 6 than the downstream end. The mouthpiece 2' is preferably configured such that the capsule 11 and the vent perforations 12 are longitudinally offset from one another within the mouthpiece 2'.

A cross section of the mouthpiece 2' is shown in Figure 2b, taken along line A-A' in Figure 2a. Figure 2b shows the capsule 11, the body of material 6, the first and second plug wraps 7' and 9, and the tipping paper 5. In this example, the capsule 11 is located at the centre of the longitudinal axis (not shown) of the mouthpiece 2'. The first and second plug wraps 7' and 9, and the tipping paper 5 are arranged concentrically around the body of material 6.

The breakable capsule 11 has a core-shell structure, i.e., the encapsulating or barrier material creates a shell around a core containing the aerosol modifier. The shell structure prevents migration of the aerosol modifier during storage of the article 1', but allows for controlled release of the aerosol modifier, also called the aerosol modifier, during use.

In some cases, the barrier material (also referred to herein as the encapsulating material) is frangible. The capsule is crushed or otherwise broken or destroyed by the user to release the encapsulated aerosol modifier. Typically, the capsule is broken just before heating is initiated, but the user can choose when to release the aerosol modifier. The term "breakable capsule" refers to a capsule whose shell can be broken by pressure to release the core, and more specifically, the shell can be ruptured under pressure applied by the user's finger when the user wishes to release the capsule's core.

In some cases, the barrier material is heat resistant; that is, in some cases, the barrier does not burst, melt, or otherwise collapse at temperatures reached at the capsule site during operation of the aerosol delivery device. Illustratively, a capsule disposed within a mouthpiece can be exposed to temperatures in the range of, for example, 30°C to 100°C, and the barrier material can continue to retain the liquid core up to at least about 50°C to 120°C.

In other cases, the capsule releases the core composition when heated, for example by melting the barrier material or by expanding the capsule and rupturing the barrier material.

The total weight of the capsule can be within the range of about 1 mg to about 100 mg, preferably about 5 mg to about 60 mg, about 8 mg to about 50 mg, about 10 mg to about 20 mg, or about 12 mg to about 18 mg.

The total weight of the core formulation can be in the range of about 2 mg to about 90 mg, preferably about 3 mg to about 70 mg, about 5 mg to about 25 mg, about 8 mg to about 20 mg, or about 10 mg to about 15 mg.

The capsule according to the invention comprises a core as described above and a shell. The capsule can exhibit a crush strength of about 4.5N to about 40N, more preferably about 5N to about 30N or about 28N (e.g., about 9.8N to about 24.5N). The capsule burst strength can be measured when the capsule is removed from the body of material 6, using a force gauge to measure the force with which the capsule is pressed between two flat metal plates to burst. A suitable measuring device is a Sauter FK50 force gauge with a flat head attachment that can be used to press the capsule against a flat, hard surface with a surface similar to the attachment.

The capsules can be substantially spherical and can have a diameter of at least about 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.8 mm, or 3.0 mm. The diameter of the capsules can be less than about 10.0 mm, 8.0 mm, 7.0 mm, 6.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.5 mm, or 3.2 mm. Illustratively, the diameter of the capsules can be in the range of about 0.4 mm to about 10.0 mm, about 0.8 mm to about 6.0 mm, about 2.5 mm to about 5.5 mm, or about 2.8 mm to about 3.2 mm. In some cases, the capsules can have a diameter of about 3.0 mm. These sizes are particularly suitable for incorporating the capsules into the articles described herein.

In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the capsule 11 at its maximum cross-sectional area is less than 28%, more preferably less than 27%, even more preferably less than 25% of the cross-sectional area of the portion of the mouthpiece 2' in which the capsule 11 is provided. For example, for a spherical capsule with a diameter of 3.0 mm, the maximum cross-sectional area of the capsule is 7.07 mm2. For the mouthpiece ² ' with a circumference of 21 mm described herein, the material body 6 has an outer circumference of 20.8 mm, the radius of this component is 3.31 mm, corresponding to a cross-sectional area of ^34.43 mm2. The cross-sectional area of the capsule is in this example 20.5% of the cross-sectional area of the mouthpiece 2'. As another example, if the capsule had a diameter of 3.2 mm, its maximum cross-sectional area would be ^8.04 mm2. In this case, the cross-sectional area of the capsule would be 23.4% of the cross-sectional area of the material body 6. The advantage of the maximum cross-sectional area of the capsule being less than 28% of the cross-sectional area of the portion of the mouthpiece 2' in which the capsule 11 is provided is that, compared to a capsule having a larger cross-sectional area, the pressure drop in the mouthpiece 2' is reduced, sufficient space remains around the capsule for the aerosol to pass through, and the body of material 6 does not remove a large amount of aerosol mass as it passes through the mouthpiece 2'.

When the capsule is broken, the pressure drop or pressure differential (also called resistance to draw) of the article, measured as the opening pressure drop (i.e. vent opening open), preferably drops by less than ₈ mmH2O. More preferably, the opening pressure drop drops by less than ₆ mmH2O, more preferably less than ₅ mmH2O. These values are measured as an average achieved by at least 80 articles made of the same design. Such small changes in pressure drop mean that other aspects of the product design, such as setting the correct vent level for a given product pressure drop, can be achieved whether or not the consumer chooses to break the capsule.

For a given tow specification (such as 8.4Y21000), it is known to generate a tow performance curve that represents the pressure drop in the length of the rod formed using the tow for each of a wide range of tow weights. Parameters such as the length and circumference of the rod, the thickness of the web, and the plasticizer level of the tow are specified, and in combination with the tow specification, a tow performance curve is generated that indicates the pressure drop that would be provided by different tow weights between the minimum and maximum weights achievable using standard filter rod forming machines. Such a tow performance curve can be calculated, for example, using software available from a tow supplier. It has been found to be particularly advantageous to use a body of material 6 that includes a filament tow having a weight per mm of the body of material 6 that is about 10% to about 30% of the range between the minimum and maximum weights of the tow performance curve generated for the filament tow. This can provide a tow weight sufficient to avoid shrinkage after the body of material 6 is formed, and an acceptable balance that provides an acceptable pressure drop while also assisting capsule placement in the tow for capsules of the size described herein.

In some embodiments, when the aerosol-generating material 3 is heated to provide an aerosol, for example in a non-combustible aerosol delivery device described herein, the portion of the mouthpiece 2 in which the capsule is located reaches a temperature of 58-70 degrees Celsius during use of the system to generate the aerosol. As a result of this temperature, the capsule contents are sufficiently warmed to promote volatilization of the capsule contents, e.g., aerosol modifiers, into the aerosol formed by the system as the aerosol passes through the mouthpiece 2. Warming the contents of the capsule 11 can be done, for example, before the capsule 11 is broken, so that when the capsule 11 is broken, the contents of the capsule 11 are more easily released into the aerosol passing through the mouthpiece 2. Alternatively, the contents of the capsule 11 can be warmed to this temperature after the capsule 11 is broken, again increasing the release of the contents into the aerosol. It has been found advantageous that a mouthpiece temperature in the range of 58-70 degrees Celsius is high enough to allow the capsule contents to be released more easily, but low enough so that the outer surface of the portion of the mouthpiece 2 in which the capsule is located does not reach an uncomfortable temperature for a consumer to touch in order to burst the capsule 11 by squeezing the mouthpiece 2.

The temperature of the portion of the mouthpiece 2 where the capsule 11 is located can be measured using a digital thermometer with an invasive probe positioned such that the probe enters the mouthpiece 2 through the wall of the mouthpiece 2 (forming a seal to limit the amount of outside air that can leak around the probe and into the mouthpiece) and is located proximate to the location of the capsule 11. Similarly, a temperature probe can be placed on the exterior surface of the mouthpiece 2 to measure the temperature of the exterior surface.

Table 1.0 below shows the temperature at the capsule in the mouthpiece 2 of an article used with an aerosol delivery system during the first five puffs. Data is provided for an article heated using a "standard" heating profile using the coil heating device described herein with reference to Figures 4-8, and for the same article heated using the same device with a "boost" heating profile. The "boost" heating profile is user selectable and allows for a higher heating temperature to be achieved.

As shown in Table 1.0, the temperature of the mouthpiece 2 at the location of the capsule 11 reaches a maximum temperature of 61.5°C under the "standard" heating profile and a maximum temperature of 63.8°C under the "boost" heating profile. A maximum temperature in the range of 58°C to 70°C, preferably in the range of 59°C to 65°C, and more preferably in the range of 60°C to 65°C, has been found to be particularly advantageous in terms of aiding in the volatilization of the contents of the capsule 11 while maintaining a suitable exterior surface temperature of the mouthpiece 2.

カプセル１１は、マウスピース２に印加される外力によって、たとえば消費者が指又は他の機構を使用してマウスピース２を締め付けることによって破壊可能である。上述したように、マウスピースのうちカプセルが配置された部分は、エアロゾル供給システムの使用中に５８℃より大きい温度に到達してエアロゾルを生成するように配置される。エアロゾル生成材料３の加熱前のマウスピース２内に配置されたカプセル１１の破裂強度は、１５００～４０００グラムの力であることが好ましい。エアロゾルの生成のためのエアロゾル供給システムの使用から３０秒以内のマウスピース２内に配置されたカプセル１１の破裂強度は、１０００～４０００グラムの力であることが好ましい。したがって、５８℃を上回る温度、たとえば５８℃～７０℃の温度にさらされるかどうかにかかわらず、カプセル１１は、破裂強度を維持することが可能であり、この破裂強度の範囲内では、カプセル１１が破壊されたという十分な触覚フィードバックを消費者に提供しながら、カプセル１１を消費者によって容易に破砕可能とすることが可能になることが判明した。そのような破裂強度を維持することは、本明細書に記載するように、たとえばアラビアガム、ゲランガム、アカシアガム、キサンタンガム、又はカラギーナンを単独又はゼラチンとの組合せで含む多糖など、カプセルに対して適当なゲル化剤を選択することによって実現される。加えて、カプセルシェルにとって好適な壁厚さが選択されるべきである。

The capsule 11 is breakable by an external force applied to the mouthpiece 2, for example by a consumer squeezing the mouthpiece 2 using a finger or other mechanism. As mentioned above, the portion of the mouthpiece in which the capsule is located is arranged to reach a temperature of greater than 58° C. during use of the aerosol delivery system to generate an aerosol. The burst strength of the capsule 11 located in the mouthpiece 2 prior to heating of the aerosol-generating material 3 is preferably between 1500 and 4000 grams of force. The burst strength of the capsule 11 located in the mouthpiece 2 within 30 seconds of use of the aerosol delivery system to generate an aerosol is preferably between 1000 and 4000 grams of force. Thus, it has been found that the capsule 11 is capable of maintaining its burst strength whether or not it is exposed to a temperature greater than 58° C., for example between 58° C. and 70° C., and within this burst strength range the capsule 11 can be easily crushed by the consumer while providing sufficient tactile feedback to the consumer that the capsule 11 has been broken. Maintaining such burst strength is achieved by selecting an appropriate gelling agent for the capsule, such as polysaccharides including gum arabic, gellan gum, acacia gum, xanthan gum, or carrageenan, alone or in combination with gelatin, as described herein. In addition, a suitable wall thickness should be selected for the capsule shell.

The burst strength of a capsule placed in the mouthpiece prior to heating of the aerosol generating material is preferably 2000-3500 grams force or 2500-3500 grams force. The burst strength of a capsule placed in the mouthpiece within 30 seconds of using the system to generate an aerosol is preferably 1500-4000 grams force or 1750-3000 grams force. In one example, the average burst strength of a capsule placed in the mouthpiece prior to heating of the aerosol generating material is about 3175 grams force, and the average burst strength of a capsule placed in the mouthpiece within 30 seconds of using the system to generate an aerosol is about 2345 grams force.

The burst strength of the capsules can be tested using force measuring equipment such as a Texture Analyser. For these burst strengths, a Type TA.XTPlus Texture Analyser was used, with a circular metal probe of 6 mm diameter placed at the center of the capsule location (i.e., 12 mm from the mouth end of the mouthpiece 2). The test speed of the probe was 0.3 mm/s, with a pre-test speed of 5.00 mm/s and a post-test speed of 10 mm/s. The force used was 5000 g. The tested articles were puffed using standard testing equipment according to the well-known Health Canada smoking regime (55 ml puff applied for 2 seconds every 30 seconds) using a Borgwaldt A14 syringe-driven unit. Three puffs were performed using this puff regime, and the capsule burst strength was measured within 30 seconds of the third puff. The article tested was similar to article 1 shown in Figures 1a and 1b, described in more detail below, except that it was provided at its mouth end with an 8 mm hollow tubular element 4 formed from two layers of paper laminated together, wrapped in parallel and abutted at a seam, and had a total thickness of 300 μm. The capsule was a 3 mm diameter capsule, placed within the body of an 8 mm length of cellulose acetate tow with a tow specification of 9.5Y12,000 and a target of 9% triacetin plasticizer.

The barrier material may include one or more of a gelling agent, a bulking agent, a buffering agent, a colorant, and a plasticizer.

Suitably, the gelling agent may be, for example, a polysaccharide or cellulose gelling agent, gelatin, gum, gel, wax, or mixtures thereof. Suitable polysaccharides include alginic acid, dextran, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin, and pectin. Suitable alginic acids include, for example, alginates, ester alginates, or glyceryl alginates. Alginates include ammonium alginate, triethanolamine alginate, and metal ion alginates of Group I or Group II, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium alginates. Ester alginates include propylene glycol alginate and glyceryl alginate. In one embodiment, the barrier material includes sodium alginate and/or calcium alginate. Suitable cellulose materials include methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose acetate, and cellulose ethers. The gelling agent may include one or more modified starches. The gelling agent may include carrageenan. Suitable gums include agar, gellan gum, gum arabic, pullulan gum, mannan gum, gum ghatti, gum tragacanth, karaya, locust bean, acacia gum, guar, quince seed, and xanthan gum. Suitable gels include agar, agarose, carrageenan, fucoidan, and furcellan. Suitable waxes include carnauba wax. In some cases, the gelling agent may include carrageenan and/or gellan gum, which are particularly suitable for inclusion as gelling agents such that the pressure required to break the resulting capsule is particularly suitable.

The barrier material may include one or more bulking agents such as starch, modified starch (such as oxidized starch), and sugar alcohols such as maltitol.

The barrier material may include a colorant that makes it easier to locate the capsule in the aerosol generating device during the manufacturing process of the aerosol generating device. The colorant is preferably selected from among dyes and pigments.

The barrier material may further include at least one buffering agent, such as a citrate or phosphate compound.

The barrier material may further comprise at least one plasticizer, which may be glycerol, sorbitol, maltitol, triacetin, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol or another polyalcohol with plasticizing properties, and optionally an acid of monobasic, dibasic or tribasic type, in particular citric acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, etc. The amount of plasticizer ranges from 1 to 30% by weight, preferably from 2 to 15% by weight, even more preferably from 3 to 10% by weight of the total dry weight of the shell.

The barrier material may also include one or more filler materials. Suitable filler materials include starch derivatives such as dextrin, maltodextrin, cyclodextrin (alpha, beta, or gamma), or cellulose derivatives such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), methylcellulose (MC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), polyvinyl alcohol, polyols, or mixtures thereof. Dextrin is a preferred filler. The amount of filler in the shell is at most 98.5% by weight, preferably 25-95% by weight, more preferably 40-80% by weight, even more preferably 50-60% by weight of the total dry weight of the shell.

The capsule shell may further comprise a hydrophobic outer layer that reduces the susceptibility of the capsule to moisture-induced deterioration. The hydrophobic outer layer is preferably selected from the group including wax, particularly carnauba wax, candelilla wax, or beeswax, carbowax, shellac (in alcoholic or aqueous solutions), ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxylpropyl cellulose, latex compositions, polyvinyl alcohol, or combinations thereof. More preferably, the at least one moisture barrier is ethyl cellulose or a mixture of ethyl cellulose and shellac.

The capsule core includes an aerosol modifier. The aerosol modifier can be any volatile substance that modifies at least one property of the aerosol. For example, the aerosol substance can modify the pH, sensory properties, moisture content, delivery characteristics, or flavor. In some cases, the aerosol modifier can be selected from an acid, a base, water, or a flavoring. In some embodiments, the aerosol modifier includes one or more flavorings.

The flavouring may suitably be liquorice, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, mint flavouring from any species of the genus Mentha, such as peppermint oil and/or spearmint oil, preferably menthol, and/or mint oil, or lavender, fennel, or anise.

In some cases, the flavoring includes menthol.

In some cases, the capsule may contain at least about 25% w/w flavoring (based on the total weight of the capsule), preferably at least about 30% w/w flavoring, 35% w/w flavoring, 40% w/w flavoring, 45% w/w flavoring, or 50% w/w flavoring.

In some cases, the core can include at least about 25% w/w flavoring (based on the total weight of the core), preferably at least about 30% w/w flavoring, 35% w/w flavoring, 40% w/w flavoring, 45% w/w flavoring, or 50% w/w flavoring. In some cases, the core can include no more than about 75% w/w flavoring (based on the total weight of the core), preferably no more than about 65% w/w flavoring, no more than 55% w/w flavoring, or no more than 50% w/w flavoring. Illustratively, the capsule can include an amount of flavoring in the range of 25-75% w/w (based on the total weight of the core), about 35-60% w/w, or about 40-55% w/w.

The capsule can contain at least about 2 mg, 3 mg, or 4 mg of aerosol modifier, preferably at least about 4.5 mg of aerosol modifier, 5 mg of aerosol modifier, 5.5 mg of aerosol modifier, or 6 mg of aerosol modifier.

In some cases, the consumable contains at least about 7 mg of aerosol modifier, preferably at least about 8 mg of aerosol modifier, 10 mg of aerosol modifier, 12 mg of aerosol modifier, or 15 mg of aerosol modifier. The core may also contain a solvent in which the aerosol modifier is dissolved.

Any suitable solvent may be used.

When the aerosol modifier comprises a flavouring, the solvent may suitably comprise short or medium chain fats and oils. For example, the solvent may comprise a triester of glycerol, such as a C2-C12 triglyceride, preferably a C6-C10 triglyceride, or a Cs-C12 triglyceride. For example, the solvent may comprise a medium chain triglyceride (MCT-C8-C12), which may be derived from palm oil and/or coconut oil.

Esters can be formed with caprylic acid and/or capric acid. For example, the solvent can include medium chain triglycerides of glyceryl tricaprylate and/or glyceryl tricaprate. For example, the solvent can include compounds identified by CAS Registry Numbers 73398-61-5, 65381-09-1, 85409-09-2. Such medium chain triglycerides are odorless and tasteless.

The hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) of the solvent may be in the range of 9 to 13, preferably 10 to 12. The method of making the capsules includes co-extrusion, optionally followed by centrifugation and hardening and/or drying. The contents of WO 2007/010407 are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

In the above examples, the mouthpieces 2, 2' each comprise a single body of material 6. In other examples, the mouthpieces of Fig. 1 or Figs. 2a and 2b may comprise multiple bodies of material. The mouthpieces 2, 2' may comprise cavities between the bodies of material.

In some examples, the mouthpiece 2, 2' downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3 can comprise a wrapper, such as the first plug wrap 7 or the second plug wrap 9, or a tipping paper 5, which wrapper includes an aerosol modifier or other sensate material as described herein. The aerosol modifier can be disposed on an inward or outward surface of the mouthpiece wrapper. For example, the aerosol modifier or other sensate material can be provided on an area of the wrapper that contacts the consumer's lips during use, such as the outward surface of the tipping paper 5. By disposing the aerosol modifier or other sensate material on the outward surface of the mouthpiece wrapper, the aerosol modifier or other sensate material can be delivered to the consumer's lips during use. The delivery of the aerosol modifier or other sensate material to the consumer's lips during use of the article can modify the organoleptic properties (e.g., taste) of the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate 3 or can otherwise provide the consumer with an alternative sensory experience. For example, the aerosol modifier or other sensate material may provide a flavor to the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate 3. The aerosol modifier or other sensate material may be at least partially water-soluble so as to be transferred to the user by the consumer's saliva. The aerosol modifier or other sensate material may be volatilized by heat generated by the aerosol delivery system. This may facilitate transfer of the aerosol modifier to the aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating substrate 3. Suitable sensate materials may include flavors as described herein, cooling agents such as sucralose, or menthol.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of a further article 1″ including a downstream portion 2″, in this example a mouthpiece 2″, arranged to be received in the mouth of a user. In the alternative, the downstream portion 2″ may constitute a portion of the article 1″ downstream of the aerosol-generating material 3 and not arranged to be received in the mouth of a user. The article 1″ and mouthpiece 2″ are the same as the article 1 and mouthpiece 2 shown in FIG. 1, except that the mouthpiece 2″ does not comprise a hollow tubular element 4 at the mouth end, and the second hollow tubular element 8 is replaced by a second hollow tubular element 8″, which preferably has a length of about 33 mm. The tow used in the body of material 6 may for example have a denier per filament (d.p.f.) of 8 and a total denier of 15,000, or any of the other specifications described herein. The smoking article 1″ is an example of one embodiment of the present invention and offers the same advantages as those described above. The smoking article 1″ may be provided in any of the formats described herein. For example, the smoking article 1″ may be provided in a super slim format and may have a circumference of about 17 mm. In this case, the internal volume of the second hollow tubular element 8 ″ in FIG. 3 is approximately 600 mm ³ .

The non-combustion aerosol delivery device is used to heat the aerosol generating material 3 of the articles 1, 1', 1" described herein. The non-combustion aerosol delivery device preferably comprises a coil as this has been found to allow for improved heat transfer to the articles 1, 1', 1" as compared to other configurations.

In some examples, the coil is configured to cause heating of at least one conductive heating element during use, such that thermal energy can be conducted from the at least one conductive heating element to the aerosol generating material, thereby causing heating of the aerosol generating material.

In some examples, the coil is configured to generate a varying magnetic field that penetrates at least one heating element during use, thereby causing inductive heating and/or magnetic hysteresis heating of the at least one heating element. In such configurations, the or each heating element may be referred to as a "susceptor" as defined herein. A coil configured to generate a varying magnetic field that penetrates at least one conductive heating element during use, thereby causing inductive heating of the at least one conductive heating element may be referred to as an "induction coil" or "inductor coil."

The device may include heating element(s), e.g. conductive heating element(s), which may be suitably positioned or positionable relative to the coil to allow such heating of the heating element(s). The heating element(s) may be in a fixed position relative to the coil. Alternatively, at least one heating element, e.g. at least one conductive heating element, may be included in the article 1, 1' for insertion into the heating section of the device, the article 1, 1' also comprising the aerosol-generating material 3 and removable from the heating section after use. Alternatively, both the device and such article 1, 1' may comprise at least one respective heating element, e.g. at least one conductive heating element, and the coil may be for causing heating of the heating element(s) of each of the device and the article when the article is in the heating section.

In some examples, the coil is helical. In some examples, the coil surrounds at least a portion of a heated section of a device configured to receive the aerosol generating material. In some examples, the coil is a helical coil that surrounds at least a portion of the heated section.

In some examples, the device includes a conductive heating element at least partially surrounding the heating section, and the coil is a helical coil surrounding at least a portion of the conductive heating element. In some examples, the conductive heating element is tubular. In some examples, the coil is an inductor coil.

In some examples, the use of a coil allows a non-combustion aerosol delivery device to reach an operating temperature more quickly than a non-coil aerosol delivery device. For example, a non-combustion aerosol delivery device including a coil as described above can reach an operating temperature such that a first puff can be provided in less than 30 seconds, and more preferably less than 25 seconds, from initiation of a device heating program. In some examples, the device can reach an operating temperature in about 20 seconds from initiation of a device heating program.

It has been found that the use of coils as described herein in devices to induce heating of the aerosol-generating material enhances the resulting aerosol. For example, consumers have reported that the aerosols generated by devices including coils such as those described herein are sensorily closer to those generated in factory-made cigarette (FMC) products than aerosols obtained by other non-combustion aerosol delivery systems. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is hypothesized that this is a result of the reduced time to reach the required heating temperature when coils are used, the higher heating temperatures achievable when coils are used, and/or the coils allowing such systems to simultaneously heat a relatively large volume of aerosol-generating material, resulting in aerosol temperatures similar to FMC aerosol temperatures. In FMC products, hot aerosols are generated by burning coals, which heat the tobacco in the tobacco rod behind the coals as the aerosol is drawn through the rod. It is understood that this hot aerosol releases flavor compounds from the tobacco in the rod behind the burning coals. Devices including the coils described herein are also believed to be capable of heating aerosol-generating materials, such as the tobacco materials described herein, to release flavor compounds, and the resulting aerosol is reported to be more similar to an FMC aerosol.

The use of an aerosol delivery system including a coil as described herein, e.g., an induction coil that heats at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material to at least 200°C, more preferably at least 220°C, can enable the generation of an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material having certain properties that are believed to be more similar to those of FMC products. For example, when an induction heater is used to heat an aerosol-generating material containing nicotine that is heated to at least 250°C for a period of 2 seconds under an air flow of at least 1.50 L/m during this period, one or more of the following properties are observed:

At least 10 μg of nicotine is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material.

The aerosol forming material produces an aerosol with a weight ratio of at least about 2.5:1 to nicotine, preferably at least 8.5:1.

At least 100 μg of aerosol-forming material can be aerosolized from the aerosol generating material.

The average particle or droplet size in the generated aerosol is less than about 1000 nm.

Aerosol density is at least 0.1 μg/cc.

In some cases, at least 10 μg of nicotine, preferably at least 30 μg or 40 μg of nicotine, is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m during the period. In some cases, less than about 200 μg of nicotine, preferably less than about 150 μg or less than about 125 μg of nicotine, is aerosolized from the aerosol-generating material under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m during the period.

In some cases, at least 100 μg of aerosol-forming material, preferably at least 200 μg, 500 μg, or 1 mg of aerosol-forming material, is aerosolized from the aerosol generating material under an airflow of at least 1.50 L/m during the period. The aerosol-forming material may preferably include or consist of glycerol.

As defined herein, the term "average particle or droplet size" refers to the average size of the solid or liquid components of the aerosol (i.e., the components suspended in the gas). When the aerosol contains suspended liquid droplets and suspended solid particles, the term refers to the average size of all the components combined.

In some cases, the average particle or droplet size in the generated aerosol can be less than about 900 nm, 800 nm, 700 nm, 600 nm, 500 nm, 450 nm, or 400 nm. In some cases, the average particle or droplet size can be greater than about 25 nm, 50 nm, or 100 nm.

In some cases, the aerosol density generated during the period is at least 0.1 μg/cc. In some cases, the aerosol density is at least 0.2 μg/cc, 0.3 μg/cc, or 0.4 μg/cc. In some cases, the aerosol density is less than about 2.5 μg/cc, 2.0 μg/cc, 1.5 μg/cc, or 1.0 μg/cc.

The non-combustion aerosol delivery device is preferably arranged to heat the aerosol-forming material 3 of the article 1, 1', 1" to a maximum temperature of at least 160°C. The non-combustion aerosol delivery device is preferably arranged to heat the aerosol-forming material 3 of the article 1, 1', 1" to a maximum temperature of at least about 200°C, or at least about 220°C, or at least about 240°C, more preferably at least about 270°C, at least once during the heating process by the non-combustion aerosol delivery device.

The use of an aerosol delivery system including a coil as described herein, e.g., an induction coil that heats at least a portion of the aerosol-generating material to at least 200°C, more preferably at least 220°C, can enable the generation of an aerosol from the aerosol-generating material in the article 1, 1', 1" described herein that has a higher temperature as the aerosol leaves the mouth end of the mouthpiece 2, 2', 2" than previous devices, which can contribute to the generation of an aerosol that is considered closer to an FMC product. For example, the maximum aerosol temperature measured at the mouth end of the article 1, 1', 1" can be preferably greater than 50°C, more preferably greater than 55°C, and even more preferably greater than 56°C or 57°C. Additionally or alternatively, the maximum aerosol temperature measured at the mouth end of the article 1, 1', 1" can be less than 62°C, more preferably less than 60°C, and more preferably less than 59°C. In some embodiments, the maximum aerosol temperature measured at the mouth end of the article 1, 1', 1" can be preferably between 50°C and 62°C, more preferably between 56°C and 60°C.

Figure 4 shows an example of a non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 for generating an aerosol from an aerosol-generating medium/material, such as the aerosol-generating material 3 of the articles 1, 1', 1" described herein. In summary, the device 100 can be used to heat a replaceable article 110 comprising an aerosol-generating medium, such as the articles 1, 1', 1" described herein, to generate an aerosol or other inhalable medium that is inhaled by a user of the device 100. The device 100 and the replaceable article 110 together form a system.

When the article 1, 1' is inserted into the device 100, the minimum distance between one or more components of the heater assembly and the tubular element of the article 1, 1' can be in the range of 3 mm to 10 mm, e.g., 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, or 10 mm.

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

The device 100 in this example includes a first end member 106 with a lid 108 movable relative to the first end member 106 to close the opening 104 when the article 110 is not in place. In FIG. 4, the lid 108 is shown in an open configuration, but the lid 108 can also be moved to a closed configuration. For example, a user can slide the lid 108 in the direction of arrow "B."

The device 100 may also include a user-operable control element 112, such as a button or switch that, when pressed, operates the device 100. For example, a user may turn on the device 100 by operating the switch 112.

The device 100 may also include an electrical component, such as a socket/port 114 that can receive a cable to charge a battery in the device 100. For example, the socket 114 may be a charging port, such as a USB charging port.

FIG. 5 shows the device 100 of FIG. 4 with the outer cover 102 removed and without the article 110 present. The device 100 defines a longitudinal axis 134.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first end member 106 is disposed at one end of the device 100 and the second end member 116 is disposed at an opposite end of the device 100. The first end member 106 and the second end member 116 together at least partially define an end surface of the device 100. For example, the bottom surface of the second end member 116 at least partially defines the bottom surface of the device 100. An edge of the outer cover 102 can also define a portion of the end surface. In this example, the lid 108 also defines a portion of the top surface of the device 100.

The end of the device closest to the opening 104 can be referred to as the proximal end (or mouth end) of the device 100 because it is closest to the user's mouth during use. During use, the user inserts the article 110 into the opening 104, operates the user control 112 to initiate heating of the aerosol-generating material, and inhales the aerosol generated within the device. This causes the aerosol to flow along the flow path through the device 100 toward the proximal end of the device 100.

The other end of the device furthest from the opening 104 can be referred to as the distal end of the device 100 because it is the end furthest from the user's mouth during use. When a user inhales the aerosol generated within the device, the aerosol flows away from the distal end of the device 100.

The device 100 further comprises a power source 118. The power source 118 can be, for example, a battery, such as a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. Examples of suitable batteries include, for example, lithium batteries (such as lithium ion batteries), nickel batteries (such as nickel cadmium batteries), and alkaline batteries. The battery is electrically coupled to the heating assembly to provide power to heat the aerosol-generating material when needed under the control of a controller (not shown). In this example, the battery is connected to a central support 120, which holds the battery 118 in place.

The device further comprises at least one electronic module 122. The electronic module 122 may comprise, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB 122 may support at least one controller, such as a processor, and a memory. The PCB 122 may also comprise one or more electrical tracks for electrically connecting together various electronic components of the device 100. For example, a battery terminal may be electrically connected to the PCB 122 so that power may be distributed throughout the device 100. The socket 114 may also be electrically coupled to a battery via the electrical tracks.

In the exemplary device 100, the heating assembly is an induction heating assembly, comprising various components for heating the aerosol-generating material of the article 110 by an induction heating process. Induction heating is a process of heating an electrical conductor (such as a susceptor) by electromagnetic induction. The induction heating assembly may comprise an induction element, for example one or more inductor coils, and a device for passing a varying current, such as an alternating current, through the induction element. The varying current in the induction element produces a varying magnetic field. The varying magnetic field penetrates a susceptor suitably positioned relative to the induction element and generates eddy currents in the susceptor. The susceptor has an electrical resistance to the eddy currents, and thus the susceptor is heated by Joule heating due to the flow of eddy currents against this resistance. If the susceptor comprises a ferromagnetic material, such as iron, nickel, or cobalt, heat can also be generated by magnetic hysteresis losses in the susceptor, i.e., by the varying orientation of magnetic dipoles in the magnetic material as a result of alignment with the varying magnetic field. In induction heating, heat is generated within the susceptor, which allows for rapid heating, as compared to, for example, heating by conduction. Furthermore, no physical contact between the induction heater and the susceptor is required, allowing for more freedom in terms of construction and application.

The induction heating assembly of the exemplary device 100 includes a susceptor structure 132 (referred to herein as a "susceptor"), a first inductor coil 124, and a second inductor coil 126. The first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are made from an electrically conductive material. In this example, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are made from a Litz wire/cable that is wound in a helical shape to provide the helical inductor coils 124, 126. The Litz wire includes multiple individual wires that are individually insulated and twisted together to form a single wire. The Litz wire is designed to reduce the skin effect losses of the conductor. In the exemplary device 100, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are made from copper Litz wire with a square cross section. In other examples, the Litz wire can have other shaped cross sections, such as circular.

The first inductor coil 124 is configured to generate a first varying magnetic field for heating a first section of the susceptor 132, and the second inductor coil 126 is configured to generate a second varying magnetic field for heating a second section of the susceptor 132. In this example, the first inductor coil 124 is adjacent to the second inductor coil 126 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 134 of the device 100 (i.e., the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 do not overlap). The susceptor structure 132 can comprise a single susceptor, or two or more separate susceptors. The ends 130 of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 can be connected to the PCB 122.

It will be appreciated that in some examples, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 can have at least one characteristic that differs from each other. For example, the first inductor coil 124 can have at least one characteristic that differs from the second inductor coil 126. More specifically, in one example, the first inductor coil 124 can have a different inductance value than the second inductor coil 126. In FIG. 5, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are of different lengths, and thus the first inductor coil 124 is wound on a smaller section of the susceptor 132 than the second inductor coil 126. Thus, the first inductor coil 124 can include a different number of turns than the second inductor coil 126 (assuming that the spacing between the individual turns is substantially the same). In yet another example, the first inductor coil 124 can be made of a different material than the second inductor coil 126. In some examples, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 can be substantially identical.

In this example, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are wound in opposite directions. This can be useful when the inductor coils are active at different times. For example, the first inductor coil 124 can be activated first to heat a first section/portion of the article 110, and the second inductor coil 126 can be activated later to heat a second section/portion of the article 110. Winding the coils in opposite directions helps reduce the current induced in the inactive coils when used with certain types of control circuits. In FIG. 5, the first inductor coil 124 is a right-handed spiral and the second inductor coil 126 is a left-handed spiral. However, in other embodiments, the inductor coils 124, 126 can be wound in the same direction, or the first inductor coil 124 can be a left-handed spiral and the second inductor coil 126 can be a right-handed spiral.

The susceptor 132 in this example is hollow and thus defines a receptacle in which the aerosol generating material is received. For example, the article 110 can be inserted into the susceptor 132. In this example, the susceptor 120 is tubular and has a circular cross-section.

The susceptor 132 can be made from one or more materials. Preferably, the susceptor 132 comprises carbon steel and has a nickel or cobalt coating.

In some examples, the susceptor 132 can include at least two materials, which can be heated at two different frequencies for selective aerosolization of the at least two materials. For example, a first section of the susceptor 132 (heated by the first inductor coil 124) can include a first material, and a second section of the susceptor 132 (heated by the second inductor coil 126) can include a second, different material. In another example, the first section can include a first and a second material, which can be heated differently based on the operation of the first inductor coil 124. The first and second materials can be adjacent along an axis defined by the susceptor 132 or can form different layers within the susceptor 132. Similarly, the second section can include a third and a fourth material, which can be heated differently based on the operation of the second inductor coil 126. The third and fourth materials can be adjacent along an axis defined by the susceptor 132 or can form different layers within the susceptor 132. For example, the third material can be the same as the first material and the fourth material can be the same as the second material. Alternatively, each of these materials can be different. The susceptor can include, for example, carbon steel or aluminum.

5 further includes an insulating member 128, which may be generally tubular and may at least partially surround the susceptor 132. The insulating member 128 may be constructed from any insulating material, such as, for example, plastic. In this particular example, the insulating member is constructed from polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The insulating member 128 may help insulate various components of the device 100 from heat generated within the susceptor 132.

The insulating member 128 may also fully or partially support the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 are disposed around the insulating member 128 and contact the radially outward surface of the insulating member 128. In some examples, the insulating member 128 does not abut the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126. For example, there may be a slight gap between the outer surface of the insulating member 128 and the inner surfaces of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126.

In a particular example, the susceptor 132, the insulating member 128, and the first and second inductor coils 124 and 126 are coaxial about a central longitudinal axis of the susceptor 132.

Figure 6 shows a partial cross-sectional side view of the device 100. In this example, the outer cover 102 is present. The rectangular cross-sectional shapes of the first inductor coil 124 and the second inductor coil 126 can be seen more clearly.

The device 100 further includes a support 136 for engaging one end of the susceptor 132 to hold the susceptor 132 in place. The support 136 is connected to the second end member 116.

The device may also include a second printed circuit board 138 associated with the control element 112.

The device 100 further comprises a second lid/cap 140 and a spring 142 disposed at the distal end of the device 100. The spring 142 allows the second lid 140 to be opened to provide access to the susceptor 132. A user can open the second lid 140 to clean the susceptor 132 and/or the support 136.

The device 100 further comprises an expansion chamber 144 extending away from the proximal end of the susceptor 132 toward the opening 104 of the device. A retaining clip 146 is at least partially disposed within the expansion chamber 144 to abut and hold the article 110 when received within the device 100. The expansion chamber 144 is connected to the end member 106.

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the device 100 of Figure 6, with the outer cover 102 omitted.

8A shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the device 100 of FIG. 6. FIG. 8B shows an enlarged view of a region of FIG. 8A. FIGS. 8A and 8B show the article 110 received within the susceptor 132, with the article 110 sized so that the outer surface of the article 110 abuts the inner surface of the susceptor 132. This ensures that heating is most efficient. The article 110 in this example comprises an aerosol-generating material 110a. The aerosol-generating material 110a is disposed within the susceptor 132. The article 110 may also comprise other components, such as a filter, packaging material, and/or cooling structure.

FIG. 8B shows that the outer surface of the susceptor 132 is spaced from the inner surface of the inductor coils 124, 126 by a distance 150 measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132. In one particular example, the distance 150 is about 3 mm to 4 mm, about 3 to 3.5 mm, or about 3.25 mm.

8B further illustrates that the outer surface of the insulating member 128 is spaced from the inner surface of the inductor coils 124, 126 by a distance 152 measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 158 of the susceptor 132. In one particular example, the distance 152 is about 0.05 mm. In another example, the distance 152 is substantially 0 mm, such that the inductor coils 124, 126 are in abutting contact with the insulating member 128.

In one example, the susceptor 132 has a wall thickness 154 of about 0.025 mm to 1 mm, or about 0.05 mm.

In one example, the susceptor 132 has a length of about 40 mm to 60 mm, about 40 mm to 45 mm, or about 44.5 mm.

In one example, the insulating member 128 has a wall thickness 156 of about 0.25 mm to 2 mm, 0.25 mm to 1 mm, or about 0.5 mm.

In use, the article 1, 1' described herein can be inserted into a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, such as the device 100 described with reference to Figures 4-8. At least a portion of the mouthpiece 2, 2' of the article 1, 1' protrudes from the non-combustion aerosol delivery device 100 and can be placed in the mouth of a user. An aerosol is generated by heating an aerosol-generating material 3 using the device 100. The aerosol generated by the aerosol-generating material 3 passes through the mouthpiece 2 to the mouth of the user.

The articles 1, 1' described herein have certain advantages when used with a non-combustion aerosol delivery device, such as the device 100 described with reference to Figures 3-7. In particular, it has been surprisingly found that the first tubular element 4 formed from filament tow significantly influences the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1, 1'. For example, it has been found that when the hollow tubular element 4 formed from filament tow is wound into an outer web, such as tipping paper 5, the outer surface of the outer web at a longitudinal position corresponding to the location of the hollow tubular element 4 reaches a maximum temperature of less than 42°C, preferably less than 40°C, more preferably less than 38°C or less than 36°C during use.

Table 2.0 below shows the temperature of the outer surface of the article 1 described herein with reference to FIG. 1 when heated using the device 100 described herein with reference to FIGS. 4-8. First, second and third temperature measurement probes were used at corresponding first, second and third positions along the mouthpiece 2 of the article 1. The first position (denoted as Position 1 in Table 2.0) is 4 mm away from the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2, the second position (denoted as Position 2 in Table 2.0) is 8 mm away from the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2, and the third position (denoted as Position 3 in Table 2.0) is 12 mm away from the downstream end 2b of the mouthpiece 2.

The first position is therefore on the outer surface of the portion of the mouthpiece 2 in which the first tubular element 4 is disposed, and the second and third positions are on the outer surface of the portion of the mouthpiece 2 in which the material body 6 is disposed.

A control article was tested in comparison to the filament tow tubular element 4 described herein, in which the filament tow tubular element 4 was replaced by a well-known spirally wound paper tube having the same structure as the second hollow tubular element 8 described herein, but 6 mm in length instead of 25 mm.

Tests were performed on the first five puffs on the article so that the approximate maximum temperature could be observed, as the fifth puff generally caused the temperature to peak and then begin to decline. Each sample was tested five times and the temperature provided is the average of these five tests. Standard test equipment was used to apply the well-known Health Canada smoking regime (55 ml puff applied for 2 seconds every 30 seconds).

As shown in the table below, it was surprisingly found that the use of the tubular element 4 formed from filament tow reduced the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 when compared to the control article at all puffs and all test positions on the mouthpiece 2. The tubular element 4 formed from filament tow was particularly effective at reducing the temperature at the first probe position where the consumer's lips are placed when using the article 1. In particular, the temperature of the outer surface of the mouthpiece 2 at the first probe position was reduced by more than 7°C for the first three puffs and by more than 5°C for the fourth and fifth puffs.

いくつかの実施形態では、エアロゾル変性構成要素及び加熱器を備える不燃式エアロゾル供給システムが提供され、加熱器は、使用中、エアロゾル生成材料がエアロゾルを提供するように、エアロゾル生成材料を加熱するように動作可能である。エアロゾル変性構成要素は、第１及び第２のカプセルを備える。第１のカプセルは、エアロゾル変性構成要素の第１の部分に配置され、第２のカプセルは、第１の部分の下流に位置するエアロゾル変性構成要素の第２の部分に配置される。

In some embodiments, there is provided a non-combustion aerosol delivery system comprising an aerosol modifying component and a heater, the heater operable to heat an aerosol-generating material such that, in use, the aerosol-generating material provides an aerosol. The aerosol modifying component comprises first and second capsules. The first capsule is disposed in a first portion of the aerosol modifying component and the second capsule is disposed in a second portion of the aerosol modifying component downstream from the first portion.

A first portion of the aerosol-modifying component is heated to a first temperature during operation of the heater to generate an aerosol, and a second portion is heated to a second temperature during operation of the heater to generate an aerosol, the second temperature being at least 4 degrees Celsius lower than the first temperature. Preferably, the second temperature is at least 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 degrees Celsius lower than the first temperature.

The aerosol modifying component may comprise one or more components of the article. In some embodiments, the aerosol modifying component comprises a body of material, and the first and second capsules are disposed within the body of material. The body of material may comprise cellulose acetate. In another embodiment, the aerosol modifying component comprises two bodies of material, and the first and second capsules are disposed within the first and second materials, respectively. In some embodiments, the aerosol modifying component may alternatively or additionally comprise one or more tubular elements upstream and/or downstream of the one or more bodies of material. The aerosol generating component may comprise a mouthpiece.

In some embodiments, the second capsule is spaced from the first capsule by a distance of at least 7 mm, measured as the distance between the center of the first capsule and the center of the second capsule. Preferably, the second capsule is spaced from the first capsule by a distance of at least 8, 9, or 10 mm. It has been found that increasing the distance between the first and second capsules also increases the difference between the first and second temperatures.

The first capsule contains an aerosol modifier. The second capsule also contains an aerosol modifier, which may be the same or different from the aerosol modifier in the first capsule. In some embodiments, a user can selectively rupture the first and second capsules by applying an external force to the aerosol modifier component to release the aerosol modifier from each capsule.

The aerosol modifier in the second capsule is heated to a lower temperature than the aerosol modifier in the first capsule due to the difference between the first and second temperatures.

The aerosol modifiers of the first and second capsules can be selected based on this temperature difference. For example, the first capsule can contain a first aerosol modifier that has a lower vapor pressure than the second aerosol modifier of the second capsule. If both capsules were heated to the same temperature, the higher vapor pressure of the aerosol modifier in the second capsule would mean that a greater amount of the second aerosol modifier would volatilize compared to the aerosol modifier in the first capsule. However, because the second capsule is heated to a lower temperature, this effect is less pronounced, and therefore a more uniform amount of the aerosol modifier in the first and second capsules volatilize when the first and second capsules, respectively, are broken.

In some embodiments, the first and second capsules have the same aerosol modification profile, meaning that both capsules contain the same amount of the same type of aerosol modifying agent, and therefore, if both capsules are heated to the same temperature and destroyed, both capsules should cause the same modification of the aerosol. However, because the first capsule is heated to a higher temperature than the second capsule, more of the aerosol modifying agent in the first capsule volatilizes, for example, compared to the agent in the second capsule, and therefore causes more significant aerosol modification than the second capsule. Thus, even though both capsules are the same, which can make the manufacture of the aerosol modifying component easier and/or cheaper, the user can decide whether to destroy the first capsule to cause more significant aerosol modification, or the second capsule to cause less significant aerosol modification, or both capsules to cause the greatest aerosol modification.

In some embodiments, both the first and second capsules contain a first and second aerosol modifier. The first aerosol modifier has a lower vapor pressure than the second aerosol modifier. Thus, when the second capsule is broken, a greater proportion of the second aerosol modifier evaporates relative to the first aerosol modifier as compared to when the hotter first capsule is broken during use of the system to generate an aerosol. Thus, the same capsule can be used to generate different modifications of the aerosol based on the location of the capsule within the first or second portion of the aerosol modifier component.

Figure 9 illustrates a method of manufacturing an article for use in a non-flammable aerosol delivery system.

In step S101, an aerosol generating material rod comprising an aerosol forming material is wound into a permeable web.

In step S102, a first portion of aerosol-generating material and a second portion of aerosol-generating material are positioned adjacent to respective first and second longitudinal ends of the mouthpiece rod.

In step S103, the first and second aerosol-generating material portions are connected to the mouthpiece rod. In this example, this is done by wrapping the mouthpiece rod and at least a portion of each of the aerosol-generating material portions 3 with tipping paper 5 as described herein. In this example, the tipping paper 5 extends longitudinally across the outer surface of each of the aerosol-generating material portions 3 by approximately 5 mm.

In step S104, the mouthpiece rod is cut to form first and second articles, each of which includes a mouthpiece. In this example, the double-length mouthpiece rod is cut approximately halfway along its length to form first and second substantially identical articles.

In step S105, ventilation zones are formed in the first and second mouthpieces. In an alternative embodiment, the ventilation zones may be formed in the mouthpiece rod prior to cutting the rod to form the first and second articles.

The various embodiments described herein are presented only to aid in the understanding and teaching of the claimed features. These embodiments are provided only as a representative sample of embodiments and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. The advantages, embodiments, examples, features, structures, and/or other aspects described herein should not be considered as limitations on the scope of the invention as defined by the claims or equivalents of the claims, and it should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. It is preferred that the various embodiments of the present invention can include, consist of, or essentially consist of any suitable combination of the disclosed elements, components, features, parts, steps, means, etc. other than those specifically described herein. In addition, the present disclosure can include other inventions not claimed herein but which may be claimed in the future.

Claims (25)

1. An article for insertion into a device for heating an aerosol-forming material to aerosolize at least one component of the aerosol-forming material, comprising:
an aerosol-generating material; and
a downstream portion located downstream of the aerosol-forming material, the downstream portion comprising at least one vent zone;
a first air flow path is defined in which air drawn through the article at its downstream end passes through the aerosol-forming material, and a second air flow path is defined in which air drawn through the article at its downstream end is drawn through the at least one vent zone in the downstream portion and into the article;
The suction resistance of the second air flow path is greater than the suction resistance of the first air flow path,
The aerosol-forming material is entrained in a web, and at least a portion of the air flow through the first air flow path passes through the web . 10. The article of claim 1 , wherein the web has a permeability level of greater than about 2000 Coresta units. The article of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the web is formed from a substantially porous material. The article of claim 1 , wherein the paper web is perforated. The article of any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the web has a permeability level of from about 2000 Coresta units to about 20,000 Coresta units, or from about 2000 Coresta units to about 10,000 Coresta units, or from about 2000 Coresta units to about 5000 Coresta units. The article of any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the downstream portion comprises a hollow tubular element. The article of claim 6 , wherein the hollow tubular element comprises a wall comprising an aerosol-forming material. 8. The article of claim 6 or 7 , wherein the hollow tubular element comprises the at least one vent zone. The article of claim 6 , wherein the hollow tubular element is disposed at the downstream end of the article and comprises a length of at least about 10 mm or greater than about 12 mm. 10. The article of claim 6 , 7 , 8 or 9, wherein the hollow tubular element constitutes a first hollow tubular element and the downstream portion constitutes a second hollow tubular element downstream of the first hollow tubular element. The article of claim 10 , wherein the first and/or second hollow tubular elements are formed from filament tows. The article of claim 10 , wherein the first and/or second hollow tubular elements are formed as paper or cardboard tubes. The article of any one of claims 1 to 12 , wherein the downstream portion comprises a cylindrical body of material downstream of the vent zone. The article of claim 13 , wherein the cylindrical body of material comprises a filament tow. 15. An article according to claim 13 or 14 when dependent on claim 10 , 11 or 12 , wherein the body of material is disposed between the first hollow tubular element and the second hollow tubular element. 16. The article of claim 14 or claim 15 dependent thereon, wherein a tow performance curve is generated for the filament tow, the tow performance curve representing pressure drop over a length of a rod formed using the filament tow for each of a range of tow weights , the filament tow having a weight per mm of the body of material that is about 10% to about 30% of the range between a minimum weight and a maximum weight of the tow performance curve generated for the filament tow. The article of any one of claims 6 to 12 and 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a non-combustion aerosol delivery device and the article is configured such that when the article is inserted into the non-combustion aerosol delivery device, a minimum distance between a heater of the non-combustion aerosol delivery device and the hollow tubular element of the article is at least about 3 mm. The article of any one of claims 1 to 17 , wherein the article comprises an air permeability level of about 10% to about 60%, or 40% to 60% air permeability, or about 15% to 45% air permeability. An article according to any one of claims 1 to 18 ;
and a non-combustion aerosol delivery device for heating the aerosol-generating material of the article. 20. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system of claim 19 , wherein the non-combustion aerosol delivery device comprises a coil. 21. The non-combustion aerosol delivery system of claim 19 or 20, wherein the article comprises an aerosol modifying component, and the non-combustion aerosol delivery device comprises a heater, the heater being operable to heat the aerosol- generating material such that, during use, the aerosol- generating material provides an aerosol, the aerosol modifying component being located downstream of the aerosol-generating material, the aerosol modifying component further comprising: a first capsule located within a first portion of the aerosol modifying component, the first portion of the aerosol modifying component being heated to a first temperature during operation of the heater to generate the aerosol, and a second capsule located within a second portion of the aerosol modifying component downstream of the first portion , the second portion being heated to a second temperature during operation of the heater to generate the aerosol, the second temperature being at least 4 degrees Celsius lower than the first temperature. 19. A method of forming the article of any one of claims 1 to 18 , comprising wrapping a rod of aerosol-generating material with a permeable wrapping paper having a permeability level , and forming a vent zone within a downstream portion connected to the rod of aerosol-generating material. 23. A method of forming an article as recited in claim 22 , comprising providing said level of permeability to said web by embossed perforations. 23. A method of forming an article as recited in claim 22 , comprising providing said level of transparency to said web by laser perforation. 23. A method of forming an article as recited in claim 22 , comprising providing said level of permeability to said web by electrostatic perforation.

Images